Then they're gone, just like two-strokes, once a right of passage, now sought-after classics. This latest version came out in 2017 with modernised MotoGP M1 looks, an uprated, super-sharp chassis and, disappointingly, slightly neutered performance (peak power was down from 130 to 116bhp) to get through the latest emissions regulations plus a hefty price tag. For information including how to stop them, click, Third Party Fire and Theft Motorcycle Insurance. Bennetts Motorcycling Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the, Important. As a first-time, A2 sportster they don’t get much better. So we’re sticking to the last of its 750cc (or thereabouts) machines, the 748 and 749. That ‘Italian exotic’ feeling is amplified a notch on an MV Agusta and if we allowed ourselves to include the F3 800 in this list it might rise a position or two. Rung, cloned, stripped or exported? They held they're value well but prices seem to be slipping thanks to the new model. Almost overnight a combination of changing economic conditions saw Japanese bike prices jump massively, taking a new 600 from around £7,000 in 2007 to £9,000 or more, while shifting fashions took riders away from race-replicas. In this RC trim, meanwhile, it also gets a full-race titanium ‘SC’ exhaust, carbon fibre seat and other bodywork, race gearing, special billet levers, stunning racer-replica paint job and more – enough to make it the most racer-replica of all middleweight sportsters, in fact. View All 2021 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP Reviews, View All 2021 Kawasaki Ninja® ZX™-14R ABS Reviews, View All 2021 Kawasaki Ninja® H2™ SX SE+ Reviews, 2021 Yamaha YZF R3 Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Edition, View All 2021 Yamaha YZF R3 Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Edition Reviews, View All 2021 Kawasaki Ninja® H2™ Carbon Reviews, 2021 Suzuki GSX-R 1000R 100th Anniversary Edition, View All 2021 Suzuki GSX-R 1000R 100th Anniversary Edition Reviews, 2021 Suzuki GSX-R 750 100th Anniversary Edition, View All 2021 Suzuki GSX-R 750 100th Anniversary Edition Reviews, YZF R3 Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Edition, 2020 Ducati Superleggera V4 Review – First Ride, The Clash of Two Super Middleweights: KTM 890 Duke R vs. Power: 103bhp. Add to that quality suspension, brakes and a sports attitude with full race fairing and you’ve got, arguably, the sportiest, most extreme bike in its class. Let us know what you think, just sign up for a free account, leave a comment and get involved! Though sporty, it’s not so extreme as to be intimidating and uncomfortable (as are, say, full-on supersports such as Kawasaki’s own ZX-6R and Yamaha’s R6) and the new mini-ZX-10R styling along with good build quality and impressive equipment engender a real pride in ownership yet still at an affordable price. That bike was superceded by the 649cc, 86bhp CBR650F in 2014, and joined by an unfaired, roadster version, the CB650F, with both being updated again in 2017 with sharper styling, an uprated 90bhp four-cylinder engine and improved suspension. Launched last year (2018) as a successor to the much-loved Ninja 300 (which, from 2012, was pretty much the definitive, lightweight, A2 sportster and in turn had succeeded the old Ninja 250 R), the little Ninja has pretty much everything going for it – looks, value, handling, performance and user-friendliness. If you’re interested in a light-to-middleweight, entry-level sports bike it’s difficult to argue against the Ninja 400. 10 years ago, this was one of … By continuing to use this website you give consent for cookies to be used. Used prices for low-mileage examples start at under £4,000 and rise to more than twice that for late ‘R’ versions. The bike includes top-notch Ohlins and Brembo parts, carbon fibre bodywork and a claimed 105bhp pushing just 158kg dry. Its previous supersports efforts – the TT600, Daytona 600 and Daytona 650 – weren’t completely useless, but seemed to prove that any attempt to take on the Japanese in this part of the market was impossible. Technical Focus: Variable Valve Timing: the next big thing? Legendary Yamaha superbike styling, advanced twin cylinder engine and ultra-light chassis make it the bike of choice. Triumph Street Triple RS, BLOWHARDS! While its V-twins have always been bigger-capacity than rival four-cylinder machines, with the advent of the 848, Ducati really left the supersports market for good, confirming the decision with 899 Panigale and the new 959, which now has performance more in line with 1000cc superbikes. If you’re interested in a light-to-middleweight, entry-level sports bike it’s difficult to argue against the Ninja 400.