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Issue 166 May 2012 WWW.THERIDERSDIGEST.CO.UK HALF BOOK 100% ITALIAN MOTORCYCLES From the editor... If this is the first time edge bikes, concentrating then you already knew that… Benzina Benzina you’ve seen TRD, hello and instead on Derry boots Didn’t you? UPSET UPSET welcome! If you’re interested and grey imports like the I’m not suggesting that HI-CAM HI-CAM benzina__ NIGHT NIGHT in motorcycles there’s a Honda Bros. we’re in the business of very good chance you’ll find Which is not to suggest revealing secrets, you’re CLASSIC something you enjoy in this that TRD’s world was devoid unlikely to read anything in issue; and assuming you of colour, far from it, but its the Digest that you weren’t MV&MAGNI MV&MAGNI I T A L I A N MOTORCYCLES do, check out the previous readers were all-year-round, aware of beforehand; it’s just high-mileage riders who that where the big glossy THE REAL COMEBACK REAL COMEBACK THE two because they are both ORIGINS ORIGINS available free via the Archive weren’t impressed by flash, magazines strive to sell the page of the web site. frippery and glitz. They spent airbrushed, highly-stylised, Given that there are only enough time riding in crap aspirational world the big two issues in that archive, a weather that the last thing manufacturers want you to IN THE END IN THE new reader would be forgiven they needed was someone buy; we are content to give for thinking we are a recent pissing down their backs and away the wonderful world of telling them it was raining. A motorcycling in all its warts addition to the world of motorcycle mags and that courier might well consider and all glory. Issue 7 GIRL ON A (BLOODY FAST) MOTORCYCLE MOTORCYCLE FAST) A (BLOODY ON GIRL KID 500/4 BENELLI GENIUS MOVES MOVES we chose to start with issue buying an £800 riding suit if The Brough Superior 1 | Benzina 164 because of a slightly the reliable word on the street is undeniably a rare and warped sense of humour; is that they will get a good beautiful thing, and a Finally something you’ll want to read: (besides the Rider’s Digest - obviously) Benzina is a quarterly but TRD has actually, as the few years decent weather genuine work of automotive magazine showcasing classic Italian bikes in a high quality format. The 21 x 24 cm landscape layout maths suggests, been around protection from it; but a art – which is why we have shows motorcycles the way they’re meant to be seen. In fact Benzina is more like a book than a since 1997. serious long-termer is highly featured it in this issue – but traditional magazine - heavyweight paperstock, 88 ad free pages and nothing that won’t be as Originally it was a print unlikely to splash that kind of at the same time we never relevant in a couple of years time as it is today, often with ground breaking stories and always with a magazine delivered free cash for a piece of kit whose lose track of the fact that love for the planet’s finest motorcycles. For more information and to buy visit teambenzina.co.uk to London’s thousands of main justification for its price you could buy a wrecker for couriers and was entirely tag, is the manufacturers’ literally a thousandth of the financed by despatchlogo. When you ride a bike price that will leave you with industry recruitment adverts. for 50+ hours a week, it isn’t a a million dollar smile after a For a while during the ‘Loadsa lifestyle, it’s a way of life! short spirited ride. money!’ boom of the mid It’s no surprise then If you like our style you to late eighties, good riders that couriers who consider might consider clicking on the could earn the sort of money themselves lucky to clear donation button; and if you’ve that would allow them, if much above minimum wage got a product or service they were so inclined, to buy these days, tend to be more that you’d like intelligent the newest slickest piece of aware of the inalienable motorcyclists to know about, machinery on the market; but truths of motorcycling life; you might want to consider by the time TRD arrived on like the fact that just about advertising in our pages. the scene a decade later, the everything is made in a single courier business had become factory somewhere in the Dave Gurman an infinitely leaner meaner far east, where the parts are world. As a result the articles bunged in plastic bags and that provided the light relief labelled as Ying Yang specials between despatch company for a tenner, Suzuki’s Original ads offering ever decreasing Equipment for £120, Triumph’s rates