• 7 months ago
In this episode of Bike File join Paul Johnston and Warren Pole as they take a look a 5 exotica bikes to find out for you at home which is the bike to buy and the bike to avoid!

Tell us below in the comments, did Paul and Warren get it right?

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Transcript
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:21 Hi, I'm Paul Johnston.
00:23 Welcome to "Bikephile," the show that gives you the very
00:25 latest info on the newest machines on the market.
00:28 Each week, we look at a different category of bike.
00:30 And this show is dedicated to those machines which some
00:33 would say are not very practical.
00:35 Perhaps they're more suited to posing than everyday use.
00:38 We're talking about Motorcycle Exotica.
00:41 Indeed we are.
00:42 And we are going to be testing these bikes as ever for style,
00:45 value, practicality, and performance.
00:49 The one with the most points at the end
00:50 is going to be the winner.
00:51 But before we take the first of our test rides, let's have a
00:53 quick rundown on the machines for this week.
00:55 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:59 First on test today, it is the beautiful MV Agusta F4, now
01:04 with 1,000 cc power.
01:06 And next, we have the all new Aprilia RSV factory version.
01:11 Of course, no Exotica test would be complete without a
01:13 Ducati, so here's a 999.
01:15 And the only Japanese bike in our pack
01:17 today is Honda's SP2.
01:20 Finally, it's straight back to Italy for
01:22 Benelli's Tornado Trey RS.
01:25 Well, that's a pretty impressive, exclusive, and
01:27 rather expensive lineup this week, was it?
01:29 Absolute bank breakers.
01:30 And we're going to start with this one, the most expensive,
01:32 at 14,000 quid, this isn't it?
01:35 I mean, that is an awful lot of money.
01:37 What else could you get for 14,000 pounds?
01:39 14 grand would get you two nearly new Fireblades.
01:42 Or how about a used GSXR 1000, a second hand R6 track
01:45 bike, and a supermoto?
01:47 You could do that as well, couldn't you?
01:48 Or you could buy this.
01:49 14 grand, right.
01:50 Listen, you be very careful.
01:52 [MUSIC]
01:58 MV's drop dead gorgeous Augusta has been with us for
02:02 a few years now.
02:04 The only trouble was, it was always a little bit lacking in
02:07 power, well, not anymore.
02:09 [MUSIC]
02:17 Massimo Tamburini has an awful lot to answer for when it
02:21 comes to creating motorcycles so beautiful that they will
02:24 stop grown men in their tracks at 50 paces.
02:28 Not only did he pen Ducati's timeless 916, he's also
02:32 responsible for this, MV's drop dead Augusta.
02:37 Previously only available to us with 750cc's, now it comes
02:42 as a full fat 1,000.
02:45 Stunning does not even come close to what Tamburini and
02:48 MV have made here.
02:50 This is the kind of bike you can look at for hours, and it
02:53 seems no matter how many times you look, there's always
02:56 another neat touch to be found just around the corner.
03:00 There's those sophisticated white face clocks that gently
03:03 sweep the taco on startup.
03:05 There's that single sided swing arm that caresses its way
03:08 to that gorgeous back wheel.
03:10 And then there's the four gun tail end.
03:12 The very fact that it works at all is a pleasant surprise.
03:16 But to then find out that it really works very well is an
03:20 excellent shock.
03:22 Now somehow, despite the narrow frame rails here, there
03:25 is an inline four cylinder motor shoehorned in there.
03:29 And it spins up with a beautiful howl.
03:33 But the big deal now really has to be that motor.
03:41 And you can rest assured there is now loads of power on tap
03:45 with the new 1,000cc lump.
03:48 So finally, we come to the small issue of money, or in
03:51 this case, the big issue.
03:53 14 grand.
03:54 It's the most expensive bike here, and it is very
03:57 expensive full stop.
03:59 But whereas with the old 750, you got all of the show, but
04:03 you never quite got all of the go, now in the 1,000, you've
04:07 got both.
04:08 The question is, how rich are you feeling?
04:14 Now it's time to have a look at the scores.
04:16 Styling.
04:17 The first and possibly the only bike on Bikephile to take 10
04:20 out of 10.
