I actually had a chance to ride a Triumph Speed 4 earlier this year when I was given one a courtesy bike while mine was being serviced.  Unfortunately, this particular example had major problems including an engine fault and a sticky throttle, so I concluded that it would be an unfair review.  Having just had my bike serviced again, I had another go on a different Speed 4 which was mechanically fine.

There are few bikes that you can hate within the first 5 minutes and then gradually grow to like over the course of the rest of the day.  However, the Triumph Speed 4 is one of them.  For a 600cc naked bike aimed and the newly qualified and born agains, this bike is incredibly difficult to ride.  The fuel injection is jerky at low speeds making the bike hard to ride smoothly, the riding position is cramped with high foot pegs and set back bars, revealing much of the characteristic of the TT600 that the Speed 4 is based on.

Once you get going however, the rev-happy 600cc motor delivers a reasonable amount of power, while the handling is absolutely perfect.  If you are after a naked sports bike then this is for you.  If you want a good all-rounder then you probably want a Fazer or Hornet instead.

The Triumph Speed 4 does have some good practical touches: you get a decent amount of light from the twin headlamps and a decent amount of protection from the instrument cowl.  Even at motorway speeds you get a fair amount of protection, although the revy engine is a little vibey at higher speeds.

Cracking bike to take for a blast, excellent sports bike like handling and feels extremely planted at high cornering speeds.
The low rev engine management is a major pain when riding in traffic.

Your first impressions of the Daytona 600 is a well balanced compact looking sports bike, with a lot in common with the Japanese class leaders.  However, two things let it down in my opinion, the smiley ram air intake gives the front of the bike a cheeky look that goes against the mean, aggressive posture of bikes like the Yamaha R6, that it competes with.  It also sports a mat grey exhaust system that doesn’t look right with the black exposed metal parts and frame.  Perhaps it would look better on a silver model (the demo bike was yellow).  As soon as you ride the Daytona 600 you notice the incredibly small foot pegs and brake pedal, even wearing size 9 boots, I constantly felt like my feet were going to slip.  However, you do get used to this and overall the bike feels roomy and light, with good wind protection and a comfortable seat for the rider.

Like many 600cc sports bikes, you need to keep the motor at high revs to get the best out of it.  Although it still pulled smoothly at low revs, it didn’t really take off until 7000 rpm.  The Daytona 600 has great, confidence building brakes that triumph are famous for and handling that made me feel instantly at home with the bike.  The riding position was not too extreme either and encourages good body movement and positive steering in corners.  This has you sliding in your seat to obtain a classic knee down position with hardly any effort.  At no point did the Daytona 600 squirm or complain, despite some fairly bumpy, high-speed bends.  You really do feel at home hustling this bike around after only a short period of time, the feedback is that good.  When you get a chance to really open the throttle you notice a distinctive roar as the power comes on hard at high revs, this bike could easily be used as a road/track sports bike and enters the market in good form.

Confidence building sports 600 with a practical side.
A lack of low end power and some unusual styling lets this bike down.

This was my first ride of a 3 cylinder bike and indeed a Triumph (courtesy of Jack Lilley Triumph), I had turned to the British company after looking at bikes like the Honda Fireblade and Kawasaki ZX9R.  The bike is well accommodating and has a usefully large 21 litre fuel tank, which should see ranges in excess of 130 miles.  I also found the seat comfortable and roomy even after an hour of riding it.  There really is so much to like about this bike from its practical touches that set it apart from other litre class sports bikes to its distinct 3 cylinder roar.  There are however one or two flaws, at low speeds (e.g. filtering or navigating wet roundabouts) the engine is difficult to keep constant.  It takes a moment for the engine to respond to small throttle openings that resulted in open, back off, open type behaviour.  This is not particularly useful when slow speed riding, but something that could be accommodated by a change in riding style.  The exhaust also burbles and pops on throttle close occasionally which although gives it a race bike feel, would indicate some refinement in the fuel injection is needed.

Overall this is a fine handling distinctive sports bike that is just that bit different from the array of Japanese road racers.

The best of a V-twin an inline four combined to make one of the best Sports bikes around.
Possibly in need of some tweaking with the fuel injection to refine its low speed ability.

