Calling Poland home, 25-year-old Rafal Pasierbek has led the charge in spreading the stunt scene to places hard to pronounce. An impressive style has garnered him wins across the globe, from American XDL to Euro StuntGP events. A blend of acrobatics, smooth combos and unbelievable bike control make him a stunt rider worth putting on your radar.

Admittedly, two of the categories for the Best of 2011 are totally subjective and you’re well within your rights to write us objectionable emails explaining how clueless we are. Custom paint jobs and pretty girls aside, we make our selections for the other categories based on facts. If a particular jacket or boot takes top honors from one of the editors, it’s not going to be because it simply has nice colors—form and function must equal each other and have a purpose.

The idea was simple; go as fast as a 1000 on a 600 with just a dash of cash tossed at it. The definition of fast is as broad as the sport of motorcycling, so instead of qualifying the statement by saying “it’s fast for a 600,” this budget bomber had to legitimately run with the big dogs.

MotoGP, the world’s premiere motorcycle racing championship, drew the attention of millions during the 2011 schedule, and for each of the 18 tracks worldwide that meant a ridiculous amount of preparation. SSB explored just how much goes into getting ready for this experience through the eyes of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Catering to over one hundred thousand spectators, media, race teams and vendors who all converge on the same weekend is a balancing act of budgets, communication and presentation. Pulling off the venue’s largest event of the year is a revolving door of activity that begins soon after the pits clear.

How quick is the fastest streetbike in the world? Try this on for size; in the amount of time it takes to read this sentence—roughly 4.5 seconds—the HTP Performance Hayabusa can reach 170 MPH from a dead stop. Still not comprehending the magnitude of this machine? Now consider this; it takes just 650 feet (roughly two city blocks) for it to achieve this speed. Forget $1,000,000 supercars hitting 0-60 in under four-seconds, this monster will triple that figure in the same span. The quarter-mile drag strip has been the proving ground of choice for years and all things motorized are measured there. The HTP ‘Busa rewrote the record books recently when it scorched the strip with a six-second pass—breaking through the long-standing seven-second barrier with authority. The record breaking run as Ryan Schnitz, HTP Performance’s pro rider explained, was destined to happen. On a brisk September day at Maryland International Raceway, Schnitz rolled the bike through the burnout box just as he had thousands of times before. As in every pre-stage ritual, he brought the sticky Michelin tire up to temp with a smoky burnout before rocketing towards the tree on his dry hop. First came the forward beam, then the second, and in that moment before the green lights dropped, Schnitz knew he was on the verge of something big, “The conditions were nearly ideal, a combination you don’t get that often.” The air was cool and dry—perfect for big power—and the track had tremendous traction, something you don’t often get when the temperatures are down.

When it was launched in 2010, BMW’s S1000RR revolutionized the 1000cc sportbike market. It was the first literbike to come with variable ABS as well as traction control, and if that wasn’t enough it boasted the most powerful engine in the world. Combined with a sublime chassis, this was enough to make it the top dog in the big capacity group; something that forced the Japanese to respond and start adding electronic assists to their premium models. Now, two years later and with a variety of new machines as competition, BMW has given its superbike a makeover.

Honda stuck to its guns with the redesign of the new CBR1000RR. Instead of massive horsepower and electronic gizmos it focused on what it knows best: style, handling and usability.

Back with a vengeance, Team Green's redesigned 2012 Ninja 650 steps out from the shadow of last year's celebrated Ninja 1000 and stands on its own. Versatility is the name of the game for Kawi's latest round of redesigned sportbikes. On one end of the sport spectrum is the speed limit indifferent ZX-14R and on the other is the practical punch of a much tamer 650. No intentions to outgun the big dogs or police radar, this Ninja instead focuses on comfortable ergos, light handling and manageable power for mass appeal.

The Yamaha sportbike range is one of the most recognizable on the planet. The R1 has always been a crowd favorite thanks to its diminutive stature and aggressive front end. The latest generation R6 was well ahead of its time in technology and styling as well. Hell, even the FZ1 has been known to break loose from literbike riders who weren’t anticipating its performance characteristics.

Most of us tend to look for the newest model year that falls closest in line with our budget, but that’s not always the best approach to buying a new-to-you sportbike. Dealership prices generally dictate the used market. Of course there are always one-off deals to be had from folks who are getting deported, headed to jail or going through a divorce, but generally bike prices are stable for particular makes and models and will only fluctuate based on the bike’s condition.

