Ducati 848 Evo

Ducati’s new 848 Evo is a masterpiece. Replacing the current 848, which has been with us since 2008, the 848 Evo has 1198R Brembo Monobloc brake calipers, a non-adjustable steering damper and tweaks to the engine to make it rev harder and faster. These subtle tweaks are enough to put the Ducati into a different league. It’s now every bit as fast and exciting as a superbike, but a thousand times easier to ride. It’s a class act.The Ducati’s 849.4cc V-twin Testastretta engine has new cylinder heads, revised ports, hot cams, new pistons (increasing the compression ratio from 12.1 to 13.2:1) and new elliptical throttle bodies, up from 56mm to 60mm. Power is increased from a measured 122bhp to 126bhp over the old 848, which might not sound much but it’s given the 848 Evo a far more aggressive edge. The 848 Evo loves to be revved and when you do, it rewards you with savage acceleration. Being a big V-twin, you can still ride the torque, be lazy with the gears and cover ground almost as fast. This is an unashamed race bike with lights. It’s cramped, has a hard seat, an extreme riding position, low screen, rubbish tank range and you can’t see out of the mirrors, but you forgive all this for the way it handles. Stick a set of racing tyres on it and it’s the ultimate trackday tool and able to carry massive corner speed. It’s slightly slow steering out of the crate, but the fully adjustable suspension can be tweaked to dial this out. On the road it’s very stable and can get from A to B as fast as the best sportsbikes in the world.he 848 Evo does without some of the flashy electronics of Ducati’s range-topping machines (although you can have Ducati datalooging as an optional extra), but it comes with new Brembos monobloc calipers, which are phenomenal, fully adjustable Showa suspension and a MotoGP replica mutli-function dash.The bad old days of dodgy electrics and iffy reliability has gone, Ducatis are now as dependable as the best Japanese bikes. Service intervals are every 7500-miles and build quality is superbGone of the days of Ducatis being more expensive than its Japanese rivals. Costing just over ten grand, the 848 Evo is only £1000 more than an R6 and on par with bikes like the GSX-R1000 and Honda Fireblade.

Ducati 848 Evo

Ducati’s new 848 Evo is a masterpiece. Replacing the current 848, which has been with us since 2008, the 848 Evo has 1198R Brembo Monobloc brake calipers, a non-adjustable steering damper and tweaks to the engine to make it rev harder and faster. These subtle tweaks are enough to put the Ducati into a different league. It’s now every bit as fast and exciting as a superbike, but a thousand times easier to ride. It’s a class act.The Ducati’s 849.4cc V-twin Testastretta engine has new cylinder heads, revised ports, hot cams, new pistons (increasing the compression ratio from 12.1 to 13.2:1) and new elliptical throttle bodies, up from 56mm to 60mm. Power is increased from a measured 122bhp to 126bhp over the old 848, which might not sound much but it’s given the 848 Evo a far more aggressive edge. The 848 Evo loves to be revved and when you do, it rewards you with savage acceleration. Being a big V-twin, you can still ride the torque, be lazy with the gears and cover ground almost as fast.
This is an unashamed race bike with lights. It’s cramped, has a hard seat, an extreme riding position, low screen, rubbish tank range and you can’t see out of the mirrors, but you forgive all this for the way it handles. Stick a set of racing tyres on it and it’s the ultimate trackday tool and able to carry massive corner speed. It’s slightly slow steering out of the crate, but the fully adjustable suspension can be tweaked to dial this out. On the road it’s very stable and can get from A to B as fast as the best sportsbikes in the world.The 848 Evo does without some of the flashy electronics of Ducati’s range-topping machines (although you can have Ducati datalooging as an optional extra), but it comes with new Brembos monobloc calipers, which are phenomenal, fully adjustable Showa suspension and a MotoGP replica mutli-function dash.
The bad old days of dodgy electrics and iffy reliability has gone, Ducatis are now as dependable as the best Japanese bikes. Service intervals are every 7500-miles and build quality is superb.Gone of the days of Ducatis being more expensive than its Japanese rivals. Costing just over ten grand, the 848 Evo is only £1000 more than an R6 and on par with bikes like the GSX-R1000 and Honda Fireblade.

Suzuki RGV250

Back in the late 1980s and early 90s the two-stroke RGV250 was the closest thing you could get to a Grand Prix bike on the road. If you were lucky enough to own what we regard as the best RGV250: the ‘N’ model, complete with its twin, piggy-back exhaust cans, upside down forks and a banana swingarm, here was a bike that looked just like the RGV500 Kevin Schwantz rode in 500cc Grand Prix.

The RGV250 ran from 1987 to 1997, but they were only officially imported into the UK from 1989 (RGV250 K) to 1994 (RGV250 R). It was a crime against motorcycling when Suzuki decided not to bring the beautifully curvy 1996/97 RGVs to our shores (or the 1991 SP version), which included the fantastic limited edition SP model, complete with a dry clutch, ram air and 70bhp.

