Motorbike

The GT is very comfortable in a straight line, comes with colour-coded panniers as standard and is solid at speed. The suspension isn’t the best, ground clearance is limited and acceleration is very poor

Terrific grunt from a celebrated engine in a less sporty frame than may be familiar

Almost as good as a 999S while being about two grand cheaper, better looking and without getting caught in the crack of my arse

We have the real deal from Britain to match the Japs with the Daytona. Going racing for the first time in three decades has underlined the confidence Triumph has in its 600.

I’ve ridden every new 2004 bike and the 749R is the one I really want to ride again. I’d love to own one; it looks ace, handles great, has a mint motor and is good off track, too. I’d take a 749R over any 999 anytime

The R1100S Boxer Cup Replika is a really individual, fun to ride sports bike that oozes quality and comes with a ton of presence

The current 999R costs £19,995, and this version will cost more. But this is an even more powerful and polished example of what’s already the best road-going Ducati

With minor niggles addressed, the new CBR is a sound improvement on an already stunning package. More success beckons

Slick styling, a strong motor and chassis tweaks put the ZX-6R right back up there. Big bore motor may be cheating, but who cares when it's this much fun?

While it's hard to justify this much money for what is a reasonably basic tourer, it is a good blend of Harley cool and tourability

Gus experiences the sporty BMW R1100S

Giles enjoyed his months with the Triumph adventurer, although he was never really sure of the colour...

A carefully considered long term Buell by Jim Bowen

Alex Hearn takes the exclusive Italian supermoto for a spin

Vastly improved recently and with a few little nudges – trick bars, sticky tyres, fruity cans, suspension – could be a real scream. Maybe a full decade after its birth then, the TDM’s time has come

A good, relaxed ride is guaranteed on this tourer

Cantlie goes mega fast and offends the law on his R1

The Kawasaki ZX-9R didn't survive this long term test in the hands of Shippey

Daryll discovers that he didn't quite get the short straw with the Silverwing

I like the 2002 GSX-R600. We all like it. The GSX-R600 has stood for one thing only since it was first launched – sports performance.

Getting back on the R6 was like getting back on an old friend. I don't normally ride my old friends, you understand, but the R6 responds like no other to a massive session of throttle abuse

When I've mentioned the TT600, a few unkind souls have been mean to suggest it was a shame the entire remaining stock of TTs wasn't destroyed in Triumph's factory blaze. Highly out of order a suggestion as this may be, it does have a reason behind it

Since the dawn of time - well, since the dawn of modern sports 600s - the CBR600 has sat there on or near the top of the pile, like a very old and wise stegosaurus that's beaten off the velociraptors and sits there, gently chewing the cud

Make it bigger and better is the order of pedigree. In 2001 Kawasaki, despite the fact that their bike was probably the oldest on the grid, won the World Supersport Championship - as vindications go, it doesn't get much better than that really!