Global acceptance
Edi tor Dave Manning
The fact that many motorcyclescurrently availableinyourlocal dealer have been built –eitherentirelyorin part –inChina ishardly world-shatteringnews. Yet thereare seeminglystill some that don’treally understandjusthow much of ourdaily lives areundertakenwithproductsthathavecome from theother sideofthe GreatWall.
You’ll have seen an increasingnumberof bikesfeaturedwithin thesepages that have been builtbyChinese companies, or that have used engines builtinChina, andthat’s over andabove themodelsbuilt by European, Japaneseand American companiesthat useChinesecomponents. To be fair, there’s probably notamodel that is currentlybuilt anywhereonthe planet that doesn’thavea Chinesepartorseven within itsconstruction.
When we frst startedseeingChinese-built bikeshereinBlighty, they were pretty much allmopedsand 125cc bikes, very much built down to abudget andthe sort of thingthat really doesn’tlastverylongat all, especially in thehands of youngsters more focused on socialisingand gettingtocollege/work than on maintenanceand thezen application of such.We’ve allheard thestories of how bike shopsand professionalmechanics were turningthose very bikesand ’pedsaway becausethey’dcostmore to fx than they were worth, andhow they needed to be treated like so much else in this modernthrow-away society. If it’s broke,buy anew one…
Motorcycle
Alan Cathcart
Al an ha sb ee n wr it in ga bo ut bikes fo r mo re th an 30 ye ar s, an d ri di ng th em fo re ve n lo ng er.H e’sr eg ul ar ly gi ve nt he ke ys to fa ct or yp ro to ty pe sa nd be in go nf ir st na me te rm sw it ht he bo ss es of bikec om pa ni es ar ou nd th ew or ld al lo ws hi mt ob ag ma ny sc oo ps
Thankstothe easyentry into the world wide web, it’s very easytolook at the world as being avery small place, and that’s apoint made stronger by the expansion and acceptanceofinternationaltrade.
Te disposable nature of theproduct hashelpedtobuoythe ideathattheywere builtusingver ycheap labour,and political arguments againstbuyingproductsfrom Chinaare many andvaried. Some have a basisinfact, others arepurespeculation –like theconspiracy theory that ever ything electronic made in Chinaislisteningtous… Times,ofcourse, change
Much like theapocryphalmechanic who refusedtoworkonChinesebikes,we’ve all heardthe comparisonsof21stcentury Chinese products with thebikes comingout of Japanin theSixties. Howtheyweredismissed as being cheapand nasty, howtheywerea fash in the pan, andhow they’d neverreplace ‘real’bikes like thosebuilt in Britain, Italyand Germany.
AndthenJapanesebikes became bigger,faster, more reliable andmorecommonplace.Tey became accepted. Andasthe productimproved, themarketchanged,and Japanbecameaglobal industrial powerhouse,withacorresponding increase in living standardsand wages, andthus ariseinprice of theend product.
Rightthere is whereChinaisnow.It’salready that global industrial powerhouse,and workers arestartingtoget more pay, to have their ownhousesand cars,and gethigherwages –workers’ rights in action rightthere.Chinese products, whilestill astoundinglycompetitivelypriced, arebecomingmore expensive. It just
Adam ‘Chad’ Child Yorkshireborn Chad hasb een profes sionally te st ingbikes for20years,a tten de d more than 350bike launch es,and covere dover am illion ro ad te st mile s. Wi th race wins at Oliver ’s Mo untand twotop 10 TT finishe s, Chad is just as happyelb ow-dow nona race tr ackork icking up mudof- ro ad
Andy Bell
Andy st ar ted riding as soon as he wasold enough to pass histest. Like many others,the love of bikessoontookhold andheended up racing at club levelfor afew years. Whil st having aver y nost al gicfeeling forbikes, he embraces anything newand is willingtotry ever yaspec tofthe twowheeledworld
so happensthatthe qualityisrisingalongside theretailprice,and whileitcould be said that thequality of Chinesepowered two-wheelers nowmatches that of machineryproducedin theWest, as living standardsand wagesrise, the price is goingtocontinuetoclimb
It’s asituation also echoed by products builtinIndia,withthe powerhousesofT VS andBajaj (and therecentannouncementof that company’sfurther investment in KTM) bringing furthereastern favourstothe global motorcyclingsmorgasbord.
Rightnow,bikes that’vebeenbuilt in China –suchasthe Morbidelli that appearsonthe frontcover of this very magazine, andthe range of QJMotormodelsthatwillbecomeavailable in theUKthissummer –are stillcheap when compared directlytobikes builtelsewhere,but they’llbegetting more expensive.
