アメリカでの評価
普段雑誌を読んだり、風評を聞いたりして『ああ、こういうバイクなんだ』とか『このメーカーはこんな評判なんだ』とか、徐々に知識を蓄えて行くわけですがチョット待った！
それって本当に正しい評価なの？そこまで行かないにしても、ホントに鵜呑みにしてしまっていいの？いろんな情報を総合的に判断した方が、俺はイイと思うけどなぁ。
例えばバイクが市民権を得ているのはヨーロッパだろうけど、アメリカでは金持ちか変人と見られるって言う話を、どこかのサイトで見ました。まあそこまでいかないのかもしれないけど、この前ロスに行った時、けっこうＳＵＺＵＫＩのバイクを見かけました。日本では
- 世界のホンダ
- コーナーリングのヤマハ
- 男のカワサキ
- いいかげんにしろスズキ！
と 呼ばれていて、ボロボロですが、実はそんなことないかもしれないよ～（笑）。ロスの空港で買ってきたバイク雑誌には・・・アメリカらしいと言うのか 『CAR v.s. BIKE』とか表紙にバーンと書かれていましたが、良く見たらコルベットとGSX-R1000ってSUZUKIのバイクなんだよね。
さて、LAで買った雑誌の一言評価を見てみよう！
| HONDA | ||
| GoldWing | $17,699 | Go whomp on one of these and say you're not smitten! |
| VTX1800S | $13,199 | New spoke-wheel version gets deep-fendered look |
| Valkyrie | $13,099 | Last Valky standing, and it's still a rocket ride |
| VTX1800R | $12,999 | R does not mean Race, but Retro.....got it? |
| VTX1800C | $12,499 | Original VTX is still the best looking(we think) |
| ST1100/ABS | $11,899 | Last chance for ST before stunning ST1300 debuts |
| CBR1100XX | $10,999 | Beautiful new pearl color for '02, otherwise unchanged |
| RC51 | $10,999 | Detail refinements for Nicky and Colin's favorite tool |
| CBR954RR | $10,599 | Bore job to wrest litterbike crown from GSX-R1000 |
| interceptor | $9999 | Dramatically restyled, VTEC power; but porkomatic |
| ShadowAero | $8999 | Art-deco styling, offset crank V-twin, typically Honda |
| SuperHowk | $8999 | Oft-ignored but gratifying all-around twin |
| CBR600F4i | $8199 | Sharper than F4 but a better all-arounder?Close call |
| ShadowSabre | $8199 | Sleeker Shadow for the hot-rod-inclined |
| 919 | $7999 | CBR900RR engine in chassis; an FZ1 it ain't |
| ShadowSpirit | $7999 | Original VT1100 resurrected for the budget-minded |
| Magna | $7499 | V-four power and (slightly) deted styling; unique |
| ShadowA.C.E.Deluxe | $5999 | For that full-fendered look without those filling cubes |
| ShadowSpirit750 | $5999 | Cut-rate Shadow is handsome if modestly quick |
| Nighthawk750 | $5799 | Smooth and nearly featureless; still loved by many |
| XR650L | $5499 | Light but old d-p mount; waiting for CRF trickleddown |
| ShadowVLX | $4999 | Budget cruiser for the coupon clipper |
| Nighthawk | $3399 | A little something for Great Aunt Martha, yes? |
| Rebel | $2999 | Miniature cruiser is well built but arthritic |
| YAMAHA | ||
| RoyalStarVenture | $16,399 | Sole remaining RoyalStar and Yam's only big tourer |
| RoadStarSilverado | $12,399 | Silverado adds bags, chrome, conchos and' screen |
| RoadStarWarrior | $11,999 | Big-cube cruiser to take on V-Rod and VTX; good luck |
| RoadStar | $10,999 | All-black version of the RS called Midnight, $800 more |
| V-Max | $10,899 | OK, this time we mean it; the last hurrah for Mr.Max |
| YZF-R1 | $10,299 | Maybe not the quantum leap as in '98,but potent |
| V Star1100Silverado | $9299 | New Silverado package adds semitouring goodies |
| FZ1 | $8499 | New colors for '02 for our fave naked bike |
| V Star1100Classic | $8199 | So much better than the old Viragos it's not funny |
| YZF-R6 | $7999 | Unchanged for '02 but, no doubt, still a winner |
| V Star1100Custom | $7899 | Custom means hot-rod style; an amazingly good buy |
| YZF600R | $6999 | Smooth, capable and (sadly) overlooked |
| V Star Silverado | $6899 | Same Silverado package applied to the 650 |
| V StarClassic | $5899 | Inexpensive but not cheap, a fine entry-level cruizer |
| V Star Custom | $5599 | Yeoman cruiser looks good and rides well |
| XT225 | $3999 | Inexpensive, easygoing, enough for most |
| TW200 | $3599 | Nothing new for this family-style trail bike |
| Virago250 | $3399 | Docile, forgiving, small yet still a not |
| SUZUKI | ||
| GSX1300R Hayabusa | $10,849 | Bulbous is beautiful, baby; torque is the games here |