04:22 Wow.
04:23 Performance.
04:24 8 out of 10.
04:26 The potential for great handling's in there if you're
04:28 prepared to fiddle with the suspenders.
04:30 And now there's real power too.
04:32 Practicality.
04:33 6 out of 10.
04:34 Would have been less, but at least now the steering doesn't
04:36 trap your thumbs on full lock.
04:39 Value.
04:40 4 out of 10.
04:41 An awesome motorcycle, but an awesome price tag to match it.
04:45 That's one very impressive motorcycle, isn't it, was I?
04:48 Wow.
04:49 Is that it?
04:50 Any more comments?
04:51 Just wow.
04:52 It's that good, isn't it?
04:53 It is a fantastic piece of kit.
04:55 It's awesome.
04:56 It's not in R1 or GSXR 1,000 territory, but it's just got
05:01 some real go to it now.
05:02 And I would do anything for one of these in my garage.
05:05 The thing was, we were going to do a review of the bike,
05:08 but we didn't have time.
05:09 So I would do anything for one of these in my garage.
05:12 The thing was with the 750 version of the F4, it was a
05:14 bit flat and didn't really excite.
05:16 Looked great, but--
05:17 Yeah, but now why would you want to own a 750 just by--
05:20 Just wow.
05:22 You've just got to--
05:23 Wow.
05:23 Was I was very impressed.
05:24 Well, we're going to move on very quickly before he gets
05:26 too excited.
05:27 Just something slightly less expensive, but a Prilia would
05:29 argue equally as exclusive.
05:31 And this is it, was I?
05:35 This is the RSV Miele factory version.
05:38 Got it right.
05:39 Easy not to, because this is what was the R model last year
05:42 with the uprated kit, but now they call it the factory.
05:45 And the R model, if I can get this right, is the standard
05:48 one, it's confusing, isn't it?
05:49 It is confusing.
05:49 Basically, a Prilia have kind of jiggled their models around
05:52 and renamed a couple of things.
05:53 But this is the factory, and that's all we're
05:54 bothered about today.
05:55 And it is a blinding track bike, that much we know.
05:58 It is really a track machine.
05:59 But I think if it goes half as well as it looks, we're in
06:01 for a treat.
06:02 [MUSIC PLAYING]
06:09 The RSV was Prilia's first foray into the big bike
06:12 market, after years of making 125 and 250cc strokers.
06:17 Now, for 2004, they've come up with the RSV 1000R factory.
06:21 [MUSIC PLAYING]
06:30 The factory is the most expensive bike in a Prilia's
06:32 range, so therefore, it must be the best, right?
06:35 Well, looks wise, I'd say that's definitely the case.
06:38 It's got a great presence on the road.
06:40 Looks almost menacing in that satin black color scheme.
06:43 Looks great.
06:44 But is it really worth over 2,000 pounds more than the
06:47 standard RSV-R?
06:48 [MUSIC PLAYING]
06:52 For your extra dosh, you'll get top spec all-in suspension,
06:56 very powerful Brembo radial caliper brakes, a few trick
06:59 looking carbon fiber bits and pieces, and a pair of smart
07:02 looking lightweight Oz racing wheels.
07:04 Surprisingly, though, the performance figures are
07:07 exactly the same on both the standard and factory versions
07:10 of this bike.
07:12 You see, it's in the performance where I think,
07:14 personally, most owners would actually like to
07:16 feel the difference.
07:17 It's OK having your high spec, multi-adjustable, all-in
07:20 suspension.
07:21 But if we're being perfectly honest, that only really comes
07:24 into play when you start riding the bike very hard.
07:26 So we're talking about on a racetrack.
07:28 There's only a small number of owners would risk taking one
07:31 of these on a racetrack.
07:32 And there's only a tiny percentage of those who've got
07:34 the ability or the experience to know a good suspension
07:37 setup from a bad one.
07:41 As for the carbon fiber bits and the lightweight wheels,
07:43 yes, they look fantastic.
07:45 But this bike is only four kilos lighter than the
07:47 standard model.
07:48 So again, I'm left wondering a little, is it all worth it?
