Kawasaki ZX-10R-based Asphaltfighters Stormbringer.

This is the most extreme road-going 1000cc sportsbike in the world: 280bhp, Kawasaki ZX-10R-based Asphaltfighters Stormbringer.

Built in Germany, the Stormbringer takes a standard 165bhp Kawasaki ZX-10R and modifies it almost beyond recognition.

The main feature is the engine – still kept at 999cc, the motor is fully reworked internally by German tuner Sepp Buchner, who has done extensive work on the top end.

This results in 220bhp – but for a few seconds the rider can activate a ‘booster mode’ which is claimed to push power temporarily to 280bhp!

The bike’s electronics prevent it being activated below 180km/h (111mph) so it won’t wheelspin or wheelie.

Ducati Desmosedici RR

There’s no other way to describe the Ducati Desmosedici RR than as a MotoGP bike with lights; it really is that close to the real thing. The 200bhp motorcycle is a replica of Ducati’s Desmosedici GP6 MotoGP machine, which Loris Capirossi and Sete Gibernau rode in the 2006 World Championship and features the same chassis layout, bodywork and ‘long bang’ 989cc V4 engine architecture. There has never been a road motorcycle like the Ducati Desmosedici RR and it’s so stiff, fast and focussed that it makes R1s seem soft and cuddly by comparison.

Ducati Hypermotard 1100

Ducati has come up with a genuinely and refreshingly different motorcycle with the Ducati Hypermotard. It offers all the fun of a conventional supermoto motorcycle with its light and agile handling, and a pathological penchant for wheelies, but thanks to its big n’smooth 1078cc V-twin engine, comfy seat and roomy riding position the Ducati Hypermotard is practical too. Kind of!

Ducati 1098

This is the Ducati motorcycle we’ve been waiting for since the original Ducati 916. It’s a Ducati motorcycle in the truest form. Blood red, stunning to look at and absolutely pure in its purpose. It’s been a long time coming but it finally looks like Ducati has built a sports bike that can run with the best. The Ducati 1098 finally stands for what a Ducati motorycle means - pure unadulterated sports bike heaven.

Ducati Monster 695

The Ducati Monster 695 is the latest version of junior Monster and is revitalised with more capacity, better equipment and brakes and all-new paintjobs. Cheeky handling, verve and novice-friendliness are unchanged, however. The Ducati Monster 695 is the cheapest way into Ducati style.

Ducati Multistrada 620

Yet another entry level Duke but the Ducati Multistrada 620 is more of an ‘all-rounder’ motorcycle to the Monsters’ ‘roadster’. The looks are an acquired taste and it’s not got a whole lot up top in the power department but the Ducati Mulitstrada 620 is a good, practical first big motorcycle. A bit more oomph and a bigger tank would have made it even more so.

BMW F800S

A revolutionary addition to the BMW stable, the BMW F800S has filled the yawning chasm between the marque’s 650 motorcycles and 1200 motorcycles with power, style and charisma. The BMW F800S has an excellent engine, superb handling and everyday usability to make it a bike you could learn to ride on yet keep, and enjoy, a very long time after you’ve got your motorcycle licence.

BMW R1200GS

The BMW R1200GS breezed into the motorcycle world in 2004 and changed it forever. It’s a genuine all-round motorcycle that’s equally at home on a trackday as it is on a grand tour. The BMW R1200GS' 1170cc Boxer engine is a pleasure to use, while the handling, braking, usability and comfort put this motorcycle in a class of one.

BMW K1200S

Hyper-sports touring motorcycle. One of the latest BMWs and that means it’s a seriously sorted motorcycle. The BMW K1200S has Suzuki GSX-1300R Hayabusa rivalling power but comfort and practicality too. Some radical engineering and plenty of proven technology. The latest Japanese hyper motorcycles are edging again on power – but the BMW K1200S is never short of shove.

