Parker’s used price range £410-1,550
Engine size 248cc
Power 21bhp
Top speed 80mph
Insurance group 6

The Yamaha XV250S Virago is a trusty, reliable and easy to ride option on which to hone your biking skills. If you fancy a big cruiser later on, the Yamaha XV250S Virago is a great place to start: it’s got the looks and appears bigger than a 250, so you won’t feel left out down at the Ace. The Yamaha XV250S Virago’s engine’s peachy and it doesn’t suffer the wallow and bad handling many associate with cruisers.

Engine: The surprisingly torquey engine has been running these little Yamaha XV250S Viragos far longer than the bikes have been available in the UK. Great for cruising in the midrange, it has to be revved harder to stay at the top end. Gentler riding on A and B roads is where the Yamaha XV250S Virago is most at home and there’s more go in it than you’d think. Long treks on motorways are probably best avoided.

Ride And Handling: The Yamaha XV250S Virago’s riding position is traditionally cruiser: (very) low seat, high bars and forward pegs. Suspension’s quite hard at the rear, softer up front and, overall, handling’s great. The Yamaha XV250S Virago’s light weight makes for easy steering but get carried away and the pegs touch down early. Brakes are good and the ride is smooth.

Equipment: The Yamaha XV250S Virago’s plush rider’s seat doesn’t extend to the pillion: it’s a tiny perch and uncomfortable. The dash is simple, with analogue speedo and traditional trip but no rev counter. Mirrors are good but the headlight is quite poor and there’s no storage space under the seat. Tyres can let it down and stability in the wet’s not much to write home about. Looks-wise, the Yamaha XV250S Virago is a stylish package.

Quality And Reliability: Mechanically sound, the Yamaha XV250S Virago’s got that proven engine. As for the finish, it’s universally regarded as top notch: well put together, plenty of shiny chrome and excellent paintwork. Many Yamaha XV250S Viragos are used as commuters and they still seem to survive pretty well, despite harsh winters. They certainly need polishing, though.

Value: Very good. The Yamaha XV250S Virago is on a par with its erstwhile rival, the Honda CMX250C Rebel and their used prices are similar, too. The main differences are in the styling and, whilst the Yamaha XV250S Virago boasts a V-twin, the Honda’s a parallel number. The choice is yours. Insurance and running costs bode well for the Yamaha: it’s a popular, budget choice for learners, new riders and commuters.

Insurance: Insurance group: 6

Model History: 1995: Yamaha XV250S Virago launched as a custom cruiser; a baby brother for larger Viragos: the highly-regarded XV535, the XV750 and the XV1100 (all now discontinued). Colour changes only until 2001, when it was replaced by the XVS250 Dragstar, which uses the same engine. Something to do with emissions laws…

This article was taken from: Motorcycle News

New price £7,049
Engine size 1050cc
Power 115bhp
Top speed 133mph
Insurance group 14

With the all-new 2007 Triumph Tiger 1050, the Hinckley firm decided to put cross-country aptitudes to one side. Nobody in their right mind would go off-road on a stock 955 Tiger, so the fact that the Triumph Tiger 1050 is more road-biased (looks and handling) matters not a jot. It all adds up to a better road bike and for us a better motorcycle, which is what Triumph aimed at and has achieved.

Engine: As used in Triumph’s Speed Triple and Sprint ST, the Triumph Tiger’s 1050cc powerplant’s output has been reduced to 115 horses but it’s still better in every way. Not just in the way it out grunts the old bike, but the way the throttle responds to rider input. This makes the Triumph Tiger 1050 much easier to live with in slow traffic or attacking countryside bends. The taller top gear ratio also means the Triumph Tiger 1050 is considerably more relaxed at cruising speeds, helping reduce fuel consumption and rider fatigue.

Ride And Handling: The 2007 Triumph Tiger 1050 is much less intimidating to get on with. Although the seat remains high it’s compensated by being narrower. And at greatly reduced weight of 198 kilos (old one was 215kg dry). It all adds up to feeling more at one with the motorcycle, more integrated. If it wasn’t for the broad handlebars and tall suspension it’d be easy to forget the Triumph Tiger 1050 is still a large trailster and not an everyday middleweight motorcycle.

