If bigger really is better, you're looking at the best off-the-rack Harley-Davidson in captivity. Known as the FLHRSEI2 in Milwaukeese, its 98.4mm x 111.1mm cylinders add up to 103 cubic inches or 1690cc--the biggest factory-built Harley Big Twin yet. Except it's not exactly stock. Created as part of Harley's Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) program, the Screamin' Eagle Road King is a limited-production, expensive piece: $27,995 ($28,095 in California) vs. $16,215 for a basic 2002 Road King. The CVO ensemble is also a painless way for Harley to run new ideas up the flagpole of public opinion and see how many checkbooks salute.

The road I'm traveling is as twisting and beautiful as you'll ever encounter in a lifelong search. In fact, I've traveled two days to place the tires of a streetbike upon this twisting pavement. But I'm in search of dirt, dirt leading away from the pavement while transporting me along the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. As I begin to focus on the road and enjoy the KLR on blacktop, I notice a visual break in the lush greenery to my left. Thinking it's probably nothing, I turn around and go back to take a look. To my surprise I see a dirt road leading up a hill marked "Road not maintained ... 4 miles ahead."

There is a strong pedigree in the dualsport class these days, and Aprilia's ETV1000 Caponord - named after Scandinavia's North Cape - is right amongst it. Why, it's full of cunning, opportunism and daring - melded with just a touch of larrikin. On that premise, you'd think that the Caponord and its dualsport cohorts - the BMW R1150 GS, Triumph Tiger, Suzuki V-Strom and Cagiva Navigator - would be able to infiltrate the Australian psyche just a little more than they have been able to thus far. Sure, the class is not moribund, but it's not a cause celebre either, with sales best described as moderate next to their sportbike siblings.

The fact is, the Buell motor is surprisingly effective after the massaging received by Mr. Buell. We know it’s not a 14,000RPM screamer, never will be, but it’s got grunt. Ignoring factory claimed, I suspect this thing probably makes mid 80's in ponies (although it felt like 65 in the high country) torque is suitably beefy though and if past experience of the breed counts, I think it’ll be surprisingly high for its class.

The motor is stock for the series, with the only allowable mod's being a Dynojet carb kit and freer flowing exhausts. The head received a multi-angle valve job and had the air filter replaced with a freer flowing piece. The exhausts were retro style with reverse megaphones with a not too a mega-noisy sound, and they obviously looked the part.

Honda is the only manufacturer to introduce a new open-class sportbike for 2004 without providing a claimed dry weight figure. Is it possible Honda took a "wait and see" approach here? Kawasaki has claimed its new ZX-10R weighs 365 pounds -- an incredible figure for an open-class machine. Honda could easily substitute a magnesium or titanium part, or parts, before announcing an official dry weight, as necessary, in order to be the lightest in the class.

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.

So we've gathered up the biggest sport-tourers offered by the Japanese manufacturers for a Pacific Rim sport-touring face-off. We've previously enjoyed seat time on the cushy Honda ST1300 and we've given you two chances to read about Yamaha's 2003 FJR1300, and a quick ride with Jeff Buchanan on the 2004 ABS-equipped model. Check out these previous tests for some background of this pair to get you up to speed.