Road Test: CB600F v Z750 v GSR600 v FZ6

Muff, Pant, Bell End, Willey, Staines, Cocks, Brown Willey and Sandy Balls. What do they have in common? They will all, if you're of the right persuasion, bring a smile to your face. Why? They either sound, or indeed are, rude. Schoolboy humour at its best.

But wait, it gets better. This isn't just a list of rude words, each one of these are real, live places in the UK. So you can be rude without actually being rude. Over the Sunday dinner table you can casually drop into conversation to the mother-in-law that you thought she was from Ugley, her husband came from Pratts Bottom and her daughter loves Cocks. What better way to endear yourself to the family...

How do we know this? Because someone of a similar childish mentality has been thoughtful enough to list the top 100 rude UK place names together in one place, a fine book entitled Rude Britain. So, armed with a copy, a TomTom GPS navigation system and a hefty dose of childishness we headed into London to discover the rudest street names our great capital has to offer.

Our choice of steeds was simple. With Suzuki launching its new GSR600 the time was right to put it up against some competition. Our route would involve town riding as well a blast into the back roads around the London area and the southeast, perfect naked middleweight territory. Question was, just how would the new GSR fair against Honda's established Hornet, Yamaha's FZ6 and Kawasaki's big bore entry, the Z750? Only time, and probably a lot of sniggering, would tell.

Daryll, John and myself met up with photographer Paul at the uniquely named Mudchute railway station, situated at the arse end of London's Docklands, where we gathered together to make a plan.

After a quick discussion we decided to head into the centre of town where a small, but very rude, collection of streets awaited. Congested traffic should split the city dwellers from the city hellers.

Arriving in Trump Street, FZ6 mounted Daryll was anything but happy. "The seat on this is like a bit of 18mm plywood, it's so hard, and that grab rail... I know I'm short but I've really cracked my knee on it swinging a leg over the bike," moaned the little man. "And I don't like the clutch, it's grabby. And the gearbox isn't very slick." A good start, then...

Having stuck with the Hornet for the first run I was having no such problem. The large seat is fully padded and, with the usual feeling of Honda quality, the clutch is light, gearbox reasonable and the riding position comfortable. Through town the Hornet doesn't quite have the FZ6's huge steering lock, but it's a much easier and smoother ride. After a quick coffee to warm our collective cockles at a cafŽ in nearby Swallow Passage we remounted and headed off.

Having spent most of the morning on the Hornet I sweet-talked John into letting me ride the GSR. After getting off the Honda the Suzuki instantly feels massive, and yet strangely lacking in any frontal area. The GSR has a real streetfighter feel to it with a tiny set of clocks - which include a gear indicator - and not a lot else in front apart from a cheap-looking plastic ignition barrel surround and shiny chrome bars. Minimalist and certainly a lot more futuristic than the Hornet's clocks and far easier to read than the terrible digital rev counters of the Z and FZ6.

But after only a few miles I was missing the Hornet. There is nothing wrong with the comfort of the GSR, it feels physically bigger than the rest of the bikes and the seat is lovely, but the throttle response is poor. The Honda is the only one of these four to come with good old-fashioned carbs. It's easy to forget just how good carbs are until you ride a bike with bad fuel injection. The GSR's is not very good at all.

The problem occurs going from a closed throttle to a semi-open one. There is no smooth progression, just a lurch no matter how smooth you try to be. Filtering slowly, or even just riding smoothly, is hard work as it inevitably involves a series of kangaroo jumps forward. After a while I found that keeping the throttle constant and using the clutch was the easiest way to creep forward, but really there is no excuse for fuelling this poor on a modern bike, especially when it is obvious that quality fuel-injected delivery is achievable, as the Kawasaki demonstrates.

"I really like the Z750," smiled a happier Daryll now his bottom wasn't being subjected to the Yamaha's seat. "The extra power is useful even in town as you don't have to shift up a gear, and the engine is really smooth. Compared to the revvy FZ6's engine it feels so much more powerful. The Yamaha almost feels as though it's restricted it's so wheezy low-down. The seat is weird though - you feel really high up on the Z, useful through town as you get a better view over cars, but it feels quite odd to start off with."

Exiting Percy Passage we headed towards Back Passage. But unfortunately it's located near some student accommodation, so after a fruitless few minutes we concluded that the sign had been nicked and abandoned our search.

So with only two more to go we headed via Mincing Lane to Beaver Close, where a council worker had has the foresight to hang a 'No Ball Games' sign above the 'Beaver Close' sign. Fantastic.

