Bike Match

Each month we bring you six of the best bikes or pieces of kit you must have. Let us know if you agree with our choice or have found anything better.

September 2009′s six are 125cc bikes.

Cagiva Mito SP525

Cagiva Mito SP525

Cagiva released the Mito SP525 in 2008. Whereas the old version looked like a mini Ducati 916, the SP525 pays homage to the Cagiva V594. MCN’s Trev Franklin says it’s “The most beautiful novice 125cc bike money can buy” and that it behaves like a more road-biased 125 MotoGP bike.

Suzuki RV125 Van Van

The Retro Suzuki VanVan is a throwback to the original RV125 sand bike of the 70′s, complete with balloon tyres and chrome clocks. The Van Van is too under-powered for the open road, but if you need a funky 125 to bomb along the beach or cruise around the city, the VanVan has wide bars, a big comfy seat and a handy luggage rack.

Derbi GPR125

Gorgeous angular bodywork and underseat exhaust give the Derbi a supersports look, plus it has the specs to back it up – 2-stroke engine with a claimed 33bhp, radial brakes and suspension developed from the Derbi 125 GP racers. The GPR125 was made for carving up roundabouts.

Yamaha YZF-R125

The Yamaha YZF-R125 is arguably the best of both worlds, combining the sporty looks normally seen on 2-stroke race rep 125s with a  flexible and reliable 4-stroke motor that’s good for 80mph. It’s also a full-sized motorcycle, slightly larger even than the R6, making it a good choice for taller riders.

Aprilia Tuono 125

The Tuono 125 is an Aprilia RS125 with the fairings ripped off. Flat bars make it more comfortable and easier to throw around, but it retains all the sporting prowess of the donor RS125 as any good streetfighter should. Reliability is sound as long as it’s looked after and fed (expensive) high quality 2-stoke oil.

Honda CBF125

The Honda 125 CBF may not be as sexy as some of the other models here, but at £1,795 new it’s an absolute bargain and cool because of its humility. Unlike it’s predecessor the Honda CBR125R, it doesn’t make any false hints at a racing pedigree, it’s just an honest and accessible way into biking that could tempt a few new people on to two wheels.

June 2009′s six are Waterproof Summer Gloves.

Alpinestars 365 Gore-Tex

Built with the same high quality as Alpinestars racing gloves using full-grain leather. The externally stitched seams are good for comfort but leave the seams fairly exposed. They are waterproo, cool and offer good impact and abrasion resistance.

Weise Oslo

Constructed for a mix of cowhide and nylon panels with the knuckle protectors being carbon fibre moulded armour. They are both waterproof and breathable. The Oslo has a thinsulate thermal lining maning it is good for use earlier and later in the biking season so you might need something lighter for hot weather.

Furygan Must IV

Light and flexible with elasticated wrist and fingerbacks for a close fit and easy movement. The palm is double lined and the knuckles are armoured with a carbon look moulded plate. These gloves have a waterproof membrane and a thermal lining. The supple and soft leather make them some of the most comfortable gloves you can wear.

Rukka x-trafit glove

All leather with small amounts of Cordura and PVC plastic protection. Rukka say they are fully waterproof, windproof and breathable. They are bulkier than most conventional summer gloves but the quality is exceptional.

Ixon Pro Contest

These are lightweight, pre-curved short leather gloves. Knucles are protected by carbon fibre armour and fingers have foam protection on the back. These gloves are stylish, light and well-made but the short cuffs are not to everyone’s taste.

Spada Enforcer WP

Budget priced waterproof gloves with a sporty edge. They are all leather with moulded protection on the wrist, knuckles and fingers. The left thumb has a suede visor wipe and the waterproofing is taken care of with a breathable membrane. They have a good thermal lining but are quite thick, however the price means they are well worth keeping under the seat in case of a change in good old british summer weather.

April 2009′s six are Tourers.

Honda GL 1800 Goldwing

The Goldwing is the worthy benchmark in touring motorcycles, with sumptuous luxury and great handling for such a monster bike. A bit heavy in tight corners but the flat-six engine is impressively smooth and the massive fairing makes cruising effortless.

BMW K1200T

A mixture of real useability and exceptional comfort, even for the pillion. The specification is really impressive with cruise control and reverse gear as standard. This bike feels like it simply glides across the tarmac.

Yamaha FJR1300

The FJR combines a smooth engine with shaft drive with comfort and a high specification. It only has a five speed box but the engine feels huge, powerful and capable of extreme speeds. Can cover huge distances but an aftermarket gel seat is highly recommended.

Honda ST 1300 Pan European

For anyone looking for a long-distance tool the Honda ST1300 Pan European is probably one of the safest bets around. The only problem is availability – owners rate them so highly that low-mileage machines are rarer than hen’s teeth. Not that mileage matters as the engine and construction quality is extremely high.

Kawasaki GTR1400

Kawasaki have taken the engine from the all-conquering ZZR1400, the world’s most powerful hyper-sportsbike, and retuned it to make the 1400GTR mega-sports tourer deliver the performance touring riders demand. The unique monocoque frame gives the comfort and luggage carrying capacity you need to easily dispatch colossal distances.

Harley Davidson Electraglide

Fantastic specification and one of the best made and well built of all the Harleys. Built for cruising rather than speed, it has all the comfort of a Honda Goldwing but with that special Harley street-cred.

March 2009′s six are textiles.

Hein Gericke Master V GTX Proshell

One of the most expensive but fantastic quality. Warm, waterproof, protective and extremely well made.

Aerostitch Roadcrafter

Highly protective suit comes in Hi-Vis yellow (other colours are available). Very warm and comfortable but not as waterproof as it claims.

Weise Dynastar II

Good all-round performance for a bargain price. Though it is not the warmest suit on the market, it is totally waterproof.

BMW Streetguard 2

Great protection and fully waterproof. Another one that lets in a little cold air but the BMW badge means the quality is always there.

Held Oasis

Off -Road style means it’s not as protective as others, but it’s fully waterproof and probably one of the warmest suits you can buy.

Spada Highland

Excellent value at such a low price. Protection isn’t that impressive but it is very warm and completely waterproof.

February 2009′s six are sport-tourers.

Honda VFR 800

Ther VFR was once hailed as the definitive sports tourer but has dropped down the pecking order with the arrival of the bigger engined models such as the Sprint ST. Still more than capable of cutting it with the best.

Triumph Sprint ST

The new 1050 engine has power and personality. It’s a superb all-rounder, fast and comfortable. The quality maybe isn’t as good as the Honda but it makes up for it with ‘power ranger’ looks and a beautiful exhaust note from the 3 cylinder engine.

Ducati ST4

Compared to other Ducatis, this is a comfortable place to be for rider and pillion. Although it sounds like a chesty cough on start-up the engine is a supremely road-tuned version of the 996 sports. It is one of the only sports tourers with fully adjustable suspension making it a great ride on any road.

BMW F800ST

Belt driven engine takes one of the hassles out of touring. BMW reliability along with comfort and economy make this a smart choice and there’s an option of a lower seat for shorties. What more can you ask for? A little more character, maybe.

Yamaha FZ1 Fazer

Superb all-rounder with the capacity to make any journey a breeze. The detuned R1 engine is smooth throughout the rev range keeping both rider and pillion happy. The Fazer may not be to everybody’s taste but it is a ride to be savoured.

Suzuki Bandit 1250 SA

The SA has the attitude and aggressive styling of the Bandit, but with the safety aspect of Suzuki’s ABS system. Although it’s at the budget end of the sports tourer market, the performance still makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.