Bike Kit

Year: ALL

Best motorcycle indicator upgrades

10 October 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Motorcycle indicators are hardly the stuff of legend or discussion; you will rarely get another biker coming up to you at a bike meet or a bacon-butty stop to ask where you got them, how you find they...

Crossing continents pads: Best motorcycle seat pads

10 October 2023 by Jim Blackstock

For a long-distance rider, there’s little more likely to cause dread on a ride than an uncomfortable seat. The feeling of ‘numb bum’, where sitting on a hard or uncomfortable saddle for a long period...

The best summer motorcycle gear rated by MCN for adventure, cruising, racing and touring

10 October 2023 by Jim Blackstock

One of the best times to go riding is in the summer; bright sunshine, warm weather and long hours of daylight make any ride even more fun. And the prospect of a ride to the seaside for fish and chips...

Shad SW45 Rucksack Review

10 October 2023 by Ben Clarke

The Shad SW45 Rucksack is a little bit like a roll bag that’s been transformed into a highly effective waterproof motorbike rucksack with a few adaptations. The main body of the rucksack is a...

Best kit for sportsbike riding | From club racing to pub cruising, MCN have got you covered

10 October 2023 by Jim Blackstock

There’s lots of kit out there for sportsbike riders, from one-piece leather suits and FIM helmets to riding jeans and casual-style boots. Top-end sportsbike kit is some of the most expensive around...

Best kit for the retro bike rider | Let MCN take you back with our old school gear choices

10 October 2023 by Charlotte King

There is a definite retro vibe going on in motorcycling right now. All the big manufacturers – and a fair few of the smaller ones as well – have retro machines in their line-up. It’s an...

Keep it under wraps | Best motorcycle covers for indoor and outdoor use tested by us

10 October 2023 by Jim Blackstock

There are lots of reasons for having a motorcycle cover – particularly if you have no garage and have to keep it outside. A cover can keep the wind, rain, and leaves off it so that you won’t need to...

Best Motorcycle Shelters

10 October 2023 by Jim Blackstock

If you don’t have a shed or garage to keep your motorbike in, then it will have to stay exposed to the elements and prying eyes of potential thieves. While a cover will help protect it from sun and...

Let there be light: Best motorcycle spotlights

10 October 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Just like when we looked at uprated headlight bulbs, the benefits of adding riding or auxiliary spotlights to your bike are mainly two-fold. Firstly, the additional light will help you to see at...

Warm hands, cold start: Best heated grips for your motorbike

10 October 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Contrary to what many people think, a pair of the best heated motorcycle grips isn’t purely the domain of riding in the deepest of winter. Of course, when the temperature drops, they can help...

Our favourite Cardo intercom is 20% off - here's why you should snap it up while you can

10 October 2023 by Adam Binnie

Current range-topper, the Cardo Packtalk Edge motorcycle intercom, is on sale during Amazon Prime Big Deal Days (October 10th/11th) with a saving of 20%. It comes with all the key tech you’d expect –...

Next-gen sports-touring rubber: Metzeler Roadtec 02 tyres announced for 2024

09 October 2023 by Ben Clarke

Motorcycle tyre specialists Metzeler have announced a new version of their popular Roadtec 01 sports-touring tyre. The Metzeler Roadtec 02 will be available for purchase from January 2024 with claimed...

Can't stand wet hands? The Gore-Tex in these Richa Altantic gloves is so stealthy I didn't even notice it

27 September 2023 by Adam Binnie

Getting caught in a downpour can happen at any time of the year, and while it might be possible to stash a jacket drop liner somewhere on the bike for emergencies, I really don’t have space for a...

No need to break the bank or your fingers with these sub-£100 gloves: MCN's Oxford Nexus 1.0 review

25 September 2023 by Adam Binnie

Any motorcycle kit offering more than two attributes from the “affordable/protective/comfortable” pyramid demands a closer inspection, which is exactly why we’ve got these Oxford Nexus 1.0 gloves on...

Sporty styling meets touring practicality: HJC R-PHA 70 helmet review

19 September 2023 by Alison Silcox

I’ve been a fan of HJC motorcycle helmets for a number of years and have tried various flip-front and full-faced versions. This particular model, the HJC R-PHA 70 helmet has been around for a few...

Power play: How to hard-wire heated motorcycle gloves into your bike

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

Heated kit is a brilliant addition to your winter riding kit. It allows you to wear less insulating clothing and instead, generate heat to maintain your body temperature while remaining comfortable...

Courier style: Best motorcycle top boxes

14 September 2023 by Maria Martin

Motorcycle top boxes are bought mainly for functional reasons. No-one buys a top box because they want to improve the look of their bike so functionality has to come first. While it may not be as...

Tried and tested: T.ur G-Two Adventure gloves review

14 September 2023 by Jim Blackstock

We know that the ultimate summer clothing consists of lots of mesh panels in the non-critical areas to allow as much air as possible to enter while critical areas feature solid material for...

