Best Dream Bike Ducati 999RThere are more dream bikes out there than sweaty pillows to dream of them on, but if you absolutely, positively have to blow little Billy's college money on a motorcycle, this is how to do it. It's closer to a real-deal FS05 Superbike than most humans outside the Ducati Corse race shop will ever get. Resplendent in curvaceous carbon-fiber bodywork, the 999R is motivated by the desmoquatro twin that sends 139 horses and 80 pound-feet of torque to the rear Michelin. That's more than any production twin Ducati's ever built--or we've tested. A 2005 GSX-R1000 makes 23 more ponies and weighs 9 pounds less. But once you've heard the X-rated soundtrack that comes from that muffler at 10,000 rpm, the only other facts that figure into the equation involve coming up with those 30 Gs. For fans of Borgo Panigale's handiwork--aka anyone with functional eyesight and a pulse--this is as good as it gets. At least until the Desmosedici MotoGP replica goes up for sale.
Alternative TakeHonda CBR1000RR Ten Kate EditionIf you're dreaming, why not dream a little bigger? If 999R Ducati's are as common as beige Toyota Camrys where you live, punch up an international line and order a CBR1000RR Ten Kate Edition from Gerrit and his band of mad Dutchmen. So it sets you back $35,559-plus ... Billy Jr. can get a scholarship.
Best Bang For The BuckKawasaki ZZR600Who knew Kawasaki jacked up the ZZR600 logo this year and slid a 2002 ZX-6R underneath? Along with nondescript Metallic Ocean Blue paint in place of the Ninja's Team Green livery, the ZZR wears a $7299 sticker price--$1400 less than a new ZX-6R. The ZZR can't quite match its racier brother's performance or tech-appeal. The 599cc four inhales through a quartet of 36mm Mikuni carburetors and weighs about 15 pounds more. This decommissioned Ninja won't win another 600 shootout. Do you care? Armed with a stout aluminum chassis, a ram-air-fortified engine that does serious business beyond 8000 rpm and six-piston front calipers, it's still miles ahead of any other bargain bike. Kawasaki's new Z750 is more comfortable and almost as good an all-arounder for $200 less. But vastly superior suspension, brakes and overall sporting competence put the little ZZR out front and keep it there. Here's another piece of welcome news for residents of the real world: Losing that Ninja badge should shave a few bucks off the ZZR's insurance premium. So unless you're out to impress somebody besides yourself, nothing in anyone's '05 lineup delivers more for our money.
Alternative TakeSuzuki SV650The SV650 has earned thousands of fans, evolving into a blue-chip sporting staple over the years. Commuter or track-day trainer? It weighs about the same as the ZZR and makes a lot less power. So what? For $5949, the fuel-injected 645cc V-twin lets you choose.
Best CruiserHarley-Davidson Street RodCruising isn't a purely linear activity. Any good cruiser is a motorcycle first. Not a 700-pound chrome chaise lounge. A cruiser should move when you twist that thing in your right hand. That's where the Street Rod comes in. This iteration of Harley's hottest engine lives up to its name in more ways than one. The Rod's 60-degree V-twin isn't really open for business until 5000 rpm--right where more traditional Harley-Davidson engines sign off. Peak torque arrives at 7000 rpm. At 1130cc, the liquid-cooled engine isn't as big as Milwaukee's Big Twins, but it's stronger. More importantly for those of us who like to go around corners, the motorcycle it lives in really seems to enjoy such things. The Street Rod's chassis is a much more functional piece than its revolutionary predecessor. With new steering geometry, suspension, brakes and a relative abundance of cornering clearance, The Motor Company's strongest has finally found a worthy home.
Alternative TakeYamaha Road Star WarriorNo less radical everywhere but the engine bay, Yamaha's Warrior is a double-bladed ax against Milwaukee's chainsaw Street Rod. Two 835cc cylinders take bigger whacks but fewer of 'em. It's plenty quick, carves corners as well as the Rod and does everything well.
Best New ProductCycle Cat UCS1 StandTo us, this letter sums it up pretty wellDear Cycle Cat:My boyfriend and I were skeptical about your new UCS1 stand. He uses a Pit Bull stand for his CBR1000RR, and while it's a great product, I can't for the life of me use it to pick up the back of my CBR600. You see, I'm not the strongest cookie in town. So we hopped in the car and found your new stand at a shop in Daytona--and I'll be darned! I was able to pop a CBR929RR onto the stand in a snap. I couldn't believe it! I played around with it last night in the garage, hoisting my CBR up and down over and over. Thank you, Cycle Cat, for allowing me the freedom to work on my bike whether my boyfriend is around to help me or not. Jessica Evers
After wrestling hundreds of motorcycles into the air with conventional bike stands, the Cycle Cat UCS1 (www.cyclecat.com) is a minor miracle. Just slide it under your bike's aft-end, line up those pins screwed into the swingarm, give the handle a shove and you're home. Reversing the process returns everything safely to the floor. For $195 ($295 for chrome), that's cheap peace of mind.
Alternative TakeLoJack for motorcyclesSomebody swiped your bike? If you spent $595 for a LoJack for Motorcycles vehicle recovery system, you can relax. The police file a stolen vehicle report. A tiny hidden transceiver is activated. It leads them to your wheels in 24 hours or your money back. No LoJack? Maybe next time. www.lojack.com.