Manufacturer you're most impressed with lately

[sammyseaman]

Hmmmm???......

[bomber]

Triumph, for damn near every reason possible.

Refusing to be steeped in nostalgia only, roaring back into the market place after having damn near the entire factory burn to the ground, buy, mostly, for having a very impressive and wide-ranging line-up.

Factor in the small size and short history of the brand (this time around), these accomplishment become more impressive.

[chornbe]

Triumph, with Harley and Aprilia as a close seconds.

If the Guzzi refresh stuff comes to fruition, it'll be Guzzi in 2013.

[MadOzodi]

Triumph...especially after attending their demo day this past weekend.

Although, if there's some bike-washing by bikini clad females at the Ducati demo days this upcoming weekend, I may have to change my vote.

 

[Galo]

I voted Triumph....no doubt about it.....
KTM would be a close second....

[garry]

Triumph for sure. Look at all the really well-done new models that have come out in the last 5 years. BMW has been revamping their line, but I don't find myself drawn to them for some reason. Of the Japanese brands, I'd vote Kawasaki because they have been putting out good new models too (ZX-14, C14, Versys, 650R/ER6N, etc).

[sammyseaman]

Triumph for sure. Look at all the really well-done new models that have come out in the last 5 years. BMW has been revamping their line, but I don't find myself drawn to them for some reason. Of the Japanese brands, I'd vote Kawasaki because they have been putting out good new models too (ZX-14, C14, Versys, 650R/ER6N, etc).

I'm with you on all these. Triumph is doing a good job of putting out new or nicely updated models that are very interesting. Something the big 4 should look at and take notice.

[JReazor]

Triumph. They're stepping up in a big way. No one else is even close but I would put Yamaha in the number 2 spot for having the balls to bring the Super Tenere to the States.

[Orson]

How bout Benelli and Moto Morini for surviving the economic slow down...so far  

[squeezer]

Triumph, easily. They keep going their own way, cranking out one cool bike after another. I should own one.

I hadn't thought much about Kawasaki until reading garry's comment, but I think he has a good point. They've been bringing some nice stuff to the table. Who woulda thunk it?

And I still think Duc hit a home run with the new multi.

[MadOzodi]

I totally agree that Duc hit a home run with the MTS 12, but seeing it in person didn't make me drool as much as I did when I first saw pictures of it.  For some reason, because of the pictures and/or its reported weight, I wasn't expecting the bike to be as large as it is in person.

Still, if my inseam were adequate enough, I'd own one.  

[Frankienuckles]

I like when bike makers think outside of the box. So, I applaud Aprilia, BMW and Piagggio. Mostly for trying new stuff that offer funtional improvement over existing products.

[stevent]

Triumph fer sure, excellent mix of bikes. I only wish they'd resurrect my beloved Trophy.....snatched from my hands and crushed by the cruel hand of fate, helped along by a bunch of assholes in a pile o' shit Accord.

BMW and Honda seems to be going out of their way to over complicate things and Christ knows what Harley is up to. Supposedly reaching out to a younger clientele while simultaneously dropping the Buell line which might actually appeal to them. Oh well there's always the 356th version of the Sportster.....

 

[MadOzodi]

Ok, I think I need to give both Soozy and Kawi some kind of honorable mention...particularly with the Bandit 1200FA and  Ninja 1000 coming to the states along with the updates to the GSX-R600/750 and ZX-10R.

 

[maddjack]

Triumph, they seem very tuned into the motorcycling world and have a set of balls to try new models,directions , and the sense to carve out thier own nich

[KodiakRS]

Kawasaki.  The Versys, z1000 and the new ninja 1000 are all bikes that I would LOVE to have in my garage.  They're also the first of the big 4 to try and knock BMW off the liter bike throne.  

Suzuki is still sleeping after not importing anything in 2010, Yamaha has the FZ8 but everything else is bold new graphics.  As far as Honda is concerned: "Shamu" 'nuff said.

As far as Triumph is concerned, they discontinued the ST here in the states so I'm pissed at them and this is my form of revenge.  Take THAT you bloody brits!

