Motorcycle Sport & Leisure May 2018

23 PAGES YAM AMAHA MT-07 OF TOURING &

LAUNCH

Better er than ever. Cheap as chips

ADVENTURE

TIGER 1200 00 ER ★ BE RID A R E HOW TO

IMPROVE IN JUST

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It’s the BEST big Triumph Adventure yet

DAY

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THE LONG WAY HOM ME

May 2018 No.692

A BE

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ONE

17,000 solo miles in only SIX months

WIN WIN WIN! HELMETS & GLOVES* ◆ DUCATI PANIGALE V4 ◆ HONDA CB125R ◆

CLASSIC GOLD: GOLD KAWASAKI KR1 ◆ HOW THE M MT-RANGE SAVED YAMAHA ◆ KYMCO MCO AK550 *Terms & conditions apply

A temporary chair change Tony Carter

H

ello. Again. The more observant among you will have probably noticed by now that it’s my mug slapped on top of this page instead of the usual phizog of Mikko smiling warmly just above these words.

There’s a reason for that. at.

I’m sorry to have to tell you this but justt before this issue of MSL hit the presses, Mikko waas involved in a collision that has left him in hospital. Our O favourite editor is pretty badly banged-up but b making a recovery and while he’s out of the loop forr a bit, focusing on getting better and getting back to us, it’s my hands that grabbed the tiller to make su ure this issue found its way to the printer and then to you. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Tony and I used to be the editor of MSL a while back. More recently I’ve been the associate editor with Mikko now the boss. Basically, I know where the biscuits are kept at MSL HQ, so while the lad’s laid up it made sense for me to help out a bit.

I’m sure that you can appreciate why I can’t go into detail about the accident or injuries that Mikko sustained at the moment – this page is not the place for that sort of stuff – but the good news is that the flying Finn is getting better day-by-day and, as I write this page, things are looking very positive.

I’ll leave the full story of what happened for Mikko himself to tell you when he returns to the MSL seat which we’ll be keeping warm for him, while sipping away

the extensive coffee collection that he thought he had hidden away so carefully.

Whatever you do, don’t miss Mikko’s account of what happened a few days ago, at the time of writing – it’ll be a pretty hair-raising account of a very strange Wednesday after ft rnoon!

FANCY WINN NING SOME KIT? Turn to page 17 and you can be in with a chance of getting your hands on some lovely helmets and gloves. Yep. For nothing.

Turning to otherr things this month, can I draw your attention to our M MSL Reader Survey? It’s something that is very impo ortant for Mikko and the team and your input will en nable the editor to tailor the future MSL to exactly wh hat you want to see.

Taking part couldn’t be easier, T jusst go and have a look at how yo ou do that on Page 17 of this isssue. Everything you need to kn now is there.

And just because it seemed like A a so olid idea from us, taking part auttomatically enters you into a prize draw where helmets and glo oves are all up for grabs.

SSo if you can take part, not only wiill you be helping steer your ffavourite motorcycle magazine but you’ll also be in with a shot b of bagging yourself some nice o new kit.

Got to be a winner.

Good luck.

Tony, Caretaker

Motorcycle Sport & Leisure’s contributors...

Alan Cathcart Alan Cathcart has been writing about bikes for more than 30 years, and riding them for even longer. He’s regularly given the keys to factory prototypes and being on first name terms with the bosses of bike companies around the world allows him to bag many scoops.

Roland Brown Has ridden for 37 years and been a bike journalist for more than 30. At Bike he ended up as deputy editor before going freelance. An author of 11 books, as a racer he was Bemsee 1300 champion 1984 and raced UK F1, Superstock and Superbike, plus World F1 races.

Chris Moss Mossy has raced the Isle of Man TT, dispatched in London and ridden everything from CX500s to fullblown GP prototypes. A former chief motorcycle tester for Motorcycle News, the veteran journo admits he’s still loving two-wheeled life, and still learning.

Peter Henshaw Peter knows his stuff – he’s a former editor of this very magazine. Now a freelance journalist, he’s got the same enthusiasm for anything with wheels that he’s had since a child. An all-year-round biker who doesn’t own a car, he has more than 40 books to his name.