So that was London covered with a good haul of rude names, but there was better to come the next day. After arranging to meet in Guildford the following morning we headed for home.

The next day, having finally mastered Guildford's one-way system, we eventually found our slightly impatient photographer Oli hanging around Jeffries Passage. Not the best way to start the day, and neither was a motorway trip on the FZ6, according to John.

"It has no wind protection at all," he said, "it's just you versus the elements. And that engine feels strangled. Get it spinning up towards the top end and it's okay, but it takes time to get going."

In contrast the Kawasaki's mini-fairing is surprisingly effective, and its gutsy motor made for easy motorway cruising. "Because the engine is more powerful it's revving lower, and that cuts vibrations," said Daryll, who was happier having visited Juggs Close but managing to avoid Upper Dicker during an overnight stay in Brighton. "Go over 85mph and it vibrates a bit, but at 70mph it's perfectly smooth."

For this leg of the journey I bagged the GSR which, once away from a closed throttle, proved to be a surprisingly nice machine. The re-tuned GSX-R600 motor manages to retain the top end rush of the sports bike, but has a heap more in the middle. It's one of the few times a manufacturer has actually managed to re-tune a sports bike motor without making it either a revvy pain to ride or as flat as a witch's tit. Opened up away from the crowded streets of London the GSR motor just got better. Once the initial jerk off a closed throttle is passed the power builds smoothly until around the 8000rpm mark, where the familiar GSX-R top end rush takes over, along with the trademark growl from the airbox. While the Fazer has a similar rush up top it simply can't match the mid-range or low-down pull of the GSR.

Out of Guildford we took the back roads to Lickfold then via Balls Cross we went past Goodwood to Cocking.

"The Z is just a great all rounder," said Daryll after a fast blast on the fairly bumpy roads that lead to the small village. "Everything works really well. On the bumpy stuff the suspension was alright but it's just an effective package."

Which is more than can be said for the FZ6. The Yamaha certainly has a decent chassis, it's just let down by harsh suspension. On smooth roads the FZ6 is really good, but throw in a few bumps and the ride turns from a fun blast to a wrist-jarring rollercoaster. It's a shame really because there is a good bike waiting to get out of the FZ6, it just needs releasing. Or at least taming.

Meanwhile the Hornet just gets on with the job. "It has a secure ride and never feels like it will get you into trouble," reckoned John. "Not hugely inspiring, to be honest, but very sound."

Which is a similar feeling to the GSR. With these style of bikes the key to suspension is getting the optimum balance between comfort and sporty. For town riding softer suspension is best to absorb the kicks from pot holes and speed bumps, while outside town something firmer is needed to avoid a wobbly ride. With the GSR600, Suzuki has the balance just about spot-on.

"When you first jump on the GSR it feels soft and squidgy," reckoned Daryll, "but on the move it's actually really good. There's no wallowing, you can get your head down and it still feels controlled."

By now we were all fairly used to the silly names, but of all the places we visited the one that never fails to get a smirk is Sandy Balls Caravan Park.

But by now it was getting late, and we only had one place left. A 20-mile blast and we hit our final stop: Shitterton. Not the most impressive sign, but worth the trip for the name alone, especially with the added bonus of Butt Lane on the way.

So there you have it, a brief tour of the seedier side of the south on some very capable machines. Relaxing in the Fighting Cocks pub before starting the journey home we all concluded on one clear winner. For a hassle free middleweight the Z750 still rules the roost thanks to a great engine, good handling and even decent weather protection, although you wouldn't think to look at it. Out of the 600s, Suzuki's GSR has the character, looks and comfort to almost make you overlook the fuelling glitch, but for the lazy or those wanting the safe option the Hornet offers it all. John and Daryll, however, would both go for the GSR over the Hornet because it looks better and is more fun to ride, and I have to say I would probably go with them. I'm sure a bit of fiddling would cure the glitch, and it is a far more fun machine to ride and more pleasurable to look at. There is little wrong with the Hornet, but the GSR has a certain cool factor the Honda doesn't, although the Hornet is cheap. As for the FZ6, every other bike does a better job , and in such a close group as this that puts it last.

So having visited 15 places with funny and slightly rude names have I got that bout of childishness out of my system? Not a bloody chance. Anyone fancy a trip to Twatt?

