6th October 2016

Autumn/Winter Motorbikes

With the cold weather and rain closing in now autumn has started it might be time to tuck your pride and joy away in the garage for a few months and think considering one of the many Autumn/Winter Motorbikes available. Getting a second bike to use in winter makes a lot of sense when salty roads, corrosive rain and icy low slides threaten your main bike, why not get a cheaper ride to take the damage? Keep the miles low on your main ride and have fun this winter without worrying about doing damage to your primary motorbike with one of our favourite winter hacks!    

Honda Deauville

A Deauville might not be the most thrilling or stylish bike in the world but it’s the perfect Autumn/Winter Motorbikes! Cheap and reliable with plenty of storage space for your safety gear and water proofs, you can’t really go wrong with the Deauville for a good or bad weather rider. You’ve also got some pretty decent protection from the weather plus a comfy seat, then to top it all off it’s not to petrol thirsty either.

KTM Duke

Known as a good all-rounder the KTM Duke might be just the motorbike for this Autumn/Winter. True, it does not have the best weather protection but you won’t have as much trouble traveling through snow, sleet and wind on one of these bad boys. It’s got character, it looks good and it’s on the light side, best of all if you go for an older less powerful model it’s not too pricey! 

Honda Hornet

The Hornet might not be something you’ve considered for a Autumn/Winter Motorbikes, but don’t overlook it quite yet! Different to the other bikes on the list it’s not quite as practical at first glance and like the Duke offers little weather protection. But it’s incredibly light and agile as well as sporty yet practical, now it’s starting to show its potential for a winter hack… Obviously its good looking bike, that’s undeniable, and it’s shape and position close to the ground makes it more stable for riding in dodgy autumn/winter weather. You can’t really go wrong with a Hornet for winter hack, its good looking, well-built and reliable.  

(I’ve been talking a lot about reliability in this article, the thing about a good winter hack is that it can get a bit beaten by the weather and still keep moving, someone with a stylist superbike most of the year might be jumping on a Deauville when the winter hits as looks really aren’t the most important factor in a hack!)      

Yamaha Xj600 Diversion

The Diversion is designed to be a cheap, versatile and user friendly, some ingredients that add up to a promising hack. Don’t expect me to start raving about performance, thrills or excitement, that’s simply not what this bike is about. It’s by no means an expensive bike, so you get what you pay for however I wouldn’t say that’s a bad thing, being a Yamaha its well-built and the engine is good enough but soft as they comes (just how it was meant to be), it’s basic features mean a biker has no worries about getting it battered by sleet and throwing it around gritted roads. Its purpose designed air-cooled four engine is practically idiot proof so it would take a lot to screw up even in the worst conditions. 

Suzuki SV 650

Last but not least on our list is the SV 650, it is a straight forward middle weight bike, a great all-rounder that you can snap up for a bargain. Unlike a few of the other bikes on the list the SV650 proves you don’t need to be too boring to be practical, the versatile and affordable machine is easy to ride but still fun to muck about on in the autumn. The key words with this bike being affordable and versatile, it can power on through the worst of weather be it commuting or just joy riding but for a reasonable price which is pretty much ideal for an autumn/winter hack.  In terms of the engine it’s smooth, flexible and predictable with slick gear change and simple light clutch.