Phil West A bike journalist for 30 years, Phil’s a former editor of Bike and What Bike, executive editor of MCN, has written for the Daily Telegraph and Evening Standard and authored four books. In his garage is a 1924 Sirrah, 1980 RD350LC, 1995 Thunderbird 900 and, currently, a 2017 CB1100.

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 3

Contents

PAY LESS

Get the original & best bike magazine every month

P26

50 NEWS & OPINION 7

92

News The biggest stories in biking

16

Your letters MSL readers have their say

20

Products New kit and accessories

26

Subscription offer Save £££ by subscribing

38

Maynard Hershon Children’s hospital toy run, pt. 2

58

The High Sider Popcorn, TV, action!

40

TOURING & ADVENTURE 69

Touring news

70

Day ride Darting round Dartmoor

74

Richard Millington What to do with potholes

76

Mid ride Discovering hidden Spain

4 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

80

Long ride Indian adventures

88

History Boy recommends Castle Drogo

92

Long way home Kinga rode back home to Poland from Australia – and that was just the start of the trip

May 2018

TEST FLEET 98

Honda Africa Twin DCT Mikko resamples the big Honda

100 Yamaha X-MAX 400 The scoot gets blinged up

101 Suzuki V-Strom 650 New rubber for new adventures

32

102 Honda FireBlade ’02-’03 An up-and-coming classic

ROAD TESTS 10

Kymco AK550 Do it all super scooter

22

Honda CB125R Best-looking 125 out there?

32

Yamaha MT-07 Updated and improved

50

Triumph Tiger 1200 Big miles on the big cat

60

Ducati Panigale V4 The best Panigale yet?

120 Classic test

60

1989 Kawasaki KR1

KNOWLEDGE 40

Yamaha's great comeback How the MT-range saved the day

48

Kit care How to look after your riding gear

66

Improve your riding British Superbike School

87

What’s on?

Dates for your diary

104 Tried & tested Including a ladies’ kit special

EDITOR: Mikko Nieminen: mnieminen@mortons.co.uk ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Tony Carter: tcarter@mortons.co.uk SENIOR DESIGNER: Justin Blackamore DESIGNERS: Fran Lovely, Charlotte Turnbull PRODUCTION EDITOR: Dan Sharp PICTURE DESK: Paul Fincham, Jonathan Schofield, Angie Sisestean PUBLISHER: Dan Savage: asavage@mortons.co.uk GROUP KEY ACCOUNTS MANAGER: Steff Woodhouse: swoodhouse@mortons.co.uk 01507 529452 / 07786 334330 DIVISIONAL ADVERTISING TEAM LEADER: Zoe Thurling zthurling@mortons.co.uk 01507 529412 ADVERTISING SALES: Lee Buxton: lbuxton@mortons.co.uk 01507 529453 SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER: Paul Deacon: pdeacon@mortons.co.uk CIRCULATION MANAGER: Steve O’Hara: sohara@mortons.co.uk MARKETING MANAGER: Charlotte Park: cpark@mortons.co.uk COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR: Nigel Hole EDITORIAL ADDRESS: MSL Magazine, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR WEBSITE: www.mslmagazine.co.uk GENERAL QUERIES AND BACK ISSUES: 01507 529529 24 hr answerphone help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk ARCHIVE ENQUIRIES: Jane Skayman jskayman@mortons.co.uk 01507 529423 SUBSCRIPTION: Full subscription rates (but see page 26 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £51.60. Export rates are also available – see page 26 for more details.

UK subscriptions are zero-rated for the purposes of Value Added Tax. SUBSCRIPTION AGENTS: Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR CUSTOMER SERVICES NUMBER: 01507 529529 TELEPHONE LINES ARE OPEN: MONDAY-FRIDAY 8.30AM-7PM SATURDAY 8.30AM-12.30PM DISTRIBUTION: Marketforce UK Ltd, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HU. 0203 787 9001.

PRINTED: William Gibbons & Sons, Wolverhampton The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. If you are sending material to us for publication, you are strongly advised to make copies and to include a stamped addressed envelope. Original material must be submitted and will be accepted solely on the basis that the author accepts the assessment of the publisher as to its commercial value. © Mortons Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher. ISSN: 1478-8390 MOTORCYCLE SPORT & LEISURE (USPS:001-522) is published monthly by Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK. USA subscriptions are $66 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. Periodical Postage is paid at Bancroft WI and additional entries.

