Ok, so there might be masses an element of exaggeration in the title but it’s still a very underrated weapon. In a world where fashion often supersedes function during the purchase stage, Suzuki’s SV650 – in all guises – may not be the most romantically satisfying. In fact, they’re positively unglamorous but serve a very broad purpose to an even broader ownership. Is it the Daley Thompson of motorcycling? They’re cheap: With early models cluttering the used market for around a grand, there’s not a lot that can equal the SV’s performance and thrills-per-pound ratio. Add another £1000 onto the budget, and there are just as many sub-10,000 mile minters ready for abuse, and all will chew up funkier, classier and more expensive rivals. Despite the arrival of Gladys, sorry, Gladius – a newer, sleeker, less masculine model – Suzuki continue to offer the SV in its current range, even though development has been discontinued. And at £4,975 for the current asking price, the SV sits pretty against more modern, less able price-point competitors.

CatC/D ‘write-offs’ shouldn’t be dismissed either. Bodywork often tips the money scales of insurance companies and an upside of the SV’s popularity (we’ll get there in a minute) is the subsequent used parts at bargain costs, which are super-easy to obtain. Chucking it down the road or converting into a cheap, crashable trackday scalpel doesn’t necessarily have to mean selling your house or at worse, suicide. They’re popular: At the last count, there were more SV650s frequenting Her majesty’s highways than the combined number of Range Rovers, X Factor contestants and syphilis sufferers in the UK. Everywhere you look, whether it’s urban commuters or rural funsters, you’re guaranteed to see a Six-Fiddy lurking around somewhere. Apart from financially appealing, the SV’s charm could also include just how easy it is to pilot – whoever you are. The relatively low seat (800mm), sumptuous throttle, frugal fuel consumption, lashings of grunt and light, flickable handling all combine for a newb-friendly ride.

On the contrary, feed it some twisties and it’ll munch apexes all day, not to mention stunt on request. They’re bulletproof: They say a cockroach is the only thing that’ll survive a nuclear strike. Well, that’s horseshit, as the SV650 could endure two. Despite the modest grunt and zippy motor, chasing tenths wasn’t in the design brief so engine longevity is a significant benefit. Spanked, revved, bounced off the limiter and munching miles: you’d have to try exceptionally hard to make one go BANG.super pocket bikes for sale 150cc Don’t be afraid of high mileage second-hand steals. motorcycle superstore rider pointsSVs will go on and on like Ariston, requiring the occasional oil change to go with fuel and tyre kicking.roper motorcycle boots

They’re sportier than you think: It’s not just a rudimentary novice steed or commuter workhorse. Chuck a set of sticky tyres at a SV650 and there’s an abundance of sporting talent waiting to be unlocked. The economical suspension might be a little bouncy and loose but intrinsically, the chassis is superb and capable of a lot more than its ancillaries can cope with. The UK patriotically prides itself on inventing sports like cricket, football and egg-chasing. afx motorcycle helmet reviewYou can add minitwin racing to that momentous list. predator motorcycle helmet coverYes, that’s it: Minitwins, ‘the 21st century gentleman’s cricket.’ motorcycle dealers dothan alIf you’re not au fait with the rules and regs of minitwins, they’re very constrictive (aftermarket exhaust, shock, rearsets, braided brakes and race bodywork is the crux), which means good, clean, bloody cheap racing. michelin motorcycle tyres sa

It also highlights just how proficient the SV is in standard-ish trim, capable of lapping Brands Indy in 50-seconds. 100bhp is possible without a cube increase: The arrival of the Supertwins class in racing has seen a radical upsurge in development for budget happy shoppers like the SV650 and Kawasaki’s ER6. James Hillier managed a 117mph lap of the TT aboard a (heavily-modified) ER6 and, with all due respect to Kawasaki’s creation, Hillier would have managed it on a Suzuki but for a big, fat Kawasaki contract getting in the way. Ryan Farquhar triggered the ER6 crusade (and is partly responsible for the Supertwins’ inception) but the Suzuki hasn’t been given the chance to prove its minerals. JHS Racing – Suzuki GB’s official entrant in the Lightweight TT – have worked their magic on the SV and massaged a modest 95bhp from the 645cc motor, albeit at huge cost. JHS Racing also spent years developing a ram-air system and an intricate (and massive) set of injectors in the quest for horses and success at the TT, yet reverted to all the standard equipment as it made more power.

