Based on the Speed Triple launched at the beginning of 2011, this high-spec R version has Ohlins suspension, lightweight wheels, Brembo monobloc brakes, cosmetic changes, a brand new gearbox and a 2kg reduction in weight. It’s added a dynamic new...
The Vespa PX125 has essentially remained unchanged since its introduction in 1977, but it doesn't feel 35 years old. Subtle changes to keep the Vespa up to date and to get it through Euro 3 emissions regulations mean it feels...
The 278cc engine gives the Beverly plenty of poke around town and out on the road and the handling inspires confidence. It looks slightly girly in pictures, but in the flesh it's not so bad, especially from the saddle, but...
Its odd looks will always raise questions, but the engine won’t, it’s a peach. There’s loads of low down, a nice spread of torque and the dollop of top end power should see it as the quickest bike in this...
The sports maxi-scooter that started it all. As close as you'll get to motorcycle handling in scooter form. The T-Max can tour, scratch and commute as good or better than many middleweight conventional bikes. But ABS isn't standard, it lacks...
The Yourban 125 is certainly not cheap, but you can't put a price on confidenc, which is exactly what the extra front wheel gives. The 300cc version is less than £1000 more expensive, has more power and can be ridden...
Considering the price you get a lot of bike for your money. This ‘junior cruiser’ doesn’t feel like a lesser bike; it’s not underpowered, doesn’t feel budget, is cool and still has big bike appeal. So good and such value...
Not much has changed with the 2012 R1, but the big news is it now has a six-stage traction control system, incorporating anti-wheelie in its two most intrusive levels. It also has a restyled nose, a slotted YZR-M1-style top yoke...
The first new road bike to be produced by Husqvarna since BMW took over the company in 2007. In essence it’s a re-badged, re-styled parallel twin-cylinder BMW F800 with a 100cc bigger motor. The Nuda mixes typical Husqvarna supemoto thrills...
There are a lot of good points about buying a maxi scooter like the SR Max. Fuel economy is one, simplicity is the other. There aren’t many full-licenced motorcyclists who would buy a scooter on these benefits alone because of...
In all honesty, MCN hadn’t expected great things of this bike. On one hand the new bike was at best surely only a ‘lesser’ version of the already aging Streetfighter 1098 – a bike that has slipped down the appeal...
On the surface the Rieju does enough to be considered ahead of bikes from more established brands like Honda – with a fast engine and extras like a quickshifter with the R version - but poor build quality and bad...
On the back of the American trend to cut down large custom touring bikes into ‘baggers’, Kawasaki has launched the Voyager Custom – a scaled down version of their full-dressed Voyager. Meaner, sleeker and £1500 cheaper than the big Voyager,...
The SMS4 125 mirrors Husqvarna’s championship winning supermoto range and is equally exquisite in its detail. But is this enough for the Husqvarnas to make learner-legal off-road machinery as popular as Yamaha’s YZF-R125 has been for entry level sports bikes?...
It’s the most powerful and refined F4 MV Agusta has ever produced. Making a claimed 201bhp at the crank, it just pips the ZX-10R’s 200.1bhp crank figure to make the Italian beauty the most powerful 2011 road-going superbike. It has...
The Sym Wolf SB125Ni is a fuel-injected learner-friendly motorcycle from the Taiwanese giant. Sym pumps out around half a million two wheelers (albeit mostly scooters) a year, and this is one of their first steps into the UK motorcycle market....
The Yourban is not cheap, but it is aimed at those with either no desire or experience of two wheels as it can be ridden on a car licence, so the sure-footed, reassuring and unintimidating Yourban may well be worth...
We approached the new V-Strom full of skepticism but have been swayed.First, the restyle is a stunning success in its own right. I can’t think of any bike that looks so classy for so little money. Second, almost every aspect...
The Taiwanese-built WK 125R is an entry-level 125cc motorcycle for British riders on a budget. Imported by the same team behind Quadzilla Quads, it’s a cheap, cheerful and functional alternative to more expensive European or Japanese learner machines. It’s a...
At £3999 OTR there are cheaper 125s but then none of those rivals have the same heritage or kudos. Despite making only 15bhp it’s great fun to ride - the fact the new four-stroke engine thrives on revs keeps the...
The Crossrunner has already proved controversial for being passed off as a new bike when, effectively, it’s little more than a re-worked, re-styled nine-year-old VFR800 with some ‘parts bin’ equipment. But there’s no denying that, as a concept, as a...