Postmaster: Send address changes to MOTORCYCLE SPORT & LEISURE, c/o Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715-572-4595 chris@ classicbikebooks.com

108 Li-Ion batteries The what, the why and the how

120

118 Kevin Cameron What’s next?

130 Tony Carter On the subject of Moto Gymkhana

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NEW Need to know ◆ Your letters ◆ First rides

CAGIVA RETURNS FOR 2018!

But this time the Italian beauties will be electric only

Iconic Italian motorcycle manufacturer Cagiva is set to relaunch for 2018 with a new range of electric motorcycles.

The news comes from MV Agusta, which owns the Cagiva brand. The formerly iconic Italian marque stopped production back in 2012, following a decision by the MV group to focus efforts on MV Agusta alone.

Now that MV Agusta is back on a solid footing (financially speaking) due to recent investments, there's a plan in place to revive Cagiva and – this time – the big bosses are looking

to relaunch Cagiva into the blossoming electric market with a whole new range of zero-emission motorcycles.

In an interview this month MV Agusta’s Giovanni Castiglioni said: “I believe in electric.

There is a great potential, and we are making a project there – under another brand – which is Cagiva. We are investing in lightweight fun vehicles, bikes.

Let’s say in-between… it’s a family. It’s a family that goes between a bicycle to a Zero-type bike, but different.

“If you want to go at 300mph, then buy a combustion engine.

But I think there can be a lot of potential market for electric motorcycles, and we want to

be there, this is why we invest in it now. We’ll see in the next five years how the market will change. I think there is a great opportunity for that.”

Harley sparks electric bike production Harley-Davidson has announced that it has invested in California-based electric motorcycle manufacturer Alta Motors.

The news comes a month after HarleyDavidson president and chief executive officer Matt Levatich told investors the company was on track to deliver its first electric motorcycle “within 18 months”.

Speaking about Alta Motors, Levatich said: “Alta has demonstrated innovation and expertise in EV and their objectives align closely with ours. We each have strengths and capabilities that will be mutually beneficial as we work together to develop cutting-edge electric motorcycles.”

The chief product officer and co-founder of Alta, Marc Fenigstein, added: “Riders are just beginning to understand the combined benefits of EV today. We believe electric motorcycles are the future… It’s incredibly

exciting that Harley-Davidson, synonymous with motorcycle leadership, shares that vision and we’re thrilled to collaborate with them.”

Harley-Davidson has shown a very real interest in electric motorcycles for a number of years. Its LiveWire Project drew tremendous interest when it was unveiled in 2014, with thousands of riders clamouring for an opportunity to throw a leg over one of the prototypes. The project was eventually put on the back burner, while H-D looked to address issues of range and cost. And we assume that this collaboration with Alta will help the company overcome some of those challenges; but, don’t expect Harley to change its stripes completely.

Levatich finished by saying: “We intend to be the world leader in the electrification of motorcycles. At the same time, (we plan to) remain true to our gas and oil roots by

continuing to produce a broad portfolio of motorcycles that appeal to all types of riders around the world.”

www.mslmagazine.co.uk 7

Top Stories

Hailwood at Braddan Bridge in victorious 1978 TT ride.

REPLICAS TO CELEBRATE HAILWOOD COMEBACK Australian company to produce 12 Mike Hailwood 1978 comeback Ducati replicas.

WORDS: Alan Cathcart PHOTOGRAPHY: AC Archives

This year’s Isle of Man TT will mark 40 years since Mike Hailwood’s legendary comeback victory in the 1978 TT, following an 11-year break from racing there while he pursued a car racing career in Formula 1.

And to mark the milestone, Vee Two Australia, based in Nannup, Western Australia, the world’s leading specialist in bevel-drive Ducati engines, is producing 12 exact replicas of Mike the Bike’s victorious Ducati 900 TT F1 race bike, the production run quantity commemorating Hailwood’s victorious #12 TT racing number.

