Me and Jeremy Jock rode up to a bike shop yesterday because I needed some new grips. It was actually the first time I had been inside a shop to look around since maybe 2005 or so since I really only started riding again this spring. Last fall/summer when I was fixing stuff up I pretty much worked out of pepboys or online, so I hadn't even had to pass any when I was getting supplies for the GS.

After taking a look around, i've gotta say that the current line up of Japanese bikes is made up of some of the ugliest bikes I've ever seen. They look ok at a distance when someone's going down the road, and pictures online or in magazines don't really do a great job of showing it, but I couldn't believe how far downhill sportbike designs have gone until I actually got a close up look at some of these things. The front end of the R6 was the worst, but the Kawasakis were pretty close behind. Gsxrs were the only reasonable ones there, and I'm still kinda iffy on them.



I think the last of good looking Japanese bikes was the 2004-2005 gsxr600/750:



although I still feel the 96-2000 was the high point(chrome not needed, but the red paint jobs were my favorite):



the 05-06 cbr600rr(although the 07 did look ok in that light blue, it was no where near as good looking as the 05/06):



2003-04 zx6r(although that one took a while to grow on me, the tail is really what saves it for me. Kawasaki has never had much to offer in the look department though whether it was 600s or 900s):



and I'm tempted to say the only good looking sportbike kawasaki has made was the zx7r(I know it looks big and heavy, but I'm only referring to looks):



and as far as yamaha, I'm gonna stick with the first generation R6/R1 when they still had curves intsead of angles. I can do the 03-04 version assuming it's not the one with the flames, but the first was really much better looking, preferrably in the red, matte black and pearl white. The only thing holding this R6 back are the standard forks, but this was before any 600s had them:




There are various other current bikes that I still think look ok, but something about the Japanese ones that I just can't really grasp. In person Id be willing to say that the ninja 650r is actually nicer to look at than the zx6r, the GS500F actually looks a bit better than some of the bikes there, and even though no one wants to hear it, the Gladius was the nicest looking new bike on that showroom floor.

I know there's more to new bikes than just looks, and sticking to old designs leaves a manufacturer at risk of putting out a bike that looks outdated(like the 96-2000 gsxrs that I like), but still, how hard is it to take one of the coolest vehicles in the work, and actually make it look good? I'm sure some of the front end designs, which are the worst part, are functional as far as wind tunnel and ram air goes, but Moto GP bikes still look good, so I have no idea why superbikes all went off the deep end.

Uglier, like a klingon weapon yea.
I however dont like the GSXR you're referring to, that bubble ass, awful, they look too close to the busa.
I'd say sport bike design went down hill in 96, steep down hill, but its clawing back a little now, the new crop is nicer than that bubble butt.
I like the generation right after the bubble butt the best. And yes first gen r1 is gorgeous, the pre led tail light, beautiful.
Cool.
Buddha.

The bubble butt is just hideous.  Thank god they started moving away from that.  I think all the kawasaki's look like junk now.  Especially the exhaust!  It's like this giant fanned out looking thing.  Plus I hate the fact that plastic seems to be integrated into all areas of the bike. 

In general I hate fairings, but for some reason, if a bike is gonna have fairings, I expect it to really have fairings. I hate how a lot of the newer bikes, R1s come to mind where the fairing only covers the front part of the motor. That's why bikes like the SRAD gsxrs, zx7r, ducati 996, and MV agusta F4s always look good to me. If you're gonna put fairings on a bike, at least use them for some style.

I think the real reason those GSXRs appeal to me is because the last 35k miles I've ridden have been made up of a large portion of just commuting miles. I always still take fun back roads instead of the highway, but I'm usually going somewhere, and not so often just out for a ride to no where, so when I see the srad gsxrs the first thing I notice is that massive tail storage. I could seriously put some tennis shoes, a jacket, some water, and a sandwich all in there and never even think about it. The windshield is also big, so when it's raining or cold, and I've still got somewhere to be I can tuck behind it. I know they look bulky and outdated, and the things I'm talking about are function, but it's just such useful function that I can appreciate the way they look. Plus I can see how they came up with the design. It wasn't some guy sitting down trying to be creative and making a bike look fast by drawing all kinds of unnecessary lines to give the bike a certain look. You can tell that they looked at a rider in full tuck, drew a curved line from the front wheel to his helmet, then again the same from his butt to the back wheel. I can appreciate the simplicity.

