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Another year of riding to work is in the books, and ‘tis the season to look back on what we learned. What’s the best bike of 2022?
If the leaderboard means anything at all, that prize goes to Aprilia’s Tuareg 660. It seemed like Aprilia’s target for the new Tuareg was essentially an up-spec Yamaha Ténéré 700, slightly more capable and sophisticated but only a little more expensive. I spent many miles skipping across the Southern California desert, along with multiple tanks of gas cruising along freeways and commuting to the office, and I think the folks in Noale hit the nail pretty squarely on the head.
If I’m being truly subjective and picky, I’m not in love with the rounded-off nose. I think some harder edges combined with the flashy paint would have really made the Tuareg striking and modern. I also think the suite of electronics is more complicated than it needs to be. Adjustability is nice, but it isn’t just the size and engine character that makes a Yamaha T7 charming, it’s also the simplicity. Still, what a bike that Tuareg is — versatile and fun as the day is long, and right at home at the top of the DR leaderboard.
Biggest disappointment
Alright, buckle up kids, it’s time to ruffle some feathers. Which bike that Daily Rider covered this year will wear the shame of being the biggest letdown? That CFMOTO ADVentura 650 is in with a shout. Someone ought to be punished for the utter lack of creativity, not to mention the sticky CAps-LoCK button. But, y’know, even if the end product is quirky to a fault, it’s not a bad way to get to work.
Come to think of it, what the heck is that Vespa 150 doing so far down the list? For someone who swoons over character and pedigree and practicality so much, you’d think I’d be in love. It’s just too dang expensive for what it is. And fine, to some extent Vespa has earned that tax by being one of the most iconic shapes and names in the two-wheel world. Still, I can’t truly get behind it. For $5,500 I need more than a pretty face and a co-starring role in a Pixar movie. Wow me with fresh features. Do something, practically, that none of us saw coming. I love a Vespa, I do, but I don’t just want it to look like something other scooters can’t be, I want it to deliver something other scooters can’t reach.
Biggest surprise
It’s easy to be cynical about Suzuki these days, especially before the company debuted an all-new engine and two brand-new models in November of this year. With that in mind, I was ready to be put to sleep by the GSX-S1000GT+. Really, Suzuki? The same old engine that’s been paraded around for going-on-15 years now? You think a facelift and a TFT dash is going to fool me into thinking this is a good bike?
Well, boys ‘n' girls, that Gixxess GT+ shut me up faster than you can say “K5 forever.” What an absolutely brilliant pile of road-going capability that thing is, with good luggage and decent weather protection combined with some serious spice on tap. Intermediate track day, long road trip, Sunday fun day, commute to work: Check, check, checkity check. Tall rounders are the darlings of the motorcycle world lately, but even through a forest of Tigers, Multistradas, Tracers, and Versys(es?), the GSX-S1000GT+ stands out as a shining example of what a classic sport-tourer can do.
2023 housekeeping
The basic structure of Daily Rider will remain the same this year. We’ll transfer all of 2022’s subjects to an archive board to the left of the main leaderboard, and start fresh. One of the emoji badges will get an update, though. We’re going to do away with the heart symbol for bikes we love and start using a symbol for fun instead. There was some momentum in the middle of this year for applying a “giggle score” to each bike, but we steered away from yet another talking point that might get drawn out and confused. So, look for a smiley face or an “lol” or something to signify bikes that make us laugh on the leaderboard.
Also, keep an eye out for a new kickoff point for Daily Rider. Someone with a “legitimate business” moved into the building we’ve used thus far as a backdrop and I suppose we need to respect that. So, I’ll shuffle down the alley like a troll looking for food scraps and hope nobody chases me off of our new brick wall.
Aside from all of that, a friendly reminder that for the 2021 (and 2020) list of bikes you can check out last year’s update article. I very much hope that 2023 brings more fun, more wheelies, and more engagement from you, the viewer. As always, I am appreciative of the whole team here at RevZilla and of each and every person who takes the time to consider my thoughts on motorbikes. Thanks for letting me onto your screens.
| 2022 Daily Rider Leaderboard | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rank | Machine | More from Common Tread |
| 1 | 2022 Aprilia Tuareg 660 |
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| 2 | 2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+ |
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| 3 | 2022 Ducati DesertX 💰 |
|
| 4 | 2022 Harley-Davidson Pan America 💰 |
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| 5 | 2022 BMW R 1250 RT-Police |
|
| 6 | 2022 Triumph Tiger Sport 660 |
|
| 7 | 2022 Kawasaki KLR650 Adventure |
|
| 8 | 2022 Yamaha MT-10 |
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| 9 | 2022 Yamaha XSR900 |
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| 10 | 2022 MV Agusta Tourismo Veloce |
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| 11 | 2022 CFMOTO ADVentura 650 |
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| 12 | 2022 Honda Rebel 500 |
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| 13 | 2020 BMW S 1000 RR 💰 🔥 |
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| 14 | 2022 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 |
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| 15 | 2022 Honda Grom ❤️ |
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| 16 | BMW CE 04 | |
| 17 | 2022 Vespa Primavera 150 |
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| 18 | 2022 Zero FXE |
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| 19 | 2022 Honda Navi |
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