Ten Best Bikes .05

Excellence exemplified

THINGS ARE GETTING TOUGH. CONFUSING. BUT ONLY IN THE MOST WONDERFUL way. There were nearly 500 different motorcycles from the 36 manufacturers listed this year in the annual Cycle World Buyer Guide. And from this great wealth, this embarrassment of riches, we must choose but Ten as Best, the bikes that embody spirit, utility, enthusiasm and excellence in the form of two-wheeled transport. Rarely in the 30 years of Ten Best balloting has there been such manufacturer diversity in this elite list, as eight makers made the grade, from Japan, England, Italy, Germany and the good ol' USA. This shows first that manufacturers are trying harder than ever to build the perfect bike; and second that more and more people are out there buying and using their products, which rewards those building the right bikes and feeds the process ever onward. Things in the motorcycle sport are so good these days that you'll hear a lot of people say, "There are no bad bikes," and to a certain degree this may be true. But this doesn't mean that excellence is dead. In fact, excellence is more excellent than ever-just leaf through the following pages and you'll find machines that have caused us to reevalu ate the meaning of what is "good" and what can be defined as "best." That's because excellence has a lot going for it. As a magazine, we'd like to challenge the manufacturers to make choosing the Ten Best Bikes even harder next year...

Ten Best Bikes .05

BEST SUPERBIKE KAWASAKI ZX-10R

The more things change, the more they stay the same. There wasn't a whole lot of competition on the Best Superbike grid in 2005, "just" the all-new BMW K1200S and the heavily revised Suzuki GSX-R1000. Unfortunately for those hopefiuls, the Beemer's U.S. debut was delayed by niggling fuel-injection and gearbox issues, and the Suzook asn't the giant leap forward we were expecting. And so the Kawasaki ZX-1OR retains its title as Best Superbike for e second year in succession. With its revised transmission, the Mean Green Machine is even more deserving this year, ough it would still benefit from a steering damper. Maybe next year, Kawasaki?

BEST OPEN-CLASS STREET BIKE TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE

Beware, there is a dark side in all of us. The little voice that says, "Turn the throttle more," and "corner harder" and "pass everyone." But the reality is that while we want all this, we also would like to have a smooth, comfy ride, to sit like a human person, have a little rational fun and-dare we say it?-a dose of practicality. The Triumph Speed Triple, with its refined suspension, radial brakes and super-muscled 1050cc engine with disinfected fuel-injection (no more bugs!) does all that rational everyday stuff and corners like a sport bike, wheelies like a dirtbike and tours like a. . .well, two out of three ain't bad! All this for just under $1OK. It's almost criminal. Beware your little voice.

BEST MIDDLEWEIGHT STREETBIKE YAMAHA YZ-R6

Remember what Dorothy said in The Wizard of Oz? "My, people come and go so quickly here!" The same can be said for Best Middleweight Streetbikes. Seldom has one model reigned for more than one season before abdicating the throne. Squaring off against the st from England, Italy and Japan, the R6 won this year's Middleweight Sportbike Shootout rndily, largely by virtue of its handling, though its zingy, 15,500-rpm motor also played a role. he R6 won this title before, in 1999 and 2003, and if the past is any indication, will likely do so

BEST TOURING BIKE BMW R1200RT

BMW has done a very good job of sharpening the edges of its RT tour ing Boxer, while blunting com plaints. The Bavarians have taken a nice bike and made everything about 15 percent better. Weight loss is always good, and the `05 R1200RT feels less top-heavy and more agile than the 1150 it replaces. Wind flow is quieter and more serene-especially for those of us over 6 feet tall-and the electrically boosted brakes have lost most of that wooden, numb feel at the lever. What we really love is the new RT's all-around goodness-it's agile but all-day comfy; funky but ready for far-flung adventures; high-tech but not high-strung. Good one, Munich.

BEST STANDARD SUZUKI DR-Z400SM

When staffers start saying, "This bike reminds me of why I love riding motorcycles' you know a chord ha been struck. But honestly, as much as super moto bikes are a part of the landscape aroun the CWoffices, none of us expected the Suzi DR-Z400SM-just a dual-sporter converted to all-street duty with 17-inch wheels, a big brake and inverted fork, after all-to be such crushing whack out of the park. This simple, lightweight Single is inexpensive, easy to rid for beginners and crazy fun for experts. Use to commute at light speed through the urban crawl, or shred your favorite backroad, it's a bike that does almost everything. Including putting a huge smile on your face.

BEST SPORT-TOURER DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1000S

With most new things, there remains some room for improvement. Such was the case for Ducati's multi faceted Multistrada, a sport-tourer loaded with poten ial but saddled with some rough edges when first introduced ast year. What a difference a few well-executed nips and ucks have made for the long-legged Duc. While revisiting he drawing board, Ducati created the 1000S, an even sportier vlultistrada equipped with race-quality Ohlins suspension, arbon-fiber front fender and an attractive tapered handlebar. rhe second time's a charm, as the Bologna Boys have built the port-bagger we would most like to spend extended weekends iboard exploring endless backroads. Bella!