Vee Two Australia has secured the original technical drawings for the Ducati’s 883cc 90° V-twin bevel-drive desmo

engine, as well as the relevant casting moulds, chassis drawings and technical details – all of which will ensure the bike is an exact replica of the one that powered Hailwood to his historic win.

“The engine used in Mike’s 900 F1 race-winning bike was a prototype motor designed by the Ducati factory in the mid to late 1970s, of which only around eight units were ever made,” Andrew Cathcart, general manager of Vee Two explained. “When Mike won the TT in ’78 the factory had plans for the engine to power the next series of desmo V-twin sportsbikes, but due to Ducati’s struggling financial situation, the bevel-drive format was

8 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

scrapped in favour of the Pantah-type belt-drive V-Twin, which was less costly to manufacture. This meant that this ultimate bevel-drive engine never reached production, and therefore never made it into the hands of the public. Picking up from where the factory left off, Vee Two Australia is now in a position to offer the engine that powered Hailwood to his legendary victory.”

While the engine will be produced in-house by Vee Two, the chassis is being built in Italy, again using the original drawings for the race-winning bike’s tubular steel frame.

The bodywork will also be an exact replica of Hailwood’s TT-winning machine, right

Brook Henry, Vee Two’s chief executive and Andrew Cathcart, general manager.

down to the famous Castrol and Sports Motorcycles stickers on the red and green paintwork.

John Keogh, the British designer behind a number of other Vee Two creations, is responsible for the accurate clay modelling that will form the basis of the replica’s bodywork.

NEW

Hailwood at Parliament Square, Ramsey in 1978.

Mike Hailwood’s TT-winning Ducati 900 TT F1.

Externally, Vee Two’s Ritorno (meaning ‘comeback’ in Italian) engine is an exact copy of the 883cc 90° bevel-drive desmo V-twin that carried Hailwood to his historic 1978 race victory.

Internally, though, the motor will feature a full complement of Vee Two’s evolutionary upgrades, meaning power output will be much higher than the original engine’s 86bhp/64kW peak power, delivered at 9000rpm. The engine is already in production, and in racing guise has twice finished second in AHRMA’s Formula 750 class race events in the USA, as well as forming the basis of the acclaimed Vee Two Imola Evo café racer streetbike.

While agreeing on the appearance and technical specifications of a Hailwood Replica may at first seem straightforward, the original bike was altered numerous times during the two-week period of

the 1978 TT, and any number of combinations could be considered ‘the real thing’.

“So many changes to the chassis, engine and exhaust system were made during the event that photographs from the day reveal numerous variations practically from one day to another,” says Brook Henry, Vee Two’s CEO. “We aim to produce an exact replica of the bike as it crossed the finishing line.”

To help achieve this, Henry also reveals that Vee Two will draw on the expertise of Steve Wynne, the man responsible for sourcing the original 900 F1 from the factory, and preparing it for the race under the Sports Motorcycles banner. “Being able to ask Steve about things we spot in photographs, and have him separate myth from fact, is very exciting,” says Henry. “It’s very good to have him on board to ensure that each bike we build can legitimately be termed

The Ritorno engine in the Vee Two Imola Evo café racer streetbike.

a genuine replica.” Furthermore, Mike Hailwood’s widow Pauline and son David have both granted approval to use his famous name, and in recognition of this each of the 12 bikes to be built will bear Pauline Hailwood’s signature.

The bike will be on show at the Isle of Man Classic TT in August, where the Isle of Man authorities have decided to stage their celebrations of Mike Hailwood’s TT victory, rather than at the TT proper in June, the 40th anniversary of his feat.

Vee Two Australia plans to have the first of its Replicas there, and to have it complete parade laps alongside the original TTwinning machine now owned by New Yorker Larry Auriana, and ridden by David Hailwood.

