Why do most riders only like one brand?

[kneescraper]

Hey all,

While looking through the pages of bikepics.com a thought jumped to mind. I've read and also been apart of many threads that bash all the different bike makers. Hondas are boring, Suzukis made to a low quality etc etc.

Why is this, can one not love all the different makers. Ive gone from Yamaha to Honda to Suzuki and Suzuki again. I loved them all and will for a long time to come. Is it that we are brought up to play for one side etc... (not in a sexual way)

Just a thought!

[T-Thunder13]

you definatly get identified with what youve got, and always try and make what you have better than all the rest, i think its just a thing we do, slag off the opponents

[imdying]

Real bikers do, nuff said.

[Skunk]

Bah, Honda's are crap!

[Blackadda]

It's a little like the Holden/Ford thing! You grow an alegiance to certain things.

I like Suzuki for Road and Honda for off, only cause that's what I've owed or riden previously. I'm sure anything will do.

I'd prefer a MV Senna, but my Bank manager won't let me, yet I know a lot of Italians are tractors in disguise!

You like waht you like, I'm sure there are die hards, but then they are missing out aren't they!

It's like Guys who only go out with blonde, anorexic bimbo's, when solid big boobed exotic's (Salma Hayek) mmmmmmmmmmm.......

My mind wanders.

Go Suzuki!

[rwh]

Do they?

Or is it just the expectation that you stick up for what you've got?

Like you, for example; you claim to like lots of brands, but still have a suzuki logo as your avatar.

It's a bit like supporting your local sports team - they may or may not be the best, but that doesn't matter; you support them (if that's your thing) anyway, because that's what's expected.

Richard

[Monsterbishi]

I'm not really brand sensitive, I have my favourites, but somehow end up with anything but. ie:-

I like Honda Motorcycles, but ride a Yamaha, I'm a Holden supporter but have a Ford Mustang race car, and I'm well skilled in the ways of making Mitsubishi's go fast, so my daily driver is a Volvo :gob:

[Disco Dan]

A taste thing I guess...

I have found suzuki's too be very growly and revvy... ...kawasaki's however more predictable and confident... yamahas to be nippy and nimble.

Thats my personal experiences on bikes I have ridden. Prefer Kawasaki's, but own a suzuki too... the only hondas ive ridden have been little vfr things that just seem too small and make me feel like a praying mantis riding on them. Im pretty picky when it comes to the riding position...

[kneescraper]

Hahahahah, well I have Suzuki as my avatar because I own one at the moment and it is my Fav brand however I also like all the rest. Im just interested because alot of bikers have a STRONG passion towards one brand..

In the mean time we can enjoy this
http://www.oinsurgente.org/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/salma_hayek.jpg

[Blackadda]

so my daily driver is a Volvo :gob:

OK that's it, anyone who drives a volov needs shooting!

Anything but a brick.... for goodness sakes!:shutup:

[KoroJ]

I don't have a problem with brands,... I think Hitcher's & Barry's FJRs are nearly as good as my ST and the new Concours would look alright if it didn't carry it's own trash-can.

I'd ride a Harley if no Jap-craps were available and as for 86GSXR's new Daytona....It might be shit, but it's British!

Having a bike is the important thing, be pretty boring if we didn't have the options to meet our style, needs or wallet....but it's always nice to find something or someone else to slag-off.

[Hitcher]

Ride what you love, love what you ride. It's all good.

[Monsterbishi]

OK that's it, anyone who drives a volov needs shooting!

Anything but a brick.... for goodness sakes!:shutup:

Fear not, was only a temporary solution whilst I settled into my new job, have spotted a car on a yard that will suit me better, just need to submit a suitable CAPEX with the wife ;-)

[Blackadda]

just need to submit a suitable CAPEX with the wife ;-)

Better to explain and ask for forgiveness after the fact, than to go through the whole submitting the business plan, re-doing your figures and re submitting, getting shot down and having to think of another approach, whilst knowing, that any further discussion will be tainted by the first approach's failure.:nono:

[jafar]

A lot of it has to do with the level of service you get from your local dealer, if one dealer is really good & the others seem 2nd best to you then you are more likely to ride what the "best" dealer stocks.
There would seem to be little point in owning a brand of bike that you can't get decent service for or the distributor doesn't 'back up' 100% with parts & warranty.

[Monsterbishi]

Good point, I'm in a strong position for success too, since I've abstained from buying any new bits for the Mustang for almost a year now, and her side of the wardrobe has become congested of late...

