Working out the best type of bike for you is one of biking’s biggest conundrums. With so many options to choose from, it’s not always easy to figure out the best two-wheeler, from sportsbike to scooter, cruiser to adventure bike – we’ll help you pick the best motorbike for your needs.
Adventure bikes started life as basic off-road pluggers that would get you anywhere. They were simple bikes, like the Yamaha XT500, Suzuki DR650, and even the R80GS. Back in the day, an Adventure motorcycle was essentially a motocross chassis with a bigger, heavier engine. No good for MX but plenty capable for any terrain from …
What can be more exciting than passing your CBT? Getting your first bike, of course! Your CBT or an A1 licence allows you to ride bikes up to 125cc, the perfect size for a starter. Just because you ‘only’ have a CBT it doesn’t mean you have to settle for anything less than the most …
A Basic Guide to Motorcycle Engines It is the engine in your motorbike that makes it so much fun. Compact and lightweight, it is the power and thrust of your motorbike engine that gives it the edge over four wheeled road users. There are a wide range of motorcycle engines to choose from, and a …
20 years ago (which, I appreciate, is a long time), Supermotos were on everyone’s lips. In a market dominated by Superbikes, they were the ‘next big thing’. While they did gain a cult following, they never really hit the mainstream. The thing is, while they’re seriously good fun they’re also seriously unpractical. They have stupidly …
If you’re new to biking or thinking about getting a motorbike, there’s a lot to take on and it can be confusing. One of the best places to start is to work out what sort of bike makes you think “Yes, I want to be a biker.” Although you might not start off on the …
While the market might have shifted its focus (and buying power) to Adventure bikes, manufacturers are still working hard to produce even lighter, faster and more tech-packed superbikes than ever before. Table of Contents What you need to know For me, there’s no better thrill than thrashing a motorbike around a race circuit. There’s something …
The term Naked, in the world of motorcycling, is actually hard to define. From the year dot, motorcycles were ‘naked’ i.e. they had no fairing. But then along came fairings and motorcycles needed classification. So by default, a normal motorcycle became a ‘Naked’. Table of Contents Naked bikes are also known by other terms; Roadsters, …
Cafe Racers look fast even when they’re parked up. There’s something about that hunched look you get when you add clip-ons to a naked bike, that makes them look primed for speed. They originated in the UK in the ’60s. Younger riders were looking for ways to take their old bikes and make them quicker …
The topic of conversation amongst the Biker Rated team this week has been our kids. Apart from having a good moan and wishing they came with manuals, plus laughing at their funny escapades, we noticed how much they all want to be involved with our bikes. Electric bikes are a great way to introduce your …
A factory-made Bobber is a bit of an oxymoron in the motorcycle world. Bobbers came about when owners wanted to strip their motorcycles of everything they deemed superfluous. Out went any bodywork, the passenger seat and usually the rear suspension too. All in the pursuit of purity. Bobbers came about in the ’50s but never …
For me, a Sports Tourer should be 70% sport and 30% touring. If it doesn’t come with factory-fit hard luggage then it’s, at best, just a soft sportsbike. Our guide picks 5 of the best sports touring motorcycles, each one offering a different engine layout, different capacity and a different approach to clocking up big …
Am I the only one that thinks cruiser riders are different from other bikers? Not different in a bad way, just ploughing a different furrow. You rarely meet someone on a cruiser that owns any other type of motorcycle. Likewise, if you meet a biker with a few different bikes in the garage, it’s rare …
Three-grand is a decent chunk of change when it comes to buying a motorcycle. You can get some almost-new smaller capacity motorbikes with that kind of dough, but you’re looking at a bike that’s probably around a decade old if you want something with a larger engine size, say 600cc and above. Because motorcycles are …
Honda introduced the first automatic motorcycle in 1976 , the CB750A. Despite the advert above, with the pretty lady draped over the fella, Hondamatic went down like a roast chicken at a vegan BBQ. After the Hondamatic, for 30 years, automatic motorcycles were almost non-existent. However, as bikers have grown older, the demand for an …
