Verdict
There’s no such thing as a bad bike anymore. So they say. We’ve said it ourselves, so it must be true. It goes deeper than knowing an adventure bike will be handy for exploring, or that a sports tourer will be staggeringly adept at covering distance in a sporty manner, however. Modern suspension, engine management, tyres and rider aids – not forgetting over 100 years perfecting the design – means most bikes not only excel in their specific area, but in any area you care to place them. Seems these days that most bikes are all-rounders. This is a significant reason why our testers have their eyes (and potentially their wallets) opened by machinery that appears square-peg when offered up to their round-hole tastes. But the underlying cause of the unexpected fondness for bikes not aligned with their usual preference is that these bikes are, well... brilliant. Who’d have thought the love-child of a Crosstourer and Integra could be so inspiring? Honda’s bravery in taking the XADV from concept to showroom is outshone only by the creation’s amazing ability to be hilarious fun, insanely usable and grittily practical, all at the same time. And be stop-and-stare cool while doing it. Being able to impress the cynical, grumpy Mr Graham speaks volumes. Kawasaki’s Vulcan S might not appear so boundary-blurring, yet the way it houses the dynamic of a perky, light, exploitable street bike within the look and geometry of a cruiser is remarkable. Don’t buy a bland do-it-all middleweight – buy one with some standout style and a smear of attitude instead. It’s perhaps BMW’S R1200RT that has the potential to impress and delight the widest range of folk, mind. Sports-like handling, old-school punch (and character) from the boxer motor, low-speed agility and genuine engagement, stuffed in a comfy, long-legged package that’s as opulent as a 500-quid-a-night hotel room. The moral of this tale? Go get yourself a test ride on a bike that’s as far from your default setting as it’s possible to get. And prepare yourself to fall in lust...