Nice little bikes those Bandits. Lots where I live -- mainly 400 cc's, since that is the minimum size permitted to ride our motorways. A naked bike is so much better, you can see all the bits that make it go, not to mention get at them as required with relative ease. Take the plastic off a faired machine and you've got a lot of plain boring industrial looking stuff under there.
Ah, the "grin factor". I freely admit I can't walk past either of our Harleys without giving each an affectionate pat on the rump. And then when you get wherever you're going and park 'em up I defy myself not to glance back over my shoulder for another look. After a long ride Growlette laughs at me as I park myself on my plastic stool with a stubbie in hand and just listen to the metal ticking as it cools down.
Something about an HD is timeless. The look, the feel, sometimes docile, sometimes cantankerous. Like a horse or a good woman, it needs a firm hand. I can recognise that exhaust note whenever I hear it above anything else.
Zen or what?
(recedes to gazebo, beer in hand to continue writing poetry and finish that crochet work....)
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"(recedes to gazebo, beer in hand to continue writing poetry and finish that crochet work....)" Goodness, Growler, you'll be plaiting your beard next!
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Roger. (Costa del Sol, España)
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Purely on looks, Moto Guzzi's do it for me every time. Beautifuly elegant styling with those brutal looking cylinders sticking out in front of your shins. The original Le Mans was the first bike that got the phrase "It looks like it's doing 100mph when it's standing still".
A friend has owned several Guzzi's, including a Le Mans. On the strenght of the electrics alone, however I have never been tempted. Not quite on a par with those in a £2.99 digital watch, though I believe Aprillia who now own Guzzi are getting that sorted.
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I would have to agree with the above, nice looking bike.Nevr ever thoght of buying a BMW, however i think that the R1100S in standard trim( not boxer cup)is one of the nicest looking bikes around.
Then again the VFR 800 ( Non VTEC)and its Triumph competitor Sprint ST have both been ruined by their respective replacements.Why Triumph elected to put triple pipes under the seat god only knows but i think it looks absolutely horrific.
As for the Vtec VFR, whilst Honda sharpened up the bodywork it somehow just doesn't do it for me.
Italian exotica are just that exotica, not realy designed for 25 mile commutes 5 days a week so i don,t bother looking at them.
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A friend has owned several Guzzi's, including a Le Mans. Onthe strenght of the electrics alone, however I have never been tempted.
Nowt wrong with the electrics that can't easily be sorted! A 45ah car battery (yes, they fit) sorts out the starting. Junk the monopoly house switchgear and fit some second-hand Japanese stuff for about a tenner.(But re-wire the horns through relays or they'll burn out the switch!) Alternator and starter are heavy duty. Have had no electrical problems with my T3 since 1985!
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My biking career is only a couple of years old and my naked Bandit 600 still makes me smile every time I edge past it in my congested garage. I grin foolishly whenever I go out on it, although the chicken strips on the new Dunlops are still pristine. Styling? Still looks good to me. Could do with a few more horsepower for slick overtaking 2-up. One step at a time ... Hawkeye
The 600 bandit looks good, i.e in red with red painted tubular frame, also the engine is attractive in a retro finned sort of way however Yamaha Fazer and Honda Hornet 600's are a lot more punchy.
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For real style, a Dutch firm have brought out a prototype which they are hoping to put into production. Called the Star Twin it uses a 1200cc three cylinder diesel engine from a VW Lupo. It displaces 144lb.ft of torque and is claimed to do 112mpg. As it weights only 205kg the acceleration should be interesting, if you can keep the front wheel out of the clouds, that is. The makers claim you can pull away in top gear at tickover.
It actually looks the business and uses high tech cycle parts, unlike previous attempts at diesel bikes which have tended to look like two wheel Bedfords.
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Sorry, Growler, but I've never been partial to Harleys. Jaguars, yes, so I do like some old things. My motorcycling teeth were cut from the early seventies on, with things like the Kawasaki H2 (750cc triple two-stroke), 900 Z1, Suzuki GS1000 etc. So when it came to get back into biking about 1994, I went for what was coming into fashion, just as I was giving up riding, the Suzuki Katana. It was the first Japanese bike to have clip-on handlebars and rear-set footpegs, integrated body styling, and fairings. It has striking style (some say weird) and went rather fast and handled (for its day) very well. Of course nowadays even commuter bikes have better tyres and brakes and more power. The originals were made from 1981 to 1984, but for Japan, Suzuki made replicas from 1987 right through to 2000, and they all sold like hot cakes. It was made from 250cc through to 1100cc so it must have had an appeal to a wide range of riders. We Katana riders aren't as numerous as those on Harleys, but we're just as passionate about our kind of bikes.
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Hi Pete,
I remember the original Katanas being launched, they had futuristic styling though I guess I was one of those that thought they were a bit weird. Around then a mate bought a brand new GS550, approx 1981, I had a Yamaha RD250 at the time (last of the aircooled ones) the finish on the Suzuki was very poor in comparison, the paint was thin and the chrome pitted easily. Although clearly Suzuki have made some good bikes, I have since always rated them behind Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha in the quality stakes. First impressions I suppose.
