Cheap thrills

£1250. Not much money these days. I know people who’ve spent more on a watch. But that’s what my shiny little BROS cost me.

BROSs are a Japanese market only bike, so all of the bikes in the UK are second hand grey imports. This one came straight off the boat from Japan, and like most other Jap-owned vehicles, it had done very few miles (8000 in 16 years. It’s also in better nick than most bikes half its age, and still runs sweet as a nut.

Since then I’ve made a few minor tweaks to turn it into my perfect bike. Hagon suspension replaces the saggy original equipment, and brings control to spirited rides. A Pyramid Plastics Bug spoiler screen make motorway cruising easy. R&G crash bungs should protect some of the unobtainable bits that could get ruined in a minor off.

These few additions mean that the 7000 miles I’ve covered have all been a joy. It’s done commuting, long distance trips, sunny Sunday thrashes and even an MCN road test (where it was declared the winner against a 33bhp FZ6 and an Aprilia RS125.) I’ve also fitted a set of Pirelli Sport Demons to replace the Bridgestone BT45s that I had before.

The Bridgestones offered good dependable performance, but were a little sensitive to imperfections. The Pirellis seem OK so far, but whether they offer the same dry weather grip remains to be seen.

Are you a BROS owner? If you’ve got any hints, tips or tweaks, email me at chris.newbigging@emap.com