BMW R1200R

By now the world knows BMWs can be fun: the 180bhp K1200S and R models are simply riotous. But somehow the Boxer-engine range has always maintained a straight-faced attitude – diligent, hard-working and hard wearing. Then some bright spark decides the R1200R should be fashionably naked, have sporting pretensions with half decent handling and agility, and a touch of midrange grunt. It lives, master…

Aprilia RX50

The Aprilia RX50 has the looks of a proper enduro bike, but none of the performance. Restricted, it’ll struggle to break 30mph, and de-restricted (illegal for 16 year-olds) it’ll top 50 eventually. The chassis will cope with gentle off-roading, but ride it harder and the RX50 will be out of its depth.

Aprilia Dorsoduro

The Aprilia Dorsoduro is priced competitively cheaper than Ducati’s Hypermotard and KTM 990 supermoto, and still turns heads, is laden with quality parts and has clearly been designed and not just thrown together. The Aprilia Dorsoduro may not be as radical as the competition or Aprilia’s marketing department would let us believe, however this does make it easy to ride, not intimidating, making the Dorsa a fun, real world, big capacity supermoto.

Aprilia Mana GT (2009-current)

The £6999 Mana 850 GT ABS is a clever bike and so much more than just a motorcycle with a big scooter engine. The new fairing and ABS add an extra layer of practicality and safety to a package which seems ordinary on paper, and a bit dull to look at, admittedly, but the Mana 850 GT ABS is absolutely fantastic in real life.

Aprilia SR50

This is the basic Aprilia SR 50, called the SR 50 Street. There’s also a higher-spec SR 50 R and SR 50 R Factory. With lots of styling cues taken from Aprilia’s fire-breathing superbikes, this 50cc scooter gives Italian style to restricted licence holders. Although it only does 30mph, there are lots of performance parts available to improve speed, braking and handling. It’s a superb scooter, but there are cheaper options out there.

New Piaggio MP3 500 and MP3 500 Sport

Piaggio is replacing the MP3 400 with a new MP3 500 for 2010, and the Gilera Fuoco 500 is now branded the MP3 500 Sport. Both MP3 500s share the same 492cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine with CVT transmission, putting out 40bhp. The standard MP3 500 is much the same as the rest of the MP3 range introduced in 2007, with the unique twin side-by-side front wheels with their own independent brake and suspension systems that allow it to lean like a conventional motorcycle, but with the added grip under braking, cornering and in wet weather that the extra tyre affords.

Suzuki SV1000

The Suzuki SV1000 is a purpose built big capacity, sensibly priced, road going sporty V-twin. Ok, the engine’s nicked from Suzuki’s old TL1000S but the rest of the SV1000 is all-new yet the price tag is very reasonable new or used. The faired Suzuki SV1000 ‘S’ version has lower bars but is the better all-rounder. The unfaired SV1000 with higher bars is a real funster if less competent on the motorway.

Suzuki GSX650F

Suzuki’s new budget and novice-friendly GSXF650F all-rounder proves that sometimes, brilliance is found in the most unlikely places. Although on face value merely a ‘Bandit with a fairing’ the GSX650F’s blend of real world performance, practicality, fun factor and value is pretty much unmatched anywhere.

Kawasaki Z750

The second version of the Kawasaki Z750 hits the right spot for lovers of style and a zinging engine. Much underrated in its original guise, the Kawasaki Z750 mimics the new stunning Kawasaki Z1000 for attitude, but has an engine that reaps rewards when abused and comes at much better price due to lower spec chassis parts.

Buell XB9SX Lightning

The Buell XB9SX is an oddity. What you get is an old-school v-twin in a high-tech chassis, all wrapped up in a mad-max style urban scrambler. On paper it makes very little sense – a modern naked middleweight out-performs it in every practical way. But it looks great, sounds mean and the handling is sublime. It would be a hard purchase to justify, but everybody should try one.

Suzuki Bandit 1250N

Suzuki could reverse its decision not to bring the new Bandit 1250N to the UK – if response to the bike at the NEC Show is positive. The restyled 2010 model is currently not due to be part of the UK range – instead the 2009-spec bike will continue. But Suzuki is bringing the new model – which has new head and tail lights, a new seat unit, clocks and exhaust can – to the NEC to see if there’s enough interest to warrant bringing it in.

