Motorcycle.com Best of 2011 Awards

With the motorcycle industry still trying to creep out of its recession-hit malaise, manufacturers have kept their taps only half cocked, with a slower flow of new bikes being introduced. But the motorcycles that have made their way to dealerships in the last 12 months have been category-crushing and stunningly well developed. Some are on the technological bleeding edge, while others are simpler and more value-packed.
After riding everything this year, from $4000 sportbikes to $25K luxo-barges, here’s our selections of the best motorcycles of 2011.
Motorcycle of the Year
BMW K1600GT/GTL
BMW’s new K1600 platform is nothing less than impressive, whether discussing its marvelous inline-Six motor, its lengthy list of technologically advanced features, or its beguiling sporting performance for a comfy touring mount of its size. And, amazingly, the K16’s underpinnings give it the ability to compete simultaneously with luxury-touring bikes and serious sporty tourers. The K16GT was judged to be the best sport-touring bike in a comparo with Kawasaki’s Concours 14, while the slightly more relaxed K16GTL made Honda’s Gold Wing shake in its heavier, well-worn boots in this comparison.
The K1600s are most notable for their sensational inline-Six engines, the 1645cc powerplant proving to have an incredibly deep well of power while being uncannily smooth. The motorcycle world hasn’t seen an I-Six since the early 1980s, and BMW has used advanced architecture and a relatively small bore size to create an engine much narrower than a Honda CBX or Kawasaki K1300, allowing for the steeper lean angles its stiff aluminum frame allows. As a bonus, it has what is perhaps the sweetest exhaust note of any production motorcycle.


And yet the mellifluous and powerful engine is just one part of a wonderful touring package, excelling in comfort, handling and a plethora of standard and optional amenities, several of which are unique to the K16s. BMW’s clever and effective look-through-corners adaptive headlight and innovative multi-controller handlebar wheel thoroughly impressed us, and the swing-out wind deflectors in their fairings are gracefully simple yet incredibly effective.
While the GTL isn’t quite as two-up comfortable as the Gold Wing, and the GT is heavier and more expensive than most big sport-tourers, both machines expand the possibilities and capabilities of both categories. And for the GTL to be priced competitively with the Gold Wing is yet another significant accomplishment for the German brand. The K16s are stunning, spectacular, appealing, capable and effective, easily earning a combined place as our Motorcycle of the Year.
Related Reading
Best Of 2010
Best Of 2009
Motorcycle of the Year Honorable Mention
Ducati Diavel
While BMW’s K1600 platform has dramatically expanded the definitions of what touring motorcycles can be, Ducati has absolutely shredded apart the cruiser category with the controversial yet strangely appealing new Diavel. Ducati has stretched open the envelope of what a cruiser can be. “I truly believe that we’re going to open a new market segment,” Ducati CEO Gabriele del Torchio told us at the Diavel’s U.S. debut you can read about here.

Compared to any other Ducati, the Diavel’s feet-forward pegs and pull-back handlebar definitely lean toward the cruiser world, and the stretched and slammed package and fat 240mm rear tire makes it the most distinctive Ducati ever. The steamroller tire and relaxed ergo package disguises a surprisingly competent sporting machine, a real asset to aging sport riders who have moved on from the torture-rack layout of bikes like Ducati’s superbike series.
The Diavel (“devil” in Bolognese) is at home in the high-end cruiser realm due to its spectacular fit and finish and attention to detail. Aluminum body panels grace the fuel tank and tailsection, and pillion accommodations are cleverly hidden away, using fold-down footpegs and a grab handle that slides out from its stowed area above the taillight. The back end is cleaned up by using a single-sided swingarm and side-exit exhaust, capped off by a faired-in taillight and LED turnsignal strips. A stylish steel-trellis license plate bracket extends from the swingarm, a custom touch that further cleans up a bodacious rear end.
But most importantly, this is a “cruiser” with exceedingly high performance levels. It’ll look great down at the local café, but it’s just at home on a canyon road or a dragstrip. With 41 degrees of available lean angle, it can dip deeper into corners than the sporty H-D XR1200X, and, at a little less than 500 pounds full of fuel, it weighs less than any 750cc-plus cruiser we can think of. The Diavel’s 1198cc V-Twin produces more than 130 horses at that fat rear meat, enough to propel the low-slung beast to 60 mph quicker than nearly any production motorcycle, just 2.6 seconds according to Cycle World.
The surprisingly likeable Diavel expands the Ducati’s reach while still maintaining its familiar tubular-trellis frame, torquey yet revvy desmo V-Twin and a high-performance sport heritage. The Diavel’s total package is far beyond what we expected, and it has carved out a unique niche in an increasingly crowded market.
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2011 Ducati Diavel Review
2011 Ducati Diavel Review (Almost)
Best Sportbike
Suzuki GSX-R750
Last year BMW’s S1000RR won our coveted Best Sportbike award and overall Motorcycle of the Year honors by bringing the digital age of sportbikes to the masses – along with horsepower numbers never before seen from a liter-size engine. In contrast, this year the Suzuki GSX-R750 wins our Best Sportbike award because of its (comparatively) simple package that proved more than enough to win our Middleweight Sportbike Shootout against two other fantastic European sportbikes.