… It was over a decade ago now, but 2006 was the last time we saw really significant, completely new 600cc machines from multiple manufacturers. Put it next to the 2016 version and many people will still struggle to tell which is the newer machine. Best Superbike of 2019: Ducati V4 R. The Ducati Panigale V4 R is Cycle World's Best Superbike for 2019. Motorcycle aerodynamics - How do they affect a bike? Bennetts Motorcycling Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (reg no. THROUGHOUT the 1990s and much of the 2000s the supersports 600 market was the hardest-fought arena in motorcycling. Yes, it’s as small and light – almost – as a learner 125 and yes, too, it’s a slightly oddball and extreme KTM – but no middleweight or smaller sports bike delivers as many super-sharp, extremely nimble handling thrills as the RC390. Yamaha unveiled a completely updated R6 in 2017, sporty, road all-rounders such as Honda’s CBR650F and A2-friendly CBR500R have proved big hits and a new ‘Supersports 400’ class, as seen supporting World Superbikes, has seen the likes of exciting newcomers from the likes of KTM. That 37cc advantage over its rivals is important, adding a touch of torque and flexibility that others lack. Back when the Daytona 675 was launched in 2006, Triumph had a lot to prove. Both are easily found in the £3,000-£5,000 range. With Triumph’s new, Moto2-inspired, Daytona 765, the middleweight sportsbike class is suddenly looking healthier and more competitive than it has been in years. We use cookies to improve your experience on this website and so that ads you see online can be tailored to your online browsing interests. So while those machines were the best yet, they were also partially authors of their own demise. COMPARISON: Aprilia RS 660 takes on its (almost) rivals, Aprilia RS660 (2020) | First Ride and Video REVIEW, Harley-Davidson LiveWire (2020) range recharge and road-test, Kawasaki Z900 (2019) real-world review | Part one, Remembering Nicky Hayden in 10 magic moments, Aprilia RS 660 [2020] | First Impressions Ride Review, Sign up for Visordown's weekly newsletter, Bugsplat, to get the best motorcycle news, road tests and features plus exclusive competitions and offers direct to your inbox. Find a. Despite being bigger in capacity, it actually feels physically smaller than some fours. Yes, they’re old now so a close inspection is vital, but they date from the days when Honda build quality really earned its reputation, and a well-looked-after one will still be just as versatile as when new. In some respects, buying new makes more sense; faults have been ironed out, you get ABS brakes, prices aren’t that much higher than Japanese 600s (around £10k with some haggling), and the warranty will add peace of mind. By thinking outside the box and reducing the cylinder count by a quarter, while upping the capacity by an eighth, Triumph hit upon a winning recipe that was truly surprising. This website uses cookies. The 2011-on CBR600F and 2014-on CBR650F aimed to bring back a bit of that all-rounder appeal, with cheaper parts, lower costs and reduced performance compared to a ‘proper’ 600, but significantly more practicality. Visordown is part of the CMG Full Throttle Network. The uprated chassis, although still a little basic, is well set-up, delivering great, nimble handling yet a decent ride, as well. If you’re a relative novice and want 400-class sports thrills, this is the one to have. Middleweight sports bikes simply don’t currently get more exotic than this. It was also the moment the class gave up its ‘all-rounder’ tag to become out-and-out track bikes. 2021 YZF-R1M. If you pine for an old CBR600 from the steel-framed, pre-RR days, but don’t want something of pensionable age, they’re a good choice. Given that we’re aiming to encompass the entire gamut of used 600s, we had to have something at the very bottom of the price pool. It wasn’t that long ago, after all, that the complete demise of the supersports category had been predicted following collapsing sales in the late Noughties and the withdrawal of once best-selling 600s such as Honda’s CBR, Suzuki’s GSX-R. More recently, however, they’ve been making a comeback. Engine: 748cc, 8-valve, fuel-injected, v-twin.