So i went to have a looksie at the 08 CBR100RR

[skidMark]

Well, where do i start, they botched it, badly.

I havn't ridden it, so i'm not going to comment on how it rides blah blah, i did not even bother to sit on it.

For me looks matter, okay so i'm shallow.

But front on it's looks like a blend of, XB12 Buell. Ducati 1098.

Nice bikes usually, but the headlight area is like a deformed 1098, and it has this big blank panel with no ram air duct up top, just blank from headlights up to screen, Reminds me alot of the buell, nothing on the front fairing,

Front on it really does look like a tourer.

Now don't get me wrong this is not the only bike of the 08's i have my doubts about, I'm kawasaki loyal but you videos, pictures etc. of the new 08 zx10r.

It's just plain ugly too.

I think the bikes of the 05/06 era were awesome looking, maybe theres some new kind of drug every designer in japan is on.

I diss hondas alot, but it is simple pisstake, i would own one provided it can prove its better than the compitition.

The hondas undertail/ plate mouth is all one big moulded piece, as opposed to a bolt on plate spade, makes it a bit of a pain for a tail tidy really, the tail light is very boring... theres this little bit of black plastic behind the seat, looks weird leaving a gap between seat and fairing behind it.

I don't know i just think this bike is too ugly to grow on me.

There was another fella viewing at the same time.

Looking to trade in his 07 cbr1000rr to get the new model...one the same as his right next to the new 08.

he looked at the 08 and goes nope i like mine more, so we both said it would be better to wait until you would really notice a difference in HP before bothering.

I still truely think the 05 cbr looked better.

The 08 cbr600 is okay, (same as 07) but personally i prefer the r6 to look at... (07)
This is not a ride test obviously, but yeah go have a looksie and make up your own mind.

But honda and kawasaki.... you have made a serious hash of your 08 thou's. I do need to see the 08 zx10r in the flesh, but ive seen so many videos the way its designed ie indicators on mirrors etc. Doesn't work for me.

Sigh japan you are letting me down.

Hopefully Yamaha can bring something nice to the table this year

[Marknz]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion... and I choose to disagree with you.

I think the 08 CBR1000RR looks bloody great. They're the first Jap manufacturer to go with a similar look to the RC8, and I think they have it right.

It's clearly a very good bike on the track too. Two race wins and the round win at the ASC at Mallala last weekend against the all conquering (in AU) Yamahas and Suzukis.

But hey, I thought the 999/749 looked pretty good too.

[skidMark]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion... and I choose to disagree with you.

I think the 08 CBR1000RR looks bloody great. They're the first Jap manufacturer to go with a similar look to the RC8, and I think they have it right.

It's clearly a very good bike on the track too. Two race wins and the round win at the ASC at Mallala last weekend against the all conquering (in AU) Yamahas and Suzukis.

But hey, I thought the 999/749 looked pretty good too.

Don't get me wrong i love the ducatis, but the 07 cbr looks a heap better than the 08.

[inlinefour]

Well, where do i start, they botched it, badly.

I havn't ridden it, so i'm not going to comment on how it rides blah blah, i did not even bother to sit on it.

For me looks matter, okay so i'm shallow.

But front on it's looks like a blend of, XB12 Buell. Ducati 1098.

Nice bikes usually, but the headlight area is like a deformed 1098, and it has this big blank panel with no ram air duct up top, just blank from headlights up to screen, Reminds me alot of the buell, nothing on the front fairing,

Front on it really does look like a tourer.

Now don't get me wrong this is not the only bike of the 08's i have my doubts about, I'm kawasaki loyal but you videos, pictures etc. of the new 08 zx10r.

It's just plain ugly too.

I think the bikes of the 05/06 era were awesome looking, maybe theres some new kind of drug every designer in japan is on.

I diss hondas alot, but it is simple pisstake, i would own one provided it can prove its better than the compitition.