So either buynow andenjoy thebargains that canbehad,orwaituntil they ‘prove themselves’and arethenonapar with anythingelsebuilt as farasprice is concerned. Tey’ll stillhavethe same ‘moral issues’–and Isay that in speechmarks as each person has adiferentset of values with regard to morals, andwenow have to acceptthatprettymuch everyaspectofour livesalready contains a product that hasbeenmadeinChina-but they will endupcosting youmorethanthey do at this very moment
Alan Dowds
Al an is a fr ee la nc ej ou rn al is t, wh o’sb ee nw rit in g ab ou tb ikes fo r25 ye ar s. He’s Sc ot ti sh , bu tb as ed in Lo nd on , an dc ut hi sr id in g te et ha sac ou ri er,s o love sab it of ha rd co re tr af cs pl it ti ng .B oo ks , ma gazi ne s, we bs it es –he’s wr it te nfor
Simon Everett
Aconstant motorcyclist since1976, Simonhas spentthe bestpartofhis life riding motorcyclesastransport to carryhim andhis photographic equipmenton assignmentsall over Europe Tottinguphis mileagegives alifetimetotal of more than 1.5million mileson twowheels, whichheisstill adding to
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Need to know ◆ Newmodels ◆ Industry info
2025YamahaTracer7 andGT
Tere’s been abit of aslowdown in some newbikes appearingover thepastyearorso. BMW’s R1300 rangehas been tricklingout over about18monthsand there’sa few Hondamodelslikethe Hornet 1000SPwhichare in very short supply.Tereasons arevaried accordingtoindustryinsiders:a hangover from Euro5+ homologation in January, general supply chainwoes, andthe beginnings of an impact from the US tarifsituation.
Allofwhichmight explain whywe’re seeingthis– thenew 2025 Yamaha Tracer 7and 7GT in themiddle of summer,rather than at theend of 2024 alongside theupdated MT-07 andTénéré ranges.But nowthey’re here, let’s have alookatthe latest light-middleweight adventure tourersfrom thetuningfork frm. Tere’s abit of acarry-over
from the2025 MT-07and Ténéré changes, with thesame new72bhp Euro 5+ emissions compliant 690cc CP2 powertrain. Most of themods needed forthe cleanupare in the intake andexhaust setupwitha newYCC-T ride-by-wireengine management systemimproving mattersoverthe oldcableoperatedthrottle. Tischange happened decadesago with cars: giving thecomputerfullcontrol over thethrottleair valveaswell as thefuellingand ignition parameters meansitcan much better match up thepetroltothe air. Tatgives more efcient combustion,ratherthanhaving aham-fstedhuman manually slammingthe butterfiesopen andthe computer then having to tr yand catch up.
Ride-by-w irea ls omakes more advanced rider aids easier
to implement– thecomputer canreducet he torque output from theeng ineusingt he thrott le as well as fuel cuts when it sens es wheelslip, giving faster andmorepre cise trac tion cont rol. Powermodes andcruis econtrol areacinch with ride-by-w iretoo,s oit’sa ll grav yrea lly: the2025 Tracer 7 andGTnow come with al l thos efeaturesasstandard. Tere aresignifcant upgrades on thechassisside too: new 41mm upside-down fork add adjustabilityand areftted with radial-mount four-pistonbrake calipers,all of whichshould sharpenupthe frontend nicely. Te steel backbone framehas been revisedfor extra rigidity, andanew swingarm is 40mm longer forincreased stability. Finally, premium Michelin Pilot Road 6GTtyres help getthe
most from thenew chassissetup. Away from theengineand chassis, thesmall-bore Tracer gets asharp newlook, with fresh bodyworkand compactLED lightingunits. It’s notgot the madAdaptiveMatrixlighting seen on thebiggerTracer 9GT, buthas ‘animatedposition lights’,which will no doubt expandthe ownership experience appropriately.Tere’s abigger18litre fuel tank which we applaudwholeheartedly (whendid youever*not* want more fuel in abike? I’dhave25 litretanks on ever ything), anda revisedseating position,with two-piece seat,slimmer tank andwider bars.Add in a5” colour TFT LCDdashboard with smartphone linkand navigation functions, plus newswitchgear with Yamaha’s latest auto-cancel indicator switches (which need a bitoflearning) andyou have a bike whichshouldfeelmuch more ‘premium’thanbefore. Te GT modeladdsaslewof handytouring kitasstandardto make lifeeveneasier :remote rear shockpreload adjuster, centrestand,hardpanniers, 90mm taller screen, heated grips andrubberisedfootpegs, plus a posher comfortseat.
Onething that is missingat themomentisthe optionfor the Y-AMT automatictransmission ofered on theMT-07 forthis year.It’snot clearwhy –maybe thefrm is holdingthatbackfor afutureTracer 7GT+, as with the900 model. We’reridingthe newTracer7next month, and will be sure to askthe question on thepress launch… l Te newTracer 7range is in shopsnow,pricedat£8,804 for thebasebikeand £10,104 for theGT.