BEST CRUISER HARLEY-DAVIDSON CVO FAT BOY

When Cycle World rolled out a flotilla of heavy-cruiser models at the 2004 Sturgis Rally, one bike cruised at the head of the fleet, if only by a whisker. At $28 Large, Harley-Davidson's Screamin' Eagle Fat Boy offers proof in the pounding that you can get what you pay for. The main course in the Fat Boy buffet is a bored-and stroked, 103-cubic-inch Twin Cam V-motor offering an impressive boost in power and torque over the standard 8 8-incher. Factor in 50-plus chromed, polished, drilled, braided or otherwise tricked-out tasty bits as dressing to its stunning two-toned paint scheme accented by clearcoated bare-metal scallops. Simply put, this limited-edition factory custom is as close to cruiser perfection as anything we've ridden.

BEST PLAYBIKE YAMAHA TT-R125L

BEST ENDURO YAMAHA WR450F

If you came to motorcycling late in life, your first ride most likely didn't come courtesy of a parent or buddy plopping you onto a minibike and pushing you wideeyed toward the horizon. Not that it's ever too late. Young or old, male or female, two-wheel newbie or Grand National Champion, you can enjoy this seminal experi ence with the Yamaha TT-R125L. Despite tough competition on all fronts-particularly from Yamaha's own brand-new TT-R23 0-this breeze-to-ride, non-competition-oriented beginner bike remains a Ten Best winner, and for good reason. With a low seat height and enough suspension travel to keep things interesting, the electric-start 125L is the definition of user-friendly.

Did you hear something? Nope. Exhaust system corked or uncorked, the revamped WR45OF is quiet enough to keep the enviros happy (if that's possible) while still producing enough power to give your face a grin from ear to ear. Even though every bike survived our torturous Six-Day Enduro Test, the nimble blue machine came out a tad ahead of the rest by being fun, easy to ride and the most versatile for every off-road need. Add durability to the list of the Yammie's good qualities as well; we've been flogging our WR for months and have had no issues. Yamaha is going to have to work to get this test bike back.

BEST MOTOCROSSER HONDA CRF450R

M an, the CRF just keeps rewriting the rules for motocross bikes. Sit on one and you'll feel right at home; ride one and you'll be writing home. Now in its fourth year, it's got a quartet of Ten Besties on its resume, which means the 450 is batting 1.000. Last year we wondered how the CRF could possibly get any bet ter. Honda answered with a new frame and redesigned intake, improving overall handling and engine performance. It blows our minds that a bike can be so perfect right off the showroom floor. Will there ever be another motocrosser this superior?

HONORABLE MENTIONS BUELL CITYX

Don't let the Mad Max motif frighten you, Buell's backstreet brawler is all about having fun on the run. With its aggres sive grille, handguards and unique see-through bodywork, the CityX's intentions might seem about as honorab1~as an alley cat on the prowl. Urban assault doesn't get any better..

VICTORY HAMMER

wI~I~u~u uII-~IvuIvt~u~ Six speeds, 100 cubes and the fattest rear meat you can get on a production bike, period. That's Victory's new Hammer, which also happens to be based on the former Ten Best-winning Vegas, making this one fine-riding fac tory custom. That it also cuts a mean figure on the road and even with that 250mm-wide tire actually manages to behave like a motorcycle are just bonuses. Think of it as a Vegas that rules the Strip

HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET ROD

I1/.\I(LLY-UAVIU~iUN SIK1±I KUU Is this, finally, a Harley for Harley haters? Don't know about that. What we do know is that the Street Rod is the most-pow erfttl, best-handling rocket ever to roll out of Willie World. And insiders hint that there's more in store. Yes, please, may we have another...?

MV AGUSTA F4 1000 S

iviv ruiuuiri I T 1UUU U "Lovely to look at, lovelier to ride," was the subtitle to our initial riding impression of the revived-for-'05 MV Agusta F4. Bolstered by a 150-horsepower, 1000cc version of the hereto fore 750cc miii, the Italian stallion acquitted itself well during our recent "Three 4s" comparison test, lapping quicker than the much-hyped `05 Suzuki GSX-R1000, if not the Kawasaki ZX-1OR. Maybe we should amend that subtitle to read, `Lovely to behold and good looking holding on"

SUZUKI RM-Z450

"If you can't beat `em, join `em," was Suzuki's man tra in creating the RM-Z450. The all-new, brightyellow four-stroke was the only motocross bike that came close to the Honda CRF45OR this year-in fact, it felt like an `03 CRF! It's been the most-bor rowed dirtbike around the CW shop lately, and tes ters always have good things to say when they bring it back