The hondas undertail/ plate mouth is all one big moulded piece, as opposed to a bolt on plate spade, makes it a bit of a pain for a tail tidy really, the tail light is very boring... theres this little bit of black plastic behind the seat, looks weird leaving a gap between seat and fairing behind it.

I don't know i just think this bike is too ugly to grow on me.

There was another fella viewing at the same time.

Looking to trade in his 07 cbr1000rr to get the new model...one the same as his right next to the new 08.

he looked at the 08 and goes nope i like mine more, so we both said it would be better to wait until you would really notice a difference in HP before bothering.

I still truely think the 05 cbr looked better.

The 08 cbr600 is okay, (same as 07) but personally i prefer the r6 to look at... (07)
This is not a ride test obviously, but yeah go have a looksie and make up your own mind.

But honda and kawasaki.... you have made a serious hash of your 08 thou's. I do need to see the 08 zx10r in the flesh, but ive seen so many videos the way its designed ie indicators on mirrors etc. Doesn't work for me.

Sigh japan you are letting me down.

Hopefully Yamaha can bring something nice to the table this year

Interesting read Mark, but honestly its not a riders opinion unless you have actually ridden the bike and the rest of the competition to actually compare. I'll agree with you that I prefer the look of the 05 cbr to this new one. But what do you expect, you know what I rode. The new 08 cbr is still ultra competitive and although team kate lost their top rider in supersport the new 600rr is ultra competitive. I had allways intended to get a new tail section/plate holder for mine, but never got around to it. In fact, I'd not long got the M1 tyres on it and was finding the sides of the rear and loving it. A bike to me was all about how it rides and how much enjoyment I got from it. I could not give a flying fornacation about how it looks to someone else, thats not why I was riding. Allways laughed when I'd beat a litre bike to the next stop or snigger when someone would see that its only 600cc. Had several riders follow me that did not know the ride and would take it easy so they could find the right lines also and enjoy their litre bike more. Used to follow Sensei on his gixxer on roads I'd never been on and ring the nuts out of the cbr to follow his lines and I really learnt from watching, learning and listening. I will admit it now what I kept quiet while I was riding. The 05 cbr600rr was my second choice when I trialed all the demos and I got it because of the availability and bloody good service and commaderay from the local dealer. If the local sucksaki dealer was not such tards (might have just been the turd of a dealer I talked to on the day that was orignally from callenders) and got me the ltd ed 05 gsxr750 I wanted things would have been alot different. I was extremely happy with the 600rr though and it was not that often really that I truely rung the nuts off of it.

[skidMark]

Interesting read Mark, but honestly its not a riders opinion unless you have actually ridden the bike and the rest of the competition to actually compare. I'll agree with you that I prefer the look of the 05 cbr to this new one. But what do you expect, you know what I rode. The new 08 cbr is still ultra competitive and although team kate lost their top rider in supersport the new 600rr is ultra competitive. I had allways intended to get a new tail section/plate holder for mine, but never got around to it. In fact, I'd not long got the M1 tyres on it and was finding the sides of the rear and loving it. A bike to me was all about how it rides and how much enjoyment I got from it. I could not give a flying fornacation about how it looks to someone else, thats not why I was riding. Allways laughed when I'd beat a litre bike to the next stop or snigger when someone would see that its only 600cc. Had several riders follow me that did not know the ride and would take it easy so they could find the right lines also and enjoy their litre bike more. Used to follow Sensei on his gixxer on roads I'd never been on and ring the nuts out of the cbr to follow his lines and I really learnt from watching, learning and listening. I will admit it now what I kept quiet while I was riding. The 05 cbr600rr was my second choice when I trialed all the demos and I got it because of the availability and bloody good service and commaderay from the local dealer. If the local sucksaki dealer was not such tards (might have just been the turd of a dealer I talked to on the day that was orignally from callenders) and got me the ltd ed 05 gsxr750 I wanted things would have been alot different. I was extremely happy with the 600rr though and it was not that often really that I truely rung the nuts off of it.