Here’s a bike to make any 16-year-old’s visor steam up: the 500 cc supermoto-styled SM50, made in Taiwan and exclusively branded ‘WK’ in the UK. WK has been set-up by the same UK company who are behind Quadzilla Quads, who’ve...
The K1600GTL is now BMW’s premier sports tourer and puts the big machine right in the firing line of bikes like the Honda Pan-European, and the Honda GoldWing. Over the GT it comes with a massive top case big enough to swallow two full...
The Austrian off-road experts revolutionised 450cc motocross in 2010 with the 350 and have extended the same treatment to the enduro 350 EXC-F, which combines the handling of a 250 and the performance of a 450.
Modifications to Moto Guzzi's 2011 Stelvio, now called the 'Stelvio 1200 8V' have brought it closer to its closest rival: BMW’s R1200GS, than ever before. It's fast, fun, excellent handling and comes with a massive 32-litre fuel tank, giving it...
Ducati’s new 2011 Monster 1100 Evo moves the Monster story to the next level. It’s as good looking as ever, sounds great, its power is not overwhelming, it’s smooth and easy to use and thehandling is lightweight and fun. The...
Moto Guzzi’s Norge tourer gets a makeover for 2011. Now called the Norge GT 8V, it has a new chassis, body panels and the latest evolution of the Italian firm’s eight valve engine, replacing the old two-valve motor. It also...
Aprilia’s new Tuono V4 R APRC has genuine superbike performance, advanced electronic rider aids, a MotoGP soundtrack and a real-world, roomy riding position. Could this be the ultimate real-world superbike? Producing a claimed 167bhp, it’s more powerful than its closest...
If you’re looking to get your license, learn to lift either wheel or pursue some lightweight urban thrills, the 125 Duke can do it for you. It doesn’t seem like a regular, budget 125 machine; It feels like a premium...
On face vale, the Harley Blackline should be a great addition to the Harley range, using the proven big twin powertrain and Softail chassis and dressing is up according to the latest ‘blacked-out’, pared down bobber fashion. Trouble is, style...
The CBR125R has been yet another of Honda’s success stories. In its seven years of production, the sporty-looking learner 125cc has sold by the ship load all over the world, with good reason. It is easy to ride, comfortable, gives...
The GSR750 is an entirely new bike – not just a GSX-R750 with flat bars and no fairing. As you'd expect it’s far more user friendly and practical than the GSX-R, and is designed to compete with Yamaha’s FZ8 and...
The GS650GS is BMW’s entry-level adventure bike and successor to the old G650 and F650GS single. Because it’s essentially a tweaked version of those, development costs have been low, making it not just the cheapest BMW you can buy but...
Motorcycling needs new blood to ensure survival. Honda’s take on this is to attract people into motorcycling with a cheap, honest and stylish workhorse – and the CBR250R is it. This all-new machine is not just suited to restricted cat’...
It would be easy to be cynical about Triumph’s new Thunderbird Storm. Its route of taking an existing cruiser model and spinning off a pared down, mean and moody, all-black, ‘hot rod’-styled variant is, after all, a well-trodden one. Riding...
Honda Europe was asked to produce a modern-day version of its famed CBR600F, the bike that helped kickstart the 600cc supersport arena in 1987. With blessing from Japan, the CBR600F ABS is the finished article. And very good it is...
Triumph has labeled the 675R as a track day weapon/fast road riding tool, and MCN can’t argue with this. The stiff Ohlins suspension and lithesome, agile nature of the 675R chassis gives the impression it is a sorted race bike....
The 920 is the new entry-level MV Agusta Brutale which, despite lashings of Italian flair and 130bhp performance, costs the same as a Yamaha FZ1 at £9999. It has a number of changes aimed at keeping the cost down over...
Our first test of Kawasaki’s new W800 suggests that Britain’s own Triumph, after for five years having things all its own way in the ‘retro roadster’ class, has a new, real rival on its hands. Not only is the Kawasaki...
We’re absolutely blown away by the Diavel. It’s so light, fast and sophisticated, so good handling and fun, it completely turns on its head everything we thought so-called ‘cruisers were about until now. Or, to put it another way: the...
After years of gentle evolution Suzuki has gone to town on its 2011 GSX-R750. Weighing in at 190kg, fully-fuelled and ready to go, it’s a massive 8kg lighter than the old model, giving the 148bhp GSX-R750 a mouth-watering power-to-weight ratio....