| GSX-R1000 | $10,399 | Brilliant, insanely fast, yet totally livable; a milestone |
| 1500Intruder LC | $9999 | Huge cruiser for those who like their meals super-sized |
| TL1000R | $9599 | Last refuge for the full-spec TL engine...sob |
| GSX-R750 | $9449 | Made-for-Mladin updates for '02 |
| DL1000 | $8899 | If your name's Gerhard, you'll love this one |
| 1400Intruder | $8349 | Amazing longevity; pokeadelic engine |
| GSX-R600 | $7999 | Basically unchanged; Telefonica scheme for $350 more |
| Bandit 1200S | $7399 | Half-faired, refined Bandito is a greate all-arounder |
| 750Katana | $7299 | Jellybean styling, GSX-R-based motivation |
| Bandit 1200 | $6999 | Naked 1200 is and feels lighter than S |
| Intruder Volusia | $6599 | Midsize Intruder remade in more "traditional" idiom |
| 800 Intruder | $6399 | Another Methuselah motorcycle |
| 600 Katana | $6299 | Smaller jellybean, same favor (that would be vanilla) |
| SV650S | $6199 | Half-faired SV is a cheep treat; loads of potential |
| Marauder | $5999 | Hot-rod licks, uneven styling, good dynamics |
| Bandit 600S | $5849 | Mini Bandit lacks low-end punch of 1200 |
| SV650 | $5799 | Adjustable preload on the fork, otherwise the same |
| DR650SE | $5449 | Capable d-p mount; more dirt worthy than KLR |
| DR-Z400S | $5449 | A real dirt bike with lights; worth the commitment |
| GS500E | $4399 | Seasoned biginner mount can't be broken |
| Savage | $4299 | Savage, at the heart, is a pussycat; good for biginners |
| DR200SE | $3899 | Cute little dirtlet for campground carving |
| GZ250 | $2999 | Nice-handling toy cruiser in need of ponies...soon |
| KAWSAKI | ||
| Vulcan1500 Nomad Fi | $12,999 | Only Nomad left with carb version gone |
| Voyager Xll | $12,299 | Old enough to vote and drink (and enjoe it) |
| Vulcan1500 Drifter | $11,799 | Big old fenders,developed chassis and evergreen mill |
| Vulcan MeanStreak | $10,999 | New perf-cruiser entry; best handling of the bunch |
| ZX-12R | $10,999 | Fast-boy 12R receives numerous updates this year |
| ZZ-R1200 | $10,499 | So long, ZX-11;new ZZ-R takes to sport-touring |
| Vulcan1500 Classic | $9999 | Fi version is $600 more; worth the dough |
| ZX-9R | $9499 | Many small revisions could close gap to R1/954/GSX-R |
| ZX-7R | $8799 | Still struts on the track, but surely a new one's coming |
| Concours | $8199 | Aging sport-tourer still has fans; unchanged for '02 |
| ZRX1200R | $7899 | Lawson-rep. paint and new-found punch; lovin' it! |
| ZX-6R | $7699 | Lower price on what may be the best all-around 600 |
| Vulcan800 Drifter | $7499 | Looks like the 1500,handles better |
| ZX-6 | $6999 | Elderly ZX can be had for cheep; still a thrilling mill |
| Vulcan800 Classic | $6799 | Best looking of the non-Drifter 800s by far |
| Vulcan750 | $6099 | So '80s you can almost hear Duran Duran |
| Vulcan800 | $5999 | Got that full-fendered look and a stout heart |
| ZR-7S | $5999 | Sticks to '80s tech, and often feels like it |
| Ninja500R | $5099 | No chances for '02, thanks; number one in a field of two |
| KLR650 | $4999 | Big-bore "killer" a superb value among d-p thumpers |
| Vulcan500LTD | $4699 | Ninja 500R-powered cruiser; plenty quick |
| KLR250 | $4149 | Little KLR Lacks Punch of 650 (no kidding!) but still OK |
| SuperSherpa | $3999 | Very basic,pretty cheep, fits on your RV |
| Ninja250R | $2999 | Tiny tot tempting tool for terrorizing townsfolk |
| Eliminator125 | $2499 | New one-lunger fine for the country, small pilots |
こう見るとなんだかアメリカンが結構多いんだね（それも排気量違いやオプション付きかどうかとか、チョットしか違わない）。で、免許制度の違いもあって、小排気量のバイクにはチョットからい評価がついていますが、日本の評価とは全然違いますね！参考になったでしょ？日本は結構スペック至上主義な感じがしますが、数字に出ないところも先入観抜きで試乗とかして、ビビッと来たのを買っちまうのが、実は正解なのかもしれませんね。
（2002/03/07更新）