Bike Reviews
| Motorcycle Reviews


  • Ducati Multistrada 1200S Touring (2010-current)
    The all-new Ducati Multistrada 1200 S looks set to redefine not just the ?adventure bike? or ?tall-rounder? class, but motorcycling in general. The base package (detuned 1198 V-twin, chassis bristling with Ohlins and Brembo, loads of equipment) is good enough...

  • Royal Enfield Bullet Woodsman EFI (2010-current)
    The Royal Enfield Bullet Woodsman EFI is a modern take on a bike produced by the 1950?s USA importer, who turned Bullets in to scramblers and branded them as Indian Woodsman. The 2010 bike shares a name and basic layout,...

  • Yamaha XJ6 Diversion F (2010-current)
    One of the laziest new bike developments for 2010, the Yamaha XJ6 Diversion F is simply a standard Diversion with a full fairing and ABS. It?s a similarly easy to ride all-rounder that?s practical as a day-to-day bike, but it?s...

  • Derbi GP-1 250 Racing (2006-current)
    When you hear the spec of the Derbi GP1 250 Racing scooter it?s easier to think of a proper motorcycle rather than a funky-looking twist-and-go scooter. It?s got radial brakes, earlier versions had a single rear shock and it even...

  • 2010 MV Agusta F4 1000 (2010-current)
    MV?s new-generation F4 is still an unashamed racing bike with lights, but the Italian firm have smoothed out all the old rough edges and created a thoroughly usable superbike for the road. It?s 10kg lighter too. It?s still not as...

  • Derbi GP-1 125 Racing (2006-current)
    This is the middle capacity in the GP-1 Derbi range and when you hear the spec of the Derbi GP1 125 Racing scooter it?s easier to think of a proper motorcycle rather than a funky-looking twist-and-go scooter. It?s got radial...

  • Moto Hispania RX125R (2009-current)
    Moto Hispania is a Spanish company with a reputation for quality at a price, which sums up the RX125R to a Tee. The newcomer is a stylish, sports learner 125 with a Yamaha-alike four-stroke engine. It?s competitively priced, with sports...

  • Yamaha FZR400 EXUP (1988-1994)
    The Yamaha FZR400 was always over-shadowed by the class-leading Hondas, both the CBR and V4 NC30 and NC35s, and, on track, was a little behind Kawasaki?s ZXR400 for sheer speed. However, the rev-happy Yamaha FZR400RR attracted the hooligans by the...

  • Honda VFR400R (NC30) (1988-1994)
    The Honda VFR400R, or NC30 as it?s commonly known, is effectively a 400cc version of the iconic VFR750R (RC30) and as such is a cheaper alternative to the RVF400R which succeeded it in 1994. It has excellent handling, still looks...

  • BMW R1200GS Adventure (2010-current)
    The world?s biggest monster traillie is a ridiculous concept that on paper at least shouldn?t work at all. It weighs 223kg, the suspension is three inches taller than the standard R1200GS and with a 33-litre tank full of fuel you...

  • BMW R1200RT (2010-current)
    A brilliant touring bike as long as you like it in grey. The RT gets a new fairing, new clocks and an all new 110bhp twin-cam engine which gives it just enough grunt to make it entertaining and sit at...

  • Harley Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic (2010-current)
    This is Harley?s all-singing all-dancing, top-of-the-range tourer. In standard trim it?s fully-loaded with touring accessories that are only available as optional extras on lower-spec Electra Glides. It also has a larger capacity engine. The major problem with this bike is...

  • Kawasaki KR-1S (1990-1992)
    Kawasaki?s KR-1S was the quickest mass-produced, 250 two-stroke ever (139mph being recorded in a 1990 speed test), being quicker than both Suzuki?s RGV and even Aprilia?s later (but RGV-powered) RS250. On the downside it came with slightly questionable reliability and...

  • Yamaha Aerox R (1998-current)
    Yamaha?s funky race replica two-stroke scooter is nippy, agile and lots of fun, although the single seat limits pillion options. It?s one of the best looking scooters around and can be seen tearing up city streets as well as being...

  • Yamaha XT125X (2005-current)
    Yamaha?s XT125X is Yamaha?s learner-friendly road going supermoto. The 125cc four-stroke machine is a scaled down version of the XT660X and has the same supermoto styling cues, like a big single front disc brake, aggressive styling, 17? wheels and wide...

  • Yamaha X-Max 250 (2004-current)
    Yamaha?s YP 250R X-Max is a middleweight twist-and-go ?maxi-scooter?. It has all the practicalities of a conventional scooter with a bit more oomph for longer journeys and decent-sized wheels and tyres for cornering confidence.