HOGAN'S SECOND OPINION - Suzuki GSR600

This is the bike the Bandit 600 should have been all those years ago. It looks ace and, more importantly, the K5 GSXR 600 donor engine is a peach. Around town third gear is ideal for 20mph-plus speeds, then once you get the chance to spin it over 7000rpm the GSR gets into its element and provides a rush that neither the Fazer nor the Hornet can match. Throttle snatch is definitely an issue; if you close the throttle at motorway cruising speeds it feels like you've hit the kill switch. A frustrating trait that you can forgive the GSR for every time the needle swings into the sweet spot. The 'Baby B-King' looks may have been diluted from concept to reality, but the GSR draws more than its fair share of admiring glances. GSR1000 anyone?

HOGAN'S SECOND OPINION - Kawasaki Z750

My favourite bike here. The Z definitely ticked the most boxes for me. The fuelling is really crisp - no snatchiness or flat spots, just smooth linear power - with the extra dollop of torque you would expect from an engine 150cc bigger than the rest. Out of these four the Z is the most comfortable on the road. I grabbed the keys for it whenever I got the chance as it made light work of everything we did, from motorways and hedge-lined B-roads to fast A-roads. It felt a little heavy at the front when crawling through London traffic in first gear, but that wouldn't stop me from buying a Z with my own money. Whether you think having the biggest engine is cheating or not is up to you, but as a complete package the Z750 rocks.

HOGAN'S SECOND OPINION - Yamaha FZ6

For me the least impressive bike out of the four. The R6 engine has been detuned to such a degree that it feels strangled all the way through the rev range. It makes a nice induction noise but you never get the feeling you're about to rev into the sweet spot where things could get a bit manic. The gear lever needs a really positive shove, which isn't easy when it's so far away from the foot peg. Annoying every time, just like the grabby clutch. It took at least three or four whacks on my knee before I remembered that the smart looking grab handles for the pillion are a real pain to swing a leg over. The Fazer does have a comfortable riding position, and the best brakes out of this bunch. But for me the bad bits far outweigh the good.

HOGAN'S SECOND OPINION - Honda Hornet 600

Better than the Fazer but not as much fun to ride as the GSR. It feels physically smaller than all the others, which if you're a shorty will be a plus point. To ride it felt uninspiring, all the bits you push and pull work with typical Honda efficiency and nothing else. Handling is planted and predictable, just right for rattling around Sandy Balls or squeezing through congested Mudchute. Around town the Hornet's gearing feels quite tall and because of this it doesn't feel like much is going on - until your eye catches the speed you're doing on the well laid out if dated looking clocks. The Hornet will hold its looks and its value better than the other bikes here, but if I was looking for a new naked bike I'd check out the GSR or the Z instead.

SPECS - HONDA

TYPE - STREETBIKE

PRODUCTION DATE - 2006

PRICE NEW - £5249

ENGINE CAPACITY - 599cc

POWER - 86bhp@11,800rpm

TORQUE - 43.3lb.ft@10,000rpm

WEIGHT - 178kg

SEAT HEIGHT - 780mm

FUEL CAPACITY - 15.5L

TOP SPEED - 131.6mph

0-60 - n/a

TANK RANGE - 120miles

SPECS - KAWASAKI

TYPE - STREETBIKE

PRODUCTION DATE - 2006

PRICE NEW - £5445

ENGINE CAPACITY - 748cc

POWER - 101bhp@10,600rpm

TORQUE - 52lb.ft@8000rpm

WEIGHT - 195kg

SEAT HEIGHT - 780mm

FUEL CAPACITY - 15.5L

TOP SPEED - 139mph

0-60 - n/a

TANK RANGE - 120miles

SPECS - SUZUKI

TYPE - STREETBIKE

PRODUCTION DATE - 2006

PRICE NEW - £5199

ENGINE CAPACITY - 599cc

POWER - 88bhp@13,565rpm

TORQUE - 39lb.ft@8300rpm

WEIGHT - 183kg

SEAT HEIGHT - 780mm

FUEL CAPACITY - 15.5L

TOP SPEED - 132.1mph

0-60 - n/a

TANK RANGE - 120miles

SPECS - YAMAHA

TYPE - STREETBIKE

PRODUCTION DATE - 2006

PRICE NEW - £4699

ENGINE CAPACITY - 599cc

POWER - 87.6bhp@11,600rpm

TORQUE - 42.6lb.ft@9600rpm

WEIGHT - 180kg

SEAT HEIGHT - 780mm

FUEL CAPACITY - 15.5L

TOP SPEED - 130.2mph

0-60 - n/a

TANK RANGE - 120miles

Watt, Muff, Pant, Bell End, Willey, Staines, Cocks, Brown Willey and Sandy Balls. What do they have in common? They will all, if you're of the right persuasion, bring a smile to your face. Why? They either sound, or indeed are, rude. Schoolboy humour at its best.

