Kawasaki Ninja 250

This is the ultimate starter motorcycle for anyone looking to get their feet wet or get comfortable on a motorcycle. It is light with good handling and get great gas mileage. The engine is fairly small compared to a lot of other bikes out there but it really isn’t bad when you look at the overall picture. A 2002 Subaru Impreza can hit 60 mph in 5.7 seconds and the Ninja does it in 5.75 seconds. Because it has a small engine the rpm’s really reach up high on it. If you are on the highway for long periods of time it may get loud. 

The aesthetics of the bike did not change from the 80’s until the 2007 model. It is now made to look more like its bigger brother’s in the 600 class. But the aesthetic remained good looking all through the year which goes along with its timelessness. This was my first bike and turned out to be a great bike for a person starting to ride. The motorcycle is definitely better for a short rider because of the low seat height. The bike is also fairly light and so on highways and at high speeds winds will move you around some. When trucks pass you the wind that it carries past you will definitely be felt on the bike. This just takes a little getting used to. The lightness helps you otherwise because it makes it easier to flick back and forth and maneuver around turns easily. 

Another positive about the bike is the cost. It is an inexpensive bike. You can find a used one for around 2500 dollars. They are also a fairly regular bike to see and the brand is a popular one so you can get parts everywhere! I always found this bike fun to ride. It was always so easy. It was reliable with relatively low maintenance because it was a well made bike also. I would recommend this bike to anyone wanting to start riding motorcycles. 

2006 Suzuki GSXR-600

This bike I will vouch for myself since it is my second bike that I have had. It is a fantastic bike in my opinion. I love this thing. This was the year that the model was redesigned so the new look is keeping up with all the new models. And it still has not been redesigned to any great extent so it fits in with all the new bikes. 

The engine got lighter, stronger, and the body of the bike got shorter as well. As you may be able to tell this was a serious redesign year. The engine height dropped 20mm and length was deceased by 54 mm. internally it keeps the 67mm bore and 42.5 stroke. In total this gives it another five horses to play with. The horsepower that is produced at maximum rpm’s are just above 100 hp. When all you are carrying is 360 lbs. and yourself that is fast. Especially when the bike I got off to get this was only had 250 cc’s compared to this one’s 600. And the weight change was very little. The intake has dual throttle system inside the throttle body. It is equipped with two butterfly valves, the primary one opened by the rider with the throttle and the secondary being controlled by the ECU (Engine Control Unit). The ECU takes reading from the rpm’s, gear position, and what the primary valve is doing and puts all that together to make a buttery, white-knuckle take off. 

I won’t get into all the other changes because there were a lot more. Basically when this bike rolled off the assembly line it was like a whole new bike that blew the competition away. This is also my favorite out of the Japanese bikes (Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, and Kawasaki). I think the look of it is nicer that the others, the small exhaust has a great sounds to it and is hidden down on the side instead of under the tail which makes for a even thinner tail look. The seat position is comfortable without sacrificing the aggression that makes these bikes so much fun. Which the Honda tends to do a little and the Kawasaki is pretty aggressive and has sort of a odd bubble look to it. The R6 is my next runner up to this bike. It is a little faster I have heard but it also is not as smooth on the throttle or corners. 

I have taken this bike through the mountains of Tennessee and on the Tail of the Dragon and it was definitely one of the most exciting rides that I have ever had. As I braked into the hairpin turns and then rolled on the throttle through the turns I was definitely yelling a bunch of language that should not be used at the dinner table, praying that I made it through. When those wheels began to square away and take aim at the next corner a wave of energy like I had just won the lottery shot through me. Every time I get on this bike a smile sets on my face. 

Bimota DB7 Oronero

Leave it to the futuristic bike like this to be  one of the few bikes that have built itself out of a carbon fiber frame. The frame geometry was complex enough that Bimota engineers hired BRBike, a Italian racing bike firm that specializes in making lightweight frames, to mold the frame geometry for this bike. The new chassis comes out to be 30 percent more tensional rigid work. The rest of the body work is also carbon fiber. This includes the gas tank, seat, and fairing. 

The engine in the bike is the Ducati 90-degree V-twin. This bike easily delivers double the power of a 600 class bike with no extra weight. This is just scary fast. No need to feather the clutch to get a wheelie out of this bike, it will probably do it on its own. 

This engineering comes down to a incredibly surefooted and responsive bike that you can throttle out of turns earlier with great agility and stability, creating a feeling that you can do anything on this thing. This bike seems like it could put the amateurs ahead. But this one doesn’t come cheap though. Starting at 40,000 dollars you are paying for what you get but this is a definitely a dream bike. 