07:52 But let's get positive.
07:53 This is a terrific bike.
07:54 It's very powerful with a lovely, smooth spread of
07:57 power, and it handles like a dream.
07:59 By now, you're probably thinking that I've got a
08:05 complete downer on this bike.
08:07 But I haven't, honestly.
08:08 It's a brilliant bike, and I would love to own one.
08:11 I just think that you need a pretty fat wallet, and you
08:14 need to be a very experienced rider to justify paying over
08:17 2,000 pounds more for that than the standard RS VR.
08:25 So it's on to the scoreboard for Aprilia's factory Miele.
08:28 For style, 7 out of 10.
08:30 It's pointed in all the right places, but not exactly
08:33 state of the art.
08:34 Performance, 9 out of 10.
08:36 This is one stonking 60 degree V-twin motor.
08:40 Practicality, 7 out of 10.
08:42 The rear view mirrors actually work, but some would still
08:45 find it difficult to sit on this all day.
08:47 And for value, 7 out of 10.
08:49 For over 2,000 pounds less, you can buy
08:52 virtually the same bike.
08:53 But if you're impressed by trick suspension and know how
08:55 to use it, then this is probably worth it.
08:59 Interesting points there, Paul.
09:00 I see you're not entirely swung on the idea of having all
09:02 this top spec kit on here.
09:04 Well, I'm not on this bike in particular.
09:06 I'm not against paying extra money and getting higher spec
09:09 running gear.
09:09 That's fine.
09:10 But on this bike, I do have a little problem with it,
09:12 because there is a perfectly good Aprilia Miele RS VR
09:16 standard, which is fine.
09:17 And for 99.9% of people, it will do
09:20 everything you ever need.
09:21 And it's 2 and 1/2 thousand quid cheaper than this.
09:22 That's my point.
09:23 Now, talking of track performance, it's time for our
09:25 next bike, because I have something from Bologna you may
09:27 be interested in.
09:28 And here it is from Bologna.
09:32 It could only be a Ducati.
09:34 It's the 999.
09:35 And it's not very pretty, is it?
09:38 It's not very pretty.
09:38 It's not the best looking bike they've ever made, is it?
09:40 I much prefer the old 916 shape.
09:43 With you all the way there.
09:44 It's got to be a classic, that, isn't it?
09:45 Classic of all time.
09:46 But this just doesn't do it for me, I'm afraid.
09:47 No, no, not quite.
09:48 But the one area this does score, I've always found,
09:50 rides better than the old ones.
09:52 Hands down.
09:53 Yeah, yeah.
09:53 Well, I wouldn't disagree with you on that.
09:54 Yeah.
09:55 No.
09:55 So all that's left, really, is for me to go for a bit of a
09:57 play, I think.
09:58 If the MV is the Snow White of this bunch, then I'm afraid
10:14 Ducati's 999 is the ugly sister.
10:18 Italian it may be.
10:19 An exclusive, it certainly is.
10:22 But bold and radical are the kindest words I can muster to
10:26 describe what Ducati have done with the 999.
10:30 So it may not have the outright looks of an Italian
10:33 classic, but start poking around the bike and you'll
10:37 soon find it brimming with finicky Italian attributes.
10:41 Like the screen that obscures all of your view of the
10:43 clocks, a fairing that snags your boot when you go for the
10:47 side stand, or the motor that clatters like a broken cement
10:50 mixer at tick over.
10:52 But fear not, because all these moans and grumbles can be
10:55 cast aside the minute you start riding the 999, because
10:59 it is brilliant.
11:02 That motor, which sounds like it's on the verge of
11:05 rattling itself out of the frame on tick over, suddenly
11:08 assumes a brand new character the minute you give it a
11:11 little gas and the needle lifts off the
11:13 bottom of the tacho.
11:14 And that 998cc V-twin roars into a brand new lease of life.
11:19 Get out.
11:20 As with all twins, it never feels hugely fast.
11:27 But one glance at the speedo will assure you this is one
11:30 very quick motorbike.
11:32 And if handling's your bag, then you're in just the right
11:35 place.
11:36 The balance of the bike is superb.