Would be nice if you could break that up just a bit...lol

I see where you are coming from though, obviously the ride means alot more, but to me a bike does have to be the whole package.

To me there is no point having a bike that rides amazingly, but you goto hop on it and just go ewwww.

I like to be able to take pride in my bike, i suspect i would only take the honda out at night.

[avgas]

cos the new CB1000 looks HAWT!!!!!
same for the hornet 600.
Never been a fan of the CBR range - to me every single one of those bikes had a fault in the looks department. However the CBR's do have a nice frame so make good looking fighters.

[Katman]

Sigh japan you are letting me down.

I'm sure Japan's heartbroken.

[hang0ver]

Unless you have a spare 20-odd grand lying around and the riding ability, I never feel its worth getting up in arms over minor cosmetic details of these brand new machines.

By the time I ever get a chance to own one, they'll be cosmetically advanced by around 5-10 years, so no need to cry about it just yet.

All I know is they look a lot better then 20yo peices of junk I roll round on...

_-H-_

[skidMark]

Unless you have a spare 20-odd grand lying around and the riding ability, I never feel its worth getting up in arms over minor cosmetic details of these brand new machines.

By the time I ever get a chance to own one, they'll be cosmetically advanced by around 5-10 years, so no need to cry about it just yet.

All I know is they look a lot better then 20yo peices of junk I roll round on...

_-H-_

LOL you sound like me lol.

Yeah but the 05-06 bikes all looked better than these new ones, bloodey horrible looking.

[owner]

Honda wouldn't let skidmark own a honda, I REALLY like the look of the 08 thou.
Its so small and thats a real good thing.
Just curious how many kms have you done on a 4 pot thou Mark?.
But yes the kwaka is pig ugly front on it looks like a bug. the wing mirrors/ indicators are HUGE!
I was looking forward to the RC8 I really wanted to like it but I dont Its to bits and peices for me.

[NOMIS]

I agree with avagas, They do make nice fighters...... BUT

There sexy as hell maybe like it more than the 08 R1-R6 and these things have been my dream baby right since 02-03 all through the model range's and changes. Reason I don't want a r1 is because I think I would have to hone my skill and ability to be able to ride one to its potential hence I would go for the baby brother first, Same with the CBR .

[skidMark]

Honda wouldn't let skidmark own a honda, I REALLY like the look of the 08 thou.
Its so small and thats a real good thing.
Just curious how many kms have you done on a 4 pot thou Mark?.
But yes the kwaka is pig ugly front on it looks like a bug. the wing mirrors/ indicators are HUGE!
I was looking forward to the RC8 I really wanted to like it but I dont Its to bits and peices for me.

Have you seen the 08 in the flesh? in the pic you posted as a racebike it looks okay, go look at it in a shop, its seriously nasty.

[skidMark]

In reality, this image is flattering of it.... it looks worse than this...

http://www.cmsnl.com/news/img/2008_H..._Fireblade.jpg

The whole black piece under the tail is one moulding to the number plate spade.... all one piece, could have at leave made it unboltable like the r6...

http://z.about.com/d/motorcycles/1/7...3-4_RedBlk.jpg

[xwhatsit]

I think it looks fine. Sportsbikes don't really look distinctive at all at the best of times, hell if you pulled the stickers and god-awful graphics off them then most people couldn't tell you what brand it is.

It's got weird headlights, but I think they'll start to look more normal after time. The best thing about it is that it's so tiny -- it's short and slim and looks like a proper diminutive traditional racebike.

[henry]

This is the way the Japs are. They start off with something Meh, or copy the Italians, they refine and refine until they have something pretty sweet, but the they don't know when to stop and it all turns pear shaped.

Then the yanky press complain, as they're doing with the bike in question (calling it the bumble bee) so they chuck it all away and start the process again. Expect the 09 CBR to look completely different.

Tis the way off the world.