Verdict

Blame retros for showing how to enjoy the ride rather than the speed, or our advancing years, or chocker roads. Either way cruisers are back, and finer than stereotypes and prejudices would ever have you believe. Triumph’s Rocket 3 GT shatters preconceptions. Accurate and nimble with explosive shunt, it’s a crazy medley of cruiser stance, muscle bike wallop and supernaked agility. It’s exceptional. Judged as ‘best’ it’s easy to make the Rocket the winner; it’s fastest, packed with tech, and has the most capable handling and strongest brakes. But while amazing, it’s also strangely lost – too cruisery to be a true GT, too refined and fast to be a true cruiser. In this company it lacks character and charm. ‘These bikes are as much about looks and making you feel ace when the garage opens as how they ride,’ says Dom. ‘The Rocket doesn’t grab me inside.’ The more time you spend with Harley-davidson’s Low Rider S, the easier it is to see why folk buy into H-D. The motor’s full of personality, the ride’s full of feel and involvement, and we reckon its ’70s-ish looks squarely whack the tack. It’s a touchy, feely, sensual experience. It’s dynamically slightly behind the BMW, hasn’t the tech of the Triumph, and seems like it gives the least for the money. But, residual values are so astounding you’ll probably never lose any of that money. Anyway, if you want a Harley-davidson you’ll buy one regardless of what we say.

But the BMW R18 is our favourite. They haven’t just built a Harley for people who don’t want a Harley. Instead, the R18 is a finely-adjusted balance of modern rideability and quality with classic sensations, feel and charm. Dynamic, looks and features gel into a brilliantly compelling whole. With authentic heritage and retro flair it’s bang on trend, too. Honda have announced they’re joining the laid-back revolution with a new CMX1100 Rebel, a large-capacity sibling to the popular 500 Rebel powered by the parallel-twin engine from the Africa Twin. It’ll be very good, no doubt. But it’s hard to see how it can be a more charismatic, engaging, feel-good, high-quality device than the R18.