Engine size 124cc
Power 12bhp
Top speed 65mph
Insurance group 4

The Suzuki DR125SE, is a straightforward but attractively styled four-stroke learner trailie that was only available for a limited period, so rare now. Earlier twin-headlamp “Raider’ was more common, but most are by now unserviceable. A good Suzuki DR125SE is a valid alternative to an XT125 or the like.

Engine: The Suzuki DR125SEis home to a softly tuned, proven, and solid four-stroke single. Identical to that used in Suzuki’s enduring GN125 learner custom. So don’t expect much in the way of thrills from the Suzuki DR125SE but there’s plenty of good-to-honest motive force here.

Ride And Handling: Again, fairly straightforward fare – the Suzuki DR125SE has a long history, after all and most of the basic mechanicals were carried through from the 1980s – but when it comes to rugged learner trailies there’s not much wrong with that. The Suzuki DR125SE is big enough for larger riders, a doddle ride and relatively comfortable, too, just don’t expect to go dicing with the Aprilia or Cagiva 125 sportsbike boys.

Equipment: What you see is what you get with the Suzuki DR125SE. Minimal, off-road style switchgear and single clock surrounded by idiot lights; reasonable quality brakes, suspension etc and a token pillion seat. Nothing more, nothing less…

Quality And Reliability: The Suzuki DR125SE is among the more rugged of the Japanese 125 trailies which is why, although now long in the tooth and never imported in great numbers, there are still some Suzuki DR125SEs around. Basic mechanicals and cycle parts are fine if looked after with no major reliability issues.

Insurance: Insurance group: 4

Model History: 1985: Suzuki DR125 Raider launched.
1993: Raider discontinued.
2000: Suzuki DR125SE launched.
2001: Suzuki DR125SE discontinued.

Other Versions: Suzuki DR125 Raider: Paris-Dakar styling with twin headlamps.

This article was taken from: Motorcycle News

Engine size 460cc
Power 37bhp
Top speed 100mph
Insurance group 8

The Aprilia Atlantic 500 is somewhat boat-like as super scooters go, and heavy with it, but the Atlantic is nevertheless remarkably sprightly. 2005’s updates modernised the look and updated the frame and suspension. The Aprilia Atlantic 500 is roomy, stable, practical, rides well with great brakes and lots of nice little touches. Even hardcore bikers could have fun on this.

Engine: The Aprilia Atlantic 500 has an electronically fuel-injected number, courtesy of Piaggio, it has a surprising amount of power, delivered smoothly and predictably. Loads of torque means leaping away from the lights on the Aprilia Atlantic 500 is a doddle but there’s enough clout throughout the range to make twisties and motorways a realistic, comfortable option.

Ride And Handling: Updated suspension, combined with a strong, new frame, make the Aprilia Atlantic 500 very nimble and incredibly stable for a scooter. If anything, the rear suspension is a little too firm. The Aprilia Atlantic 500’s seat is plush and there’s plenty of leg room so the rider doesn’t feel cramped. In town, it’s punchy and competent; elsewhere, it’s more than capable of taking you places in comfort. The linked brakes work well, too.

Equipment: The Aprilia Atlantic 500 has an elaborate dash including a fuel gauge plus two, lockable storage compartments. There’s also a socket for you to charge your mobile and a key-activated alarm/immobiliser as standard. Extras include a huge, 45-litre top box which slots onto the existing mounting, a leg cover and a larger windshield. Good pillion seat with grab rails.

Quality And Reliability: The Piaggio engine has a healthy history of firing quite a few Aprilia scooters and the Atlantic range has been going well for years now. All seems well, mechanically, but keep an eye on the Aprilia Atlantic 500’s electrics and some reckon Aprilia’s aftersales service is a bit patchy.

Insurance: Insurance group: 8

Model History: 2002: Aprilia Atlantic 500 introduced.
2003: The 125cc and 200cc versions added to the Aprilia Atlantic range: basically the same as each other but for their power output, they’re lighter and smaller than the 500 but have all the creature comforts and practical touches of the bigger scooter.
2005: The Aprilia Atlantic 500 is given a makeover and becomes the “Atlantic 500 Sprint”.