But wait, it gets better. This isn't just a list of rude words, each one of these are real, live places in the UK. So you can be rude without actually being rude. Over the Sunday dinner table you can casually drop into conversation to the mother-in-law that you thought she was from Ugley, her husband came from Pratts Bottom and her daughter loves Cocks. What better way to endear yourself to the family...

How do we know this? Because someone of a similar childish mentality has been thoughtful enough to list the top 100 rude UK place names together in one place, a fine book entitled Rude Britain. So, armed with a copy, a TomTom GPS navigation system and a hefty dose of childishness we headed into London to discover the rudest street names our great capital has to offer.

Our choice of steeds was simple. With Suzuki launching its new GSR600 the time was right to put it up against some  competition. Our route would involve town riding as well a blast into the back roads around the London area and the southeast, perfect naked middleweight territory. Question was, just how would the new GSR fair against Honda's established Hornet, Yamaha's FZ6 and Kawasaki's big bore entry, the Z750? Only time, and probably a lot of sniggering, would tell.

Daryll, John and myself met up with photographer Paul at the uniquely named Mudchute railway station, situated at the arse end of London's Docklands, where we gathered together to make a plan. After a quick discussion we decided to head into the centre of town where a small, but very rude, collection of streets awaited. Congested traffic should split the city dwellers from the city hellers.

SPECS - HONDA CB600F HORNET

TYPE - STREETBIKE
PRODUCTION DATE - 2006
PRICE NEW - £5249
ENGINE CAPACITY - 599cc
POWER - 86bhp@11,800rpm
TORQUE - 43.3lb.ft@10,000rpm   
WEIGHT - 178kg
SEAT HEIGHT - 780mm   
FUEL CAPACITY - 15.5L   
TOP SPEED - 131.6mph   
0-60     - n/a
TANK RANGE - 120miles

Arriving in Trump Street, FZ6 mounted Daryll was anything but happy. "The seat on this is like a bit of 18mm plywood, it's so hard, and that grab rail... I know I'm short but I've really cracked my knee on it swinging a leg over the bike," moaned the little man. "And I don't like the clutch, it's grabby. And the gearbox isn't very slick." A good start, then...

Having stuck with the Hornet for the first run I was having no such problem. The large seat is fully padded and, with the usual feeling of Honda quality, the clutch is light, gearbox reasonable and the riding position comfortable. Through town the Hornet doesn't quite have the FZ6's huge steering lock, but it's a much easier and smoother ride. After a quick coffee to warm our collective cockles at a café in nearby Swallow Passage we remounted and headed off.

Having spent most of the morning on the Hornet I sweet-talked John into letting me ride the GSR. After getting off the Honda the Suzuki instantly feels massive, and yet strangely lacking in any frontal area. The GSR has a real streetfighter feel to it with a tiny set of clocks - which include a gear indicator - and not a lot else in front apart from a cheap-looking plastic ignition barrel surround and shiny chrome bars. Minimalist and certainly a lot more futuristic than the Hornet's clocks and far easier to read than the terrible digital rev counters of the Z and FZ6.

But after only a few miles I was missing the Hornet. There is nothing wrong with the comfort of the GSR, it feels physically bigger than the rest of the bikes and the seat is lovely, but the throttle response is poor. The Honda is the only one of these four to come with good old-fashioned carbs. It's easy to forget just how good carbs are until you ride a bike with bad fuel injection. The GSR's is not very good at all. The problem occurs going from a closed throttle to a semi-open one. There is no smooth progression, just a lurch no matter how smooth you try to be. Filtering slowly, or even just riding smoothly, is hard work as it inevitably involves a series of kangaroo jumps forward. After a while I found that keeping the throttle constant and using the clutch was the easiest way to creep forward, but really there is no excuse for fuelling this poor on a modern bike, especially when it is obvious that quality fuel-injected delivery is achievable, as the Kawasaki demonstrates.

"I really like the Z750," smiled a happier Daryll now his bottom wasn't being subjected to the Yamaha's seat. "The extra power is useful even in town as you don't have to shift up a gear, and the engine is really smooth. Compared to the revvy FZ6's engine it feels so much more powerful. The Yamaha almost feels as though it's restricted it's so wheezy low-down. The seat is weird though - you feel really high up on the Z, useful through town as you get a better view over cars, but it feels quite odd to start off with."