In my quest to replace my current bike before the end of the year, I decided to give the 2002 Sprint ST a go.  Fortunately I was lucky enough to spend a couple of hours riding around the roads of Berkshire, putting the ST to test (where traffic conditions allowed).  After being keen to test the 2002 Daytona at the back end of last year, I had come away wondering if the fuel injected triple might not be for me.  However, despite featuring the same 955i motor (in detuned form), the two bikes couldn’t be more different.  Where I had struggled to keep the Daytona smooth in slow moving traffic, the Sprint was perfectly manageable.  The fuel injected engine was quick to respond and happy to sit at a constant throttle.  Two features of vital importance when trying to filter packed Surrey and Middlesex roads, heavily congested by the Hampton Court Flower Show traffic.  The 2002 Sprint ST kicks out around 118BHP (up 10 from last years model), which combined with 100n/m (75ft/lb) of torque stands it a good head and shoulders above the VFR in the grunt department.  Although the Sprint ST is a good 5-10Kg heavier than my current bike at 207Kg (dry) and a couple of cm taller at 800 cm, it felt substantially lighter and more nimble to ride.  The bike was incredibly stable when taking high speed bends and very quick to turn.  It also banked over smoothly and consistently never giving the impression that it was going to topple in, even at very slow speeds.  After about 20 minutes of riding, I was convinced that the Sprint had the comfort and flexibility to be suitable for commuting and touring, yet still keep up with all but the fastest of superbikes – everything I was looking for.  A seemingly perfect combination of power and flexibility, would lead me to score this bike highly if performance and practicality where the only criteria.

However, when it comes to quality and value for money the British made Triumph is not quite so perfect.  At a list price of over £8,000 it is priced on a par with the VFR.  When you start looking at extras you are talking about £1000 for a luggage system and around £400 for a service (although the interval is higher than most at 6000m).  However, one thing that will cost you less is insurance - my insurance quote came in nearly 50% cheaper than the equivalent value/aged VFR, which on my annual mileage would be enough to cover most of the servicing costs.  The instrument layout of the ST is in keeping with the sports touring nature of the bike, which included an analogue Speedo and rev counter (my preference).  However, I would have preferred an adjustable clutch lever and wondered if the cable operation would have been better replaced with a hydraulic system (although it was in no way heavy).  I also couldn’t help noticing the gap between the frame and the fairing panels and the amount of heat which seemed to be channelled under the seat.  This left me feeling that the finish might not be quite up to the VFR it was trying to take on.  On the other hand I'm sure I will be happy to put up with a warm seat, over the winter and may find the Sprint easier to clean with the fairing mount design.

The fact that these are my only criticisms is a sure sign that the Sprint ST is by far the best motorcycle for my needs.  The handling was simply superb, 90 mph+ sweepers where easy to negotiate and overtakes possible in about half the space of my current bike.  I also found the front brakes made light work of shedding speed (particularly when confronted by a stupid bint in a SL280 doing a U turn in Ascot high street right in front of me without indicating).   If you are looking for a good sports-tourer that has enough power to keep up with superbikes and tour effortlessly, then you should definitely give the sprint a try.

Comfortable and powerful, the Sprint ST is a distinctive British sports-tourer that competes well against the VFR it is trying to beat.

By the time you’ve added luggage and security, you’ll not get much change from £10,000 unless you are good at negotiating.  Short supply until the factory is back up to speed may also reduce the number of bargains around. 

Oct-2002

Having spent several months trying to get a sensible price on a 2002 model Sprint ST, I resorted to emailing 50 dealers requesting the best price on a new or nearly new model.  Several rounds of price matching and negotiation resulted in a quote of £6,900 inc. Alarm (£300) and Rack (£125), in blue from Carl Rosner in Croydon.

Jan-2003

I’ve got a couple of thousand miles on the bike now, which is a lot less than I had expected, but the unusually wet winter months and me working away during the week has meant I haven’t really been able to explore the bike that much.  I am still impressed with the awesome grunt of the triple and was quite able to keep up with a current Daytona on a ‘spirited’ ride a few weeks back.  This made me think; 120bhp and 75ft/lb of torque is not far off the output of litre class sports bikes of 3-5 years ago.  Yet I can get around 50mpg and sit in comfort.  Most of the magazines suggest a top speed of 150mph, but I suspect this is out of date and referes to the early sprints.  Given that the current ST has 10bhp more and is 5kg lighter, than it’s closest rival (the 158mph VFR) it should be able to touch the 160mph mark, with a bit of encouragement, unless there is something very wrong with the gearing or aerodynamics.