Other Versions: Aprilia Atlantic 125: baby version, ideal for learners with 15bhp.
Aprilia Atlantic 200: the middle sibling, offering 20bhp.
Aprilia Atlantic 500: before it became the “Sprint”, it weighed a little less, had a smaller tank and had a lower seat. It also had twin front brake discs… Handling wasn’t quite as sharp as on the newer machine.

This article was taken from: Motorcycle News

Engine size 996cc
Power 105bhp
Top speed 130mph
Insurance group 12

The Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom is a far better bike than its subdued manner and slightly anonymous styling suggests. It’s heart is the excellent V-twin motor from the TL series. The Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom’s chassis is top notch road-trailie, it’s comfortable, brisk and excellent value, too.

Engine: The Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom is the acceptable face of the old TL1000 motor. Detuned for greater low-down grunt the Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom will drive you hard out of corners or past caravans on long distance jaunts. And apart from the glorious noise, you would be hard-pushed to recognise that the Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom is a V-twin, it’s that vibe-free.

Ride And Handling: The Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom’s wide, high bars and low pegs have you adopting a sit up and beg posture that makes comfortable sense in the long run. The suspension is plush to soak the bumps and ruts of British roads easing your ride.
That plush suspension can mean the Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom wallows a little, but only if you tackle twisties in the way you would on a more dedicated sportsbike.

Equipment: The Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom dash is well equipped with digital fuel gauge, clock, rev counter and all the other usuals and the mirrors work very well, offering a big, clear view of the scene behind. Some may find the Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom screen a tad low for high-speed work, but that can be sorted with a flip-up, or some leaning forward when you want to whip along at three-figure speeds (overseas, obviously).

Quality And Reliability: The Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom is not quite the luxury item that a BMW GS or KTM Adventure professes to be, but although more workmanlike it’s fairly decent, robust and reliable. Look after your Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom and keep it clean in all the right areas and you won’t regret it.

Insurance: Insurance group: 12

Model History: 2002: Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom introduced.

Other Versions: Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom Grand Touring. Introduced in 2006 with heated grips, centre stand and luggage pack as standard fitments.

This artcile was taken from: Motorcycle News

Engine size 249cc
Power 22bhp
Top speed 80mph
Insurance group 6

The Honda CBF250 is a cracking little motorcycle, marketed towards – and perfect for – new bikers or people who want a cheap town motorcycle. Easy to throw around, forgiving of little errors, peanuts to run and with enough power to get you from A to B with modest speed. Learners or commuters will love the Honda CBF250.

Engine: The Honda CBF250’s engine uses its 249ccs wisely with an easily accessible powerband, just where you want it. It’s a revvy and fun motorcycle to ride but has enough balls to get you out of trouble; just don’t try any heroic overtakes. The Honda CBF250 has very smooth delivery and it’ll cruise happily at up to 65mph; beyond that, you’re pushing it.

Ride And Handling: Slim, agile, nippy etc… The Honda CBF250’s bar/seat positioning, along with the taut chassis, low weight and sporty geometry make for light handling and good fun. Narrow width makes the Honda CBF250 great for city filtering but it’s more than happy to be thrown around faster roads too, if not at great speed. The brakes are good and gearing’s slick and precise.

Equipment: The Honda CBF250’s “back to basics” styling works wonders: unpretentious but modern and pretty. The mirrors work well and the seat’s comfy whilst there’s been no skimping on the clocks: the Honda CBF250’s clear dash has two large electronic dials (revs and speedo) with a digital readout for the clock, fuel gauge etc. Centrestand, flyscreen and luggage are optional extras.

Quality And Reliability: The Honda CBF250 looks very cute and appears well finished, true to Honda fashion. Reliable commuting motorcycles are sought after so value shouldn’t drop too much. However, there was a recall on some Honda CBF250s after problems with the ignition coil affected engine performance. Check with your dealer.

Insurance: Insurance group: 6

Model History: 2004: Honda CBF250 introduced, taking over from Honda’s twin cylinder CB Two Fifty.
2006: Minor exhaust system modifications plus minor redesign of the shrouds around the fuel tank.

This atricle was taken from: Motorcycle News

Engine size 498cc
Power 48bhp
Top speed 110mph
Insurance group 8

The Kawasaki ER-5 has a straightforward parallel-twin middleweight commuter that’s as easy to use as a pair of pants. As a cheap workhorse you won’t find much wrong with the Kawasaki ER-5 - providing your expectations don’t go beyond simply getting from A to B.

