MCN, best bikes of 2020.

[Claude]

Possibly the people who were 8-18 in the 60s and still like the look of the bikes that were around when they were just becoming properly aware of bikes? I think that might be the thinking (at least in part)

Yeah, I was into bikes from when I was about 7 yrs old so commandos, Bonnies etc were the bikes i lusted after, 10 years before I was old enough to ride one.

I must strange as I think of bikes same as washing machines and tellies. I loved my first colour telly, but wouldn't want it back.

We're all different.

Absolutely. When I was younger I really wanted the T595, 20 odd years later I went to buy one, dragged Mr OCD halfway across the country as well but I just couldn't do it. Plenty of much better newer bikes out there for the same money.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

The wank classes and wank choices reflect the state of British motorcycling in 2020.
When the motorcycling equivalent of a Nissan Qashqai is the best bike of 2020 there's something seriously wrong with the people buying new motorcycles in Britain.

You don't half talk some bollocks some times young man

But yes, I know that I do too, and am wondering if I may have perhaps missed a fair few somethings so go on then, let's have it- which ones specifically in that list do you think are "wank choices" and why?

P.S. "Not shonky enough" , " handle too well", " go too fast" or "look too nice" aren't reasons for classifying bikes as wank for me

Sometimes, I talk bollocks all the time and frequently type things on here just to be controversial and stimulate debate.

I'll get back to you with specifics, but I do think MCNs choices are very middle aged, I remember when MCNs bikes of the year were RD350s and GSXR750s, not a touring bike, they're all good bikes, better than the old shite I like, but all a bit dull choices, even the BMW.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

The wank classes and wank choices reflect the state of British motorcycling in 2020.
When the motorcycling equivalent of a Nissan Qashqai is the best bike of 2020 there's something seriously wrong with the people buying new motorcycles in Britain.

I did see it, but IMO it's as bad as the rest, it's styled like something from the 1960s and I wonder who is buying them, anyone who rode a bike in the 60s is going to be in their 70s by now, I'm 53 and like the styling of bikes from when I was young, the 1980s

Is there anybody writing for MCN who's in touch with young people, their choices say not.

[KungFooBob]

Nobody writes for MCN, they fired all the staff about 6 years ago, a robot just recycles all the old articles and changes the bike names and photos.

[G.P]

What is it that people are not understanding about the list, Its not fucking difficult ??

Each bike is the winner of its own category. then MCN choose an overall winner from criteria I can't be arsed to look up.

I haven't been a regular reader of MCN since the internet started giving me info, but these days, I'll always watch and mostly enjoy a "Neevesy rides"
MCN test on YouTube.

[Yorick]

What is it that people are not understanding about the list, Its not fucking difficult ??

Each bike is the winner of its own category. then MCN choose an overall winner from criteria I can't be arsed to look up.

I haven't been a regular reader of MCN since the internet started giving me info, but these days, I'll always watch and mostly enjoy a "Neevesy rides"
MCN test on YouTube.

Oooooooh. Get her ...

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

What is it that people are not understanding about the list, Its not fucking difficult ??

Each bike is the winner of its own category. then MCN choose an overall winner from criteria I can't be arsed to look up.

I haven't been a regular reader of MCN since the internet started giving me info, but these days, I'll always watch and mostly enjoy a "Neevesy rides"
MCN test on YouTube.

Bloody hell, aren't we allowed to disagree with MCN anymore?

[G.P]

Bloody hell, aren't we allowed to disagree with MCN anymore?

I'm just saying that their criteria is just as valid as yours, mine.
I'd make up my own but I don't ride cruisers, retros, leccy bikes or superbikes, so I'd struggle!

[Skub]

What is it that people are not understanding about the list, Its not fucking difficult ??

Each bike is the winner of its own category. then MCN choose an overall winner from criteria I can't be arsed to look up.

I haven't been a regular reader of MCN since the internet started giving me info, but these days, I'll always watch and mostly enjoy a "Neevesy rides"
MCN test on YouTube.

I like watching mister Neeves vids too,he often wants the same things I look for in a bike,so I can relate.

I buy MCN a couple of times a year,usually for the sport pages.A casual perusal of the rest is light on content,but maybe that's an age thing. For those who've been around bikes for yonks, it's kind of granny sucking eggs shtick.

Biking has been for old men for years,I rarely see anyone under 30 and the list reflects that very much.
Anyway,my current best bike wasn't on the list and that quite pleases me.

[Mr. Dazzle]

There are a surprising number (surprising to me at least) of youngish people at work getting into bikes.

Its really bloody long winded and expensive now though compared to what most of us would have done. As you'd expect, the car park is dominated by A2 stuff.

[Supermofo]

but I do think MCNs choices are very middle aged

So is biking

Every bike meet I see is full of old gits. When I got into biking in the 90s bike meets were full of wheelies, knee down and hooligans.

