Bike Reviews.

MCN are complete garbage. Worst of the lot no doubt, that’s why their subscriber base has been in decline for years. And it started around 2005 when every week they were putting front pages out about how speed cameras and cops were out to get us. It’s another subject but they just seemed to go off on these political missions and loose sight of good honest reviews.

I know a guy who worked for one of the Mags, he’s gone to work for a manufacturer now and said to me that it’s the tail wagging the dog and has been for a while.

That said..... none of the bikes out there are actually shit these days, I mean no one is making stuff like the vdue and giving it to journalists. I still have the mag from the first review and honestly it was cringeworthy! Having to put 3 or 4 sets of spark plugs in to get through a test ride and power surge so bad the chain had to be adjusted every 100 miles.

Ref Triumph, I like their bikes, spent a long time on the Thruxton 900 as my dad has one, have ridden it to Scotland etc but I agree they are getting more and more dragged into the retro market. The thing is... they sold 70 odd Daytona’s in its last year (2016 ish) and yet the other day at the petrol station a group of 5 went past me all in retro leather And riding various models of Bonny. They weren’t old lads either, a bit older than me, late 30’s maybe.... it’s just a different market these days I think and they are ploughing it for all they can

 

Agreed, I won't buy the rag (MCN) any more. Apart from 'the toughest Road test you will find' (only 250 miles of average, not good roads) and Mr 'I Can't fit my 6 foot frame into an Aprilia' Neeves, that Blade won the test despite being well down on power, poor throttle pick up, over-zealous traction control and anti-lock brakes that you can't trust! I wonder if I could overcome similar 'small' problems with my poor riding ability, maybe I could be world champion!
I did think Chad had a WTF look on his face when Neeves announced it, tho'!