of pay, rarely even for £165, Harley’s for £298 and benzinaCLASSIC bothered to name check the MV’s for whatever they damn- Catch Dave every Thursday latest designer kit or cutting well feel like charging you! But between 6 and 8pm (GMT) ITALIAN on www.bikerfm.co.uk M O T O R C Y C L E S ISSUE 166 May 2012 3 59. The Code of the Road 122. Motorcycle Girl Racer Polly takes a leaf from the Mandy meets Contents... US Marines’ book Megabucks 7. In the Saddle 27. The Boy Biker 64. Street Triple 126. The Shamrocks The anti-anarchy Our new boy went AWOL Is Rod Young completely Cops in clover backlash so we’re repeating a out to lunch? classic column from the 133. Book Review 11. Rider’s Lives original BB. 77. Bangkok Biker Jonathan gives us the An elder statesman Jupiter’s Traveller Jacqui low-down on stolen 29. Nut & Bolts indulges her instincts speed and Japan’s 12. Image of the Month Tea, tools and motorcycle wars Watch that Mason boy fly! visualisation! 78. Manx Milestones Rachel’s very personal 142. Bitz 14. Six & the City 30. Two Wheels To The End Of take on the TT Italian ultra exotica, Hornet Boy’s being a The World Thundersprint, scooter stinker about stinky Our intrepid Irish 88. Three Superiors bling, a weekend travellers follow the And not even one of them adventure and couple of 17. Cagiva Rapture switchback road south is a nun charity rides. What machine should a newly born again biker 53. The Clutch Cable 100. Blez Has Big Fun buy? Our Midwest Blez, BMW, Brecon correspondent considers Beacons – nuff said the ageing process Editor Contributors Cartoons Dave Gurman Tinks, Oldlongdog, Martin Newman, Simon Kewer Rod Young, Paul Browne, Thomas Day, Polly Taylor, Assistant editor Jacqui Furneaux, Rachel Clegg, Jonathan Boorstein, The opinions and comments of contributors Peter Martin Paul Blezard and Lyn Funnell within this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor. Design Photographs Simon Gardner Howard Boylan, Dave Gurman, Contacts Duncan Longden, Peter Martin, Paul Browne, Editorial Web site Thomas Day, Polly Taylor, Hattie Claxton, Dave Gurman Advertising Stewart Pettey Jacqui Furneaux, Peter Greste, +44 (0) 20 8707 0655 Peter Martin Brough Superior Motorcycles Ltd, +44 (0) 7948 897093 +44 (0) 7973 818579 Paul Blezard, Llewellyn Pavey and Lyn Funnell [email protected] [email protected] 4 WWW.THERIDERSDIGEST.CO.UK ISSUE 166 May 2012 5 In The Saddle... Dear TRD, it’s not very fast, sexy or (also an ex air-cooled Being new to TRD I’ve exciting (much like most RD owner) no idea who ‘Anarchy BMWs were for decades, 2012’ may be, but I’m not then...), but the Honda is Dear Peter, surprised he/she hides a much cleverer and more Your review of the behind a pseudonym. sophisticated machine Honda NC700X seemed Having tapped-out some than I’d anticipated. And to be more of an 1,431 words for what looks is it such a crime to have autobiography of the like a proper road-test of a bit of handy storage writer than information the new Honda NC700X space right there in front about the motorcycle/ (issue 165), one has to read of you, even if some full- scooter. I know the author 1,235 of them before ‘A’12’ face helmets are indeed didn’t care much for the admits that he/she never a ‘tight squeeze’? And... dealership, has some even bothered to sling a neither Honda nor any attitude problems with leg over the thing! Despite other manufacturer is people less aggressive this, the bike still gets a trying to “force their vision than himself (sounds like right old slagging for all of motorcycles for the an ideal candidate for a sorts of opinionated and, in masses” on you or anyone Harley and a Village People some cases, near-paranoid else A’12, they’re simply outfit), once rode an reasons. offering alternatives to suit Yamaha RD250 and fancied I shan’t dissect the different needs and tastes. himself to “be like Kenny,” article sentence-by- A’12 is correct in noting and I know all sorts of stuff sentence, but having that some ‘noted experts’ about this person’s likes ridden an NC700X precisely – well, one anyway – and dislikes in everything 321.2 miles in late January who attended the NC’s from personalities to (65.9mpg average) I will press launch claimed that furniture, but about all say that any pre-conceived others ‘just don’t get it’, I learned about the NX700X notions I may have held but at least those others was what I figured out prior to riding it were soon had gone to the trouble of for myself by standing dispelled.

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