Back in the day 250cc race replicas were the sharpest handling, most frenzied, maddest things you could buy on two wheels. Nowadays the RGV250 is a modern classic and is probably a bit slower and softer than you’d remember. It still looks good, sounds amazing and the smell of burning two-stroke oil will take you right back. Put simply, it’s still sensational. From the RGV250K to the RGV250R (the officially-imported UK models) the liquid-cooled, two-stroke, 249cc 90°V-twin remained fundamentally the same. Although they made around 55bhp@10,500rpm, give or take, the motors didn’t have to push much weight along so the Suzuki was still blindingly quick. Like any fast two-stroke, despite the power valves, there’s not much going on at low revs, so you’ve got to keep it revving to get anywhere fast.
Compared to the best sportsbikes of today, with their fat tyres, stiff frames and racing suspension, the old RGV250 can seem a bit ‘woolly’ by comparison. But, with a good set of tyres and well sorted suspension the Suzuki will keep up with the best of them on tight B roads. The beefy aluminium frame and swingarm is more than a match for the power on tap, so the trick with the RGV is simply never to let off for the corners! Later models handle better than the early ‘K’ and ‘L’ bikes, but are 11kg heavier (up from 128kg to 139kg) thanks mainly to the heavier ‘banana’ and braced swingarms.The RGV is an unashamed lightweight no-frills package, there’s no electric start here, you have to kick it into life yourself. But in its day, the ‘M’ and ‘N’ models had lots of technology from 500cc Grand Prix, like upside down forks, 17” wheels, a braced ‘banana’ swingarm and fully adjustable suspension.Left unmolested, well-maintained and fed with good-quality (read ‘bloody expensive’) two-stroke oil, RGV engines are pretty reliable. Any deviation from this can spell a whole world of trouble. The chassis parts are all well-built, but the overall finish is lacking, so unless fastidiously looked-after RGVs can look tatty very quickly. Stay well clear of ex-race examples.Depending on the age and model, a good RGV is going to cost around the £1500-mark, although they don’t come up that often. If you do manage to find one in good condition, it’s a little amount of money for a lot of fast, sexy, mental, stinking, two-stroke history.

Kawasaki-KR-1S

Kawasaki’s KR-1S was the quickest mass-produced, 250 two-stroke ever (139mph being recorded in a 1990 speed test), being quicker than both Suzuki’s RGV and even Aprilia’s later (but RGV-powered) RS250. On the downside it came with slightly questionable reliability and handling that could tank slap you into casualty. Dangerous, but hugely addictive.In many ways you could be very mean and rate the Kawasaki KR-1S’s engine as poor. The preceding KR-1 suffered from iffy reliability, and KR-1S got nickel plated cylinders which are expensive to re-bore or replace. That said, if you service the engine regularly and use quality two-stroke oil, you have the quickest 250 two-stroke out there.
Again, the Kawasaki KR-1S is very ying-yang. On the one hand it’s very light, flickable and tiny, like riding a mini race bike. But on the flip side it’s capable of sending the bars into a mighty tank-slapper. The rear shock is on the soft side, and the suspension basic, and you were stuck with a 18inch rear wheel. But once set up with a good steering damper the Kawasaki KR-1S was a flyer and rewarding to ride fast.The Kawasaki KR-1S never had the mouth-watering appeal of the RGV or RS 250 from Aprilia which copied the lines of their 250GP bike relatives, so, looks-wise, the KR-1S is slightly disappointing. Nor are there any special parts, like the sculpted swing arm of the Suzuki or twin high race exhausts of the Priller. That said, the KR-1S’s brakes are not half bad.
Kawasaki’s KR-1Ss seem to be increasing in price consistently as good examples become rarer. Early models at less than £1500 might seem attractive but you’ll be buying problems. Instead, find a low mileage, well looked after, late model and it’s sure to go up in value. You’ll have a bargain, true mini race bike that can still cut it on track today, with a true two stroke race engine – just be sure to cover that clutch!

Honda VFR800 V-Tec

In the late 90s the old VFR800 was a great bike but needed updating. Its replacement, the Honda VFR800 V-Tec, is a beautiful thing and rides, goes and handles superbly too, but the Honda VFR800 V-Tec's variable valve timing caused some controversy.A wonderfully even spread of power is the hallmark of the VFR and the Honda VFR800 V-Tec doesn't disappoint, making a claimed 107bhp at 10K. Along the way you might notice the V-Tec gizmo making a little step up around 7000 revs, but it's hardly a Kawasaki ZX-10R style lunge for the horizon. Like VFRs of old, the Honda VFR800 V-Tec motor simply gets on with the job, but is deceptively quick while it does it.
The Honda VFR800 V-Tec steers a little slower than some rivals, like the Sprint ST, or ST4S, and offers a plusher ride than average. But the slightly soft suspension doesn't dive at the front too much under braking, as the CBS system puts some braking force to the rear disc to balance things up a bit. In a word, the Honda VFR800 V-Tecs handling is neutral. There's a big problem with going touring on the Honda VFR800 V-Tec - there's no luggage space whatsoever. It costs about a grand extra to buy the hard luggage set from Honda, then add on more cash for heated grips, perhaps a replacement screen too as the stock screen is a bit low. On the upside, the Honda VFR800 V-Tec has a 22 litre gas tank, comfy saddle, a grabrail and a centrestand.
Anyone who has owned a gear driven cam VFR will wonder why Honda went back to camchains on this V-4 cylinder engined Honda VFR800 V-Tec. Sadly, they're in danger of being able to say `told you so' to owners who have had the Honda VFR800 V-Tec recalled for camchain associated work under warranty. Apart from that, the Honda VFR800 V-Tec looks built to last 100,000 miles, but does need some expensive servicing along the way.Available new in ABS and non-ABS braked versions, the Honda VFR800 V-Tec is a bike that impresses you from the moment you see it `in the metal.' It oozes class and sharp-edged purpose from every fairing panel. Honda VFR800 V-Tec resale values are pretty good too.