Following a seven-year break from top-line motorcycle racing, in 1977 Hailwood was approached by Steve Wynne who suggested he should come out of retirement for the ’78 TT and race a Ducati. To Wynne’s surprise, Hailwood agreed. In practice, the then 38-year-old Hailwood set a new lap record of 111 mph, then went on to claim what is surely one of the greatest comeback victories in sporting history. This will be commemorated forever by the creation by Vee Two Australia of the dozen as-yet-unnamed identical copies of his racewinning bike. Although Vee Two has already bestowed the Ritorno moniker upon the engine, Andrew Cathcart says

The production run quantity commemorates Hailwood’s victorious #12 TT racing number.

the Vee Two-built Replica TT racer hasn’t yet been officially named. “Mike Hailwood Replica is something of an over-used title,” he admits. “Internally we’re just calling it ‘The Hailwood’, though we’ll settle on a name soon. But it’s important to stress that Vee Two Australia is making a replica of Mike Hailwood’s TT-winning 900 F1 racer, not a copy of the Ducati Mike Hailwood Replica streetbike, which was essentially merely a production 900SS fitted with red-and-green bodywork. Ducati’s original plans were to produce just 200 units, but in fact they ended up manufacturing more than 7000 examples of the so-called Hailwood replica look-a-likes.

Ours will be identical copies of the genuine race-winner which is now owned by Larry Auriana in the USA, and which Steve Wynne maintains for him.” The as-yet undisclosed price of such exclusivity is understood to be in the region of £100,000. www.mslmagazine.co.uk 9

Test Ride Kymco AK550

SPACE ODDITY The new Kymco AK550 takes scootering into the space age.

WORDS: Jonathan Schofield PHOTOGRAPHY: Gary Chapman

T

he new Kymco AK550 has the curves of a super touring scooter and wouldn’t look out of place on the set of a new Batman movie. It fills the senses with more than just a nice side-on, or a tantalising tail-end view. From all angles this Taiwanese machine pours gorgeousness into your life.

The futuristic front end reminds me of an alien spacecraft from an episode of Star Trek, while for some reason the cockpit takes me back to the original Battlestar Galactica TV series. Suddenly I’m back to being a small child wanting desperately to be Starbuck, launching in his Colonial Viper to fight the might of the Cylon Empire. Without even turning on the keyless ignition system I was dreaming of blasting through the skies, let alone along B-roads and

dual carriageways; as looks go, this is one mighty fine scooter.

The underseat storage space (which has a weight capacity of 10kg) takes a standard open face helmet, or a small-shell full face, plus a few extras (say a set of waterproofs). What is

10 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962

a nice touch is the LED light that comes on when the seat is lifted.

Additional storage space is provided by two small front compartments, one of which houses a standard 12v power output to charge your phone or sat nav.

ROAD Specification KYMCO AK550 Price: £8879 Engine: 550cc inline 2-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 8 valves Power: 52.7bhp (39.3kW) @ 7500rpm Torque: 41lb-ft (55.64Nm) @ 5500rpm Power modes: Standard (full power).

Rain (reduced power/engine braking) Frame: Aluminium Suspension: (F) 41mm upside down forks; (R) coil monoshock Brakes: (F) 280mm discs, Brembo calipers; (R) 260mm disc. 9.1 Bosch ABS brake system Seat height: 785mm Fuel capacity: 15 litres Dry weight: 226kg Contact: www.kymco.co.uk

ON THE MOVE

It’s a little bit of a ‘rabbit in the headlights’ scenario, looking at all the switches and buttons when first placing yourself in the captain’s chair of the AK. But what’s seemingly a baffling collection of controls soon makes complete sense. All the basics are just where they should be, and they seem reassuringly sturdy.

With the remote key fob in your jacket pocket, pressing the ignition switch fires the AK into life. The dashboard lights perform their pre-lift-off sequence, and the centre of the instrument panel comes up with the name Noodoe – eh? What’s Noodoe? Turns out, it’s Kymco’s purpose-built software system and app that links your mobile phone to your scooter, giving you options to change the look of your centre screen with customisable clocks, weather reports and maps. In the very near future, it will also be updated to link to whatever sat nav app you’re using on your phone – super smart and super cool.

The three sections of the instrument panel are clear and uncluttered; on the right is the speedo, plus fuel and engine temperature gauges; on the left is rpm, odometer and trip. Then with a flick of the function switch, front/rear tyre pressures and battery charge can be seen. With regards to the brake levers, both have four-point span adjustment to help get the right distance from handlebar grip to lever just perfect.

The feel of the AK at rest is one of a low centre of gravity and balance. Yes, the claimed dry weight is 226kg, but that’s just a

ABOVE: As happy in town as it is on the main road.

