Top Ten Bikes 2003: Episode 5 - Insurance Friendly - video Dailymotion

Men and Motors

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 Insurance Friendly 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

Transcript

00:00 Hello there, I'm Louise Brady and welcome to Top 10 Bikes 2003. We've gathered together

00:21 a panel of experts who have passed their BDIs over the machines in this year's categories

00:25 and have voted to give you the definitive guide to the bikes of 2003. Well, here it

00:31 is, the coveted award that will be presented to the manufacturer of this week's number

00:36 one machine. The question is, which one will it be? Well, stay with us and this week's

00:42 winner will be unveiled a little later in the show. I'm one of the panellists and as

00:46 the show progresses, you'll get the opportunity to meet the other journalists involved. So,

00:51 let's get started on the countdown of this week's categories, insurance-friendly bikes.

00:56 Well, one area of biking that we all gripe about is the cost of insurance, especially

01:01 if you're just starting out in biking. So, this week we're going to help you hang on

01:05 to those hard-earned pennies of yours, should you be unlucky enough to sling your pride

01:10 and joy down the road in a crescendo of sparks and scraping plastic. Now, all these bikes

01:15 are considered cheap to insure, so let's get on with the chart. Underpowering its way into

01:21 the tenth spot is the Suzuki GS500E. Originally launched with some sporting intentions, remember

01:31 the slingshot decal, anyone? It soon found its niche as an inexpensive all-rounder for

01:38 the less discerning rider. It also has the benefit of being insurance group seven. Now,

01:44 there are many better bikes in this class, but none cheaper, and the price has ensured

01:48 lasting popularity. Now, the GS500E is ideal for beginners, as it handles the abuse and

01:54 crashes that learners tend to dish out. The low and narrow seat height means it's easy

02:00 to get your feet down at short notice. The handling is fine and matches the bike's performance

02:05 to a T. Unfortunately, the build quality leaves a lot to be desired. Ride it through the winter

02:11 and you may well see it dissolve before your very eyes. The GS500E is about as basic and

02:17 bland as they come, and it probably lists watching paint dry as one of its hobbies.

02:24 Let's find out what the panel think. The GS500E, well, it handles quite sharply. The engine's

02:30 buzzy and laboured, and the suspension's a bit bouncy, and the brakes feel like they're

02:37 made of oak. No, don't want one, thank you. The only thing with the Suzuki is the finish

02:44 is a big problem. The exhausts rot, the downpipes rot. Nothing really seems to have had any

02:51 layer of either paint or chromium put on this bike.

02:56 The Suzuki GS500E was once a good motorbike, but now is so old, so antiquated, and feels

03:04 it when you ride it that it's just probably best avoided.

03:06 Well, I have to say, I think it's a very dull motorcycle indeed. A typical grassroots commuter.

03:13 It doesn't have any character, it's just simply a machine to get you from A to B.

03:17 So our combined scores for each category of street cred, build quality, performance, comfort,

03:23 and value give the Suzuki GS500E a total score of, don't fall off your seats, 55%, putting

03:31 it firmly in tenths in our chart.

03:35 In at number nine is the Honda VT125 Shadow. Honda's little VT125 shares more than its

03:43 looks with its bigger brother. A little bike it may be, but it's certainly no lightweight,

03:49 coming in at just under 150 kilos, which makes it a little harder to handle at low speeds

03:54 than some 125s.

03:57 From a distance, you're able to convince people you're riding a full-size cruiser, that is

04:02 as long as they don't hear the engine. Swing a leg over it and it feels like you have to

04:07 fall down to sit in the saddle, which hovers a minute 680mm above ground level.

04:14 Performance is, hardly surprisingly, pretty poor, with a measly 15bhp engine struggling

04:21 to get this bike moving.

04:23 Insurance is a lowly group four, which is partly a result of having little performance

04:28 to speak of, but also no expensive plastics to replace in case of an accident.

04:33 Let's find out what the panel think.

