Best Super Sport Bikes

Great for commuting – I appreciate that the engine of my Honda CBR500R responds better to commuting than to extreme sports riding, as this is more applicable to me and that the suspension that feels good in the corners is also compliant on the bumpiest of freeways

An ideal first motorbike – This is the second least powerful learner approved (LAMS) supersport bike from Yamaha. It sports a 321cc inline twin-cylinder motor, athletic… Read more

fairings and dynamics that make this a popular option amongst first time riders.

Producing 30.9kW (41hp) @ 10,750rpm and 29.6Nm @ 9000rpm from a mere 321cc, this isn’t a slow bike for learner riders. I’d compare the combination of this power with a lightweight chassis (167kg) to a Mazda MX-5 or Subaru BRZ. Acceleration is immediate, with a healthy amount of low end torque for a LAMS bike, thanks to that inline twin setup. Additionally, a high revving motor helps increase the overall enjoyment of riding this bike.

The YZF-R3 is obviously more softly sprung, making it far more comfortable to make it your daily rider. Without being overly aggressive, this superport is easily thrown into corners, and is one of the best ways to introduce yourself to riding.

Despite its supersport looks, the YZF-R3 impressed me with its fuel efficiency. It averaged around 5L per 100km during my time with the bike; that’s an excellent figure that allowed me to rarely have to visit the pump, compared to my Ducati. Warranty is 24 months and servicing costs are set by the individual dealers but service intervals are every 10,000km, with valve checks every 40,000km.

Highway riding can also be a little precarious as cross winds gently guide the bike side to side, thanks to it being so lightweight. Obviously, there’s no cruise control available on this bike (I’d be surprised if there was), so your wrist can feel exhausted by the end of an extended highway ride. In addition, the engine has a radiator to keep the temperature of the motor down, making it a pleasant ride in bumper to bumper traffic, compared to the furnace that I call my Ducati, which is strictly air-cooled.

If you’re looking for your first supersport and you’re not sure if 600cc will be too much money and power, well you’re looking at a bike that should be at the top of your list. It looks great, it rides even better and will make you fall in love with riding, rather than resenting ever completing your riders test at the local testing centre.

*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.

Most Value-for-money Superbike for the Street - Docile, Sleek, Classy, Reliable & Ferociously Fast – I owned a Gen 2 2010 Busa. Great bike for the street, daily commute, reliable and relatively cheap. It's a Fast executive's ride - Classy & insanely… Read more

rapid. The smooth curve of this bike is not found in any other bikes around. Best feature is the in-gear acceleration; there is no need to drop gear for overtaking. Twist the throttle in any gear and it just surges ahead. It's not an outlandish bike but one with l-finesse, much like the Lexus. Most of the time you wouldn't want to speed but when you need to move in to fill the gaps in traffic, there is no stopping you. Thereafter, you would want to enjoy the ride at legal speed and be admired again. Comfort-wise, for those who are used to riding a road bicycle or triathlon bike, you wouldn't feel the strain on your wrist at all. But if you are so used to upright bikes, long distance touring on this Gen 2 may feel a bit taxing on your wrist. However, if you know how to use one hand occasionally and ride, this wouldn't be a problem at all.

If you love doing simple maintenance yourself, you can change the oil easily without removing the fairing. However, do NOT overtighten the plug! (23 Nm max). Otherwise the internal threads gets stripped easily. However, if you want to change the oil filter, than you would need to remove one side of the fairing. It is not difficult but you have to be wary and careful how you pull out the fairing once the screw/clips are removed as it is held by slot in points. Slight tug (pull) at those points are needed to dislodge them.

Absolutely no regret owning this Busa and always look forward to riding it!

Best Supersports Bike – I've owned my Yamaha R1 for just over a year now. 2016 anniversary. The bike sounds amazing with its cross plane engine. More than enough power at… Read more

200hp. If you're looking for fuel efficiency, look elsewhere, this monster drinks petrol like a car if you're driving in an urban setting. Not for the faint hearted as it can be jerky at slow speeds and does get hot in start stop driving lock traffic.

Pillion passengers will be very uncomfortable on the small seat. But overall the bike is top tier and reliable.

Suzuki 2005 (K5) Godzilla. King of Beasts – I have a boot in both camps...Ducati and Suzuki. I was so fortunate in purchasing, by my reckoning, the finest, unmolested example of the mighty… Read more

K5 Gixxer, in Australia. Utterly bog standard and in the blue/black/white livery with only 8,400 klms on the clock.

As is; it is an amazing beast. Light. Ultra power and decent torque for a Jap bike. That said, the OEM suspension is a tad harsh, be that as it may you could try to dial it out, however I went a different route.

Kyle Engineering in the USA fabricated me custom Ohlins fork cartridges (NOT the Ohlins FGK119 cartridges which are discontinued). These are one-off, never to be made again cartridges, utilising Ducati the 848/1098/1198 30mm ‘slave’ cartridge cylinders and 10nm springs for my weight.

I also purchased the Ohlins rear shock (sprung to suit my weight) and and bloody expensive Ohlins steering damper.

The TOKICO calipers are fine. Just swap out the pads for FERODO pads. Front and rear.

There’s no real purpose to re-gear it with sprockets...unless you want to mono the sucker like a 22 year old. That said, I’ve purchased the frame brace and the optional body panels to suit once the frame brace is installed.

