Fireblade

The quintessential Blade that was so good it was generally overlooked, the underrated GSX-R750 that was admired by those who bought one and the R1 a Japanese bike with styling that matched the Italians

Looking for an excuse to buy a bike that’s both great fun and a potential money-maker? Each of these beauties costs less than £2,500 but all are future classics still just flying below the radar of mainstream popularity. Try these three for size. Go on

Flash, fast and fearsomely expensive, the world would be a colder place without exotica like Aprilia’s £15,000 RSV4 Factory. But when Honda’s CBR1000RR is faster, far less expensive, aren’t you better off with a Blade?

A radical new R1 and a spanking new GSX-R taking on the mighty Fireblade and much maligned ZX-10R, the scrap for 1000cc supremacy is closer than ever...

Would the average rider be better off on one of the latest generation of super-fast streetbikes instead of their usual superbike? We hopped from a CB1000R to a CBR1000RR and back again to find out...

After glimpses of brilliance on the bike's wet launch at Misano, Visordown has finally tested the new V4 Aprilia back-to-back with the best 1000cc sportsbike out there, Honda's CBR1000RR Fireblade

Honda doesn’t do quirky on its sportsbikes without a very good reason. Niall puts Honda's new superbike through its paces

Another year, another choice selection of 1,000cc sportsbikes. But this year is a particularly good vintage as Yamaha, Kawasaki and Honda try to close the gap on Suzuki's all conquering GSX-R1000 of 2001.

Jim Bowen managed to completely spanner a ZX-10R the last time we put him on one. He has never been to the Qatar MotoGP circuit. So, who better to make a complete arse of himself...

The 2002 Fireblade CBR954RR isn't just a face-lift. Beneath the fresh styling is a bigger, cleverer motor, updated suspension and brakes, new swingarm, a refined frame and lighter wheels and exhaust system.

There's no bigger name when it comes to big sportsbikes than the FireBlade, and that was all the excuse we needed to line up every model since 1992 for a right good knees up at the wooded and wicked Oulton Park

Urry spends some quality time with a Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade

The big boss takes the CBR954RR FireBlade for a spin

Wozza avoids the law with a calm time onboard the Honda CBR954RR

Honda's baby Fireblade. An instant classic, almost everyone's owned one. Finding a good one these days is quite hard...