Are motorcycles getting uglier? (BKK Motor show 2021)

[Randell]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

Found someone that could break that record.

Thanks for the laugh and smile.   You Mentally Anguished Member  TR. I mean that I just about snorkeled my coffee. cheers Rand

 

 

[Kwasaki]

25 minutes ago, Tagged said:

Was that bike a mass produced bike, or fabric drivers only? 

The new R1 was produced for the road in 1998 to complete with other supersport bikes.

I'm only an old biker and builder have no idea what "or fabric drivers only" means. 

[Tagged]

21 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

The new R1 was produced for the road in 1998 to complete with other supersport bikes.

I'm only an old biker and builder have no idea what "or fabric drivers only" means. 

I ment the one who broke the lap record and still standing. Was that a original massproduced R1?? Sounds better? Struggling with finding the right words

[KhunBENQ]

I have exactly zero relation to big bikes.

So tell me whether this is ugly or not.

I need calibration ????

(self taken picture on Pattaya beach rd.).

 

Edited April 4, 2021 by KhunBENQ

[canthai55]

Why oh Why has the world developed this fascination with flat black ?

Looks FAT - that bike. Not svelte.

 

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, Randell said:

Thanks for the laugh and smile.   You Mentally Anguished Member  TR. I mean that I just about snorkeled my coffee. cheers Rand

 

 

It is a Sunday funday.  Relax and enjoy.  Sometimes we just get to wrapped up on our own little worlds. It is nice to bring a smile and a laugh to folks now and then 

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, KhunBENQ said:

I have exactly zero relation to big bikes.

So tell me whether this is ugly or not.

I need calibration ????

(self taken picture on Pattaya beach rd.).

 

The owner thinks it's the bollow, many people like that sort of bike but it's not for me,  nearest I got to that was a Versys 650.

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, Tagged said:

I ment the one who broke the lap record and still standing. Was that a original massproduced R1?? Sounds better? Struggling with finding the right words

Well it sounded like it and the speed was about right with a good profesional rider a production supersport bike will make very good lap times. 

As for the record I would say the record set by this R1 was probably tricked up a bit like my sons bike in UK has done to his 2018 R1.

Whether anyone else has tried since to break that lap record I  have no idea. 

[Tagged]

11 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Well it sounded like it and the speed was about right with a good profesional rider a production supersport bike will make very good lap times. 

As for the record I would say the record set by this R1 was probably tricked up a bit like my sons bike in UK has done to his 2018 R1.

Whether anyone else has tried since to break that lap record I  have no idea. 

Still 2012 is not that far behind when it comes to weight, engine performance, frame, suspension and also tires, so I guess with a racing R1 with the right driver, the perfect day would still manage to hold a lap record even for 9 years. 

[Tagged]

Cant complain much about the Yamaha FJR 1300 or KTM 1290, 

 

And some of the new EL bikes looks interesting to. 

[Kwasaki]

40 minutes ago, Tagged said:

Still 2012 is not that far behind when it comes to weight, engine performance, frame, suspension and also tires, so I guess with a racing R1 with the right driver, the perfect day would still manage to hold a lap record even for 9 years. 

Yes you are correct, later bikes are more sophisticated and may have more bhp but with the right rider and an old bike trick up, it can still hold it's own. 

My 1993 bike I have in Thailand is tricked a tiny bit but could still leave many modern bikes sold here for dead in acceleration.

That is not to say, that is everyones thing here with bike owners here in Thailand.  

[eisfeld]

2021 is the year of the ugly fronts of bikes. I am not sure what happened but maybe all manufacturers buy focus group reports from the same chinese market research company like BMW did to come up with farked up grills in their cars? Here's my top 3.5 bikes that got uglier:

 

1. Ducati Monster. Not about the front but the whole bike. Before brutal elegance now cheap generic plastic toy. It is the first bike from them that actually does not look like a Ducati to me. Could be a Benelli. Just wow.

 

2. BMW S1000R. Before a unique crazy Quasimodo look, now they repurposed the generic has-no-style headlight from the other R bikes.

 

3. MT-07 and MT-09. These two are gradually getting worse in terms of design since launch. Sad to see.

 

 

[JonnyF]

On 4/4/2021 at 5:55 PM, eisfeld said:

2021 is the year of the ugly fronts of bikes. I am not sure what happened but maybe all manufacturers buy focus group reports from the same chinese market research company like BMW did to come up with farked up grills in their cars? Here's my top 3.5 bikes that got uglier:

 

1. Ducati Monster. Not about the front but the whole bike. Before brutal elegance now cheap generic plastic toy. It is the first bike from them that actually does not look like a Ducati to me. Could be a Benelli. Just wow.

