The Verdict

As always, we ran all the bikes through a gauntlet of individual riding sessions, but before ever throwing a leg over these bikes we knew the decision-making process of today's bike buyers is heavily influenced by personal preference, favorite color and brand familiarity. Our testers' widely varying responses proved how true this can be and how close these bikes really are. In terms of performance, yes, these machines are all very close, but we were surprised at how differently each displayed its personality.

The big-bore specialist, Sun, put it simply when he says "They're all good. I was thinking they'd be really similar to each other because the bikes have kind of morphed into the same thing, but they each have their own personality which is something I really appreciate. I was really pleased to see that it's not all homogenized."

All of our testers agree that the differences between bikes makes for a better buyer's market and reinforces the bottom line that any of these machines could ultimately be your next open-class motocrosser. Each bike was deemed the best in one category or another. Lucky for you, getting access to these machines won't be as difficult as it was for us. Your nearest dealer won't require any more than a down payment, and maybe not even that.

The biggest problem you'll have is trying to set your mind on only one machine - it isn't deciding which 2007 bikes you don't like, but which one you like most.

Check out the following links for some extra tidbits about our shootout.

- Rider Bios
We ride, therefore we are.

- For My Money
See what each rider would do if they had to drop almost seven grand out of their own pockets.

- Full Score Sheet
Want to see how your favorite bike did in the grand scheme of things? Check out our primary testing categories.

- Glen Helen Track Map (Google Earth file)
Look at our lines as we spin a few laps around the famed Glen Helen circuit with our GPS. If you don't have Google Earth installed, click here to get the free download. Otherwise just hit this link to view it in your regular web browser.


Let us know what you think about this comparo in the MotoUSA Forum.