Here you’ll find a few reviews, specs, low-downs…all of that stuff, and it’s all to do with bikes. Some of these are either not road-legal or have ceased production, but we hope it’ll give you a bit more of an idea about bikes of yesteryear, biks of today, and maybe even bikes of tomorrow!
Honda CBR 500
I actually have a soft spot for the old CBR, given that it was my first bike ever and they’ve really improved the concept over the years.
This handy little commuter bike is slim enough to slip through traffic, but still has a stylish edge that’ll make you stand out on the roads.
The CBR has a liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine, it’s a six-speed manual, has 105mph as its top speed and has 30lb/ft of torque.
If I’m honest, this one is the perfect happy medium for me, carrying double the power of the 250cc but not being a road monster like the upgraded versions. That gives you just the acceleration you need to get away from the traffic lights in the morning, but doesn’t break the bank in terms of fuel consumption, with around 64pmg as opposed to the 77pmg of the 250.
Triumph Daytona 955
The Triumph Daytona 955 is the fondest dream of many a bike owner; or rather it was when they were still being manufactured. They made quite a splash in the automotive industry when they were introduced, with a liquid-cooled, inline three four stroke engine.
With a top speed of 161mph, 66lb/ft, 6 gears, a cast aluminium frame and a 955cc engine, the Triumph was quite the powerhouse in its day, without sacrificing the appeal to the everyman just wanting to get to work.
The Triumph 955 helped to establish the new brand as a serious contender in terms of sports bikes, and the unique three-cylinder design has been copied by multiple companies since then.
Kawasaki Ninja H2R
Here it is, folks: the fastest bike in the world that’s actually legal to drive. And it’s been tested for speed and safety.
The track-only variant is the H2R, but you can pick up a slightly less powerful street-legal version in the form of the H2. Both have a variable-speed centrifugal-type supercharger, while the Ninja H2 dials things down to 200 horsepower (as opposed to the 310 of the H2R).
The engines of both are 998cc, inline-4, four-valve, dual overhead cam design with a two-speed, centrifugal supercharger. They’re controlled with throttle-by-wire, have carbon fiber stud wings, a steel trellis frame and 6-speed transmission.
For the layman: that’s a fast, expensive bike.
The Kawasaki Ninja models have been manufactured from 2014 until the present day, and carry a price tag of around $65,000 in Aussie dollars at the very least, more if you’re looking for seat or engine mods.
Of course, ‘fast’ isn’t for everyone, and many owners of the H2 will never actually make it anywhere near their potential top speed. Still, many bikes are more about the prestige and the notice (hence why Harleys haven’t done anything about their engine noise), and just being seen on a Ninja H2 is enough street cred for most people, even considering the maintenance costs.
Dodge Tomahawk.
The legendary Dodge Tomahawk is something of an oddity among bike enthusiasts, with the vehicle splitting us right down the middle.
Some fast facts: the bike was developed by Chrysler (better known for cars and not bikes), is a bulky monster of a bike with two wheels on front and two in back, has a massive engine that outdoes a lot of cars and is TOTALLY impractical.
The entire thing was essentially one giant publicity stunt, and a chance to show a bit of creativity (plus have a bit of fun). Theoretically, thanks to its utterly mind-boggling 500-horsepower engine, the Tomahawk could exceed 400 miles-per-hour and achieve 60mph in 2.5 seconds thanks to its acceleration.
In reality? The bike was never declared road-legal. It’s a true monster of a concept, and I imagine functions really well as an interesting centrepiece (some of the very few Tomahawks in existence sold for over half a million dollars), but that’s it.
Looks amazing though. Could even be the future of motorcycles, if they fix the safety issues, and maybe widen all roads by a few metres.