Exiting Percy Passage we headed towards Back Passage. But unfortunately it's located near some student accommodation, so after a fruitless few minutes we concluded that the sign had been nicked and abandoned our search.

So with only two more to go we headed via Mincing Lane to Beaver Close, where a council worker had has the foresight to hang a 'No Ball Games' sign above the 'Beaver Close' sign. Fantastic. So that was London covered with a good haul of rude names, but there was better to come the next day. After arranging to meet in Guildford the following morning we headed for home.

The next day, having finally mastered Guildford's one-way system, we eventually found our slightly impatient photographer Oli hanging around Jeffries Passage. Not the best way to start the day, and neither was a motorway trip on the FZ6, according to John.

"It has no wind protection at all," he said, "it's just you versus the elements. And that engine feels strangled. Get it spinning up towards the top end and it's okay, but it takes time to get going."
In contrast the Kawasaki's mini-fairing is surprisingly effective, and its gutsy motor made for easy motorway cruising. "Because the engine is more powerful it's revving lower, and that cuts vibrations," said Daryll, who was happier having visited Juggs Close but managing to avoid Upper Dicker during an overnight stay in Brighton. "Go over 85mph and it vibrates a bit, but at 70mph it's perfectly smooth."

For this leg of the journey I bagged the GSR which, once away from a closed throttle, proved to be a surprisingly nice machine. The re-tuned GSX-R600 motor manages to retain the top end rush of the sports bike, but has a heap more in the middle. It's one of the few times a manufacturer has actually managed to re-tune a sports bike motor without making it either a revvy pain to ride or as flat as a witch's tit. Opened up away from the crowded streets of London the GSR motor just got better. Once the initial jerk off a closed throttle is passed the power builds smoothly until around the 8000rpm mark, where the familiar GSX-R top end rush takes over, along with the trademark growl from the airbox. While the Fazer has a similar rush up top it simply can't match the mid-range or low-down pull of the GSR.

SPECS - KAWASAKI Z750

TYPE - STREETBIKE
PRODUCTION DATE - 2006
PRICE NEW - £5445
ENGINE CAPACITY - 748cc
POWER - 101bhp@10,600rpm
TORQUE - 52lb.ft@8000rpm   
WEIGHT - 195kg
SEAT HEIGHT - 780mm   
FUEL CAPACITY - 15.5L   
TOP SPEED - 139mph   
0-60     - n/a
TANK RANGE - 120miles

Out of Guildford we took the back roads to Lickfold then via Balls Cross we went past Goodwood to Cocking.
"The Z is just a great all rounder," said Daryll after a fast blast on the fairly bumpy roads that lead to the small village. "Everything works really well. On the bumpy stuff the suspension was alright but it's just an effective package."

Which is more than can be said for the FZ6. The Yamaha certainly has a decent chassis, it's just let down by harsh suspension. On smooth roads the FZ6 is really good, but throw in a few bumps and the ride turns from a fun blast to a wrist-jarring rollercoaster. It's a shame really because there is a good bike waiting to get out of the FZ6, it just needs releasing. Or at least taming.

Meanwhile the Hornet just gets on with the job. "It has a secure ride and never feels like it will get you into trouble," reckoned John. "Not hugely inspiring, to be honest, but very sound." Which is a similar feeling to the GSR. With these style of bikes the key to suspension is getting the optimum balance between comfort and sporty. For town riding softer suspension is best to absorb the kicks from pot holes and speed bumps, while outside town something firmer is needed to avoid a wobbly ride. With the GSR600, Suzuki has the
balance just about spot-on.

"When you first jump on the GSR it feels  soft and squidgy," reckoned Daryll, "but on the move it's actually really good. There's no wallowing, you can get your head down and it still feels controlled." By now we were all fairly used to the silly names, but of all the places we visited the one that never fails to get a smirk is Sandy Balls Caravan Park.

But by now it was getting late, and we only had one place left. A 20-mile blast and we hit our final stop: Shitterton. Not the most impressive sign, but worth the trip for the name alone, especially with the added bonus of Butt Lane on the way.

So there you have it, a brief tour of the seedier side of the south on some very capable machines. Relaxing in the Fighting Cocks pub before starting the journey home we all concluded on one clear winner. For a hassle free middleweight the Z750 still rules the roost thanks to a great engine, good handling and even decent weather protection, although you wouldn't think to look at it. Out of the 600s, Suzuki's GSR has the character, looks and comfort to almost make you overlook the fuelling glitch, but for the lazy or those wanting the safe option the Hornet offers it all. John and Daryll, however, would both go for the GSR over the Hornet because it looks better and is more fun to ride, and I have to say I would probably go with them.