Chucking an exhaust can and fuelling module alone will reap benefits – around 70bhp’s worth of benefits. What to look out for… – Often used as commuters and slaves to the daily grind, oil levels tend to be overlooked in favour of a quick getaway and clocking in on time. If you’re buying, check it’s been maintained to a half-decent standard. – Gear lever and rear brake pivot joints can seize up over the years, but that’s pretty much it. And now we’re being pedantic Then again, Yamaha went and built the MT-07…So you’ve decided to join the motorcycle cult, but you don’t know what’s a good first bike. One of these ten should do the trick. A small dual-sports like this Honda here is a versatile option for a beginning rider. You can practice on dirt, and still enjoy the bike on the street. Dual-sports are also an excellent choice for pothole-ridden cities thanks to their long suspension travel.Suggested By: Brian, The Life of, Photo Credit: Honda

Wes Siler, the word’s best motorcycle-and-dog-camping blogger, described the Blast as one of the “most boring bikes ever made.” Indeed, it’s design was highly compromised, but it still makes an excellent first bike. As commenter shootemupy2k notes, the 500cc single cylinder has enough low end torque to make things easy but not so much power you’ll get in trouble, and the seating position is excellent.Suggested By: shootemupy2k, Photo Credit: Buell This lightweight from KTM would make an excellent entry-level bike, especially if you can find a used one. “It’s got enough motor to be highway-worthy and to keep you from being in the way in traffic; but not so much that you’ll put yourself into a mailbox. It’s got a good centre-of-gravity, it looks cool, and the fact that it’s a single cylinder makes it a little more mechanically simple.”Suggested By: JohnnyWasASchoolBoy, Photo Credit: KTM If you don’t need speed, but you do need style, an old Honda CB250 is a great choice.

These bikes are cheap, simple and cool as hell. Once you’ve got some experience under your belt, you could turn it into a badass cafe racer.Suggested By: K5ING, Photo Credit: Honda The term Universal Japanese Motorcycle (UJM) refers to a very specific type of motorcycle made by a variety of Japanese manufactures in the 1970s and 1980s. has a solid definition: “The basic platform was an upright, open seating position motorcycle powered by a carbureted, air-cooled engine wrapped in a steel-tube cradle-type frame, and at least one disc brake to bring it all to a stop. The simple design made motorcycling accessible to riders of all types and skill sets. UJMs could be found in various displacements, and their ubiquity helped grow motorcycling in America during the 1970s and ‘80s.”These bikes are fairly inexpensive and reliable, and have just the right amount of power. Commenter 472CID suggested a Kawasaki Z650, but any UJM is an excellent choice.Suggested By: Spacegrass/472CID, Photo Credit: Graham Robertson

The Grom is a tiny bundle of joy. It only has 9 horsepower, but the fact that it only weighs 225 lbs. more than makes up for that. For zipping around the city, it doesn’t get better than this. Suggested By: K9H20, Photo Credit: Honda The Ninja 250 is the quintessential first bike, but there’s a very good reason for that. Reader and riding instructor User1312 can list the reasons why the Ninja 250 is a great choice: “Cost: The bike is easily available. Lots of options means competitive pricing. And if you do eventually get bored with it, you can sell it for pretty much what you bought it for next springMachine: It’s a solid bike. I don’t recommend buying a bike that you’ll have to wrench on, but it’s easy to maintain. It has all the power you need (perhaps not want), and it looks pretty sharp.Saftey: In class, we can teach you how to ride a motorcycle. But we cannot give you experience riding the streets of an urban area. The last thing you want to do as a new rider is learn to ride a new motorcycle in a new, potentially dangerous environment.

A Ninja 250 is very similar to the class bikes, and that lets you focus on the road and riding.”If you’ve got the extra dough, the new Ninja 300 with ABS is also an excellent choice.Suggested By: User1312, Photo Credit: Richard Ashurst The SV650 was one of the most popular suggestions we received for this question. Reader POD can explain why: “Comfortable riding position, not too much power, but more than enough to get out of it’s own way. Lots of them out there so you should be able to pick one up used for a good price. You can get it naked, or with a cowl depending on your tastes.”These things are also very upgradable, so when you gain some more experience and want more performance you don’t need a new bike. Suggested By: POD, Photo Credit: Gzminiz Wes called the CB300F the “Best First Motorcycle Ever” and he knows a thing or two about bikes. It’s got everything you want: light weight, decent power, fuel efficiency, and excellent ergonomics. We think you should start on a used bike, and since the CB300F is new, just wait a bit for more used ones to hit the market.