The DN-01 is hard to categorise - Is it a cruiser? Is it a scooter? Whatever it is, it’s a very easy to ride, comfortable, capable and enjoyable motorcycle, let down by a very high price and too much hype....
Yamaha’s Fazer range of bikes used to be all about hard-working, do it all, value for money bikes. One look at the today’s price for the new Fazer8 says otherwise when comparing it to the competition – and the fact...
Rieju’s new MRT200 LC is a road-legal enduro machine. Think of it as a modern-day version of the much-loved old Kawasaki KMX200. Powered by bored-out Yamaha YZR-R125 engine, the Spanish machine has lots of punch, is equipped with some top-notch...
Suzuki has slashed an incredible 9kg from the 2011 GSX-R600. The engine has more midrange, a close ratio gearbox and for the first time, Showa Big Piston Forks and Brembo monobloc radial front brakes. Aside from a handful of components,...
Kawasaki say they’re gunning for the Street Triple R with the new Z750R, but it ultimately lacks excitement and you don’t get the kind of performance you want from a 750 or an ‘R’ tagged bike. It seems the marketing...
The versatile Piaggio X7 300 Evo is a bit of a sneaky bargain – it’s powered by the same brilliant 278cc motor as the Vespa GTS 300 (since the Piaggio Group owns Vespa) but it's £300 cheaper. Not everyone will...
A very decent sporty 125 with great equipment and good handling that’s let down by an inflated price tag. Those that need a cheap runaround will opt for a Chinese-made budget equivalent, while performance obsessed young ‘uns will go for...
Via Montenapoleone is no longer just a trendy shopping district in Milan (we all knew that, right?) – It’s also a limited-edition trendy 278cc scooter from Vespa that offers performance, practicality and style. It’s a beautiful machine that will undoubtedly...
KTM have listened to the criticism of poor fuelling and harsh throttle response and come up with a heavily revised package for 2011. More power, better fuelling with the same stunning looks and responsive handling. No electronic rider aids make...
Kawasaki’s ZX-10R evokes thoughts of rip-roaring power and handling best suited to race circuits. While that may have been the case of the original 2004 model, subsequent models have been diluted to the point where ZX-10R is regarded as a...
The new 800 XC is very much the bigger, burlier brother of Triumph’s two new Tigers. From the moment you swing your leg on board it’s clearly a taller, seemingly more substantial machine. The combination of 21-inch wire front wheel...
Triumph’s new Tiger 800 is the slightly more basic, more road-orientated and novice-friendly (not to mention cheaper) version of its two, new, three cylinder dual-purpose machines. The other is the Tiger 800XC. It’s a great bike, too – impressing immediately...
The Super 8 125 is probably the most polished feeling scooter that Kymco make. It offers the sportiness of the Agility with the comfort of the Like. The ride has a nice feel to it and the finish on the...
Loosely based on Kawasaki’s excellent Z1000, the SX fits snugly in to the gap between said naked bike and the track orientated ZX-10R, making it a grown-up bike for the real world. The near 140bhp inline four motor gives sporting potential, but creature...
It might look like a common or garden 180bhp V4 Aprilia RSV4 Factory, but this special edition version (only 350 are being made, 50 to come to the UK) has moved road-going superbikes on as much as the BMW S1000RR...
Replacing the 1198S, Ducati’s new 1198SP features an electronic quickshifter, an Ohlins TTX rear shock, slipper clutch and a lighter, larger 18-litre fuel tank. Overall weight is down 1kg to 168kg dry. Short of spending over £30k for the limited...
Powered by a brand new, Aprilia-built 1197cc V-twin engine and fitted with ATC (Aprilia Traction Control), variable throttle maps and ABS, the Dorsoduro 1200 challenges big supertmotos like the Ducati Hypermotard 1100 Evo and KTM 990 SMR head-on. It’s more...
Moto Guzzi’s new V7 Racer is a class act. It’s a special, but full-production, version of the Italian firm’s V7 Classis and comes with an unbelievable raft of goodies, including a chrome-effect fuel tank, a hand-finished frame and uprated cycle...
Ducati’s all-new Multistrada 1200S Sport and Touring machines look set to redefine not just the ‘adventure bike’ or ‘all-rounder’ class, but motorcycling in general. The package (detuned superbike 1198 V-twin lump, chassis bristling with Ohlins and Brembo, loads of equipment)...
