Best On-Off Road " BMW F800GS "

Best On-Off Road " BMW F800GS "

“The GS for the rest of us,” was how Pete characterized the F800GS. The implication being that the latest addition to BMW’s renowned GS line of adventure bikes is at least as capable as the big R1200GS was at traversing tough terrain, but in a much more manageable package. The F800GS is closer to a big dual-sport than a Boxer-powered behemoth GS or GS Adventure. The 798cc parallel-Twin provides ample power for just about any situation imaginable for an adventure-touring rider, and its humane seat height and reasonable overall size open the door for many riders who’ve always wanted to tread the Sahara but were put off by the dimensions of the motorcycles that normally dominate the adventure-riding segment.

Honorable Mention – BMW F800ST

Honorable Mention – BMW F800ST

If the sport part of the sport-touring equation involves unraveling the squiggliest parts of a map, the athletic F800ST is hard to beat. Accommodating ergonomics provide comfort during weekday commutes, while a lithe and obedient chassis encourages canyon strafing on Sunday rides. Optional locking luggage and heated grips give you the tools for inter-state touring, aided by decent wind protection, a maintenance- and lash-free belt drive, and torquey parallel-Twin motor supplying ample power. Its excellence became apparent after it won a side-by-side comparison with Honda's silky VFR800 Interceptor.

Best Sport-Touring " BMW K1300GT "

Best Sport-Touring " BMW K1300GT "

The Honda ST1300, Kawasaki Concours 14 and Yamaha FJR1300 are all terrific mile-munchers, which makes BMW's K1300GT win in our recent sport-touring shootout all the more impressive. True, a princely MSRP is attached to it, but it also has available a plethora of worthy options that are unavailable on its competitors. Combine standard equipment like adjustable seat and windshield with desirable options like cruise control, heated grips and seat, on-the-fly ESA suspension adjustment, Xenon headlamp and traction control, and the K13GT becomes your cross-country best friend. The fact that it has the segment's quickest steering, most powerful motor and excellent brakes only sweetens the deal.

Honorable Mention – Honda Gold Wing

Honorable Mention – Honda Gold Wing

If you want maximum luxury with a bottomless well of power, and you're okay with piloting around a 900-lb two-wheeled convertible, the venerable Honda Gold Wing has an unbeatable combination of comfort and versatile performance. Three excellent V-Twin touring-cruisers have recently been introduced, but they can't do everything as well as the superlative Wing.

Best Touring " BMW R1200RT "

Best Touring " BMW R1200RT "

When it comes to piling on thousands of miles, we're not sure it's necessary to saddle up on a half-ton luxo-barge. The surprisingly agile RT is packed with comfort yet scales in at an easily managed 570 lbs with its capacious 7.1-gallon tank full of fuel. Prices start below $17K, but we highly recommend getting the optional “Standard Package” ($17,755) that includes such niceties as heated grips, cruise control and a trip computer.

Honorable Mention – Suzuki Boulevard M90

Honorable Mention – Suzuki Boulevard M90

Combine the look of a more powerful cruiser with comfortable ergos, handling and stability rarely if ever found in cruisers; grace it with a bigger Twin than any other bike in its class, then bring it at a price at or below the competition, and you’ve got yourself undeniable value. This is the exact scenario of Suzuki’s Boulevard M90. Looking a whole lot like its bigger, meaner M109 brother, the M90 gives power-cruiser fans the look they want matched to V-Twin power that surely has Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha scratching their heads at the M90’s $9,999 tag. In today’s economy, value makes the perfect partner to performance.

Best Cruiser " Triumph Thunderbird 1600 "

Best Cruiser " Triumph Thunderbird 1600 "

It's been cruiser utopia for the last decade or so, with every major manufacturer jumping into the market to piggyback on Harley-Davidson's astounding success for the feet-forward crowd. Harley's iconic 45-degree V-Twin has spawned an endless succession of imitators, many of them excellent in their own right. But we don't think we're alone in seeing this genre as a little bit stale. That's one reason why Triumph's new T-Bird made such an impression on us, as its parallel-Twin (a zero-degree Vee) stands apart in a sea of clones. Its 270-degree firing order supplies the requisite thumpity-thump exhaust note, but both its character and layout are unique. This might be a moot point if the 'Bird wasn't blessed with clean, graceful lines that follow a well-worn formula yet are distinct. And for those of you who like cruising on curvy roads in addition to the straight ones on the way to the cafe, the Trumpet can cut an inside track as tight as anything in its class.

Honorable Mention – Harley-Davidson XR1200

Honorable Mention – Harley-Davidson XR1200

When Harley-Davidson announced in summer 2007 it had created a new model called the XR1200, but that it was a Euro-only unit, everyone here in the States asked why we were left out. Then, after listening to the loyal masses, the Motor Company conceded and made it available for the U.S. as an '09.