Bike enthusiasts always have their camera phones holstered with the safety off in hope of snapping a blurry spy shot or two of a new model. Kawasaki bolstered these aficionados with its viral video program that promoted a lightning fast new model for 2012. Months and months of flirtatious marketing hinted at something beastly, but everybody knew what it was—a new ZX-14. But what would it look like? How fast would it go? Surprisingly, there wasn’t a single authentic photo leaked until its recent unveiling.

Look out BMW and Suzuki, the new ZX-14R is definitely deserving of its R moniker.

Last month’s stunning black and white Hayabusa was painted by Vinny DiGiulio, formerly known as The Paint Doctor. If you’re considering something special for your ride and only the best will do, hit Vinny up at (401) 829-6155.

"Family is all about sacrifice. Before I met my wife and had our first of three children, I bought three Yamaha FZRs and a GSX-R750 just to learn, rebuild and make money towards my dream bike, the Hayabusa.  Once I finally had my chance, I purchased a 2004 LE Hayabusa, stretched it and put a 240 rear end on it, only to be let go from my job a month later.

Traction control, ABS, map modes…they’re enough to make you want to max out a few credit cards just to roll the latest and greatest off the lot (and that’s assuming the bank will even back you). But when the excitement simmers down and you’re left with a beautiful piece of debt compounding monthly at a high interest rate, the thrill will most likely fade into the fuel tank along with every last drop of overpriced premium.

Pics: fabfernandezphoto.com, Paul and Shawn Lane

With Yamaha jumping in on the traction control scene there's not a single bike left in the liter class without some form of electronic assistance, whether it's ABS, TC or drive modes. While some of the electro-wizardry on other makes has been rushed out of the box and doesn't necessarily work to perfection, Yamaha took its time and hit a homer with its electronic addition to the R1 for 2012.

“When I decided I was going to buy my first bike I had to convince myself the sacrifice was worth it. I decided I was going to get a bike as a gift to myself for completing school at West Virginia University. During the winter months I would wear extra clothing and not have the heat running in my apartment just to keep the electric bill down. I put a picture on my front door in which I wrote a caption above it that read: “Do what you must to get what you want.” Every day before I left for work I would give myself some motivation to start the day.

1. Colored Headlight Bulb
A colored headlight bulb is a simple and cost effective way to force drivers to notice a bike. It installs in moments and gives the front end of your ride a unique look.

When it was launched in 2010, BMW1s S1000RR revolutionized the 1000cc sportbike market. It was the first liter bike to come with variable ABS as well as traction control, and if that wasn1t enough it boasted the most powerful engine in the world. Combined with a sublime chassis, this was enough to make it the top dog in the big capacity group, something that forced the Japanese to respond and start adding electronic assists to their premium models. Now, two years down the line and with a variety of new machines as competition, BMW has given its superbike a makeover.

For most of us, the first helmet we ever bought probably didn’t fit properly. Whether it was a hand-me-down or just the cheapest thing on the shelf, the chances of it actually being the right choice are slim. Some riders are well into established careers and still aren’t wearing properly fitted lids. While there’s an argument that fitment is in the feel of the rider there are some scientific principles to prove that a helmet doesn’t fit correctly. It’s not like we’re talking about saggy jeans here after all—an ill-fitting helmet could hurt you, baggy jeans won’t (usually).

Rumblings and Internet rumors of a supercharged ZX-14R for 2012 proved nothing more than hype, but don’t discount Kawi’s latest big bore offering as anything less than a beast. Expect the same sport touring comfort found on previous models with an addition of more power for the straights and improved handling for the corners. Electronics, engine upgrades and a redesigned chassis make Team Green’s big dog hypersport rocket past all who stand its way—‘Busas look out.

How has your approach to bike building changed since becoming the boss, unrestrained from a corporate panel?
We now focus on design of what we hear sportbike riders specifically want. With a bigger corporation, there is a dominant component of what the corporation needs that significantly influences design.

For Bob Fisher at Roaring Toyz this wasn’t just another bolt-on bike that had to be built to a corporate board of director’s specifications. Knowing that the new Kawasaki ZX-10R was going to be the only literbike with a chance to run alongside BMW’s S1000RR, he wanted to make the Ninja’s bite as powerful as its bark and thus threw his strict build guidelines out the window.

For fear of being ridiculed by your riding buddies you’ve chosen to keep your mouth shut while they discuss corner apexes, burnt clutches and gearing options. But you don’t have to survive on bits of misinformation from Web forums and ill-informed bike nighters any longer. SSB answers some of the most common misconceptions and questions to help set you straight on your path to biking enlightenment.