bars. A naked middleweight triple with a truly sporty chassis sounded like my perfect bike. Strangely enough they never got back to me, obviously knowing something I didn't at the time.As it now turns out the Street Triple was always on the cards, even

, delivers a competent and capable performance. And, like the engine, initially it all works well enough but push that little bit harder, and the limits are obvious. With a bike that weighs in at 236kg dry, that's also capable of generating a reasonable turn

is fun to ride, giving a buzz with every journey. Every part feels quality made, and is well proofed for wear and tear. Many customisable parts are available from Yamaha and 3rd parties. Big bike looks and colours give it a presence, turning heads

GSX-R as well. Turn the funny castle styled key in the ignition and the engine still has that GSX-R growl about it. The airbox still makes the same noises and there is still the slight vibration from the motor. All of which help give GSX

groups of testers, half of those I spoke to preferred the XC’s handling over the standard Tiger 800 and put it down to a slower turn-in. I felt the front wandering wide on the XC and I know that my confidence is built-up or eroded by my ability

wheelbase to give the bike a more agile feel. The improved grip comes from a much more compact engine, which allows a longer swingarm to be fitted, in turn improving traction and boosting rider feel. Up front the new 43mm Showa big-piston forks do a good job

provider. As with most big four strokes using tall gears is the key. It keeps things safe and reduces gear changes to a minimum, which in turn keeps things smooth on the track. As with any Ducati the throw between gear shifts is greater than Japanese bikes

, collector box has been fixed by Banditmania. It goes/stops and turns, just not as well as most others out there, but hey i paid £1700 for it and that makes me smile a little. Nikkie: A BARGAIN! Strengths: Easy to ride and VERY comfortable - you can go miles

it more stable over bumps and through fast corners, but at low speed that mass takes some muscling into bends. Where the other GSX-Rs take no more than a twitch of brain synapses to turn them, the Hayabusa requires some thought.And it’s the same

’s not really the Thruxton way of doing things. This is a bike for someone who knows who they are and what they’re into. You won’t be the fastest, but with a pair of open pipes and an open-faced helmet you’ll look by far the coolest when you turn up at your