Engine: The Kawasaki ER-5’s DOHC parallel-twin doesn’t want for pluck, and around town it makes the most of what power it has. However, raise your ambitions even slightly and the Kawasaki ER-5’s motor feels ever so wheezy. Motorways are not it’s forte and the ER-5 struggles to cope two-up without a fairing.

Ride And Handling: The Kawasaki ER-5 is better than most of its rivals. But that’s not saying much and Honda’s CB500 beats it hollow in most respects. The Kawasaki ER-5 brakes are particularly woeful and pillions only make matters worse. Rider comfort is good on the ER-5 and the gearbox is fine for the first few winters.

Equipment: Kawasaki’s ER-5 is about as basic as you can get, though some aftermarket crash bars is a common addition. The only bolt-on that’s worth it’s salt for the Kawasaki ER-5 is a Scottoiler, to help eke out chain life and reduce maintenance.

Quality And Reliability: ‘Poor’ is the best way to describe the build qualityo f the Kawasaki ER-5 To stay on top of the corrosion you’ll need to wash the Kawasaki regularly and spray with a water-dispersing spray religiously, especially if used over winter. Electrical problems are another bugbear with the ER-5.

Insurance: Insurance group: 8

Model History: 1996: Kawasaki ER-5 introduced.
2001: Kawasaki ER-5 re-styled.

This article was taken from: Motorcycle News

Engine size 865cc
Power 54bhp
Top speed 110mph
Insurance group 10

The Triumph Speedmaster is a kind of cruiser variant of the Bonneville 790, with the 2005 onwards Speedmaster getting an 865cc motor for more grunt. It has a low seat height in its favour, but the Triumph Speedmaster’s oddball styling, low power and poor pillion accommodation make it poor value.

Engine: The later Triumph Speedmaster with the 865cc motor makes more midrange torque than the 790cc powered model, but a peak power output of just 54bhp isn’t going to float too many boats. Triumph Speedmaster? More like Routemaster bus…

Ride And Handling: The Triumph Speedmaster has a decent chassis, with beefy 41mm forks and a twin shock back end, plus substantial cradle frame. It’s a heavy bike at 229kgs dry, but it carries the weight lowdown and most riders will admire the way the Triumph Speedmaster handles.

Equipment: The Triumph Speedmaster is a fairly basic bike, lacking any fuel gauge and the pillion seat is pretty much emergency use only. On the upside the Triumph Speedmaster has a solid dish type rear wheel and some nice black paint on the engine and other components - massive twin front discs too.

Quality And Reliability: There are still a few question marks over the Hinckley Triumphs overall durability; some examples seem excellent, others suffer niggling faults or corrode rapidly. The Triumph Speedmaster is a fair weather motorcycle, a summer cruiser, so if it’s used as such it should prove reliable enough.

Insurance: Insurance group: 10

Model History: 2002: Triumph Speedmaster launched.
2005: Triumph Speedmaster gets 865cc motor, power down, torque up.

This article was taken from: Motorcycle News

These leaked pictures finally reveal the production-spec Honda CB1100 plus an unseen café-racer concept.

The two CB1100s will be revealed officially at the Tokyo show next week alongside an electric Cub step-through prototype and a touring version of the automatic DN-01.

No information is available yet – though it’s clear the CB1100 uses a slightly different engine to the prototype which is believed to be physically larger.

The wheels have changed, and the stylised calipers of the concept bike have also made way for standard Nissin four-piston calipers.

But overall the look is very similar to the 2007 concept.

The CB1100 Customise Concept is based on the same parts, but demonstrates the possibility for period-style customisation.

It’s unlikely the bike will be made as a stand alone model, but it is possible that Honda will offer all or some of the parts for owners to create the bike themselves.

The DN-01 Touring Concept is also just a concept – but expect to see the parts go on sale for owners to add long-distance practicality to the quirky auto cruiser.

The electric Cub is the smallest of the new machines – but while it is just a concept now, the production version could be one of Honda’s most important machines since the original Cub.

Eco-friendly motorcycles are set to become big business – and Honda is clearly looking to make the technology more accessible.

This article was taken from: Motorcycle News