Suzuki didn’t realise what they had made until 2009 or so, 4 years after the fact, and indeed, that they had built one of the most classic and potent Suzuki road-going Superbikes ever made. Period.

Great bike, reliability is an issue 2018 model – I purchased a brand new 2018 s1000r sport late May. The bike is absolutely amazing! I easily clocked up the first 1000kms in a week of pure riding… Read more

bliss. I have had an issue that made the bike unrideable, the fuel pump failed. Bike has 3000kms on it. Now I'd be livid if it wasn't for what I would consider the best customer service I have ever had. My local BMW dealership in Brisbane have bent over backwards too get to the bottom of the problem. Parts are being flown in from Germany and they have provided me a loan bike for the duration. Outstanding customer service. I'm sure once the bike is back (now been 2 weeks) I can give it the full 5 stars.

amazing bike, but tough on your back – This is an amazing bike build amazing handling. Acceleration and speed would blow your mind. But this bike is not ideal for long rides as the sitting… Read more

position and would make your back very sore . Riding in the city might be a little bit challenging because of the riding position as it compromises handling on low speeds.

Kawasaki is known for building bulletproof motors. I own a ZX-10R 2005 model – I always customize my motorcycle to suit me the best way I can, I will make a customized seat (usually lower with better quality foam and a nonslip… Read more

covering) quality leavers that I find more comfortable, I can help myself been a spraypainter by trade I will respray the bodywork and wheels add better exhaust system (titanium muffler that will not burn a pillions leg even after track riding) . 2 eg photos me doing a burnout 40 years ago and my ZX-10R 2005 model that I own today. My ZX10 is not for beginners or intermediate riders, this bike requires complete smoothness from the throttle and clutch control mixed with braking and body positioning that will not cause undue shifting to the bikes geometry or you could find yourself running wide or even out of road! ( no ABS, traction control, or other modes like city or weather options ) It can reach a speed of 160km in 1st gear so it is more of a weapon! But I love it.

Love at first ride – This is a fun bike to own. Light, nimble, powerful and well mannered. I had zero mechanical problems with my bike over 9 years. I actually preferred… Read more

it over the CBR1000RR after test riding both. Well done Honda. It just needs the suspension tuned for the rider to get optimum performance out of the crate.

A flawed masterpiece – I have been riding Ducatis for a while and got a 2016 F3 RC 800 a year ago. This is a real change to the Ducatis and an absolute blast to ride. The… Read more

handling is amazing and the ergonomics perfect for a smaller person and really quite comfortable for this style of bike. Getting it out on the open road is a revelation.

I can't give it five stars though because it has issues, quite a few of them that have either occurred to me or are well known. I'll go through the main ones:

- It needs a steering damper. It has a very short wheelbase which gives it the nimble handling but does cause head shake under power. I would not trust one at speed without a damper. This is an easy fix though - buy an ohlins kit and factor it into the price you will pay. -Mirrors. They are sort of functional and you can get a bit of a rear view but you will be doing a lot of chicken wing moves. This is not uncommon though, my real issue is their design. They have a bolt setup which means you think they are adjustable and you move the actual mirror around a bit. Don't do this though as it will loosen the fixing bolt and eventually it will fall off and you cant get to the nut to put it back on. My right side one also vibrates a lot. -Sprag clutch. This is a well documented issue which means you can easily be left stranded and the bike won't start. Ive done 5000km and thankfully haven't had this problem - yet. -Electronics. The electronics are generally a bit wonky and all sorts of things can go wrong. I have had the exhaust valve malfunction come up just recently and am hoping it is a once off. -Parts availability - if stuff has to come from Italy you could be in for a wait but I have been able to get what i need eventually. Prices are very high though. - Suspension is just OK. If you are particularly light or heavy you will probably need to sort it.

After all that you would think it's a crap bike but they are so amazing to ride and imho look so good that I am prepared to put up with these issues. You might also hear about throttle issues but they appear to be sorted from 2016 as I am quite happy with mine (I stick to normal mode). Its an absolutely fantastic bike but would not recommend it if it will be your only bike. Its a perfect second or track bike.

Purchased a new Cb650r Matt black in 2024 April Excessive fuel consumption of 8-9 ltr / 100km Been in and out of service centres Finally being… Read more

told by Honda needs to open engine to check and most probably rebuild as there might be manufacturing defect maybe cylinder or valves or god alone knows what ! No replacement or refund on a new faulty bike sold to me Bike still under manufactures warranty Horrible experience with Honda customer care as apparently there can be no replacement in Australia as it’s not their company policy here in Melbourne Never recommending Honda to anyone ever I should never have traded in my Yamaha for Honda biggest mistake of my life All my hard earned life savings gone to garbage

Fantastic ! – This 899cc bike does 0 - 100km in 2.5/ 2.6 seconds and is Absolutely beautiful, Almost everyone looks at it and men and women come compliment the… Read more

bike. Over 100km there are bikes that are faster, But on the street unless you are facing a Dodge demon or the Famous Tesla roadster Ain't nothing beating you in a 0 100km sprint. The $200,000 tesla roadster which I haven't even seen one of does 0 - 100 in 2.0 seconds and I don't think paying $185,000 more for 0.5 seconds is worth it. 899 Panigale all the way for me.