I hate Suzukis!

[Biff]

Actually I don't. Nor do I hate Yams, Kwakas, Dukes or Harleys - or any other bike brand for that matter. Although I do have a problem with some of the people that tend to ride big Yank Tanks and some cruisers in general. But I refuse to generalise (too often), as there's at least one Hardley rider on here who appears to be a nice guy, and there’s also plenty of cruiser types here that appear to be top blokes.

But hey, we like to take the pi$$ anyway eh!

I like taking the piss out of Ducatis, Moto Guzzis and Harleys. Not because I don't like them, but because they are easy targets because they are somewhat 'exotic', a bit 'special'. Besides, every one else takes the piss so why shouldn’t I (form my own opinion, bah!)?

I like all bike brands, albeit some more than others (I love Benelli’s), and for various reasons. I'd like to own some brands more than others, and some models more than others (I want a TNT). My views are formed based upon personal experience, the experience of friends and to a lesser degree bike mag reviews (too subjective?). But even this information base can tarnish an opinion of an otherwise great piece of machinery.

I sense that there are some people on here that may go as far as saying they 'hate' a certain bike brand. Or at minimum dislike them.

Do you? What brand do you hate? Why?

Go on, be brave, don’t worry about upsetting anyone, and if I could be so bold as to ask anyone that may get a little ‘miffed’ because their brand has been targeted to remain calm. Retort constructively by all means. Unless you’re a Harley owner, in which case you can just go in the garage, kick the dog and wish you’d bought a proper bike.

[jrandom]

I don't hate anything. Even Harleys. One day, I want an FXDWG.

I mean, there are bikes that I wouldn't buy for various reasons. Like I don't fit on them (the current CBR600RR, for instance) or I think they look unattractive, or I think that they're overpriced, or I wouldn't trust myself on them, etc.

But HATE?

What kind of person hates an inanimate machine?

Love, however. I think one can love a machine.

If I owed a Brutale, I would love it.

Feel the love.

[White trash]

I fucken hate Hondas.

I can't really give you a good reason why, I just do. BMWs are right up there too.

In fact I've changed my mind. Hondas aren't that bad but BMWs do nothing for me. They're all "clinical" and just plain boring.

I've seen stunt riders wheelie or stoppie every brand of motorcycle, even an Electraglide Ultra Classic, but never a BeeEmm.

They make my skin crawl. Although an F650 makes a little sense.

[MSTRS:Me]

Hmmmmm...I don't like 2strokes (I've owned plenty but would never go back). I also don't like any bike that is a cockteaser - you know the ones, promise the world & don't deliver. Brand loyal is not a high priority for me - my wife's family are all Ford nuts so naturally I like Holdens

[vifferman]

I really can't think of any brand I hate, although there are particular bikes I feel rather 'anti' towards.

If it had to be a brand, it would be Harley Davidson, but not because of the machines so much as all the bullshit and marketing attached to the brand. Clever, but waayyyyy too Murkn, and it just makes me want to puke.

Then again, you could easily say that the whole "racer wannabe" aura that surrounds Suzuki ownership is equally repugnant in some ways.

"Different strokes for different folks", and if all bikes were the same, or even if there were only Hondas, it'd be a sad, boring world.

Biff Baff - I too would really like a TNT, espeically if it came with the hottie accessory that's with the one on the March page of the calendar in our toilet...

JRandom - Yeah, the Brutale is gorgeous. It was very tempting to lock matthewt's one in our gargre and deny all knowledge of it.

[Jonty]

This may come back to bit me - I really don't get naked bikes, maybe it's because I'm young and don't really get the retro thing. Why do people buy a 1100 cc naked bike? isn't it like buying an exotic car without a windscreen?

I have noticed the large number of naked bikes popping up around the place, but some of them are just plain ugly - someone please explain!

[jrandom]

Yeah, the Brutale is gorgeous. It was very tempting to lock matthewt's one in our gargre and deny all knowledge of it.

I bet it was.

Ever since the nice men at Colemans let me have a small go on one, I have been hooked.

The MV Agusta Brutale stands in my mind as the only single actual thing that I sometimes kick myself about not being able to afford due to having a wife and kids. If I hadn't done certain things several years ago (like purchasing overpriced gold rings, subsequently failing to use contraception, etc) I'd be riding one right now.

Yoof of today, be warned.

[Insert obligatory "But It Was All Worth It, Of Course (tm)" line here.]

[bear]

I like all kinds of models from different brands, although do find it hard to get excited about BMW's. Some of the naked's good damn fine, but feel the engine on the SV650 looks tiny.

[Motu]

They haven't built the bike I could hate,probably never will.

[vifferman]

This may come back to bit me - I really don't get naked bikes, maybe it's because I'm young and don't really get the retro thing. Why do people buy a 1100 cc naked bike? isn't it like buying an exotic car without a windscreen?

I have noticed the large number of naked bikes popping up around the place, but some of them are just plain ugly - someone please explain!

