We had a lot going on in 2021.
Harley Davidson’s HardWire Strategy was in full swing (and H-D stocks were on the rollercoaster of the decade), magnesium shortages and semiconductor chip shortages have been putting powersports industry production through its paces…and yet, amidst all this, we continue on the hunt for the best and most beautiful bikes of the year.
Why?
Because motorcycles are effing cool, and there’s nothing that puts a smile on our face like a quality-built machine with huge potential for the grin factor.
Which is why when we found the winner of the “European Motorcycle of 2021” in an article from RideApart, we weren’t just going to keep the results to ourselves.
“To help quantify the impact of each new model, ten European motorcycle publications came together for the 2021 European Bike of The Year,” comments the report on the selection process.
Let’s take a look at the lineup – keep in mind, ten Moto-publications came together to make this list happen, so it might be a wee different that what you’re imagining:
13th Place
BMW S 1000 R
Aggressive yet agile, the S 1000 R has gone through a complete overhaul for 2021 – that includes a fancy new chassis, capable of bracing 165 horses and 84 lb-ft of torque punching from the refreshed S1000 RR’s inline four engine.
12th Place
BMW M 1000 RR
Naturally, this King of the Bavarians (one of the most advanced European-made motorcycles available and BMW’s first ‘M’ variant) beat the sibling S 1000 R to the punch. It still sports the 999cc four-cylinder engine from the S 1000 RR, but now sports a lighter package, rendering the 205 horsepower and 83 lb-ft of torque street legal…and totally bonkers.
11th Place
Suzuki Hayabusa
Back in April, the new 2021 Suzuki Hayabusa sold out in just 3 short days – a record for the model, and one that was due to the list of updates for the machine. This year’s model is lighter and leaner – rendering it more than capable of tossing around the 188 horsepower and 110 lb-ft of torque (perhaps even better than before the machine was made compliant to Euro5, though the compliancy only shaved off a scant 5 bph and 5 Nm of torque.)
10th Place
Aprilia Tuono 660
The Aprilia Tuono 600 is a mid-sized sportbike that takes its DNA directly from the new Aprilia RS660 and the Tuono V4. It’s sassy, it’s bristling with electronics and it’s got an impressive power-to-weight ratio to play with.
9th Place
Honda CRF 1100 Africa Twin
We’re told that the 2020 model made this list, not the 2021 – and with good reason. 2020 was when Honda changed the name of the machine from ‘CRF 1000’ to ‘CRF 1100’. That meant more punch with improved performance specs, as well as a new chassis boasting lighter weight and leaner body mass.
8th Place
Source: MCN
Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS
Designed to be Triumph’s most powerful Speed Triple EVER, the 1200RS was given more power and weight was shaved down an impressive 7kg, with new suspension rendering it a bit harder on the road, but no less fun to ride.
7th Place
Yamaha MT-09
The MT-09 nicks the greyzone between ‘naked sportster’ and ‘streetfighter vibes’ precisely where the sweet spot of the market wants it. For 2021, Yamaha has blessed the MT-09 with a brand spankin’ new 890cc crossplane inline-three engine boasting a rough 117hp – and with the whole company gearing for ‘accessibility’ in the build, it’s no wonder the MT-09 is a crowd fave.
6th Place
Triumph Trident 660
Certified as Triumph’s newest mid-displacement machine, the Trident 660 is the current entry-level bike to the Triumph famjam – and with that torquey 660cc inline-three engine capable of producing 78 horsepower and 49 lb-ft of torque, combined with a spartan aesthetic and epicurean level of tech and electronic modes, we’re not surprised to see the Trident in this lineup.
5th Place
Aprilia RS 660
“If you want to go unnoticed, this bike is not the bike for you.”
Aprilia’s right. It’s a helluva bike with a helluva lot of techy stuff to keep the machine at the forefront of any list – and with the 659cc parallel twin engine purring out a very nice 100hp @ <10,000 RPM with torque sitting pretty at 50 ft-lbs @ 8,500 RPM, you’re guaranteed to jazz up that canary yellow for the weekend road trip with the mates, no problemo.
4th Place
Again, we’ve got a redesigned beastie to contend with. The 2021 Ducati monster takes cues from the original Monster, with a completely redone chassis taking a bit of weight off to keep the bike at a dry weight of just 366 lbs (166 kg). Add the 937 cc liquid-cooled, Testastretta V2 engine to the mix and all of a sudden the forecast for the next few days shows a burst of torque….lots of it.
3rd Place
Yamaha Tracer 9 GT
Think MT-09’s 890cc Triple, but in a sport-touring package, complete with quickshifter. The Yamaha Tracer 9 GT is rated at 115 HP and 69 lb-ft of torque, with most of the torque available in the lower to mid-range of the power band.
An oldie, but a goodie.
2nd Place, Runner-Up
2021 Pan AmericaHarley-Davidson Pan America
The article tells us that the Harley-Davidson Pan America was just one point shy of a tie for first place – and no wonder. It’s Harley’s first adventure bike, and it’s been making headlines with its purported smooth handling, signature sound, and quality build.
Don’t believe us? It almost won this Revzilla show-down against a BMW R 1250 GS Adventure.
1st Place, Winner of “European Motorcycle of 2021”
Ducati Multistrada V4 S
“After tallying the ballots, the group placed the 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 S at the top of the pile,” enthuses the report from RideApart.
“With a superbike-derived, 170-horsepower V4 at its core, packed to the gills with tech, and more off-road capabilities, the latest Multistrada certainly lives up to the Bike of the Year title.”
What do you think, and who do you think should have won? Drop a comment below, letting us know what you think, and as always – happy 2022, and stay safe on the twisties.
Title media sourced from MotorBiscuit*
*All media not called out in the article is sourced from the relevant wBW model overviews of each entry*