Ten Best Bikes of 1999

Ten Best Bikes of 1999

WE HERE AT CYCLE WORLD TAKE THIS TEN BEST BIKES THING PRETTY darn seriously. To commemorate the 24th anniversary of what has become the motorcycle industry's most prestigious awards. we, the editorial staff, sequestered ourselves in the wine cellar of the

Lido Shipyard Sausage Factory, and like bishops electing a new pope, vowed not to come out until we'd reached a consensus. Or the wine ran out. whichever came first.

This year's voting went surprisingly smoothly. with one exception-what to do about the 750cc Streethike category. Last year. Honda increased the displacement of the incumbent VFR75O to 781cc, bumping it up to the Open class. That left precious few worthy candidates for Best 75() Streetbike. The 750cc class. while not exactly dead. is definitely on life support. Blame it on two things: 1) production-based Superbike racing,

which has given rise to 1000cc V-Twins and expensive, limited-production 750cc "homologation specials" like Yamaha~s R7 and Honda's RC45; and 2) increased pigeonholing from ever more powerful 600s and ever lighter Open-c lassers.

The Touring class. on the other hand, is healthier than ever. The advent of touring cruisers and sporty sport-tourers has broadened the category to the point that we felt it needed to be subdivided. Perusing the C'vcle World 1999 Buver~ Guide revealed no fewer than 15 sport-tourers from seven manufacturers, thus we saw fit to add a new class for those bikes, drop ping the Best 750 division. though those bikes are, of course, eligible for Open-class honors.

That done, we should be good for years to come. Or at least until the VFR sprouts saddlebags...

Suzuki GSX1 300K Havabusa

No surprise, Suzuki's Big Bird, the new-for-'99 GSX1300R Hayabusa, nabs Best Superbike honors on the strength of its numbers: 194 mph, 9.86-second quarter-mile, 161 horsepower. We're accustomed to superbike performance improving by leaps and bounds, but never have we seen a leap like this before! Most impressively, Suzuki's engineers managed to cram the `Busa's 1298cc lump into a chassis hardly any bigger than a GSX-R's, so it handles, too.

Honda VFR Interceptor

Here's the bike that refuses to lose, Honda's VFR Interceptor. Last year's dis placement increase could have brought about the VFR's demise as a Ten Best winner; instead, it opened a new chapter. This is the VFR's 12th trophy, 10 in the 750cc Streetbike class and two in the Open class. And if it had saddle bags, it could be a contender in the Sport-Touring category, too. Getting the hint, Honda?

Yamaha YZF-RG Take last year's Best Superbike, the Yamaha YZF-R 1. reduce displacement by 40 percent and voila!, you've got this year's Best 600cc Streetbike. To be bru tally honest, the new YZF-R6 isn't the best everyday 600cc streetbike-that would be either the Honda CBR600F4 or the Kawasaki ZX-6R-but it is the most exhilarating to ride, particularly when the going gets twisty. Maybe we should change its trophy to read "Best 600cc Superbike"?

Kawasaki 1111(1100 There's a strange dichotomy in the motorcycle market these days, as bikes tend to be either sporty or retro. Same goes with Standards: Witness past award winners such as the sporty Buell Lightning and Ducati Monster, or the retro Kawasaki Zephyr 1100 and 750. This year, though, the Standard class re turns to its roots with a bike worthy of the title: the new Kawasaki ZRXI 100. in timeless Eddie Lawson Replica Racing Green.

BMW K1200t1 Once upon a time, the Touring category was the domain of full-dressers, and Honda's Gold Wing won a dozen times. Then came the sport-tourers, first the Honda STI 100, then the BMW Rl 100RT. This year, though, sport-tourers have a class of their own, and Touring is again the domain of full-dressers. And nothing on two wheels has ever been as well-dressed as the new BMW KI200LT. Heck, the victory champagne is already chilling in the trunk...

ilarley-Davidson FXDX The original and, once again, the best: After years of serving as everyone else's role model, Harley-Davidson has raised the bar. Thanks to the new Twin Cam 88 engine (and especially the available, factory-warrantied 1550cc big bore kit), 50 horsepower ain't gonna cut it anymore; now, it'll take 60-65 just to be in the ballpark. Really, any H-D model with the new engine is worthy of this award; we picked the FXDX because it's the sportiest.

I I I Triumph Sprint ST We liked the old Triumph Sprint, awarding it Best Open-Class Streetbike hon ors in 1995 and keeping our testbike around as a long-termer. But we real/i' like the new Sprint ST. Where the old Triple looked and felt like a refugee from the mid-'80s, the new one is a thoroughly modern performer, with styling to match. Plus, with a list price of just over $1 1,000 (including the op tional saddlebags), it's a real deal.

BEST ENDURO BIKE KIM 380 EIXC It's official: KTM owns the Best Enduro category with 11 victories. What's different this year is the displacement: Whereas we've cus tomarily given the award to the 250 or 300 E/XC, this time we're citing the 380 E/XC as the best of the bunch. The last time that hap pened was in 1988, when the 350 won. in our elusive quest to find an Opeii bike that handles like a 250. the 380 comçs the closest ct.

UUMLb~ KTM is a Johnny Come Lately to the Dual-Purpose ranks, but it definitely has made its mark, topping the category five times in the past six years. This year's winner, the 640cc LC4, is proof positive that the Austrian manufacturer has learned how to merge the trailability of its pure dirtbikes with the electric starting and road-going comfort of more street-biased dual-sports. The LC4's styling alone is worthy of an award.

BEST MOTOCROSS BIKE Yamaha YZ400F Are you a Pro motocrosser looking to bust big on the Supercross scene? Then buy yourself a Suzuki RM250, get an injection of adrenalin and go for it! If, on the other hand. you're one of the "other" 99 percent of motocross-bike buy ers. here's your best bet for racing success: the Yamaha YZ400F. Yes, it's a four-stroke. And no, it's not slow. If you don't believe us, just ask Doug Henry. He's the guy with the Number One plate.