In this new series of Top Ten Bikes, presented by Louise Brady, we look at the best bikes around in the biking world as voted for by our Men & Motors panel.
Today we take a look at the top ten Middle Weight bikes of 2003. Which one will hit the number one spot?
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© Men and Motors - One Media iP 2023
Today we take a look at the top ten Middle Weight bikes of 2003. Which one will hit the number one spot?
Don't forget to subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell so you never miss a video!
------------------
Enjoyed this video? Don't forget to LIKE and SHARE the video and get involved with our community by leaving a COMMENT below the video!
Check out what else our channel has to offer and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to Men & Motors for more classic car and motorbike content! Why not? It is free after all!
Our website: http://menandmotors.com/
---- Social Media ----
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/menandmotors/
Instagram: @menandmotorstv
Twitter: @menandmotorstv
If you have any questions, e-mail us at talk@menandmotors.com
© Men and Motors - One Media iP 2023
Category
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MotorTranscript
00:00 [Music]
00:15 Welcome to Top 10 Bikes with me Louise Brady.
00:18 Our panel of experts has once again been studying the bikes in this week's category
00:23 to bring you the definitive Top 10 list.
00:26 Now this is the award presented to the manufacturer of this week's winner and number one machine.
00:31 So, which bike will it be?
00:34 Stay with us and this week's winner will be unveiled later in the show.
00:38 So, let's get started on the countdown of this week's category, middleweight bikes.
00:44 Starting off our countdown this week is the Kawasaki ZZR600.
00:49 Ask any hardcore biker what they want from a bike and at the top of their list will be comfort,
00:55 weather protection and good fuel economy.
00:58 Oh, and make sure the performance is pretty good too.
01:01 Kawasaki's ZZR600 meets all those criteria and more.
01:06 You want to go great distances? Then this is the 600 for you.
01:10 Introduced in the early 90s, this bike was once cutting edge.
01:14 The fastest 600 on the road and basked in the glory heaped on its bigger brother, the ZZR1100.
01:21 Nowadays, it just can't live up to the opposition.
01:24 It may put out 100 brake horsepower, but it's a bit on the heavy side and its looks just show their age.
01:30 Handling is on the soft side, but it's okay for a sports tourer, which is where the bike is now aimed.
01:37 It's fairing and seat being ideal for effortless mile munching.
01:41 If you really want to be nice, you want to be fair, kill it, put it out of its misery.
01:45 Too old, too long in the tooth. Once upon a time, great, but now, sorry, just doesn't cut it.
01:52 The ZZR was great in its day, but it's had its day.
01:56 It's been going too long, it's too long in the tooth.
01:59 It's a really softly suspended bike with a real rocket ship of a motor in it.
02:04 It's got no mid-range power at all, it's very buzzy, it handles like a sofa, the brakes are poor.
02:11 It's a very old sports bike and it feels like one. I couldn't possibly recommend it to anybody, really.
02:18 Kawasaki ZZR600 has been lumbering on for a long time now, but what it is, it's not a cutting-edge sports 600, obviously,
02:25 but it's a great bike for touring on. Suspension's always been a bit marginal, but it's fairly cheap.
02:31 Well, the old 600 is looking a little dated now, certainly compared to the cutting-edge 600s we see from the Japanese manufacturer today.
02:39 I'm sure that old quacker will never die.
02:42 So our combined scores for each category of street cred - build quality, performance, comfort and value -
02:49 give the Kawasaki ZZR600 a total score of 66%, putting it firmly into 10th place in our chart.
02:57 In at 9, the Yamaha YZF600 ThunderCat.
03:01 Again, we find a bike that was once top of its tree, sitting in a lowly position in our top 10.
03:08 Only five or so years ago, this bike was winning races in super sports and was a hot contender for the title of best middleweight bike.
03:16 The ThunderCat had a well-founded reputation for being a good performer, with possibly some of the best brakes to be found on a 600 bike.
03:24 Sadly, technology knows no bounds and the competition soon passed the ThunderCat by.
03:29 Even at its height, the buying public always found it not quite to their taste, preferring instead to buy bikes like Honda's CBR600.
03:38 This is another underrated bike. It's off the pace of the current 600s, but not by that much.
