Motorcycle.com Best of 2011 Awards

[seruzawa]

"Best of" articles are just opinions. There is really any "best" anything. Most people think "best tourer" means over 700 lbs with loads of features to distract you from the scenery but others seek lighter weight and fewer bells and whistles for various reasons. Neither is "wrong".

I'm just glad that the "Motorcycle of the Year" this year actually has 2 wheels instead of 3.

[pushrod]

Originally Posted by Buzglyd

What the hell are you talking about?

I didn't notice any whining in this thread until you posted.

I'm trying to figure out how a 'Founding Member' could have seven posts...


FWIW, I'm kinda p.o.'ed that the Ural didn't get at least an 'Honorable Mention.'






JK! Great article, guys!

[The Spaceman]

Originally Posted by seruzawa

People still read Manufacturer Approved Road Test Magazine... er I mean Cycle world?

Sure, you've got to have something in the magazine rack for the morning constitutional.

I thought CW's MOTY criteria this year was right on the money...pun intended. They choose the Ninja 1000 for it's versatility and value, versus all-out technology and performance.

[sarnali2]

I'll take the Tiger 800 XC please.....

[pushrod]

Originally Posted by The Spaceman

Sure, you've got to have something in the magazine rack for the morning constitutional.

I thought CW's MOTY criteria this year was right on the money...pun intended. They choose the Ninja 1000 for it's versatility and value, versus all-out technology and performance.

Uh, Space Guy...


I have never understood the 'pompatus of love' lyric; now you have a new word!

Dude!

[The_AirHawk]

Originally Posted by pushrod

Uh, Space Guy...


I have never understood the 'pompatus of love' lyric; now you have a new word!

Dude!

"blpomblutius" is how they say "pompatus" on his planet. I think there's a silent "k" in there someplace too.

[bbtowns]

Just wanted to throw in a thumbs up for the Shorai batteries. Put one in my Duc ST4s, and the thing has never started easier, and the weight loss was actually noticeable the first time I swung a leg over the bike, unlike that carbon clutch cover. It cranks the bike faster than anything else I've tried as the article says, never needs to go on the trickle charger, and weighs about 1 1/2 lbs. Incredible. No, I don't work for them!

[Kevin_Duke]

Originally Posted by Beer Baron

Always enjoy a "best of" article. The only thing that strikes me is the Diavel, I know many classify it as a cruiser but I just don't see it. More of a standard, especially with the foot controls. They are not feet forward as many state. Of course it is a bike that straddles boundaries so I suppose power cruiser will have to do.

Also is the CBR250r really that much better than the Ninja 250r?? Other than the FI I'm not seeing a substantial difference. Does it handle better, make more power, better ergos??? Not counting the ABS model as it is a more expensive option.

We acknowledged up front that the Diavel barely fits the mold of a cruiser, but it's for that reason why we chose it. If you showed a non-enthusiast a lineup of a Harley, Vic, Star, Vulcan, etc, and took the badges off, I doubt they could tell them apart. Put the Diavel in the line, and it stands apart while being waaay more cruiserish than a Monster, which is a Standard.

Please reference this article to see how the CBR stacked up to the Ninja: 2011 250cc Beginner Bike Shootout

If you want the most speed out of a 250, get the Ninja. But if you want the most usable power, the best throttle response, most impressive fit and finish, and easiest-to-ride 250cc sportbike, it's the CBR, which is priced identical to the Kawi. The ABS is an option, and it's one very welcomed by a lot of newbs buying a bike like this. Kudos to Honda for giving the class a safety feature unavailable on its competition.

[Kevin_Duke]

Originally Posted by rfox

Oh quit sniveling! Nobody said, "ya gotta go out and buy..." any of these bikes! It's just that in the opinion of these writers, these products best fit the bill. Ducati? Did you read the article? Looks to me like BMW is the only bike out there. You don't think Kawasaki or Yamaha pay just as many advertising dollars? If the article is paid for, as several comments suggest, where are they in this list?
My vote...Best Moto-Journalism goes to Motorcycle.com for the series on entry level bikes and riders. Kudos for doing more than just saying, "the industry needs to do more to attract new riders." Honorable Mention: Motorcycle Consumer News.
Thanks for the good reads and great photos. I'm going for a great ride on my Roadstar, with my new rider daughter on her Ninja. We'll skip the whine and crackers, and have a Beer and a sandwich for dinner tonight!

This isn't the first year BMWs have scored well in our MOBO awards, and, for the record, BMW buys less advertising with us than any OEM. I think that speaks well for our editorial independence from the ad department, and it's something that we're very proud of. Our selections are based solely on a quartet of motojournos who ride nearly every bike and objectively choose the best ones currently available, which is what we hope you're all looking for!

Thanks for the kudos on the Beginner Bike series! That's the kind of article that gets minimal traffic from search engines compared to something like a review of a new bike, but we believe all motorcycle publications have a responsibility to serve the next wave of motorcyclists. Our Dennis Chung did a great job of walking us through his progress as he learned to ride. Please pass along those story links to your motorcycle-curious friends so they can learn what it'll take to become a new rider.

[Kevin_Duke]

Originally Posted by pushrod

FWIW, I'm kinda p.o.'ed that the Ural didn't get at least an 'Honorable Mention.' JK! Great article, guys!

Thanks, PR! The Ural would've been up for contention for the Best Eccentric category we had in our inaugural MOBO in 2009, but that category was democratically nixed by our editors in 2010.