The Ten Rest 2001

The Ten Rest 2001

UP FRONT

David Edwards

CAN IT REALLY BE TEN BEST BIKES time again? Man, how times flies when you’re flogging other people’s motorcycles.

In fact, it has been 12 issues (or 70 testbikes, 1816 pages, some 2000 rolls of film, two crunched GSX-Rs, a broken clavicle, a cracked navicular, a screwed-and-glued fibula, a van engine rebuild and a fuel tab that would do a B52 proud, if you’re counting) since the staff sat down over a good lunch and tallied up votes for Ten Best Bikes

2000. Now it’s time for the Class of

2001. You can read about this year’s inductees-to my mind the strongest group in recent history-elsewhere in this issue. But there’s always a little extra editorial love to spread around. To wit:

Best Repli-Racer Not a GSX-R:

Aprilia RSV Mille R. The little company from Noale, Italy, continues to impress. Known for its scooters and multiple 125 and 250cc world roadracing titles, Aprilia unveiled the RSV 1000 V-Twin just three years ago, winning the hearts of hard riders everywhere and quite possibly the World Superbike title this year (is that HarleyDavidson I see over in the corner looking at the ground and shuffling its feet?). And as you’ll read in “Master Blasters,” the magnificent Mille came within a pube (.08-second, actually) of being named 200 l’s best sportbike. Take a bow, Aprilia.

Best Sportbike Not Built: Bimota SB8K. Actually, any Bimota, not just this Suzuki TL-powered beauty, as the long-suffering boutique-bike builder seems about ready to assume ambient temperature for all eternity. But, Italy being Italy (Lord love ’em), who knows?

Best Roadracer Not Needed:

Any of the new four-stroke Grand Prix bikes currently in R&D. Look, I know two-strokes are immoral oil-spewers heaving unburned hydrocarbons into the atmosphere like so much confetti at a Fifth Avenue tickertape parade. And I know the upcoming four-stokes should be wondrously engineered things, titanium-sprinkled, pneumatic-valved devices that’ll rev ’til hell won’t have it. But have you caught a 500 GP on the telly lately? Is that not the best motorsport viewing in the world? Makes the average Formula One car race look like the extended parade lap it really is. Do we really want to mess with that, not to mention upset World Superbike? Not me, brother.

Best Cruiser Under 1800cc:

Harley-Davidson Deuce. A unanimous Ten Bester last time around, still a great ride, but outmuscled this year by Honda’s heavy-hitting, rubber-spitting VTX. Porsche to the rescue?

Best Bargain Bob-Job:

Honda Shadow Spirit 750. VTX1800 histrionics aside, my favorite cruiser of 2001. A spinoff of the ACE 750 retro-wagon with cut-down fenders, chopped suspension and a shotgun exhaust. Simple, sweet and, at $5999, cheap, just like the bobbers of the Forties and Fifties. I see a CW Project Bike in primer black and flames, set off by hot-rod red wheels, a wide whitewall out back and, if I’m feeling particularly hep-cattish, maybe a leopard-skin seat cover. Cool, Daddy-O.

Best Forgotten Four:

Kawasaki ZX-9R. Yes, Team K does have an Open-class repli-racer; no, it’s not the equal of the Honda 929, Yamaha R1 or (speak its name in hushed tones) the Almighty GSX-R 1000 on the track. Do a lotta track work, do ya? Out on the street, the Niner is supremely stable at speed (inch-longer wheelbases tend to calm things down nicely), sport-touring comfortable and, oh yes, dispatches with the quartermile in a mere 10.3 seconds and manages 170 mph at top whack. The unsung Master Blaster.

Best Forgotten Twin: Honda Super Hawk. Here’s what we said about this half-faired 996cc V-Twin sportster in 1997, the year it was named one of our Ten Best Bikes: “On the street, the VTR’s suspension and handling are near-perfect, and the agile chassis makes it feel like a machine of the gods. It’s a magical ride.” Same holds true today, and you can pick one up for a song (well, below the $8999 list, anyway) because for reasons unclear to us, the model reached its “sales saturation” point early. Find a year-old model on the showroom floor and really rack up the savings.

Best Bike Begging for a Re-Do:

Yamaha V-Max. This is so simple, it hurts: 1) Bump motor to 2 liters. 2) Ditch shaft drive. 3) Fit upside-down fork, wide rubber. 4) Slam and stretch the bejeezus out of the thing. 5) Stand back, sell about 10,000 units per year. 6) Take bow.

Best Italian Bass Drum: Moto Guzzi VI1 Sport. The anti-996, a naked roadster in the café-racer tradition, but full of funk as only Guzzi can do-remembering that Guzzi is still around doing it thanks to Aprilia’s recent purchase of Italy’s grand old marque. Make mine the limited-edition Rosso Mandello model, which spruces the Goose with special red paint and carbonfiber naughty bits.

Best Sport-Tourer Oh So Close:

Yamaha FJR1300. You’ve written letters. Shoot, you’ve created entire websites. You’re mad as hell and you want the FJR1300 sport-bagger in the States now! Hard to blame you. What’s not to like about a road-muncher with a claimed 145 bhp at the ready, backed up by a stonking 92 foot-pounds of torque, good for an unflappable 150 mph? Well, guess what? Noboby’s sayin’ mithin’, but we’ve got it that some U.S. dealers are taking deposits on the FJR, just in case. And here’s another hint: Look for 2002 to be the Year of the Sport-Tourer-you read it here first.