Sports

While better styling will no doubt lead to better sales, this bike also offers more value for money than the old model, and that makes it a winner

The 749S is a better bike than the 749 and when it comes to price the 749S is cheaper than both the 999 and 999S, and if you don’t mind missing a few bhp is virtually the same bike

It’s a brilliant bike and everything it promises to be. In Bertie’s words; “It turns every roundabout into the Ascari Curve and constant radius turns into the Parabolica at Monza”

As a Sunday morning and occasional trackday plaything we would all have one in our garage

Unsurprisingly, the revised 999S doesn't disappoint. But is it worth nearly three grand over the standard model?

better brakes, heavier crank and even more power for 2002

Updated with a facelift, engine internals and a new swing arm.

The Daytona just got better handling and faster to boot. She’s not as distinctive-looking as she was before, but the ride quality’s better and she’s as British as ever

The 2001 GSX-R600 K1-K3 is Suzuki's all new GSX-R for the new millennium.

As unmistakeable as a Porsche 911, still one of the best looking bikes on the planet

Single-seat version with uprated suspension front and back

Hmm... surely the CBR, in this, its sporty FS guise at least, should be more exciting? This, after all, is the version tweaked for more excitement.

The best of both worlds: power and handling combined with long distance comfort, but somehow it’s less than the sum of its parts

Fitted with usd Showa forks, Marchensini 5 spokes and a choice of single or dual seat

Fantastic handling meets dull styling and dreadful fuel-injection

Honda's focused World Superbike contender

Updated with a facelift, engine internals and a new swing arm.

Updated version of S1 Lightning, occasional fuel injection glitches

was at the launch of the Sprint RS in southern Spain in 1999. Some muppet in the office thought it would be a good idea to ride back from there to the Midlands, in late December.

Yamaha managed the same trick with the R6 as with the R1, caught everyone by surprise and redefined the 600 class.

Designed to put Bimota back on the map and they used many inovitive ideas never seen on a road bike. It's ultra rare. But believe it or not Bimota made an even rarer version, the SB8-RS made only to order.

Triumphs attempt to take on the Japanese sportbikes. It failed to do so.

Yamaha launched the YZF-R1 after redesigning the Genesis engine to offset the crankshaft, gearbox input and output shafts. This "compacting" of the engine yielded a huge dividend in that the total engine length was now much shorter.