Best Eccentric Motorcycle of the year 2009

Can-Am Spyder

Although not technically a motorcycle, the well-engineered Can-Am Spyder has expanded open-air motoring to a new audience.

If standing out in a crowd is you’re cup o’ tea, you’re sure to be seen riding aboard the Can-Am Spyder Roadster! Although it can't lean like a motorcycle (or a Piaggio MP3), it’s got some open wheels and puts you in the wind all the same. Basically, it’s a “flipped around” three-wheeler, putting the two-wheeled part of the trike in the front. Packed full of technology as well as eye-catching appeal, the Spyder now comes in three colors and two transmission choices: standard foot-controlled shifting (SM5) or a version that is capable of being shifted by hand (SE5, a sequential electronic 5-speed). BRP has built in a lot of fun as well as safety. The coolest part of this machine is the licensing. When last we checked, if you live in California or Delaware, you don’t even need a motorcycle license to operate one on the open road. Aging and/or handicapped riders who still feel the need for speed and excitement they once received by ripping down the road on two wheels can again feel that old thrill on the Spyder, and it's also proving to be attractive to new and female riders.

Honorable Mention – Travertson V-REX


Built by the people who turned out the turbine-powered bike made famous by Jay Leno, the futuristic Travertson V-REX garners more attention than any motorcycle we've ever ridden.

In the custom cruiser mien, it's not unusual to throw down $50K or more for something that stands apart from the hordes of other choppers trying to be unique. And yet they are all pretty much just variations on tired themes. But nobody will think that when you pull up on a V-Rex. Looking like a refugee from a sci-fi movie, the Travertson-built monstrosity is unlike anything you've ever seen. The swingarm front suspension is the first thing to blow your mind, but everywhere else your eyes rest will continue the squall on your brain, such as the bespoke cast frame, the single-sided rear suspension and the alien-looking nose. There aren't many $40,000 bikes we are willing to describe as a bargain, but for its incredible traffic-stopping countenance, V-Rex qualifies.

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The Best Cruiser Motorcycle of 2009

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.
Triumph's Thunderbird twists the cruiser mold by eschewing a V-Twin powerplant in favor of a character-rich parallel-Twin that retains a link with Triumphs of yore. Clean lines penned by an American designer are attractive without being too derivative, and a stout chassis encourages riding on twisty roads instead of avoiding them.

Honorable Mention – Suzuki Boulevard M90

Suzuki's M90 Boulevard combines unique styling, excellent handling and strong braking to create an unbeatable value in the power-cruiser segment.

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.

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Best of 2009 - Motorcycles of the Year

A sagging economy hasn't stopped the flow of amazing motorcycles
resume from K. Duke

While we enjoy ripping on substandard motorcycles, crappy bikes are hard to find these days. Take a look at any of our comparison tests from the last couple of years and you'll find only marginal differences between our declared winners and their competitors.

With so much high-quality product to choose from, culling the field down into our Best Of winners was an arduous task. But that didn't stop us from coming up with our favorite stuff from the class of '09! Introducing the first-annual Motorcycle.com Best Of awards. And the MoBo goes to...

Motorcycle of the Year

Triumph Street Triple R
-Triumph's Street Triple R is a fantastically versatile sporting package with one of our favorite engines of all time. It's an elemental motorcycle but with major-league performance built in, and its fun-to-ride quotient is sky high, earning our MoBo Motorcycle of the Year for 2009.
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.

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