Yamaha R1

Since it went big-bang, Yamaha’s litre bike has been an inspired choice. A wee bit fatter and a dash less power than the competition, but the grunty, twin-like power curve and awesome noise makes up for a lot of that. The base model bike comes with a load of tech and it’s of the very usable variety. A proper weapon on the track, and great fun on the roads. Be prepared to invest heavily in knee sliders.