How tastes in bikes change--or not.

[FROSTY:Me]

I was poodling off to pick up baby bikie from school today on my current work ride --an XV535 cruiser. I really diddn't want to like the darn thing --its low ,its narrow,its got the power of a nat. the tank is 8 l before reserve.Feet forward. A bit of a v twin grumble. easy to ride. So far from the sort of bike that I like. But yet I love the darn thing.
Its just a total hoot.
So maybee like the seasons ya taste in bikes changes --I dunno

[White trash]

Got my own theory on this actually Frosty.

Working at a major Suzuki/Harley/Triumph/Buell dealership for three years, I got to sample the latest and greatest from those four marques along with an enviable selection of used machines.

I can hoestly say, hand on heart, that I enjoyed every single one of them. I even rode a BMW K1200 tourer thing and giggled my arse off the whole time.

My feelings are, a true motorcyclist will appreciate the good bits of any bike they ride.

[Insanity_rules]

Yeah you can appreciate most bikes on some level. I currently have a loaner Yammy XJR and its a bit of humor to ride but wayyyyy different to my Duc. Would make a great town bike.

[Big Dave]

Raises eyebrow. Nods sagely.

[YellowDog]

Got my own theory on this actually Frosty.

Working at a major Suzuki/Harley/Triumph/Buell dealership for three years, I got to sample the latest and greatest from those four marques along with an enviable selection of used machines.

I can hoestly say, hand on heart, that I enjoyed every single one of them. I even rode a BMW K1200 tourer thing and giggled my arse off the whole time.

My feelings are, a true motorcyclist will appreciate the good bits of any bike they ride.

Yes I do agree. You can appreciate the unique value in any bike; especially on the first couple of rides before they start to bore you.

[White trash]

Yes I do agree. You can appreciate the unique value in any bike; especially on the first couple of rides before they start to bore you.

Oh definitely. I mean, a good number of them (read all but 3 or 4) I'd actually never own. But for sheer shits and giggles, there's nothing like getting on a bike completely the opposite of what you normally look at.

[sAsLEX]

Watching Top Gear with a nice Vincent Black Shadow on it....... wouldn't mind one of those!

[Mully]

Horses for courses, I think Frosty.

I can see the appeal of a cruiser on a pootle of a sunny day (especially with the Revenue Gatherers out), but then you wouldn't want a cruiser for a balls out track day.

Still two wheels so all good. (Except bicycles). (And Scooters).

[been_there]

I used to want a Harley.....from the ripe old age of 16. Wouldn't had wanted a Triumph back then.
But then saw the light.
Not really just saw a lot of mid life crisis people buying Harleys and that put me off.
I figured if I am going to go thru the same crisis then why not faster than they r???

[Ixion]

No, my tastes in bikes haven't changed at all in the last 40 years.

All I want (same now as then really) is a nice simple really comfortable ultra reliable sports tourer. With a top speed of 300kph or a bit more (in case I'm in a hurry); nice sticky tyres that last at least 30000km; fuel consumption of 100mpg or better, tank range of 800km. Wet weight of 120kg or less, nice simple two stroke engine that can be completely stripped and repaired by the roadside using the bike tool kit.

. 1000 watt alternator. And plenty of built in luggage.Oh, and manual ignition advance and a kickstarter please.

Only thing that I'd add now over 40 years ago is ABS and traction control. And fuel injection.

Pretty much it, no change over the years.

finding it, that's another matter. Bloody manufacturers, why don't they make the sort of bikes that i want.

[NOWOOL]

I'd disagree with the idea that you can enjoy anything....from a mechanical perspective that's just glossing over the negatives. No matter how you slice it a bike is a mechanical device; they all have their negatives. The question is how many negatives can you live with. Personally, I think the older you get the less compromises you'll accept and (hopefully) the wiser you'll get. Also (if you did things right) as you get older the more money you have and the idea of 'image' is less important since you've reached a point where you can afford any bike, helmet, etc. Younger and poorer people are more 'image sensitive' and need a bike and gear to portray a status that they haven't yet achieved.

[MarkH]

finding it, that's another matter. Bloody manufacturers, why don't they make the sort of bikes that i want.

So true - and you know that there are plenty of others that would buy the bike you describe, so they would sell plenty of them. I'd love one of those myself.

[Taz]

But for sheer shits and giggles, there's nothing like getting on a bike completely the opposite of what you normally look at.

So long as you ride it as it was intended you're bound to like it. No use dissing a cruiser cause it can't break the lap record on your favorite sports road.... I tried to own another sports bike after years without one and couldn't really get into it. Went too fast everywhere and was limited in where you could take it without worrying about the pretty paint etc. More versatile and user friendly bikes for me these days hence the reason I'll not sell my R1100GS anytime soon. It's a sports bike and trail bike (use your imagination here) in one. Returns great mileage, goes anywhere and goes forever and fits in with any scene from cruiser rides to adventuring to sporting round the 'mandel while still taking the 309 shortcut.

[JohnC]

My taste in bikes has never changed.
In 1960 I had a big thing for my fathers BSA Goldflash,and I still like em'.
Most of my bikes have been twins and those that weren't didn't last 6 months before being moved on.
Sure it's fun taking something totaly different for a spin now an then,but personaly I always return to the same basic kind of bike I've always prefered.

[bungbung]

Sure it's fun taking something totaly different for a spin now an then,but personaly I always return to the same basic kind of bike I've always prefered.

Enjoying riding something different to your preferred bike is not the same as buying it. Sometimes it's good fun, but when you get back to your own bike, you remember why you bought it.