exhaust

Yep, it's true. Back in 1996, when Triumph first mooted a middleweight sportsbike - codenamed T806 - they looked at making a triple.

Born in 1998's naked middleweight boom, the Honda Hornet has evolved into a more capable, practical machine than the tiny-tanked original model.

Quiet, unassuming and unpopular the Sprint RS may have been as a new buy, it now has a loyal following and makes a bargain sports tourer.

A revelation when it first appeared: here was a proper British effort at a big sportsbike. Over the years while the competition has got wilder, the Daytona has stayed milder which makes the mature Daytona a very solid road bike

Kawasaki built a Blade beater for 1998, just in time for Yamaha's R1 to trump the pair of 'em. But all was not lost - the ZX-9R drew a dedicated following.

Yamaha's feisty little R6 has deservedly gained a cult status amongst its fans, as a rev-happy, sharp-edged alternative to Honda's more easy-going CBR600.

Cheaper than chips and more versatile than a Swiss Army knife, the Yamaha Fazer is one of the few bikes that really can be (nearly) all things to all men - and all for under two grand

An aesthetic and performance revolution in its day, the 916 series has guaranteed iconic status for Bologna's blood-red bullets for time immemorial. But are those stories of Desmodromic histrionics all true?

Year-on-year since its introduction in 1987, Honda's venerable CBR600F has been the undisputed king in the white-hot battle royal of the middleweight 600cc sports category. Bertie Simmonds checks out the last of the line

With looks and performance akin to a kick in the pods, Aprilia's Mille proved that not every Italian sportsbike had to be a blood-red, 90¡ V-twin from Bologna.

In the mid-90s, V-twins were red, temperamental and raced by Carl Fogarty. Until Honda brought out the Firestorm, that is. We examine Honda's first big-twin sportsbike

The ZX-6R exploded onto the scene in 1995 and has been with us ever since. Bertie Simmonds explores the myriad of myths and litany of lies about the G and J models of the big K's popular middleweight blaster.

Japan's answer to the dominance of Ducati twins gave us the character-driven Firestorm that, while it never quite matched the Italian marque for desirability, makes an excellent alternative

Aprilia's first sportsbike impressed immediately and continues to do so to this day. Good looks and macho design make this a desirable chunk of everyday exotica

Awesome brakes, really grunty motor and sharp handling make the Fazer fly

Aprilia's Tuono is one of the more curious of machines to come from Italy

Two of the hardiest perennials in the middleweight category go head to head

Triumph's Tiger sheds the big trailie looks, sharpens its claws and goes for a more road-inspired image. Is this the right direction for Hinckley's big cat?

In the six years since we first saw the B-King it has been the subject of heated discussion in Japan. Should it be dumbed down for mass market or a full-blown radical bike? Find out who won the argument...

Kawasaki have been cleaning up in motocross this season. And their '08 range are direct descendants of their world beaters. You man enough to ride one?

25 years in the making and Erik Buell finally makes the bike he always dreamed of: a liquid-cooled V-twin with plenty of poke and handling to die for. So has junking the Harley engines given Buell a new edge?

At last Aprilia have arrived with a middleweight. Laden with high-tech features and cutting edge styling. Only it's 750cc. And £5600. You have to ask, is this cheating?

The grandfather of the retro scene is back (with a new hip replacement)

Old faithful returns with a new jacket, starched braces and a spanking new motor