11:39 It's also a lot easier to ride fast than its predecessors,
11:43 now turning into corners far more easily, where the older
11:46 bikes always needed a good shove to get there.
11:48 It's a lot of cash to flash for the 999, and you'll have to
11:56 love it beyond its looks.
11:58 But if you want a track stunner that is both better and
12:01 more bearable on the road than any sports duke yet, then the
12:05 999 could be just the ticket.
12:07 Now it's time to have a look at the scores.
12:14 Styling, 7 out of 10.
12:16 Distinctive, yes.
12:18 Oil painting, no.
12:20 Performance, 8 out of 10.
12:22 Excellent on the road, excellent on the track as well.
12:25 Practicality, 6 out of 10.
12:28 It's more comfortable than any duke yet.
12:30 It's perfectly good when you're on the move, but it's
12:32 still a bit of an ache in town, and it'll
12:35 need looking after.
12:36 Value, 8 out of 10.
12:38 You get the Ducati badge, all the performance, but you
12:41 better have just about 11 grand spare.
12:44 So you must now be aching from head to foot, because this is
12:47 a Ducati, Italian Ducati, not very comfy, these things.
12:50 Funnily enough, I'm not.
12:51 I feel sprightly.
12:52 I feel full of beans.
12:53 It's left me fine, because this is more comfortable than
12:55 any sports duke before.
12:56 You've got a better seat, less weight on your wrists up
12:59 front, lighter throttle.
13:01 And it's not happy at low speed, but it's bearable.
13:04 Yeah, you can stand it, can't you now?
13:05 Much more easily.
13:06 And once you get going, it's beautiful.
13:09 Just not quite got the panache or va-va-voom to ace out that
13:13 wonderful MV 1000.
13:14 No, I would agree with you there, which is why the MV
13:17 Augusta 1000cc bike is still in the lead with 31 points
13:21 this week.
13:21 But it's a close run thing.
13:22 They're all great machines.
13:23 And still to come in part two, we'll be riding Benelli's
13:26 Tornado and Honda's very smart looking SP2.
13:29 We'll see you then.
13:37 Welcome back to Bike File, where this week we are looking
13:40 at sports exotica, which it won't surprise you to learn
13:43 has been thus far dominated by a trio of Italian treats.
13:47 However, there is one Japanese motorcycle here.
13:50 It's the SP2, isn't it, Paul?
13:51 This is the SP2.
13:52 World super bike, really, for the road.
13:54 Yeah.
13:54 I mean, great looking.
13:55 A World Super Bike winner.
13:55 World Super Bike winner, indeed.
13:56 Yeah, but some race reps, I don't know.
13:59 They just don't look right.
14:00 This, I think, looks-- I mean, I even like the old SP1.
14:03 I just love it.
14:04 I'm with you.
14:05 I've got a big soft spot for this.
14:06 And I notice you've even got the correct helmet very well
14:08 spotted.
14:09 Like Wazza, most of you have probably
14:24 noticed that I've dug out my old Colin Edwards replica helmet
14:27 this week.
14:27 And that's because if you stripped off
14:29 the mirrors, lights, and indicators from this SP2,
14:32 you would be fairly close to the bike which took the Texas
14:35 Tornado to World Super Bike glory
14:38 only a couple of years ago.
14:39 Pulling away from idle, the SP2 feels quite calm and placid.
14:46 But as the revs start to build, so does the power.
14:48 And it's oh so smooth.
14:50 Once you approach 7,000 RPM, it really starts to come on song.
14:55 But not in a nasty or brutal kind of way.
14:57 It's easy to control.
14:58 But it does mean that this bike is deceptively quick.
15:03 And I think that's true of most big twins,
15:05 because the engines aren't screaming their head off
15:07 like a four-cylinder bike.
15:08 You sometimes don't actually feel
15:10 like you're going very fast.
15:11 But believe me, on the SP2, you really
15:13 do need to keep one eye on the speedo,
15:15 or you'll be into three-figure speeds before you know it.
15:18 I think it's a good-looking bike, the SP2, very distinctive
15:21 with its side-mounted radiators there and that big air intake
15:24 up there between the front headlamps.
