5 great 600cc supersports for under £3,000

MORE and more often, I look at new motorcycle prices and I think 'How much?! The world's gone mad.'

Despite the rise of the £15,000 motorcycle, there is a growing hunger within the industry to go back to basics and produce cheaper new motorcycles. Bikes like the MT-09, CBR500R, SV650S and to an extent, Street Triple ABS restore my faith in the new model market. They offer a lot for the money.

The second hand market is equally bonkers. There are some real bargains to be had, especially on models that were never quite the cutting-edge. However the used motorcycle market also has some absolute howlers. The rise of the 'Practical Sportsbike' means that anyone with a bike over 15 years old thinks they're sitting on a pension plan and not a 15-year old nail. Six grand for a tired old GSX-R750 Slingshot? I think not.

But there are some good bargains to be had, especially in the 600 supersport market. Sure, the modern-day bikes are that much better, but only really in terms of out-and-out performance and lap times. Do you need to spend £10,000 on a 600cc supersport bike that you use for Sunday blasts and a bit of commuting? No way.

In this feature I've put together five great 600s, all for under £3,000, a third of what you'd pay for a new 600 today. I've tried to keep them as low-mileage as possible, with full (if not decent) service history, in as close to standard trim as possible and the fewer owners, the better.

If you're thinking of buying a supersports motorcycle this year, take a look at some of these:

��

2002 Kawasaki ZX-6R J2

2002, 14,500 miles, £1,900

Through my rose-tinted specs, the best ZX-6R was and still is Kawasaki's B1H but it's just too frantic as a road bike and you can't get a good one for under £3,000. The J2 was a classic case of Kawasaki timing; launched against bikes like the R6 and K-series GSX-R, it never won magazine track tests at a time where slight was right and it was seen as a bit lardy but was always given the nod as a decent road bike. It sold well but was never as desirable as the others and hence they're now a bargain. It's 599cc, just before the A1P came along with its 636cc motor but you pay a bit more for an A1P. There are a load of decent ZX-6Rs out there within our budget and while I think the G series is prettier, the J2 is a solid real-world road bike. This one is late registered and still on carbs. They were £6,690 new.

You can click here to read owner's reviews of the Kawasaki ZX-6R J1/J2 and see the ad here.

2003 Honda CBR600 F Sport

2003, 14,500 miles, £2,994

Sure, I would have loved to present you with a CBR600RR but the only ones I could find were well-used and abused. This CBR600 F Sport stood out to me, as they were a great bike, but again, never really raved about as they were up against the GSX-R600 K series and the YZF-R6, both of which were getting journos excited at the time. I don't normally go for race-replica paint jobs, but I rate this Nastro Azzurro version as it makes the bike look slightly sharper and more modern. The bike is a late registered model on an '03 plate and looks to be in stock trim except for the screen. Back when they were new, I had one for a day, maybe two, before I wrote it off on an IAM advanced riding course. That's a story for another day. Good bike.

Click here to read owner's review of the Honda CBR600 F Sport and see the ad here.

2004 Triumph Daytona 600

2004, 6,000 miles, £2,500

I'll admit it, the Daytona 650 is a better bike, with a noticeable improvement in mid-range but you can't quite get one within our budget. The Daytona 600 is a great package but I don't think Triumph ever really found their feet with their four-cylinder offerings and a few hangovers from the TT600, like fuelling and suspension served to hamstring the four-cylinder Daytonas until their dying day. I picked this model as it's a late registered 600, with very low miles in very close to standard trim. They're comfortable, roomy, handle well and aren't shy of a good lap time, the only negative I remember is the gearbox, which wasn't as slick as its rivals. It's a steal.

Click here to read owner's reviews of the Triumph Daytona 600 and see the ad here.

2004 Yamaha YZF-R6

2004, 16,000 miles, £2,795

The name R6 is cult making it's such a desirable bike for those new to biking or 600-heads. So much so that the prices are somewhat skewed. I would have loved to have squeezed a 2005 model in there as it's a better bike: USD forks, 70-profile front tyre, radial brakes but you can't get a good one within our budget. The '04 model wasn't a bad bike, I've gone for as late as possible as the older versions, like the '99 - '01 feel tired and old in comparison. This model looks clean, with only a few small mods. All R6s come with the Yamaha big clunk from 1st into 2nd, it's something you get used to. They're great road and trackday bikes. Less than a third the price for a new one? Yes please.

Click here to read Yamaha YZF-R6 owner's reviews and see the ad here.

2001 Suzuki GSX-R600 K1

2001, 8,500 miles, £2,400

Let's be honest, the K series GSX-R600s haven't changed that much over the past decade since the K1 was launched and the K1/2/3 weren't really any different. Only the K4 and onwards featured nice extras like USD forks. So despite the age, I've picked out this GSX-R600 K1, a one-owner model with just 8,500 miles. It's in standard trim and the classic blue and white paint scheme. The older bikes feel slightly longer and less sharp than the modern ones, but they're still perfect track bikes and a decent bet for the road, too. When they were new, I felt like these were the most fun in a really close bunch of 600s, because you needed to work it to make it go. Which for me, is what makes a bike feel alive. A bike that's virtually brand new, for under two and a half grand. I'll take it!

Click here to read Suzuki GSX-R600 K1 owners reviews and see the ad here.

So there you have it: 5 really good bikes for not a lot of cash. Looking back through the line-up, I'd pick the ZX-6R. At £1,900 it is so cheap and it truly is a do-anything bike. Saying that, I bet you could knock a few-hundred quid off any of the bikes above if you waved some cash under the seller's nose. Good luck!