2025 Voge DS625X
Fancyyour adventuretouringa bit smaller,lighter and cheaper?
Then the Voge DS625 Xmight be right up your alley. The Chinese brand wasone of the
first to add premium chassis kit to its well-pricedmachines, and the newDS625 comeswith Nissin wave-discbrakes, fully-adjustable KYB suspension and Metzeler
Tourance tyres on the wire-spoked rims. The engine is a581cc DOHC 270° 8v parallel twin putting out 63bhp, and is based on the firm’s smaller 500 powerplant.
CadwellParkSummerBikeBash
Justalast quick reminder the Lincolnshire track’s summer shindig is acouple of weeksaway, with the Classic Bike Trackdays team setting up special celebrations fornot only the Suzuki GSX-R range(celebrating 40 years of production), but also the samebrand’s RG500 and RG400 models (race and road-going versions), and also the groundbreaking GSX1100EFE, all of which also celebrate a40th anniversary 1985 wassome year forSuzuki, eh?
There’s also the Amicale Spirit of Speed collective, who ’l lb e displaying (and riding) their amazing collecti on of BSB, Wo rl d Superbi ke ,T T-F1, Moto GP an d Grand Prix machi nery –at ruly not-to-be- missed spectacle!
Of course, there’ll be non-stop track action around the 2.1 mile parkland circuit, with track sessions and parades, plus numerous owners clubs and individuals with bikeson show, Saturdayevening entertainment and more.
Ca dwell Pa rk is certai nlys et to be the place to be on July1 9& 20. Morei nfoa tw ww classicbi ke trackdays .com
The equipment list is impressivet oo: therei sp ro per ABS and traction control which areb oth sw itchable fo r off-road use, plus twor ider powe rm odes. Vo ge has added at yrep re ssurem onitoring system (normallys een on bigger bi ke s), aB luetooth phone link and navigation functions, all accessed via a7 ” colour LC Dd ash and backlit sw itchgear.T here’s even a fa ctory-fitted fo rward-facing video came ra with 1080p HD re cording on to an SD card, and LED lighting all ro und. Yo ua lso ge ta load of adventuret ouring kit as stock: centres tand, engine bars, sump guarda nd hand protectors, plus fo gl amps and an aluminium re ar luggage ra ck. That means as lightly chunky all-up mass of 206kg, but the headline price of just £5,999 moret han makes up fo r that we re ckon.
CONCEPTCORNER
Last month wasacorker when it came to mad concept bi kes. There were lashings of them as usual at the Bi ke Shed ShowinLondon, including factory-backed machines from Yamaha and Royal Enfield. Meanwhi le, BMWhad its normal presence at the Concorso d’EleganzaVilla d’EsteonLake Como in Italy, withaglimpse into the future of its 1000 RR superbi ke class. Enjoythe madness, and try to work out whatwemight see hitproduction in coming years…
BMWConcept RR
The Concorso d’E leganzaV il la d ’E ste is as uper-pos ha nnual car and bi ke shown ex tt oLakeC om o in It a ly.B MW is one of the orga nisers, so the Bava rians alwaysp ull out the st op st os how off some sweet metal, on fo ur and twow heels. Fo r2 025 ,t he moto-star of the showwas this , th eB MW Concept RR, which the firm says shows ap ossi ble pathwayt of utured evelopme n t s of its M10 00 RR and S10 00 R R su pe rb ikem odels. It’s ac arbo nfa ired we apon, with ex tensive aerodynamics, and lashings o f slightly-tacky go lden highlights. Under the bodywork is am ot or ba se do nt he fir m’s 230bhp base superbi ke ra ce engine, bol ted into ac ast aluminium frame, with carbon fi breswingarm and fo rged wheels. Ra ce-spec Brembo an d Öhlins ro unds off the saucys pec, and it’s all fi nished wit ha bespokeA krapovic ra ce pipe. Just the job fo rawet Tu esday morning commute up the A5, as theys ay
RoyalEnfield The Great Frog and the Kingsman 650
Abrace of barmybespokebikes from Indianfirm RoyalEnfield –but there’s abit of methodinthe madness. The first one–the Kingsman 650–ispureschlock: it’s an homagetothe Kingsman comedy spyfi lm, bui lt in Germany by Kingston Custom, and is afully enclosed streamliner.Based on a Shotgun 650, the highlight is the bui lt-in drinkshamper with gin and tonic, hairbrush andcomb.
The other bi ke is the Great Frog, bui lt as apartnership with the London jewellery-maker of the
same name. The Super Meteor 650 has been rebui lt as a British-style chopper,with bagger-style hard-cases, mad ape-hanger barsona massive riser,sissybar and specially engravedengine cases (witha spelling mistake!)
