IMS Provides Opportunity to Comparison Shop

By Bob Rosen of RIDE-CT.com

NEW YORK – The Progressive International Motorcycle Show always gives us riders a wonderful array of bikes, gear and services to peruse. For me, the main attraction is the bikes. Without fail, there are always new offerings. They can be totally new models or modified models that have received “face-lifts.”

Most people come away from the show thinking about a few bikes that stand out from the crowd. Sometimes our fond memories are fueled by pure flights of fantasy – thinking about bikes that we have no realistic hope of owning. Other times we might actually be considering that next purchase and were able to get a better idea of what might work best.

The fantasy bikes were in no short supply this weekend. How about the BMW K1600GTL Exclusive (pictured above), with a price tag that will probably approach $30K? Or the all-new 180-horsepower KTM 1290 Super Duke R naked bike? Or, maybe, the Goldwing-based Honda Valkyrie (pictured below)?

Bringing matters down to earth a bit, I’m considering what would make the best next bike for me. One that will serve my specific needs and fall within a non-fantasy budget, so my show visits included looking at bikes that offer a comfortable upright seating position, easy reach to the ground for my 30-inch inseam, current technology without an over-abundance of electronic gadgetry, some wind protection, easy on-off mounting of luggage, weight close to or under 500 lbs., power in the 100-horsepower range and a price tag that I can live with.

The range of choices narrowed quickly until I had a prime contender to cure my empty garage syndrome. Shows like the IMS are great for doing what you can’t do on the Internet. Seeing a bike in the flesh from every angle and sitting on it will get any shopper closer to a final decision. In my case, I’m really liking Suzuki’s totally revised V-Strom 1000 (pictured above). The look has been updated – it even has the front beak that this class of bike seems to require.

The 99-horsepower, 90-degree V-twin engine has been revised to the extent that you could call it mostly new. Comfortable seating and modest capacity quick-release luggage are part of the picture. It’s one of the lightest bikes in its class at just over 500 lbs. The contemporary electronics consist of ABS and traction control. MSRP is a manageable $12,699. All the boxes listed above have been checked.

Will there be a new V-Strom in the garage this spring? Well, there’s still some shopping time left ‘til April. Let’s see what the future brings.

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If you enjoying interesting motorcycles that average riders own, there’s a new “Link of the Week” to check out that showcases such bikes called Motorcycle Picture of the Day. More info on the website is here.