If you are like me and under 50,  prepare to get brutally ribbed when you tell people how incredible this motorcycle is.  They will never give you guff again after they ride one though.. If I had to pick a top 10  list of bike this would be included for sure.  I am only 5'7" so most touring bikes feel large and/or top heavy to me.  The Goldwing feels like it weighs about 500 lbs although it has a dry weight around 800.  This bike shows why Honda has such a reputation for engineering ability.  From the moment you let out the clutch the first time you will be blown away at the balance of this bike.  It will light up the rear tire with a little dip of the clutch in first gear and it handles far better than you expect for a big bike.  There are two main competitors when considering a Goldwing, the BMW K1200LT series and Harleys Ultra Classic.  The BMW feels more top heavy but has superior brakes and the Harley has that great twin feel, but is underpowered compared to the other two.  If you are over 6 feet tall you might run into shin clearance problems on the Goldwing as the lower fairing is fairly close to the rider.  Overall, it is my favorite pick for a serious tourer and the one that I would choose if I decided to ride accross country.

Nate

Ok, I admit it. I have a huge weakness for supermoto bikes.  My current track bike is a KTM 450 SMC and it rips.  The Duke takes most of the fun of a real dedicated race bike and brings the reliability of a street bike to the table.  This bike sits up just like a dirt bike and will make a fool of most sportbikes on a tight twisty road.  Be prepared to have your license come into serious jepordy though... No real enthusiast can ride it with both wheels in contact with the road.   If you are looking at one of these bikes watch for jetting issues, as they are extremely finicky to changes.