Jon Urry's review of 2016

By Jon Urry

Experienced road tester, bike hoarder and all-round top bloke.

Posted 23/12/2016 08:15 UK

The world around us may have been somewhat unpredictable, but 2016 was a great year for motorcycling. To celebrate the 12 months that have just passed, we've asked the BikeSocial team to share some of their favourite experiences and bikes of 2016. Today it's the turn of prolific freelancer and human puppy dog Jon Urry to spill the beans...

Best bike I rode

I know it is boringly obvious, but the Yamaha MT-10 (above) was brilliant. Yes, it’s as mad as a box of frogs when required, but I love the fact it is comfortable, has pannier mounts and is also fairly docile when you need it to be. The way it wheelies forever with very little provocation is a massive bonus…

I must also give an honourable mention to the Triumph Thruxton R, which is superb, the Triumph Bonneville T100, which is better than the T120 in my opinion and the Yamaha Tracer 700, which is amazing value for money. I’m still to be convinced by the Honda Africa Twin, sorry, but I did fall for the BMW Scrambler’s hipster charms.

Best sporting moment

The first MotoGP ‘2017 season’ tests were absolutely gripping for one reason – Maverick Vinales. Jorge Lorenzo’s replacement hopped on the Yamaha, switched to beast mode and instantly looked a genuine 2017 title contender (pictured right). While Cal Crutchlow’s two MotoGP wins were incredibly impressive, for me the MotoGP season fizzled out along with Rossi’s charge, world superbikes were just too green to be interesting and British superbikes promised a hectic climax, but it ended with a snapped bar. Nope, for sheer ‘sod work, let’s watch TV’ moments it was the 2017 Valencia tests that take the honours for me. That and seeing former three-times BSB champion Niall Mackenzie’s two sons, Taylor and Taz, taking their first British titles.

Tipping off the Hypermotard in front of Ducati’s senior staff wasn’t exactly a highlight…

Jon Urry

Best Bike Social moment

A flat out thrash to the hotel (which we couldn’t find) on middleweight tourers somewhere up north. We were wearing dark visors, in the dusk, totally lost and yet still riding flat out to try and make the 9pm cut-off for food at the adjacent pub. We made it and the resulting Thai red curry with rice was well worth the risk…

Product of the year

I discovered two amazing products in one this year. I was given a Visor Vision pack (right), which is from the guys who make the V-Sponge travel kit, for testing and it contained Fogtech DX anti-fog for inside my visor and Raincoat for the outside. Both products are bloody brilliant, I’m 100% converted to their use. Go to http://www.visorvision.co.uk to find out more!

Scariest moment

The wife found out about a bike I had secretly bought and kept hidden from her for two years…

Low spot

Tipping off the Ducati Hypermotard in front of Ducati’s senior staff wasn’t exactly a highlight of my year…

Looking forward to…

Suzuki (hopefully) releasing a GSX-R1000 that lives up to its billing. This feels like the last chance saloon for Suzuki when it comes to recovering their tarnished sportsbike reputation. The MotoGP team has already proven the company knows how to make a decent sportsbike when it puts its mind to it, so fingers crossed for the road bike…

Ambition for 2017

To ride my own bikes more. I have two-strokes that need thrashing, classics that could do with a run out, a scooter that never sees the light of day, a stationary trials bike and a Ducati gathering dust. So 2017 is the crunch year – ride them more or sell them off. Maybe…