The best bit is the fron te nd though: the bui ld ers have added as econd fro nt braked isc (somethin gwe’veb een asking fo r on the En fiel d6 50 ra nges ince theyf irst appeared), clampe d by beefy British Harrison six-piston calipers…
Yamaha XZR900 special
The star of the Bi ke Shed Showin Tobacco Dock, Wapping, London wasthis pretty piece of work. Bui lt by English custom bi ke maker HaxchMoto with help from the Yamaha Yard-Builtcustom program, it’s based on astandard naked retroXSR900 roadster,but has beenheavi ly modified into this tri bute to Yamaha’s 1980s and 90s sport and race bi kes.
The bodywork is insane –it’s hand-beaten aluminium sheet, custom manufactured using traditional manual metalwork tooling li ke the English wheel.
There’s astunning levelofdetai l and work –things li ke the stock rear subframe mounts have been removedand relocated, with hours of work neededtoreplicate a stock-looking finishonthe aluminium main frame. Chassis kit is British fare:HEL brakes and Maxton suspension front and rear, together with anew rear swingarm linkagetolift the back end up by 40mm and pushing the XZRonto its nose forsharper steering. There’s amildengine tune of around 10 percentmorepower thankstoarace pipeand remap. The paint is theicing on the cake
though: aperfectly-produced paean to the shellsuit graphics and loud colourschemes of Yamaha’s TZR/YZR/FZR/YZF era.
Haxchmoto is currently developing alimited-edition road-legal production run, with headlight, indicators, number plate, and aless-insane methodof bodywork production(the hand-made aluminium panels took hundreds of hours to make and could nevermakebusiness sense). Moreinfoatwww.haxchmoto.com or @haxchmoto on Instagram
Pics by Ka ne Layland @ ka nelayland
Mallory Park Festival of Motorcycling
Anew festival celebratingall aspects of motorcycling is set forLeicestershire’s ‘friendly circuit’, Mallory Park, on the weekend of August 16-17. Encompassing everythingfrom brand newmachines to classic and vintagebikes from yesteryear,static showdisplays
to live action on the circuit with amazing track sessions, plus action on the dirt with an adventurebikecourse and trials area, specialguests, live entertainment on Saturday evening, free camping and anything else on twowheels, the FestivalofMotorcycling isrun in
conjunction with TwoWheels For Life(the ofcial charity of MotoGP) who wi ll be culminating their 2025 Big Ride atthe event. It’s set to be avery special weekend, and moredetai ls can be found at www classicbi ketrackdays.com/ festival-of-motorcycling/
MORBID’ Fascina tion Fascination
Morbidelli T1002V
TheItalian name hasits rootsinracing, but the re -bornMorbidellibrand hasmovedits focusfromtrack performancetoreal-world practicalitiesand useability
Manyreaderswillremember Morbidellifor itsstrikingly designedV8motorcyclethat wasbuilt in thenineties, despitethe fact therewere only four actually completed.But thename wasmoresuccessfulas aracingbrand,two decadesearlier,as GiancarloMorbidellibegan buildingracingmachines in the1960s, initially as adistraction from hiswoodworkingbusiness, making notonlyfurniture andwooden coach bodiesfor cars,but also successfullydevelopingmachinetools
Tesuccess of themainbusinessallowed theracingtoprogresstosomeverysuccessful bikes, with Morbidellimachinerywinningthe 125ccWorld Championship in 1975, ’76 and ’77, as well as the250cc championship in 1977. Tese bikeswereonlyusedbythe factoryteam–theyweren’t availabletobuy by privateers –althoughanadditional factory wasbuilt in 1976 to manufacturebikes in association with Benelli(both companies
were basedinPesaroonItaly’s east coast), with theresulting MBA(Morbidelli Benelli Armi) bikesof123cc and248cc builtinsome quantity andavailable to thepublic. Cuttinga long (albeitquite interesting) storyshort, racingwas done with by 1982, thecompany wasacquiredbythe ItalianSCM groupand, aside from theaforementionedfour847cc V8s (which, in 2001, were referred to by the GuinnessBookofRecordsasthe World’s Most ExpensiveMotorcycle), therewereno furtherbikes built.
