Helping you choose the right motorcycle

Motorbike Suspension is a complex topic and can vary greatly from bike to bike.

Off road motorbikes have suspension systems with a lot of damping whereas street bikes have little damping; cruisers have the least amount of damping meaning that you’ll feel the bumps in the road!

Sportbikes have adjustable suspension systems to match a variety of variables including tyre choice, weight of the rider and road surface. Ask your dealer to customise the suspension of your sport bike before riding it out of the showroom.

Modern bike suspension systems have a single adjustable monoshock at the rear of the bike to allow slighter greater flexibility for riders.

Motorcycle engine capacity generally ranges from 50cc to 1800cc. the bigger the bike engine capacity the bigger the power, the weight of the bike, the cost of the fuel and the cost of the motorbike itself!

Anything below a 250cc engine capacity is considered a small motorbike with 250cc to 650cc being considered a mid-range motorbike whilst 650cc to 1200cc being a big bike; an engine capacity above 1200cc is a monster!

A few notes about different motorbike engine sizes:

Motorbikes with an engine capacity more than 300cc are not suited to radical off road conditions due to their weight.

Pillion passengers should not be accommodated on any bike with an engine capacity of less than 500cc if any distance is involved.

Comfortable long distance road touring is found with motorbikes of engines sizes between 900cc and 1200cc.

Comfortable long distance off road trial riding is found at 600cc engines.

Any bike with an engine bigger than 1400cc is all style and attitude. If the bike is a cruiser, the big engine capacity does not translate into huge power or acceleration.

For off road racing or travelling an off road bike of less than 400cc is needed; This is especially true the faster you want to go.