Value-packed Middleweights

Somewhere between a Hayabusa and a Honda Rebel exists a class of motorcycles that cuts one of the largest swaths among streetbike riders, they are what we like to call "reality bikes."

A reality bike, by our definition, is an elemental yet widely capable machine that is friendly to both its owner's wallet and its insurance provider, perfectly willing to pound out commuter miles during the week followed some out-of-town fun on the weekend.

Now that may sound simple enough, but the difficult part is to be newbie-friendly while also providing a strong platform for experienced riding enthusiasts. This kind of moto-alchemy was once best exemplified by the 1988-92 Honda Hawk GT.

Boasting an aluminum frame, single-sided swingarm and a cool narrow-degree V-Twin, this 647cc roadster was born ahead of its time. Coming out just one year after the first CBR600 debuted, the poor Hawk was heavily outgunned at a price not far below that of the Hurricane. Weeds grew around Hawks in the showrooms until an Icarus-like resurgence transformed the unwanted GT into a bona fide cult bike in the mid-'90s. Its multifarious personality made it a great chick bike and a thrilling racebike, and everything in between. There was simply nothing else like it.

The year 1999 will go down in the history of Hawk GT fans in the same way stockbrokers feel about 1929. That was the year the Suzuki SV650 showed its playful head, offering up a much stiffer chassis and way more power in a package that weighed about the same, all for only about $1200 more than a nice used Hawk was selling for at the time. It wasn't long after the first road tests of the SV were published that classifieds began to fill with Hawk ads.

The SV650 was an instant smash for Suzuki, becoming everything the Hawk was and more. The SV was a perfect fit for almost anyone, from pencil-necked geeks and supercilious squids to biker babes and racer studs. It was cheap at just over $5000, and it could be lighthearted or mischievous depending on your mood. I said at the time in another publication that the SV offers up a smile-per-dollar ratio that was unmatched in the motorcycle industry, and I came within a gnat's eyelash of buying a used copy for myself. Having had the good fortune to have ridden just about everything made in the past 10 years and have frequent forays on the racetrack, the above endorsement ought to carry some weight.

Finally, four years after the SV's debut, the reality bike class is back in a way unseen in the industry since the '80s. We've already given you a riding impression of the fun-but-expensive Honda 599 and the do-anything Suzuki DL650 V-Strom, and you've been able to read our road test of the Yamaha FZ6 for a few months. But it wasn't until recently that we had the chance to throw four contenders into the ring at once.

And, as eagle-eyed MCUSA readers will have noticed, it's not quite the same quartet we originally intended. In fact, we initially wanted to do a five-bike comparo, including the aforementioned four plus Triumph's amazingly affordable Speed Four. But initially we were unable to get the linchpin of the group, the SV, because new models were late in arriving because they were stuck on a boat or something having to do with revisions stemming from its lower rear subframe for 2004. But before we were able to put together our 1000-mile group ride, Suzuki made us a deal we couldn't refuse: a 2003 SV650 in exchange for the V-Strom.

So there you have it. And we don't want to hear any whining about not having the Kawasaki ZZR-600, Yamaha YZF600, Suzuki Bandit 600, or Kawasaki Ninja 500; the first two have full fairings, the second isn't being sold anymore, and the third is relatively gutless. That's fine for some but doesn't cut it in this group in which the clothes are few and the power can inspire.