In order to bringa little historicalkudos to their products, it’s notunusual foraChinese brandtobuy awestern ‘name’ (ie abrand andnot an actual companyorproduct)and applyit, andits background history and associatedcoolfactor, to machinerybuilt in China. Andthisisthe case with Morbidelli, whoare currentlypartofthe Keeway group, themselves under themassive umbrellaof Qianjiang,aka theQJMotor Group, basedin Zhejiang Province,China. However, thereis
WORDS: Dave Manning
Gary Chapman/ MotoGB
alittlemore to it than that as,muchlikethe case with Benelli, theend productmay be built on theother side of theGreat Wall,but it is designedand developedinItaly.Having acquired theBenelli name (and thedesign studio in Pesaro too) in 2005, Keeway had been producingsomemodelsunder theMBP title(notably similartothe MBAnameused on thoseracebikes builtinPesaro),debuting thenameatthe 2022 EICMA Show in Milan. Having acquired theMorbidellinamelast year,MBP Moto became MorbidelliMBP,and here we arewiththe newbike, although you mayhavealready noticedthe MBPlogos (the tank badges andclutch cover, andelsewhere) that suggestthe bike wasatthe endofits developmentcycle when theMorbidelliname wasfnallyacquired
So,while thereare acoupleofstyling elements that mayremindyou of othermodels
–the exhaust endcan is much like theHarley PanAmerica,and the‘duckbill’upper mudguard hasmorethanahintofDucati Multistradaabout it –itdoeshaveits own unique style, particularly theway the bodyshapeseems to fow, runningfrom that front‘guard, up andoverthe frameand engine, to alow seat andtaperingoftothe rear.Tere’s acohesivenesstothe overall design, no doubt thanks to thestandalonedesignstudio in Pesaro,and it’s certainly distinctive-and that’s to be applaudedinaworld wheresomany things arebecominguniform.
Te veetwinpowerplantisunique to Morbidelli(rather than beingabadged powerplant from aChinesefactory that is shared across brands,and/ordeveloped from aformerJapaneseengine) and, aside from playingits part in theadventure bike yousee here,itisalsousedinthe cruiser-styled
C1002V.Toseratherbland model designationsdohavealittlebit of logic to them, with the1002 referringtothe fact the engine is a1000cc twin cylinder, theVits confguration andthe frst letterdenotingthe style, Tfor touringand Cfor cruiser.
Te engine is an 80-degreetwin, diferent to anyother veetwincurrently on themarket (MotoGuzzi’s air-cooled transverseengineis 90°, as is thenewest890cc Ducati,and Harley’swater-cooled motorinthe Pan Americais60°). Te physical size of the engine does mean thelineofthe crank centre is alittlehigherthanonother veetwin adventurebikes (not that thereare many of thosethese days, thepreviousthree mentionedare just aboutit, with parallel twinsfoodingthe market), whichdoesmake it requiremarginallymore eforttopitch the bike into acorner, albeit perhapsmore
noticeable when changing direction through consecutivesweepingcorners.Teoperative word in that previoussentenceis, of course, ‘marginally’.It’ssomething you’ll only notice if youhappentostepofa similarbikewitha similarengine–ifyou’reonlyridingthe Morbi, it’s notanissueasitturns with confdence andease, no doubtabeneftof Italian-bredchassisdesignand theKYB suspensioncomponents.
Te J.Juan brakes aren’t especiallysharp, particularly when compared to radiallymountedoferingsonother,muchmore expensive,marketoferings, buttheydogive adecentlevel of feel,and bringthe plot to a
haltmoreefcientlythanyou mayexpect, especiallywhenyou remember thebikeisn’t exactly afy-weight,althoughtheycertainly don’thavethe initial bite that many modern brakes give.Tebrakesalsodon’t causeas much front-enddiveasyou’d expectfromthe listed 184mm of travel,whichseems abit balanced compared to therear’s77.4mm. However, Isuspect that fgurereferstothe shock’stravelratherthanthe actual rear wheel travel. Taking thelinkage into accountthis wouldgivearoundthree timesthattravel, and thus balancethe front, andasthe ride quality feelsperfectly balanced Iwould guess that is indeed thecase. Whileit’snot as agileasa
mountain goat,it’salsonot as stubborn,and fows easily enough throughtwistingupland lanes, with adecentlevel of feedback,helped by theexcellentPirelli Scorpion Rallyrubber. Tere arefourrider modes– Standard,Sport, Rain (whichisactuallyreferredtointhe factory literature as “Rainy Days”),and Of-road. I foundthat, thanks to theengine’spleasinglysof powerdeliverywhichismuchmorelikea traditionalvee twin than amodern, rev-hungry unit, therewasn’treallyany requirementtouse thesofer rider modes, with perhapsonlythe Of-roadoptionbeingneeded aside from Sport. Goingbacktothe engine’s power, many folk will be mutteringthings alongthe lines of ‘less than 90bhp from alitre veetwinisa bitpants innit?”,but thepeak fgureof88.5bhp doesn’t really tell thefullstory.Tetorque fgure,of 65.6lb-f, does give abetterclue, as that’s close to what thenew Ducatvee twin engine makes, butdoesn’t need anythinglikethe same amount of revs to do so.It’sa sof, pleasingpower delivery that allows youtolopealong in comfort, withoutfreneticgearchanges or having to buzz your waytowards theredline. It’s like Sunday morning. Easy.