[SilverHound]

Suzuki for just saying "screw it" for 2010 instead of pretending to ship new models that are just repainted '09s or sad excuses for "new and innovative" bikes.  

[caddydaddy]

As far as Triumph is concerned, they discontinued the ST here in the states so I'm pissed at them and this is my form of revenge.  Take THAT you bloody brits!

I just rode the new Sprint GT, and trust me, it's every bit as good as the ST, just more refined!  

[evilted]

Voted for BMW.  Mostly because I'm impressed at the execution of the S1000RR -- first year out, and they hit a home run in the most competitive segment in terms of annual R&D investment.  But also for the K1600GT(L); the ongoing refinement of their signature boxer twin; their creation and domination of the adventure touring category for the past decade; putting Christan Pfeiffer on the payroll; and blazing their own trail when it comes to things like suspension design.

Curiously, I've never owned a BMW and probably won't next year either, unless I lose interest in the two or three bikes I'm currently interested in.

Sadly, Honda has been the biggest disappointment.  The CBRs are still fantastic machines and Honda's investment shows, but the rest of the product range seems dated (e.g., ST1300, Goldwing (a great bike to be sure, but getting long in the tooth), XR650L), or just not terribly interesting (VTX1300, Fury -- Yamaha does cruisers too, but the Stratoliner/Roadliner & Raider look and feel like high dollar machines rather than metric copies of an American standard), and the VFR clearly didn't live up to the hype we'd heard.   But Big Red could still redeem itself in 2011 with a VFR1200-based ST1300 replacement, and a new & sportier 'Wing in 2012.

[evilted]

Yeah, I was disappointed to learn that the new GT is down in terms of power to weight ratio.  The GT also strikes me as an obvious stop-gap given that Triumph stuck with the conventional Showa forks instead of switching to an inverted cartridge design & radial front brakes like the Tiger has had for years.

That said, I love my ST.  It's been super reliable, fairly cheap to run, offers rougly the same power/weight ratio as the FJR or C14 with a very wide powerband, and is a blast to ride on twisty roads.  The GT is probably very much similar in this regard, but with better pillion accommodations and panniers that fit a size large full face helmet.

I just rode the new Sprint GT, and trust me, it's every bit as good as the ST, just more refined!  

[chornbe]

Suzuki for just saying "screw it" for 2010 instead of pretending to ship new models that are just repainted '09s or sad excuses for "new and innovative" bikes.  

And that year off was a good choice... They're back in pretty bold fashion.

[kevin_stevens]

Pretty close to a consensus here, wow.

I voted Kawasaki, because they've stayed active in development throughout the last five years:  ZX-14, Versys, ER-6, C-14, Z1000, Ninja 1000, and stepping up with a new ZX-10R.  Much more impressive than any of the other Japanese manufacturers (shoot, maybe the others *combined*) over that time.

BMW would be my second choice, because of the S1000RR, the "fixing" of the K1200 into the K1300, the F800 series, and the new 1600 (not my kind of bike, but still).  They seem to be the "anti-Harley" in terms of how they are breaking out of their traditional audience.

And a couple of years ago I'd have said Triumph, but realistically all of their key bikes are now pretty long in the tooth.  If they rework the 675 and Speed Triple as expected, they may be back up there soon.

KeS

[STJoe]

Far tougher question to answer than "most disappointed".   So many interesting bikes, from some many different manufacturers.  

I went BMW, as they've really come a long way in a very short period of time.  Breaking their image of solid but less than competitive performance, to serious high performance machines.  

Have to think Triumph and Ducati are going to get a lot of votes as well.    

So many choices, so little time.  

[R Doug]

Ducati 1st for me because they are still making great bikes and selling them to support the company's racing habit (the best they can in down times).  Also, it was refreshing to see a company listen to its customers to deliver a bike like the Multi.  

KTM and Kawasaki get honorable mentions from me.  KTM has entered the street scene with some very well done bikes (Super Duke, SMs, and SMT) while Kawasaki has impressed me with the C14, the Versys, and some of its newest 2011 models.  