03:45 A good rider will stay with his mates on a CBR or all the rest of them. It's an all-rounder, but it's a very, very capable bike on the track.
03:55 The Yamaha ThunderCat is fat, it's comfortable, it's soft, but it's got a good strong engine and it makes a great middle-of-the-road 600.
04:02 Well, that's another old dog that keeps rearing its ugly head.
04:05 And let's face it, it never really cut it as a serious sports bike against the competition.
04:10 It looked a bit nasty and it never had the outright power it really needed. Good brakes, though.
04:16 So the Yamaha YZF600 ThunderCat has been given a total score of 71% by the Merlin Motors panel, and that puts it firmly in 9th place in our top 10 chart.
04:28 Sliding in at 8, it's the Yamaha Phaser 600.
04:32 Now, the Phaser 600 shared many of its main components with our number 9 place ThunderCat, and with underpinning like that, they could hardly go wrong.
04:41 Yamaha saw how Suzuki's Bandit 600 was cleaning up in its class and decided to jump on the bandwagon.
04:48 The ThunderCat had a great engine and brakes, which by now had proven themselves reliable.
04:54 So why not raid the parts bin and save on creating a new bike from scratch?
04:58 So, take the Cat's 600cc engine, stick it in a tubular frame along with the ThunderCat's running gear and brakes, and what do you have?
05:06 Well, a very competitive bike. Especially when you consider the competition consisted of the Bandit and the Dive version.
05:13 Then, along with Honda's Hornet, the bike was a breath of fresh air.
05:17 Yamaha Phaser 600 has been around for, what, three or four years now.
05:22 Great commuter bike and a good first choice for a lot of people once they've passed their test, they want to get out of the 500 category, they want something with a little bit more poke.
05:31 600, you're going to have fun on.
05:34 It's a ThunderCat motor, so you've got plenty of mid-range, top end as well.
05:41 It's certainly like the best motor in its class. It's got more torque than a Hornet and it's still got the top end to see it off as well.
05:48 One of the bikes I think that will be sadly missed in 2004.
05:52 The new Phaser comes with an R6 D2 motor, making it an exciting commuter.
05:57 Now, the mid-range has tended to be a little fluffy, but once you wind it up, it's great fun and that new model really looks the part.
06:05 So, our panel's combined scores for each of those categories gave the Yamaha Phaser 600 a total score of 76%, placing it eighth in our middleweights chart.
06:17 In at seven, Suzuki's SV650S.
06:21 Using the TL1000 for inspiration, the designers came up with the SV650, available both naked and as the SV650S with a small top bearing.
06:32 This has an all-new V-twin engine, kicking out 69 brake horsepower, which, in the right hands, allowed it to give many a 600 sports bike a run for its money on both the twisties and track days.
06:44 The frame design gives a nod of thanks to a certain famous Italian manufacturer and gives the bike sublime handling.
06:51 The one moan would be the cheap nature of the rear suspension, but the public love this little bike.
06:58 Overflowing with character, it has provided endless hours of fun to countless riders.
07:04 It's a good all-round bike, but if you do want to go fast, it's extremely capable and a satisfying bike to ride, not in terms of outright speed, but in terms of feedback and fun and really what it's all about.
07:15 The bike itself is just fantastic. You can take it on a track day and have some fun and you can go on holiday to the south of Spain on it. A superb do-it-all bike.
07:24 Suzuki's great all-rounder is good for any situation, whether it's racetrack, B-roads or commuting.
07:30 It's a good all-round package for a novice or an advanced rider and it'll very rarely catch you out or let you down.
07:37 So the scores on the doors for each of those categories give the Suzuki SV650S a total score of 78%, confirming it in 7th place in our chart.
07:49 Jumping in at 6th, the Triumph Daytona 600. You know, you have to admire Triumph for attempting to take on the Japanese at their own game.
07:58 The 600 market is very competitive and the Japanese have a very firm grip on it.
08:04 When the TT600 was launched back in 2000, it wasn't that well received. Bland styling and fuelling issues didn't help.
08:12 But the bike was universally acclaimed for its handling and if it hadn't been for the fuelling problems, it could have possibly been more successful.
