A motorcycle that seems fast today may not feel as fast a few years from now. I remember when the original Valkyrie first hit showrooms in 1996. The 1520 cc engine seemed enormous, and the Valk could outrun any cruiser of the day. When the Honda introduced the GL1800 in late 2000, reviews raved about how it handled, accelerated, and braked as well as many sport bikes. It was the king of touring, until the K1600 came along.

Nearly all of today's vehicles have impressive performance. Family sedans can turn faster lap times than serious sports cars from a few decades ago. Even Ford's F150 with the 3.5 EcoBoost will out-accelerate some motorcycles. These are very good times for those of us who like motorcycles and other vehicles. Let's hope they don't all get banned by some overzealous green legislation, leaving us to look back on today as a golden age.