There was a time when middleweight sportbikes were kings of the sales charts. Supersports machines like Honda’s CBR600, the Kawasaki ZX-6R, Suzuki’s GSX-R600 and the Yamaha R6 sold in droves; their low weight, screaming four-cylinder engines and razor sharp handling satisfying road riders craving racetrack thrills.
In recent years the class has been all but forgotten – and some of its iconic models discontinued – in favour of larger 1000cc superbikes and adventure sport motorcycles. That’s now changing, with a new generation of mid-size sportsters.
Still light and flickable, but with more flexible power plants tuned for the road – and a whole load more comfort and refinement than their ancestors – the new middleweight contenders offer serious performance and even better value for money. Here’s our pick of the 2022 crop:
Yamaha YZF R7
Replacing the discontinued R6, the Yamaha R7 represents a much more accessible, comfortable and affordable (around £4000 cheaper) entry into Yamaha supersports bikes. Power comes from a 270 degree crankshaft, inline 2-cylinder DOHC 4-valve liquid-cooled CP2 engine, which puts out around 72bhp. It also gets an Assist & Slipper (A&S) clutch, optional Quick Shift System, an ultra-sharp tubular frame, with aluminium centre brace, 10-spoke cast alloy wheels and radial Brembo brakes.
Learn more about the Yamaha YZF R7
Honda CBR650R
Honda’s CBR600F was arguably the king of the middleweights back in the 1990s, with its blend of practicality, sporting ability and affordability. The new CBR650R owes much to its older relative – and that’s no bad thing – wrapping up the same novice-friendly manners and practical, all-rounder ability in up-to-the-minute Fireblade styling and with a good dose of modern tech too. It’s no slouch either; the CBR650R’s 649cc, liquid-cooled, 4-stroke 16-valve DOHC inline-4 puts out just shy of 94bhp.
Learn more about the Honda CBR650R
Kawasaki Ninja 650
A great stepping stone between Kawasaki’s entry-level sportbikes and the blistering ZX-10 superbike, the Ninja 650 has been tweaked and refined over the years into a superbly balanced package in its own right. Its 650cc Parallel Twin engine is tuned for a road-friendly low-mid range focus; the lightweight chassis is sharp enough to handle the twists, but still inspire confidence and updated for 2022, the sharp new styling, highlighted by new LED headlights and TFT colour instrumentation, brings it right in line with the Ninja family.
Learn more about the Kawasaki Ninja 650
Aprilia RS660
The Aprilia RS 660 can pretty much be credited with single-handedly re-igniting the middleweight class, so accomplished is it on road and track. At its heart is a 99bhp, 659cc parallel twin-cylinder motor (there’s also A2-friendly 46.9bhp version) with a 270-degree crank – essentially the front half of an RSV4 1100 – which delivers bags of characterful and usable power. That’s all kept in check by a super light (just 169kg) and super taught chassis, with some clever tech like Multimap Cornering ABS and five Riding Modes thrown in too, so you can use it safely on the road. The best thing is, it manages to do all that and be as comfy as a sports tourer too.
Learn more about the Aprilia RS660
Compact and light, all of these middleweight sportsbikes are easy to move around on the drive, in your garage and at filling stations – one more reason why they’re proving so popular.