| New price | £2,999 |
|---|---|
| Engine size | 124cc |
| Power | 14.6bhp |
| Top speed | 75mph |
| Insurance group | 6Since 2004, Honda has had the learner sports bike market sewn up – the CBR125R flew out of showrooms faster than its larger capacity counterparts. Yamaha’s range had a gap for a 125 sport motorcycle, and the YZF-R125 fills that gap by combining the Honda’s easy-going ride with a little bit more poke and grown up looks – it’s actually slightly bigger than the YZF-R6 that inspired its styling! |
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| New price | £2,995 |
| Engine size | 249cc |
| Power | 32.5bhp |
| Top speed | 110mph |
| Insurancegroup | 9 The American market has been a big success for the Kawasaki Ninja 250 range for years and years and… But even the Yanks need a fresh brew every now and then and the Ninja 250R is the latest offering. Fortunately for 33bhp probationary riders in mainland Europe and the UK, we are getting the bike too, complete with emissions compliant fuel injection. A brave move by Kawasaki because the Ninja is virtually in a class of its own. Trend setting? Maybe.
|
| New price | £5,699 |
|---|---|
| Engine size | 744cc |
| Power | 48bhp |
| Top speed | 115mph |
| Insurance group | 10 |
| MCN ratings | Owners' ratings | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall |  |  |
| Engine |  | |
| Ride & Handling | | |
| Equipment | | |
| Quality & Reliability | | |
| Value | | |
The Moto Guzzi V7 Classic isn’t perfect. It’s underpowered slightly, a tad vibey at speed and the levers aren’t span adjustable. But otherwise we struggle to find fault. The Moto Guzzi V7 Classic is stylish, useful, charismatic and simply a nice motorcycle to ride and own and, for the money, that’s accomplishment enough. We’d have one instead of a Bonnie like a shot. Welcome back Moto Guzzi, finally your ‘old fashioned bikes’ make sense…
| MCN rating | |
|---|---|
| Owners' rating | |
The Moto Guzzi V7 Classic’s remapped Nevada 744cc twin may be soft but it’s eager, willing and flexible. On paper, 48bhp seems fairly weedy (and it’s hard to believe that the original V7’s 50bhp was considered ‘superbike performance’ 40 years ago), but the reality is that it’s spread so evenly that it’s actually a fun and fruity, if a bit run of the mill, roadster.
| MCN rating | |
|---|---|
| Owners' rating | |
The Moto Guzzi V7 Classic’s fairly basic chassis m
anages to be good enough for a retro roadster, too. With no particular sports or performance pretensions, the mix of old school tubular steel frame, relatively light, low weight and adequate suspension and brakes combine to give and honest and effective ride. The single Brembo front disc is more than adequate and the suspension, though slightly basic and harsh, is more than up to the job, too.
| MCN rating | |
|---|---|
| Owners' rating | |
The Moto Guzzi V7 Classic exudes class. The filler-cap is a beautifully crafted aircraft-esque alloy affair, the clocks are all new (by Marelli) twin Veglia-style dials, the headlamp is fully-chromed, there’s quality switchgear and mirrors and a classically-styled seat (with ‘Moto Guzzi’ emblazoned on its rump). A stock Bonnie, by comparison, seems basic and cheesy.
Forget the dinosaur CB1000 of the early nineties, or the now defunct 900 Hornet, the CB1000R is a whole new bag for Honda, designed with Europe, using a retuned version of the 2007 FireBlade engine and with 2008 FireBlade forks and brakes, a beautiful single-sided swingarm and fabbo styling. In fact the only thing the CB1000R lacks is a bit of soul and the noise you get from a Brutale or Speed Triple. But for ninety-nine per cent of the time it’s a better bike in every respect.
| MCN rating | |
|---|---|
| Owners' rating |  |
The Honda CB1000R uses a 2007 FireBlade unit that has been retuned for maximum torque and midrange. It’s similar to the CBF1000 engine but gives stronger performance. As such, 130bhp is plenty but it’s more about the torque and the way the power is delivered that impresses. It comes on clean and fat to the point where sixth gear will pull 30mph with no shakes just clean drive. That said it doesn’t howl or really get you excited. It has the looks of something really aggressive but it never really wants to kick off. In comparison to the Speed Triple it’s not quite as raw, but that makes it easier to ride than all its rivals.
| MCN rating | |
|---|---|
| Owners' rating |  |
The Honda CB1000R’s suspension is softer than, say, the Triumph Speed Triple’s, but, for many give the perfect blend of feel and comfort. Most don’t want a bike that’s rock hard, just one that lets you know what the wheels are doing and one that doesn’t pitch around under power or braking. The Honda gets it bang on. It may lag behind rivals on track, but in the real world, where cops are hiding in trailers with speed guns, the roads get ever busier and the surface isn’t racetrack smooth the Honda CB1000R is a brilliant unfaired bike.
| MCN rating | |
|---|---|
| Owners' rating |  |
The Honda CB1000R is a top quality bit of kit in every respect. The forks are taken from the 2008 FireBlade but feature different internals. Brakes are taken from the 2008 Blade, too, but use smaller 310mm discs, different master cylinder and brake lines. Flashy LCD clocks are, Honda claim, the most sophistated and expensive to produce they’re ever made and then there’s that stylish and clever single-side Pro-Arm rear end…
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
