Motorcycle reviews
New riders
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TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE 900 (2000-on)
New price: £7,799Used price: £4,200 - £7,700- 790cc
- 61 bhp
- 48 mpg
- Low seat height
For a smooth, no hurries, no worries motorcycle the 900cc Bonneville is hard to beat
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KAWASAKI VN1500 CLASSIC (1996-2004)
New price: N/AUsed price: £5,000- 1470cc
- 69 bhp
- 36 mpg
- Low seat height
"A far, far cheaper way of cruising than buying into the Harley dream"
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DERBI GPR125 (2005-2009)
New price: N/A- 124cc
- 33 bhp
- 45 mpg
- Medium seat height
"On a murky day you might mistake it for a baby Ducati or MV Agusta"
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TRIUMPH DAYTONA 675 (2006-2008)
New price: N/AUsed price: £4,000 - £4,700- 675cc
- 123 bhp
- 40 mpg
- Medium seat height
Put the Hinckley firm back on the shortlist of sportsbike riders
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KAWASAKI ZEPHYR 550 (1991-1998)
New price: N/AUsed price: £4,000- 553cc
- 50 bhp
- 40 mpg
- Low seat height
"An OK commuter but undepowered, too soft and rots far too quickl"
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CCM R30 (2001-on)
New price: £5,028- 644cc
- 44 bhp
- 38 mpg
- Medium seat height
"Comes in two versions with two different wheel options"
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TRIUMPH ROCKET III (2005-2008)
New price: N/AUsed price: £7,000 - £10,000- 2294cc
- 120 bhp
- 43 mpg
- Low seat height
The most bad-ass motorcycle money can buy
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CCM FT35S (2005-on)
New price: £5,442- 398cc
- 45 bhp
- 45 mpg
- Medium seat height
"The bastard offspring of a supermoto and a flat-tracker"
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HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROAD KING (1993-on)
New price: £17,595Used price: £9,000 - £17,500- 1584cc
- 65 bhp
- 44 mpg
- Low seat height
"For some, the Road King is the best Harley of all"
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KAWASAKI ZEPHYR 750 (1992-1998)
New price: N/A- 738cc
- 76 bhp
- 40 mpg
- Low seat height
"Retro 'tribute bike', like tribute bands, doesn't quite capture the lairy, dangerous essence of the original"
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CCM 640RS SUPERMOTO (1999-2000)
New price: N/A- 636cc
- 60 bhp
- 41 mpg
- Tall seat height
"The spares pool is good and the factory is back in action, but some of the post-2002 motorcycles are very poor"
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HARLEY-DAVIDSON FAT BOY (1989-1999)
New price: N/A- 1584cc
- 65 bhp
- 44 mpg
- Low seat height
"If retro-style cruising is your thing, the Fat Boy has all the right bits in a ll the right places"
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YAMAHA FJR1300 (2001-2012)
New price: N/AUsed price: £2,200 - £6,800- 1298cc
- 143.5 bhp
- 41 mpg
- Medium seat height
"With shaft drive, comprehensive fairing, hard luggage, massive tank capacity etc, it ticks plenty of boxes"
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KAWASAKI ZR-7 (1999-2004)
New price: N/A- 738cc
- 75 bhp
- 42 mpg
- Medium seat height
"What it lacks in presence and excitement it makes up for in practicality and affordability"
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CCM 604 DUAL SPORT (1998-2002)
New price: N/A- 598cc
- 52 bhp
- 40 mpg
- Tall seat height
"Still a good, cheap motorcycle providing you look after it"
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HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPORTSTER 1200 (1995-2007)
New price: N/AUsed price: £5,000 - £6,000- 1200cc
- 64 bhp
- 48 mpg
- Low seat height
Mid-sized Sportster makes a lot of sense
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YAMAHA FZ1 FAZER (2006-2015)
New price: N/AUsed price: £3,300 - £4,600- 998cc
- 150 bhp
- 41 mpg
- Medium seat height
"The awesome 2002 R1 engine in a more practical but still high-spec chassis"
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HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE (1988-on)
New price: £18,395Used price: £8,800 - £17,500- 1449cc
- 65 bhp
- 41 mpg
- Low seat height
"An evocative, all-American steed that can carry two plus luggage on a chugging adventure-cruise"
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CAGIVA RIVER 500 (1995-2002)
New price: N/A- 497cc
- 34 bhp
- 48 mpg
- Medium seat height
"Workmanlike, pedestrian and dull. Honest and different, though"
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KAWASAKI ZRX1100 (1997-2001)
New price: N/AUsed price: £4,500 - £6,000- 1052cc
- 98 bhp
- 35 mpg
- Medium seat height
"An old school, take-no-prisoners hoon machine on which you can surprise yourself"
