MCN long-term test fleet 2025
Welcome to the 2025 MCN Long-term Test Fleet.
Over the course of the year we'll be putting serious miles on these 11 bikes to find out what they're like to live with.
Keep an eye out for written updates, videos and more. Click through to each individual page to get the latest updates as we pile on the miles.
Click on the pictures below:
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Check out previous MCN Fleets below:
Squeezing in a trip to Cauldron Snout puts the Kawasaki Ninja 1100SX SE's comfort to the test
Yesterday 13:00 by
Rain pummels the screen as I take another swipe across the visor with my glove. After what seems like months of dry weather, it’s sod’s law that the two days I’d given myself to head off on a mini...
These simple changes have reaped big benefits for MCN's Triumph Tiger 1200 long-term test bike
Yesterday 09:00 by
Getting slapped in the face becomes tiring after a while. Blend it with sporadic ear-boxing and a monotonous drone that reminds me of my old physics teacher, and one can start to feel rather...
This is my fourth Ducati Streetfighter long-term test bike, but does it deserve the name?
02 July 2025 by
This is my fourth Ducati Streetfighter MCN long-termer. I’m a lucky fellow. My love affair with the straight-barred, Italian loony started with the brutal 1098 superbike-based original back in 2009.
A trip to the IoM TT tests our Kove long-term test bike's touring capabilities
02 July 2025 by
As MCN Sports Editor one of my jobs is covering the Isle of Man TT which means an annual trip to the island. I’ve been doing this a while which means I’ve done the same trip numerous times on numerous...
The Tiger Sport 800's turn of pace helped be avoid a nasty rear-end smash
25 June 2025 by
Now, I don’t mean to be dramatic, but I came pretty close to what would have been at least a hospital visit this month… but thankfully I was on the Triumph Tiger Sport 800 – or the Bumblebike, as I...
I don't use phone tech on motorbikes, but the R9's sat nav set-up has impressed me
25 June 2025 by
When it comes to motorcycling, I prefer to stay off the grid. I don’t use a helmet intercom, I have no mobile phone mount, and I have no desire to ever answer a call on the move. Read...
I pushed the Royal Enfield Bear 650 long-term test bike beyond its comfort zone and it still shone
18 June 2025 by
Time for the second annual MCN ‘run what you brung’: where those of us who can descend on a local airfield (and regular speed testing/photoshoot location) with an open runway to spend the afternoon...
I've covered over 5k miles on a Honda CB1000 Hornet SP and these are the pros and cons so far
18 June 2025 by
Being a naked bike, the matt black Honda CB1000 Hornet SP lends itself to some subtle motorcycle customisation, and much as I love its simplicity, I’ve got a bundle of accessories that I’ll be bolting...
I took a blank cheque to the Indian parts catalogue to up the 101 Scout's touring capability
11 June 2025 by
The solo seat and feet-forward pegs the Indian 101 Scout comes with look great and are perfectly adequate for cruising around town or even slightly longer trips – but only slightly. After about 90...
Letting the BMW S1000RR long-term test bike off its leash at Brands Hatch
11 June 2025 by
I’ve spent a lot of time this year smiling thanks to BMW’s S1000RR. But even so, it almost feels like a shame to keep it caged up on public roads with their speed limits, traffic jams and potholes –...
Life is hectic, but I keep grabbing the keys of this Kawasaki! Here's why...
04 June 2025 by
With non-stop days here on MCN plus Bank Holiday race meetings, interspersed with a family holiday abroad, life’s been hectic of late. So it’s testament to the new Ninja 1100SX SE sports-tourer that...
I've racked up 6129 miles on a Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer - here's what I've learned
04 June 2025 by
How do you know if a bike’s good? You ride it a lot. And I’ve ridden the Tiger 1200 a lot. Despite being welded to a desk five days per week, and having a commute that barely sips at the Rally...
The Kove 800X Pro is a simple motorbike but that’s not actually a bad thing
03 June 2025 by
I’m now 1500 miles into life with the Kove 800X Pro adventure bike and it’s going well. It’s a relatively simple motorbike by today’s standards in terms of electronics, but that’s not actually a bad...
Dan's getting his sportsbike thrills on Yamaha's new R9 this year... but it isn't all plain sailing!
28 May 2025 by
The weather in the UK has been nothing short of exceptional recently. In fact, as I sit here and write this on the evening of May 12, I actually can’t remember the last time I witnessed a proper...
A 14-hour riding day for the Tiger Sport 800 reveals its strengths... and weaknesses
21 May 2025 by
Although I’ve done some commuting and the odd longer ride for work here and there, I was itching to get out on the Triumph Tiger Sport 800 Bumblebike and have a proper ride – it felt like ages since...
The Royal Enfield Bear 650 wasn't top of my list, but there's so much to like about it
21 May 2025 by
Two new-for 2025 motorcycle models I really liked the look of made it onto the long-term test fleet this year, but I’m afraid the humble Royal Enfield Bear 650 wasn’t one of them. It’s pretty, yes,...
The Honda Hornet SP's handling has got me seeking out the bends at every opportunity!
14 May 2025 by
The Honda Hornet SP and I are well past the honeymoon phase now, but the relationship is still blossoming, and I’ll admit to becoming rather besotted with it. I love how narrow, light and lithe it...
