either.BEST REVAMPTwo years after launching the FJ1100 as a sports bike, Yamaha revamped the aircooled four in fine style to create the FJ1200. Its 16-valve engine was enlarged from 1097 to 1188cc, retaining its 125bhp max and adding more midrange. The FJ

. But fourvalve heads were on their way.BIKE OF THE YEARSuzuki’s GSX1100 wasn’t much to look at; its bland styling made worse by a strange headlamp nacelle. But boy, did it go — both on the straights and round the bends. Suzuki’s first 16-valve four made 100bhp

remembered the glorious original Le Mans of the Seventies. Ducati’s 750 F1 Replica wouldn’t have seemed so dire if I hadn’t ridden it with the updated GSX-R750.Even worse were the slow and tedious singles, of which Yamaha’s revamped XT600 Ténéré at least had

stretched back to the Z1. The Ninja made 113bhp and combined 150mph-plus top whack with turbine-smooth acceleration, ace handling and class leading aerodynamics.Biggest MissBMW’s long awaited in-line four, the K100, was an average bike in a year of stunners

1985We knew 1985 was going to be special because it was motorcycling’s centenary, coming 100 years after German teenager Paul Daimler made the first ever ride aboard a 264cc, wooden-framed single called Einspur (“One-track”) built by his dad

it was finally launched in 2002. The Hornet looked quite good, even in grey paint. But instead of being a mental naked sportster powered by the latest 150bhp Blade motor, it was a dreary affair whose detuned, 108bhp unit was barely more powerful than the 599cc