When you think about an adventure bike, what comes to mind? Kudos to you if you don’t immediately think of BMW’s big GS Adventure. It is the poster-boy for a mid-life crisis and the go-to adventure motorcycle. BMW just can’t make enough of them and now the new R1250GS is in dealership, no doubt even …
Table of Contents Three-wheeled scooters can be a better choice over a two-wheeled scooter. Providing almost all of the stability of a four-wheeled vehicle and a lot of the benefits of a two-wheeler, they are safer on the road and often the preferred choice of commuters or city riders who are happy to sacrifice a …
You can get a lot of bike for £2,000 but you’ve got to know what you’re looking for. From big ’90s classics to smaller newer bikes, the market offers a range of great choices. Table of Contents Most of our picks are over a decade old but there are loads of models on the market …
Whether you’re looking for your first affordable big bike or just got your CBT and need a cheap entry model, there are literally 1000s of motorbikes out there under £1,000. Table of Contents From entry-level 125cc motorbikes to big-engined beasts, there are many inexpensive motorcycles out there. To make your life easier, we even selected …
For decades, owning a scooter is a milestone in any young person’s life. Being able to get from A to B without taking public transport or Mum or Dad’s taxi service adds an extraordinary level of independence. Table of Contents How old do you have to be to ride a scooter? The good news is, …
Best Touring Motorcycles There is hardly anything more exciting than embarking on an on-the-road adventure. When it’s just you and your bike, though, you must be sure to have a trustworthy ally. There are many rides out there, but only the best touring motorcycles can live up to the expectation. The ones below are all-round …
Kawasaki Ninja 125 What better way to hello to motorcycling than with a brand new Kawasaki Ninja 125? An unmissable deal if you’ve just passed your CBT and look for a punchy first bike. This Performance Edition version comes with an arrow sports exhaust and packs all safety feature you’d expect from a 2019 model. …
Best Modern Retro Motorcycles Bullit Spirit 125 Bullit Spirit stands out as one of the most affordable café racers out there. It might be a bit skittish in bends and lacks ABS brakes, but these are small annoyances considering its price tag. It might not be the best for long-haul riding, but it’s a sweet …
You’ve just obtained an A2 licence. Congrats! This means, however, that it’s the time to upgrade your ride. Bye by 125! There’s a huge amount of choice out there. If you want the performance of a sportsbike but you don’t want a bike with a full-on riding position, then a naked bike – or roadster …
An A2 motorbike licence opens a new world of possibilities in terms of bikes you can ride. Forget about the pros and cons of a 125cc; you can now hop on any saddle as long as the engine below it doesn’t exceed 47bhp (35kW). The good news is that you can pick from a much …
Riding a scooter to school or work can save you time and money on your daily commute. An electric scooter can be even cheaper to run and it’s also better for the environment. If you commute around 300-miles a month, a fuel-efficient moped would cost you roughly £15 in fuel, whereas the equivalent electric scooter …
Cars have paved the way for electric vehicles and like it or not, it’s time for motorcycles to feel the electric power. Are you amped-up for the electric generation or feeling flat about the demise of petrol-powered bikes? You might get a shock when it comes to the price of the majority of electric motorcycles; …
Let’s face it; an adventure bike is not for everyone. By definition, they’re built with an eye to rugged-road riding and for that, you need long travel suspension to soak up the bumps and ruts (and ideally a front wheel with a larger diameter to roll over rather than into the potholes). All this usually …
An A2 motorcycle opens up a whole world of new riding possibilities. If you’ve done your CBT and ridden around on a 125cc bike for a year or two, the step up to an A2 motorcycle will be rewarding and enjoyable in equal measure. Table of Contents Bigger, heavier but more powerful and faster than …
