Honda Deauville NT700VA

BMW may have one long advert for their motorcycles on the BBC, thanks to Ewan McGregor's 'Long Way' series; Harley Davidson motorbikes may have the whole sixties culture thing going on; and even Honda themselves may have a legend on their hands in the form of the gorgeous Goldwing - yet the biggest selling tourer for the last couple of years has been none of these motorcycles.

Understated, and often under rated, the Honda NT700V Deauville has quietly claimed the top spot leaving the big boys trailing in its slipstream. But how has it pulled off such a remarkable coup? And how does it keep selling at such impressive rates? The answer is simple - and so is the motorbike.

Unlike the cumbersome dough boys with all the weight and agility of a two wheeled Range Rover, the nimble Deauville is lighter, easier to manage, and more pleasurable to ride, so you can munch the motorways all day long without the need for a chiropractor at your destination.

The new 2008 Deauville motorcycle has been upgraded in response to feedback from its legions of fans, giving it stronger performance and expanded carrying capacity. And while the new 65bhp power unit won't set any records, it won't impede your progress either. The fuel injected, 8 valve, liquid cooled V-twin 680cc, mounted in a diamond configuration twin-spar steel tube frame, will have these new motorcycles cruising confidently at the top end of the legal limit in most European countries for as long as there's road to ride.

There's plenty packed into these new Honda motorcycles, and you can do the same with your luggage, thanks to its cavernous built-in storage. Twin compartments form part of the front fairing, while the rear integrated panniers include an ingenious hidden space for your most personal effects. And if that's still not enough, you can add to your motorbike with a huge range of Deauville-specific Honda accessories.

Read almost any review of this motorbike by the sports bike fraternity and you'll find the rider pleasantly surprised by the handling and performance - although with class leading sales figures they shouldn't really be so unexpected.

Specifications