2005 IMS in Seattle - pics.

[Roadstergal]

The only GS pic, to get that out of the way.  It's the blue one.  I'm starting to wonder if the black/white one even exists. :p  Chase said they have one up at Everett, where he's now working, and that they'd uncrate it this week.




The new GSX-R 600s.  Lower than the old ones, fer sure.  I can get a toe down.  This seems to be the year for Suzuki to bust out with the whites - a white Burger 650, Hayabusa, GS (so they say), and GSX-R 600.  The white 600 is really lovely.








And while we're on white, the white 'Busa.




And the white Burger.  And the grey Exec.






The red on the 750 is the. prettiest. red. ever.




Suzuki has entered the Eyesore Cruiser market.






I don't know WTH this is.






I did get a chance to check out the Ninja 650R in person.  You know, it's really nice.  Good build quality, light, nice colors, standard seating position.  If it were competing with the GS500, it'd be the winner.  But it's a grand more, and it'll be a hard sell against the SV650.










I'm not a big fan of flames, but Kawasaki does do it well.






And blues - another thing I'm not a fan of.  But this blue is appealing.




On to Yamaha.  The R6 has gone with the wasp-waist styling that the GSX-Rs have gone to, but it hasn't gotten shorter.  I can't get a foot down.








The rest.  Including an interesting... scooter... thing.  Kinda Helix-banana-slug in styling.








Honda.  The Hornet now has a cute bikini fairing.  That's about all I took.








BMW.  No F800s in sight.  Got $20K for a dualsport, though, and they'll hook you up.








Ah, but the Aprilia/Moto Guzzi side was where to go for the dualsport.  A 450cc fuel-injected twin with lovely, lovely styling, available in both dualsport and motard trim.










Tuono.




Breva 1100.








Piaggo X9.




Harleys that can turn better.









Ulysses.  Interesting to combine the fork gaiters and headlight guards with tires and ground clearance that aren't amenable to offroad.




I like this one.




Victory.






Ducatis.  Smart and Not So Smart.  I think the guy behind the latter is lost.










Nice BiMota.




Brutale.  It felt bigger and heavier than I expected.




Husqvarna.  I'd need a ladder for any of their bikes.




I just love the looks of the Urals.  Very classy.






Classics.










Race - for under $1500.  I'm impressed!




I was the only bike outside when I went in, and it was still a pretty sparse showing when I left.  Oh well.

[ajgs500]

Boy those bikes are really shiny.  Great pics!!!  Best preview I have seen yet!!  

[Roadstergal]

[ajgs500]

[RedShift]

Lovely pics.  Thanks for the preview -- the Detroit IMS is a month away (Jan 6-8).  Love the white Suzuki's -- not as fast as Yellow, but quite appealing.  (Probably poor at hiding road stains though.)

One question, does BMW make a good looking bike anymore?  Perhaps personal taste, but all the Beemers you show are ug-lee.

Great photography -- all the right stuff is in focus.  Appreciate the time you took to take and post'em all.  

[Alphamazing]

You went crazy with the blur tool. Did you go and outline EVERY one of those pictures?

I really liked the white 'Busa. Didn't bother sitting on it, but it looks high class in the white paint job.

That green thing with the blue anodized everything was a Kawasaki Drifter, IIRC. It had a 180 front tire. Yeah. A 180.

The Ninja 650 wasn't all that bad, but there were some minor details that I think will actually keep it from beating out the SV650; both styling and engineering.

Honda didn't offer up much this year.

Overall, I would say the show was only so-so. Not much of a turnout in both the vendor and manufacturer categories. No KTM, only 5 Triumphs, and a limited number of Ducs.

[Roadstergal]

I got a complimentary pass from a parts dealer; I dunno if I would have shelled out $12 for it.

A bike show is really bad for pics - in addition to the horrible flourescent lighting, there is tons of crap in the background of every picture that make it terribly messy.  Hence, blur.

I like the direction of BMW's styling, myself, but that's just me.

Ja, Honda had little reason to be there that I saw.  Maybe there was something momentous in Honda cruisers or ATVs that I missed.