[ANZAC]

Triumph is the one for me with Kawasaki a close second  

We will see what the others like Suzuki have to pull out of their hat next year  

[DogBoy]

Kawasaki and KTM: tie

[MisterSmooth]

Aprilia, for winning World Superbikes in their second year in the series.  Outrageous.    


BMW, for entirely updating their line of bikes the last few years.  Includes new smaller bikes, revamped the K1200S to become the vastly superior K1300S, bringing out the HP2 Sport, building the best 1000cc sportbike, and now the six cylinder ubertourers.  That's a lot of change for a historically conservative niche player.    

[Papa Lazarou]

3 Moto Guzzi for their increasingly good bikes.

2 Ducati for the Multistrada

1 In first place, Royal Enfield for putting a fuel injector on the big single.

[bassjones]

right now Harley has two more votes than Honda  

I voted Triumph. Kawi would be first among the Japanese bikes.

[doublen675]

Triumph for sure.  Love my Street Triple and stoked to see how the new Tiger 800 Adventure bikes are going to stack up to the competition.

[sammyseaman]

The STNers have spoken.

Triumph with 40%
Kawi with 20%
BMW with 13%

Sidenote: The almighty BIG Red did get 1 vote   I wonder who that was  

[GRN]

Triumph hands down...
- into of the T8's, nice solutions in the larger mid displacement barrens
- confirmed development of the 1200 platform that promises some interesting potential new rides to come in 2012 including a Trophy tourer, a bigger Tiger in possibly two flavors again like the T8, and the return of a big Daytona in the super sport segment.
- As a former Sprint owner and owner site admin, the new GT literally addresses almost every single significant bitch owners had on the ST, with the exception of the 420w alt which is ample, yet not exactly robust. In my almost 30 years of riding, I have never seen another manufacturer respond as completely to the customer base the way Triumph has with this new model... bravo!

BMW second, something I'm surprised to say...
- F8's across the board, especially the new R,
- K16 raises the bar in the yacht segment, the headlight thing is a very cool idea... if it holds up.
- I even like the little G 450 X thumper, regardless of needing a ladder to get on it.

Yamaha third...
- S10, although I would prefer to see the 660 available too or instead of... crossing my fingers
- FZ8 with some mods could provide an interesting platform for a naked mid sized touring ride

and a distant 4th... even though they completely punted in regards to all of their other new offerings, I commend Honda for joining us in this century with a modern 250cc offering that will be priced in market.

[Bain Dramage]

BMW - Their 1600 is brilliant and their 1000rr is awesome! They continue to lead the industry in innovative design.

Triumph - for many things recently, but mostly for building an adventure bike based on their threesome. I hope the XC is wildly successful (and I wish I could afford to own one).

[stealth1]

It's got to be Triumph! By a wide margin.
When you take into consideration the size of the company, they are doing a tremendous job of developing new products that riders actually want to own.

I give BMW and Ducati a tie for 2nd for there electronic advancements.

Kawasaki would be next because the are building user friendly performance bikes as well as attempting to keep up in the superbike electronics war.

Most disappointing would be Honda.
They seem to have lost their focus when it comes to new model development.

[Justin]

 they are doing a tremendous job of developing new products that riders actually want to own.

sums it up right there - you'd think all companies would want to make bikes riders want to own?

[sammyseaman]

sums it up right there - you'd think all companies would want to make bikes riders want to own?

It's when a company actually listens to their customers. Less ego, more listening.
Hello Honda! You hear that? I didn't think so  

[Orson]

Moto Guzzi has 4 votes.

You may as well lock this poll cuz that's as good as a win  

[Papa Lazarou]

Moto Guzzi has 4 votes.

You may as well lock this poll cuz that's as good as a win  

The Chinese are coming...you can buy four for one Yurpeen machine...it breaks, you chuck it, it breaks-you get the pitcher.

I used to do this with 70's Urals. Bought 5-none were more than £5-and each time one blew up, I simply slotted an engine into the frame...