While Suzuki could have rested on its laurels and only pay a passing glance to the 750, the company instead insisted on refreshing the motorcycle that virtually created the sportbike category. Engine tweaks compared to the previous model make for more useable power that shames its 600cc little brother, and with nearly 121 horses at the rider’s command, there’s plenty of ponies to keep even the most seasoned riders giggling under their helmets. Combine that with an unflappable, ultra-linear chassis, impressive Showa Big Piston Fork, powerful Brembo monobloc brakes, two useful ride modes, and that unmistakable Suzuki familiarity, and it’s a balanced combination for success.
Perhaps the biggest reason why we named the GSX-R750 Best Sportbike is its strong value. Getting a world-class sportbike that’s versatile enough for an all-day street ride and capable enough to set lap records at the track, all for $11,999, makes it a winner in our books.
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2011 Middleweight Sportbike Shootout — Track
2011 Middleweight Sportbike Shootout — Street
2011 Suzuki GSX-R750 Review
2011 Suzuki GSX-R600 and GSX-R750 Revealed
Best Sportbike Honorable Mention
BMW S1000RR

Despite new literbike challengers introduced this year to unseat the Beemer (namely the Kawasaki ZX-10R), none have succeeded. At least none we’ve ridden (alas, the Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC looks like a solid contender, but as of press time we have yet to ride one). Granted, the Kawi came awfully close when the two squared off against each other but there was no denying the BMW’s 23 horsepower advantage in a mostly dead-even heat.
Think about this for a second: the S1000RR makes 180 horses at the rear wheel – bone stock. That’s more than what full-factory (750cc) superbikes from just a decade ago were making with every go-fast bit in every catalog available, not to mention much more torque. Combine that engine with one of the most sophisticated electronics packages available, and you have the kind of boundary-pushing performance that makes us drool. All for 16-large.
We can’t discredit the job Suzuki has done to refresh one of the most iconic motorcycles in the genre, with the supremely balanced GSX-R750 able to thrill with every ride yet not overwhelm. However. we can’t blame you if you think the S1000RR should’ve taken this award two years running.
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2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R vs. 2011 BMW S1000RR Track Shootout
2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R vs. 2011 BMW S1000RR Street Shootout
2010 BMW S1000RR Review
2010 Literbike Shootout: RSV4 R vs. S1000RR vs. CBR1000RR vs. ZX-10R
Best Standard
Triumph Speed Triple
From the moment we first rode the revamped 2011 Triumph Speed Triple at its introduction in Southern California and came back beaming, we knew it was going to be a contender for the Best Standard bike this year. Then, in our Literbike Streetfighter Shootout all doubts were erased as the new Speed Triple brought out the inner hooligan in all of us. We’ve been big fans of the previous Speed Triple and were skeptical when we learned that it was being revamped, but the lighter, more powerful and more compact new bike delivers even bigger grins than before.

