Jump to content

Bike Show


GhostRider357

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 76
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I thought I was going to like the new Buell. I didn't. I dig the Rotax power plant but can't get past the 'Turbo Teen' front end...

Turbo Teen...ha! I agree with you on both points. :cheers: From what I've read about Rotax, I think this engine choice will be a godsend for Buell. And I hear you on the styling. It kinda looks like a half-assed attempt at an R1 or R6, and to see those bulky "wind blocker" side covers in person was a real turnoff. Regardless, I think this is a step in the right direction for Buell. I've put about 500 miles on my dad's '99 X1 Lightning, and the 1125R appears to be leaps and bounds above that bike. I'm only a Buell fan because I like the technology and patents Buell holds (ZTL Braking, for instance) and the "Made in America" reputation. But, I'm keeping my 'busa.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For what it is worth, here's my view of the show based on some select models... Pictures are not going to be loaded due to many of them shown, but also, my camera died and I had to use my cell phone!!!

Anyways:

Kawasaki:

ZX10 - looked good. Love this bike. Feels a LOT smaller than the previous model. Weight can't be determined as they don't usually have fluids. Not a fair take on that... However, the fit and finish is good, the look of the black and the green one is good. The blue? Looks like shit. Why they do that color is beyond me... Overall, the ZX10 gets an A-

ZX6R - Not new this year. Just BNG. However, it's been since 2001 when I remember seeing green rims on the green bikes. We raced Kaws back when they had green wheels and we hated it then. I hate it now. It looks like a pile vs. the black rims.... Shit. this year, the ZX6R gets 1/2 a point down from last year - A

250 Ninja - BADASS!!! This thing is going to sell like bread. super cool finally and the colors are decent. Even the blue looks "OK", but the green and the black one will sell well. Not my cup of tea as far as a bike goes, but the looks are great and the feel is more substantial. A+ for this guy...

Suzuki:

GSXR600/750 - Awesome. Nothing real drastic in terms of looks. Typical Suzuki style and the updates are pretty much what I expected. Saw these last year, but in case this is the first anyone else has seen them, they look good. The colors are good and the fit is typical. Standard issue from Suzook - A

Honda:

CBR1000 - Ok, the CBR1000 is a weird machine. I'm in love with a lot of the bike for sure. I took a picture of just the back half and was in love. The tail section is AWESOME!!! Who cares about passengers? Not any of the sportbike manufacturers apparently. Again, I bet that in 3-5 years, passenger seats and accommodations will be left out. It's fine with me. It is proof that they are building these as race bikes first and street bikes second... VERY much a sign of the trickle down from MotoGP.... I really am not sold on the front half, though. In red, the fairing makes the front look tall and stretched up and down. In black, the bike looks MUCH better. That side fairing gets blended in and isn't as in your face. The red will sell to the Honda elitists, but man, if you are considering this bike, black looks best... I give the CBR an A+ and a B. A+ because Honda FINALLY did something outside the box. B because it looks like shit, but has some great details. It feels very narrow and 600-ish. This very well may surprise people at time of the 1000cc shoot outs...

MV:

The $120k MV is a work of rolling art. It really is worth the $120k asking price based on the handmade components. It isn't just CF bodywork. BUT, looking at the body panels, they roll their edges, they have a paint scheme and process that is well beyond typical production bikes. This thing was gorgeous, but typical of MV, it looks like the bike is 10 years old compared to the other machines in it's class....

The 312 which is what the LE bike is based is a turd. It feels top heavy and even though it does well in shoot outs, all I know is the guys that raced them in WERA struggled with the bike. It is fast, no doubt, but it had issues in terms of handling and dependability. No excuse for the kind of money involved. MV gets a B-

Ducati:

I love Ducati. I really do. I hate that their bikes are not dependable, they are rough in terms of how they are built, and the fact that the technology is sorta old school and dated. Also, don't even talk about service. A 1098 first service will set the owner back over $700!!!

BUT, Ducati is passion. It is race bred and they are gorgeous from the outside.

Hyper Motard - I want this as my street bike. This thing is pure hooligan and will require me to register my driver's license with the State Highway Patrol, Sheriff and local Police Forces. Damn.... From what I have heard so far, the motor is not holding up well, though. For $12k, that' not acceptable. At all. Also, they are in the 70-ish HP range and that's not far off from a typical 450 MX bike nowadays. You can street legalize a CRF450 or whatever 450 easily. Considering they will be less HP, but lighter, they match up well. However, you'd be into a CRF450 or whatever for about $10k so, the $12k asking price isn't bad and you get that sound and fun factor... The motor reliability issues is a concern, though... I give the Hyper an A+ for the idea and a B for reality.

1098R - BADASS!!!! Nothing really flooring to my mind as I knew Ducati had this coming. They need it for WSBK and considering the rules and what they have to have included in the motors and such, Ducati HAD to build this machine to make it legal for WSBK racing. Internally, it has ALL kinds of goodies. Titanium, etc... The bike comes equipped with REAL traction control. There is a sensor on teh rear wheel with sensors pickups on the rotor. This isn't Bazaaz or ZX10 based traction control. This is World Superbike and AMA Superbike traction control.

However, detail in some things is left wondering why they couldn't make things better. Typical of Ducati. Also, all the trick internal components and such hand a street rider issues with dependability and cost of running the bike. These are NOT intended as pure street bikes for sure, but there will be street owners. The $40k asking price is more than fair for what you are getting. Definitely worth more than the MV $120k machine...

I give the 1098R an A+ for what they built and an A- for street based ideals. It would be a killer street bike, but consider this - what can you do to a GSXR1000 with $29k more after buying one that can be put into the bike itself? Answer? More than where you'll start with the 1098R...

Outside those companies, nothing more interested me. I liked seeing the MotoGP machines from Yamaha and Ducati. Interesting again. The Ducati looked rough. The body was rough, the frame and swingarm looked like it was painted and had been knicked all over. Kinda had that garage built look to it. Had yummy parts and was tiny, but compared to the M1, it looked like a privateer effort. The M1 looked finished. The body panels were works of art, little items like the foot deflector to keep air off Rossi's foot and be as aerodynamic as possible was cool. the M1 was just a lot more finished. Sure, it doesn't matter when the fact is that Ducati won the championship, but it speaks loads as to why a Ducati looks the way it does underneath the body panels as compared to a Japanese machine...

Show was cool. It wasn't nor ever has been worth the asking price of admission. Not sure what tickets cost, but that $8 for parking had to make the total over $25 per person, no? That's too much money. Gypsy row wasn't as bad as in years past. Not much other than close-out items, but there were a few cool new things sprinkled around. Got to try on the new Puma boot. Saw a few good friends and hung out with a lot of folks I haven't seen in years. Overall, the show was good. Nothing great, but it was good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...