I know that you could argue that the newer bikes have a functional design so try and direct airflow to the airbox and all of that, but I'm just not interested in chasing 2hp at all expense. Even the srad just had a standard headlight. Some of those newer headlights look like something ripped out of a giant praying mantis.

Brendan: that bugs me too. I miss having a seat, tank, front and tail fairings, now all of a sudden there is 500 small pieces of plastic everywhere, under the seat, betwen the seat and the tank, between the tank and the front fairing. Makes no sense to me.

Buddha: which pre-96 bikes are the ones you like? I don't mind the slingshot gsxrs, although I think those frames look way better built into a streetfighter than they do the normal bikes. Early Kawasakis don't do too much for me, they were a bit too boxy and I like curves. cbr900rr was probably one of the first really good looking sportbikes, and some of the YZFs from the mid 90s had a good shape to them.

I don't mind the 2001-2003 gsxrs, and I definitely wouldn't turn one down if I found a good deal on it, but the the styling doesn't do a whole lot for me. It's a mix between the soft round styling of the 96-2000, and the aggressive sharp styling of the 04-05, and I think it just came across looking bulky and pointy all at the same time. They still have a decent sized windscreen and trunk space though, and are 30lbs lighter than the previous generation, so I think I'd still be pretty happy with a 750.

I like that companies are trying to do something with exhausts now to at least hide part of them. The undertail thing was great, but that's a lot of weight way too high on the bike. I'd really like to see more under the engine like the Buells have, but they also have a dry sump and have a little extra space below the motor beause of it. That's one other reason the 03-04 zx6r is on my list. The stock exhaust is actually a decently small and good looking exhaust. I could leave it on a bike and not even think anything of it.

Quiet you!

You'll like what I tell you to like!

Curves instead of angles.... hadn't though about the WHY, but I think that's a BIG part of it.

Parked up at the Motorbike parking area at the mall. Came out and a Gladius was next to me. And I have to admit, the look is growing on me. Maybe cause I don't like the other offerings and this is the best of a bad lot for midrange.  

In Aust, our range of retro looking bikes is diminishing. No more New naked SV650s (2nd hand is the only option if you want one - unless you can find a deal with an older model still not sold from last year). Which just leaves Bandits and CB900s with round headlights (not including Triumphs) which are not mid range bikes. Although Honda does the CB400 Superfour. But for the $$$ I'd rather buy a VStrom and get more bike for my buck.

And I don't mind the Aprillia Mana


But at $18k in Aust it's not That good.

Oddly, I also don't mind the CBF1000


But it's only got the nose bit, like the SV650  

But yeah, I walk into a bike store and nothing really grabs me.

Michael

you think this is ugly???

YES! To me that looks like someone grabbed a bunch of parts of different bikes, toasters, whatever and glued them together, painted it all black to try to make it look like it was designed that way YUCK!
Modern sport bike fairings are too small to be much use in the real world and make servicing a PITA. If I'm going to have a fairing, I want it to protect me as well as the steering head!
My favourite look is early 70's Ducatis. (Biased, because that was my first big bike).
Quite like the '95 CBR600, when its painted all one colour. Hate the multiple angles of modern bikes, look like they're designed by the people who did Transformers.

if im spending 10+ grand on a bike it gunna be this, ugly or not. I think its winking at me

Quote from: lopee on May 26, 2010, 05:03:22 PM
if im spending 10+ grand on a bike it gunna be this, ugly or not. I think its winking at me

Agreed, Why get a ZX-14 or a Busa when you can have a BMW with more power, more options, and better handling for pretty much the same price.

the zx10r is one of the worst. I  actually think 90% of it looks ok, but that goofy flat front end with the bug eyed headlights just reminds me of a salamander or something. I was going to post pictures of all the front ends I thought were awful, but it took too long to collect the pictures of the bikes I liked, let alone ones I didn't.

The BMW, well....  I don't know. Parts are ok, the asymmetrical headlights are annoying. The part that really bothers me about the styling on them is that none of it is original. The headlights are copied from aprilias, the fairing from the side is copied from the 2004 cbr1000rr, I don't remember who the tail is copied from anyone without looking around, but I definitely recognized it before when I first saw it. I give them credit for making a good bike, but none of the 1000cc bikes really interest me. It's just more power than I think I'd enjoy.