Yamaha YZF-R6

Hardcore, know the score. The Yamaha YZF-R6 is a sexy uber-capable track bike that works on the road too. It caught the 600 race rep class napping and nothing came close until Suzuki launched its 2001 GSX-R600 – that’s a long time to rule the 600 roost and shows just how good the original Yamaha YZF-R6 was.The Yamaha YZF-R6 loves to rev – a 15,500 rpm redline was high for the time. And it’s powerful. 160mph fast doesn’t sound amazing in these days of 180+mph bikes but unleashing the Yamaha YZF-R6's 108bhp certainly feels pretty special. The midrange is surprisingly meaty too although the top end rush hides it. The gearbox isn’t the smoothest but it’s at least a match for most Hondas.
Light, rapid steering and hard to fault on the track – ultimately the Yamaha YZF-R6's pegs will touch down but that takes some doing. The bars will waggle under power but the Yamaha YZF-R6 is a fast steering track bike so that’s to be expected. It can’t quite match the composition and easy turn in of the latest supersport 600s but it’s a small difference – chassis wear will be more significant on most machines.Sports bikes don’t have to be crippling and impractical. And the Yamaha YZF-R6 is neither. The riding position’s pretty reasonable – touring’s possible although the seat could benefit from a gel insert. The Yamaha YZF-R6's instruments are comprehensive for the era and include an extra trip meter triggered by the fuel reserve. Above average underseat storgage, good headlights, passable mirrors.
The Yamaha YZF-R6's finish is a mixed bag. Plenty of major parts resist the rigors of rain and salt well. But a few smaller parts let the Yamaha YZF-R6 down. Bolts, brackets and fasteners plus a handful of bigger components fur or rust up far too easily. Major Yamaha YZF-R6 reliability problems are extremely rare. Check for heavy oil consumption and any form of gearbox fault.This is a popular, but value for money, class and it’s hard fought on price. The Yamaha YZF-R6 is not only the best bike from late 1998 to the end of 2000 it’s the best looking too so prices hold up quite well. Suzuki’s GSX-R is track capable but poor on the road, Honda’s CBR is a sound machine but revvy and the Kawaski’s more road focused.

Honda SP1/2

The Honda SP1 and Honda SP2 were built to prove a point; that the world's number one bike maker could beat Ducati on the track, using a V-twin. Sadly, that makes the Honda SP1/2 less satisfying, because it has an on/off fuelling set up, too much power for the chassis and a cramped riding position. On the upside, the Honda SP1/2 is beautifully made, sounds awesome and makes 90% of riders look faster than they really are.A truly great motor, ruined by a glitchy fuel injection system, especially on the Honda SP1 which is sometimes unpredictable at low rpm. With 133bhp at 10,000rpm the Honda SP2 is 4bhp up on the Honda SP1, but the later model feels easier to ride, thanks to bigger throttle bodies and a better 12 point injector system feeding it.
Like most V-twins, the Honda SP1/2 series need a bit more rider input than the average four when cornering hard. The ride is harsh on both motorcycles, with a massive twin spar frame as the backbone of the motorcycle and firm suspension. The Honda SP1/2 really needs a racetrack to appreciate the abilities of the chassis, as it just seems too hard and unforgiving on many normal roads.The Honda SP1/2 oozes class. There's little doubt that Honda lost money on each one of them, even at ten grand a pop. Beautiful machined alloy parts, an exquisite swingarm on the Honda SP2, top notch Showa suspension, stunning brakes - the Honda SP series bikes are a techie's delight to look at - and the dashboard looks like it came straight off a Suzuka endurance racer. Spartan but sexy.
The Honda SP1/2 feels like it was made in the HRC race shop, not an anonymous factory. Every detail fits together just right, the Honda SP1/2 has an aura of engineering excellence and durability than many other Honda machines sadly lack. Apart from chinning fuel at 30mpg, the Honda SP1/2 has no real faults and if you were some kind of sick masochist, you could probably despatch on it. The Honda SP1 enjoyed respectable UK sales, but was soon discounted as dealers realised people wouldn't pay vast sums for what was perceived (wrongly) as a jazzed up Firestorm. The Honda SP2 struggled to hold its 10K list price too, dropping to about 8K new in late 2002. All of which makes the Honda SP 1/2 series V-twins true bargains on the used market - you get a top class WSB race rep for very little money and undoubtedly the later Honda SP2 model, in its Castrol colours, is the one to have.