I'm sure a bit of fiddling would cure the glitch, and it is a far more fun machine to ride and more pleasurable to look at. There is little wrong with the Hornet, but the GSR has a certain cool factor the Honda doesn't, although the Hornet is cheap. As for the FZ6, every other bike does a better job , and in such a close group as this that puts it last.

So having visited 15 places with funny and slightly rude names have I got that bout of childishness out of my system? Not a bloody chance. Anyone fancy a trip to Twatt?

SPECS - SUZUKI GSR600

TYPE - STREETBIKE
PRODUCTION DATE - 2006
PRICE NEW - £5199
ENGINE CAPACITY - 599cc
POWER - 88bhp@13,565rpm
TORQUE - 39lb.ft@8300rpm   
WEIGHT - 183kg
SEAT HEIGHT - 780mm   
FUEL CAPACITY - 15.5L   
TOP SPEED - 132.1mph   
0-60     - n/a
TANK RANGE - 120miles

HOGAN'S SECOND OPINION - Suzuki GSR600
This is the bike the Bandit 600 should have been all those years ago. It looks ace and, more importantly, the K5 GSXR 600 donor engine is a peach. Around town third gear is ideal for 20mph-plus speeds, then once you get the chance to spin it over 7000rpm the GSR gets into its element and provides a rush that neither the Fazer nor the Hornet can match. Throttle snatch is definitely an issue; if you close the throttle at motorway cruising speeds it feels like you've hit the kill switch. A frustrating trait that you can forgive the GSR for every time the needle swings into the sweet spot. The 'Baby B-King' looks may have been diluted from concept to reality, but the GSR draws more than its fair share of admiring glances. GSR1000 anyone?

HOGAN'S SECOND OPINION - Kawasaki z750
My favourite bike here. The Z definitely ticked the most boxes for me. The fuelling is really crisp - no snatchiness or flat spots, just smooth linear power - with the extra dollop of torque you would expect from an engine 150cc bigger than the rest. Out of these four the Z is the most comfortable on the road. I grabbed the keys for it whenever I got the chance as it made light work of everything we did, from motorways and hedge-lined B-roads to fast A-roads. It felt a little heavy at the front when crawling through London traffic in first gear, but that wouldn't stop me from buying a Z with my own money. Whether you think having the biggest engine is cheating or not is up to you, but as a complete package the Z750 rocks.  

HOGAN'S SECOND OPINION - Yamaha FZ6
For me the least impressive bike out of the four. The R6 engine has been detuned to such a degree that it feels strangled all the way through the rev range. It makes a nice induction noise but you never get the feeling you're about to rev into the sweet spot where things could get a bit manic. The gear lever needs a really positive shove, which isn't easy when it's so far away from the foot peg.  Annoying every time, just like the grabby clutch. It took at least three or four whacks on my knee before I remembered that the smart looking grab handles for the pillion are a real pain to swing a leg over. The Fazer does have a comfortable
riding position, and the best brakes out of this bunch. But for me the bad bits far outweigh the good.

HOGAN'S SECOND OPINION - Honda Hornet 600
Better than the Fazer but not as much fun to ride as the GSR. It feels physically smaller than all the others, which if you're a shorty will be a plus point. To ride it felt uninspiring, all the bits you push and pull work with typical Honda efficiency and nothing else. Handling is planted and predictable, just right for rattling around Sandy Balls or squeezing through congested Mudchute. Around town the Hornet's gearing feels quite tall and because of this it doesn't feel like much is going on - until your eye catches the speed you're doing on the well laid out if dated looking clocks. The Hornet will hold its looks and its value better than the other bikes here, but if I was looking for a new naked bike I'd check out  the GSR or the Z instead.

SPECS - YAMAHA FZ6

TYPE - STREETBIKE
PRODUCTION DATE - 2006
PRICE NEW - £4699
ENGINE CAPACITY - 599cc
POWER - 87.6bhp@11,600rpm
TORQUE - 42.6lb.ft@9600rpm   
WEIGHT - 180kg
SEAT HEIGHT - 780mm   
FUEL CAPACITY - 15.5L   
TOP SPEED - 130.2mph   
0-60     - n/a
TANK RANGE - 120miles