04:35 It's a comfy little bike. It's great for what they're used for, which is getting you accustomed

04:43 to riding a bike, finding your feet.

04:47 The Shadow VT125, well they're extremely well made, and after that you're struggling. It's

04:54 absolutely bland, totally generic. It'll move you along the road and it won't move you in

05:00 any other way at all.

05:02 I think the Shadow is for all those people out there who like David Hasselhoff. You see,

05:08 it's one of those cheesy bikes, but I do think it is a tad better than the GS500e, because

05:14 it leaves the little Honda as aspirations to be something bigger.

05:18 So our panel's combined scores for each of those categories give the little Honda VT125

05:23 Shadow a total score of 60%, putting it firmly in ninth place in our top 10 chart.

05:30 At this week's number eight, we have the Yamaha 600 Diversion.

05:36 Introduced in '92, the Diversion started the trend for budget middleweight all-rounders.

05:42 Its combination of low cost, capable performance, and straightforward riding position meant

05:48 that for the first time, if you wanted a 600, it didn't have to be a sports bike.

05:53 The Diversion isn't about to set the world alight with its speedy, sporty performance.

05:58 What makes it fun to ride is its easy power delivery. The power is spread throughout the

06:03 rev range, making it a doddle to deal with in town. No lurching through the traffic with

06:08 this baby.

06:09 The Yamaha 600 Diversion is a good old-fashioned motorcycle. Four cylinders, air-cooled, bargain

06:15 bucket basement, but works.

06:17 Great commuter bike. You can abuse it. It stands up pretty well to all weathers, and

06:22 it's a reasonably priced machine.

06:25 It's not going to deliver a lot of thrills, but what it does do is it won't miss a beat.

06:29 It will keep going long after probably some of the other parts of the bike have corroded

06:34 away.

06:35 It's very flat, and suspension feels crude. It's cheap, but it feels cheap, and I'm not

06:42 a fan.

06:43 So by adding our panel scores for each of those categories gives the versatile Yamaha

06:48 600 Diversion a total score of 62%, placing it eighth in our insurance-friendly chart.

06:56 Rolling in at number seven, we have Kawasaki's ER5.

07:03 The ER5 is the learner special or the courier king. Its tractable engine, sharp handling,

07:10 and superb brakes make it ideally suited for either party.

07:14 Many of you will have seen this bike being ridden with L-plates on, and when equipped

07:18 with the optional engine guards, it's perfect for those riders with limited experience that

07:23 fancy a big-style bike.

07:25 On the other extreme, fit a top box, and you can hoon through central London at breakneck

07:29 speed delivering packages.

07:32 Price-wise, this bike is a bargain, with the manufacturer's recommended price being just

07:36 over three and a half grand.

07:39 So it's easy to see why this bike is the UK's best-selling 500.

07:44 ER5, it does the job. It'll get you to work, and it'll do it every day for years and years.

07:51 It's a bit buzzy, the engine. You need to spin it a bit hard.

07:55 Kawasaki's ER5, not quite as composed as Honda CB500, but still a very good bike, and it's

08:00 got that Kawasaki edge to its engine.

08:02 This bike is Kawasaki's answer to Suzuki's GS500e, and Kawasaki have almost succeeded

08:09 in making a bike almost as boring.

08:11 But I will give it a bit of credit. It's slightly more stylish and a little bit more comfortable.

08:18 The courier favourite, the Kawasaki ER5, has been given a total score of 63% by our panel

08:25 of experts, putting it firmly in seventh place in the chart.

08:30 And in at number six, it's KTM's LC4.

08:36 The KTM LC4 Supermoto is based on their Manic EXC off-road range of bikes. It is equipped

08:43 with 17-inch wheels shod with sticky road rubber, allowing this bike to carry mental

08:48 corner speeds.

08:50 Around a twisty back lane, this bike will hassle bigger bikes and even show some a clean

08:55 pair of heels, thanks to its quality suspension.

08:59 Now when you take into account this bike's outstanding performance and handling, then

09:03 its Group 11 insurance rating makes it extremely tempting for those wanting to get their kicks

09:09 at lower speeds.

