fairings vs naked look

[jserio]

i know this is a touchy subject for some of you here. some feel that naked bikes are better looking. some feel fairing covered bikes are better looking. now, i must say that the naked look doesn't appeal to me. it's odd really. when you see a cruiser, you expect to see the engine. but on sport type bikes, i just don't. my wife went so far as to say the naked look on sport bikes was ugly. i won't go that far with it. i just don't find it appealing. now, that being said, could i get some opinions as to why you may like the naked or the fairing version? which appeals to you and is there a particular reason for it?

[Zack]

I don't know about you guys, but I get compliments on my naked E all the time. I think there is something pure about a naked standard bike, it's not trying to be something it isn't. My personal preference has always been naked. I  like seeing the engine and the parts, ugly or not. Faired bikes are a dime a dozen and they scream for attention IMO. Too many R's slapped on a name = ugh  .

[Wrecent_Wryder]

[8

[manofthefield]

+1 to WW

Mostly personal preference, but I think there are some practicalities to being naked, like much easier access for maintenance and less to break/scuff in a fall.  Of course the fairings keep some wind off you, but as WW said, that could be a negative too.

Summary: Naked looks better IMO

[cosmiccharlie]

It depends on the bike for me.  The GS just looks better naked.  The SV looks better naked. 

GSXR's, CBR's, YZF's all look good with their fairing but they are a dime a dozen and all pretty much look the same.  Although I wouldn't mind having one I would but a Ducati 748 or 916 before any of them.   

[debtman7]

See, if you think the naked look on a sportbike is ugly, should be ok for the GS Seriously, no matter what those new 07's look like, it's not a sport bike... That's one of the reasons I bought on, I don't like sportbikes...

But if you think naked sportbikes are ugly...

[jserio]

i never said they were ugly. i said they really didn't appeal to me. my wife thinks they are ugly. mattor of opinion. nothing more. i posted thw question to get some feedback, other opinions.

[Bulwark]

I like the GSF much more than the E.  I find the E looks so tiny like a bike that a grocery store would sell.  I saw my first E model last month and was very glad that I had bought an F.

Now, I love the Kawa 1000R and the Ducati's naked.  They look mean.  They sound mean and well, they are mean. 

As I had stated I just find the naked GS looks so small and toy like.  I know alot say that more plastic doesnt make a bike look less of a toy but I think it does.  The GSX front end look is nice and most that see my F dont know that its a standard.  They assume its a crotch rocket but the E just looks like a toy to me.

Also I find it funny that alot of the people that shout the E looks better have put mini fairings on their bikes which to me is just a poor mans F.  Also alot on this sight have old GS's.

Well, thats my 2 cents

My two cents.

[Jay_wolf]

People with nakeds sometimes put on 1/4 fairing ,  a belly pan is just for looks , they look really good , and a flyscreen does its job ., plastics and bikes dont work well together . my stepdads had a GSXR1100 , Cbr Fireblade , and all of them have been streetfighters , i love the look , so mean and aggressive , and it takes away the *look* a bike has , i wouldnt have a F , looks like something its not , plastics might make it a tad more aerodynamic , i think we need to have 2 stock GS's . A E and a F, and a straight Road and see what happends ,

Summery: Nakeds Are The One!!

[debtman7]

I like bikini fairings or quarter fairings. I'd tolerate a half fairing. Full fairings, no so much. It's not about trying to be cheap and imitate a fully faired bike, it's a preference...

Plus everyone knows the naked bikes are faster.

[simon79]

...
Plus everyone knows the naked bikes are faster.

Whew, what a hot/debated subject...I'll throw my 0.02 in.

I personally prefer naked bikes, for a series of reasons:
-its looks,
-easier engine/mechanics etc. access,
-its looks,
-the GS is my first bike, so chances are I'd cause less damage/scuff/scratches if I happen to drop it,
-ah, did I mention that I like the way it looks?

Personally, I really don't like the F versions (please F owners don't hate/flame me, I come in peace ), because they look to me just as the E's look to F-owner Bulwark, i.e. they seem toy-ish to me, especially on front view. Other than that, knowing that under those fairings there's a GS, it remains a very good all-rounder bike. And, I think I can't deny that fairings take away a lot of air from you (very useful if you ride to work in colder mornings or such)

Anyway, it'll always happen that naked supporters will swear for naked bikes, and fairing supporters for faired bikes...everyone's got its personal taste/preferences

The only way you can make the right choice, is...choose what you like best!!
I did it, and I'm very happy about that.

Jserio, have fun on your soon-to-come bike

Lamps,
simon.

[jserio]

what would your opinion be of the Busa then? it's lines to me seen so smooth that it almost looks completely wraped from a single piece of steel.

[scratch]

You mean plastic.

A bike is a bike is a bike, wheather it has a fairing or not, I'll ride it.

I prefer naked, but wouldn't turn down a GS500F, MV Agusta F4, or DRZ400SM.  Or, that Duc.

I'd still like to see how I'd do on a Vulcan 750, or a Suzuki 650 Bergman scooter, on a Doc Wong ride, or Bay Area GStwin ride.

As for naked bikes being faster, that has been true of most '80's Yamahas
The Radian was faster than both the FJ and FZ600 (all had the same motor)
Th Fazer was faster than the FZ750 (and the Maxim X wasn't far behind!)

[debtman7]

what would your opinion be of the Busa then? it's lines to me seen so smooth that it almost looks completely wraped from a single piece of steel.

That bike is designed to go fast in a straight line. It looks like it's meant to go fast in a straight line.

I think it looks kind of funny, for a street bike, but that's like saying a Hummer H1 looks funny for a SUV. They both like like they were purpose built for something other than public roads. Which they were...

[jserio]

i suppose i agree. if someone walked up and just handed me the keys to their bike and said here, go for a ride, have fun. i doubt i'd turn them dowm regardless of what the bike was or how it looked. that's supposed to be the nature of the sport right? enjoy the ride.

[Johnny5]

Chocolate or Vanilla?  Just because I like naked bikes doesn't mean I think that EVERYONE should like Naked bikes! LOL...

Personally someone may dislike naked bikes, I don't take it personally I love them and I don't care for a bike with a ton of plastic.  It's all totally subjective.

[pnaberhaus]

I like to see the "mechanical-ness" of a motorcycle, the hardware, valve covers, carbs, chains, lines and hoses, cables, castings, fittings and fasteners.  

Exhibit A.......

[facepants]

i know this is a touchy subject for some of you here. some feel that naked bikes are better looking. some feel fairing covered bikes are better looking. now, i must say that the naked look doesn't appeal to me. it's odd really. when you see a cruiser, you expect to see the engine. but on sport type bikes, i just don't. my wife went so far as to say the naked look on sport bikes was ugly. i won't go that far with it. i just don't find it appealing. now, that being said, could i get some opinions as to why you may like the naked or the fairing version? which appeals to you and is there a particular reason for it?

If you don't already get it, you never will...

[VTNewb]

I really really like Naked bikes. They look really neat. On long rides, fairings are great. I've owned plenty of both and I'm only 21! Hopefully many more in the future.

Living in vermont with the rain, it's nice to have a fairing as well. However, changing oil on my GSX-R involves unbolting 8 allen heads to remove the lower fairing. That's annoying.

[RVertigo]

Yup...  Just a matter of preference...  Naked is better IMO.  I don't like "Chicken Heads."