...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.

Enter celebrated custom [motorcycle] builder Arlen Ness and his creative son, Corey, both partially responsible for the alluring styling of the Vegas, a [motorcycle] that is putting Victory on the map. Now with the visual appeal Victory has always needed, we wondered if the Vegas can go toe-to-toe with the benchmark in the custom cruiser segment, H-D’s FXSTD Softail Deuce.

Created by stroking the standard 1450cc H-D mill, the SE Electra Glide has its own exhaust system and FI mapping, but not a lot else to pump up power. Still you can feel the extra inches all the way from idle to redline, where it's still pulling with enthusiasm when the rev-limiter asserts itself. It makes 84.1 rear-wheel ponies at 5750 rpm.

Riding a Harley, particularly a Big Twin, is somehow different than other [motorcycles]. No, we're not falling victim to all the marketing hype that says "Things are different on a Harley." Your life won't change, at least not dramatically. Your dog is still stupid and your cereal will still get soggy. What you will get when you buy a Harley is a truly satisfying [motorcycle] that holds its value. An Electra Glide Standard has everything that makes Harleys great: Classic styling, a torquey motor and easy maintainence.

If the Rune is a gift, the eye is the first to profit. Never have we seen such finesse -- such attention to detail -- in a production [motorycle]. There is hardly a physical flaw to grumble over, and the closest we've come is to criticize the Rune logo on the sleek, seamless tank, which appears to be a stick-on graphic that causes a rise in the thick clearcoat. A Princess and the Pea issue, for sure. We adore [its] '50s-hotrod-meets-Rocketeer styling, but the thing that really makes it work is the depth of detail. The [Rune] is totally integrated "like a puzzle," says Blank. "Each layer must be absolutely perfect before the next layer is applied." These [motorcycles] are built on a line, but at a speed that lends to a "handcrafted" result. "There are so many white glove inspections," says Blank, "that the approval process takes as long as it does to build some other [motorcycles]."

Now for 2004, Kawasaki has bumped up the performance and made an excellent motorcycle even better. The liquid-cooled, four valves per cylinder, 50-degree V-Twin motor has been bored out from 1470cc to 1552cc, and the cam's lift and valve timing were also revised to help the motor breathe. Digital fuel injection provides excellent engine response, with no surging or hiccups, because two different systems are used according to engine load, and are monitored by a faster electronic Engine Control Unit. Fuel is fed through larger 40mm dual throttle bodies, while 4 nozzles at the tip of each injector help to atomize the fuel more efficiently. Dual spark plugs cut detonation for added durability. By using rubber engine mounts, no-maintenance hydraulic valve lash adjusters, and a gear-driven engine balancer, the single-pin crankshaft engine runs smoothly without annoying vibrations, yet still retains the character of a V-Twin powerplant. And for good measure, new valve covers, and polished cooling fins make the engine look better as well.

Several months ago, the rumor mill started to rumble about a 2000cc v-twin cruiser on its way from Kawasaki for 2004. The rumors were almost right, but the engine was even larger. Displacing 2053cc (125.3 cubic inches), the 2004 Vulcan 2000 has the largest capacity v-twin engine ever put into production by a major manufacturer. With 141 foot pounds of torque at 3,000 rpm and 116 horsepower at 5,000 rpm, the Vulcan 2000 out powers many small automobiles. It is also carefully designed to be smooth and usable in the delivery of that power.

Although the Road King Custom is situated in the touring line of bikes, this low-slung bad boy is perfectly suited to cruise the boulevard. Fatboys, Deuces, and V-Rods may garner the bulk of attention on the street, but the RKC holds its own. Minus the accessory fairing we attached midway through the test, the Road King is a rough-and-tumble, bar-room brawl type of cool. Its wide-ratio gears are the perfect excuse to take the jaw-dropping good looks from the boulevard to the open road for a jaunt through sinuous country roads.