BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- A motorcycle made by Birmingham-based Motus has been named motorcycle of the year by Motorcyclist magazine.

The MST-R, a $36,975 bike with a 165-horsepower engine that the magazine said "sounds exactly like a miniature version of the iconic Chevy V8" won the honor.

"Holy smokes!" Motus said in a prepared statement, noting that it is "extremely honored."

"For those of us who covet Motorcyclist's typical Motorcycle of the Year issue, pulling the stunning 100th Anniversary Special Collector's Issue out of the mailbox was especially exciting," Motus said.

The magazine called the motorcycle a "dream bike ... built with all-American DNA."

Inspired by hot-rods, the motorcycle is a big touring bike that turns and stops like a much smaller machine, the magazine says.

"For many of us, Motus is a dream come true," Motorcyclist says.

Motus was founded in 2008 and has been searching for a site for its first production facility.