Thankfully, Triumph made one of our favorite engines even better with relatively simple tweaks. The result is a mill that puts out around 120 horses and 120 horses and 75 ft.-lbs. of torque with even greater useable power and a supremely melodic tune at full throttle. Combined with even sharper chassis geometry and brutally powerful Brembo brakes, the S3 feels right at home at the racetrack, a gnarly canyon, a long stretch of the freeway or even an abandoned parking lot. You know, to practice the wheelies and stoppies that you’ll inevitably want to do. At $11,799, it’s not the most affordable naked bike out there, but one twist of the throttle will justify its cost. Now, about those headlights...
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2011 Literbike Streetfighter Shootout
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Best Standard Honorable Mention
Honda CB1000R

Honda’s new CB1000R was outgunned and out-menaced during our Literbike Streetfighter Shootout against Triumph’s new Speed Triple and Kawasaki’s muscular Z1000, but that detracts from what is a wonderfully sweet naked streetbike. We were enamored by the mild-mannered, user-friendly nature of the CB, but it didn’t quite cut it in the raw and edgy streetfighter realm. But when judging the CB on its intended use as a versatile streetbike, it’s hard to deny it deserves an Honorable Mention as one of the best Standard motorcycles we’ve ridden this year.
We should consider ourselves lucky to have the CB1000R at all, as Honda execs almost kept it off our shores. Powered by a version of the previous generation CBR1000RR engine (pre-2008), we enjoyed twisting the throttle to experience the abundance of torque from this retuned mill. Upright ergos make it comfortable when riding long distances or cutting through commuter traffic, and an ultra-responsive chassis reveals agility unheard of from a 1000cc motorcycle.
We’re fans of the Universal Japanese Motorcycle, and the CB1000R is a throwback to the UJMs of old. In a day and age where most motorcycles are ultra-specialized, we appreciate riding an adaptable, modern-day UJM like the CB. Unfortunately, when introduced at the same time as the updated Speed Triple, it was bound to play second fiddle in this broad class.
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2011 Literbike Streetfighter Shootout
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Best Cruiser
Ducati Diavel
Classifying Ducati’s indefinable Diavel as a cruiser is borderline sacrilegious. The only qualities that hedge this mad machine ever so slightly in the cruiser direction are its relaxed riding position, a monster 240mm rear tire, and unusually-long-for-a-Duc 62.6-inch wheelbase.
We can’t think of a modern production-level cruiser that can hold a candle to the Diavel’s unrivaled combination of power, handling, stopping force, comparatively light weight and rider comfort. Premium-level components are wrapped around Ducati’s trademark steel-tube trellis frame (mated to a new cast-aluminum subframe) cradling the source of the Diavel’s raucous heart – a Multistrada-based 1198.4cc 90-degree Twin rated at 162 crankshaft horsepower (a little more than 130 hp at the back wheel).

Ducati ABS works in conjunction with a brilliant set of Brembo radial-mount monobloc calipers. Eight-level rider-selectable DTC (Ducati Traction Control) complements the Sport, Touring and Urban rider-selectable fuel-mappings – all displayed in a color TFT screen.
The Diavel was up as a strong nomination for 2011 Bike of the Year. Regrettably, the Diavel’s 240mm rear tire brings with it inherent impedances to predictable, linear slow-speed handling. Beyond this minor fat-tired drawback, what you need to know is that the Diavel is like no other motorcycle available today, let alone another cruiser.
There’s no denying the raw power of the recently redesigned Yamaha VMax. However, despite Mad Max’s claims of nearly 200 hp, the revitalized one-time flagship Yamahauler gives up around 175 pounds to the Diavel – not to mention all the sophisticated rider electronic aids and trustworthy handling.
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2011 Ducati Diavel Review
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2010 Triumph Rocket III Roadster vs. 2010 Star VMax
Best Cruiser Honorable Mention
Triumph Thunderbird Storm

