new and second-hand these five bikes offer tremendous value for money.The Thundercat was also tricky to discover but with it being in production for so long, seven years now, it was more of a case of getting a good, new example rather than a tired old

Yamaha 600's including a Thundercat and two previous incarnations of the R6 and this is certainly the best handling of the bunch, it's capable of speeds and cornering that i can only dream of. Weaknesses: Looks, acceleration, braking, feedback, the list

springs make a big difference, or Thundercat forks if you find get a pair. Bluespot calipers and an R1 or R6 master cylinder are beneficial. Switch to 120/70 front tyre and drop yokes 10mm for improved front end. Performance benefits from decent pipes

character Overall: Before this bike I had a 2001 CBR 600 and before that a Thundercat from the same year. The 'cat was good for long journeys and the CBR was great for all but long journeys. My ZX-6 J2 is more fun than both, and equally happy

as virtually no component remains unchanged from the old bike.For a start there is a brand new motor. Gone is the old carbed Thundercat motor, killed off by EU emissions laws, and in its place sits a fuel-injected R6 motor with slight modifications to the cams

of a man's bike than the SV650. Despite having less power than the Hornet, the midrange torque of the more flexible Thundercat motor made it feel like it had more power, while the able chassis, budget suspension and 110-section front, allied

haven't ridden my Thundercat since I purchased this, it does everything you'll ever need while still being such great fun.The ABS is very unobtrusive, braking remains smooth, however, having been spoilt with braided hoses/blue spot calipers I find