09:10 Anyone wanting an even better performing version should consider the 660 Super Competition

09:16 Supermoto. It uses a race-derived motor with kickstart only, but retains the pillion pegs

09:23 just in case anyone is mad enough to go out with you.

09:27 Don't forgive it its shortcomings the same way that you do most Supermotos, because around

09:31 town they are just probably the best thing. You don't look through cars, you look over

09:36 them. People are going to see you coming. You're going to get off at the other end with

09:39 a grin that's going to threaten to split your head open.

09:42 The LC4 is an interesting take on this because it's a way of doing something different, I

09:47 think. It just proves the point that you don't have to have a bike that looks like a commuter

09:53 to go commuting. You can use an LC4 and then you can go and play around in the dirt at

09:58 the weekends and all the rest and probably improve your riding skills as well.

10:01 I can't believe this is classed as an insurance-friendly bike. It may look friendly, but underneath

10:06 it's pure hooligan. Of course, it's got that lightweight chassis and that torquey single

10:11 engine.

10:12 So our panel's combined scores for each category give the KTM LC4 a total score of 69%, putting

10:20 it firmly into sixth place in our top 10 chart.

10:24 Well, that's the end of part one. Join me again soon in part two as we continue to discover

10:28 which bikes are least damaging to that wallet at insurance time. See you in a mo.

10:38 Welcome back to Top 10 Bikes with me, Louise Brady. Now in this week's show, we're looking

10:43 at insurance-friendly machines. So before we continue with the rundown, let's recap

10:48 on the chart so far.

10:50 At number 10, the dull Suzuki GS500e. In at nine, the Honda VT125 Shadow. Slipping in

10:59 at eight, the diverse Yamaha 600 Diversion. At seven, the courier's favourite, the Kawasaki

11:06 ER5. And at six, KTM's LC4.

11:12 Chuffing into the number five spot is the BMW F650. BMW broke the mould when they produced

11:22 the F650. It's their first single cylinder bike since the 1950s and the first chain drive

11:29 bike in their range ever. This easy to ride chuffer is perfect for the potential Paris-Dakar

11:35 entrance out there. It's light, economical, with insurance group eight, and it's easy

11:41 to ride. Its only real downside is rapid chain wear due to the snatchy nature of those big

11:47 single cylinder engines.

11:49 All the iterations of the BMW F650 are well worth a try. Comfy, dependable, and fun to

11:56 ride. Whether you want to be at work by clocking in time or Bombay by breakfast, there is an

12:02 F650 that'll suit you.

12:05 Let's find out what the panel thinks.

12:06 The BMW F650 Funduro is essentially a trail styled road machine. And for somebody that

12:13 wants that piece of badge engineering on their bike, it's a good way to start with BMW.

12:19 If you're a novice and you're going along at slowest speed, it starts to judder and

12:24 doesn't really play ball. And you've got a fairly narrow power band to work with on it.

12:28 So it's not a bad bike. And if you want a single, it's a good one. But go for a twin

12:34 instead.

12:35 Very good cheap way of getting a BMW in your garage really. Can do a bit of everything.

12:40 Good solid bike. Not perhaps the most exciting single cylinder bike out there. Certainly

12:44 not as stylish as something like a Pagasso.

12:46 Well I reckon this bike is the best BMW available. And it's got some fairly decent off road capability.

12:52 And it looks pretty stylish too.

12:55 So our combined scores for each category of Street cred, build quality, performance, comfort,

13:02 and value give the BMW F650 a total score of 70%. Putting it firmly in fifth place in

13:10 our chart.

13:11 Sliding in at number four, it's the Honda CB500.

13:17 More sensible than the FZR and more grown up than the ER5, it's Honda's CB500. It's

13:25 a true all rounder. Easy to ride for beginners and it runs forever. Definitely a courier

13:32 favourite. It's had its own race series and is capable of serious motorway mileage fully

13:38 laden. The only thing the CB can't do for you is the dishes.

