Ten Best Bikes 2005

Cycle World Picks the Ten Best Motorcycles of 2005.

TEN BEST BIKES 2005Cycle World

Things are getting tough. Confusing. But only in the most wonderful way. There were nearly 500 different motorcycles from the 36 manufacturers listed this year in the annual Cycle World Buyer’s Guide. And from this great wealth, this embarrassment of riches, we must choose but Ten as Best, the bikes that embody spirit, utility, enthusiasm and excellence in the form of two-wheeled transport. Rarely in the 30 years of Ten Best balloting has there been such manufacturer diversity in this elite list, as eight makers made the grade, from Japan, England, Italy, Germany and the good ol’ USA.

This shows first that manufacturers are trying harder than ever to build the perfect bike; and second that more and more people are out there buying and using their products, which rewards those building the right bikes and feeds the process ever onward.

Things in the motorcycle sport are so good these days that you’ll hear a lot of people say, “There are no bad bikes,” and to a certain degree this may be true. But this doesn’t mean that excellence is dead. In fact, excellence is more excellent than ever–just leaf through the following pages and you’ll find machines that have caused us to reevaluate the meaning of what is “good” and what can be defined as “best.”

That’s because excellence has a lot going for it. As a magazine, we’d like to challenge the manufacturers to make choosing the Ten Best Bikes even harder next year...

Best Superbike: Kawasaki ZX-10R

Read More: Kawasaki ZX-10RCycle World

Best Open-Class Streetbike: Triumph Speed Triple

Read More: Triumph Speed TripleCycle World

Best Middleweight Streetbike: Yamaha YZF-R6

Read More: Yamaha YZF-R6Cycle World

Best Standard: Suzuki DR-Z400SM

Read More: Suzuki DR-Z400SMCycle World

Best Sport-Tourer: Ducati Multistrada 1000S

Read More: Ducati Multistrada 1000SCycle World

Best Cruiser: Harley-Davidson CVO FAT BOY

Read More: Harley-Davidson CVO FAT BOYCycle World

Best Touring Bike: BMW R1200RT

Read More: BMW R1200RTCycle World

Best Playbike: Yamaha TT-R125L

Read More: Yamaha TT-R125LCycle World

Best Enduro: Yamaha WR450F

Read More: Yamaha WR450FCycle World

Best Motocrosser: Honda CRF450R

Read More: Honda CRF450RCycle World