New BMWs, OMG!

[daboo]

A rider baked his riding boots on his R1200RS.  If that happened with a much smaller engine, I wonder how bad the heat is with a car engine on the bike?

Chris

[PhotoAl]

Have not ridden an R18 but did ride a Ducati Diavel.  At the time my bike was a CBR600RR - now that was a big difference!  Made a left out of the dealership and almost crashed - it kept going straight until I remembered that I had to actually steer the thing!  I sat on an R18 the other day expecting it to be a heavy bike but light to move off of the kick stand - NO!!!  It was a heavy beast, made the S1000RR next to it seem like childs play to sit on and move side to side.  Rode an Indian FTR a few months back - it was the total opposite fun and very light feeling.  If I were to buy one of those bikes it would be the FTR, wouldn't even have to think about it for a second!  AS a British gentleman who used to work for BSA and raced desert sleds said of a particularly heavy bike:  "it's a club bike, if you drop it you need the whole club to pick it up".

When I go and look around the dealership I leave still very happy with my Tracer GT and a smile on my face.  Got in a nice ride today, such a sweet.  I've got the suspension and the tires where they work for me, probably a bit too much dive under heavy braking but love the Tracer GT.  It combines the best of several of my previous bikes without the bad parts.  

Edited February 23, 2021 by PhotoAl

[Wintersdark]

The FTR's are sexy beasts indeed.  Really nice looking bikes; IMHO the best looking American made bikes period. 

 

[PhotoAl]

Guess I'm getting old but seems like there are fewer vehicles that are nicely styled today.  Manufactures have no end of marketing and styling folks but there seems to be a lack of originality.  I will have to say the R18 is original and and different but IMO doesn't work.  One of my favorite bikes from a stying perspective was my 2012 Honda CBR600RR, not too angular and bug looking.  I'm happy with the Tracer GT styling but it is not great in my eyes.  I feel the same way about most cars trucks and SUVs on the road.  Some nice cars in the above $100k area like the new Corvette.  But in the less expensive vehicles not so much.  The new Elantra is really good looking so it can be done.  

[keithu]

On 3/6/2021 at 8:56 AM, PhotoAl said:

Guess I'm getting old but seems like there are fewer vehicles that are nicely styled today.  Manufactures have no end of marketing and styling folks but there seems to be a lack of originality.  I will have to say the R18 is original and and different but IMO doesn't work.  One of my favorite bikes from a stying perspective was my 2012 Honda CBR600RR, not too angular and bug looking.  I'm happy with the Tracer GT styling but it is not great in my eyes.  I feel the same way about most cars trucks and SUVs on the road.  Some nice cars in the above $100k area like the new Corvette.  But in the less expensive vehicles not so much.  The new Elantra is really good looking so it can be done.  

Hyundai hired Peter Schreyer away from VW-Audi to head their designs, and you can see his influence on Kia and some newer Hyundais. My wife has an Elantra GT (aka i30) and it is one of the few truly handsome compact cars available right now.  

I'm with you on modern bikes. With the exception of a couple MV Agustas and the Husky Vitpilen, not much on the market right now is what I'd consider beautiful. I certainly didn't buy my FJ-09 for its looks. I spend more time looking at the spec sheets of modern bikes than photos, which although logical is kind of a bummer.

[Salish900]

4 hours ago, keithu said:

I'm with you on modern bikes. With the exception of a couple MV Agustas and the Husky Vitpilen, not much on the market right now is what I'd consider beautiful.

I generally agree, and KTM drags the whole market down like a heavy anchor. The bike I lust over, as much purely for looks as for performance, is the Kawasaki ZX-14R. The lines and headlights and swoops...just kill me. The Busa is close, but the ZX wins it. Otherwise, no other Kawasaki compels me with looks. No Yamaha compels me with looks. The Moto Guzzi V85TT catches my eye, but no way. Who else has always lusted after one of those 12 cylinder Jaguars? But with the engine swapped out to something far better? 

[keithu]

59 minutes ago, Salish900 said:

KTM drags the whole market down like a heavy anchor.

That's a fact. Their engines and frames actually look pretty cool, IMO, but their bodywork and headlights... 🤮 

Quote

The bike I lust over, as much purely for looks as for performance, is the Kawasaki ZX-14R. The lines and headlights and swoops...just kill me. 

Huh. To me the ZX-14R looks like this:

I'm glad you like it though. 😁

[texscottyd]

6 hours ago, keithu said:

I'm with you on modern bikes.

I keep coming back to the new Triumph Speed Twin:   It obviously has the retro theme, but to me it has just the right mix of clearly modern styling touches.    By most accounts, it's a really nice bike to ride, too...  

 

[Wintersdark]

Yeah, the KTM headlights in particular are just freaky and weird, don't work for me even a little bit.  Some really cool bikes, and great to ride, but those headlights, wtf.  

I suppose they're trying to forge their own "distinct identity" or some such, but... No thank you.

I still really love the newer modern but inspired by retro look bikes (XSR, for example) but not so much the ones that try too hard to look really retro - see: The Suzi Katana.  I mean, it for sure does harken back to the Katana of old, but... Nah.   I much prefer the more modern looking takes on classics, than too slavish an adherence to an old look.

I dunno; I'm always in a bit of a quandry, because most new bikes seem to either be bikes I want to look at, OR bikes I want to actually ride daily, but not both.  A big part of this, I fear, is simply aging and knowing what I like in a bike I'm going to spend hours on every day, vs. what looks badass or is super fun to rip around for half an hour. 

The Tracer is that for me.  I absolutely love riding it, love the bike, but visuals?  Eh.  It's not ugly by any means, but it's not a head turner at all. 

[Wintersdark]

7 minutes ago, texscottyd said:

I keep coming back to the new Triumph Speed Twin:   It obviously has the retro theme, but to me it has just the right mix of clearly modern styling touches.    By most accounts, it's a really nice bike to ride, too...  

 

The big question: Why is the Speed Twin so sexy, but the Speed Triple so incredibly ugly?  Those weird bug-eye headlights.  

 

This look, though, is exactly what Triumph 100% nails.  

Edited March 8, 2021 by Wintersdark

[keithu]

14 minutes ago, texscottyd said:

I keep coming back to the new Triumph Speed Twin: 

Yeah, I like those too. But what does it say about modern design that most of the pretty bikes in today's showrooms are styled after something from yesteryear? 

[texscottyd]

56 minutes ago, keithu said:

But what does it say about modern design that most of the pretty bikes in today's showrooms are styled after something from yesteryear? 

Or, in the case of this BMW R18, a bike that is questionably styled after something from yesteryear.     

[keithu]

I have to admit that I don't hate the styling of the R18, I just wish it wasn't so damned long and low. A true standard-style motorcycle with classic BMW styling would be kinda cool, something reminiscent of the R69S. 

[texscottyd]

Valid point @keithu - I edited my comment to be a bit less aggressive towards the R18 styling.   

I met a guy on this beautiful R90 awhile back...  nice to see the vintage bike out being ridden.  

[micah2074]

I HATE the look of the flat BMW engines. It’s like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.