parts

If you’ve only really been into bikes for the past three years, your perception of BMW is probably exactly as the marketing types in Munich would like it.

While doodling a sketch for a potential drag race bike back in 1992, Ducati designer Miguel Angel Galuzzi unknowingly created the basic principle of a new streetbike. A year later Ducati released the Monster, so called because of an apparent dispute over its name.

Ducati have added another fantastic bike to their already very good range. Replacing the S2R1000 the new 1100 has made use of the trellis frame and sub-frame from the 696 and the 1078cc air cooled DS engine from the existing range. Hypermotard heads mean 95bhp and 73ft lbs in a bike with a claimed dry weight of just 169kg.

One man’s beauty is another man’s toad, or some such proverb is often quoted when referring to a visually challenged offspring. Usually behind the proud parent’s backs.

It’s chucking it down. I can’t really see where I’m going as yet another errant Fiat Punto rental car appears out of the low cloud halfway across my side of the road. I’m soaked to the skin, I’m on an unfamiliar road high in the mountains and I’m not too sure of the way back to the hotel.

A peach from triumph, made peachier

Considering the state of the economy, Yamaha couldn’t have picked a more appropriate year to launch these two entry-level 600s. With my favourite of the two, the XJ6, costing just four and a half grand, you get a cracking bike, but more importantly, a whole load of fun for your money.

The K1300S doesn’t need to cover as many bases as the R model to succeed in the market it’s intended for. Competition in the hypertourer league is limited to the Suzuki Hayabusa and the Kawasaki ZZR1400, both of which have a long line of evolution, sales success and loyal followers.

Just a few years ago the very idea of serious enduro riding on something with BMW on the tank would have been preposterous. Huge trans-globe adventure busters, absolutely. Rounded commuters with off-road style, brilliant. But a serious, sharp-edged dirtbike to take the fight to KTM and the Japanese? BMW? Don’t think so.

John Cantlie's long term impressions of the BMW R1200GS Adventure

A KTM 990, Honda Transalp and BMW HP2 get stuck into the muddy action at the WRC Wales Rally as we go searching for freestyle legend Travis Pastrana

If you want a bike to have fun on, to commute on, to explore and maybe even have an adventure on, then you really need one of these.

Ben Miller sends some time with the GTR1400 and finds ten reasons to love and hate it

Sometimes bikes are launched that fail to excite and slip under the biking radar for one reason or another. We find three of the best.

Once upon a time they built unassuming bikes that were so good from the word ‘go’ that they didn’t change once during their production run

HONDA HAVE just released this image of their new CBF125. The machine will go on sale in Spring 2009 and, as you'd expect, is aimed at the new rider and commuter markets. If sales of Honda's previous 125cc machines are anything to go by then expect the new CBF to be a best seller in 2009.

The Ducati Monster 796 (2009) is a good-looking middleweight that delivers a fun riding experience

Sky, earth, sky, earth, sky, earth … as I lay in a winded, battered heap next to the smoking and steaming remains of what was an example of Ducati’s latest piece of engineering excellence, I take a few breathless moments to reflect on how I got here. And it had all been going so well.

Ducati did a good job keeping this one quiet. Even when launch invitations are sent out without stating the model to be launched you can normally take an educated guess as to what bike it will be.

I don’t quite understand Buell, infact I’m convinced no-one does. The bikes they produce are genuinely surprising and when I hear rumour of a new model, I have absolutely no idea whether it’s going to have the fuel in the mudguard, or if the engine’s going to be mounted on the pillion seat.

Did anyone really think Aprilia could pull off a four-stroke masterstroke and build a world-beating V-four powered superbike? I know I didn’t.

Kymco says: The striking, yet sophisticated Yager GT 125  has plenty of power in its smooth, 125cc liquid cooled, 4 stroke OHC engine.  With a top speed of 70mph it is more than capable of swiftly manoeuvring around a congested town or city. 

Kawasaki gives the ZX-6R MotoGP technology with it's Big Piston Forks.