Plenty of pre-production bikes, that MotoCzysz train wreck and several never-meant-to-ride custom choppers have also been on the cover of Cycle World so I don't get how the cover is that significant. I'm sure its very important to the OEM's but what other interesting bike is going to make the cover in the middle of summer?
By "significant" I suspect that he means "expensive". I would be very surpised if the cover of CW wasn't at least party for sale.