Author Topic: 20 words or less.  (Read 13907 times)

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Chuck D

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Reply #15 on: December 10, 2009, 02:56:24 am
Very very few.
I do like the MV Agusta F4 312RR quite a bit, because it is exotic and fast, and it gets the styling right in a modern way, without looking like a Klingon Bird of Prey starship.
The MV Agusta Brutale gets the Streetfighter styling done the best too.
I'm a fan of Tamburini.

The Ducati 1198 is pretty good too, but not as good as the MV.

The latest Triumph retro Bonnevilles have totally lost their way, and if I wanted one of those, I'd buy one from about 4 or 5 years ago, when they still sort of looked good and had wire wheels and didn't have the "swirly" chopper brake disc that looks like it came from JC Whitney's close-out parts bin for Harleys. I think Bloor is on drugs.
The best Triumph nowadays is the 675 Daytona triple, but it looks rather Japanese to me.

Don't like any bikes from Japan, and never have. Japan can't style their way out of a paper bag. It's embarrassing.

You couldn't pay me to buy anything from BMW.
Aprilia, too heavy and bulky.
KTM, too off-roady.
Don't like hyper-retards, super-retards, or any of those crossover bikes that can't make up their minds.
Moto Guzzi is perpetually halfway-there, and always not quite making the grade. It's so simple, yet it eludes them every year.
Harley can't even make a Harley anymore. I'm not sure what they are making now, but they ain't Harleys.

For the money involved, and the fact that virtually all new bikes come tied by the umbilical to expensive dealer servicing forever, I can't see any sense in buying any of them.
For similar money, you could have a really nice condition vintage bike, that's actually a real bike, instead of an LSD-induced styling exercise in plastic.
It amazes me that all these "motorcycle manufacturers" can take perfectly good plastic and and turn it into shit.

I'm not too picky, really. :D
Hilarious response,Ace. Right with you on most of it, though there is a BMW I like. (F650GS). I'm also attrected to Triumph's Daytona derived Street Triple. Taking the knock against modern machinery as a given, these, and a few others, seem restrained (in the case of the BMW) and exciting, without being over the top. Also nimble and great handling; I've tried 'em both.
  With that criteria..probably only the Guzzi Cali Classic.  Everything else is a little to cookie cutter.  Neo-Indian rebake way to expensive.  Victory lost it with to much Ness-ness.  Possibly the new Norton..not really sold however.  Will.
Agreed on the Cali Classic. One of the best looking cruisers out there, in my opinion.
Ace "Fireball"#10 (Beefy the Bullet to her friends.)
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2017 Triumph T120


Chuck D

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Reply #16 on: December 10, 2009, 03:06:06 am
Now if I can just figure out how this damn insert quote thing works.
Ace "Fireball"#10 (Beefy the Bullet to her friends.)
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scoTTy

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Reply #17 on: December 10, 2009, 03:08:17 am
well that's 20 words or less


ace.cafe

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Reply #18 on: December 10, 2009, 03:13:14 am
well that's 20 words or less

Well, my first post was 20 words or less. ;D

Then I got asked to go again, and you know that I have a hard time stopping before I write a whole page!
 :D
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jdrouin

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Reply #19 on: December 10, 2009, 03:22:11 am
I can't explain why, because this bike goes against most of what I like in motorcycles, but there's a soft spot in my heart for the Suzuki V-STROM 650. Maybe it's so ugly that I just feel bad for it.

If I were on the market for an all-weather riding appliance, the V-STROM would be it. Very roomy and a natural fit for my size, and eminently customizable with fog lights, panniers and other accessories.

I really love the Harley Sportster 883c but it's just too cramped. Never ridden one, but just sitting on it I could tell I'd be dying to get off after half an hour.

Jeff


Chuck D

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Reply #20 on: December 10, 2009, 03:23:21 am
Well, my first post was 20 words or less. ;D

Then I got asked to go again, and you know that I have a hard time stopping before I write a whole page!
 :D
And that's why we love you.
Ace "Fireball"#10 (Beefy the Bullet to her friends.)
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2017 Triumph T120


Chuck D

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Reply #21 on: December 10, 2009, 03:26:48 am
I can't explain why, because this bike goes against most of what I like in motorcycles, but there's a soft spot in my heart for the Suzuki V-STROM 650. Maybe it's so ugly that I just feel bad for it.

If I were on the market for an all-weather riding appliance, the V-STROM would be it. Very roomy and a natural fit for my size, and eminently customizable with fog lights, panniers and other accessories.

I really love the Harley Sportster 883c but it's just too cramped. Never ridden one, but just sitting on it I could tell I'd be dying to get off after half an hour.