Equipment: With its minimalist style, large upside down forks, radially-mounted brakes and enormous Daytona 675 look-a-like swingarm, the Triumph Tiger 1050’s identity has shifted towards a stronger sporting capability. Even though the exhaust is side-mounted, there’s little usable space under the seat.

Quality And Reliability: Too early to say, but there’s nothing essentially wrong with any of the latest products of the Hinckley factory and this new Triumph Tiger 1050 is effectively an amalgam of a handful of them. From what we can tell so far, quality is good.

Value: From once being in big trailie territory, the Triumph Tiger 1050 is now in a world populated by Multistradas, Tre-Ks and the like. Against them (£500 cheaper than the Duke, for example) the Triumph Tiger 1050 is good value.

Insurance: Insurance group: 14

Model History: 2006: Triumph Tiger 1050 launched in September.

This article was taken from: Motorcycle News

Parker’s used price range £820-2,625
Engine size 885cc
Power 70bhp
Top speed 120mph
Insurance group 13

The Triumph Adventurer, a cruiser style version of the Thunderbird, adds dollop of crass to already glittery, faux concoction. It’s an OK motorcycle, thanks mostly to the stupendous Triumph triple engine, but the Triumph Adventurer is about as cool and stylish as purple velvet loon pants. Oh, did someone say they’re back in?

Engine: For our money, along with the T-bird, the Triumph Adventurer is one of the best incarnations of the original big Hinckley triple. 885cc three has been detuned from Trident and Trophy spec to give even more oomph. Wound open the Triumph Adventurer’s engine sounds like a squadron of Lancasters and with restyle chromy and curvy engine cases it looks the business, too. A classic.

Ride And Handling: The Triumph Adventurer is more laid back, quite literally, than the Thunderbird thanks to a 19/16-inch wheel combo, longer forks and higher bars. The Triumph Adventurer’s handling can’t match the slice and dash of the T-bird but it’s reasonable, nevertheless and undoubtedly smooth.

Equipment: Nothing to write home about. The Triumph Adventurer has twin dial clocks in a retro style, decent enough mirrors, capable switchgear and that’s about it. Compared to the T-Bird the Triumph Adventurer has megaphone pipes, a ‘fat bob’ rear fender (mudguard) and different tank badge and knee pads.

Quality And Reliability: From around 1993 onwards, Triumph quality moved on apace – and it certainly shows with the T-Bird and Triumph Adventurer. Paint and chome is thick, fit and finish is generally good and those early triples are basically over-engineered so are solid as old nails, too…

Value: There aren’t that many Triumph Adventurers about (it was primarily built to break into the American market) but even so, in the UK at least they’ve depreciated faster than the more popular T-Bird making the Triumph Adventurer good value. Comparable Japanese bikes are generally cheaper, though…

Insurance: Insurance group: 13

Model History: 1995: Triumph Adventurer launched.
1997: Triumph Adventurer now with lower handlebars. Rear sissy bar now standard. New style seat.
1998: Triumph Adventurergets new sub frame. New wheels. Repositioned side panels. Lower seat.
2001: Triumph Adventurer discontinued.

This article was taken from: Motorycle News

New price £3,099
Engine size 125cc
Power 22bhp
Top speed 82mph
Insurance group 7

Apart from the tinny two-stroke noise coming out the back of the SX125 and RX125 the new learner strokers could pass for a bigger supermoto. But get on board and you’ll find that the power and handling simply doesn’t match up to the looks.

Engine: In days gone by performance two-strokes were about hard-hitting top end power, but emissions law has put paid to that. The once class-leading Aprilia engine has had it’s goolies removed to satisfy Euro3, and the weak bottom end builds in to an unexceptional top-end. Only low-rev fuelling is better than before.

Ride And Handling: Those wide alloy bars give great steering, but even here at the top end of the 125 supermoto class the suspension doesn’t match up to the racy looks. Huge travel and soft springs mean the bike pitches back and forth and loads up in corners. Sticky tyres keeps them right side up, but you expect more from Aprilia. Good over rough surfaces though.

Equipment: The area where the SX125 and RX125 scores over rivals is in kit – Brembo brakes, a digital dash and beautiful alloy spoked rims look lovely. But Aprilia still hasn’t equipped the motor with RS125’s electric start – so it’s left-side kickstart only.