THATS NOT UGLY....................

I love a nice fat ass.









Definitely my favorite of the Gixxers. I'm actually looking at a couple different ones. As soon as I sell my GS...

*AGREE with Jeremy Jock*

The tail on the late 90's GSXRs are my favorite, that rear cowl is sexy- They also put a similar one on the TL1000r's....MMM....

It seems the new style is to have a very small, sharply protruding, seemingly non-functional tail.

Quote from: Jabilli on May 26, 2010, 09:10:57 PM
It seems the new style is to have a very small, sharply protruding, seemingly non-functional tail.

What function do you look for in a tail?  All the best GS mods I've seen basically amount to cutting the tail completely off.  To me, it seems like everyone here dislikes the current designs, but for completely different reasons

Quote from: the mole on May 26, 2010, 04:52:12 PM
YES! To me that looks like someone grabbed a bunch of parts of different bikes, toasters, whatever and glued them together, painted it all black to try to make it look like it was designed that way YUCK!
Modern sport bike fairings are too small to be much use in the real world and make servicing a PITA. If I'm going to have a fairing, I want it to protect me as well as the steering head!
My favourite look is early 70's Ducatis. (Biased, because that was my first big bike).
Quite like the '95 CBR600, when its painted all one colour. Hate the multiple angles of modern bikes, look like they're designed by the people who did Transformers.

what? you think that in the constant competition to have the fastest, most aerodynamic bikes they just forgot all about the usefulness of fairings? There's a reason that every bike manufacturer keeps upgrading their bikes, this includes these so called modern sport bike fairings that are too small to be much use in the real world.

Quote from: 007brendan on May 27, 2010, 12:09:48 AM
What function do you look for in a tail?  All the best GS mods I've seen basically amount to cutting the tail completely off. 

The GS is too small of a bike to really do anything else. You've gotta have the big front fairing to even out for the large rear. I really like naked bikes, but even the nakes srads I've seen look way off with the big tail left on there.

Quote from: jrains89 on May 27, 2010, 01:10:46 AM
There's a reason that every bike manufacturer keeps upgrading their bikes, this includes these so called modern sport bike fairings that are too small to be much use in the real world.

This is one of those things that I understand, but just think it's unfortunate that any practicality is squeezed out of the way just for 1-2hp gains and an ever so slightly higher top speed. Another reason I like that era of bikes when they still had real fairings, is that the engines still had more midrange and are actually better for riding on the street. The real reason it makes me sad, is the more they do to sportbikes to make them more and more race oriented, the closer I feel I'm getting to preferring a katana, and that's really not where I want to be, haha. That point really sunk in when I was in that shop thinking the ninja 650r looked better than the zx6r.

I forgot to throw the TLR in there while we're talking about Suzukis with big rears. Clearly an acquired taste, but I've always liked it. They look pretty bulky though, and I don't think I'd be willing to consider one unless I was at least 6 foot and 200lbs. It would definitely be more of a cruising/commuting/highway bike, and not something I'd enjoy tossing around back roads, but the V-twin makes it a bit more desirable than a lot of the 4s.



Considering they copied the SVS from the TLS, I would've loved if they made an SVR that had similar bodywork to the TLR.

Quote from: tt_four on May 27, 2010, 04:54:29 AM
This is one of those things that I understand, but just think it's unfortunate that any practicality is squeezed out of the way just for 1-2hp gains and an ever so slightly higher top speed. Another reason I like that era of bikes when they still had real fairings, is that the engines still had more midrange and are actually better for riding on the street. The real reason it makes me sad, is the more they do to sportbikes to make them more and more race oriented, the closer I feel I'm getting to preferring a katana, and that's really not where I want to be, haha. That point really sunk in when I was in that shop thinking the ninja 650r looked better than the zx6r.

I agree, I have ridden a couple new sportbikes, and even a zx-14 and above all of them I prefer my roommates 07 SV650. I love the way the torque is always on tap, but it's still got power up top. It just feels much more natural to ride.

i like the later model cbr's as a bike that i could actually possibly own in the future.
and i like the look of these but dont think ill ever own one