The Brits have really taken to the cruiser market, offering their own distinct style in a collection of me-too boulevardiers. Adopting the “No replacement for displacement” motto, the company introduced the 2300cc Rocket III and made a statement. As if wanting to tone down the aggressiveness a bit, the 1600cc Thunderbird became a mellower gentleman’s cruiser that had competitive power and sportier handling than most cruisers, earning it our Best Cruiser award in 2009.
Now Triumph is reverting back to that tough-guy image with the Thunderbird Storm, and the competition should be afraid. Most of the chrome is ditched for black, and the parallel-Twin engine gets a 100cc boost to 1700cc. Compared to the standard Thunderbird, the Storm gets 12 more horses (97 vs 85) and 7 more ft.-lbs. of torque (115 vs. 108), a power increase easily felt in the saddle. All told, the T-Bird Storm delivers a swift kick in the pants when the throttle is whacked open, with a sound that’s distinctly aggressive yet clearly not a V-Twin and is altogether marvelous.
For a cruiser, the Storm is a decent handler, too. Ground clearance is surprisingly high and direction changes aren’t very taxing. Combined with its strong brakes, the Storm actually parades with shades of a sporting pretense, which is all the more impressive for this boulevard bruiser.
Last year we wanted to give credit to the Thunderbird, but only mentioned it in passing when granting the Rocket III Honorable Mention. This year, with its complete attitude adjustment and bigger muscles, the Thunderbird has again found its time to shine.
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2011 Triumph Thunderbird Storm Review
Best Touring
BMW K1600GTL
With the introduction of the K1600GTL BMW upped the ante and redefined what a touring bike can be. For purists, the GTL’s combination of light weight and high horsepower dispels the notion that a touring bike loaded with all the bells and whistles can’t hustle down a twisty two-laner with aplomb. It’s six-cylinder engine (there’s just something about an inline-Six…), is compact, powerful and a marvel of modern engineering. BMW formulated an exhaust system to let this new engine sing, and the result is music to the ears of anyone who appreciates internal combustion.

BMW also gifted the GTL with an array of electrical gizmos including Electronic Suspension Adjustment, engine mode selection, GPS and an electrically adjustable windscreen. To access and control these functions as well as the XM radio, seat and handgrips heater, etc., BMW devised the left-handlebar-mounted multi-controller. By combining the multitude of electronic functions and ridding the bike of various buttons, dials and switches, BMW simplified the operation into something that, once learned, is non-distracting and easy to operate.
Like we said in our luxo-touring shootout, the K1600 didn’t necessarily defeat the Honda as Best Touring Bike, it enriched the options from which touring bike enthusiasts have to choose.
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2012 BMW K1600GTL vs. 2012 Gold Wing Shootout
2012 BMW K1600GTL Review [Video]
2012 BMW K1600GT and GTL Six-Cylinder Unveiled
Best Touring Honorable Mention
Honda Gold Wing

Honda saw the writing on the wall with the emergence of the BMW K1600GTL, and it retaliated with a revised, early-release 2012 Wing as a stop-gap measure to BMW’s luxo-touring offensive. The 2012 model Gold Wing features larger and more stylish saddlebags, revised suspension, new seat material, iPod connectivity, surround sound audio, updated GPS navigation system and redesigned side fairings.
The Wing is the best two-wheel touring rig when traveling long distances in a straight line and remains the most comfortable luxo bike for two people. For its size and weight the Gold Wing is surprisingly agile, while its horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine produces stump-pulling torque. The Wing also boasts better protection from the elements and the more storage capacity than this year’s class winner.
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Best Sport-Tourer
BMW K1600GT
While we generally prefer a sport-touring bike to weigh less than 700 pounds, we were swayed this year by the amazingly comfortable yet startlingly sporty K1600GT. Never before has a motorcycle so coddled its rider while tearing up a twisty road.
The GT’s cockpit is a splendid place to watch the miles pile on. A broad seat provides long-range support and heat, too, if desired. Comfortably placed grips also emit heat, and a magical wheel on the left handlebar makes navigating through multifarious accessory controls simple. The right bar carries cruise control, a very convenient tool missing from most other sport-tourers, and the same can be said about its optional audio system. An electrically operated windscreen varies the coverage from “just enough” to “Am I in a convertible?”