The only niggles I’ve experiences is the fan cuts in when I get stuck in particularly heavy London traffic, with no room to filter and I have experienced a bit of popping on over run (engine braking on a closed throttle) at low revs.  The dealer attempted to correct this by increasing the fuel mix, which has helped.  A side affect is that the power feels up on high revs, but that might be my imagination or the fact that the engine is now loose. It’s also worth noting that my experience of water-cooled bikes is limited, so fan assisted cooling is a novelty, come to think of it I may have been unwittingly sitting on a cooking bike in the past without ever knowing it.

Nov-2003

I’ve done almost 10,000 miles on the bike and am using it 3-4 times a week.  At the 6,000 service (the first proper service) the dealer applied the latest engine management tune, which completely cured the popping.  Unfortunately this seemed to reset within 1,500 miles, such that the bike has settled back to it’s old ways of giving a little pop on a long engine brake.  It’s nowhere near as bad as v-twins I’ve ridden and doesn’t seem to be causing any problems.

Despite regular abuse and frequent commuting, the consumables are holding up well.  I’m just about to replace the rear tyre which I don’t think is bad going, the chain also seems to have plenty of life left and the brakes still feel like new.

The bike has only let me down once, when I tried to start it and found that it wouldn’t idle.  I kept thumbing the starter and eventually concluded that I’d have to nurse it home holding the throttle open, over braking and slipping the clutch for most of the 1 hour ride through busy London traffic.  If only I’d turned the ignition off and on again to get the bike to reset, as when I got home I did this and the idle was restored.  It has since been fine.

Triumph have also significantly lowered the price now making the Sprint a real bargain, this has had the obvious impact on used prices, making mine worth about £5,500 after just over a year.  I suspect the depreciation will have evened out by year 4, which is probably when I will replace it.  I should be able to get £3-4K depending on mileage, which is obviously going to be high.

Feb-2004

'I've Just spent £525, on the 12,000 mile service, which in my view is a little expensive.  However, given that the 6000 mile service was £120, it’s the equivalent of £215 per 4000 mile service (when comparing other bikes).  The price included a new clutch cable and rear brake pads, which indicates the type of riding I am doing at the moment (mainly London commuting).  Unfortunately a week later my bike is now in for major repair following an accident (SMIDSY’d) and may well be written off.  If only this had happened before the service?  The problem I now face is that I'll have to foot the massive depreciation bill for 18 months use and will probably get less than £6000, which won't be enough to replace it.  Hopefully the bike will be an economic repair, which probably means a new front tyre within the next 1500 miles or so.  I’ll then be running BT20s front and back.

Nov-2004

Cosmetic damage has a way of looking worse than it is, so despite having problems with the accident repair company the bike is now back on the road and the 3rd party claim settled (that's actually very quick for a bike claim).  It's just passed 18,000 and had the minor service, which was 150 quid as the chain adjuster had siezed.  Suprisingly I'm still on the original chain and front brakes which look like making 20K.  I reckon my rear tyre will probably need replacing at the next service.  So I'm doing about 10-12K on the rear and 12-14k on the front.  I've mostly switched to motorway & A road commuting and leasure riding now, the sprint is absolitely perfect for this.  Will I be upgrading to a new 1050 sprint in the spring?  Not for another 4bhp I wont, despite it's good looks.

My first impression of this bike was – my god it’s huge.  Even though the seat is adjustable I was only just able to get my foot down (I’m 5’9 by the way, but the seat may have been set high).  However, the tiger caries it’s weight well, so you don’t feel that you are going to topple over at first set of red traffic lights.

The Tiger is effortless to chuck around bends, gentle force really lets you get down to business.  I had absolutely no problem keeping up with the pack of sports and sports tourers.  The riding position is also extremely comfortable with a surprising amount of protection from the fairing.  This bike certainly adds another dimension for those looking at a bike that will do more than just tour, although you’d probably be more appreciative of it if you were 6’.

Bags of fun and really shows of the versatility of triumph's 3 cylinder motor.
As ugly as sin and a little tall for Mr. average height.

If you are not familiar with the Virago it is a small air-cooled V-twin cruiser with a basic level of trim. No digital console or rev counter. Twin rear shocks and non-adjustable conventional front forks. An adequate single disk front brake and an easily locked up drum rear brake. Oddly it has two petrol tanks one visible on top and a hidden one under the seat, all connected to conventional twin carbs via a Heath-Robinson lash up of fuel pump and tubing. Wheels are chromed steel with spokes and tubed tyres. Rear drive is by a maintenance-free shaft. I haven't wanted many spares but they vary in price from cheap to outrageous, i.e. typical for Japanese bikes.

