8 Aug 2014
The Bonnier Motorcycle Group is proud to announce the 39th annual Cycle World 10 Best Bikes list. Cycle World, the world's largest motorcycle media brand, has handpicked the best 2014 motorcycles across all classes. The Cycle World Ten Best list is regarded as the industry standard for recognizing design, performance and value for motorcycles sold in the U.S. In creating the list, the Cycle World staff has reviewed countless motorcycle models from manufacturers around the globe. The 2014 10 Best list demonstrates the rise of European motorcycle manufacturers, as seven of the top ten motorcycles hailed from Austria, Germany or Italy.
The coveted "Best Superbike" title went to Italian manufacturer Ducati for its 1199 Superleggera. German-based BMW placed multiple models on the list for the fourth consecutive year, including the "Sport Touring" category, which it took in each of those years. Closing out the European invasion was Austrian manufacturer KTM, emerging as the bike to beat in the "Dual-Sport/Enduro," "Open-Class Streetbike" and "Adventure Bike" categories. A notable non-European winner was the reborn American-made brand Indian with its Chief Classic, chosen as "Best Cruiser."
2014 Cycle World 10 Best Bikes
- Best Superbike: Ducati 1199 Superleggera
- Best Cruiser: Indian Chief Classic
- Best Dual-Sport/Enduro: KTM 500 EXC
- Best Middleweight Streetbike: Yamaha FZ-09
- Best Sport-Touring Bike: BMW R1200RT
- Best Standard: BMW S1000R
- Best Motocrosser: Kawasaki KX450F
- Best Touring Bike: BMW K1600GTL
- Best Open-Class Streetbike: KTM 1290 Super Duke R
- Best Adventure Bike: KTM 1190 Adventure
"The bikes we're seeing from Europe are raising the bar for manufacturers across the globe," said Mark Hoyer, Editor-in-Chief of Cycle World. "Boundaries of performance and technology are being pushed, and more agile, powerful and even more practical motorcycles are being developed. As manufacturers strive to build the best, they are pushing the limits of each class and diversifying an already vast and exceptional market, and our 'Ten Best' list is the manifestation of that."