13:43 This bike is more expensive than the other 500cc twins, but it's legendary Honda build

13:48 quality and two year warranty ensure that many people are prepared to pay the difference.

13:54 The economy is fabulous. More than a match for its direct competitors. Even a friend

13:59 to insurers being within group nine. The thing is about this bike, you can fill her up and

14:05 ride and ride and ride until your heart's content.

14:09 The Honda CB500 is a little jewel. It's a twin cylinder powerhouse. It looks like a

14:13 commuter bike, but it's actually a very good sports bike at the same time. I've actually

14:17 raced one of these things for a season and it is really good fun.

14:21 CB500 is a seriously underrated bike, you know. They're bringing a new version out,

14:26 which will be much the same, I think. But the engine's really eager. It's got a nice

14:32 bit of punch to it and it steers nicely and, you know, yeah, it commutes and things, but

14:37 you can have a good laugh on that as well. Good, excellent bike.

14:40 So adding together our panel scores for each combined category gives the economical little

14:45 Honda CB500 a total score of 71%, placing it fourth in our top 10 chart of insurance

14:53 friendlies.

14:54 In at number three, Suzuki's GSF600 Bandit.

15:01 Suzuki's Bandits have been with us for years, so it was no surprise that for 2003 they received

15:06 an update. The 600 Bandit looks better, works better and now costs less than it did a year

15:13 ago, which is important seeing as one of its rivals is its stable mate, the Suzuki SV650.

15:20 Power comes from an air-cooled 599cc inline four, which is fairly prehistoric by today's

15:26 standards but is extremely reliable and will go on forever. Producing almost 80bhp, baby

15:34 Bandits are now much loved by new riders and short wannabe hooligans. Their relatively

15:40 low seat height means they're ideal for people lacking in confidence and leg length.

15:47 If you're on a budget then bear in mind that the 600 Bandit is only group 10 insurance.

15:53 Couple that to the fact that it's also at least £800 cheaper than its nearest competitor

15:58 and this bike still makes a lot of sense.

16:01 It's a great town bike, does everything you ask of it, doesn't complain. You can't really

16:07 fault it for what it does.

16:09 Unfortunately over the years, basically the competition has caught up and passed them

16:12 with the Phaser and the SV650 and the Honda Hornet. Which is a shame really because the

16:17 Bandit still looks the part but it's just that the old sort of GSX 600F oil cooled,

16:24 air cooled motor is not really providing the goods anymore. But saying that, it is a good

16:30 few hundred quid cheaper than the competition so it's well worth a look.

16:35 The miniature version of the hooligan bike, the GSF 1200 and this smaller bike is almost

16:41 as good. It's well proportioned, it's well balanced and of course it's got that screaming

16:46 4 cylinder motor.

16:48 The Suzuki GSF 600 received a total score of 72% from our panel of experts putting it

16:55 firmly in third place in our chart.

16:58 Stomping into the number 2 spot is the Ducati Monster 620.

17:04 This new version of the baby monster is light years on from its predecessor with a new frame

17:09 housing a revised version of the air cooled 618cc V-twin motor, this bike now has a much

17:15 fatter torque curve and a higher top speed.

17:19 The Monster has been Ducati's best seller for years now and they're constantly tweaking

17:23 them to maintain their appeal. Italian style and presence ooze out of every inch of that

17:30 bike. Climb aboard one and you instantly feel the need to cruise up and down your local

17:35 high street.

17:36 Braking has always been a strong point for the Monster, those lovely Brembo brakes provide

17:40 feel and performance to allow you to get the most from your bike.

17:45 A genuinely good town machine that also lets you have some fun when the road gets twisty,

17:51 this is what this baby monster is all about.

17:54 Add to that the group 10 insurance and you can see what all the fuss is about.

17:59 Low seat height makes it very good for people that are short of stature, punchy little engine,

18:07 Ducati reliability, Ducati build quality, not sure it's the one that I'd pick.