 

2. BMW S1000R. Before a unique crazy Quasimodo look, now they repurposed the generic has-no-style headlight from the other R bikes.

 

3. MT-07 and MT-09. These two are gradually getting worse in terms of design since launch. Sad to see.

 

 

 

I don't mind the new Monster, although it did look better with the trellis frame. I guess it's a case of function over form now with the massive weight loss that the new frame offers.

 

Yeah the new S1000r just looks pretty boring now which kind of matches the overall ride experience from many reports I've read.

 

I'd disagree on the MT09 though. I think it peaked at the second gen. I could be biased though...

 

 

[Tagged]

I think whats give the designers challenges, is all the tech you have now that come with the bikes, compare to before 15 years back and beyond. 

 

Today, its packed with all kinds of tech, and still have the same criteria for weight and HP. Easier to design a clean nice good looking bike before than now. 

 

As said before, my bike is a tool to make mee feel god, comfortable and in control while riding, not something I am going to sit down and admire the look of it. I just want to ride, and look out, not in

Edited April 6, 2021 by Tagged

[JonnyF]

1 hour ago, Tagged said:

I think whats give the designers challenges, is all the tech you have now that come with the bikes, compare to before 15 years back and beyond. 

 

Today, its packed with all kinds of tech, and still have the same criteria for weight and HP. Easier to design a clean nice good looking bike before than now. 

 

As said before, my bike is a tool to make mee feel god, comfortable and in control while riding, not something I am going to sit down and admire the look of it. I just want to ride, and look out, not in

Hmmm, not sure about that. Tech can be hidden fairly easily. Things like IMU's and ECU's are pretty small and don't need to stand out. Triumph have done a really good job of including decent electronics packages while retaining the aesthetic, especially on their retro range. The new Aprilia RS660 has a huge electronics suite, is light, meets Euro 5 and still looks awesome IMO.

 

For me the looks of a bike are important. It's part of the ownership experience. Good looks and function aren't mutually exclusive.

[papa al]

On 4/4/2021 at 2:55 PM, KhunBENQ said:

I have exactly zero relation to big bikes.

So tell me whether this is ugly or not.

I need calibration ????

(self taken picture on Pattaya beach rd.).

 

Short-time +;

looks fun.

[Kwasaki]

On 4/4/2021 at 4:23 PM, Tagged said:

Still 2012 is not that far behind when it comes to weight, engine performance, frame, suspension and also tires, so I guess with a racing R1 with the right driver, the perfect day would still manage to hold a lap record even for 9 years. 

I would agree doesn't matter how old the bike who's the rider makes a very big difference. 

I like my bike because it relates to what a bike engineer said about the RC30 in an old bike review years ago "  This bike is the perfect riders bike it doesn't have anything on it that it doesn't need. " 

Just like my bike. 

[Tagged]

4 hours ago, JonnyF said:

 

 

For me the looks of a bike are important. It's part of the ownership experience. Good looks and function aren't mutually exclusive.

I guess riders identity lays in the bike, the clothes or the uniform and who they like to be identified with, so yes for many it is important. I have always been thinking so many trying so hard to live up to an icon or a surten style no matter what it takes. But same goes for golfers, and other sports and hobbies. I am gladly paying more money for Dainese, than bying cheaper stuff, but I believe in their technology when it comes to safety, not because it looks good, but their safety standard and the fit apply to me. Same for my bikes, which I believe it is the best allrounders built today, and at a decent price as well. I have taken my bikes to its limits, or maybe better say my limit on dirt roads, gravel and to the track or the curvey mixed roads up north as south. Good travel machines. Bang for the buck. 

 

But do I think they look good? No, it is other bikes that looks better, but would not do the same job for the same price, nope  

Edited April 6, 2021 by Tagged

[JonnyF]

21 minutes ago, Tagged said:

I guess riders identity lays in the bike, the clothes or the uniform and who they like to be identified with, so yes for many it is important. I have always been thinking so many trying so hard to live up to an icon or a surten style no matter what it takes. But same goes for golfers, and other sports and hobbies. I am gladly paying more money for Dainese, than bying cheaper stuff, but I believe in their technology when it comes to safety, not because it looks good, but their safety standard and the fit apply to me. Same for my bikes, which I believe it is the best allrounders built today, and at a decent price as well. I have taken my bikes to its limits, or maybe better say my limit on dirt roads, gravel and to the track or the curvey mixed roads up north as south. Good travel machines. Bang for the buck. 

 

But do I think they look good? No, it is other bikes that looks better, but would not do the same job for the same price, nope  

 

For me it's nothing to do with identity. It's about having a bike that I can enjoy and is as pleasing on the eye as it is to ride.

