Up Front

UP FRONT

Bike of the Year

David Edwards

IF IT’S THE END OF THE YEAR, THEN IT must be time to pick the International Bike of the Year, a polling of moto-magazine editors from around the world, now in its 17th year of pontification.

Rules are simple: The bike has to be a series-production 2001 model-no boutique specials or early-release ’02s allowed. Editors vote for their top three choices, first spot earning 3 points, second place 2, third place 1. Points are tallied and the bike with the highest total gets the IBoY trophy.

Fifteen magazines took part this year, spraying votes all over the board. Portugal’s Moto Jornal, for instance, put Yamaha’s Euro-only T-Max sport-scooter in second place, calling the 500cc speedster “a major breakthrough that adapts all the advantages of the scooter concept to the big-bike world.” Then the magazine went 180 degrees in the other direction and picked BMW’s naked R1150R as its third-placer. “The nicest roadster the Germans have ever made, and maybe the most well-balanced motorcycle BMW has yet constructed,” was the reasoning.

The Netherlands’ KicXstart had a hard time whittling down their choices, noting, “This year we needed quite a lot of discussion, both around the espresso machine and the booze-box in our office.” (Memo to self: We need to upgrade.) So fortified, the Dutch boys hoisted something of an oddity into their second-place slot: “This looks like it would be one of the most difficult bikes on Earth to ride fast. Well, the Triumph Tiger isn’t. On the contrary, it’s one of the nicest bikes around. Lovely sounding triple-cylinder engine, power everywhere, combined with a chassis that gives a very comfy ride, yet does not disappoint when pushed farther...and farther. A bike with the personality and charm British bikes once were famous for.”

France’s Moto Revue liked Ducati’s raucous Monster S4 enough to pick it second: “Strong personality. A first-class performance bike. Badly mannered (radical riding position and hard suspension), the Italian roadster nonetheless provides exhilarating sensations.”

Yamaha’s FJR1300 sport-tourer, still a no-show on these shores, also rated highly with the international scribes, gaining several secondand thirdplace ballots. New Zealand’s MotorCycle Trader & News summed up the bike nicely, noting, “The FJR manages to be as comfortable as any touring bike, and as agile as a sportbike. Its inline-Four motor pushes out 145 bhp, and it devours the open road with effortless ease.” First-place votes were equally diverse. Sweden’s MCnytt picked (get it?) the Honda VTX1800 mega-cruiser, bowled over by its “beautifully vulgar styling that leaves nobody unaffected.” If passion were enough to put a bike over the top, France’s Voxan Café Racer would be a shoo-in. Said KicXstart, “We just loved the Café Racer. Truly characteristic styling, technically different and elegant without losing out in the performance department. For a debutant to be so spot-on is more than impressive. Unfortunately, Voxan has hit some financial problems and they have come close to stopping production. Seems, though, that the company is recovering. That’s good because Voxan really adds something special to the motorcycle market.”

Even the Germans got all warm and fuzzy about the VI000! “We all fell in love with this French V-Twin. So full of character and style, it’s a delight to ride. We hope the young company will find its way out of financial trouble soon,” said Motorrad MO. “We pray for them.” No divine intervention needed for the bikes that took the podium positions in this year’s IBoY voting, though the third-place finisher is something of a shocker, given the heavily European makeup of the magazines involved. With a total of 7 points, Honda’s redone Gold Wing 1800 locked up number three overall.

“A real limo on two wheels, something to be seen on (or should we say in?),” said Russia’s Motor magazine. “Could have been number one but for the price.”

Belgium’s MotorWeek2 was “impressed how a bike with dimensions worthy of a small car can perform and handle like a modern motorcycle. Looks like a car, feels like a bike.”

Second overall, scoring 9 points, was the Yamaha FZ1 super-standard (called the Fazer 1000 in other parts of the world).

“Finally, a naked bike that hasn’t had its powerplant detuned,” said Australian Motorcycle News. “A high smile factor that comes at a bargain price. A wheelie, wheelie good motorcycle.”

“A real best-seller here,” noted the Russians. “A well-balanced machine, powerful yet very forgiving and easy to control. Beautiful design. Equally appreciated by experienced riders and novices.”

Which brings us-drumroll, pleaseto 2001 ’s International Bike of the Year. And it wasn’t even close. With a landslide 30 points, the number-one votegetter was the stellar Suzuki GSXR1000, marking the fourth time in the past five years that a ’Zook has nailed down the top spot. Previous winners were the TL1000S, Hay abusa 1300 and GSX-R750 (only the ’99 Yamaha YZFR1 broke up the monopoly).

England’s Bike magazine said it well: “Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 is Bike of the Year because it makes the extraordinary happen every day on the way into work. Its power is incomprehensible, its handling outstanding, and the smile it puts on your face undeniable. Of all the bikes parked outside the office, it’s the one we’d want to ride most often just for the hell of it.”

Spain’s La Moto was more succinct in its praise: “It’s perfect, the best bike in history-well, at least in the last 15 years.”

And how did Cycle World's vote tally out? Picked ’em dead-on: Wing, FZ1 and big Gixxer. Nice to have a little world harmony.