In the wake of events like the Paris-Dakar rally and its subsequent fashion movement on the streets of Europe, all the major manufacturers have now had a crack at punting out a monster trailbike. British sales have never been great for this type of bike, we seem too obsessed with knee scraping on this septic Isle, but it hasn't stopped the big Jap four having a go at seducing the punters with mammoth fuel tanks and handlebars higher than a small child. And lets face it, its not difficult to bolt together a parts bin special centred usually around an existing vee twin engine. Give the stylists a week to smooth out the curves and dream up a daft name and into the showrooms it goes to hoover up curious puinters looking for a bike to match thier motorcross boots for the morning commute. The amazing thing about these big trailies is that they are actually quite fun, even if the underlying marketing ploy is a little cynical.

So if you're looking for a two wheeled answer to the Mitsubishi Shogun the choice is yours. V-Strom, Caponord, even the Tiger will look impressive without challenging you to actually ride it fast. The tiny handful of owners who actually use these bikes the way god intended, i.e. for round the world trips, will benefit enormously from all this R & D. But for most ordinary punters the choice between most of these bikes may come down to the toss of a coin. Notwithstanding the BMW R1150GS, of course, the monster traile in a class, and a world, of its own.

So where does all this leave the poor old Honda Varadero? First launched in February 1999 the Varadero set the scene for host of big, versatile tourers with butch, off road looks capable of traversing continents with ease, though the styling is beginning to show its age when compared to the younger pretenders.

The engine is a 996 vee twin lifted straight from the Honda Firestorm. Water cooling keeps it nice and quiet, and a five speed transmission delivers the power. The braking system is linked, which you will either love or hate, and the huge 25 litre tank gives the bike an enormous range between fill-ups. There are some nice styling touches on the Varadero and it does command a huge street presence, but to my eyes the fairing looks a little dumpy and it doesn't quite pull off the predatory image of Suzuki's V-Strom or the R1150GS.

With 95 brake horsepower on tap the Varadero pulls like a train, the proven geometry making it a lot easier to handle than it may look. Once you've clambered up on board you can sling it about with ease, and ridden with spirit you could surprise a good few sports bike riders. It's torquey too, which makes it very handy in traffic. Don't let that styling fool you into taking detours off tarmac though, it really is too big and heavy for serious off road use; and is more akin to a two wheeled Range Rover than a dirt racer.

It's a bit of climb to get abord the Varadero, but once you've made it up there it makes a splendid place to watch the world going past. Big, comfy seat, big wide handlebars and footrests mounted amidships give an armchair quality to the ride and the frame-mounted fairing deflects the worst of the wind blast. The screen is higher than some rivals and gives better protection than either the V-Strom or the Triumph Tiger. Even the mirrors work well and let you see more than just your own elbows.

Making a choice between this bike and a Tiger or a V-Strom is a tough call and may come down to customer care and after sales service. Honda offer a good warranty and service intervals are 8000 miles apart. You pays your money, you takes your choice. It's a good performer, it goes well and has the suspension and brakes to match. But it is a little heavy and the seat height will not suit the shorter rider. Think of this bike as big street bruiser.

The Varadero is a big, solid bike with performance to match. Honda build quality means the bike won't let you down and it should hold its value reasonably well. However it is beginning to look a little dated, and doesn't quite generate quite the street kudos of some of the younger opposition. Buy one if you want a well built, useable bike that can take you round the world. But test ride it first, and make sure you don't have to carry a stepladder to get on board.

Dr.Rod.