Recent Magazine Tests

[Suzuki Al]

For what it's worth Performance Bikes is the first magazine to not rave about the XT660X motard. Lack of top speed was their take on it.

Fast Bikes did a shootout between the Giant Dual Purpose bikes. Here is their final positions:

1 - BMW R1200GS
2 - KTM 950 Adventure
3 - Honda Varadero
4 - Suzuki DL1000 V Strom
5 - Triumph Tiger

Comments about their baby brothers "Diet Options":

F650 - good, capable but overweight all rounder
TA - ultra-civilized, smooth and reliable. Excellent commuter. More suited to the black stuff than the brown.
LC4 Adventure - Maddest of the diet options.
Baby Strom - comfy middleweight tourer with no off road aspirations.

These are not my opinions! I am just passing them on for information.

[XTreme]

Interesting they placed the Varadero above the Strom.
What were the reasons for that then?

[Suzuki Al]

They (Fast Bikes) say that the Varadero is ahead of the Strom "by a nose", a little better on the road and only marginally less useable than the Strom off road. Off road they are way behind the Beemer.

This test is very enthusiastic about the BMW, with its all round abilities making it a clear winner for them + all the usual rubbish about BMW's rock solid build.

If they were proper journalists they would know that the BMW is actually only half developed with serious faults affecting lots of these bikes. I wouldn't touch a 1200GS with a king size barge pole.

Did you know that the 1200 Beemer is the UK's top selling 1000cc+ bike? Just shows the power of brand image and marketing.

[mudlark]

I would have to disagree with their opinion that the TA is an excellent commuter. It's too high and wide to merit that description. The mirrors tend to be the same height as white van man's and 4x4 school run mum. IMO the CB600F Hornet is the danglies in the commuter stakes. It's nippy, small, comfortable and very agile.