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To beak or not to beak .....


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Ha!

I know, I know.   I fully expected some flack from the Anti-beakers but hey, sometimes you just gotta flirt with the wild side, live dangerously and say...

Matt Leblanc Whatever GIF

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On 12/30/2022 at 9:23 AM, 2and3cylinders said:

Succumbing to the Beak Side.  It just shows even the near strongest can fall.

Am I the only one left?


No, you are not.  IMO, beaks on a street bike like the Tracer are just goofy-looking, but to each his own. I have even stopped tormenting people about it - if it works for you, have at it, I say. 

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It's funny how we attach crash bars, after market levers, trim, bling and all manner of 'stuff' to our bikes and yet it's the dreaded beak that divides the ranks so strongly in opinions.

We all have gone through changing bits and pieces on our machines, paint colours and what not and it hardly raises an eyebrow.

The beak however - it's the devil in disguise and must be excised!  I'm thinking it may be top-boxes that run a distant second in divided beliefs to this perceived abomination?

Like all of the bits we attach, it's not as though it's like a heart transplant - once it's done there's no going back and you're stuck with it!

What do they say about opinions?  Like bum-holes everyone's got one and most importantly- and should never to be forgotten - is that one bum-hole is no more special or indeed attractive than the next. 😉

Happy New Year  😁😁 👍

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18 minutes ago, dazzler24 said:

IWe all have gone through changing bits and pieces on our machines, paint colours and what not and it hardly raises an eyebrow.

The beak however - it's the devil in disguise and must be excised!  I'm thinking it may be top-boxes that run a distant second in divided beliefs to this perceived abomination?

Agree, the top box is a close 2nd and in third place, for me its the 'barn door' mega screen.  🤮

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***2015 Candy Red FJ-09***

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On 1/1/2023 at 1:53 PM, betoney said:

Agree, the top box is a close 2nd and in third place, for me its the 'barn door' mega screen.  🤮

Ah yes, of course, I'd forgotten about that one.  Maybe we need to run a poll - "The most despised add-ons"

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When it comes to comparing beekz to top cases and/or large screens, you're talking apples and oranges.

It is very hard to claim for our make and model that a beak is anything other than an aesthetic item, in that it provides no appreciable performance enhancement, and actually may produce aero drag and front end lift.

However, a top case, side cases and a tall screen are totally functional items, albeit they can also increase drag and instability but no one adds them for their good looks.

I think I can honestly say that I have not added, replaced and/or removed any item on any of my bikes that was not intended to improve performance, comfort and/or safety (including conspicuity); items I do not consider true "farkles"; "The word is generally accepted to mean a combination of "function" and "sparkle", hence, farkle.".

OK, I admit my last replacement chain did not need to have red links but I consider gold links functional because they better show dirt and grime to know when a cleaning is needed over standard mill finish.

I dare someone to argue to the contrary!  😡

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14 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

When it comes to comparing beekz to top cases and/or large screens, you're talking apples and oranges.

It is very hard to claim for our make and model that a beak is anything other than an aesthetic item, in that it provides no appreciable performance enhancement, and actually may produce aero drag and front end lift.

However, a top case, side cases and a tall screen are totally functional items, albeit they can also increase drag and instability but no one adds them for their good looks.

I think I can honestly say that I have not added, replaced and/or removed any item on any of my bikes that was not intended to improve performance, comfort and/or safety (including conspicuity); items I do not consider true "farkles"; "The word is generally accepted to mean a combination of "function" and "sparkle", hence, farkle.".

OK, I admit my last replacement chain did not need to have red links but I consider gold links functional because they better show dirt and grime to know when a cleaning is needed over standard mill finish.

I dare someone to argue to the contrary!  😡

Whoo hoo!  Did someone slip some cranky pills into your meds 2&3? 🤣

Totally agree with you that the dreaded beak is  just an aesthetic item - 100%.  Didn't think that anyone was making an argument to suggest it wasn't actually??

Alright, I'll rise to your angry emoji face dare - e.g. what were those crazy Japanese designers/engineers of our well designed function over form bikes thinking when they put those fully working air intakes onto the side of our fuel tanks??!!  Not to mention that pure carbon fibre in those side panels!

Surely it couldn't have been just for - gasp - looks?  The horror!  Oh the humanity! 😉

.... sorry 2&3, you hung that chain out and I couldn't resist yanking on it. ☮️

P.S.  I went for a group ride yesterday and parked my newly beaked bike next to a BMW GSA with an extraordinarily long beak (now that is a beak!) - think they might have fallen in love. 💖 🤣

image.thumb.png.4599b4fcfb178fdea603fb77d689df40.png

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1st of all, I yanked your chain 1st.

I've said before I'm not enamored with our bikes lack of functional style (i.e., the fake air intakes), poor aerodynamics, tank collar plastic and more.

But it's performance won me over, forcing me to improve it.

Got ya!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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56 minutes ago, 2and3cylinders said:

1st of all, I yanked your chain 1st.

I've said before I'm not enamored with our bikes lack of functional style (i.e., the fake air intakes), poor aerodynamics, tank collar plastic and more.

But it's performance won me over, forcing me to improve it.

Got ya!

Ha!  I did re-read your post before posting mine - purposefully looking for the well known and classic 2&3 underlying gotchas.  Apparently I chose to not see it as I was too keen to reply with the chuckle response. 

Suffice to say, I think that we can both enjoy a good humoured international pulling.   Chain that is 😉

Cheers 👍

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