Te traditionalfeelofthe engine is further emphasizedbythe fact there’snoquickshifer, butthe gear change is sweetenoughwithout it,and clutchless changesare easy enough, down thebox as well as up.
Much like othermachinery that is coming outofthe East,the Morbidelliisver ywell spec’d as standard.While thefullluggage kit is an accessor y(at just £499 forthe three piece, with internal liningand elasticluggage netonthe underside of thetopboxlid), standard ftment includesacentrestand,a sump guard (which, whilebeingquite thin, is actually aluminiumand notplastic as on some othermanufacturers’ bikes),heated gripsand heated seat,tyrepressure
SPECIFICATION
MORBIDELLI T1002V
Price: £7,999 (T1002VX£8199) plus£200 OTR charge
Engine: 997cc, 80° veetwin, water-cooling, 8 valves, SOHC, 92mm x75mm bore/stroke
Power: 88.5bhp (kW) @7,750rpm
Torque: 65.6lb-ft (89Nm) @5,250rpm
Frame: Double cradle tubular steel
Wheelbase: 1581mm
Rider aids: Traction control, ABS (withcornering functionality), four rider modes
Brakes: (F) twin 320mm discs, four piston radial J.Juancalipers,(R) 260mmdisc, twopiston caliper
Transmission: Six gears &chain final drive
Suspension: (F) fullyadjustable 43mmKYB USD forks, 183.8mm travel, (R) fullyadjustable KYB shock, 77.4mm travel
Wheels/tyres: Cast aluminium wheels (spoked aluminium on T1002VX), (F) 120/70x19” Pirelli
Scorpion RallySTR tyre, (R) 170/60x17” Pirelli
Scorpion RallySTR tyre
Seat height: 820mm
Fuel capacity: 20 litres
MPG: n/a
Weight: 265kg (wet)
Warranty: Twoyear standardmanufacturer’s
Service intervals: 3,000 mi les /12months
Contact: www.motogb.co.uk
T1002VX
With aslight spec changeto makeit abit moresuitable forthose folkswho’re li kely to try some lumpierof-road routesthan mi ld green lanes, the VX version of the T1002 has a200 quid premiumtocater forthe wire-spoked, aluminium rims.Aside from the wheels, which arethe same size forboth models and wear the same Pirelli rubber,the spec is identical throughout.
management system, 12V andUSB charging points, LED lightingthroughoutand aheight adjustable screen which, whilenot really beingadjustableonthe move,can be moved from therider’s seat.Tere’salsothe MorbidelliConnect systemtointeract betweenthe bike andyourdevice(ie,your phone, andnot otherrandomdevices like your fridge, vacuum cleanerorhomestereo) Te controls forthe heated seat andgrips are dead easy to use, although bizarrelythe button to heat your bottom is on thetop,and that foryourpinkies is on thebottom… It’s quiteaheavy beastieat265kgwitha tank full of fuel, so you’donlywantto take it
ENGINE
Bespoketothis manufacturer,it stands out from others by beingan80° vee, having asingle overhead cam ineach head, operating four valves apiece. It maynot be the most powerful, but that bodes very well forlongevity
of road if youwereabit good at thedirty stuf, butthenhow many of this kind of adventurebikes areactuallyusedonthe dirt? Teymakefor excellentroadbikes, particularly fortouring,and theMorbidelliis no exception.A relatively smooth anddry greenlaneorforestaccess road is probably aboutthe limit, unless you’re DavidKnight or PolTorres
Whileit is quiteheavy,it’salsoprettyeasy to lifontothe centrestand,and you’ll need this notonlyfor chainlubrication and adjustment,but also if youwanttochangethe rear shockpreload.Tis will requirea c-spanner,asthere’s no easily-accessible hand-adjustableknob, whichmight be abit of afaf if youliketofettlebetween ridingsolo andloadedwithluggage and/orapillion.
Te high-rise 7” TFT screen is perfectly located, andfairlylegible butsomeparts of thedisplay were alittlesmall –somethought theindicator andcruisecontrol symbols weren’tespeciallyvisible,while Iwas particularly niggled by thefactthatthe mpg andtripnumbers were waytoo smalltobe legible withoutmyreadingglasses
In 10 minutes whilewaiting foraphoto location shoottoget sorted,I shufed back
ELECTRONICS
Aside from the four ride modes, there’s phone connectivityvia the Morbidelli Connect app, which includes alocator function, great for security,orfor when you’veforgotten whereyou parked…
on to thepillionseattocheck itscomfort And, yes, it seemsagood placetobe, good legroom andver ygoodgrabhandles,witha bit of lowerbacksupport from therearend of thosehandles if thetop boxisn’t ftted(which, incidentally, hasapillionbackrestafxed to it). I’dmakeaneducatedguess this’llbeas comfortablefor thepillionasfor therideron long,big mileagetouring days.Tat pillion seat,however,doesn’t have theheating elementthe rider seat has
Iguess youcould equate theMorbidellito ‘fastfashion’.It’sdesignedinItaly butbuilt to acertain budget, like clothingthatlooks good butdoesn’t break thebank. Okay, so it’s not builtusingchild labour,and it won’tshrinkto half itsformersizethe frst time it gets wet, butthe engine is clearlyunder-stressedand thebuild qualityver yimpressivefor theprice, especiallyconsideringthe reasonable spec of thecomponentssuchasthe KYBsuspension, Pirellityres etc.