Ergonomically the XR1200 strikes a good compromise between aggressive canyon attacker and sensible, upright everyday ride. And the potent Nissin brake calipers are crazy powerful. The flat-tracker look-alike styling is a head-turner, and the reliable 1200cc Sporty Twin has been massaged to yield the most horsepower of any air-cooled mill ever to emerge from H-D. Our only criticism is limited lean angle on the exhaust side impeding super-aggressive cornering, but you have to be the fast guy in your crowd for that to be a concern.

Best Standard " Ducati Monster 1100 "

Best Standard " Ducati Monster 1100 "

The Italians followed up the lively new Monster 696 with this 1100cc version of its revered air-cooled Desmo V-Twin, and it knocked our socks off with its all'-round versatility, rich character and a huge grin factor.

The big Monster has cozy ergos that welcome urbane commuter duties, as a proper standard should, but it also has the capable chassis and grunty power to terrorize repli-racer sportbikes on a twisty road. Low-rev neck-snapping performance combines with neck-snapping Italian good looks. Ducati's mondo Streetfighter model is much more powerful, but the M1100 is at least as much fun and is thousands cheaper.

Honorable Mention – Honda CBR1000RR

If you want a literbike that handles like a 600, the lightweight and whippet-quick CBR is for you. It's as light as some 600s but has a burly midrange that out-muscles its 1000cc rivals Already a year old in '09, to win our annual literbike shootout in the face of high-profile new challengers from Yamaha and Suzuki is remarkable.

Best Sportbike " Kawasaki ZX-6R "

Best Sportbike " Kawasaki ZX-6R "

The middleweight class's relatively low buy-in results in the largest amount of sales among sportbikes, so there isn't a segment of motorcycles more keenly contested among manufacturers. Costly (to the OEMs) updates to the 600s arrive every two years in a never-ending quest to one-up their rivals. And it's for these reasons why the ZX-6R is so redoubtable. Kawasaki has built a motor that handily out-guns its 600cc rivals, but just as impressive is a 22-lb lighter machine that handles like a champ, aided by Showa's fabulous new Big Piston Fork. Doubly impressive is that the Ninja took top honors on both the street and track – no mean feat. Triumph's Daytona 675 gives the ZX a run for its money, but among four-cylinder middleweights, the nasty and nimble Ninja stands clearly at the top of this ultra-competitive heap.

Best Value " Kawasaki Ninja 250 "

Best Value " Kawasaki Ninja 250 "

Yeah, most of us know that new riders should hone their riding on a lightweight and modestly powerful bike, but no one wants to look like a dweeb while expanding their skill set. The little Ninja avoids the newbie-bike stigma by looking a lot like its more powerful Kawi brothers, appearing sleek and purposeful despite its easy-to-ride nature. Its twin-cylinder 250cc engine won't intimidate newbs yet has enough power to keep up with 80-mph freeway traffic, and its agile demeanor has the capability to embarrass larger machines on the right twisty road. At $4,000, it's a bargain, and you'll get most of that back on resale when it's time to trade up for a bigger bike.

Motorcycle of the Year "Triumph Street Triple R"

"Triumph Street Triple R"

Triumph had a good thing going when it unveiled the sweet Street Triple 675, a pared-down streetfighter version of the beloved Daytona 675 sportbike. The Street Triple’s finest feature is its soul-stirring three-cylinder engine that boasts a broad powerband and a symphonic exhaust note. The motor, re-tuned from the Daytona, has a predictable but powerful output that makes it accessible and unintimidating to riders of all skill levels yet is satisfying for even the saltiest veterans. Comfortable ergos – including a reasonably low seat height – and an eminently toss-able nature made it a staff darling, but we were a little disappointed it had some bargain-minded bits to keep the retail figure low.

But like a dream come true, the Street Triple R was introduced just last year, replete with the Daytona’s up-spec fully adjustable suspension and potent radial-mount Nissin brake calipers, alleviating all of our concerns. The result is an invigorating and versatile roadster that stickers for less than $10K. Lofting the front wheel is a snap, and before you know it you’ll be drifting out the back end like an inspired Brit hooligan. And on your favorite twisty back road, its friendly yet potent character is almost unbeatable, proving that no one really needs triple-digit horsepower peaks. Now that Triumph perfected the Street in our eyes, it became the perfect Standard. And it's our favorite motorcycle of 2009.

Honda GL 1500 SE Gold Wing

Honda GL 1500 SE Gold Wing

Husqvarna SM 400 R

Husqvarna SM 400 R

Suzuki 1400 Intruder 1998

Suzuki 1400 Intruder 1998

Honda GoldWing

Honda GoldWing

Harley-Davidson XR1200

Harley-Davidson XR1200

Harley-Davidson VRSCDX Night Rod Special

Harley-Davidson VRSCDX Night Rod Special

Harley-Davidson Tri Gilde Ultra Classic

Harley-Davidson Tri Gilde Ultra Classic

Harley-Davidson FXSTSI Springer Softail, 2006

Harley-Davidson FXSTSI Springer Softail, 2006