[alecks69]

well i love honda cause i owned 2 but dream of owning a gsxr? is this wrong? (retorical question) i also like toyotas cause i own one, would love a ford but you no beggers arent choosers. Hate holdens but wouldnt say no to one hmmmmmmmmmmmmm maybe im just not pickky:yes:

[Holy Roller]

Only had jappa's, more Yammy's than the others. Loved my Kawka it was the fastest that I've owned and had no issues apart from when the shop re-routed the throttle cable:gob: The Honda's I've had were of the XR kind 250 and 500A awesome bikes. First and only new bike was a Suzuki, it was a matter of either kill myself on it (had a couple of bad bins) or get married. That was 23 years ago now still married:love: . My last three bikes have been Yammy's all shaft drive, sold on shafty's now. 23 years ago fell in love with a Kawaka Voyager as the Mrs recently reminded me, that now I have the same sort of bike. Next bike... looking at the new Kawaka Concourse:yes: :yes: :yes: one is allowed to dream:Punk:

[vamr]

In the mean time we can enjoy this
http://www.oinsurgente.org/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/salma_hayek.jpg

A bung eye and saggy tits? cheers.

[onearmedbandit]

I own two Suzukis, most of my bikes have been Suzukis, my next sportsbike will probably be a Suzuki. Why, because I like them. Am I missing out on something? Most definitely. But would I be missing out on something if I had a ZX10R instead, still most definitely. So I stick with what I like, what keeps me happy. And while I'll always look for Suzuki in racing and support them, I have riders who are my favourites who don't ride Suzuki, and I will support them as well.

In saying that if I had a CBR/ZX/R1 in the garage I would ride that just as much as my GSXR. It's not that I don't like any of those bikes, or think that they are 'worse' then my GSXR, just I prefer the S logo.

I think you'll find those that do get involved are in it for the banter, that's about it. If Honda/Kawasaki/any of them were shit they wouldn't be selling.

Anyway, Honda's are for fags.

[limbimtimwim]

I think it's obvious, Suzuki are the best!! That's why.

....heheheh....

[nudemetalz]

I've owned Kawasakis, Yamahas, Hondas and Suzukis...plus now the Moto Guzzi.

I loved the Guzzi as soon as I rode it but the RSV thou next to it was very tempting at the time. This was my first non-Japanese bike and maybe my last, who knows.

Never been a stickler for only buying one brand. I believe there are good and bad in every manufacturer.

[miSTa]

Had Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, BMW, and Ducati...brand loyalty my arse. Bit of a brand whore you might say.

[Dooly]

I've had all 4 main Jappa makes, plus a couple of Ducatis, but only one Kawasaki compared to several of the other Jap makes, plus the most of them being Suzuki.
I now have a Ducati and Triumph, plus a small Yamaha (for the boy).
So I guess I've tried most mainstream makes.
Its just a matter of what takes my fancy at the time, plus a bit of research and what style I want to ride.
My all time fav is the Ducati I have now.

[sAsLEX]

Only had older Honda's and they seem to keep going....... next bike looking towards a Vtwin and with the SP2 dead Honda don't have anything worth looking at really.....

[Bass]

I don't do brand loyalty.
When I bought my current bike, I had a set of criteria that it had to meet and that narrowed the field hugely. I was quite surprised to end up with a Triumph.
Same with cars. I recently bought a Futura wagon. Up till then I had a Holden and believed that the GM product was better engineered. Now that I own a Ford, that view is reinforced.
However, none of that matters because the only reason that I bought a large wagon was because I play in a band and need a large car to haul all the gear around. I only use the car for commuting and band trips. I get my road satisfaction on the bike these days.
The Ford was $2500 cheaper than an equivalent Holden. Q.E.D.

[slinky]

CBR just rolls off the tongue so nicely.

Honda's my brand for a bike. But when i start looking at a new 600 im not going to be bias. gona try them all for comfort and feel. and see whos gona give me the best deal/service.
though in the back of my mind (without having rode a 600) i do want the cbr.
but in the end, any of them 600's are gona feel better then a 14 year old 900.

[McJim]

I wanted a mid-range V-Twin.

Honda don't do a VTR650.
I didn't have enough money for a Hyosung GT650R.
SV650 forks are the wrong way up.
Cagiva Raptor didn't have enough fairing.

I was forced to get a Ducati.

[Lissa]

I started on a GN250, and I get good service at my local Suzuki Dealership and now own a Bandit.

My next bike I would like to have a SV1000 maybe. I will probably stay with Suzuki but only because I like the look and the feel of them. Plus everyone gives Honda riders stick.. although I would certainly still test ride some other brands before I upgrade.

[pritch]

I think this is an extension of what Scumdog was talking about regarding the personalities of people he has met in comparison to their Internet persona.
It's a maturity thing.