08:20 2003 has seen Triumph respond to its critics by introducing the Daytona 600, which has an upgraded version of the TT600 engine along with its running gear.
08:32 Dressed in a brand new set of clothes, at a first glance it appears Triumph have done the trick.
08:38 If you're looking for a 600, yeah, there's not really a lot you can say about the Daytona that detracts from it.
08:45 It's just when you compare it with the others in this class, it's always going to lose marks compared to what they can achieve.
08:52 Triumph's Daytona 600 is one of the sweetest handling bikes out there.
08:56 Its engine doesn't quite match up to its Japanese competition, but it certainly looks different. It's British and that's reason enough for some people to own it.
09:03 This bike is Triumph's attempt to break into the monopolised Japanese sports bike market, and I'd say a very valiant effort straight out of the box.
09:12 It needs a bit more development, but I'm sure it's going to get that from its racing. And it's a good looking machine.
09:18 Well, the Triumph Daytona 600 is firmly in 6th place with a total score of 79% in our Top 10 Middleweights chart.
09:26 We're only halfway through our chart of middleweight bikes, but don't go away or you'll miss all the fun.
09:32 There are more motorcycling delights to come, so we'll see you after the break.
09:36 Hello there, I'm Louise Brady and welcome back to Top 10 Bikes.
09:47 In this week's show we're looking at middleweight bikes, but before we rejoin the countdown, let's run down that chart so far.
09:54 At number 10, Kawasaki's ZZR 600.
09:58 In at 9, Yamaha's YZF-600 Thundercat.
10:02 Another Yamaha, the Phaser 600, sits at number 8.
10:06 And at 7, the Suzuki SV 650S.
10:10 Finally, in at number 6, it's the Triumph Daytona 600.
10:15 So let's catch up with our countdown at number 5.
10:19 In at 5, the Yamaha YZF-R6.
10:23 Introduced in 1999, the R6 was seen as the 600 bike for serious racers and scratchers.
10:30 R6s ruled in the super sports class and this translated into sales, with every wannabe racer riding around on one.
10:37 The fact that it looked like the big brother R1 no doubt helped.
10:41 So, how do you improve on a bike that may feel pretty perfect?
10:45 Easy, you change the engine, the frame and the bodywork.
10:49 In fact, the only things you don't change are the brakes.
10:52 But since they were spot on already, then that wasn't a problem.
10:56 This overhaul was an attempt to catch up with bikes like the ZX-6R and the CBR600RR.
11:03 Fortunately for us, this has been a success, making the middleweights class closer than it's ever been.
11:08 With all the contenders being no more than a fag paper apart.
11:13 The look of the R6, I like the best of all of the 600s.
11:16 It's very aggressive, very lean.
11:19 Maybe the front end gets a bit flappy if you're coming over corners and so on.
11:24 But, yeah, a good characterful, powerful bike and well worth considering that one.
11:32 It's not as aggressive and single-minded as it was.
11:36 I mean, the older bikes were certainly the real sort of buzzy, raw-edged, the sportiest of all the 600s.
11:44 But this one's kind of lost that title now really to the ZX-6.
11:48 I think the problem's been that Yamaha have made a bit of a quirky decision on the front wheel, the front tyre size.
11:56 But obviously if you make the changes and put a different set of tyres on, then you've got a bike again which is up there with the best.
12:05 A bit disconcerting on a straight.
12:08 Front end goes a bit light.
12:10 But it's also what makes it so perfect when you tip into a corner.
12:14 It's one of the most sharp steering bikes out there and it's just gorgeous, gorgeous, great fun.
12:20 Anybody that misses two-stroke motorcycles should get a go on an R6.
12:24 It's the only four-stroke you can buy now that actually feels like a two-stroke.
12:28 It's involving, you have to be committed to ride it, but it's great fun at the same time.
12:33 One of the most popular sports bikes out there, the R6 has cutting-edge looks and that revvy four-cylinder engine.
12:39 It's a favourite track day bike, but that little yam can be a bit of a weapon if it falls into the right or the wrong hands.
12:46 So, tallying together the panel scores for each category of street cred, build quality, performance, comfort and value, give the R6 a total score of 80%.
