Dominating the look of the CL is that fairing. Believe it or not, but the handlebar-mounted item is the product of wind-tunnel design, and it's certainly the first thing you notice about the CL.

It's also the first thing I noticed when I hopped on board, as there's quite a pendulum' effect at slow speed as the bars flop from side to side. I guess that's to be expected with big mirrors, speakers for the stereo, comprehensive instrumentation, large indicators and chunky switchblocks all adding their mass to the already large fairing itself.

The Aero remains a distinguished performer in the 1100 class, too -- it always was the spunkiest member of the Shadow family, thanks to shorter gearing and extra horsepower from the exhaust system. But last year's buzzy, single-pin-crankshaft motor, groomed to emulate the "traditional V-twins' visceral feel," is no more. The Aero is instilling subdued engine vibes and chassis smoothness as by-products of an updated, offset dual-pin crankshaft -- a design that fools the 1099cc powerplant into believing it's a 90-degree V-twin with perfect primary balance.

...the new Sportsters have been almost totally revised, and are again motorcycles that can be taken seriously on their own merits. There are a number of significant changes -- engine improvements, stiffer frames, new brakes, improved finish, etc. -- but the most important new feature of the 2004 Sportster line is its system of rubber mounts that insulates the rider from the engine's vibration.

The V Star 650 is a shaft driven [motorcycle] which was important to me as it means less maintenance in general. The trade-off is the shaft drive sucks a little of the power so the V Star has less hp than [motorcycles] of similar size. Having said that, I've never wanted for more power while riding the V Star as it has plenty of power for highway cruising at 75mph and acceleration is good for passing and entering freeways. I've not ridden with a passenger, but the [motorcycle] has plenty of power to move my 225 pounds without effort.

The parameters of the test were simple: Street-styled cruisers with a V-twin engine displacement of at least 1700cc. (It is a brave new world indeed when 1500cc V-twin bikes can be thought of as middleweights. Expect a Motorcycle Cruiser test of the 1500/1600cc cruisers to follow shortly.) All three of the big, big twins to make the cut were, coincidentally, new or much-improved bikes for 2004. The players were Yamaha's overhauled Road Star 1700, with its pushrod twin the only engine here that's air-cooled and carbureted. Honda's eye-catching, Rune-influenced VTX 1800N (Neo-Retro) brings an 1800cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected design and a single overhead camshaft design, while Kawasaki's ultimate gunslinger, the V2K—which invokes serious piston envy at a whopping 2000cc—is another pushrod, but unlike the Yamaha, it's liquid-cooled and injected. Oh yeah, we invited the Harley Custom Vehicle Operations' (CVO) Screamin' Eagle Ultra Glide...

Yamaha took a unique approach to designing the V-Star. The company's customer surveys showed that the major reasons for purchasing a middleweight cruiser were styling, rider comfort, handling, reliability, and value. Each of these requirements were directly addressed in the design process. Yamaha's stylists didn't have to look any further than the Royal Star's exemplary looks, fit, and finish. And the V-Star received generous applications of style from the Royal Star's palette. Rider comfort issues were addressed by giving the V-Star a full-sized riding position for people on the six-foot side of the spectrum, while not raising the bar so high as to eliminate the shorter inseamed folks. Handling comes from the V-Star's good suspension, competent brakes, and likable engine. Basing the V-Star on the proven 10-year-old Virago 535 insures the requisite reliability.

Ladies and gentlemen, behold the VTX1300.

With the smaller VTX, Honda has created a [motorcycle] that provides answers to the questions the VTX1800 left unanswered. For starters, the 1300 is nearly 2 inches shorter and a significant 60 lbs. lighter than the 1800. This reduction is both size and weight has an immediate improvement in the handling characteristics versus the bigger [motorcycle]. From the moment the 1300 is lifted off its kickstand the difference is noticeable.

One of the surprising things about the VTX 1300 is the engine design. It is not a sleeved-down 1800 by any means. It is an entirely new design from a "clean sheet of paper" given to Honda engineers. Displacing 1312cc, the liquid-cooled, 52 degree, V-twin features a single-pin crank (the 1800 has a dual-pin crank) and cylinders offset by 13.5mm to reduce piston fluctuation. Two-axis primary counter-balancers minimize engine vibration, while the single-pin crank still transmits plenty of "rumble" to the rider for that traditional cruiser feel. Three-valve cylinder heads have 31mm intakes and a single 40mm exhaust valve. While big brother is fuel injected, the 1300S is served its combustion mix by a 38mm CV carb. 1312cc is still big for a V-twin, and Honda found two spark plugs per cylinder to increase combustion efficiency and power.