Suzuki has built the ultimate riding machine - and they did it two years ago, with the K5 GSX R1000. Have they meddled too much with the K7 version? And is it good enough to beat Yamaha's new R1, the Honda Fireblade and Kawasaki's ZX-10R. Only this, the most comprehensive test you'll read, will tell you.

Do you really need the latest machinery? Or can you get outrageous performance for peanuts by not following the herd? Buying smart means you can have the best for a lot, lot less. We test the 2006 models of the Ducati 999, Yamaha YZF-R1, Suzuki GSX-R1000 and the Honda CBR600RR.