Buying A Bike

SPORTS

BUYING A BIKE You’ve got your licence – but which type of bike is right for you?

SPORTS

The closest thing to a racing bike for the road, sports bikes set the standard for performance and handling. For a thrilling ride on the road or on track, nothing else comes close.

However, being so focused means sports bikes aren’t for everyone. There will be a lot more weight on your wrists than when riding an adventure bike or a tourer, and don’t expect much in the way of storage.

Engines tuned for peak power need plenty of revs, so you’ll need to change gear more often than would when riding an adventure bike. A sports bike isn’t ideal when you want to take a steadier pace and enjoy your surroundings.

Sports suspension will be taut and controlled, but you’ll feel more road imperfections through the bar and the seat than if you opted for a tourer.

BUY IF… you plan to ride a lot of track days. AVOID IF… storage space and comfort are important.

ADVENTURE

Adventure bikes are the SUVs of the motorbike world. Maybe you’re just riding to the office, but on an adventure machine you could be setting off around the world.

There are good reasons to choose an adventure bike besides their image. The upright riding position is more friendly to middle-aged backs than the hunkered down tuck of a sports bike, and as a rule, longtravel suspension delivers impressive comfort, on and off Tarmac. The engines are usually tuned to perform strongly without needing to be revved hard, which makes for an easy and relaxed ride.

On the other hand, adventure bikes tend to be

ADVENTURE

big and heavy. Some have high seats, so may not suit shorter riders. BUY IF… you’ve always dreamed of riding around the world. AVOID IF… the seat height is too high for you.

TOURER

A touring bike has many of the advantages of an adventure bike, but without the remit to handle dirt tracks as well as Tarmac roads. These bikes are all about travelling long distances in great comfort.

You won’t enjoy the thrills of a sports bike, but you will be sat upright without too much strain on your wrists or back. Expect the suspension to smooth out the road.

Even if you aren’t going to tour around Europe on your bike, the extra storage a tourer provides

is a definite plus. It’s handy for taking a change of clothes to work or picking up some shopping. Luxury goodies that would add unnecessary weight to a sports bike are more common on tourers, such as radios and heated handlebar grips.

BUY IF… you value practicality and comfort. AVOID IF… you want an exciting ride.

CUSTOM

A true ‘custom’ bike is one that’s been modified from the stock design, but the term is also applied to off-theshelf models with a ‘custom’ look. The most obvious examples are made by Harley-Davidson, but many big brands have a few custom models (or cruisers) in their line-up

Why buy a custom bike? First and foremost, because you love the way they look. These bikes are all about style. The

TOURER

second reason is often the sound they make. It’s just so evocative and takes the imagination straight to some sun-kissed Californian highway.

If you need more rational reasons, riding positions are usually relaxed and the saddle heights are generally low, so the bikes suit shorter riders well.

On the other hand, a custom bike won’t handle like a sports machine, and a tourer is usually more practical.

BUY IF… you’re in love with the style and image. AVOID IF… you want something sporty.

➩

NAKED

NAKED

A naked bike is one without a fairing to improve aerodynamics and keep the rider out of the wind. Sometime called standard bikes or roadsters, lots of new riders start out on naked machines before progressing to something more specialised.

You want a bike to commute on? A naked bike can do that. You want a bike for some weekend fun? A naked bike can do that too. It doesn’t necessarily excel in any one area but it will do just about anything you ask of it.

As a rule of thumb, naked bikes are less expensive and more fuel efficient than adventure bikes and sports machines. Middling saddle heights make naked bikes well suited to riders of most shapes and sizes, and a reasonably upright riding position keeps things comfortable.

On the other hand, if you want to travel long distances on the motorway you might miss having a fairing. Or if outright thrills are your priority, you may prefer a sports bike.

BUY IF… you want a good all-rounder. AVOID IF… regular long rides are on the cards.

MODERN CLASSIC

A modern classic bike is one designed to look like a bike from an earlier era. So if you grew up in the ’70s desperate to ride a Kawasaki Z1, you can now buy the modern equivalent.

Nostalgia plays a big part in choosing a modern classic, but it’s not necessarily a headover-heart purchase. You get retro looks without the oil leaks and iffy brakes of an old bike. If you haven’t got the time, patience, or mechanical knowledge to maintain a classic machine, a modern

MODERN

CLASSIC

retro motorcycle offers the best of both worlds.

As day-to-day machines, modern classics have a lot in common with naked bikes. They generally won’t have a fairing and will lack the storage options of a tourer. They won’t handle with the agility and precision of a modern sports bike, but with the advances in suspension, braking and tyres over recent decades they won’t be slouches either.

BUY IF… retro style is all important. AVOID IF… you want something sportier or more practical.

“CHOOSE A MODERN CLASSIC, AND YOU GET RETRO LOOKS WITHOUT THE OIL LEAKS AND IFFY BRAKES OF AN OLD BIKE“