Star Road Star S
MSRP: $13,090
Caretaker: Bartels
Measurements: 6'0"/198 Lbs/33" Inseam
Odometer: 3220
Miles Since Last Issue: 97

Lizzie Luna-Bartels
5'4'', none of your business lbs., 27" inseam

Honda VTX 1300T

MSRP: $11,299
Caretaker: Zimmerman
Measurements:5'10"/220 LBs/32" Inseam
Odometer: 2086
Miles since last issue: 1013

'Bob's Your Uncle

Like the inappropriately bawdy uncle (on your Dad's side) who's more interested in a good laugh at Aunt Ethel's expense than acting his age at the family reunion, the CVO Fat Bob is way more fun than any other guest here; the taut, smooth combo of an FX front end coupled with Big Twin grunt and jammed onto a Dyna chassis makes for a rollicking good time in the twisties, the freeway-really anywhere.

Every once or twice a decade or so, Honda throws it's massive technological toolbag at a single machine, I think mostly just to show the industry it can. A few years ago, the Rune landed on U.S. shores sealed in a big box of holy crap, a manufacturing giant's show of strength and integrated style. Now comes the DN-01, invading the nation with smooth, seamless power delivered automatically, or by pushbutton. One can only wonder what these masterminds will ship us next, Godzilla?

GEAR:

HELMET: SHARK EVOLINE
JACKET: FIRSTGEAR TPG RANIER
GLOVES: SHIFT TORRENT SS
PANTS: TRIUMPH KEP JEANS
BOOTS: CANYON GORE-TEX

* Harley-Davidson Dyna Street Bob
* Star Midnight Warrior
* Suzuki Boulevard M109R Limited Edition
* Victory Kingpin 8-Ball

If you're hip to The Motor Company's operating procedure, you already know that the new model lineup is typically unveiled at its dealer show, usually just before the start of the Sturgis Rally. Along with the machines, Harley rolls out its new Parts & Accessories and latest MotorClothes merchandise here as well.

Star Road Stars

Msrp: $13,090
Caretaker: Bartels
Measurements:
6'0"/192 Lbs/33" Inseam
Odometer: 2709
Miles Since Last Issue: 29

FLSTSE CVO Softail Convertible
FXDFSE CVO Fat Boy
FLHXSE CVO Street Glide
FLHTCUSE CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide

Bill,

* Harley-Davidson Rocker
* Honda Fury
* Star Raider
* Victory Vegas

Star Road Star S
MSRP: $13,090
Caretaker: Bartels
Measurements:
6'0"/192 lbs/33" Inseam
Odometer: 2680
Miles Since Last Issue: 1326

First Ride!
Just before I left for New Orleans to try the new Bonneville, I had an amusing conversation with a friend about the redesigned bike. The central topic was this: How could a bike whose entire appeal is nostalgia be "new?" We joked how the new one might look even older than the last, or how a new paint treatment adds a authentic-looking patina to the metal. When Triumph proclaims that they're launching an all-new Bonneville, they've painted themselves into a corner haven't they? I mean, what are they going to do, make it look more like the 1960s?

Vulcan 1700 Voyager/ABS
The biggest and most dramatic 1700 Vulcan for 2009 is the flagship Voyager. But why is Kawasaki bringing the model back after a six-year absence? Company reps said the Voyager's return was due in part to customer response, and an opportunity for Team Green to capitalize on a lack of alternatives. The firm also says positive trends in the touring segment over the last few years spurred it to tap into the niche.

Star Road Star S
MSRP: $13,090
Caretaker: BARTELS
Measurements:6'0"/192 lbs/33" Inseam
Odometer: 1354
Miles Since Last Issue: 1011

Wallet-Friendly Doesn't Mean Middle Of The Road
* Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom
* Honda VTX1300C
* Star V Star 1300
* Suzuki boulevard M90

It seems the reactions to Honda's Fury are violent in one way or another. Some are shocked that Honda has taken a step into a chopperdom with a high-necked bike, while others scoff that the market for bikes of this sort is deader than bellbottoms. Cruiserphiles scoff that its not a cruiser at all, while chopperfolk feel the exact same way.

In many ways the musclebike class is just coming of age. You can tell this by both the huge variance in approach by the manufacturers, as well as the number of bikes starting to appear in the field. Back in the old days, you had big fast bikes like the Intruder 1400 and the Valkyrie, that had questionable aesthetic appeal, while Harley was content to sit back and watch with their 50 horsepower Evolution engine. Today, not only do you have Harley stepping up with some real muscle, you also have some very forward-looking machines with drop-dead styling from the other manufacturers coming with some big guns as well.

'Bout time we score some long-term metal for '09 here at Motorcycle Cruiser. This one came just in time to put a couple miles on it and get it set up for me. Something magazines frequently gloss over is the little things that sometimes need to be done to get a bike set up for a given rider. In the case of our long-term Roadie, the right mirror was looking at my shoulder and the left lane, while the heel shifter was flying sky high and was practically unreachable.

Okay, last issue Evan Kay gave you his final wrap of the Midsized Vulc, but between having trouble collecting out next year's bikes amid cost-cutting at the manufacturers and just not planning ahead, we don't have the new bikes yet. So, with Evan's departure, I spent some time in the saddle, just in case you wanted a larger rider's take on the bike.

Road Trip!
First it was sky-high gas prices, then a faltering economy, but smaller displacement bikes are all the rage these days. In a nutshell: they're lighter, cheaper, and easier to ride. The perfect machines for new riders, small riders (girls, this means you too), and experienced riders feeling the crunch. On the bagger side of the equation, the baby boomers started the shift to touring bikes a couple years back and now baggermania is in full swing, with more and more people young and old looking to get a little more usable space, comfort, and range with their motorcycling experience, at the expense of a little weight. Even around-town riders can benefit from a good touring setup.

No matter how much we like to bash `em, occasionally our pals across the Pond get their mitts on a motorcycle design so wickedly well-thought out we're jealous the manufacturer didn't release it in the States. The latest Euro-spec model, though, owes its very existence to a completely American concept. Fortunately for us, this time the manufacturer decided to share the wealth.

You may not have heard 'round these parts, but choppers are dead. Not dead dead. The cool kids are riding home-built rat choppers, and there are always the Texans and Swedes with their ridiculous tall and long (respectively) styles, but for all intents and purposes, the era of OCC and WCC being practically Fortune 500 material is over. More importantly, for now, the era of $50,000 production choppers is deader than denim skirts, leopard print, and leg warmers. Someone forgot to tell Kevin Alsop.

Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic
MSRP: $7349
Caretaker: Kay
Measurements: 5'4"/164 lb/ 29" Inseam
Odometer: 4349
Miles Since Last Issue: 665