Jeff
JEFF!!, Where you been hidin' buddy?
Ace "Fireball"#10 (Beefy the Bullet to her friends.)
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jdrouin

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Reply #22 on: December 10, 2009, 03:45:00 am
JEFF!!, Where you been hidin' buddy?

Sorry man. This fall has been insane and I've basically gone underground. I'm just now finishing my dissertation (defense 1/25/10) and my wife gave birth unexpectedly five days ago. Everyone's doing great, and I should be able to climb out from under my rock in a couple weeks.

I'll give you a call tomorrow.

Jeff


scoTTy

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Reply #23 on: December 10, 2009, 03:49:42 am
say hey ok


t120rbullet

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Reply #24 on: December 10, 2009, 04:01:53 am

Then I got asked to go again, and you know that I have a hard time stopping before I write a whole page!
 

You can't put a limit on creative genius.
CJ
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rideOn

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Reply #25 on: December 10, 2009, 04:06:41 am
concours 14-just can't afford right now
'82 gs850gl
'08 v-star 650 classic


single

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Reply #26 on: December 10, 2009, 05:13:15 am
I don't like nuthin'


Ice

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Reply #27 on: December 10, 2009, 07:10:39 am
Are there any current model bikes you guys DO like?

Any and all Royal Enfields followed by
Triumph, Ducati, 'Guzzi, Ural, some trail bikes.
No matter where you go, there, you are.


ace.cafe

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Reply #28 on: December 10, 2009, 02:16:06 pm
To my mind, the world bike market shakes out alot like the world car market.

If you want the best style, you buy Italian. Nobody can style like the Italians. They are in a class by themselves.

If you want iconic American, you have to buy American. American Iron is unique, and you can't get it anywhere else. I think all the other countries are still trying to figure out why anyone would want American Iron. They just don't understand it. It's a cultural thing.

If you want appliance-like reliability, you buy Japanese. Runs like a watch for years, hitting 15000 rpm every day, without ever looking at it. Provides good performance and value. Completely soul-less. Planned obsolescence. Landfill waiting to happen. Motor vehicle equivalent of a disposable razor. It works, you throw it away when done, and you never miss it.

Overcomplicated expensive engineering, then buy German. Only the Germans can figure out how to use 25 high-pressure-cast parts to accomplish a task that the Japanese can do with 2 stamped parts, and the British and Americans didn't even do at all.

And for the most visceral road feel, and human connection to the machine, buy British.
The Germans, Italians, Americans, and Japanese still haven't figured out what "road feel" is, and they don't even understand that there is an ethereal  "man-machine" connection. Unfortunately, neither did 99% of the Brit bike customers, so they went belly up at the first sign of competition from Japan.

But now, they are all blending together, because none of these countries actually make vehicles anymore.
Nope.
The EPA decides what they should build, and they conform to it.
Hopefully, it still has wheels when they're done.
They are all so ugly that they have to cover up as much as they can with bodywork, which is also ugly(even some ugly ones from Italy!). I mean, how do you make a smokestack-scrubber look good?
It's all industrial air compressor technology now, covered in pollution controlling hardware, tubes,  hoses, wires, and devices that go "click".
People have told me that there's a motorcycle under there somewhere.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2009, 02:35:02 pm by ace.cafe »
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rideOn

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Reply #29 on: December 10, 2009, 03:45:03 pm
If you want iconic American, you have to buy American. American Iron is unique, and you can't get it anywhere else. I think all the other countries are still trying to figure out why anyone would want American Iron. They just don't understand it. It's a cultural thing.

If you want appliance-like reliability, you buy Japanese. Runs like a watch for years, hitting 15000 rpm every day, without ever looking at it. Provides good performance and value. Completely soul-less. Planned obsolescence. Landfill waiting to happen. Motor vehicle equivalent of a disposable razor.
well now ace, i probably like japanese a little more than you. having worked on japanese electro-mech equipment for 7 years i grew to appreciate the dependability and 'technician' friendliness of it. I have a 30 yr old japanese bike that i would ride just about anywhere anytime. because i can count on it, my soul transfers into the otherwise void bike because there are no performance and handling worries.

most people want dependabilty, that's probably why companies go there.

on the other hand, i like some things in other areas where people stay mainstream. i piddle with vacuum tube audio equipment while most like ic components. i'm into swapping out yugoslavian, russian, american, british and chinese tubes to get various characteristics on a vocalist, etc. you like taking apart and re-assembling bikes in the same manner. because of you, i'm starting to dig it, also.
'82 gs850gl
'08 v-star 650 classic