LEFT & ABOVE: Customisable Noodoe dash.

You might not want to choose the same image as Jonathan!

figure, and the feel of the bike is nowhere near that. The AK550 has one of the simplest and easiest centre-stand operations of any bike I’ve ridden and the scooter is a doddle to manoeuvre about. The added parking brake (situated on the left handlebar) locks the rear wheel when engaged, giving extra safety and confidence should you need to park on any kind of slope.

In operation, the sound from the liquid-cooled, inline, two-cylinder, DOHC, eight-valve low-slung engine was orchestral and full of depth and bass. The throttle response was swift yet smooth, pushing me back slightly as I wasn’t expecting quite as much oomph as I received.

That’s due to the peak power of 52.7bhp (39.3kW) at 7500rpm, and the maximum torque figure of 41lb-ft (55.64Nm) at 5500rpm. It’s also handy to know that the small rider’s backrest (bum retainer) can be moved forwards or back (about 3in) to make the seating position correct for your leg length.

The first few miles was spent getting used to the scooter’s controls before I could really find out what it was all about. I discovered that the indicator switch is possibly the nicest one I’ve used; it just feels right.

Cancelling is a simple press of the www.mslmagazine.co.uk 11

Test Ride switch, but it happens with a wondrous little click that makes it somehow comforting to do; it also makes an unobtrusive clicking when the indicators are on (like the old solenoids in 1980s cars) to make sure you don’t leave them on.

Comfort-wise, the AK is not quite ‘Club Class’ – but it’s damn close with loads of room and the option of a feet-forward riding position, making for a journey that’s not taxing or tiring. There was no backache or stiff legs, even when pushing a 60 mile, cold day sprint to the coast and back. The scooter’s screen and aerodynamics give you a small, yet adequate, still-air pocket to be sat in – the exception being that your hands, on the very cold days are open to the worst of the wind chill – so it’s just as well that the AK comes with heated grips as standard with three heat levels being available (level one gives 45ºC, level 2 55ºC, and level three, 65ºC), so even in the cold you can still ride with warm fingers.

Suspension is catered for with upside-down front forks and a coil-over rear monoshock; these enable you to take the rough and the smooth with ease, wafting you along without jolts, jarring or vibration.

Braking comes courtesy of Brembo dual pistons and floating discs on the front at 270mm and on the rear a single 260mm disc with an active

ABS system that gives brilliant feel and response. Not once did it feel like I was trying to pull the Titanic to a quick stop. Running on 15in rims shod with Metzeler 120/70-R15 on the front and 160/60-R15 on the rear just adds to the balanced sturdy feel when banking into tight corners.

The attention to detail has proven to be far above my expectations. It’s a true touring machine.

I always try to take a night-time ride to make sure the lights are up to scratch – can you still sit at 60mph on the main roads at night and feel safe, even on dip when cars are coming in the other direction? I can safely say yes, the LED headlights are more than good; the AK happily sat at 60mph on dipped headlights and when on main beam, the distance the light is thrown gives you great visibility and confidence.

THE VERDICT

What the AK550 offers in abundance is aggressive styling and cutting edge tech, combined with a seriously usable body that wants to eat up miles and convey you to wherever your heart desires in style and comfort. The AK550 is a true contender to the super scooter crown!

I’m sure I’ll run out of bottle well before it does. It’s a scooter that I’d be more than happy to add to my garage collection without hesitation.

ABOVE: Massive boom box that sounds as good as it looks.

LEFT: Belt driven and brilliantly sprung.

LEFT: Adjustable bum barrier.

Closest rival

SUZUKI BURGMAN 650 £9199 The big Burgman is the seminal maxi-scooter, and still has the edge over the AK550 in terms of power and torque, but only just.

Its 638cc two-cylinder, liquidcooled, DOHC engine produces 54.3bhp (40.5kW) @ 7000rpm and 45.7lb-ft (62Nm) @ 5000rpm. But it’s also heavy at 277kg (wet) and pricier than the Kymco. Given that the Burgman 400 got updated last year and the big 650 has been unchanged for a while, there might be an update coming from Suzuki soon.

12 Motorcycle Sport & Leisure – established 1962