The CBF1000’s design team were charged with turning high-end power into low-range torque and they have done it brilliantly. The result is steady, progressive power that does not intimidate but never leaves the CBF1000 feeling feeble This is a superb adaptation of race technology to road use. It feels tailor-made.The CBF1000 has the low-end grunt to leap out of tight corners and the acceleration to shift fast without shifting gear. If the mud and gravel that coated the carriageway had been mixed with rain, several CBF1000s would have been crashed.So I was not expecting to enjoy the bike. The road surfaces were execrable and the local drivers worse.Even the map Honda supplied included the warning “Attention – bad road surface”.

So Honda’s CBF1000 was in trouble straight away.We had been invited to ride in Crete, but the ferry was strike-bound and the bikes were in Athens. So facilities were hastily arranged at one of the soulless hotels recently expanded for the Olympic Games and riding started in Vouliagmeni, a southern suburb of Athens. Second-rate technology can be disguised when the sun is warm, and riding any bike on pretty, rural roads is a pleasure after a British winter. Max power: 96.5 bhp (72 Kw) 8,000 rpm Max torque: 97 Nm 6,500 rpm Transmission: Six-speed gearbox Chain final drive Brakes: Front twin 296mm discs Rear single 240mm disc Fuel capacity: 19 litres Weight: 220kg. Price: £5,999
The most diligent reporters occasionally have difficulty distinguishing between the quality of the motorcycle they have been invited to review and the sumptuous location chosen for its launch. Specifications

Engine: 998cc liquid- cooled, four-stroke, four-cylinder inline.

Fiat must be praying that its smart new Grande Punto will restore its fragile reputation BRITAIN’S BEST AND WORST CARS 1 HONDA S2000& 92.59% 2 SKODA OCTAVIA NEW 90.78% 3 HONDA JAZZ 89.95% 4 HONDA ACCORD NEW 88.19% 5 SKODA FABIA 87.67% 6 SKODA OCTAVIA OLD 87.62% 7 LEXUS IS OLD 87.47% 8 BMW 5-SERIES OLD 87.08% 9 BMW X5 87.03% 10 BMW 5-SERIES NEW 86.99% 11 MAZDA 6 86.69% 12 JAGUAR S-TYPE 86.36% 13 KIA SORENTO 86.29% 14 MAZDA RX-8 86.18% 15 HONDA CR-V 86.07% 16 VW TOURAN 86.01% 17 TOYOTA RAV4 85.81% 18 VOLVO V70 85.79% 19 ROVER 75 85.78% 20 BMW 3-SERIES NEW 85.78% 81 SEAT IBIZA 79.09% 82 FORD FIESTA NEW 78.59% 83 ROVER 45 78.50% 84 PEUGEOT 406 78.48% 85 RENAULT MEGANE NEW 78.35% 86 MG ZR 78.34% 87 RENAULT LAGUNA 77.89% 88 NISSAN MICRA OLD 77.15% 89 CITROEN C3 76.90% 90 L ROVER DISCOVERY OLD 76.72% 91 VAUXHALL ASTRA OLD 76.70% 92 RENAULT CLIO OLD 76.51% 93 FORD KA/SPORT KA 76.41% 94 PEUGEOT 307 76.18% 95 L ROVER FREELANDER 76.05% 96 VAUXHALL CORSA 75.89% 97 MERCEDES A-CLASS OLD 75.64% 98 ROVER 25 74.80% 99 PEUGEOT 206 74.70% 100 FIAT PUNTO 73.93%. A new model arrives in the summer, and not before time, it would appear Fiat Punto (old) Bottom of the pile. Poor ride quality, performance, braking, build and reliability did for it, although it has reasonable running costs. Despite Rover’s attempts to cosset its buyers this car came bottom for comfort and third from last overall Running costs not too bad. Vauxhall Corsa Very low running costs and not much else to commend in this popular little car According to the survey it’s badly made and awful to drive. The Czech-built model comes 71 places ahead of the pricier VW Polo, even though that car shares its platform.

Why pay more? Villains Peugeot 206 Still perky looking and will run alongside the newer 207 for a few years Strangely, came bottom for ease of driving Must do better. Mercedes-Benz A-Class Like the Punto, this has now been superseded by a new version. A poor showing for a premium-badged car, and it came last for ride quality and handling Plenty of sales, but it may not have helped Mercedes’ image Rover 25 No longer made, of course, and maybe this is why. Honda Jazz Third overall and best for practicality and ease of driving, with traditional Honda virtues of a light gearchange and steering coming to the fore. Honda Accord Fourth place overall, with good rather than outstanding scores across the board. Getting more popular as a company car, and you can even get one that steers itself Awesome Skoda Fabia Fifth, with the only weakish spot its brakes. The fun-to-drive roadster came top for reliability, braking and build quality.