Quality And Reliability: The build quality is superb – shiny fasteners, beautiful alloy components and tough looking plastics are up the spec of the rest of the Aprilia range. The 20 year-old engine should be reliable between piston ring changes given the necessary care – but since when do teens lavish care on a bike?

Value: £3099 is a lot of money for a 125, especially given that the eco-changes have taken away some of the performance edge. It’s nicely built, but we’re not sure it’s worth the cash for a bike you might only keep for six months.

Insurance: Insurance group: 7

Model History: New model for 2008.

Other Versions: Aprilia RX125: same frame, engine, suspension and bodywork as the SX125, but the enduro-style RX version features larger wheels (21″ front & 18″ rear), different gearing and knobbly tyres. It’s also £200 more expensive.

This article was taken from: Motorycle News

New price £3,299
Engine size 249cc
Power 32.5bhp
Top speed 110mph
Insurance group 9

The American market has been a big success for the Kawasaki Ninja 250 range for years and years and… But even the Yanks need a fresh brew every now and then and the Ninja 250R is the latest offering. Fortunately for 33bhp probationary riders in mainland Europe and the UK, we are getting the bike too, complete with emissions compliant fuel injection. A brave move by Kawasaki because the Ninja is virtually in a class of its own. Trend setting? Maybe.

Engine: A major overhaul of the old, forgotten about ZZ-R/GPX 250 engine has bought Kawasaki Ninja 250R bang up date by being environmentally friendly and as easy to use as a Raleigh bicycle. The Kawasaki Ninja 250R’s claimed 33bhp is spread thinner than gold plating – there’s no sensation of the power coming into play or fading as the motor spins to 14,000rpm so very quickly. Fuel injection does what it does precise and cleanly, which kinda sums up the motor.

Ride And Hanling: The Kawasaki Ninja 250R is a lithesome agile number that makes the most of narrow tyres, high-ish bars and minimalist 154 dry weight figure. It all adds up to make town work and B-road rides a hoot – think slightly more powerful 125cc sports learner motorcycle and you’ll be spot on. The Kawasaki Ninja 250R’s suspension is perfectly suited to all but the worst of UK roads but lacks any damping adjustment, which is a blow on the rear side because the single rear shock needs more preload to keep the bike from getting all floaty and bottoming out. The standard tyres are for upright city use in our book.

Equipment: You wouldn’t know it, even looking at the Kawasaki Ninja 250R up real close, but it is manufactured in Taiwan under strict quality control. The gear linkage looks budget but is no worse than other manufacturer budget-line specials. The clocks are olde worlde analogue and there’s even a front wheel driven speedometer cable, which is novel. But the styling and dramatic black or corporate green paintwork is choice and the wave-style brake discs are ultra-cool… on a what is essentially a learner bike.

Quality And Reliability: Good marks here because the Kawasaki Ninja 250R is a good motorcycle – it works perfectly as a motorcycle, and works better as bike to gain confidence on. MCN’s only worry is what will the Kawasaki Ninja 250R be like after the 24 month probation period; a period of time where the bike will undoubtedly be hammered non-stop and (hopefully not) be treated much the same as a cheapy 125cc learner machine.

Value: You could do worse by buying a more powerful machine and getting it restricted especially if it’s a new bike where insurance costs will be horrific. Even a decent private-sale second-hand bike would be expensive and probably lose more money over the next 24 months.

Insurance: Insurance group: 9

Model History: 2008: Model introduced.

This article was taken from: Motorcycle News

New price £5,299
Parker’s used price range £1,860-4,475
Engine size 499cc
Power 40bhp
Top speed 100mph
Insurance group 9

If you want to tour occasionally, a Deauville 650 does it better. If you want to commute, a YP250 Majesty is probably all you’ll ever need. So where does that leave the maxi-scooter Yamaha YP500 T-Max? Good fun to ride, but just too expensive for most urban riders sadly.

Engine: The Yamaha YP500 T-Max’s twin cylinder 40bhp motor is a gem and the auto transmission makes commuting along urban motorways a joy in stop-start traffic. Car drivers cannot believe they’ve been overtaken by a scooter doing 70mph plus.

