Adventure Bike Rider

First off there's a report on the introduction of the new motorcycle licence test and the resulting casualties on day one. Having followed the MCN line on this issue, the report was only ever going to be angled to cast grave doubts over any new test - and quite right too, what's the point of news without a wild slant . It goes on to mention 4 casualties resulting directly from the new swerve test (one quite serious), an instructor quitting over the issue and adds a couple of on the spot images to up the drama.

Big news on the facial wart front in that Motorhead are headlining the Bulldog Bash. Ace, I live in Stratford upon Avon and the Angels look after us locals with highly discounted tickets.

Roland Brown takes a first look at Moto Morini's new 1200 V Twin scrambler - which might be an option for the RTW biker, though maybe not.

There's a top ten helmets over £300 review as voted by...YOU. That's you if you've spent over £300 smackers on a lid and voted in their survey. I'd trust these reviews far more if they posted up how many people actually voted - was it 4 or 4,000?. Anyway, step up and take the applause Shoei X-Spirit (£525-£590)

Kevin Ash continues his occasionally interesting warp speed march into grumpy old man land and Ross Noble highlights how to write last minute, pointless drivel for a column in superb style - surely they can't be paying him for that.

There's a write up about a subject of which I've had personal experience - the mysterious disappearance of motorcycle licences down at the DVLA. As a Cardiff man, there's no need to waste a few thousand words trying to find the black hole when one will explain the shambles clearly - Swansea.

Old Man on a Bike author, 76 year old Simon Gandolfi (I've a copy which I'll review, sometime) has rode the length of the Americas and is now planning a trip around India. Less exciting he's just about to take his test and MCN report how he's doing. Awww.

I've not checked it out yet buts there's an interesting feature comparing the BMW K1300GT SE, Kawasaki GTR1400 and Yamaha FJR1300A - all bikes that would be of interest to riders with a hyper travel gene. In short they like the cheapest best - the Kwaka.

If you're a biker you should be picking up a regular copy of MCN if only for coffee table decoration but here's the clincher for this week - Top Ten Tourers Under £5,000. It's another one of these 'As Voted by You' reviews (do they write anything themselves?) without the statistical back up of how many of 'YOU' there are. And in descending order the top three are; 3 Honda GL1500 Goldwing; 2 BMW R1200RT and at top spot the Harley Electra Glide.

As you'd expect there's lots more in MCN, which, when pushed, I have to say is a credit to all involved in getting onto the shelves on a weekly basis.