[gator Larry]

Kawasaki gets my first place vote. First, they brought out the Concours C14 in 2007 and set the new standard for (large) sport tourers. Then they listened to their customers and radically updated and improved an already excellent motorcycle with the 2010 model. No other manufacturer (that I know of) has done that.

BMW, with the S1000R (I'm alphabet challenged)  set a new standard for performance and technology in the 1000 cc arena and at a reasonable (for a change) price. Good news for everyone- now their competitors will have to match them or even up the ante- Kawasaki already answered with their new 1000 cc ( Ninja?).

GatorLarry
Fort Lauderdale, Florida

[R Doug]

KTM  0 (0%)


????


 

[caddydaddy]

KTM  0 (0%)


????


 

Do they still make bikes?  

[sammyseaman]

KTM  0 (0%)


????


 

Are you gonna let Honda beat KTM? That is horrible  

[Baz]

I voted BMW just beacuse they have lots of new and very nicely engineered bikes. (Probably the newest full lineup)

[napareg]

I Voted BMW for keeping with something that works the boxer engine pure and simple.

[BlueRidgeKat]

Triumph without doubt. Kawasaki 2nd.

When Triumph comes out with the new Trophy they will take the final step to the top over all makes.

The day is coming that people will say "does Honda still make motorcycles?" They have shown the last few years they dont give a shit, then they came out with the new VFR that shows they dont have a clue. Now they have a new 250 but it has no chance to compete with the Ninja 250 because of the price tag. Big Red is fading fast.

[Papa Lazarou]

Sue Waee Son. Fecking brilliant and only $100 for two.  

[mist]

I voted for Kawi, because of what they did to the Concours. They listened to the people and made the bike better. Also, the Ninja 1000 not only looks sweet it is down right comfortable.  

[Thunderbox]

Kraft. They make a bitchin Peanut butter.

[just roy]

Multistrada. need i say more? ride it if you have a spare 20k. i dare you.

[eng943]

BMW, no question about it. They've been on a roll the last couple of years starting with the K13's, then the revised DOHC Boxer, the S1000RR, and now their inline 6's.

[Kyle401]

First vote for KTM...  They are a relatively new player in the streetbike market and I like what they are doing.  Triumph was second on my list.

[motodoc43]

Japanese brands- lets see, anyone can build a concours or an ST 1300 or an FJR 1300- oh yeah, they all do, build the same bike. Honest answer, I own 2 Kawis. The Jap bikes do what they are designed to do better than any other, with a great deal more economy and a great deal more reliability, with a great deal more dealer and service support.
Can I say OMG Boring!! They feel like a very fast sewing machine, or a 70's caddy, or, well just no personality.
However, if functionality and practicality are yours, then there is NO other reasonable choice.
The adventure bikes ( those really really ugly ones) just not my personal taste.
So, were into the European sport tourers.
Duc doesn't make one. They are also pretty unreliable.
The new BMW 1600's- dang, they made a better Jap bike than the Japanese.
Triumph, honest answer, for a combination of can do and soul, it be right up there among the top two.
Aprilla- doesn't make one.
(please note, the duc and aprilla make adventure bikes and I cannot count them sport tourers because they are just too ugly to be considered motorcycles, which are of course first and foremost, works of art. Secondly, the do not make a sport bike with all day ergos and luggage).

[motodoc43]

Well, that just leaves the old boxer beemers and the Moto Guzzi.
I am coming really close to putting Triumph in this box too to be honest.
For me, Guzzi. (I own 3) Just more visceral apeal and soul than any other ever.

[Bama67]

I agree with several others, right now it has to KAWASAKI.

The most complete line-up, and all of the bikes are good, and alot are class favorites.
C-14, Versys, ZX10R, KLR650, Ninja 1000, ER6n, Z1000, ZX-14, etc. even their baggers are nice (if you're into that kinda thing)  

My new Ninja 1000 is easily my most favorite bike I have owned, and for the price point it can't be beat. I understand why it won MOTY.

Although I still have a raging hard-on for Guzzis and would kill to have a Griso 8V SE.