  • Honda CB400 Super Four (1992-current)
    The Honda CB400 Super Four, like most 400cc grey imports, is a junior, Japan-only derivative of a larger model, in this case the CB1000 ?Big One?. As such it?s a chunky, good-looking, well-equipped roadster that?s both novice-friendly, reasonably versatile and...

  • Suzuki GSX-R400R (1990-1996)
    Suzuki?s GSX-R400 is easily mistakable for its larger brother the 750 with its distinctive slingshot looks and aluminum frame. Not as sought after as the other Japanese 400cc imports, but that keep prices low and means you can grab a...

  • Honda Zoomer (2005-current)
    Honda?s chunky little 50cc Zoomer is a weird cross between a twist-and-go scooter, a Tonka toy and a stripped-bare army Jeep. It?s easy to ride, nippy and stylish. Honda claim low emissions, it has lots of bungee hooks and there?s...

  • Honda RVF400 (1994-1996)
    Honda?s RVF400 was a pin-up race replica that had sports bike fans dribbling down their paddock jackets in the mid-nineties. The trouble was that Honda never officially brought the NC35 (its ?factory? code name) into the UK, which was a...

  • Italjet Dragster (1998-2003)
    Italian manufacture Italjet are best known for their futuristic-looking Dragster scooter, which came into the UK from 1998-2003. With funky styling, a Ducati-type steel trellis frame and hub centre steering the Dragster has developed a cult following, and spawned dedicated...

  • Derbi Terra Adventure 125 (2009-current)
    Derbi?s Terra Adventure 125 is a fantastic looking machine which bears more than a passing resemblance to the best selling BMW GS ? albeit in a learner legal package. If you?re looking for adventure on a budget or just a...

  • Derbi GPR50 Nude (2004-current)
    This is the naked version of Derbi?s sexy GPR 50 race replica, officially brought into the UK from 2004-2009. The Spanish firm are now part of the massive Piaggio group, which includes Piaggio, Vespa, Aprilia, Gilera and Derbi. It?s the...

  • Vespa GTS300 Super (2009-current)
    The GTS 300 Super is Vespa?s biggest scooter to date and blends classic Vespa style with bang-up-to-date performance, refinement and sophistication. It?s up to more than outings across cities and suburbia: get the extra luggage, load it up and it?ll...

  • Peugeot Speedfight 3 50 (2009-current)
    When it comes to scooters, there?s none more iconic and successful than the Peugeot Speedfight. The French runabout has been around for an impressive 12 years selling a staggering half a million units around the world during that time. For...

  • Aprilia SportCity 300 Cube (2008-current)
    The Aprilia SportCity Cube is a totally restyled version of the Sportcity 250ie chassis fitted with a bored and stroked Piaggio Quasar engine, taking it to 278cc. It may seem like 300cc is an odd choice of capacity, but it...

  • Suzuki RGV250 (1987-1997)
    Back in the late 1980s and early 90s the two-stroke RGV250 was the closest thing you could get to a Grand Prix bike on the road. If you were lucky enough to own what we regard as the best RGV250:...

  • Royal Enfield Trials EFI (2009-current)
    The Royal Enfield Trials EFI is rubbish and brilliant at the same time. Rubbish because it?s slow, under-braked and ill-handling ? but brilliant because it offers a unique, charming, easy-going ride you won?t get with any other bike less than...

  • Norton Commando 961 SE (2009-current)
    Revived Norton?s new Commando 961 SE is a ?feel good? bike par excellence. It gives riding and owning pleasure by the skip-load and is a machine you?ll park up and spend hours admiring in the garage with a cuppa. Yes,...

  • Kawasaki ER-6f (2009-current)
    The original Kawasaki ER-6f was universally acclaimed by MCN?s road testers and the revised ER sees the love affair continue. It?s a rare package of fun, practicality and affordability, which is great for novices and experienced riders alike.  Its sporty,...

  • Ducati Hypermotard 1100 Evo/Evo SP (2009-current)
    Ducati describe the new Hypermotoard as an evolution of the radical original bike and the SP is race ready version for the track. Both bikes share the same now single spark V-Twin engine which is 5kg lighter than the previous...

  • BMW S1000RR (2009-current)
    BMW?s S1000RR is the German company?s first venture into modern superbike territory and what a serious effort it is. Although it shares similar technology to the competition (GSX-R1000, Fireblade, ZX-10R etc) of dohc, 16-valves, stacked gearbox and so on, the...

  • Buell XB9SX Lightning (2004-2009)
    The Buell XB9SX is an oddity. What you get is an old-school v-twin in a high-tech chassis, all wrapped up in a mad-max style urban scrambler. On paper it makes very little sense ? a modern naked middleweight out-performs it...