Spoiler alert: Taylor Mackenzie helps Ruroc develop trackday helmet

14 September 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Gloucestershire helmet manufacturer Ruroc have set their sights on the race circuit, developing a track-focused helmet based on their Atlas 4.0 that’s both lighter and more aerodynamic than...

Heated vision: New heated visor claims to provide a day’s riding without the fear of fog

14 September 2023 by Stuart Prestidge

Space technology and British engineering have combined to make fogged visors a thing of the past with the invention of the Visin heated visor insert that promises to keep your vision crystal clear for...

Defiant against thieves: New Squire lock ramps up protection against angle grinders

14 September 2023 by Stuart Prestidge

Squire have launched what they say is their toughest ever motorcycle brake disc lock, promising angle grinder resistance that should deter even the most tooled-up thief. Named the Defiant, the...

Play time! Ride 5 video game on the way

14 September 2023 by Dan Sutherland

The fifth instalment of the Ride video game franchise will arrive on August 24, 2023. Players of Ride 5 can race the latest in motorcycling exotica on a series of iconic race tracks from around the...

Bricking it! Yamaha team up with Lego for new MT-10SP build

14 September 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Yamaha have teamed up with Lego to launch a new MT-10SP Technic kit, set to arrive in shops next month. The £199.99 build will be available on Tuesday, 1 August 2023 and consists of 1478 pieces.

A century of the Manx GP: Arai celebrate with limited edition RX-7V Evo

14 September 2023 by Ben Clarke

Arai helmets are celebrating 100 years of the Manx GP with a UK exclusive, limited edition version of their RX-7V Evo helmet. The design was unveiled on the island at this year’s TT and features a...

Tried and tested: Vanucci VAJ-4 textile jacket review

14 September 2023 by Ben Clarke

The unfortunately named Vanucci VAJ-4 textile jacket forms part of the brand’s modular bike kit range called Vanucci+ that lets the rider pick and choose which layers they want to buy and wear. So,...

Rate of inflation: Airbag jeans come to market

14 September 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Airbag jackets are nothing new, with most major kit brands producing inflating safety vests designed to provide additional protection. But there are also airbag jeans. You can wear them under your...

Hard as a diamond: Abus Granit 68 Xplus scores highest Sold Secure Diamond level rating

14 September 2023 by MCN

Abus are taking the fight to bike thieves with an updated range of Sold Secure approved locks and chains – including a Diamond rated cylindrical disc lock which meets the highest level of protection...

Travel in style: Best universal motorcycle luggage as chosen by MCN

14 September 2023 by Ben Clarke

One of the drawbacks of riding a motorbike is that you can’t carry as much with you as you can in other types of vehicles – but this can be improved with some luggage. Whether you’re commuting to...

Race trim: Best sporty leather jackets

14 September 2023 by Justin Hayzelden

A leather one piece race suit is the way to go for track riding, but if you want to keep the race look on the road then a sporty leather jacket may be a more practical solution. Most can be paired up...

Tried and tested: Rev'It Restless review

14 September 2023 by Ben Clarke

The Rev’It Restless is a AA-rated retro-inspired, leather motorcycle jacket that the brand says is inspired by the West Coast moto culture of the 1940s in America. Retro jacket touches include...

Tried and tested: Richa Blade review

14 September 2023 by Gareth Evans

These Richa Blade WP waterproof sports boots have served me will so far this year. Together we’ve weathered some impressive weather; most notably massive thunderstorms, both on road and on track. I...

Tried and tested: HJC C10 review

14 September 2023 by Emma Franklin

An all-new motorbike helmet for 2023, the HJC C10 is an entry-level model and replaces the CS-15. It is the first sub £100 helmet to meet the latest ECE22.06 safety standard, which replaced the...

Tried and tested: Alpinestars Faster V2 review

14 September 2023 by Joesph Wright

The Alpinestars Faster V2 is a sporty leather motorbike jacket that pairs protection fit for the track with comfort, practicality and style for the road. It follows the original Faster jacket which...

Tried and tested: Shark Ridill review

14 September 2023 by Gareth Evans

Shark’s Ridill is a low-price, high-feature motorbike helmet that would suit new riders perfectly. It’s not perfect, as you’d expect for a lid at this price point, but for a starting point it’s ideal,...

Tried and tested: Shark Spartan RS Carbon review

14 September 2023 by Adam Binnie

The SHARK Spartan RS Carbon is a sporty-looking touring helmet with a long list of features, impressive build quality and an ECE 22.06 safety rating, for less money than you’d expect. When we...

Tried and tested: DXR Bernie boots review

14 September 2023 by Simon Brown

These CE-approved DXR Bernie boots are billed as breathable and having just ridden two hours up the M5 in 30°C conditions I can confirm that they did indeed remain comfortable for the duration without...