BIKE

BIKE is packed with road tests of new bikes and inspirational riding stories, with fantastic places, amazing races and extraordinary people. Created by a passionate and expert team of motorcycle riders, Bike makes you feel part of the amazing motorcycling world. Our three main areas of content are... Road tests: We ride and test all the latest bikes, from tourers to retros. Riding: We take motorcycles to the four corners of the UK, and the four corners of the world Extraordinary travel stories: amazing races, extraordinary events and astonishing bike people.

Hello

Team Bike • This magazine is made by the most talented team of bike journalists, writers and photographers in the universe. Here's what they've been doing this month.

BIKE

Six Maniac • Transforming the six-cylinder K1600GTL into a café racer is difficult enough. Turning it into one that looks this good is mind-frazzling

The onslaught continues • New Morbidelli T1002VX is yet another astonishing value Chinese-made adventure bike

MotoGP cruiser • Ducati's XDiavel returns with a 166bhp V4 motor and lovely comfy saddle

Gunning for the R9 • New QJMotor SRK1000RR aims to categorically eclipse Yamaha's R9 for similar money

Repsol out, speed in • Honda's new technical director tells Bike why the Castrol-sponsored RC213V has jumped up MotoGP's pecking order

GET IN GEAR • The latest word in swanky riding gear, desirable bolt-ons and must-have goodies for your pride and joy

1985 Kawasaki GPZ600R • 40 years ago, Kawasaki started a whole new category for revvy, racy 600s. Bike‘s Roland Brown recalls his first taste of the future

‘Parting panniers on motorway, overloaded Thundercat… epic Bol d'or’

‘Brilliant Browning’

Tortoise versus Hare • The Honda NT1100 and BMW S1000XR tackle sports touring at different speeds – but which is best for a dash round north Wales?

‘I just like to get on the bike and go flat out – and that's it!’ • Pedro ‘The Shark’ Acosta is MotoGP's most exciting young talent. The new factory rider at troubled KTM talks fighting Ducati hordes, trying to use his brain, and getting bored of speaking to journalists

History in the making • Triumph's new Speed Twin 1200 is their latest mix of heritage and modernity. We pitch it against the 274-year-old B6318 – the longest B-road in the UK

Big miles on a Speed Twin 1200 • The Triumph is not intended as a touring motorcycle. But the B6318 is quite a way from the Bike bunker and I clocked up 445 miles travelling there and back, mostly on motorway and dual carriageway. Here are some things I observed:

20 years at the top • In 2005 Suzuki made a humungous impact with their new GSX-R1000. Two decades later it remains for many the sportsbike high watermark. We celebrate 20 years of the legendary K5

‘It's all about balance’ • The 999cc inline-four engine is at the centre of the K5 legend. Jamie Turner examines why it was – and still is – an internal combustion marvel

‘It's almost too good’ • Touring, trackdays, all manner of neglect, and Ben Lindley's GSX-R1000 K6 still makes him proud

Why you need a K5 now • James Butler buys, sells and maintains performance bikes from the 1990s and 2000s. Here's why he's smitten with the 2005 GSX-R1000

Pearl of the Danube to the Bay of Kotor • 2000km from Budapest to the Adriatic Sea, solving puzzles at checkpoints, watching the clock, riding amazing roads. David Marvier tackles the Balkan Rally

The Cole shed • Bloke off the telly, director, record holder and proper dyed-in-the-wool biker. Henry Cole invites us round for a cuppa and to gawp at his collection

Mountains & magical twists • Australia: flat straight roads, tourist traffic and speeding paranoia. Except...