Return To Normalcy

Return to Normalcy

ARE YOU FEELING A LITTLE LIKE SYLVESTER STALLONE’S Rocky? We sure are. After suffering through an economic catastrophe that beat the snot out of everyone for 11 rounds, the country made a comeback and knocked the recession on its keister. Yeah, we’ve emerged from the battle with a broken nose and two black eyes, and the ache from three years’ worth of punches in the gut won’t entirely go away for a while. But look at the bright side: The stock market has recovered, unemployment has steadily been moving downward and consumer spending has been on the rise since sometime last year. Those are clear indications that the economy finally has turned around.

Everything is looking much brighter in the motorcycle business, as well. Attendance at this year’s bike shows was up, and the motorcycle manufacturers are once again exhibiting the kind of enthusiasm that has been absent for quite some time. This is evident in their release of more new models than they have recently introduced, and in the return of some others that have been AWOL for a couple of years.

We’re also seeing a shift toward models that are more affordable and versatile—more sensible, in other words. The era of

specialization and niche marketing produced some spectacular motorcycles over the past 15 or 20 years, but practicality and affordability often went out the window as a result. The industry is not about to stop developing better, faster, moresophisticated machinery; but for those companies that did not already know or had forgotten, the recession taught them that simpler and more-affordable models have much greater long-term sales potential than most top-of-the-line flagships. In one way or another, the four bikes pictured below are prime examples, and there are lots more on display throughout this magazine. This is more than just a short-term trend; we’re likely to see many more such models from now on.

So, as we optimistically look forward to a prosperous 2012, we thank you for purchasing this Buyer’s Guide. If you’re in the market for a new bike, we sincerely hope that as you peruse these pages, you find the one model that’s perfect for your wants and needs. And if you bought this magazine simply to further your knowledge of the sport, we applaud you for your ongoing interest in motorcycling. In either case, enjoy the read and enjoy the ride