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Niall's Spin: Yamaha YZF-R6 (2000-01)
By Niall Mackenzie on 11/10/2010 11:47:52
Contender for the greatest 600 of all time and still a class act on the track and road, the bike that set the modern day standard in the supersport class is still a cracker
. Scraped pegs will indicate track use; you'd be hard pushed to deck out an R6 on the road.Brakes were highly rated when new, but things move on and now they're rated 'okay'. And the passage of time isn't kind to Yamaha's OE stoppers, so maintenance
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Used Test: Ducati Desmosedici GP5
By Niall Mackenzie on 14/09/2010 16:46:14
Ducati have kept it simple, but the Desmosedici is on the cusp of greatness. Niall bagged a go
- the 42mm forks have carbonfibre outer tubes for added stiffness, surely a future 'must have' for the sportsbike aftermarket.Continue reading Niall's test of the 2006 Ducati Desmosedici 2/3
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Used Test: Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa
By Bertie Simmonds on 10/04/2008 19:17:39
Half elephant, half cyclops, but all-conquering when it came to the title of King of Speed in the late 1990s, the Hayabusa is still the yardstick for sheer velocity and a fantastic cult motorcycle.
-valved for a couple of hundred notes, but many owners go for an aftermarket replacement. As an example, Nitron do three levels of upgraded shock: the NTR Sport for around £300 with a single adjuster for compression and rebound, the NTR Track with independent
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Niall's Spin - Honda CBR900RR Fireblade (1992-93)
By Niall Mackenzie on 08/10/2010 15:35:43
The creator of modern sportsbikes is now a reserved classic in the world of it's offspring, Niall Mackenzie takes a look at the orginal Honda Fireblade
of more caring owners wanting a modern classic and have even had TLC lavished on them already.All in all, a used FireBlade of this vintage is a rare and beautiful thing. Providing, of course, it's still beautiful. Beware garishly 'personalised' bikes
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Niall's Spin: Suzuki GSF600S Bandit (2000-01)
By Niall Mackenzie on 11/10/2010 10:53:47
Niall spins his reviewing yarn on the bike that launched the budget middleweight craze way back in the mid 90s
match for the motor. No frills, nothing fancy, just a steel tube frame, soft forks and a budget rear shock. Handling is workmanlike but you won't set the world alight, and it won't be long before pegs and other bits are scraping on the road
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Land Rovers: '09 Yamaha XT660Z Ténéré, '03 KTM Adventure, '02 BMW R1150GS
By Ben Miller on 26/07/2010 16:14:49
The explosion in popularity of adventure bikes means the used market is now flooded with round-the-world bargains. Escape the rat race for half the price of a GS Adventure...
on the loose stuff.The suspension has the travel to cover rough roads at speed or pick its way through the really tough stuff, the engine’s soft, single-bang delivery finds traction where you really don’t expect it to and the fantastic riding position – high
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Used Test: Suzuki TL1000R
By Jon Urry on 13/09/2010 13:18:40
Created as Japan’s first V-twin World Superbike champion, the TL1000R fell short as a racer. But as a road-going missile, the big Suzuki offered a chunky alternative to Italy’s uncompromising, highly-strung twins. And now it’s criminally cheap
, the bike’s reputation as a “widow-maker” and a humiliating recall for the fitment of a steering damper had put a large black mark against the TL name. Even if the R had proved to be a track missile, the fact it used the much-maligned rotary rear damper had
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Used Review: Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird
By Bertie Simmonds on 05/04/2008 22:11:44
Ten years ago the Super Blackbird was celebrated as the fastest and most powerful thing on two wheels. Now, it's 'just' a very fast, big, sports tourer with an enviable reputation for quality.
the Blackbird kept popping up and giving them a bloody nose in group tests long after it shouldn't have. It was graceful with awesome build quality where the 'Busa was ugly and poorly finished; it had comfort and 'legs' where the ZX-12R was cramped and had poor
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Used Review: Kawasaki ZX-12R
By Bertie Simmonds on 17/08/2008 21:32:11
It arrived on the scene in a blaze of green and tantalisingly promised 200mph motorcycling. It didn't quite deliver that, but it did become a well-loved machine with a loyal cult following.
on the back should be enough for road use. STALLING Pre-2002 machines were hard to get off the line. From 2002-on a heavier crank made it easier, and smoother, to pull away. A narrower flywheel was also used, as were oval throttle pulleys, which help
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Road Test: Kawasaki ZZ-R600
By Bertie Simmonds on 28/05/2008 22:54:45
Like Barbara Windsor, it hasn't been considered sexy for years. So what's kept the ZZ-R600 on Kawasaki's books all this time? It's the fastest, squashiest, flying sofa has ever seen, that's why...
suspension: It's okay but veers towards sogginess quickly: this is exacerbated by the bike's weight and makes for a disconcerting lack of feel on the road. Firmer fork springs are virtually a must on older models. Be aware that pre-1995 bikes had
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