 

Sometimes it's as simple as parking my car in the garage after a day at work and walking past it on the way to the front door and simply enjoying how it looks. There's nobody around to impress. It's just a simple appreciation of a beautiful motorcycle, nothing more nothing less. 

[alx123]

I guess this is the result of manufacturers trying to make changes on their models every year. 

 

They cannot just sell the same looking motorcycle every year, so even if there's nothing wrong with the current look they'll try to think of ways to make it different from the previous years models. They can just put the same engine from previous years. Changing the look is obviously more cheaper and easier to do than adding more tech or improving the engine specs. Eventually they ran out of good ideas and end up with a weird looking bike. 

[Tagged]

17 minutes ago, alx123 said:

I guess this is the result of manufacturers trying to make changes on their models every year. 

 

They cannot just sell the same looking motorcycle every year, so even if there's nothing wrong with the current look they'll try to think of ways to make it different from the previous years models. They can just put the same engine from previous years. Changing the look is obviously more cheaper and easier to do than adding more tech or improving the engine specs. Eventually they ran out of good ideas and end up with a weird looking bike. 

Now they have a good chance to reinvent the bikes, when the el tech styles takes off. 
 

I believe after 2000, there is minor changes you can do to an ordinary street legal bike in performance, unless you make them slightly off specs of what it could hve been, and make additional accessories to make the bike more personal og better spechs. Thats where the money is! 
 

Vut for the regular riders,  really do not need it for having a good time like me, I just like to turn the key, and ride. I can not be bothered to buy new exhoust, side panels etc etc. 

 

 If I want something nice and sexy to look at, there is women who do that job for me better than any bike ????

Edited April 7, 2021 by Tagged

[EVENKEEL]

1 hour ago, Tagged said:

Now they have a good chance to reinvent the bikes, when the el tech styles takes off. 
 

I believe after 2000, there is minor changes you can do to an ordinary street legal bike in performance, unless you make them slightly off specs of what it could hve been, and make additional accessories to make the bike more personal og better spechs. Thats where the money is! 
 

Vut for the regular riders,  really do not need it for having a good time like me, I just like to turn the key, and ride. I can not be bothered to buy new exhoust, side panels etc etc. 

 

 If I want something nice and sexy to look at, there is women who do that job for me better than any bike ????

It's pride of ownership, can't be taught.

[JonnyF]

2 hours ago, Tagged said:

If I want something nice and sexy to look at, there is women who do that job for me better than any bike ????

 

Again, not mutually exclusive. 

 

Just because you have a nice bike it doesn't mean you have to hang around with some old munter. Likewise, just because you have a hotazz chick it doesn't mean you have to ride a PCX.????

[SomchaiCNX]

On 3/31/2021 at 4:31 PM, Kwasaki said:

Some people like what you don't, I don't see what is wrong with that, it don't bother me.

Many buy a bike and change the front the back the sides whatever etc etc from OME I know I always have.

As I've said before the ugly exhaust is the first to go for me on many bikes I've had,  I think the only one I've like and kept was on my Versys 650.

The Versys is a more timeless model, it will still look good 10 years from now. I have a 2011 model and changed the sides and the front with the darker plastic from the other model of that year instead of the silver that was on mine (bordeaux).

[Deli]

Butt ugly many bikes became now, same with the cars

 

[davemos]

Nice dinosour pollution mc .

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, SomchaiCNX said:

The Versys is a more timeless model, it will still look good 10 years from now. I have a 2011 model and changed the sides and the front with the darker plastic from the other model of that year instead of the silver that was on mine (bordeaux).

Yeah a good bike I had Versys 650 2011 went all over Thailand with it in straight lines but some of the time we still went a lot of out of the way places you can't go in a car. 

I say in Thailand when your on the road with a bike your dancing with the Devil so I got what I was use to something lighter and more powerful. 

 

[mrfill]

I think I'll stick to my little red Honda....

56 years old and still can pull a crowd..

[BumGun]

Not liking new bikes ? That's what my dad said when I brought home my Dutacti 888 Sporstbike decades ago, too modern blah blah. 

 

 

My point ? you're getting old ????

 

Here's Dad and me on his bike ???? I am the little fella !

[Nanaplaza666]

On 3/30/2021 at 7:00 PM, Damrongsak said:

Why not treat yourself and get a 2016 RC213V-S?   Only about $184,000. (plus a bit more for the performance kit)?

Thats almost 6 milj baht , i can think of a few bikes that i can buy for that amount of money . Look at the new off road harley . And a kawasaki ninja Hr2 and then some . Just saying .