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First Ride: 2002 Kawasaki ZX-9R
By John Cantlie on 29/03/2008 16:54:04
And so to the 2002 ZX-9R, also tweaked for this year and feeling distinctly healthier for it. The motor feels the same, but the handling (once adjusted) is definitely better...
wanted something less mental and more useable on the road.Not to say it ain't fast. The Nine has always topped-out north of 170, and the latest model will be knocking on the door of 180mph in the right conditions. We only got to ride the bike on the track
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First Ride: Honda VTR1000 SP-2
By John Cantlie on 29/03/2008 16:21:42
By winning the World Superbike Championship in 2000 in its very first year of production, you could argue that Honda’s SP-1 doesn’t have much to prove. But race development waits for no man, and so for 2002 we’ve got the SP-2.
longterm testbike in 2000). You’re right over the front on the SP-2, and the feedback from the Showa forks is instant and direct. Not unlike a Ducati 748R, the front of the SP-2 dominates the feeling of the whole bike and in corners you feel as though
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First Ride: Husqvarna 510SMR & 610SM
By John Cantlie on 22/09/2010 14:50:23
With BMW money now behind them and their financial future assured, Husqvarna are keen to blow away the bad memories of the past
superbike. The massive 50mm Marzocchi forks look strong enough to support a Humvee, and neat touches like the red cylinder head cover and powder-coated wheels really set off the engine. The 510 is a proper weapon, and that’s before you even ride it.The fuel
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First Ride - BMW G450X
By John Cantlie on 07/09/2009 14:54:23
They’ve flirted with it for years, but now BMW finally get stuck into the business of serious off-roading with their new enduro tool
people who ride off-road wouldn’t even know what EU-III means the 450X is easily de-restricted for full-bore performance. All you do is complete a circuit with a £5 plug and the BMW goes instantly from 41bhp to 52bhp. It may only be a 450cc four
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First Ride: Honda XL700 Transalp
By John Cantlie on 10/04/2008 22:59:27
Older than the hills themselves, Honda’s original Adventure bike just got itself a total makeover for 2008. And a whole new lease of life...
-on-year. It would appear that UK riders are finally following in the footsteps of our European chums, eschewing one million bhp in favour of decent tank ranges, Ewan and Charlie styling and easier everyday riding. It had to happen at some stage. As motorcycling
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