Yamaha FZ1/FZS1000

What you get with the Yamaha FZ1/FZS1000 is the awesome 2002 R1 engine in a more practical but still high-spec chassis. The Japanese firm class the Yamaha Fazer 1000 as a sports motorcycle and they’re right – but it has the ability of a sports tourer and a city motorcycle, too – with more than a splash of musclebike / posing tool chucked in for nothing. One of the best premium, sporty all round motorcycles you can buy.

Honda VFR800 V-Tec

n the late 90s the old VFR800 was a great bike but needed updating. Its replacement, the Honda VFR800 V-Tec, is a beautiful thing and rides, goes and handles superbly too, but the Honda VFR800 V-Tec's variable valve timing caused some controversy - it's clever, but is it really necessary?

Triumph Daytona 955i

The Triumph Daytona 955i is an extremely rapid, sweet handling superbike. Unfortunately it was about four years too late in a fiercely competitive class. The R1, GSX-R1000 and FireBlade are lighter and faster. The Triumph Daytona 955i’s saving grace is its character from its gruff three-cylinder engine, distinctive understated looks and the fact few riders can use anything like all the performance any of these motorcycles offer.

Honda CB1100 X-11

Non-retro naked street-rod motorcycle was a brave marketing decision from Honda. Unfortunately the Honda CB1100 X-11's sales were slow and the plug was pulled quickly. Often thought of as an unfaried Honda CBR1100XX Super BlackBird – but it’s not. The Honda CB1100 X-11 is indecently powerful, big, very well put together and slightly iffy in the corners.

Honda ST1100 Pan European

For anyone looking for a long-distance tool the Honda ST1100 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 motor and construction quality is thermospherically high.

Yamaha MT-01

The Yamaha MT-01 has radical, straight-from-show-concept-bike styling allied to monstrous road presence which gives this motorcycle a kick-in-the-teeth visual appeal like no other. Build and detailing is fabulous and the thunderous engine sounds like no other. Shame performance is merely average yet the price stratospheric, then.

Benelli Tornado

The Benelli Tornado is a uniquely styled Italian sportsbike that handles and sounds like few other motorcycles, thanks to a big-capacity triple-cylinder motor and high quality suspension. Prices have crashed from their £11,700 high, with unused Benelli Tornado Tre examples now going for £6,195 - that's a lot of motorcycle for the money.

Suzuki GSX-R1000

This Suzuki GSX-R1000 is the original ‘Gixxer-thou’ – THE top dog sports bike of its day. Later Suzuki GSX-R1000s became smaller and more revvy as well as faster round circuits and arguably easier to handle. The original Suzuki GSX-R1000 K1 and K2 models are still supremely competent sports bikes and pretty decent all round machines too.

Suzuki GSX-R750

Perfect balance is a tricky concept to build into a motorcycle, especially a sportsbike, but the Suzuki GSX-R750 is arguably the best blend of sheer speed, fluid handling and outstanding braking that anyone could ask for. The GSX-R750 is devastatingly fast, at the track, or on the road and incredibly easy to ride too. It's so good, you wonder why anyone buys the Suzuki GSX-R1000, except to say `My Gixer's bigger than yours, yah-boo.'

Triumph Street Triple

Triumph’s new Street Triple looks just like a Speed Triple but with the engine out of the Daytona 675 – and it’s a revalation. The Street Triple is light, fast, fun, agile, sounds great, stylish, cool and cheap, too. Overnight the new Triumph has made its rivals seem like relics. The Street Triple isn’t just the best in its class it’s good enough and cheap enough to tempt all but the most performance-obsessed away from their sportsbikes. Not only that the little Triumph is comfortable enough to be an everyday town motorcycle, a first big bike or Sunday morning blaster. Like the new Triumphs of recent times, it seems like the firm from Hinckley once re-written the rule book.