2010 BMW S1000RR

This Motorcycle I believe is the first BMW of its class. It is also the fastest motorcycle in its class. It is brutally fast. It delivers a total 193 hp over 403 lbs. This makes the bike faster than the Ducati, Suzuki, and more. The 0 – 60 times run in the mid two second range. The top speed of this bike comes out just below 200 mph. 

From its test drive the throttle is crisp and responsive. The suspension is nicely balanced so you can come out of turns without a problem. The braking is done by 320mm brembo brakes in the front with 220mm on the back wheel. The ABS system in it is a new one as well. The frame of the bike is aluminum. Aluminum is also used in the wheels. Everything on this bike is designed to e lightweight all the way down to the cooling system which just takes 2.9 liters of coolant to perform. 

2011 Harley-Davidson XR1200X

This bike is the sportiest of the bikes as far as Harley Davidson goes. The XR was introduced three years ago and unfortunately for us (the United States) we have been behind the curb in comparison to Europe. Unluckily the Europeans have gotten the upgraded version since it has come out and the United States has not. But fortunately for this year they will be selling the X in American stores. 

The new fork that is going to be used on the XR1200 is the same fork that is used on the Suzuki GSXR1000, which being a race bike, and a nice one at that you can bet that it is nice. It is also lighter the last fork that was used. The rear suspension can be adjusted both ways so if you like better cornering ability or adjust it a little softer so that you get a smoother ride. 

While this doesn’t get into the sport or race class in my book this looks like a real fun bike. And for a rider that would be looking for a comfortable position with still some cornering ability this bike would be a blast. Plus it still has that great Harley sound which is always music to my ears. 

2010 Ducati Hypermotard 1100 EVO

If you like the streetfighter series from different companies the Ducati won’t fall far from the top of your list. Personally KTM are my preferred bike for this sort of style but this Ducati is hard to resist. This year the engine has gotten even lighter and stronger. It has developed another 5 horsepower into the engine and dropped 11.5 pounds. The crank and flywheel assembly has stepped its game up to match (the same style as) the 848 one. This is a improved burn efficiency from the single spark plug and a higher compression rate in the engine, which is a good explanation for the extra power. This has bumped the power up to a total of 95 horses.

The aesthetics have remained the same for the most part. The body style really hasn’t changed much and the LCD screen has stayed the same as well. But the aesthetics were never poor in opinion. The turn signals are built into the mirrors now which is happening with a lot of the bikes now if they aren’t put in a slick spot in the body. The passenger gets a some nifty grab bars and the pegs are designed to quick release for all of those riders you don’t carry someone or simply like the look of the bike without the pegs, they are easily removed!

Even the base model has an adjustable fork, good brembo brakes, and the rest of the kit like the other Ducatis. If you wish to spend another 2500 then you can get a upgraded kit that will put you in good shape even out on the track. But all this fun doesn’t come cheaply; this bike starts out at 11,995. But you do have Ducati written on the side of your bike as you wheelie and drift around the corners so take what you will! 

Magpul Ronin

                If you’re into pushing design on bikes and creating something new and fresh this bike is real pretty… pretty damn bad ass. It has been said by multiple critics that it looks like something that just came roaring out of Gotham City. And I’m not denying it either. This Buell 1125 was taken in by Magpul when Buell shut down in 2009. By the way I can’t wait until they open up again. Buell always liked to push design also, which is one of the reasons that Magpul choose this bike. 

They took this bike and added a girder fork, changed the seat and taillight configuration, knocked down the speedometer, put the radiator right in the front with the forks, which took place of the Buell fairing and they replaced the lights with smaller ones and mounted them to the side of the radiator on the fork. Apparently the exhaust on the Buells were pretty heavy, so they took that off and put on an Italian exhaust system which lightened the bike a lot. These changes to the suspension and exhaust makes for better handling than the bike previously had. Luckily the exhaust didn’t change the sound away from a more raw and powerful one. The bikes always sounded similar to Harley’s which was a great appeal to me and it is good to see that at least the type of sound hasn’t changed to much. It reminds me more of the sound of a Ducati now though, which I suppose makes sense with the Italian exhaust system added on. But the style of the Buell you can see from the Buell frame still showing through.

Overall the bike seems really awesome, and what a neat idea, a company that is primarily based around making firearms take a motorcycle and customize it. It looks like some futuristic weapon, and assuming it doesn’t shoot me first, I’d love to climb on this thing!