15:25 And for my money, still one of the best-looking race
15:28 reps around today.
15:33 Don't expect too much comfort on this bike.
15:35 After all, it's more at home on the racetrack
15:38 than anywhere else.
15:39 And to that end, the handling is as sharp as a tack.
15:42 And the dinner plate-sized front brake discs
15:44 will send you flying over the handlebars
15:46 if you grab a bit too much.
15:47 They're truly awesome.
15:49 At 9,400 pounds, it's true that you could actually
15:56 buy a much cheaper sports bike.
15:58 But could you actually buy one that looks as good as this?
16:01 That might be slightly more difficult.
16:02 The deciding factor, really, I think
16:04 is whether or not you like V-twins,
16:06 because they do develop the power slightly different
16:08 to a four-cylinder machine.
16:10 But I'd bet money that even the most ardent four-cylinder fan
16:13 would find it very difficult not to be excited
16:15 by a ride on one of these.
16:17 So it's over to the scoreboard for Honda's SP2.
16:23 For style, 9 out of 10.
16:25 For my money, it's still the best-looking race
16:27 rep on the road today.
16:29 Performance, 7 out of 10.
16:31 Perfect for the road, but would get
16:32 left behind on the track by some of today's other contenders.
16:36 Practicality, 7 out of 10.
16:38 There is a limited tank range, so no good for long distances.
16:41 And you do have an awful lot of weight on your wrists.
16:44 And for value, 7 out of 10.
16:46 Cheap in this company, but expensive
16:48 when compared to Fireblade's R1s and the like.
16:53 Well, it's not quite out-exotic-ing the MV,
16:56 but still as good as ever, isn't it?
16:57 It's a fantastic bike.
16:59 And it's great on the road as well.
17:00 But it is, you know, 99.9% of people,
17:03 like we said with the Mille earlier on,
17:04 won't go near a racetrack.
17:05 They'll ride it on the road.
17:06 And it's good.
17:07 It's comfortable.
17:08 Great engine.
17:09 There is an issue with the tank range on these if you ride it
17:11 hard.
17:11 It's not the biggest.
17:12 Yeah, and it's difficult to resist riding this hard,
17:14 because it's a fantastic machine.
17:15 But that was the Japanese entry for this week.
17:17 The one and only.
17:18 Guess where we're going now.
17:19 Oh, hang on a minute.
17:20 Back to Italy.
17:21 And there aren't too many Italian names left.
17:26 We've done Aprilia, MV, and Ducati, of course.
17:29 Which must leave, amongst others, how's about Benelli?
17:32 Yeah, there's a name.
17:33 Not the most well-known around.
17:34 But back, they did a stint in World Superbikes.
17:37 They then gave us the Tornado.
17:38 This is the most tricked-up Tornado they make.
17:40 And I think, rather pretty.
17:42 Yeah, well, I don't.
17:43 And you know that I don't.
17:44 Because when this arrived, I said, oh, I don't like it.
17:46 It's horrible.
17:47 I didn't think it was a very pretty bike.
17:48 But it is growing on me the more I look at it, I have to say.
17:51 Now, do you think, though, it could grow on you enough
17:53 to make you go down to the bank, take out 13 and 1/2 thousand
17:57 pounds, take down to the Benelli dealer, slap on the table,
17:59 and ride one of these home?
18:00 That's the big question, isn't it?
18:02 And perhaps you can answer that for me when you come back.
18:04 Welcome to Benelli's Tornado Tray RS.
18:21 Now, that name may be more of a mouthful
18:23 than a plate of mama's finest meatballs.
18:26 But believe me, the effort is well worth it.
18:28 Because this is a very fine motorbike.
18:32 Its biggest trump card has to be the handling,
18:35 which seems to surprise just about anyone who ever slings
18:38 a leg over one of these.
18:39 Given that this is Benelli's first foray
18:41 into the world of modern sports bikes,
18:43 it is incredible how right they have got
18:45 the chassis from the word go.
18:48 It's taut, it's precise, it's flickable,
18:52 and it packs an excellent front end that pumps out
18:54 stacks of confidence when you're looking to lower
18:57 your lap times at the track.