Some people feel they have to own the best, so whatever they own at that time by default must be the best. In that case though one might question whether this has assumed rather more importance in their life than is strictly speaking healthy?

Having only owned the VFR six months I'm not contemplating a change (too seriously) but it could be another Honda, it could be a KTM, or a BMW or...

It would be a real shame to be one-eyed, because for those with an open mind there have never been so many brilliant bikes to choose from.

[vifferman]

Given a less-limited budget, I have no doubt that my gargre would include bikes other'n my Honda. I didn't set out to buy only Hondas (I've had 7 now, IIRC), but every time I've been looking at buying a replacement bike, everything else I've tried just felt wrong. If you read multi-bike comparos, no matter what bike comes out top of the heap, almost invariably the Honda is praised for its ergonomics and for being easy to ride in 'real world' conditions. Yes, that can make them rather lacking in character, which is why for the past four bikes I've stuck with V-engined models, as I know that no matter how exciting the performance of an IL4 might be, ultimately I'd find it unsatisfying.

Is my VFR the best bike in the world? - No.
Is it better'n anything else on the market? - No.
But given that I'm 'allowed' only one bike, the VFR meets all my needs and criteria, and like me, is a "jack of all trades", without being particularly masterful in any.

Given a choice, where price, reliability/longevity, ergonomics and fitness for purpose didn't enter into the equation, I'd probably have something Italian. I very nearly bought a 900SS back in 1994, but dithered too long. I've had a Ducati keyring for 10 or 11 years now, and that's the closest I've got to one - I haven't even had a test-ride. But there are few bikes that stir my blood like a Ducati.

So, do *I* like only one brand?
No.
And if Honda don't bring out a 'generation 7' VFR, my next bike (if I'm 'allowed' one) won't be a Honda.

[NighthawkNZ]

Why is this, can one not love all the different makers. Ive gone from Yamaha to Honda to Suzuki and Suzuki again. I loved them all and will for a long time to come. Is it that we are brought up to play for one side etc... (not in a sexual way)


me too... I have had, suzukis', honda, kawka's, yamahas... and loved and enjoyed them all... I don't care what you ride, what I ride, as long as if it is 2 wheels... you are enjoying your ride, and I am enjoying mine :D

my next bike could be anything... triumph... a duc... a hnother honda... I don't know till I see it and ride it :D

[Kinje]

My 2 bikes are both Honda. The reason, I liked them best from the ones I test rode.

I nearly bought an SV but then went cold on buying a new bike entirely. Then rode the CBR600 a few months later just for s**ts and giggles, and decided I had to have it.

I get hassled for riding a Honda, I hassle my mates for riding a Suzuki, but like Nighthawk says
I don't care what you ride, what I ride, as long as if it is 2 wheels... you are enjoying your ride, and I am enjoying mine :D

And IMHO giving your mates crap and getting it back (in good humour) all adds to the enjoyment

[Maha]

My next bike I would like to have a SV1000 maybe. I will probably stay with Suzuki but only because I like the look and the feel of them. Plus everyone gives Honda riders stick.. although I would certainly still test ride some other brands before I upgrade.


I questioned that Honda thing one night..and the answer i got was, its all shit, not alot in it between the 4 Jap 600's etc. But from my point of view, i dont really care what i have as long as suits my needs and my pillion, you can buy a brand new VFR800 for $14995.... awesome value, i took one for a test ride and if i hadn't taken the Triumph out after, things might have been different in the Maha garage...the Blackbird?...$15495.... VTR ..$11495 but im stuck with the crusty ole' Triumph for now....but i love it!...:love:

[NighthawkNZ]

And IMHO giving your mates crap and getting it back (in good humour) all adds to the enjoyment

I gotta admitt a give a bit a rib out in jest and do expect it back... but we both know its in jest :)

[Timber020]

Currently I have all the big four, A honda, 4 Suzukis, a yamaha (admittedly brought for the missus) and a couple of kawasakis. I have no brand loyalty, being loyal to one brand is to be blind to whats out there. I know lots of guys who are knowlegable about gear but stick to one brand when another brand would do a better job because of "brand loyalty". The only person who benifits from brand loyalty is the seller.

Make a good product for the right price and im interested. My problem is I dont sell enough of my bikes, just keep getting more.

[miSTa]

My all time fav is the Ducati I have now.
+1, fantastic bikes, should've got one sooner.


me too... my next bike could be anything... a duc...
Yep, when one starts the rest will follow...can you say baaaaaa :devil2: :Pokey: :lol:

[McJim]

Yep, when one starts the rest will follow...can you say baaaaaa :devil2: :Pokey: :lol:
Am I a sheep? Must I sell my Ducati to recover some semblance of self respect?

