The Ten Rest, 2000
The Ten Rest, 2000
UP FRONT
David Edwards
THERE REALLY IS NO SUCH THING AS A BAD motorcycle these days-the market (that’s you and me) just won’t stand for it. Of course, each year, there are some headand-shoulders outstanding machines. Those are the models we celebrate in our Ten Best Bikes balloting, this year in its 25th iteration. As you can read starting on page 79, the Best of Y2K really is a Garage of Dreams.
Doesn’t mean, though, there’s not room for a little more recognition. Herewith, the Editor’s choice for the Ten Rest of Year 2000:
BEST SHOWBIKE
Yamaha MT-01. Sure, we’ve got stock sportbikes that could’ve won Daytona 10 years ago, and modem cruisers that at 20 paces could pass for a 1936 Knucklehead, but that leaves a lot of room in the middle. The MT-01, surprise of the Tokyo Motor Show, might fill that void. It uses the big-inch pushrod V-Twin for Yamaha’s Road Star (presumably with more than 52 bhp), devoid of transmission jackshaft and faux separate gearbox to make a surprisingly compact power unit. The side-mount shock with billet rocker arm is cool, as are the blooey-pipe mufflers that serve as the seat base. Think King Buell. Better yet, think latter-day Brough Superior. Honorable Mention: Honda’s spacey X-Wing six-cylinder Vee, also shown at Tokyo. The Gold Wing Six is 13 years old, Honda, and the ST1100 sport-tourer just turned 9. C’mon, take a chance on this one.
BEST BARGAIN V-TWIN
Honda RC51. I know, a $10,000 repliracer as Best Bargain? It is when you consider the Ducati 996, the bike it was built to better (which it does), runs a cool $6500 more. Besides, the last Honda RC, the V-Four 45, cost a walletflattening $27,000-and that was in 1994 dollars!
BEST AIMING POINT
Yamaha YZF-R1. How good is the Rl? Good enough to jolt Honda into action, result being the superlative CBR929RR, which ups the intensity on the Rl’s lighter/righter concept. If you buy a Nine-Two-Nine this year, send Yamaha a thank-you note-the CBR is as honed as it is because it had to be better than the YZF.
Honorable Mentions: Also from Team Y, the YZF-R6 and the YZ426F motocrosser, which gave, respectively, Kawasaki’s ZX-6R and KTM’s 520 SX something to shoot for.
BEST BIKE THAT WON’T DIE
Excelsior-Henderson Super X. Lord knows, I hope you didn’t invest any hard-earned buckage with these guys, but give Dave and Dan Hanlon credit for hangin’ in there. When delays in production ate up their last $ 15 million, E-H was forced to cease production and declare Chapter 11. Now a new investment group stands ready, restyled models have been drawn up (most without that overdone front end, thank goodness), and if the bankruptcy court approves reorganization, the boys could be back in business before year’s end.
BEST NEAR MISS
Kawasaki ZX-12R. It should have been a no-excuses celebration of speed, pushing the streetbike velocity envelope to the 200-mph threshold. Then the Euro-politicos and safety namby-pambs got in on the act, forcing Kawasaki to suck 10 mph out of its biggest, baddest Ninja. No fault of its own, the bike built to be king is now merely a pretender to the throne. Granted, it’s a better allaround Open-classer than the Suzuki Hayabusa, but when it comes to the quarter-mile and outright top whack, the Big Bird is still top dog.
Honorable Mention: Victory V92 SportCruiser. Love the concept, not the execution. A styling touch-up away from being one of the most entertaining cruisers.
BEST FUN RIDE
Suzuki SV650. This little Twin is a modern-day reincarnation of the old Triumph Bonneville-light, peppy, fun to flog, with one of the best smile-permile quotients ever. Just try not to have a good time on this $5749 flyer.
BEST MIXMASTER
MZ Black Panther. This uses a Yamaha 660cc, five-valve Single mated to an English-designed, German-built chassis, capped off by supermotard styling. Sounds confusing, works great, priced at a reasonable $6195.
BEST U.S. RESURRECTION
Indian Chief. Yes, the concept of an Evo-clone Big Twin powering an Indian lookalike is all wrong, but the guys from Gilroy are spending serious shekels to revive the grand old name of American motorcycling. In fact, all that stands between them and real respectability is a proprietary engine, said to be in the works. Bring it on.
BEST METRIC CRUISER
Moto Guzzi Jackal. Anchored by one of the most charismatic motors in motorcycling, the Jackal is one round of de-wonkification away from true greatness. Aprilia just spent $66 mil acquiring the M-G name, so maybe now the Cruzzi Guzzi will get the attention it deserves.
Honorable Mention: The latest Kawasaki Vulcan, the 1500 FI, is the greatest, combining the Drifter’s fuelie V-Twin with the Classic’s 1950s styling. A very nice package.
BEST ITALIAN NO-SHOW
MV Agusta F4S. Actually, the red-andsilver beauty is just now hitting dealerships, sadly not in time to make any of our “3x3” comparison tests. It certainly would have been in the running for Best Superbike honors. “Imagine a Suzuki GSX-R750 engine stuffed in a Ducati 996 chassis,” waxed CW’s resident pasta-phile Brian Catterson, the only staffer to have thrown a leg over the MV’s sexy, organ-pipe tailsection. Pick up next month’s issue for the first stateside test of the Agusta. □