12:58 Striding into the number four spot, the Suzuki GSX-R 600.
13:03 This bike will deliver more smiles per mile than most as it's possibly the sportiest 600 around, but most definitely not the comfiest.
13:12 Having been around for over six years now in one guise or another, this bike has certainly earned itself a place in many a rider's heart, offering a no-nonsense, in-your-face riding experience.
13:24 A smaller brother of the GSX-R family does not disappoint with its sporty looks and impeccable handling, although some may feel its handling to be a little excessive for the road.
13:35 It's a testament to the GSX-R 600 that in 2003, many of its competitors brought out new bikes, but the GSX-R was still pretty much there or thereabouts.
13:47 And into 2004, you can probably pick up a really good bargain brand new GSX-R 600. I'm sure there are some out there, so they're still fantastic bikes.
13:57 It's a head-banging, crazy, full-on motorcycle. You want something that you're going to be able to ride with your mates on a Sunday.
14:05 You're probably going to be at the front of the pack, but you're going to be getting off at the other end, hunched over, desperately uncomfortable, wrists crying out for a bit of relief.
14:14 Not quite up to date in the styling department, but when it comes to performance, the Suzuki is hard to beat, especially when it comes to track work.
14:22 This bike is beautifully balanced and will make you feel like a proper racer.
14:27 So, the Suzuki GSX-R 600 is in fourth place in our chart, with a total score of 81% from our panel.
14:35 In at three, the Kawasaki ZX-6R.
14:39 Kawasaki has a long history in the middleweights category and effectively invented the 600 sports class back in 1985 with the GPZ 600R.
14:49 When the ZX-6R first appeared in 1995, it was a serious contender for the 600cc crown and was acclaimed to be the best all-round 600 with its sporty but comfy riding style.
15:02 Kawasaki have excelled themselves once more with this new for 2003 ZX-6R.
15:09 Using what was a proven engine with its 36cc advantage, Kawasaki had housed it in an all-new frame.
15:16 Sexy bodywork, USD forks and radial disc brakes are first for the 600 class.
15:22 Kawasaki have definitely pulled a stroke with their ZX-6R.
15:26 It packs a heavier punch than its competition and as a result, it's a fantastic bike to ride.
15:31 I tell you what, the ZX-6 is worth buying just for the sound it makes.
15:36 It hits, I think it's about 6,000 rpm and it snarls at you. It's fantastic.
15:41 It's marginal, the performance differences, with any of the 600s.
15:45 So, you know, stuff like that becomes important and I'd have that one.
15:48 The ZX-6R is an edgy looking machine and you can't get much more aggressive than that.
15:53 That raspy 600 motor has the fattest mid-range of the bunch and it handles perfectly.
15:59 So, by combining all our panel scores for each category, the Kawasaki ZX-6R earns itself third place in our top 10 chart with a whopping 82%.
16:10 At number two, something slightly different, Ducati's 749.
16:15 Now, this bike has had one of the hardest jobs in biking, having to follow on from the 748, which ranks as one of the best looking bikes ever.
16:24 Some people are divided over its looks. You either love it or loathe it.
16:29 Sadly, the single-sided swingarm of old has gone, replaced with a standard swingarm, allowing better rear-end grip, but removing part of the old bike's drool factor.
16:40 Talking of drool, Ducati has always been able to get people salivating with its R range of bikes,
16:46 and the 749R is no different, being fitted with Ohlins, titanium and, most importantly, carbon fibre.
16:53 Great looking thing, if you look at it on its own, but you can't help but judge it against what came before it.
16:58 And, in that respect, I think in this company there are others that I'd choose.
17:03 People always overlook the Ducati 749, but it's actually one of the nicest bikes that Ducati build.
17:08 As a package, it works really well. The engine works well with the chassis.
17:12 Looks, you know, it's a debatable area, but when you look at a 916 now, or a 996 now, it's almost starting to look old-fashioned compared with the 749.
17:22 Love it or loathe it, the 749 provokes an opinion, and I think it's an absolute stunner.
17:28 Now, if you were living with one of these Ducatis, this would probably be the one you'd enjoy the longest.
