2009 Yamaha R1
Unless you were at the track and delving into its stratospheric rev-range, a race-bred liter-bike could feel tough to ride and even underpowered. To put downsides to bed, Yamaha introduced the world to its cross-plane crankshaft fired four-pot in 2009. Delivering the torque of a twin and the power of a free-revving four, Yamaha’s new R1 used an uneven firing sequence to package two engines in one. Add to that a three-way customizable throttle map, thanks to drive-by-wire technology, and the 2009 R1 could be tailored to suit rider styles and changing conditions with the flick of a switch — making it a true go anywhere, pass everything dream machine.
Bimota Tesi 3D
Looking for something completely different? The Bimota Tesi 3D foregoes forks in favor of a hub-centric front-end and puts its mechanicals on full display. Calling its looks utterly maniacal is an understatement. On paper, keeping braking and steering services separated by the Tesi’s tele-levers makes perfect sense, but the change in intuitive control often means the Bimota can be a beast to handle for inexperienced riders. We tend to like things that stand out in a crowd, and the fact that the Tesi sports Ducati’s sonorous V-twins only makes things better.
Honda VFR750
Long before Tamburini penned the divine Ducati 916 Honda had already integrated a race-proven single-sided swingarm design for streetriders to admire. The 1990 Honda VFR750, or Interceptor as it was known, was the third generation of Honda’s V-four sportbikes and is responsible for delivering an ideal balance of aggression and comfort. A direct descendant of the RC30 racer and powered by the engine of its replacement, the RC45, Honda’s Interceptor was extremely fast and flickable when carving corners. Its relaxed ergonomics made it an easy machine to live with in more subdued settings, making it pretty damned close to perfect.
Vincent Black Shadow
Hunter S. Thompson once remarked that “if you rode the Black Shadow at top speed for any length of time, you would almost certainly die.” The 50-degree V-twin was completely baked in black enamel and produced enough grunt to carry riders to 125 MPH in an era where the 100 MPH benchmark was barely attainable. The Vincent employed extensive amounts of aluminum throughout, and its motor hung from the cross-bar, acting as a stressed member. This kept weight down to 450 pounds, which meant the Vincent Black Shadow would balance a see-saw with contemporary 500cc singles. Innovative front forks, a four-speed transmission and finned brakes at both front and rear rounded out a package widely regarded as the world’s first superbike.
Yamaha Vmax
The intake plenums on the Yamaha V-Max are large enough to suck back small mammals. They have to be to feed the fury of the 1.2l V-four engine that powers this brute. The V-Max garnered nearly instant praise following its release in 1985, taking home Bike of the Year honors for its custom cruiser looks and lightning fast acceleration. Cornering has always been a bit of an achilles heel for the V-Max, but nobody seemed to care — the road always opens up eventually.
Honda Shadow VT1100
Visions of a low-slung gunfighter seat, retro styling and torquey V-twin usually set tongues wagging about Milwaukee. The Honda Shadow VT1100 may have aped the Wide Glide’s good looks, but its shaft drive and off-key exhaust note are a dead giveaway. Honda’s engineers worked long and hard to make sure the top of the Shadow family heap would give reason for pause amongst potential Harley buyers — and in the process created a cult following of their very own.
Suzuki TL1000R
Designed to compete in the World Superbike Championship, the Suzuki TL1000R is often regarded as the Duc Hunter. Taking aim squarely at Ducati’s 916, Suzuki quickly turned R&D dollars into a fire-breathing V-Twin powered homologation special. The fully-faired “R” model featured a similar trellis-frame to the Duc but housed a 135 hp, 996cc engine renowned for its low-end torque and top-end horsepower. Although the GSX-R would take its place at the track, the TL engine lives on today.
Honda Rune
The Honda Rune is an example of that rare occasion when accountants aren’t invited to a product development meeting. At 69 inches between contact patches, the Rune was huge — and in the Candy Black Cherry color scheme, beautiful too. From a distance it could even be confused with Dodge’s ludicrous Viper-powered Tomahawk concept. Most impressive was the innovative trailing bottom-link front suspension. A first for a bike of the Rune’s size, it translated to road feel like that of a sport bike, prompting riders to make the most of the 1.8l boxer-six engine thrumming beneath them.
Britten V1000
Its not often that a completely custom garage-built bike can fare well at the track. The Britten V1000, the vision of Kiwi craftsman John Britten, is one of the few that has. Not only did the V1000 take two podiums in the Battle of Twins at Daytona, it would manage to put together an impressive resume of wins and numerous world speed records throughout the early ‘90s. Ten lucky people were able to lay claim to a Britten V1000 of their own and, sadly, subsequently resigned them to mere museum duty. Such a pity.
Ducati PS1000LE
Built to commemorate Paul Smart’s first place finish in Imola on his 1972 Ducati 750SS, the Ducati PS1000LE is the prettiest possible way to pay anyone respect. Built around their Sport Classic series, the Paul Smart model took Pierre Terblanche’s design to a new level. The bubble-shield front fairing, wire spoked wheels and green trellis frame create a classic juxtaposition with the ultra modern Ohlins suspension and beefy Pirelli tires. Available in limited numbers, and only for a single year, the PS1000LE may prove to be one of the most collectible Ducatis ever made.
Additional Editing by Amos Kwon
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