Matt's November Column

A do- it- all bike

Over the years I’ve built up a wonderful collection of bikes for all occasions. Each have their own place in my life, their own time to use. My ’93 Fireblade is a classic that comes out when I want to enjoy the bike I dreamed of owning for years. It’s got attitude (satin black, loud can) but also has that perfect carburettor fueling and old school sportsbike-with-comfort feel.

When I want a characterful long ride there’s the Ducati ST2, complete with v-twin and dry clutch soundtrack and amazingly frugal fuel economy. Comfort is spot on and on occasions it’s ventured onto the track without disgracing itself.

Oddities now: the 1954 Royal Enfield Scrambler still hasn’t been restored but should provide comical Sunday back road tomfoolery that my recently departed Vespa T5 scooter provided so well. There’s also a Honda Bros 400 in pieces waiting in line for its time on the workbench that I want to be an exercise in lightweight 750cc minimalism. Oh, and I’m building a café racer from an old CBR600 for my girlfriend, Zoe. I’m very lucky to have a bike for all occasions and I’m proud of my collection.

But things have to change. I need to finish restoring my house. A third bedroom is needed if I’m to stop testing the astonishing patience of Zoe. I’m incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing job but you’ll never get rich doing what we do. They must all go. All but one, that is.

So I need a single bike that can do it all. A bike I can be proud of at a track, on the road or at the local meet, that will not let me down and that will not leave me thinking I need to buy anything else.

My long term VFR1200 is a superb bike for devouring long distances quickly, efficiently and comfortably, but fun isn’t in it’s genes, I don’t like the handling of a long bike and the looks don’t grab me. The Project CBR600 is always under constant improvement and is currently my closest idea of a do-it-all bike, but it’s missing a certain something, a certain character. I want a bike that pleases me as much when I sit and look at it as it does when I ride it.

Can it be done? Is there something that will fill all my requirements? So far three bikes tick the boxes; Ducati’s Monster 1100 and Triumph’s Street Triple are perfect, while KTM’s RC8R is the oddball, as well as a breathed on, customized Kawasaki W800 – café racer stylee. But they’re all too expensive; just £1500 will be stretching me. So a personalized Honda VFR800? A VTR1000? Or an old Ducati 900SS maybe?

No. I’ve decided it’s better the devil you know and as it’s not worth anything I’m going to keep the Honda Bros. It’ll be great on the track, beautiful to look at and fun to ride. Hmmm - but rubbish at long distance – drat. A Bros and a VFR800; yes, that’s the answer. And a dirt bike…