The Pulsar took a bit of a beating in this test, let down particularly by its engine. Ride and handling weren’t exceptional either; in fact, the difference in ability between the 150 and its all-conquering 180cc brother is astounding.

Nevertheless, the Pulsar 150 has its share of admirers, and deservedly so. It will probably have the lowest overall running costs and is competitively priced too. Fuel economy is right up there with the best, and it looks very good indeed.

The CBZ is the most focused bike of this trio, setting its sights squarely on Performance. It is the most powerful, has the sportiest riding position, the best-sorted chassis and the widest rear tyre. On a fast, winding road, the CBZ will blow the other two away. Unfortunately, this bent towards Performance also translates to poor fuel economy and high running costs, giving the bike poor real-world practicality.

The CBZ makes the most sense if you have the time on your hands to get out of the city and go blasting through the hills. And if your pockets are deep enough, of course. This is the most expensive bike, the thirstiest, and spares are likely to cost quite a bit, too.

The Fiero F2 manages to offer everything a prospective buyer could ask for: commuter-style comfort and economy, with a dash of style and Performance.

The F2 is a vast improvement over the Fiero, and the changes have not only addressed the Fiero’s flaws, but have made the bike a better all-rounder. This is now nearly the perfect city bike — easy to manoeuvre around town, comfortable and with a respectable balance between Performance and fuel economy. The engine is still the best in the segment — refined, tractable and usefully strong. This bike has helped define a new segment, somewhere between the commuter (100cc) and the big (180cc+) Performance bikes.

The F2 is not an exceptional bike: it fulfils its brief, without shattering the standards for the segment. Why it wins is simply because it achieves a very useful balance between practicality and fun, and does so at a very sensible price.