The beautiful planet we all live on is falling apart. Seas are rising, icecaps are melting and pandas are having trouble getting it up. Global warming is to blame: we're burning too much fuel, creating too many pollutants and allowing cows to fart unhindered. All of which is caus...

quickly it can process data the ECU has been designed to respond to the speed of the rider’s inputs. Crack the throttle open hard and the fuel is delivered in an aggressive, direct way, open it slowly and the response is more muted. It doesn’t sound like

In the late 1990s and early 2000s Kawasaki had problems. Bike sales weren't brilliant and there was a feeling that the company had lost its direction. New models were short on the ground and, dare we say it, Big Green had become stagnant. A breath

.I would like to nominate Ducati's photographer for such a medal. Anyone who is prepared to stand in direct line of fire of Ruben Xaus and 177kg of sideways Hypermotard barrelling towards him at 50mph just to get 'that' photo is made of sterner stuff than

of directions or mind-bending futuristic design, if it lacks that certain X-factor it will leave the public cold. Sure, in certain classes you can negate the whole soul thing and sell on performance alone, but for some bikes this simply isn’t enough, which

is actually quite comfortable.On the move the extra weight isn't very noticeable. The 1000 feels more planted through corners than the 650 thanks to its extra weight and is slightly harder work to change direction on but you would only really notice this if

to come to the obvious conclusions. But more interestingly, they both represent the pinnacle of performance for each manufacturer, while approaching the market from entirely different directions and no doubt selling to very different customer bases

, cold and mind-numbingly tedious. But not without its curious charms."What you boys doing then?" a thickly Irish accented voice squeaks in our direction from an open car window. Despite the hour the occupant seems full of the joys of life, ready

. I would like to nominate Ducati's photographer for such a medal. Anyone who is prepared to stand in direct line of fire of Ruben Xaus and 177kg of sideways Hypermotard barrelling towards him at 50mph just to get 'that' photo is made of sterner stuff

at a leisurely distance. Well I imagine it is, despite contorting my arms in every conceivable direction it’s still proving impossible to gain anything other than a close up of my winter jacket’s elbows in the Ducati’s mirrors.The cop behind, if indeed