Indian 101 Scout long-term test update two: Hits and misses after racking up some commuter miles
14 May 2025 by
A busy month at work and at home has meant fewer opportunities to get out riding the Indian 101 Scout for the fun of it, but the more mundane miles I’ve covered are great for bringing a bike’s...
Can the BMW S1000RR be more than just a single-minded speed freak? I carried a pillion to find out!
07 May 2025 by
I am still absolutely loving the BMW S1000RR. The shine has not worn off having a big capacity superbike in the garage, and unlike smaller, less powerful machinery where it doesn’t take too long to...
I did 575 miles in one ride on the Tiger 1200 and I feel like I could go on for significantly longer
07 May 2025 by
It’s 08:55, the sun’s out, it’s a chilly 7°C, and the Borders are calling… I want to see if the Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer can soak up a full day in the saddle without my knees feeling like...
It may have a new name but Kawasaki's Ninja 1100SX is just as good as the Z I loved 14 years ago
30 April 2025 by
Ninja SX, you’ve come a long way, baby. The model’s been a favourite of mine ever since I got my first taste 14 years ago, back on the launch of the original model in November 2010. Riding that...
I've taken this Kove 800X on A-roads, B-roads, motorway and off-road this month! Here's what I think
30 April 2025 by
I’ve just completed the first 719 miles on the new Kove 800X and while that level of mileage most certainly does not constitute a long-term test, it’s enough to construct a solid first impression.
I've experienced a phenomenon I don't with any other style of motorcycle on Royal Enfield's Bear 650
23 April 2025 by
Ten pence a mile. That’s not a lot, is it? But on my recent, 350-mile, 7-hour ‘getting to know you’ ride on the new Bear 650, it worked out that’s how much it costs to run the new Royal Enfield...
After 1000 miles in the saddle, here's what I think of the new Triumph Tiger Sport 800 'Bumblebike'
23 April 2025 by
As I write this, I’ve spent 20 days with the Triumph Tiger Sport 800, and it has already been affectionately nicknamed the ‘Bumblebike’ after Bumblebee in Transformers. I hope it’s pretty obvious why,...
My first impression of the Indian 101 Scout was that I'd made a mistake - but, boy, was I wrong!
16 April 2025 by
I first tried to run a cruiser on the MCN fleet back in 2022, but a last-minute change of plans meant I ended up with an Indian FTR S that year. The FTR was a superb machine and I thoroughly enjoyed...
The Hornet SP is like a fountain of youth, it's given me a rejuvenated outlook on life!
16 April 2025 by
I’ve been messing about with bikes since there were only three channels on the telly and a mobile was something you hung over a crib. But even though modern life has changed beyond all recognition...
Thirteen years on from my last Triumph Tiger 1200 long-term test bike - have they fixed the issues?
09 April 2025 by
The majority of my mileage over the last decade has been smashed out on a host of enormous adventure bikes – but one bike has largely evaded me: the Tiger 1200. I last lived with one in 2012/13, when...
I've ridden every generation of BMW S1000RR, and now I get to live with one long-term in 2025
09 April 2025 by
Motorcycling is something that conjures up different feelings for different people – but a quick twist of that (even sharper) quick action throttle on the new BMW S1000RR for the first time sums it up...
Over the six months I spent with Ducati's Hypermotard 698 Mono, I discovered hidden depths
26 March 2025 by
Joy, pure joy – that’s what Ducati’s Hypermotard 698 Mono RVE has provided for me during the short time I’ve spent with it. It’s been the perfect antidote to the seriousness of life, and it’s made me...
Honda CBR600RR long-term test: 'If you’re thinking of buying one, then do it...'
26 March 2025 by
The return of the Honda CBR600RR is one of the best things to happen to UK motorcycling in recent years. Not only did it mark the return of a legendary name, but it also showed that the world wasn’t...
Watch: Living with the 2024 BMW R1300GS long-term - Is it the best GS ever built?
20 March 2025 by
Before the BMW R1300GS long-term test bike went back to BMW, I had a catch-up with Chief Road Tester, Michael Neeves, about what it was like to live with. You can find my thoughts in this video and...
I adored my time with the BMW R12 nineT, I just can't forgive its electrical reliability issues
19 March 2025 by
In a way, I’ve already summed up my time with the BMW R12 nineT in my last update where I ticked off the hits and misses the bike achieved during our time together. Read more Update one: First...
The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 was perfect for my needs but now I'm ready for the next step
19 March 2025 by
Having piled on over 10,000 miles aboard the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, these are MCN Videographer, Joseph Wright’s key observations. Read more Update one: First impressions Update...
I'm glad Kawasaki is trying to save motorcycling with hybrid tech but the Ninja 7 misses the mark
12 March 2025 by
So, here we are at the end of a year on Kawasaki Ninjas that’s been fascinating and frustrating in pretty much equal measure. It started reasonably well, setting out my stall with some big rides on...
My final thoughts on the GSX-S1000GX after 9k miles of everything from commuting to touring Spain
12 March 2025 by
Having spent the majority of the last 12 years riding adventure bikes, the Suzuki’s GSX-S1000GX tall-rounder was something a little different. And after ten months it proved to be an incredibly...
It may not be perfect but the BMW R1300GS is so superbly effective that I would buy one! Here's why
05 March 2025 by
‘Would you buy one?’ It’s a question I get asked a lot, especially from bikers who have never spent any considerable time on a BMW R1300GS. And the answer has to be ‘yes’ – because for all that the...