Table of Contents A maxi-scooter is a great two-wheeler choice if you’re after both comfort and performance in a package that’s easy to handle and effortless to ride. What is a maxi scooter? More powerful than regular scooters, a maxi-scooter is defined as a scooter with an engine capacity over 125cc. Often they have larger …
Table of Contents If you’re tired of spending hours stuck in traffic or squeezing yourself into a stinky train carriage, you’re in the right place! A 125cc scooter will revitalise your commute, save your time and mean you’re never held to ransom by tube strikes again! There is an abundant choice on the market; whether …
Below is a list of all the A1 licence friendly motorcycles you can buy new from UK motorcycle dealers today. Essentially this is a list of 125cc bikes, which is the upper engine capacity that you can ride on a motorcycle CBT licence or A1 motorcycle licence. Table of Contents How the CBT and A1 …
Below is a list of all the A2 motorcycles you can buy new in motorcycle dealers in the UK in 2019. If you want a full list of every A2 motorcycle then click the link. A2 in a nutshell You can ride any motorcycle, as long as its original power output is no more than …
If you’re new to motorcycling, you have a few hoops to jump through. The new(ish) category A, A1 and A2 motorcycle licence structure can be a bit confusing at first. It used to be that you either rode a 125cc bike on L-plates and then you did your test and rode a big bike but …
Just like in the car world, motorcycles and scooters are grouped by the insurance companies to help them calculate your insurance premium. A bike’s group will have a pivotal effect on the premium you are quoted. In fact its group will affect whether or not you can be offered a quote at all. Table of …
In order to enjoy the awesome power of your bike on the road, it must be insured. This is a legal requirement, and quite frankly, there are no excuses not to hold valid insurance for your bike. Road tax, insurance, fuel and the cost of your motorbike itself are all expenses that you cannot avoid …
It looks clean but does this motorbike have a hidden past? No time to read this motorcycle HPI check guide? Click here to grab our recommended HPI check In this guide, we’ve highlighted the pros and cons of all the different motorcycle history checking services, from the free to the paid for. In short, the …
Ah, the old moped vs scooter debate – it never goes away but we’re here to settle it, once and for all! Mopeds and scooters offer a cost-effective transport option for new riders, or those looking to keep costs down. The simplest bike to start out a long career of happy and safe riding is undoubtedly …
Ex-demo stands for ex-demonstrator and it’s usually a new-model motorcycle that the dealer has registered so that potential customers can test ride it or it may also be used by the dealership staff to commute with or use to go between service stations or other dealerships. Table of Contents Most ex-demo motorcycles are sold with …
Diesel has long been the fuel of choice for car drivers who want to save money or eke out a few more miles per gallon over their petrol equivalents. Motorcycles and scooters can already return a higher miles per gallon figure than most cars, so surely a diesel-powered motorcycle would be a motorcycle commuters dream, …
Table of Contents Cat B, C and cat D (N&S) Salvage Codes Explained If you have ever thumbed through the for sale ads or browsed online for a new motorbike, you will probably have seen bikes noted as being Cat B, C or D write offs. If these letters mean nothing to you, perhaps you …
Cat A, B, C, D and now N & S write-off motorcycles explained Read More »
In the car world, you can forgive an automatic gearbox but for us bikers, we want to be able to change gear manually, right? Well, kinda. Automatic gearboxes used to be the preserve of old grannies in the car world, but did you know, only a quarter of new cars sold in the UK in …
Motorcycles are great in so many ways but the fact they sip petrol like a budgie drinks water is an added bonus. Most motorcycles can carry between 10 and 16 litres of fuel and will easily manage 50mpg. With a gallon costing around £5, that’s just 10 pence per mile. Table of Contents While petrol …
Motorcycle insurance groups range from 1 to 17 for a majority of insurers. The lower the number, the cheaper that motorbike or scooter is likely to be to insure. When you’re comparing motorbikes during the buying process, it’s worth thinking about how much they would cost to insure and what the cheapest motorcycle for you …