When youcompare theprice (and spec)of theMorbidellitothatofEuropeanand Japaneseequivalents,it’ll be very interesting to seehow many of theSino-Italian adventurebikes we seeonthe roads in the comingmonths.
LUGGAGE
Not fitted as standard, the panniers and top boxare,nevertheless, something of awellspec’d bargain, at just £499 forthe top boxand panniers, all threebeing lined and of durable construction.
SEAT
Aside from being electrically-heated, the rider’s perch is perhaps alittle loftier thanit’s claimed 820mm suggests, which could be amis-measurement or (morelikely) down to the seat’swidth. Regardless, it is avery comfortable place to be.
WARMTH
Fitted with not onlyheated grips but also aheated seat, the T1002V is atoasty placeto be, albeit with some confusion with the operating button placement.
RurocEOX Iron Maiden helmets
£499.00w ww.ruroc
Whileprobably nota stylethat epitomizesthatofthe average MSLreader,the newpairof themed Rurochelmets do, nevertheless,resonatestrongly within theheartsofmanyBritish motorcyclists. Te themes,of Britishheavy metalbandIron Maiden, show artworkfrom the covers of twooftheir albums,the super-successfulPiece of Mind from 1983 and2021’s Senjutsu, theband’s17thalbum.
Both featureIron Maiden’s iconic artworkwiththeir fgurehead,Eddy, as theprime focus, andbothare thebrand’s aerodynamic EOXhelmet, which
is fullycertifcated (DOT,Sharp andECE22.06), hasa composite construction of carbon fbre, Kevlar,fbreglassand nylon, has an impressive 205° of vision, has
aremoveablechin curtain, uses theFidlock magnetic chinstrap retentionsystem, andcomes in threeshell sizeswith2cheekpad options to ensure perfectft.
AlpinestarsGPPlusR V3 gloves
£189.99w ww.oxfordproducts.com
No,they’re notaimed at winter riding, norof-road mud-sheddingability,but theserace-developedgloves from A-starsdohavea provenability both on the racetrack andasasporty road glove.
Abrasionresistanceisa priority,withfull leather construction to thepalmand topofthe hand,withknuckle protectorsand additional
leatherlayers to thepalm, plus paddingon thepalmand thumbpatch,for protection while thearamid stretch fabric cufprovides asecureyet comfortable ft,while strategic perforations in theleather anda reducedthicknessinthe fngers keeps your fngers cool and
fexible. Tere is,ofcourse, a touchscreencompatiblepatch on theindex fnger, plus awrist strapand cufadjusters.
Aside from theIron Maiden designs,the EOXisalsoavailable in awide variety of colour ways includingMar velsyndicated designs
Currentlyavailable in black andwhite,black andred and blackand fuoroyellow.
Perhapsthe biggestfaf when attendingbikeeventsinthe summer is having to carr yyour clobber around with youwhen youarrive, gettingsweaty, annoyedand unsociable(maybe that’s just me?).
Butt here’s an opt ion, if you haven’tgot aconvenientlyempt ytop boxorp anniers, with this Oxford Produc ts retrac tablec able and combinat ionlock.
It’s 1.2m long,so canbe threaded through ahelmet, jacket sleeve or even atrouser leg(if you’re thesortofpersonhappy to remove your trousers in public!), or allthree,toallow them to be securely locked to your bike (ora convenienttree/bench/lamppost) andgiveyou freedomto walk around withoutrestriction.