Victory is no stranger to the custom-tour theme. The Cross Country is based on the Vision, an outrageously-styled grand tourer that spins heads everywhere. The Cross Country is in the same vein – modern sharp and curved lines mixed with...
2005 was the last time Triumph updated the Speed Triple by giving it the new 1050cc engine. Five years on and Triumph saw fit to update, overhaul and completely transform its biggest selling bike – 65,000 models sold since 1994....
There wasn’t anything really wrong with the old bike apart from it appeared a little dated and it was more of an ugly duckling rather than a stunning swan. However, Honda have addressed that, given the CBF a new face,...
The £7300 Xpedition is based on the long-serving and successful 650 V-strom (2010 £6399 ABS model), but kitted out with a bunch of accessories – approximately £1250 worth – to give it a new look and role. And, funnily enough,...
Practicality and convenience are where today’s large capacity scooters come into their own. Such an example is Kymco’s new 300i Downtown – we say example because it is a new arrival in a growing populace of big-bore four-stroke scooters.At £3999,...
Ducati’s new 848 Evo is a masterpiece. Replacing the current 848, which has been with us since 2008, the 848 Evo has 1198R Brembo Monobloc brake calipers, a non-adjustable steering damper and tweaks to the engine to make it rev...
Famous Italian motorcycle brand Garelli is back with a new range of scooters and mopeds. The XO is effectively their flagship model and benefits from sharp looks, stable 16” wheels and decent disc brakes. It’s a stylish and perfectly adequate...
The new Honda PCX125 scooter is the first ever two-wheeler to feature a fuel-saving idle stop system. Whether you think it’s a gimmick or a revolution, fact is the PCX125 is a brilliant little scooter in its own right and...
The Vity 125 is not a cutting edge scooter. It’s not fast. It doesn’t look good unless you’ve got a thing for the 80s. But it does the job and has one big saving grace – a £1,799 price tag which,...
The BW’s 125 is an off-road inspired scoot that goes nicely and looks even nicer - rugged styling marks it out as a small scoot aimed at blokes. At £2,499 it’s not the cheapest 125 scooter on the market, but nice...
The PS125i is sturdy, well made and has the weight of the Honda brand behind it, so you know it’s a safe and reliable purchase. That said, it’s pricier than the competition and doesn’t perform as well. Ridden in isolation...
In modern youthful speak the word bad actually means good. In any language big is big and Suzuki’s M1800R Intruder is really big – and bad at the same time. This is based on the fact the Intruder weighs in...
The Honda S-Wing is a well-equipped and competitively priced executive scooter that performs a lot better than its functional looks might suggest. Honda is pitching the S-Wing as an up-market urban commuter and in that environment it's a cut above the...
Classy styling, nice attention to detail and a list of handy well thought-out features make the Vivacity 125 look like a charming city commuter package. Overall it strikes a tempting balance between quality and price. The only slight let down is its...
The V-Clic 50 is exactly how it looks – a basic, no frills moped that will get you about town if you’re 16. It’s a bargain, but if you’re a teenager it’s unlikely to impress any of your mates outside...
If you can get past the daft name, the Peugeot Tweet 125 is a fantastic little scooter. There’s nothing new or revolutionary about it, but it’s fun to ride and offers everything you need to beat the traffic on your...
As big-wheel scooters go the Peugeot LXR125 is hard to fault – the competitive price, stable handling and a good dose of practicality add up to well-rounded package. It looks relatively stylish to boot.
If you want the comfort and practicality of a maxi-scooter but you’re limited to 125cc, the well-spec’d Burgman is a safe choice. It’s not quite up to a motorway commute, but for city use it’s a classy ride with more...
Bimota’s DB8 superbike may look the spitting image of the 160bhp Ducati 1098-engined 2008 DB7, but it’s different in three distinct ways. It’s powered by the bigger 170bhp Ducati 1198 superbike motor, it has a pillion perch and it’s cheaper,...
Based on MV’s range-topping Brutale 1090RR, the Cannonball is fitted with an array of mouth-watering MV Agusta Corse goodies. Starting with the standard £13,699 machine, which is smoother and far easier to live with than the angry Brutales of old,...