18:59 That triple motor in there is a blinder as well,
19:02 managing a bit more sophistication and power
19:05 than Triumph's triples.
19:06 Although if I were being picky, I
19:08 would like a little more go to play with,
19:11 even if there is still plenty in there to enjoy.
19:13 It pulls very cleanly with excellent throttle manners
19:19 and plenty of linear drive, all backed up
19:22 by a howling exhaust note that is as addictive as it
19:25 is spine tingling.
19:26 True, the mirrors are largely useless, the clutch is heavy,
19:33 and the gearbox is seemingly allergic to neutral,
19:36 but then you can't have everything.
19:38 Not even for 13 and 1/2 grand, it would seem.
19:41 Now, this is a very expensive motorcycle,
19:44 but as far as show off bits of kit that really work go,
19:48 it does the job.
19:50 [MUSIC PLAYING]
19:52 Styling, 8 out of 10.
19:54 Very distinctive, stands out from the crowd,
19:57 but close up detail touches do let it down a bit.
20:00 Performance, 7 out of 10.
20:02 There's a lot of go in there, especially for a triple.
20:05 The handling's good as well.
20:07 Practicality, 6 out of 10.
20:09 This isn't really a comfortable motorcycle,
20:11 and also it's going to take a bit more looking after
20:13 than your average Japanese four.
20:15 Value, 7 out of 10.
20:17 You're buying something no one else is likely to have,
20:19 but 13 and 1/2 thousand pounds is a lot of cash,
20:23 whichever way you look at it.
20:25 I'm not sure you've convinced me yet
20:27 that this is exotic enough to merit 13 and 1/2 thousand
20:30 pounds.
20:31 I think you're right.
20:32 I mean, it is a lot of fun to ride.
20:35 It's fast.
20:35 It's got great handling to it, and I do like the styling.
20:38 But when you can get an MV for just 500 quid more--
20:42 Exactly, yeah.
20:43 --or an SP2 for some four grand odd less--
20:46 Even more exactly, yes.
20:48 --you've got to really, really want one of these
20:50 to put the cash down.
20:51 That's it.
20:52 I think you've hit the nail on the head there.
20:54 Well, that's all five bikes ridden this week.
20:56 Let's have a recap now on the old scoreboard.
20:58 MV's Agusta F4 was first out of the blocks,
21:03 and it racked up 31 points.
21:05 Then it was Aprilia's factory Miele,
21:07 which came in with 30 points.
21:10 Ducati's 999 romped home with 29.
21:13 And then we had the Honda SP2, which came in at 30 points.
21:17 Finally, Benelli's Tornado Trey RS took home 28 points,
21:21 which means this week's winner of our exotic machines
21:24 is the beautiful, stunning-looking MV Agusta.
21:28 Well, it's a tough group when something
21:30 as beautiful as this Tornado has to come last,
21:32 albeit a close last.
21:33 Yeah, it's all relative, isn't it?
21:35 Just in this company, it's a bit expensive and perhaps not
21:37 quite exotic enough.
21:38 999, classic piece of exotica, and a great bike to boot.
21:42 But not as pretty as previous Dukes.
21:44 No, and not as good on the track as one of these.
21:46 No, the Miele factory, great on the track.
21:48 I have a problem justifying the extra expense
21:51 over the standard.
21:51 I know what you're saying.
21:52 Honda SP2, big favorite for both of us.
21:54 We'd love to have taken it home.
21:55 Yeah, the superb bike, yes.
21:56 But not as much as we wanted to take this home.
21:58 No, MV Agusta.
21:59 I mean, it is the epitome, the absolute epitome
22:01 of Italian style and flair.
22:03 Even if it is expensive, it's gorgeous.
22:04 Completely.
22:05 And it now comes with the full fat power that it deserves.
22:08 Exactly.
22:08 Give us that word again that you used.
22:10 Wow.
22:11 Says it all, doesn't it?
22:12 That's it for this week's Bike File.
22:14 Join us next week when we'll have five more bikes on test.
22:17 We'll see you then.
22:18 I'm absolutely roasting.
22:20 [MUSIC PLAYING]
22:23 [MUSIC PLAYING]
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22:45 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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