Jap bike have no soul?

[mstriumph]

*pointless rejoinder*
"Do you like Kipling?" she asked
"Dunno, I've never kipled" he replied.....

*pointless interjection*
Kipling was my Grandmothers uncle.....true....pity his mastery of the english language did not rub off on me!

[RiderInBlack]

Well "Roxanne" Certinally has

[Lou Girardin]

I don't know about soul, but my bike makes me feel good, other bikes make me feel good to a greater or lesser degree as well. But mine is mine. I look after it and it looks after me.

[bungbung]

Have you thought about getting something else?

...my bike is definatly a female....a 3 month long period.... Anytime I treat her wrong she gets upset and starts yelling at me.

[vifferman]

I think every bike has 'character' to some degree, some are downright boring while others can be the life of the party!

You're almost there - the one's without character are bland to the point of definitely being just machines or tools, but it's not just to do with how exciting they are that gives them character. Unfortunately, I'd say most character has to do with imperfections, warts, misbehaviour, quirks, whatever...
F'rinstance, summat that had special ritual to be adhered to before it would start, that sounded cool, that required some real effort to get the best rewards out of would be said to have character. Conversely, a bike that was 100% reliable, very easy to ride, was smooth and comfortable and quiet would have little character in comparison.
Similar to people really - someone who was loud, extroverted, larger than life would generally be described as 'hard case' who having character, whereas someone who was quiet, just got on with the job, kept to themselves, never argued, was never the centre of attention could be described as lacking character.

I've only owned one bike with lots of character - the XBR500RS Mutant. It took lots of effort to keep the thing going, and it never went really well. It was probably one of the crappiest bikes I've ridden, certainly the worst I've owned. But it's the one that had the most character and that gave me more pleasure in some ways than the other bikes.

The reason I've had three V4s and a V2 is that they aren't as smooth as IL4s, and because with an aftermarket zorst they are a bit raucous and snarly. A bit of character, without being unreliable. I've ridden 'nicer' bikes, but they didn't speak to my soul.

[poorbastard]

Hmmm soul maybe but definatly used has a mind of its own, go when It wanted to or piss round at the worst of times.

[Badcat]

well, here i am in 2005 building a bike that has a 1979 engine, kick start only and a rep for breaking ankles.
i love new bikes (have 2x 2004 suzukis) but i yearn for something with character.
either that, or i'm a sadomasochistic dickhead.
hmmmmm......

[mstriumph]

for me, too, this is what it's all about ...

I don't know about soul, but my bike makes me feel good, other bikes make me feel good to a greater or lesser degree as well. But mine is mine. I look after it and it looks after me.

[Hitcher]

All motorcycles (for the purposes of this and not the Scottish Thread) have a soul. Some of these souls are a bit more high maintenance than others. A bit like people, really.

[mstriumph]

Gotta looooove that Hitcher.... right on the button!

[sels1]

No soul ? Obviously none of you have ever owned a Kockasucky 500 triple intent on murdering you.

haha, I had the 350 version for a while many years ago.....it had similar traits. Temperamental bloody thing, always trying to throw me - didnt keep it long.

[Waylander]

Have you thought about getting something else?

Yea but I'd never get rid of her. I like her too much. Few more weeksand all her problems will go away hopefully. Bought her lots of gifts now just need them to arrive in country.

[avgas]

If anyone doubts this - just gimmie an email, and i'll get Sapphire to Growl and Bark at you. She can be a nasty bitch sometimes

[avgas]

Soul is all in your head. Whether it's real or not, I don't know, it's not something detectable.
I like to think my bike has soul.

You would think that, however on 9!!! occassions mine, or someone i know has had their bike try and warn them not to go riding today.
And before you say "bad maintenance" etc......try this on for size, a bike, 150k's on the clock, EFI.....just wont start one day - later on that day, the owner hits a diesel patch...