and engineering that has gone into this bike is special - its a pure sportsbike, uncompromising, fast, lean and light and is all the better for it. Just be careful not to explore its limits on the open road, keep that for track days. Mark Twineham: The first

there, just daring me to accept its challenge.Both fortunately, and also surprisingly, our 1993-vintage first generation Blade for this test was a minter. Fortunately because it made the experience pleasurable, and surprisingly because there can't be a

the R is a lovely bike.Sitting on it the first thing you notice is the enormous and generously padded seat. It’s fantastically comfortable, as is the riding position and all encompassing fairing. The TL feels like a big bike, and sort of absorbs you

riding experience. All wrapped up in a bike that looks identical to the one that first brought a world superbike replica to the masses. Parts are cheap because the mini-ZXR was an official import to the UK and unlike the NC30 it’s a straightforward

, then this could be the bike for you. An excellent first sports bike as it's easy to ride but there is a lot of potential inside to be unlocked as you gain experience and confidence in the corners. Jake Le Cren: BUY IT, BUT DON'T WASTE IT. Strengths: The handling