But then, when the road gets curvy, the GT transforms into a Gixxer 1600. Turn-in response is incredibly quick for a touring sled of its size, and ample ground clearance allows corner speeds that will embarrass modestly ridden sportbikes, especially with the optional Electronic Suspension Adjustment set on Sport at the touch of a button. The fabulous inline-Six (pleasingly louder than its GTL brother) catapults the big rig with an effortless surge forward and a glorious exhaust note.
The K1600GT is the Gold Wing that retiring track addicts would hope for. It’s an exceptional sport-touring machine that, after just one ride, will have you scheming up a way to afford its $21K asking price.
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2012 BMW K1600GT vs. 2011 Kawasaki Concours 14
2012 BMW K1600GT Review
Best Sport-Touring Honorable Mention
Suzuki GSX1250FA

If we were to create a “Sleeper of the Year” category, Suzuki’s GSX1250FA would be the winner. This easily overlooked motorcycle impressed us with its ability to deliver a modern motorcycling experience in an old-school package. With a retail price of $11,600, including ABS, the GSX is the bargain of the realm of sport-touring models. The 1255cc engine isn’t brutally powerful, but does produce 72.3 lb.-ft. of torque at just 3,500 rpm that will accelerate the 567-pound bike out of corners better than many models with more peak power.
In stock trim the GSX is more of a fully faired sporty standard, but the Suzuki can be outfitted as a sport-tourer via factory accessories like detachable saddlebags (and/or a top box) and a fuller-coverage windscreen that tips the GSX further to the touring side. Even with these additions the GSX1250 remains a bargain, especially compared this year’s Best Sport-Tourer category winner. Low on flash but big on value, the GSX deserves attention from practical sport and sport-touring riders.
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2011 Suzuki GSX1250FA Review
2011 Gentlemen Sportbike Shootout
Best On/Off-Road
2011 Triumph Tiger 800XC
The Triumph Tiger 800XC won this category and its shootout with the BMW F800GS, last year’s category winner, by the narrowest of margins. The Beemer remains the better off-road bike, but the smooth and capable three-cylinder engine powering the Tiger is the ingredient that made it the a better all-around package. The Tiger proved itself almost as capable as the BMW in the dirt, and it accomplished the grind of commuting with more verve.

On the pavement the Tiger’s advantage over the BMW is greater than the BMW’s over the Tiger in the dirt. The Tiger’s combination of smooth, powerful engine and comfortable ergonomics proved more important during the long hours pounding out freeway miles and, more particularly, in the canyons where the Tiger’s pleasing Triple makes connecting apexes a thrilling experience.
We could’ve chosen from several dirt-worthier dual-sport machines, but so many of the miles most of us travel are on paved roads. For adventure-touring use, the 800cc bikes strike us as the best compromise. This year, it’s the Tiger that comes out on top.
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2011 Adventure-Touring Shootout: Triumph Tiger 800XC vs. BMW F800GS
2011 Triumph Tiger 800 & 800XC Review
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Best On/Off-Road Honorable Mention
2011 BMW F800GS

The F800GS won this category the last two years running, and it was only by a condom’s thickness that it lost this year. The Beemer remains the best adventure-tourer in the dirt, but the new Tiger 800XC is nipping at its rear tire and proved the better all-around package for 2011.
Where the BMW shines is in its feeling of less weight, which makes it a more confidence-inspiring ride when dirt is involved. And the GS shows BMW’s considerable development skills in its size-adjustable saddlebags durable enough for off-road riding and its easy on/off ABS selection. But its rougher engine and higher MSRP puts it a peg below the new Tiger.
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2010 BMW F800GS Review
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Best Value
Honda CBR250R ABS
When Honda stopped importing the VTR250 in 1990, it left the Kawasaki Ninja 250 as the default entry-level sportbike, remaining that way for two decades. But with the introduction of the CBR250R, Honda removed the best quarter-liter sportbike trophy from Kawasaki’s mantle. Boasting an MSRP of $3,999, equal to that of the Ninja, and only a $500 bump in price for ABS, the newest CBR easily won our best-bang-for-your-buck award this year.

The liquid-cooled, fuel-injected single-cylinder engine powering the CBR makes more usable power than the Ninja’s peaky parallel-Twin and is remarkably smooth. The new CBR is also the first small-displacement sportbike to offer ABS, and this is a feature that’s worth every penny for beginner riders. Honda's Combined-ABS links the rear brake with one of the front caliper’s three pistons, and if pushed past the ABS threshold, hauls the bike down with the usual mild pulsing. Nicely styled, comfortable for a variety of sizes and shapes, and affordable in new-bike terms, the CBR250R ABS is a winning combination at a great price for beginner riders – or experienced ones.


Source : www.motorcycle.com