Motorcycle Live 2016: Recap

The We Buy Any Bike team made a trip to this year’s Motorcycle Live event and had a great time. There was a lot to see ranging from shiny new bikes, shows. VIP guests and stalls full of bits you don’t really need but will probably buy... I think I need that?

This is a little overview, featuring our favourite parts of Motorcycle Live 2016. All the main stands were packed with new releases. Long runners with a few updates and some brand classics. Most bikes you could take a seat on, although people were pretty ruthless when it came to getting near!

When we walked into the hall the first stand we hit was Triumph. They had a great spot featuring the usual parallel twins Bonneville Bobber. Tiger Sport 1050, Street Scrambler and Bonneville T100. The 1,200 Bobber was definitely a point of interest. With its custom single saddle and hidden rear suspension. We were expecting to meet Charley Boorman on this stand but he wasn’t on till later, and our feet couldn’t take waiting for him.

Ducati was the next stand we explored and was extremely full. Of course, the 1299 Superleggera attracted some attention, built around an extreme 215 hp Superquadro engine - the world’s first production motorcycle with a full carbon structure. Other bikes being included: XDiavel, Hypermotard 939, Monster R and some current models such as Diavel Monster 821, 1299 Panigale and 959 Panigale. A couple more sportbikes that were exciting to see included the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade and Suzuki GSX-R1000.

When we reached the BMW stand the first thing to stand out to us was the retro-styled R nineT Urban resembling the R80G/S from the 80s. A particularly busy bike was the G310 GS which merges GS styling with its single-cylinder engine. You were also able to sign-up for test rides on all of the 2017 models on the stand.

Another manufacturer to update a long run was Yamaha, adding an electric screen, cruise control, heated grips and seat to the 530cc TMax maxi-scooter. They had many bikes on display, we got to see the SCR950 a scrambler style XV with their acclaimed V-Twin engine. We were drawn to the new 2017 YZF-R6 with its awesome 6-level traction control and quick shifter. I had a sit on a lovely R1M!

The KTM had a new version of the naked 1290 Super Duke R with an impressive 177bhp output. KTM also gave its Adventure V Twin family a little refresh, which was great to see. It’s clear to see that KTM is paving the way for a more diverse audience in 2017.

We had a good time at the Kawasaki stand; they had a load of new models out. The Z900 was pretty exciting, featuring a tubular steel frame and 948cc four-cylinder engine. At the other end of the spectrum, Kawasaki’s smaller twin Versys-X 300 caught people's eye offering an adventure styled bike, taking the engine from the Ninja 300.

Kawasaki isn’t the only one delving into the small adventure bikes, Suzuki offered up the DL250 V Strom which looked to be a hit. Suzuki also gave an option for entry-level riders within naked GSX-S125. The new GSX-R1000 had a massive audience checking it out, boasting never-before-seen technologies.

Harley Davidson had an interesting stall, exploring the custom range and appealing to new customers. They were showing the hits of 2016 including the Pre Street Breakout, entry-level Sportster, Roadster and so on. Staff were promoting the Jumpstart, giving non-riders or beginners a chance to get to grips with a Harley teaching acceleration, clutch control and gear changing.