Either has the potential to put today's similarly specced four-strokers to shame. Alright, as a package, the Pulsar 135 may be stronger (in terms of kit, handling) but the only way you'll get it to spew out a trail of blue smoke is if you set it on fire. Which, of course, we won't recommend. Alright, the handling isn't sport-spec at all but appreciating the strong powerband whilst seated upright is not everyone's cup of tea.

So, if I were in the used motorcycle market or perhaps on a time machine set in 'reverse', which of the two would I pick? Slippery question, that. See, the RX-Z is more liveable with. It will happily putter around (not that the Shogun won't, but the Z just 'feels' more at ease) at low speeds and can also zip through, mile after mile, without a fuss.

The Shogun, on the other hand, is the more introverted of the two. It just wants to roll out of the pit lane, go spoil everyone else's lap times, roll back into the pits and that's about it. No friendly handshakes and other such trivial exchanges. Sounds quite right then, no?