Bikesales Staff•2 Dec 2022

FEATURE

How we decided the 2022 Bike of the Year

Australia's premier motorcycling consumer award is decided with detailed analysis from our team of expert and knowledgeable road testers

The road to deciding the bikesales Bike of the Year winner, proudly presented by Shannons Insurance, is a long and exhaustive process that involves careful analysis and discussion by leading motorcycle journalists.

And with a wide array of new metal released in the last 12 months, the task of whittling the field down to 10 finalists, and ultimately one winner, was tougher than ever before.

The bikesales team tested over 50 new and updated motorcycles in a period stretching from September 1, 2021, to September 1, 2022. With the knowledge accumulated from those reviews, the team then picked 10 motorcycles that it felt best represented the progress of the industry in 2022.

So what makes a new motorcycle worthy of its status as a BOTY finalist? Well, for starters, there is a set of eligibility requirements that a bike must meet in order to qualify.

The eligibility criteria is as follows:

• Finalists must be current production motorcycles
• Finalists must be new or updated
• Finalists must be on sale to the public prior to September 1
• Finalists must have been tested by the bikesales team prior to the announcement

Of course, this automatically rules out a couple of key models. Long-standing and popular models like the BMW R 1250 GS, while exceptional, were not eligible this year because they are not new enough to warrant any fresh opinions.

Similarly, newer bikes like the Ducati DesertX miss out on a 2022 finalist spot, as they did not arrive in time, were not on sale by September 1, or were not tested by the bikesales team in the given timeframe. Those bikes, however, will be eligible for the 2023 awards.

The finalists

Since the 2021 bikesales Bike of the Year awards, finalists have been selected irrespective of categories, ultimately resulting in a stronger field. This is in contrast to previous years, where each finalist was chosen as the best example in its respective motorcycle segment.

The finalists are chosen based on reviews by bikesales journalists throughout the year, with each model scored across our usual bikesales testing criteria.

For 2022, our list of finalists produced a diverse and varied group of bikes, with some models perhaps appearing to be more obvious choices than others.

Three adventure bikes made the cut in 2022, with the Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Pro, Husqvarna Norden 901, and Aprilia Tuareg 660 all excelling in slightly different areas. Likewise, every BOTY field needs a little sportiness, and the Yamaha XSR900, Yamaha YZF-R7HO, and Suzuki GSX-S1000GT deliver thrills at relatively modest price points.

The Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST and Honda CMX1100 DCT might seem like less obvious selections, but these cruisers definitely showcase the bike-building prowess of each brand. The Low Rider ST is one of the best out-of-the-box Harley cruisers in recent times, while the CMX1100 DCT is a high-tech and easy-to-ride commuter with Honda’s typically strong build quality.

Further 2022 selections included the brilliant BMW CE 04 electric scooter and the game-changing KTM 350 SX-F motocross bike. The CE 04 provides a glimpse of what we can expect from the Munich-based firm in an electrified future, while the 350 SX-F represents, we think, one of the biggest leaps in the motocross world in recent years.

The test

In order to decide a winner, the bikesales team once again embarked on a week-long road test to properly assess each machine on its own merit and in real-world conditions.

And after a 2021 interrupted by COVID-19, the annual Bike of the Year awards returned to its stomping ground in the stunning Victorian High Country. Anyone who has ridden in this spectacular region will know it's home to some of the best motorcycling roads and trails in Australia, making it the perfect proving ground.

The town of Bright is a motorcycle mecca and was an excellent base for the bikesales BOTY army, which this year included eight judges, two camera crew, two support drivers, and a paramedic.

The very practical CFMOTO 800MT was chosen as our paramedic's bike

For support van duties we procured a long-wheelbase Peugeot Expert, which gave us the practicality and load-carrying ability we required in a surprisingly agile, dynamic package. And for paramedic duties, we couldn’t go past the new CFMOTO 800MT equipped with hard panniers.

All the bikes were ridden from the bikesales office in Melbourne to Bright. Due to their inherent segment design limitations and the long kilometres covered on the Bike of the Year test, both the BMW CE 04 and KTM 350 SX-F did not take part in this week-long test.

Over the week, the bikesales team encountered rain, hail, sleet, sunshine, cold, heat, and even snow, with conditions proving challenging but ultimately beneficial to producing well-rounded assessments of each machine.

The Peugeot Expert was our support vehicle

The judges

For 2022, our judging team included a mix of experienced journalists, popular motorcycle industry personalities, and regular BOTY judges who collectively represent the veteran, everyday rider.

Leading the pack was bikesales Editor Dylan Ruddy, who was joined once again by former bikesales Editor Mark Fattore. These two have a collective finger on the pulse when it comes to news and industry gossip (or so they think) and are usually among the first to test any new metal.

And joining them were two leading bikesales contributing journalists – former Isle of Man TT winner, Cam Donald, and Kaz Anderson – both of whom have a deep-seated passion for riding and impressive technical knowledge, allowing them to offer unique perspectives on any bike.

A new recruit for 2022 was television presenter and motorcycle industry voice, Kate Peck, who not only added some star power, but also plenty of industry knowledge thanks to her role with Motorcycling NSW.

The remaining three judges are regulars on Bike of the Year. With decades of riding experience apiece, Murray Sharp, Brian Harding, and Scott Kessler know what it takes to be a BOTY judge, but can also offer the real-world perspective of everyday riders. And rounding out the on-bike team was our paramedic, Murray Kennedy.

The BOTY judges need to stay physically and mentally sharp

The voting

After all of the riding was completed, the judges took part in a round-table discussion to put forth their thoughts and opinions on each model. Naturally, there were a lot of differing views, but a group of favourites soon emerged.

The next step was for each judge to fill out a comprehensive score sheet, assessing each bike over the following criteria...

bikesales Bike of the Year judging criteria:

• Engine and Drivetrain (Engine, Gearbox, Clutch)
• Handling and Brakes (Chassis, Suspension, Brakes)
• Build Quality (Technology, Safety, Overall Finish)
• Value for Money (Pricing, Packaging)
• Fit for Purpose

Once the judges have scored each category for each bike, the votes are tallied to produce an overall Winner and two Highly Commended machines.

While we don’t make the final voting totals public, we can safely say this year's BOTY was extremely tight, with a single point separating the top two and just 17 points separating the top three. All eight of the tested finalists scored well, with no machine falling below an average score of 66 out of 100.

And so, with all of that, the Aprilia Tuareg 660 was crowned the 2022 bikesales Bike of the Year, while the Yamaha XSR900 and Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Pro earned Highly Commended gongs.

But wait, there’s more…

Back again for 2022 was the People’s Choice award, which handed the power to the people as they voted for their favourite machine from the 10 finalists.

This gave a fourth brand an award to take home, with the Suzuki GSX-S1000GT proving to be the most popular bike among bikesales readers.

And don't forget, rounding out the 2022 bikesales Bike of the Year extravaganza will be the second annual bikesales Learner Bike of the Year, with this year's best LAMS machine to be announced on Thursday, December 15.

The Aprilia Tuareg 660 is the 2022 bikesales Bike of the Year