17:35 So, our combined scores for each of those categories of street cred, build quality, performance, comfort and value,
17:42 give the Ducati 749 a total score of, wait for it, 83%, putting it firmly into second place in our chart.
17:51 Well, as you wait with bated breath for the number one middleweight, let's run down the top ten so far from ten to two.
17:58 At number ten, it's the Kawasaki ZZR600, the Tourer, posing as a sports bike.
18:05 In at nine, it's the Yamaha YZF600 Thundercat.
18:09 The frightening Fazer takes the number eight spot.
18:12 And at seven, the ever-popular Suzuki SV650S.
18:17 The British is in at number six, it's the Triumph Daytona 600.
18:22 And in at five, it's the R1's little brother, the Yamaha R6.
18:28 Sitting at four, it's the mental Suzuki GSX-R600.
18:32 And at three, it's the green machine, the Kawasaki ZX-6R.
18:37 At number two, it's the Italian beauty, it's the Ducati 749.
18:42 So, right now, it's time to reveal this week's number one.
18:46 So, this week's winner is...
18:49 It's Honda's CBR600RR.
18:52 The bike may share the CBR600 name, but it is completely new,
18:57 taking technological and styling cues from Valentino Rossi's GP-winning RC211V.
19:04 While it may not share his V5 engine, it does have a 599cc inline four, kicking out around 116bhp.
19:13 Attach this to a frame and swingarm that also closely share this connection,
19:17 and you have a bike that declares its intentions right from the start.
19:22 Honda have used all their GP knowledge and applied it to this bike.
19:26 Along the way, they've invented new buzzwords like 'mass centralisation'.
19:31 That means all the heavier aspects of the bike, such as the fuel,
19:34 are kept as low as possible to ensure agile handling.
19:38 All this translates into a bike that has supreme handling and performance,
19:43 but at the same time has all the usual Honda attributes like build quality and reliability.
19:49 This bike will pull 15,000rpm, and that, in real money, means a top speed of 163mph,
19:58 which is only 6 miles down on its big brother, the Fireblade.
20:01 Phew, what a bike.
20:03 Honda's CBR600 has come on miles in the last couple of years.
20:08 Two or three years ago, it was the 'also ran in the 600' class.
20:12 Now, it's a lot more cutting edge.
20:14 You can retain the credibility amongst your mates on their GSX-Rs and their R6s.
20:19 You'll probably be hanging on to their shirt tails as well, and you may give them a run for their money.
20:23 Great fun, lovely engine, looks the part, nice bike.
20:28 The great thing about this bike is it looks like Valentino Ross's RC211V,
20:35 a MotoGP bike, but the better thing is it actually kind of goes like one as well.
20:40 Not on the motor side of things, because obviously it's not got a V5 in there,
20:43 it's just got an inline four, but the handling is just absolutely superb.
20:50 It's very, very friendly and easy to make go extremely quickly,
20:55 and the looks are knockout. I mean, it's a fantastic looking bike,
20:58 but a little bit compact for taller riders, I think, sometimes.
21:01 I found it a little bit cramped. Not too bad, but make sure you fit it first.
21:07 Honda's CBR600RR has become the benchmark 600 with good reason.
21:11 It is the best. It's got the best engine, the best brakes, the best chassis,
21:15 and it also looks the best, and it's cleaning up in world super sport.
21:18 It's the best bike.
21:20 This bike is a cut above the rest, and it looks awesome.
21:24 And it's one of those packages that allows the rider to ride beyond their ability
21:29 and hopefully stop them falling off.
21:32 It's really great for us to win this award, because the CBR600RR
21:36 is the first of our new generation sports bikes,
21:38 and to win in the first year is really great.
21:40 We think the bike's got a real wow factor, and it's really great that everyone else agreed.
21:44 Not only has it been a top seller for us,
21:46 we also won the British Super Sport Championship as well.
21:48 So we're really pleased, and thank you very much.
21:51 So let's see why it was placed at number one.
21:53 Well, our combined scores for each category of StreetCred,
21:57 build quality, performance, comfort, and value,
22:00 gave the Honda CBR600RR a total score of 86%.
22:06 The viewer's special will be our next show. We'll see you then.
22:10 [music]
22:39 (thunder)