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First Ride: 2002 Buell XB9R Firebolt
By Bertie Simmonds on 29/03/2008 16:37:24
Look, children, here he comes. It's Tweedle Dee in the blue and silver Kushitani leathers on his dinky Fisher Price 'My First Ideal Sportsbike.'
he uses his big shiny boots to go down two gears before pitching into turn one. "Ooooh, Bertie, please be careful," squeak the Buell technicians, worried the Firebolt may get squashed under 18-stones of ginger beer and potted meat sandwiches
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Used Review: Triumph Daytona T595-955i
By Bertie Simmonds on 05/04/2008 17:59:57
A revelation when it first appeared: here was a proper British effort at a big sportsbike. Over the years while the competition has got wilder, the Daytona has stayed milder which makes the mature Daytona a very solid road bike
The impact of the first Triumph T595 should not be under estimated. Here was the first proper big British sports bike for many years and one which - on paper at least - promised to give the legendary FireBlade a run for its money. Cue 'Land of Hope and Glory' and much jingoistic ...
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Road Test: Peak Practice
By Bertie Simmonds on 20/04/2008 21:24:25
Once a year, at Shrove-Tide, Ashbourne becomes the Wembley of the Peak District.
to medium poke is what this bike is about, as you don't get that big chunky top end pulling power on motorways that you get with a big-bore inline four, or even perhaps the Falco (more of which later) Instead there's an initial rush of torque from as low
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Living with a 2003 Suzuki GSX-R1000
By Bertie Simmonds on 10/11/2003 13:54:39
It's big, it's old and a bit of a relic. But enough about Bertie, see how he got on with the monster GSX-R1000
. The Bridgestone 012s have the unenviable job of taming the 145bhp that goes through that rear tyre, but they do a top job.The high silica compound meant that as long as I exercised puritanical control over my right wrist, the tyres would look after me and not tip
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Used Test: Suzuki GSX1400
By Bertie Simmonds on 13/09/2010 14:19:12
It looked like a pit-bull, even if it was more of a lap-dog to ride. Blessed with good looks and mucho torque, Suzuki's GSX1400 has proved to be a popular retro bruiser bike in used circles
Click to read: Suzuki GSX1400 owners reviews, Suzuki GSX1400 specs and to see the Suzuki GSX1400 image gallery.Back in the days when wearing Brut 33 was considered foreplay, real men rode bikes like these. Retro bikes from the 1990s cashed in on naked nostalgia with a raft of ma...
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Used Review: Ducati Monster S4 & S4R
By Bertie Simmonds on 08/04/2008 21:11:47
Like the original but on steroids, the Monster S4 grasped bare-biking from Bologna by the bars and took it into the new millennium. But are there any bugs? Used-bike fact hound Bertie Simmonds finds out.
that the plumbing made it look like a dog's dinner, then the people who wanted performance didn't give a toss, as the S4 was blessed with good top-end.In 2003 the S4R came in with much tastier looks, courtesy of a single-sided swingarm, upswept single-side pipes
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Used Review: Kawasaki ZX-6R 1997 - 2001
By Bertie Simmonds on 05/04/2008 13:29:51
The ZX-6R exploded onto the scene in 1995 and has been with us ever since. Bertie Simmonds explores the myriad of myths and litany of lies about the G and J models of the big K's popular middleweight blaster.
Honda had been having its own way for too long. A succession of CBR600s had held the top spot in the sales charts and held sway in the hearts of the bike-buying public for the best part of ten years. Someone had to do something about it
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Used Review: Honda VTR1000 SP-1 & SP-2
By Bertie Simmonds on 05/08/2008 22:16:35
Designed to take on and beat the Ducatis in WSB, the SP-1 and SP-2 did just that. But how does it fare in the more cut-throat world of used sales? Bertie Simmonds finds out.
better bet.1. Engine: After the initial snatchi-ness (SP-1 only) the motor picks up nicely from 4000rpm, dips for emissions and then takes off on a almost 45-degree line towards an 120bhp top end as standard. The SP series love to rev, which is nice. Big
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Used Review: Honda CBR600F 1999-2002
By Bertie Simmonds on 05/04/2008 14:01:56
Year-on-year since its introduction in 1987, Honda's venerable CBR600F has been the undisputed king in the white-hot battle royal of the middleweight 600cc sports category. Bertie Simmonds checks out the last of the line
with the GPZ600R and FZ600 and, like the big bully they are, bog-washed and wedgied the pair of them into submission with the all-new CBR600F.Compared to the then class-leading Kawasaki, the CBR had around 10bhp more at the top end as well as being
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Used Review: Honda CB600F Hornet
By Bertie Simmonds on 05/04/2008 21:49:32
Born in 1998's naked middleweight boom, the Honda Hornet has evolved into a more capable, practical machine than the tiny-tanked original model.
Honda's Hornet has always been a handsome machine, but despite being up against some tough competition it's attracted a cult following.It began in 1998, when Honda (and Yamaha with the Fazer) decided they'd had enough of Suzuki topping the sales
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