‘Thinking about buying a bike is escapism — and we need it...’
It’s been a very strange 12 months and for many of us, bikes have been one of our few real pleasures in a pretty dismal year. There was no greater evidence for this than when, as soon as that first lockdown lifted last summer, bikers lucky enough to still be employed flocked to dealers, desperate to get a new bike (I was one of them) and buy some escapism.
But despite the clamour, there are still some great deals to be had — and this issue of RIDE is dedicated to getting the best. We’ve outlined 15 of what we (and you) think are the best-value used bikes currently on the market and also highlighted the best new bikes for 2021 as well. In these pages you’ll find all you need to make an informed purchase and plenty of material for dreaming if you’re currently locked away in some enforced limbo.
Right now, with the world seemingly falling apart around us, I’m fantasising about a new Triumph Trident and sorely tempted by the do-it all brilliance of a used
Yamaha FZ1-S. In these uncertain times, bikes like these offer much less financial risk than signing your life away on a mega-money bike.