Kawasaki ZX-10R

The new Kawasaki ZX-10R scores an easy five out of five; it surely must be the fastest production 1000cc bike of the current crop. But this ZX-10R is not all about Kawasaki’s new blistering engine and head-banging attitude, it’s controllable and handles much better than the previous ZX-10R and despite the blistering pace is actually easier to ride. Not for the faint hearted, the new ZX-10R is a true superbike for the road.

Ducati Streetfighter S

The Ducati Streetfighter looks like a crashed 1098 superbike but packs so much presence and attitude it works standing still. It needs to because at £13,995 for the S-version we rode here, it has a hell of a lot of competition on its hands in one of the biggest-growing classes in the UK.
Ducati claim it’s the lightest bike in the class, at 167kg (17kg lighter than the S4Rs it replaces) and it’s also the most powerful Ducati naked bike ever made.
It’s a liquid-cooled, 155bhp V-twin bruiser that uses a hybrid 1098/1198 motor, a modified frame for more stability and a slightly longer swingarm. Think of it a cross between a big supermoto and a Monster and you’ll be on the right track. And for speed, the S version rated here has better front and rear suspension, traction control and data analysis built-in.

Kawasaki GTR1400

Kawasaki has given the GTR a significant upgrade, added to the comfort of the original model with a larger screen and include heated grips as standard. But more interestingly they’ve improved the safety of their flagship tourer with new ABS and traction control. The traction control is really impressive and works off the ABS wheel sensors and is the most advanced system currently available on a road bike.

Honda VFR1200F

It’s been a long time coming, but the new Honda VFR1200F is fast enough to keep Super Blackbird owners happy and makes the VFR800 look as old as the hills. This is a true sports tourer in all senses of the term and could well be the easiest bike ever built to ride fast. It sounds great with a lovely V4 growl that gets louder above 7500rpm.

Harley-Davidson XR1200X

Based on the 2009 XR1200, the XR1200X is slightly more sports biased than the sports biased XR1200. Confused? Don’t be. All you have to think about is the X-model has vastly improved, multi-adjustable suspension that makes a difference when riding 187kg of American muscle on our roads. It also comes in a menacing black paint scheme with black exhausts. Engine spec remains the same as the XR1200. Just remember Harley’s idea of sports bike performance is nothing like a 600-1000cc sports machine produced in the past 20 years.

KTM 690 Duke R

Even though the bike tested was a pre-production unit – virtually finished bar the paintwork and decals – this bigger capacity 690 Duke is altogether a different machine than non-R model 690 Duke (654cc). The extra 36cc (KTM won’t confirm this figure until after official model launch, mid Nov ’09) of the new R-model with carbonfibre front mudguard and revised suspension makes the new Duke-R a sharp-looking back road scratcher.

Aprilia RSV4R

Aprilia’s RSV4R is a more affordable version of the all-singing, all-dancing RSV4 Factory. The engine is basically the same, without some of the Factory’s advanced electronics, but the chassis parts are slightly lower-spec. Despite this it’s still a beautifully-balanced technology-packed Italian missile. It’s monstrously fast, gives you loads of confidence in the corners, has superb ride quality, looks great (especially the new white livery), sounds even better and is massive fun. It’s a five star bike but problems with faulty con rods at the launch mean we’ve given it four stars.

BMW S1000RR first ride countdown

The long awaited BMW S1000RR makes its debut to the world's press at Portimao circuit in Portugal. According to BMW the S1000RR makes 193bhp and features four-stage ABS among other electronics systems.

Yamaha YZF-R125

Since 2004, Honda has had the learner sports bike market sewn up – the CBR125R flew out of showrooms faster than its larger capacity counterparts. Yamaha’s range had a gap for a 125 sport motorcycle, and the YZF-R125 fills that gap by combining the Honda’s easy-going ride with a little bit more poke and grown up looks – it’s actually slightly bigger than the YZF-R6 that inspired its styling!

