Honorable Mentions of 1985
HONORABLE MENTIONS OF 1985
Suzuki Cavalcade
WHOEVER COINED THE PHRASE, “PRETTY GOOD FOR A FIRST-YEAR effort,” as though that faint praise were some kind of consolation, never rode a Suzuki Cavalcade. If he had. he would have understood just how good a first-year effort could be. The Cavalcade is arguably the most comfortable motorcycle made. From its plush seat to its spacious ergonomics, from its magnificently compliant suspension to its velvety smooth engine, the Suzuki demonstrates just how luxurious a crosscountry ride can be. It’s a first-year touring act that is so good, it’ll be hard even for next year’s Cavalcade to follow.
Honda Rebel
CAN A SINGLE MOTORCYCLE REJUVENATE SAGGING MOTORCYCLE sales? Is there any bike out there that can bring new riders into the sport just as the SuperHawk and various other Honda models did in the Sixties? That's a pretty big order; but so far, the Rebel seems to be filling it, if its glowing sales numbers are any indication. The Rebel seems to have just the right combination of high style and low price to make it more attractive to first-time buyers than any bike that's appeared in the last decade. This is one rebel with a very definite cause.
Kawasaki 600 Ninja
IF LOOKS COULD KILL, KAWASAKI'S BABY NINJA WOULD HAVE murdered every other sportbike in America the day it was first introduced. Even a lot of full-on GP racebikes don’t look half as deadly as this Kawasaki. What's more, the Ninja 600 has the sporting performance to back up its looks, including more horsepower than any 750 could have boasted just a few years ago. Trouble is, the Ninja is such a take-no-prisoners sport racer that its overall streetability is compromised—not seriously, but enough to prevent the bike from winning in the under-600cc category.
Cagiva Alazzurra
SOME RIDERS LOOK AT EUROPEAN BIKES AND SEE EXPENSIVE, UNreliable, slow relics from days gone by. Others look at Japanese bikes and see mass-produced clone-bikes that have no more personality than an electric toaster. But if they’re paying attention, most people who look at a Cagiva Alazzurra will see a machine that offers the best of both worlds. The 650cc V-Twin has the immaculately finished appearance of a Japanese bike, yet it exudes an individuality and personality that is typical of most European motorcycles. That combination enables the Cagiva to be one of the most intriguing mid-size bikes sold in the U.S., no matter who's looking at it.