It is not intended to be a tourer. Nevertheless 300 miles in a day is readily acheivable without using motorways, and the Virago handles well up to 60mph on B-road and returns 60 mpg at that speed. Top speed is about 95mph if you are very brave.

Let's get the negatives out of the way. Starter clutch bolts came undone at 10k miles and nearly wrecked the engine (a common fault). Electric fuel reserve switch never worked; I disconnected it and modified the fuel feed lines bypassing the reserve, now I can easily get 150+ miles on a tank. I want 200+ miles but can't get a larger tank anywhere. I also want a centre stand and can't get one to fit. I have fitted Goodridge brakehoses (£20),a gell pad in the seat (£33) and a small screen (£50). It is on its third battery (£25). The bike has never broken down on the road. I do my own servicing at 4k miles for less than £20 all up.

Now the good bits. I do an annual tour for 2 weeks doing 2-3k miles on the back roads of Europe every year, and lots of UK weekends. The engine is a real gem and pulls from low down. Despite reports, the finish on my 10 year old Virago is generally excellent, big exception was the flaky engine lacquer quickly replaced by a black, baked on enamel finish.  For a cruiser it steers and handles well at legal speeds.

The benchmark mid-range cruiser, ideal for the shorter rider.
A few finish and design flaws are it's only weakness

Cheep to insure and a comfortable mid-sized commuter/sports tourer
A power output more in-line with a 400 cc bike than a 600

If you want an exciting ride with ballistic top speed and acceleration it's not for you. If you want to be fastest away from the lights apart from quick bikes, low maintenance and easy to do when it needs it, 500 mile a day in comfort, shaft drive so no messing with chains and sprockets, good pillion accomodation and 200 mile plus tank range (easy) then this is for you. 

For the price, this is an awful lot of bike. Finish ain't great but I ride all year round and a quick bucket of water on a weekend or jetwash keeps it acceptable. Recommended, as long as, like I say you buy it for the right reasons.

Low maintenance shaft drive and a comfortable commuter/ tourer
Like the 600 the 900 isn't exactly quick or light weight

When you first ride the R6 you find yourself changing up far too early, as half the bike's power is above 10,000 rpm.  This bike begs you to thrash it and rewards you with a punch of power in the last 2,000 rpm.  Once you've learned to use the engine and gearbox properly, the pace and delivery of ride is more in common with a litre class sports bike than a 600.  Fortunately when it comes to slowing down for a bend, the brakes and handling are sufficient to get you round without too many difficulties.  A good push on the bars and a constant throttle gets the R6 flopped on it side and encourages fast riding throughout.

The rev happy R6 is by far the best looking in it’s class setting trends that Kawasaki and Honda have since copied.  If you are after the most powerful and agile sports 600, then look no further, but with pillion grab rails as an optional extra and an extremely focused riding position, there are a lot of contenders that are almost as good on track, but a lot more suited to road going duties.  An ideal track bike, but in my opinion the cheaper and more practical Kawaski ZX6R is a better choice for those who don’t want race track ability to impact quite so much on road going comfort. 

An impressive 165mph top speed and superb brakes makes this bike hard to beat at any track day.  However, few riders will be able to get the best of this machine and may find that extra ability is wasted when it comes to every day use.

The fastest and best handling sports bike - competes well against 750s too!
Not very practical, expensive and unsuitable if you don't have prior sports bike experience

The major things that are really crappy about the DNA are these:

• The paint bubbles and scratches off easily
• The black plastic head / screen - marks easily
• The seat marks easily
• The forks need a little more oil inside
• The bolts that hold the tank to the bike scratch your visor when you try to put your helmet inside.
• The engine won't start easily in the rain, morning, day, night, cold, dry or any other times. 

Overall I'd say the DNA is pretty average, but If you ride a DNA, and feel I am biased, then I hope you have ridden it in rain, sleet, dry, hot and freezing weather like I have!
Good handling and performance.
Poor reliability as an all season bike.

Weather protection must be the X9's strongest point. Riding in rain where visibility is down to a few hundred yards, and the rain is flowing in rivers across roads, my jacket got wet on the upper chest and shoulders, however the trousers where only damp from where the rain had landed while stopped at traffic lights. In light drizzle, your shoulders get damp, but not once have I had to hang my gear out to dry. The screen on the fairing is really well designed and at even 30 mph in the rain, is enough to ensure that the wind keeps the screen clear. Leg protection from the fairing is just as effective, and houses even more really convenient cubby holes.  I'm 5'8, my wife is 5'4. I can comfortably sit with both feet on the ground, whereas she has to stand on her toes. Still, even for her size, she does not believe that the bike actually weighs what is does, it is so well balanced.