  • Kawasaki Z1000 (2010-current)
    The 2010 Z1000 is the most impressive sports naked ever to roll out of Japan. It has excellent performance, handling and is super-stylish to boot. It?s less intimidating and easier to ride than a fire-breathing European super naked too. Compared...

  • Aprilia SR50 (2004-current)
    This is the basic Aprilia SR 50, called the SR 50 Street. There?s also a higher-spec SR 50 R and SR 50 R Factory. With lots of styling cues taken from Aprilia?s fire-breathing superbikes, this 50cc scooter gives Italian style...

  • Harley-Davidson VRSC V-Rod Muscle (2009-current)
    Harley?s cruiser V-Rod has been about since 2001, and the new Muscle is? is just another styling exercise to bolster what is arguably a tired range. The Muscle is essentially a reworked V-Rod with design touches (muscular, flowing lines) to...

  • SMC YB150/250 (2009-current)
    SMC is the abbreviation of Southern Motorcycles, an American company delivering affordable and reliable intermediate off-road-biased trail bikes and full-on competition. Although the bikes are off American design, for cost reasons they are manufactured in China. The SMC YB150 (150cc)...

  • Yamaha YBR125 Custom (2008-current)
    The idea behind the Yamaha YBR125 Custom is dead simple: take the straightforward YBR125 commuter, customize it a bit with high bars, more chrome and a lower seat, bump up the price a tad, and there you go, a pointlessly...

  • Harley-Davidson XR1200X (2010 model)
    Based on the 2009 XR1200, the XR1200X is slightly more sports biased than the sports biased XR1200. Confused? Don?t be. All you have to think about is the X-model has vastly improved, multi-adjustable suspension that makes a difference when riding...

  • KTM 690 Duke R (2010 model)
    Even though the bike tested was a pre-production unit ? virtually finished bar the paintwork and decals ? this bigger capacity 690 Duke is altogether a different machine than non-R model 690 Duke (654cc). The extra 36cc (KTM won?t confirm...

  • Aprilia RSV4R (2010 model)
    Aprilia?s RSV4R is a more affordable version of the all-singing, all-dancing RSV4 Factory. The engine is basically the same, without some of the Factory?s advanced electronics, but the chassis parts are slightly lower-spec. Despite this it?s still a beautifully-balanced technology-packed...

  • Honda BROS NT400 (1988-1992)
    Strictly speaking, the BROS 400 is heavy, underpowered and outdated. But the cheap grey imports are surprisingly nice to ride ? they?re well balanced, steer well and the engine is flexible, torquey and characterful given its 33bhp output. That also makes...

  • Kawasaki GTR1400 (2010 model)
    Kawasaki has given the GTR a significant upgrade, added to the comfort of the original model with a larger screen and include heated grips as standard. But more interestingly they?ve improved the safety of their flagship tourer with new ABS...

  • Honda VFR1200F (2010 model)
    The new VFR is a good bike ? but it?s not a great one. And after all the hype and expectation (Honda themselves are pumping it up as ?the Ultimate Road Sports Motorcycle? and it?s simply not) that is not...

  • Harley-Davidson FXDWGI Dyna Wide Glide (2010 model)
    Harley?s Wide Glide dates back to the seventies. The new for 2010 bike retains the old-school low-rider looks of long, raked and wide-spaced forks (hence the name Wide Glide), skinny front wheel and minimalist bulk. But what makes the new...

  • Yamaha WR125X (2009-current)
    Yamaha?s all-new WR125X has everything it needs to be the class leading learner supermoto. It?s great looking, well-equipped, has a great new engine, is solidly built and is great fun to ride. The Yamaha WR125X is a serious, substantial piece...

  • Kawasaki KLX250 (2009-current)
    Kawasaki has revived a dead class of motorcycle ? the cheap and cheerful trail bike. Soft power, a novice friendly chassis and low running costs are completely at odds with the hardcore enduro styling. It?s as happy getting back and...

  • Ducati Hypermotard 796 (2009-current)
    Ducati?s entry-level 803cc Hypermotard 796 is a stormer of a machine. It?s 12kg lighter and its seat is 20mm lower than the Hypermotard 1100, which makes it easier to ride and in the real world, and every bit as fast...

  • JAP Phantom (2009-current)
    A great-looking, soulful bike we hope stays just as raucous and raw while its rough edges are smoothed for final production. It will be a special bike but does the JAP name cast a strong enough spell? Time will tell.

  • MV Agusta Brutale 1090RR (2009-current)
    MV?s new range-topping Brutale 1090RR, the first of the new-generation of machines built under Harley Davidson ownership, might not look very different to the old one, but it?s a revelation. It?s 85% new, boasts a dual power map, an eight-stage...


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