from www.motorcycle.com

Who shall be King of the Sport-Tourers? Ok, this can’t really be a battle for the crown, since we’re excluding some other notable bikes that can both carve corners and carry some serious luggage. But we’d like to think that one of these two beasties has a chance to take the crown. After all, they both displace over 1200cc, they come from well-respected brands, have excellent finish and build quality, and cost a pretty penny, too.

Your Motorcycle New Guy would be more than happy to put either of these gorgeous machines through their paces. The winding roads of Highway 1 just north of San Francisco would be a perfect spot, I think.

Personally, the idea of a powerful sport-touring motorcycle just resonates so strongly in me – it makes me think of freedom and adventure – that I’m sure I’ll own one at some point. I would feel lucky if it were one of these two.

For more details, dyno charts, and lots of pretty photos check out the full comparo (including video) from Motorcycle.com.

from www.motorcycledaily.com

MotorcycleNewsGuy has been on hiatus. Life gets in the way sometimes, y’know? Well, after seeing the shots of the new Honda VFR1220F I realized I needed to kick life in it’s stupid ass and tell it to take a seat because I need to get back on my game, and figure out a way to grab a ride on Honda’s new red gem.

Alright, so I hear the styling is “polarizing.” I guess that means people either love it or hate it. What do you think? I personally love it. I think it is bold (yeah, that’s an overused word, but I’ve been outta the writing game for a while, gimme a break.) I think I love the color. I think it pushes motorcycle design forward in a way that has been desperately needed given all the design clones out there right now. I really liked the look of the most recent iteration of the CBR1000RR, so I have to say Honda’s new designer has really been pushing all my happy buttons.

There’s a lot of good juicy details out there on the new VFR. Unfortunately, price isn’t one of those little details we have yet. I’m sure it won’t be cheap. But I’m sure I want one.

What do you think?

Oh, and for the full story on the US press intro (including more lovely pictures), check out motorcycledaily.com