Ride And Handling: The Yamaha YP500 T-Max has a sturdy chassis, bit like a cut down motorcycle really, and the beefy 38mm forks, plus monoshock rear end help keep it handling on the sporty side, until the sheer weight of the thing starts some misbehaviour if you push it. At 197kgs the Yamaha YP500 T-Max is as heavy as a Yamaha Thunderace 1000.

Equipment: The Yamaha YP500 T-Max’s underseat storage space is plentiful, but you can’t fit hard panniers to this scooter if you fancy touring - just a top case. Useful features on the Yamaha YP500 T-Max include an adjustable backrest for the rider, reflector beam lighting, optional wind deflectors and higher screen. Outstanding brakes and comprehensive dashboard too.

Quality And Reliability: You can tell straight away that Yamaha wanted the Yamaha YP500 T-Max to set a new standard in sporty maxi-scooters when they built this one. It’s a classy looking vehicle. Many French and Italian riders choose a Yamaha YP500 T-Max instead of a second car and do 10K miles per year on `em.

Value: The Yamaha YP500 T-Max is an expensive machine and the truth is that many 500-600cc class roadster motorcycles, or 250-400cc scooters can cover all the commuter/weekend fun bases nearly as well as the Yamaha YP500 T-Max, for substantially less cash. You can get better fuel consumption out of some 600cc bikes, that are just as fast as the Yamaha YP500 T-Max.

Insurance: Insurance group: 9

Model History: 2001: Yamaha YP500 T-Max launched.

This article was taken from: Motorcycle News

New price £5,500
Engine size 599cc
Power 76bhp
Top speed 140mph
Insurance group 11

Sporting a new, detuned version of the current CBR600RR engine and a new cast aluminium chassis, bodywork and suspension (now adjustable for preload) the updated Honda CBF600 is practical, easy to ride, fairly swift, comfortable and thanks to ABS brakes as standard, safe too. The Honda CBF600 is aimed at new and ‘born again’ riders and it does everything it sets out to do, but it is on the bland side - more work-horse than plaything.

Engine: Sporting a new, detuned version of the current CBR600RR engine and a new cast aluminium chassis, bodywork and suspension (now adjustable for preload) the updated Honda CBF600 is practical, easy to ride, fairly swift, comfortable and thanks to ABS brakes as standard, safe too. The Honda CBF600 is aimed at new and ‘born again’ riders and it does everything it sets out to do, but it is on the bland side - more work-horse than plaything.

Ride And Handling: You could almost ride the Honda CBF600 with your eyes closed, it’s that simple. Thanks to plush suspension, which offers up a superb compromise between ride quality and handling, the Honda glides over bumps and keeps all but the nastiest pot-holes isolated from the rider. The riding position is very natural with an easy reach to the high bars, there’s lots of legroom and the seat is three-way height adjustable too. Ground clearance is more than enough for this type of machine and even when pushed hard the CBF600 won’t get itself into a wobbly mess. Honda has opted to fit the old-generation Michelin Pilot Road tyres, which don’t have the grip, especially in the wet, of the newer generation Pilot Road 2.

Equipment: For your five and half grand, the Honda CBF600 gets ABS brakes as standard, a centre stand and decent underseat storage, but if you want things like a top box and panniers you’ll have to start ticking boxes in the optional extras lists.

Quality And Reliability: Honda is a by-word for bombproof build-quality and reliability and the CBF600 doesn’t disappoint in this department. Bikes like this with exposed engines are always going to vulnerable, but you can see the CBF600 riding through the salt-encrusted depths of winter and back again without tarnishing its excellent finish. Cycle parts are robust and the CBR600RR engine is so detuned it should easily outlast the rest of the bike.

Value: For the type of rider Honda is targeting there are far cheaper bikes out there that do the same job and are more fun to ride, too, like the £4599 Suzuki SV650S and £4895 Kawasaki ER-6F. For just a few hundred quid more you could go for the simply excellent Triumph Street Triple, which will look after you when you’re learning to ride and thrill you months down the line when you’ve got the hang of it. The Honda is just too grey in every respect.

Insurance: Insurance group: 11

Model History: 2007 – Model introduced.

Other Versions: CBF600N (naked model without ABS).

This srticle was taken from: Motorcycle News