Produced by Brighton-based Sinnis, but manufactured in China, the Trackstar is a cheap, trendy 125cc alternative to the CG 125 or the Virago. It’s very easy to control and manoeuvre, making it an attractive option for learners or novice bikers....
Sadly, the two-stroke 125 is all but dead. The recent advent of credible, easy to ride and cheap to run four-strokes is killing sales of fickle, expensive smokers. Derbi’s learner sportsbike gets an all-new design with a four-stroke engine for...
With the world united on the brilliance of Ducati’s Multistrada 1200 S-models, the arrival of the two base model Multistradas have slipped under the radar and into the UK. Whereas the S-models are topped off with electronically adjusted Ohlins suspension...
This is Moto Morini’s answer to the BMW R1200GS. The Italian-built machine, which is powered by a big, booming V-twin motor has a 19” front wheel for off-road action and a roomy riding position, but it’s very racy. Instant acceleration...
There are motorcyclists out there who will cheerfully denounce the Fuoco as a car with a wheel missing. Ok so the Fuoco does have three wheels but in every other way it is a bike; it leans, stoppies has handlebars...
Reborn Triumph’s 900 Trident was about as straightforward a bike as Hinckley could produce, and also happened to be one of the best of the early machines. The three-cylinder motor was distinctive, flexible and robust, the handling, though tall, better...
It might not have the traction control, Ohlins suspension and Marchesini wheels of the more expensive ‘S’, but this base-model Streetfighter, complete with its retuned 1098 superbike engine, is still one hell of a machine and a better value package....
Tests have shown that nine out of 10 road testers prefer the Kawasaki ER-6f to virtually any other middleweight machine. Bandits, Fazers, Monsters, SV650s… The Kawasaki ER-6 has trounced the lot of ‘em. A cunningly-disguised riot of fun, the Kawasaki...
The supermoto version of a rubbish bike, the D-Tracker 125 is based on the titchy KLX125 trail-style learner machine. Not a great start in life – the D-Tracker’s supermoto-style road wheels and tyres are a minor improvement, but there’s nothing...
There was a time when Yamaha’s Tenere range of bikes ruled the earth, literally. As desert and dirt blasters for Paris-Dakar like competitions, the name Tenere became synonymous with adventure and off-road riding. Then it all went quiet and BMW...
Take Triumph’s superb Sprint ST (Sport Touring) and make it more adept at touring and also pillion friendly and what do you end up with? A Triumph Sprint GT (Grand Touring), that’s what. Sounds easy enough but in practice Triumph...
The Victory Hammer 8-Ball is basically a lower-seat, cheaper specification version of the Hammer muscle bike. It still has the same gutsy motor, but instead of twin front brake discs it has a single caliper and rotor, plain black paint...
Rarely do mainstream manufacturers build a bike that doesn’t have at least one reason to buy it – but Kawasaki have pulled it off with the KLX125. It isn’t a dangerous bike, and it does perform a basic function as...
This is the world’s first production electric superbike. With two 96V Angi 95R motors housed in a KTM RC8 rolling chassis, this is an electric bike that not only really handles, it’s powerful and fast too. It’s brilliant around town...
The ‘DCT’ bit of Honda’s new VFR1200F stands for ‘Ducal Clutch Transmission’, Honda’s name for it’s all-new, clutchless, semi-automatic transmission system which is so different it warrants a review all its own, and so impressive and revolutionary it heralds the...
A bike for the kind of people who want to customise their Harley but want someone to do all the thinking and work for them. Ride it down any street and you can see people’s heads turning and mouthing the...
For 2010 they’ve made the Shiver more user friendly by lowering and narrowing the seat. They’ve also improved the sporting side of the Aprilia by giving the new bike higher and further set back pegs, slightly different bars, narrower rear...
Yamaha’s original FZS600 Fazer and later models always represented value for money workhorses – the sort of bike you could commute and have fun on anytime, anywhere. But now the XJ6 and Diversion fills the cheap and cheerful slot left...
Yee-haar. Puzzled? Don’t be. The simple truth is Ducati’s 796 - the Bologna-based company’s latest air-cooled Monster – slots nicely between the first-timer Monster 696 and the more powerful Monster 1100 and it's one of biking’s easy-to-net pleasures. It’s not...
The Street Glide tries hard to bridge the gap between full-on tourer and custom street bike. The bike is based on Harley’s spine frame touring chassis but is ‘slammed’ for a low mean look. The twin cam 96 cubic inch...