[BarBender]

Is it the same reason as to why most blokes think they like a certain type of girl? (and vice versa)

[Tim 39]

I'm not sure why people are like that, some are the same with cars. I'm more a fan of liking the models from each manufacturer that appeal to me rather than being narrow minded

[swbarnett]

I've mostly had Hondas for two reasons - looks and reliability. I've been looking around at what I'd like once I can afford to flick on the GN and it's come down to a choice between the VFR800 and the BlackBird based primarily on how they look. The FJR1300 was also in the race as far as looks go but is in a totally different price bracket so has been discarded.

It's not so much brand loyalty as the fact that I know what I want in a bike and Honda has always delivered in the past. I've had one Yamaha that I bought mostly because of price and it didn't really suit my style. I now have a Suzuki that I'm enjoying but again it was mostly a price decision given that I was looking for a 250 (nerves about being off bikes for so long were also a factor).

I'm a Honda man through and through but will consider anything from any manufacturer that I liked the look of and could trust the reliability.

I'd be genuinely interested in opinions about Honda, both positive and negative. What is it that people like or loath about the brand? (or any brand for that matter)

[jtzzr]

I ride a Honda , not because of the brand but because of the bike and the way it suits my needs , I used to own a zzr1100 and I loved that as much asI do the Bird ,ridden heaps of other bikes as well , but I guess I`m just addicted to 2 wheels , no matter what the brand.

[kiwi cowboy]

not fussed on wot brand realy have owned honda trail bikes suzuki , yamaha road. ride wot u like as long as it makes u happy. saw the first suzuki gsx400 impulse add in a paper when they first came out and i hated the look of it in the picture but called into bike shop in ashburton. saw one there and got talkin to the salesman{as ya do}and ended up taken for a test.bought the next one he got in just fitted me perfect.

[Morcs]

I like suzuki's as im yet to crash one...

But im Honda all the way!

GO THE HONDA!

[avgas]

I ride what ever i like and can afford. But for some reason....i always lusted after a Yamaha.
Cant explain why - but it could be due to the fact that dad always had an XS850 since i was born. He's a big triumph fan (has his second 955i now). But the yamaha was his stable mate and his first vehicle that he'd bought new.
When the R1 came out, i was hitting my teens. So the R1 was like the equivalent of the John Player Norton or Mac Velo when my dad was young.
Always like the Busa's. As i feel it was the first reasonable attempt by a productive bike co. to make a claim that it not only the fastest, but the most illegal.
Honda's street cruisers always grabbed my attention - as i will always remember a picture of Pop's Yoshi standing next to a 1971 CB750 stating that all exhaust systems should have 1 exhaust per cylinder......as it was in the first motorbike rag i'd read "REVS" in dads shed, i was six and the box it came out of had about 5mm of thick dust on it. It was some anniversary addition where they looked at the hero's of motorcycling. I still hold Pop's in high regard today.
Kawasaki's will always have the growl to me. The induction sound of wolf inside a big cave. I swear that for all the 80-90's Kawasaki were just building bikes that just sounded good but had shit everything else. Klowns ZXR is a testament to the Kawasaki growl.
Suzuki had two-stroke so sorted, everything from the 1970's RM's to the last of the RGV's feels good, sounds good, acts awesome. The 4 strokes are ok......but to me it doesnt feel Suzuki until it pulses like a ballbearing in an aerosol can.
Thats my thoughts anyhow.

[carver]

Hey all,

While looking through the pages of bikepics.com a thought jumped to mind. I've read and also been apart of many threads that bash all the different bike makers. Hondas are boring, Suzukis made to a low quality etc etc.

Why is this, can one not love all the different makers. Ive gone from Yamaha to Honda to Suzuki and Suzuki again. I loved them all and will for a long time to come. Is it that we are brought up to play for one side etc... (not in a sexual way)

Just a thought!

cause honda's are gay...thats why
yamaha's break down
kawasaki's have crap engines
suzuki's are made out of recycled daihatsu's
but they all beat a ducati hands down

[Bonez]

Being a reformed BMW rider I prefer my Hondas, but there is a suzuki hiding in the corner. Different strokes and all that. Some "bikers" tend to masterbate over and probably spend more time drinking lattes looking at their bikes than riding. Hey but who am I to judge ah? Me, I prefer to ride them, whatever it is. Ride what ya like really doesn't mean you like what you ride :).

Have I covered everything?

[Slingshot]

Cause I can only afford one bike.....if I was rolling in it, I'd have lots of bikes and almost certainly they'd be different brands.