Yamaha XVS1100

The Yamaha XVS1100 - a big cruiser of yesteryear is more a mid sized cruiser of today. It's an evolution of Yamaha’s long running XV1100 Virago which used to be its custom-style range topper but now it’s dwarfed by the near-two litre megacruisers. The Yamaha XVS1100 is somewhat old tech but light weight and manageability are always useful.

Yamaha FZS1000 Fazer

The Yamaha FZS1000 Fazer is a streetbike with an R1 engine – it could have been a compact brute of a machine with fearsome manners and ability to waste sports bikes below 80mph. But it’s actually a big softie with plenty of punch. Arguably the ultimate all round bike – a Yamaha FZS1000 Fazer does the lot and does it all extremely well.

Triumph Scrambler

Visually the most arresting of the retro Bonneville range, the Triumph Scrambler also makes a great all-round everyday bike. Dream of being Steve McQueen in the Great Escape as you zip down to Tescos on your cool Triumph Scrambler – just don’t go try to jump the checkout queues!

Triumph Speed Four

That engine still isn’t perfect but it ain’t half bad. A bit snatchy around town but, out in the open, it’s a dream. Alongside that handling and those brakes, you’re in for one hell of a ride on board the Speed Four. Incredibly capable and beautifully built, its distinctive looks are ideal for those who don’t want to go with the flow. And it sounds amazing...

KTM Super Duke

If all of life were like a KTM Super Duke it would be a short, barely glimpsed blur of action-packed vignettes. There is surely nothing more frenetic on two-wheels than the KTM 990 Super Duke short of sticking a nitrous kit, a jet turbine and a flame-thrower into the frame of a fold-up bicycle.

Triumph Speed Triple 1050

Triumph's Speed Triple 1050 is one factory Streetfighter than delivers the goods. It's plenty fast enough, in fact you can hit 150mph if you can hang on. Plus it sounds beautiful and the fact that it's a big heavy lump that needs manhandling round corners actually attracts devotees. The Speed Triple always was, and remains, a bit of a Rottweiler.

KTM 640 Adventure

If you’re used to smooth riding, civilized singles like BMW’s F650 range then KTM’s 640 Adventure will come as something of a shock. It’s very vibey, absurdly tall, not that comfortable and pre-2004 models suffer from patchy engine reliability. Having said that in the muddy side of its dual-purpose role it’s untouchable for handling, presence and rugged toughness.

Triumph Sprint ST 1050

The Triumph Sprint ST is the best sports-touring motorcycle of its generation by some margin. It’s smooth, long-legged, comfortable and handsome, with a effortless power to shrinks distances with delightful ease. What's more, the Triumph Sprint ST's more sporty bent means it handles better than any motorcycle in its class.

Triumph Street Triple R

Triumph’s standard Street Triple mixes Triumph Speed Triple style with the tech of a Triumph Daytona 675 engine. It's light, fast, fun, agile, stylish and cool... and it just got even better. The 'R' version comes with fully-adjustable suspension and fiercer radial four-pot Nissin front brakes, making it the perfect bike to tempt UK riders away from their sportsbikes. Triumph have been planning this uprated version since the launch of the standard Street Triple, so it's no after thought. If you're looking for a high-spec middleweight that blows the competition away, the Triumph Street Triple R is in a class of one.

KTM 690 Duke R

Even though the bike tested was a pre-production unit – virtually finished bar the paintwork and decals – this bigger capacity 690 Duke is altogether a different machine than non-R model 690 Duke (654cc). The extra 36cc (KTM won’t confirm this figure until after official model launch, mid Nov ’09) of the new R-model with carbonfibre front mudguard and revised suspension makes the new Duke-R a sharp-looking back road scratcher.

Harley-Davidson FLHTC Electra Glide

Harley cowboy meets Goldwing creature comforts. The Harley-Davidson FLHTC Electra Glide is an evocative all-American steed that can carry two plus luggage on a chugging adventure-cruise. Cynics would say the Harley-Davidson FLHTC Electra Glide works better on dry, straight, 55mph limit American roads than the drizzly UK where everyone belts up the motorway at 90+.