I believe it's because bikes have largely drifted away from what they used to be, so that whereas once the engine (and engineering) was on show, now it's largely hidden behind hectares of plastic. It's also that a lot of people that have the wherewithall to purchase an 'exclusive' bike are older and remember what bikes used to be like, so it's a return to that era. Maybe...

For me anyway, it's about being able to see all the engineering on show, and also not having expensive plastic replace if the bike gets tired and wants a rest in the middle of the road. That's why of all the nekkids that are available now, it's only the exotica that I like, and of that, mainly the Italian stuff (apart from the Speed Triple).
So, rather than summat sensible like a Hornet or Bandit, I like the Benelli TNT, the MV Agusta Brutale, the Ducati Mostro S4, and various nekkid and semi-nekkid MotoGuzzis I can't recall the names of....

The other thing is that given most of my riding is around town, the riding position and sensibility of wide(r) flat bars makes sense.

[Biff]

Biff Baff - I too would really like a TNT, espeically if it came with the hottie accessory that's with the one on the March page of the calendar in our toilet...

Any chance of a scan please ? And I'm with you guys re' the Brutale.

[Eddieb]

BMWs do nothing for me. They're all "clinical" and just plain boring.

I've seen stunt riders wheelie or stoppie every brand of motorcycle, even an Electraglide Ultra Classic, but never a BeeEmm.

They make my skin crawl. Although an F650 makes a little sense.

I've a photo of a guy knee down on an R1100GS, and I've jumped a R80G/S, not very high mind you but I've done it.

Get a GS and take it up the 'Taka's one day, you may be surprised, not one of those woosy F650 ones though , a real one. It's not the bikes, it's the way their owners ride them. I've owned the R80G/S and a K100RS, the K was torque galore and ultra stable, even cranked over at 200 clicks (Closed roads and all that officer). I'd have another GS, though I wouldn't sell the 888 for one.

Saying that though I don't think you could stoppie most BMW's, physics and all that.

[TonyB]

I have a bit of a problem with SOME Harley owners. Mainly because of a percieved Holier Than Thou attitiude, but then it works both ways. Anyway, this fits in nicely with a question I have. I read somewhere that when HD canvassed their customer base to see where to go next (before making the TC88 engine) the feed back that they got was something along the lines of "Owners wanted to be part of 'The Legend', and 'The Legend' wasn't built using liquid cooling, multi-cyclinders or shaft drive". Can someone please explain exactly what the legend is? (this is a genuine question, not a troll).

Ducati, Honda etc can claim huge recent success in racing. Motoguzzi and MV Augusta can claim historical success. HD was once at the cutting edge of motorcycle technology. I've read that the original Sporty was just about the fastest thing around in the 50's. Then they just stopped innovating and for decades turned out virtually the same machines. Shit they nearly went under, from what I understand they were saved by the EVO engine and the near collapse (in the US) of the big four Jap manufacturers after the enforced recall of three wheel ATV's in the US.

Is 'The Legend' really a legend, or a very clever marketing excercise? Again, this is not a troll, it's a genuine question.

I too have no brand loyalty what so ever. I've owned only Jappas because they're cheaper, and I've owned more Yamahas than anything else, because there always seems to be one that fits my needs and budget. Only Jap brand I haven't owned is a Suzuki. Maybe I should get a GSXR1000, a blue and white one, eh Aaron (that was a troll ).

[jrandom]

hectares of plastic... remember what bikes used to be like... riding position and sensibility of wide(r) flat bars makes sense.

Yeah. Me too. Wot the rider of the over-engineered Honda sportbike covered in acres of shiny blue plastic said.

Also, there's a sort of hard-to-explain thing going on. I like bikes that are just an engine, gas tank, two wheels and handlebars, with a big round headlight. I get off on the wind-in-chest thing. I really have no idea why, but shiny race-rep lookers just don't do anything for me. No gut-tingle. No desire to sit on the back porch and admire the way the setting sun gleams off the gleamy bits.

I don't think I'll ever own a gixxer, or CBR, or ZX-anything-R. Just not me.

[Jonty]

I believe it's because bikes have largely drifted away from what they used to be, so that whereas once the engine (and engineering) was on show, now it's largely hidden behind hectares of plastic. It's also that a lot of people that have the wherewithall to purchase an 'exclusive' bike are older and remember what bikes used to be like, so it's a return to that era. Maybe...

For me anyway, it's about being able to see all the engineering on show, and also not having expensive plastic replace if the bike gets tired and wants a rest in the middle of the road. That's why of all the nekkids that are available now, it's only the exotica that I like, and of that, mainly the Italian stuff (apart from the Speed Triple).
So, rather than summat sensible like a Hornet or Bandit, I like the Benelli TNT, the MV Agusta Brutale, the Ducati Mostro S4, and various nekkid and semi-nekkid MotoGuzzis I can't recall the names of....

The other thing is that given most of my riding is around town, the riding position and sensibility of wide(r) flat bars makes sense.

cheers Vifferman, makes sense, I just never really understood the sudden increase in the naked bike range. I do agree that the engineering on bikes needs to be on show. For me, I think I'm a product of the plastic era and will always be drawn to the full faired machines R1 CBRR mmmm