Motorcycle Sport & Leisure is a monthly 116 page full colour magazine covering all aspects of modern leisure bike riding. New bike reviews, product news and events add to the unique mix of touring features and long term road tests.
Making new experiences
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure
News • Need to know ◆ New models ◆ Industry info
New 801 Svartpilen naked retro-scrambler
Triumph’s Rocket 3 power boost
2023 UK motorcycle sales figures
Welsh Classic Motorcycle Festival, Anglesey
Guy Martin at Stafford
Rieju Aventura 500
The big bike that thinks it's small • Triumph Speed 400 and Scrambler 400 X
Ready to take on THE WORLD • Ducati keep going from strength to strength, and have upped the adventure bike ante once again with the DesertX Rally, a high-spec and genuinely race-capable development of the excellent DesertX
All That Gear
Products
How to maintain your battery • Most riders won’t notice that anything is amiss with their battery until they press the ignition switch and their motorcycle fails to start. With a little bit of luck, they might be able to recharge the battery, but that takes time. Should the battery have become deeply discharged, and beyond recovery, then it will need replacing, causing more time lost and unwelcome expense. Often overlooked, battery maintenance is simple and, apart from keeping your battery in top working condition, will also significantly extend its lifespan. What’s not to like? MSL asked the battery saving experts at OptiMate to explain the theory behind the practice of battery maintenance.
TARMAC TWEAKS • Stepping ever further away from its Dakar Rally racing roots, Honda’s overhauled its Africa Twin Adventure Sports to create a seriously capable big-mile tourer that can hold its own with the best of them
Letters
FULL CHAT POWERED BY BIKESURE • Once limited to television chat shows, the world of celebrity interviews has now, in the 21st century, expanded to blogs, vlogs and podcasts that cover an expansive range of subjects and personalities, and it’s only natural that the world of motorcycles is covered in that remit
BACK IN THE DAY... • MSL columnist Maynard Hershon picks his favourite articles from the long history of this magazine
NORTON CEO ROBERT HENTSCHEL • There’s been much talk about the rise, fall, and rise of Norton Motorcycles over the last few months, if not years, so who better to ask about the true, behind-the-scenes details than their new head honcho?
Legal Eagle • Opening a window on motorcycling law
Mossy’s Knowledge • Spec sheet terminology - Engines
The short way to John O’Groats • A day ride needn’t all be accomplished in one hit from home, but can be a single, impressive ride bookended by two days of travel
New face, old face • When old is old, and new is new, but new is also old…
Northern Spain and the Picos • We’re all aware that the world, his wife and his motorbiking dog have been to Northern Spain and the Picos triangle, but Alastair is going to throw his tuppence in none-the-less, for all the right reasons!
To Transylvania the return • After not touring on the bike for a couple of years due to the pandemic, Steve Roper decided to do a longer tour than usual, taking a full four weeks from door-to-door. This is the return half
The Longest Day Teapot • Adventure, cheap motorcycles and a desire to do something good for the world. All combining in one very long day
Test fleet: Kawasaki Versys 650 GT • It’s cold, it’s raining so, of course, the best thing to do is to head to Kent for some R&R on the Kawasaki Versys 650 GT. Spending a weekend with someone or something can tell us much about how the future relationship...