18:15 Really good way of getting into riding Ducatis, not really the best town bike although it

18:20 looks quite urban, the limited steering lock, bit of a snatchy feel low down, but it's an

18:26 excellent little bike.

18:29 It's another one of these bikes that's surprisingly awkward to ride at low revs, I mean they're

18:35 better than they used to be but it's still a little bit lumpy and the clutches are a

18:39 little bit heavy, there's not much steering lock and so on.

18:43 A character for fellow and one of my favourite bikes, that 620 has that awesome Bologna twin

18:48 nestled into a very classy chassis and there's nothing to touch that bike in the corners

18:54 and how can we ever tire of the Monster's wicked looks.

18:58 The panel's combined score for each of those categories gives the Ducati Monster 620 a

19:02 total score of 75% placing it firmly in second place in our insurance friendly chart.

19:10 So before we reveal which bike the Men and Motors panel of experts voted number one,

19:15 let's run down the chart so far.

19:18 At number 10, the Suzuki GS500e.

19:21 Slotting in at 9, it's the Honda VT125 Shadow.

19:25 Slipping in at 8, it's Yamaha's 600 Diversion.

19:29 While at 7, it's Kawasaki's ER5.

19:32 Number 6, sees the unusual KTM LC4.

19:36 Whilst at 5, BMW give us their F650 Fonduro.

19:41 The dependable Honda CB500 is in at 4, while at 3, Suzuki's Bandit 600.

19:47 The Ducati Monster 620 is at number 2, so have you guessed what's at the top of this

19:54 week's biking tree?

19:56 The number one insurance friendly bike is the Suzuki SV650.

20:05 That little SV650 V-Twin is a punchy bag of fun.

20:10 The small capacity V-Twin just wants to go as it eagerly tugs on your arms.

20:15 The steering is sharp, the handling is fine and the engine is, ooh, so responsive.

20:21 It sounds good too.

20:22 And don't you just love the sound of that V-Twin engine?

20:25 The SV650 is available with or without the small half fairing, which if you do prefer

20:30 the better weather protection, will lift you a further insurance screw.

20:35 The unfaired version has a less sporty riding position, which will appeal to those who are

20:39 more interested in comfort rather than sporting performance.

20:43 Its good looks and small stature has made it a favourite with the girls, but it has

20:48 all-round capabilities that appeal to a wide audience.

20:52 A stonking little bike that won't break the bank to insure, so let's see why it was

20:57 placed at number one.

20:59 Decent enough performance, that twin engine's pretty pokey.

21:02 It's going to give you plenty of grunt.

21:05 Great bike around town.

21:06 Good commuter bike.

21:07 Nice.

21:08 Now, if you could bottle up fun and wrap it up in a motorcycle chassis, the Suzuki SV650

21:14 would be the result.

21:15 It's got a great little engine, a great little chassis, handles really well and will embarrass

21:19 a lot of bigger bikes.

21:20 SV650 is a real charmer.

21:23 That's an excellent bike.

21:24 I mean, you can buy that as a middleweight sports bike and enjoy it.

21:28 Our combined scores for each category are street cred, build quality, performance, comfort

21:35 and value gave the Suzuki SV650 a total score of 78%.

21:41 Thank you very much Men and Motors for this great award, number one insurance friendly

21:45 bike of 2003.

21:47 It's great that we've received this because it validates the fact that we think it's a

21:49 brilliant bike.

21:50 Customers are buying it and it's superb because it's a bike that grows with our customers

21:54 from beginners right through to experienced riders.

21:56 It gives them everything they need.

21:58 Well congratulations there to Suzuki.

22:01 I think it's a tremendous little bike that's popular with many riders, particularly the

22:06 girlies.

22:07 Really, it's just a big pussycat that instills great confidence in any rider.

22:12 Bye for now.

22:13 [Music]

22:15 [Music]

22:42 [Music]

22:44 [BLANK_AUDIO]

Top Ten Bikes 2003: Episode 5 - Insurance Friendly

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