Problems, well firstly there's the PICS system. Very over-rated as it's reception is pathetic, plus with blue-tooth technology etc, who still has bits of cable that you plug in? Second, the Piaggio Top Box. If you're looking for something to destroy a smooth ride, fit one of these. The wind buffeting is so bad, I thought I was going to lose my helmet. These bikes have huge underseat storage, so for anyone carrying a briefcase on their daily commute, get one that fits under the seat and dump the top box. It is however a nice extra to have aboard with the missus when going away for a day. It only takes five minutes to take-off and put on. Wife enjoys the padded backrest and bit of security, plus it allows her to take everything a lady could want, from beachwear for the day to evening wear, plus the hairdryer and other essential bits.  I couldn't recommend a better bike. I was looking at the 650 Burgman and Honda Silverwing and Deauvilles, but when it comes to value for money and smiles per mile, you cannot beat an X9.

Things to look for if buying second hand, rusty exhaust, rusty nuts and shiny bits. There are no non-rust nut kist for the X9, so it needs to be kept clean. If you're looking for a well maintained model, check the nuts first and you'll see if the bike just been tidied up to tease that cash out your wallet. Must haves, SL derivative, Michelin Gold Standard Tyres, Datatag, Service history, V5 and immobiliser key.

Why this ongoing punt for Gold Standards, well let's just say, if there are 4 models of the X9, there are eight, 4 with Gold Standards, 4 with other tyre makes. The X9 gives fantastic feedback to the rider of the road conditions. Take the GS tyres away, and (especially the 500) takes on new dimnsions in vagueness, guessing and hope in knowing what is happening on the road.

Super tourer comfort in a scooter package
The top box can upset the flow 

The bike comes with two engine options. A somewhat underpowered 125 and the more practical 200. The 200 motor pulls hard from anywhere in the rev range, allowing the rider to move away in 2nd gear, with most city riding attainable through 3rd gear alone. Despite a quoted 12PS, the bike feels quite quick, pulling away from traffic lights quite rapidly up to 50 mph. Indeed it has an advantage over automatic scooters in this respect. Top speed seems to be around 65-70 mph. Motorway use is a tiring and vibey affair, which I do not recommend although the bike does still have reasonable overtaking ability above 50 mph, which make a roads a hoot.

The grip mounted 'twist shift' gearbox is initially a pain, but becomes perfectly acceptable as the rider becomes more familiar. Brakes are a compromise with disc (front) and drum (rear).

Handling is not a strong point. The weight balance of the bike is very unpredictable with the engine positioned to the right of the rear wheel. The front end feels over-light, immensely so when carrying a passenger. In fact it seems impossible to find a definitive way to set the bike up for a fast corner - better just to slow down! Ride quality is similarly unfocussed with bumps shaking through the frame.

Practically speaking, the bike is excellent for pillions with a very comfortable sear and foot space on the running board. There is no storage space under the seat, although it does have a sizeable glove box. From a security perspective, it is difficult to find a lock narrow enough to fit through the front wheel and the back wheel is solid. However PXs are not a theft target (unlike most other scooters). The fuel consumption seems to be around 50-60 mpg in the city. It is strongly recommended to only use fully synthetic 2-stroke oil.

Finish is variable with some poor attention to detail. Some 'chrome' parts are plastic, and the glove box rattles at high revs. However, despite 18 months of city use in wet and dry the all-metal frame has shown no sign of rusting. Durability is outstanding, in part due to the fact that the design is so simple.  I have encountered no problems aside from a broken indicator, which was fixed as part of the 3 year (30GBP option) Piaggio warranty.

Overall the PX200 is an interesting alternative to modern scooters / small motorbikes. It has looks and iconic status which are not generally available at this price, and remarkable residuals - they only depreciate 25 percent over three years. 

Interesting alternative to a modern twis-n-go scooter, with low depreciation
Poor performance for the engine capacity and unpredictable handling 

The numbers I have called for parts are manned by the secret police who say and I qoute "call a dealer we don't deal with the bikes after they are sold" Well the dealers are sold the bikes in lots and are offered no form of service backup so they are in the same boat as the consumer. Now the service might get better with time but right now my fairly new bike is down and no way of getting parts or service answers.

A fairly well equiped scooter
Extremely poor dealer and manufacturer backup

Flexible to suit different riders needs with good equipment for a bargain price.
A Fairly bland package means this scoot won't get you noticed.