Te braidedsteel cableis 120cm long andhas aresettable four digit combinationlock(so
youcan setittoa number you’ ll easily remember), weighs just 80g andcan be easily stashed away in apocketorunder abike seat when notinuse
Anotethough, ensure that your locked clothingishigh enough of thefoortonot allow apassingdog to cock it’s leg on it.Don’t askwhy Iknowthis…
TouratechAventuroPRO Carbon helmet 35th anniversary
£589.39w ww.touratech.com
Celebratingits 35thyearof producinggearspecifcally for thosefolkkeenonexpanding their horizons with long motorc ycle journeys, Touratech has some celebrator yversions of itsproducts, andhas expanded with avarietyofclothingtoo, includingthisanniversar y editionofAventuroPRO Carbon helmet
Designedtobelight –the companystate that,due to the “X-PROcarbonmaterial” that is used in itsconstruction, it’s around 10% lighter than conventional designs at 1500g +/- 50g –italsohas an impressivearray of ventilation, with no less than eight adjustable vents, plus four ‘exhaust’vents at therear, thus allowing adjustable ventingnot only to therider’s face,but also specifcally to the inside of thevisor
It has an internal sunv is or, double D-r ingretention, replaceable/washable interior padding, the“FRS”emergency remova lsystem, canb equickly conver te db et we en visorand
Motocleangel bike wash
£14.99 www.motoclean.co.uk
MotoCleanismore than just anotherbright-colouredbike wash.It’saUK-based companywithawhole range of motorcycle cleaningand maintenanceproducts, runby real bikers with personal understandingofwhatittakes to keep your pride andjoy clean, shinyand protected.
Te fagshipproduct in the MotoCleanrange is the MotoCleanGel Bike Wash,a powerful cleanerand de-greaser with an advanced gelformulation which actively removesdirtand grease by clinging to even themoststubborngrime in ever ynookand cranny. Te result?A deeper,highperformanceclean that leaves your motorcycle spotless,streak-free, and withoutwatermarks
Te onelitre spraybottles is said to be enough forat leasteight full bike washes, providingsignifcantly highernumberofwashes compared to liquid alternatives,which only achieve around twotothree
full bike washes with thesame amount of product.
Te gelformula ensures the bike wash doesn’trun of the motorcycle like liquid cleaners butstickstothe surfaces you want to clean. Tisgives it a longer time to be in contact, break down andremovedirt, making thejob of cleaning your bike easier andquicker. It’s also friendlier on thewallet,asusers will need less of theGel Bike Wash duetolessdripping. You canevenuse it in rain without
gogg le us e, alarge fieldof visionand channels forg lass es we arers, has re cess es for intercom fitmentand is even equipp ed with ac amera mount system!
worr ying it’llwashofbefore thedirtgoeswithit.
Becauseofthe gelformula, youcan sprayitonyour motorcycle andleave it fora moment to work on the grimeasitdoesn’t drip of thebikeand enduponthe foor.Ten it’s just acaseofa quickscrub andrinse!
Te pH-neutral, biodegradableproduct is safe to useonall components, includingpaint,engine, chrome, andrubber
Thefastest sofa in thewest es
Ducati redefines cruising with V4 performance, advanced ridertech, andsignature Italiandesign
BackinFebruar y2023, Ducati unveiled the all-new DiavelV4markingamajor shif forthe Italianbrand as it movedawayfrom theiconic V-twin in favourofthe highrevvingGranturismo V4 engine Butthe engine wasn’t theonly dramaticchange. Anew monocoquechassis, upgraded Brembo Stylemabrakes, anda suite of superbike-levelelectronic rider aids signalled theDiavelwas evolving. Faster,sharper,and more responsive,Ducati’spower cruiser wasedgingevercloser to fullblownnaked bike territor y.
Whileattention wasfrmly on theDiavelV4, itsfeet-for ward sibling-the XDiavel-quietly fadedintothe background.But for 2025, Ducati hasbrought the XDiavelbackintothe spotlight, blendingkey technologyand components from theDiavelV4 with bold newstyling andamore muscular presence.
MSLtravelledtothe southof France to test ride thenew XDiavel V4. With more powerthanthe outgoing 1260 model, alighter chassis, andafullsuite of cuttingedge electronics, Ducati’s reborn cruiserismorepotentand polished than ever
Ducati XDiavelV4
WORDS: Adam ‘Chad’ Chi ld PHOTOGRAPHY: AlexPhoto/Ducati
Is thereanywherebettertoride acruiser than thesouth of France? From Cannes to Nice to Monaco, thejaw-dropping coastline is acatwalk formillionairevillas, superyachts, andsun-soakedstatussymbols. Andjustinland, thesinuous Routede Napoléon winds itsway throughthe hillspure ridingheaven.
In short, thenew XDiavelV4isexactly whereitbelongs. Tisisits naturalhabitat Ducati doesn’tofenmakea bad-lookingbike, andthe XDiavelV4fts rightinwiththe beautifulpeople. It’s immaculately styled, muscularyet elegant,and unmistakably Ducati in theway it sits so lightly andpurposefullyon itswheels. Butthatbeautycomes at aprice:
£25,995 in theUK. Tat’spremium, even fora cruiser. Ducati’s closestrival,Triumph’s colossalRocket3,ischeaper.Sotoo are oferings from Harley-Davidsonand Indian, even when youstart tickingthe optionsboxes. Te biggestheadline, of course,isthat Ducati hasswapped outthe familiar1260cc twin forthe 1,158cc GranturismoV4. It’s