Well, I start the journey to my unrestricted bike licence next week, and inevitably I'm trying to pin down the bikes that I'll end up testing with a view to buying. I suppose this thread is just a chance to look at the options, which aren't as huge as they could have been considering I want a naked bike; it needs to be as light and agile as possible, as I'm on the small side of average; and I've pretty much settled on 650-700cc.

There are two bikes at present that meet these requirements and also make me drool in terms of looks, and I just wondered if there were any real life experiences that could be shared, or whether there are other obvious contenders that I should be thinking about.

First up is the Yamaha MT-07 - not one that needs much inroduction, and Europes biggest selling naked bike by some margin (apparently Yamaha sell around 17,000 units pa, which is remarkable).



The other bike that's making me drool - and only just discovered thanks to a pointer from our Howard - is the Husqvarna Vitpilen 701. A manufacturer better known for motocross, but with a pedigree going back to 1903, this one is slightly more of a cafe racer style.



Both of these bikes are 690cc, and both have similar handling characteristics according to the reviews - and are also easy to ride from a novice's point of view.

Any thoughts or experiences to share? Please bear the requirements I mentioned in mind - I don't want a sports bike, and I don't want anything bigger in terms of engine size.