[syphon]

I really liked Kawasaki's new lineup. I never bought a Ninjette (ninja250), instead opting for the gs-500 as my first bike, but that new blue one looked BEAUTIFUL.

I, too, took a bunch of boring pictures of bikes everyone has seen before. I almost bought some gear, but I thought to myself "even after this 15% discount, I bet I can still get these pants cheaper off the internet" and I was right

[skoozi12]

Nice Pics buddy!  Too bad the boys are bums.:lol:

I'm really curious to see that ninja 650 in person.  It sounds like a solid bike but I think the SV is too established to fall to a kawi!

[Jazzzzz]

Trying to post comments in the same order as the pics:

The headlights on the new GSX-Rs are incredibly ugly.

Those Suzuki cruisers would be pretty hot in a different paint scheme, like, I dunno, NOT YELLOW AND PURPLE.  God those colors were awful.

I really dig the 636, it's beautimous.  I'd still rather have a Daytona 675 though, too bad you didn't get any Triumph pics.

The R1200ST looks pretty nice - I'd rather not have the boxer engine on a sport tourer though, I can just see the dollar signs to replace a cylinder head on a lowside.

The K1200R is almost ugly enough to be back over to sexy.  If they did something with the headlight I think they'd have it.

The fairing on the Tuono looks like something out of a bad streetfigher catalog.  I like the rest of the bike, though.  Also, is it just me, or is there something strange about the phrase "the new Aprilia Supermotard"?

The Buellyses has gotten pretty damned good reviews from the adventure touring folks, with the caveat that its 35.5" seat height is frigging insane.  I'd rather have a Firebolt if I was going for a Buell, but that's just me.  I'm happy to see Buell's quality improving, maybe one day they'll sell enough that HD will let them design their own motors from the ground up.

I almost bought some gear, but I thought to myself "even after this 15% discount, I bet I can still get these pants cheaper off the internet" and I was right

99% of dealers charge MSRP for anything they stock, you can always beat their prices on the 'net.

[pandy]

Nice pics!!!!

Where's the drool emoticon?  

[Roadstergal]

Triumph didn't have a presence there this year.  Go figger.

[callmelenny]

Triumph didn't have a presence there this year.  Go figger.

I heard on another site that Triumph was doing "dealer days" in many cities to coincide with the IMS. I guess trying to get some of the hype without paying for floor space. :dunno:

[The Buddha]

OK ... so you bought all of them didn't ya ... Yea that is our R'gal ...  :lol:  Dealers licking their lips when they see her ... and not for the most obvious reason ...  :lol:
Cool.
Srinath.

[davipu]

i wasn't personaly invited.    and Ryan siad he was going snow boarding...

[diamond_lady]

the gsx-r 750 in red and black is the most beautiful bike of the year, in my opinion. Wonderful. I saw it at the show here in Italy, I fell in love  
But the white onw is good too.

I have a different opinion on the new kawasaki (the "ninja 600".... here it has a different name, sorry!)... a friend of mine bought it and we went on a ride two weeks ago.  If you look at her really closely you notice that is 'cheap'.... it doesn't have that solid and massive look a SV 650 has. Very light plastics and, in my opinion, cheap components. Oh and my friend fell down, he was going very slowly, and strange thing is that a lot of parts bent... parts that shouldn't bend if you just drop the bike when you're barely moving.
If I had to buy a new bike I'd rather but the kawasaki Z750, or the excellent SV.
:dunno:

Oh, WONDERFUL pics Roadstergal!  

[RVertigo]

Hmm...  Either RG skiped most of the good bikes or I'm glad I didn't go. :dunno:

I didn't know you had a FREE pass...    

[aevans17]

The Snow was great this weekend up at Stevens. Just thought I'd throw that in since I didn't make it to the show. Thanks for the pictures Roadstergal and saving me $12.

[Alphamazing]

http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22358

The Houston show, in case someone wants to see even MORE pictures. Not as nice as RGs, I know, but I took a lot, too

[aaronstj]

The Snow was great this weekend up at Stevens. Just thought I'd throw that in since I didn't make it to the show. Thanks for the pictures Roadstergal and saving me $12.

Just a little icy in places.  I don't like ice.