Regards.
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I prefer the mad professor look- that's why I ride a basic
BMW R1150R.They certianly are different to a real purpose. Styling on Japanese bikes just seems to be a matter of varying the colour schemes.
Any Harley, Guzzi, semi naked Ducati or a classic bike turns my head- but a UJM - no thanks.
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I wasna fu but just had plenty.
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There are many reasons why I chose my naked Hornet 600, but drop dead gorgeous styling was very high up the list. (Okay, a bike to suit a 28" inside leg was reasonably high up the list, too!)
Back to the styling: It is unique. Next time you walk past a first generation Hornet 600 at rest on its side stand, pause for a moment near the right hand rear indicator, and look down the righthand flank. Absolutely wonderful how the compound curves on the fuel tank fold in to an engine devoid of all visible support, which in turn gives way to an exposed and oversized rear wheel devoid of all exhaust clutter. Viewed from above, the pronounced hourglass figure is terrific and perfectly balanced. When I purchased mine nearly seven years ago, I reckoned that this was a Japanese design that wouldn't age prematurely, and that is exactly how it's turned out.
Those seven years on, I still pause to look every time I walk past it in the garage, and turn round to look when I walk away from it when out and about. To me, and we're all entitled to our opinions, the cleanest looking Japanese road bike ever styled, and right up there with some of the Italian creations too. (It might well have been styled in Italy for all I know, especially as it is now manufactured there!)
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There are many reasons why I chose my naked Hornet 600, but drop dead gorgeous styling was very high up the list.
Hi, I kind of agree re the Hornet styling, afaik it has not changed since launch but for a few different colour options, for '05 they have replaced last year's metalic white with silver in which it looks great.
I have been thinking of getting a more sensible bike, that would be practical to commute on a couple of days a week (though still fun), to replace my rather radical ZX7R, currently the Hornet is top of the list along with the FZ6.
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Good taste, Cheddar!
There have been some tweaks, though.
In 2000 the tank changed shape slightly to accommodate more fuel, losing some of the purity of design I love in the process, and not really gaining any useful mileage increase.
As we 'speak' a new version is going on sale that as well as gaining a burnt orange colour scheme (which I like), new clocks, and a 'slash cut' (parallel with the bike's rear end) exhaust tailpipe, also gets USD forks. I'm sure they work well, but for me they make the front look 'heavy'.
I'll stick with my 1998 model that has never, ever, missed a beat in all those years, still entertains with beauty, handling, and good looks, and even tours happily with Ventura rack system and missus on the back.
I hope you are happy with whatever you choose.
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still entertains with beauty, handling, and good looks
Aargh!
CONCENTRATE SjB!
I meant to say beauty, handling, and ample performance !
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Good taste, Cheddar! >> As we 'speak' a new version is going on sale that as well as gaining a burnt orange colour scheme (which I like), new clocks, and a 'slash cut' (parallel with the bike's rear end) exhaust tailpipe, also gets USD forks. I'm sure they work well, but for me they make the front look 'heavy'.
Hi, Where have you seen the new model, as far as i can see the '05 model is as per '04 but for the colour?
Regards.
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For real style, a Dutch firm have brought out a prototype which they are hoping to put into production. Called the Star Twin it uses a 1200cc three cylinder diesel engine from a VW Lupo. It displaces 144lb.ft of torque and is claimed to do 112mpg. As it weights only 205kg the acceleration should be interesting, if you can keep the front wheel out of the clouds, that is. The makers claim you can pull away in top gear at tickover. It actually looks the business and uses high tech cycle parts, unlike previous attempts at diesel bikes which have tended to look like two wheel Bedfords.
Indeed they have.
I was reading about this the other day.
Their website is in Dutch, but as ever a picture's worth a thousand words, so open www.startwin.com/pages/start.htm and then scroll down to find the diesel engined bike.
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I think the 1098 Ducati has lost the way. Jap bikes are now just as good looking at Italian ones.
Hey, you should check out the new Ducati 848 on www.visordown.com/motorcyclenews/ now that is nice..
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I think the 1098 Ducati has lost the way. Jap bikes are now just as good looking at Italian ones.
Heh?
I spent half an hour adoring this object of red beauty in On Yer Bike a couple of weeks ago.
That the fairing was formed from Yamaha styling cues is irrelevant as the whole bike just seems so "right".
Even better than the 996, and light years ahead of the styling mistakes that followed.
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I spent half an hour adoring this object of red beauty
Me too.
as the whole bike just seems so "right".
Agree completely. Bike had a good article last month with views from all angles and I couldn't find anything to dislike at all. Just enough of the 916 / 996 to see the family resemblance, but definitely adds its own special "something". I love the view from the right rear quarter. Lithe and sexy with curves in all the right places. Just like a Ducati sportsbike should be.
Cheers
DP
PS - The 999 used to bring me out in hives just looking at it. I thought it was hideous.
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