I have noticed that MCN itself has a bias against Harleys, and has for years. When they did their review on the "08 CVOs they mentioned that the seating position bent your legs too much. What's up with that? As far as I've noticed, the seat to floorboard distance is about the same since I bought my first Electra-glide 20 years ago. They also said the bat wing fairing was too heavy and made handling heavier. The same fairing has been on these bikes forever. -Sure there is more electronics in there, but I don't find myself fighting to turn a corner. -Give me a break!
Also, in the current issue, they only give the Harley touring bikes three out of a possible five "bullets" for an over all rating. The Goldwings get four and a half. If you go by MCN's reviews, you would never own a Harley.
The funny thing is, they don't accept any advertising. The mag is supposed to be purely objective. I personally have owned three wings. Great bikes! -I sold my last one twenty years ago after doing a fly and ride (I also had an FXRS at the time) and deciding I liked the Harley much better. (I rented a '87 Electra-glide from Chosa's in Phoenix, and visited Fort Huachuca where I'd spent my last year and a half in the army). It looked better, sounded better, and handled better. It definately had more character, and I didn't get the pain in my back shoulder area after several hours in the saddle that I got with the wing. My current bike is my 14th new Harley and my 8th Electra-glide.
I still have a copy of the OLD MCN when it was Road Rider magazine, that has two color pictures of me and my wife pulling into Central City, CO on an '83 Goldwing pulling a trailer. That's when we met Bob and Patty Carpenter, the editors of the magazine. That was in '84. They were doing a 50k road test on the new Yamaha Venture for Yamaha.
When Road Rider changed to MCN they went with a cheap paper stock, and did away with the colors. They accept no advertising. They are supposed to be objective, but they are really not into touring bikes. They like crotch rockets best. They definately don't like Harleys.
So much for objectivity.