When Honda engineers redesigned the CRF250R for 2010 they were driven by a single concept: Integration. Abandoning the engine and chassis from the previous generation CRF250 gave them freedom to create a whole new fuel-injected Unicam® engine that utilizes new space- and weight-saving technologies that better integrate the powerplant into an entirely new Twin-Spar aluminum frame for optimum weight savings and mass centralization.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the 150i is manufactured in that boot-shaped country, apparently satisfying the style-conscious Italian consumers with its sleek lines and good performance.

Like the eight other motorcycles tested here, the CRF230L would make a great first bike. Likewise, they're all natural commuters; our “fleet average” was 69 mpg, and none got less than 50 mpg. And unlike the poor, practical Prius, they all peg the Fun-o-Meter, maybe none more so than the CRF.

A perfect day trip or weekend destination for riders from Chicago, Minneapolis, Madison and Des Moines is Dubuque, Iowa.

How good is the Gold Wing? Well, except for the addition of a few optional accessories, this big flat-Six hasn’t undergone any significant changes since its introduction in 2001, yet it’s still the best two-wheeled long-haul travel¬ing machine on the market, having won this category seven times in the 1800cc version’s nine-year existence.