Now I'm in my 40s I've got old and boring and that's fine, but I still smile when I see Yoots on 125s racing each other, pulling crap wheelies and doing naughty stuff. Sadly there aren't enough of them and lots get castigated by the old bastards for bring biking into disrepute. Get fucked you old bastards (me included)

[Tricky]

but I do think MCNs choices are very middle aged

So is biking

Every bike meet I see is full of old gits. When I got into biking in the 90s bike meets were full of wheelies, knee down and hooligans.

Now I'm in my 40s I've got old and boring and that's fine, but I still smile when I see Yoots on 125s racing each other, pulling crap wheelies and doing naughty stuff. Sadly there aren't enough of them and lots get castigated by the old bastards for bring biking into disrepute. Get fucked you old bastards (me included)

Well, I don't go to those awful bikers cafe type places, so I guess I can't really know, but my considered opinion is that you just hang around with the wrong people - It's a state of mind, and there is no law that says you have to get old and boring and stop racing each other, pulling wheelies (crap or otherwise ) or doing other naughty stuff when you hit your 40s ( or 50s or 60s or 70s IMO )

[Horse]

Well, I don't go to those awful bikers cafe type places, so I guess I can't really know,

It's a state of mind, and there is no law that says you have to get old and boring

I was always old, just got more boring as time progressed

FWIW I tended to avoid 'biker nights', went to a couple to see what was what. The one near Odiham was at the Lord Derby pub on the same night as the VMCC meet, so perhaps they were secretly looking for new recruits in some sort of long-term plan?

[Supermofo]

but I do think MCNs choices are very middle aged

So is biking

Every bike meet I see is full of old gits. When I got into biking in the 90s bike meets were full of wheelies, knee down and hooligans.

Now I'm in my 40s I've got old and boring and that's fine, but I still smile when I see Yoots on 125s racing each other, pulling crap wheelies and doing naughty stuff. Sadly there aren't enough of them and lots get castigated by the old bastards for bring biking into disrepute. Get fucked you old bastards (me included)

Well, I don't go to those awful bikers cafe type places, so I guess I can't really know, but my considered opinion is that you just hang around with the wrong people - It's a state of mind, and there is no law that says you have to get old and boring and stop racing each other, pulling wheelies (crap or otherwise ) or doing other naughty stuff when you hit your 40s ( or 50s or 60s or 70s IMO )

I rarely go to any, but for example I went to Finchingfield on Sunday as my older brother had never been. I'm 43 and reckon I was in the youngest 10% of people. And that MCN list bares at how middle aged biking is as do the sales charts. BMW GS best selling bike for about the last 15 years

I like naughty stuff too, but nothing like as bad as I was when I was 19

[Couchy]

Didn't you notice the Enfield in there? a 50 bhp bike is the best retro, surely that would appeal to you

I did see it, but IMO it's as bad as the rest, it's styled like something from the 1960s and I wonder who is buying them, anyone who rode a bike in the 60s is going to be in their 70s by now, I'm 53 and like the styling of bikes from when I was young, the 1980s, I've got 4 80s bikes, I was hoping Honda were going to sell the CB1000 styled like a CB900F, but that's looking unlikely.

Anyway back to my original thoughts, bikes should be about having fun, bike of the year 2020 should have been the Yamaha R3 or Kawasaki Ninja 400, or their unfaired versions, what's more fun than wanging round on a bike that's easy to ride flat out everywhere?

Y’see I have an Enfield 650 in the stable amongst the others and it’s close to my favourite, looks cool goes well and the engine feels superb, it also handles brilliantly and better than any 80’s bike I’ve ever ridden. It’s a great bike to ride flat out everywhere which also looks good and is finished better than the budget bikes you mention.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Bloody hell, aren't we allowed to disagree with MCN anymore?

I'm just saying that their criteria is just as valid as yours, mine.
I'd make up my own but I don't ride cruisers, retros, leccy bikes or superbikes, so I'd struggle!

I've no idea what my criteria would be - probably "is it a total money pit which I've no reason to buy and no idea what I'll do with it if I ever finish it" having spent the day trying to assemble a metal shed I'm really wondering about my sanity.

As for crap wheelies, I'm the master of crap wheelies.

[Potter]

Cripes, an argument about which bike is best, on a bike forum - this is proper retro

Is it the best new bikes, or just the best bikes?
If the latter then I say the RD350N1 or the former then I say the new Streetfghter V4 because my mate down the pub says so.

I don't think I know what most of those new bikes look like, but I'm sure they're all good bikes, it's hard to buy a rubbish bike these days, you just pick the style and colour you want and then away you go.

Surely there is a 'Shootout' where they compare figures like Top Trumps and then the one with the biggest advertising contract wins?