NEC Show: Yamaha R1 wins as MCN's Bikes of 2009 are revealed

The revolutionary Yamaha R1 is today revealed as MCN’s Bike of the Year. An expert panel of judges headed by MCN Editor Marc Potter voted unanimously in favour of the bike, with Potter presenting the award to a delighted Yamaha at the NEC show.

Triumph claimed the Manufacturer of the Year Award. The full list of 2009’s MCN Award winners, and the R1’s citation appear below. A full run-down of the winners and judges comments will appear in MCN’s 2 December edition. 

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Bike of the year
Yamaha YZF-R1
“It’s a no-brainer” said one judge; “You simply couldn’t give the award to any other bike” said another. The praise was without qualification and the decision unanimous. Yamaha took a massive gamble when it launched 2009 R1 – altering the character of superbikes, abandoning the headline-grabbing horsepower war and asking riders to relearn how to get the best from their bike. But it worked. The crossplane-cranked R1 was a real risk but a genuine innovation, and one that’s been rewarded with championship wins the world over. In finding a way to innovate in a class that had become conservative as it approached the limits of conventional performance, Yamaha has set a powerful example to other manufacturers – and inspired bike buyers to believe there’s life (lots of it) in the superbike class again.

Manufacturer of the year
Triumph
 
Best Machine – New Riders
Honda CBF125

Best Sports Tourer
BMW K1300S
 
Best Tourer
Victory Vision Tour
 
Best Naked
Triumph Street Triple R
 
Best All-Rounder over 750cc
KTM SM-T990
 
Best All-Rounder under 750cc
Kawasaki ER-6f
 
Best Sportsbike under 600cc
Honda CBR600RR C-ABS
 
Best Trailie
BMW F800GS
 
Best cruiser
Triumph Thunderbird
 
Best Scooter
Yamaha Vity 125

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