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.
Of bias and preference • One of the great wonders of the world of powered two-wheelers is the sheer variety of type, which probably comes as something of a surprise to those folk of no experience who refer to us all as ‘bikers’
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure’s contributors...
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure
News • There was clearly something in the water last month, with a slew of concept and limited-edition bikes released by Ducati, BMW and Triumph. It makes sense we guess – it’s the height of the biking season, the all-new models won’t start hitting properly until the early autumn bike shows, so now is the time to show off with some glamorous, attention-grabbing specials…
The not-so sensible BMW • BMWs used to be sensible. Durable, utilitarian and definitely not showing off, the boxers and early K100s of, say, 40 years ago were typically ridden sensibly by sensible dads and accountants. Times, however, have changed
Products
Like Sunday morning • With one clutch-alternative device already within their range, do Honda really need another?
EXTREME TWIN • Yamaha has yet another Ténéré 700 in its line-up! The sixth incarnation of the popular middleweight adventure bike (though there’re now only five available to buy new), the Ténéré Extreme, as its name suggests, is designed to cope with more serious off-roading. We went to the Yamaha Off-Road Experience centre in Wales to see how well it deals with life away from the Tarmac
FANTIC MOTOR CEO MARIANO ROMAN INTERVIEW: Ten Years In • MV Agusta, Indian, Norton, Moto Morini, Brough Superior, Horex and most recently BSA – the contents of the freezer section of motorcycling’s history store have gradually been defrosted over the past quarter century, repackaged in a modern context and restored to today’s marketplace. The process began 35 years ago with the relaunched Triumph, but one of the most successful comebacks has taken place over the past decade with barely anyone noticing. That’s how long it’s taken for Italy’s Fantic Motor to be transformed under astute new management and careful investment into a serious growth brand in the off-road and dual-purpose markets, now sold globally through more than 1000 dealers in over 50 different countries
Letters
OOZING CHARM • In a world where everything’s becoming increasingly slick, sanitised and technologically advanced, Moto Guzzi’s doing its best to keep things old school
Legal Eagle • MSL’s resident legal expert sheds some light on motorcycling law
BACK IN THE DAY... • MSL columnist Maynard Hershon picks his favourite articles from the long history of this magazine
Power Play: Choosing and Fitting a USB Port • Smartphones are wonderful devices. Not only can we use them to take photographs of our motorcycles in exotic locations, but also they can be used as a satnav. The only downside is that they are relatively power hungry and often require charging on the move
The Longest Day Teapot • Tock tick, tick tock. Time scrolls past as Dave fights more issues…
FAST FASHION • Distinctive design meets dramatic dynamic in the shape of Husqvarna’s new Svartpilen 801
Glory Days • ‘I think I’m going down to the well tonight And I’m gonna drink till I get my fill And I hope when I get old I don’t sit around thinking about it But I probably will Yeah, just sitting back, trying to recapture A little of the glory, yeah Well time slips away and leaves you with nothing, mister But boring stories of Glory days, yeah they’ll pass you by…’*
Border Reiver...