The Ten Rest 2011

The Ten Rest 2011

UR FRONT

MARK HOYER

SEEMS LIKE THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF the Moto Apocalypse may finally have turned back. After this protracted economic meltdown, it looks like the economy is twitching back to life. Motorcycle people are resilient and resourceful, so I always know we’ll make our destination, whether it’s a hotel or campsite at the end of a long day, the top of the mountain over a tough trail or simply surviving (and thriving) in the face of difficult odds and tall adversity.

For evidence of this resiliency and creativity, look no farther than all the cool motorcycles available this year. The Ten Best Bikes of 2011 (plus five Honorable Mentions) get their due starting on p. 44, but here are 10 more machines that also deserve recognition.

Best Do-It-All, Do-It-Well Bike: Triumph Street Triple R

This is one of the finest sporting allaround motorcycles ever made. It is so light, so agile, so easy to handle and makes such a soulful sound from its three-cylinder, 675cc powerplant that we almost decided to make it the Eleventh Best Bike. Even better, it’s comfortable on long trips and has easy 150-mile fuel range. Really, Triumph, you could make it perfect if you’d throw the 2011 Daytona 675R’s Óhlins suspension at the Street Triple. C’mon, you know you want to...

Best Sport-Tourer You Can’t Buy Yet: Motus MST

Hats off to Alabama-based Motus for having the courage (and insanity) to dream about building an American-made sport-tourer. But it’s not just a dream: A 1650cc V-Four-powered prototype runs and rides, and the ambitious plan is to have bikes in production by the end of 2011. All we can say is keep pushing and hurry up with a naked version!

Best Bike For Disappearing Into Baja: KTM Adventure R

We took a decidedly streetable route with this year’s Best Dual-Sport Bike in the form of the Triumph Tiger 800XC, but last year’s winner in the category remains one of the most off-road-bashable literclass traveling motorcycles ever made, even in non-R guise. Honestly, between

the Tiger XC, the venerable BMW F800GS and KTM Adventure, we’re still fighting (with survival knives, of course) over which is the best compromise.

Best Dual Sport That Could Have Been Best Enduro That Wasn’t A Husaberg FE570S: Husqvarna TE310

Midsize dirtbikes are fantastic, and I’d like to think CW inspired Husky with the bored-and-stroked Yamaha “WR315F” enduro project bike we did (“Roost Boost,” March, 2005), but I know it wasn’t us. Still, a four-stroke dirtbike of around 300cc seems to offer just about the best balance between nimble and torquey. The fact that the Husky TE310 is road-legal makes it even better.

Best Crazy Business Decision: Polaris Industries, owners of Victory and now Indian Motorcycles

Sure, I’m going off the reservation with this one because it isn’t about a specific machine. But I have utmost professional respect for the management and engineering teams at Victory Motorcycles. And also for Polaris. If any group of motorcycle enthusiasts can bring back the honor and wonder associated with the Indian name after decades of it getting kicked around, it’s them.

Best Bike To Lose Your License On: Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200

The liter-class-plus monster motard may be somewhat of a contradiction to the pure, lightweight dirtbike-withstreet-tires origins of the class, but it is impossible to deny the attraction of a booming boatload of torque, narrow, quick-turning chassis and aggressive, elbows-up riding position offered by motorcycles like the Dorsoduro 1200. This big Aprilia is instant action and

instant fun, so much so that we still haven’t let Cemicky have the keys...

Best Forbidden Fruit That Isn’t Forbidden Anymore: Honda CB1000R

I sneaked over to Europe in ’09 to see what all the hubbub was about. Euros were going nuts for the CB1000R, but Honda wasn’t bringing it to the U.S. I went, I rode, it conquered. The CB1000R was awesome in the Alps, and the bike fully translates to America. Now, if we can just get that CB1100F air-cooled Four...

Best Retro Bike That Doesn’t Mean To Be One: Suzuki GSX1250FA

There is something about a big-bore Suzuki inline-Four that just makes images of Wes Cooley and four-intoone pipes dance in our heads. The GSX1250FA is classic Large Suzuki Streetbike, with stout bottom end, a standard-style riding position and fullfairing for over-the-road comfort. If there is any fault here, it’s that Suzuki didn’t let the GSX really breathe on top, its 1255cc mill cranking out less than 100 horses. May we suggest a Yoshimura/Wes Cooley Special Edition?

Best Sport-Tourer That Isn’t A Six: Kawasaki Concours 14

As I prepped for the press launch of the 2008 Concours 14, I contemplated my gear choices. With sport and tour on the menu, there were a whole lotta options. But I went with two-piece leathers, based on Kawasaki’s sporting reputation, and the fact that the engine was based on that of the ZX-14. Turns out I made the right choice. No big, comfy bike with bags had ever hauled ass so well. And it took something ridiculously over the top—a pricey inline-Six, fercrissakes—to knock it down.

Best On Any Sunday-Inspired Daily Rider: Hammarhead Jack Pine Triumph

As I said in our web story about the making of last month’s “The Way of the Desert Sled,” there are knobby marks in my psyche where the soul of the Hammarhead Jack Pine flows in and pools like satin-black mercury. This bike not only excites the idea of riding off into the desert or woods, it actually does it with a surprising versatility. The strippeddown dirtbike-like silhouette honors old desert sleds and eastern-woods Triumphs like nothing else with giant knobbies ever has. Hey, Dr. Hammarhead, how about a long-term test?!