Where are all the 'different' bikes these days

[Drogen Omen]

I don't know whether this makes me vomit or if I like it. It's like a car crash, you can't stop looking at it, but don't know why.

Victory Vision 2008 on TradeMe

damn..... kinda hypnotic isn't it... looks like that designer watch too many of the old batman cartoons...

smooth lines.....

[martybabe]

I don't know whether this makes me vomit or if I like it. It's like a car crash, you can't stop looking at it, but don't know why.

Victory Vision 2008 on TradeMe

I'm with ya there Matt. I'm glad they made it but I'm not sure why, I spose because it's different but then again isn't it just an Ultra glide on drugs, same woman different dress.

[martybabe]

Could'nt agree more. After owning a shitload of bikes over the years i've got a bit jaded at the choices available which is why i built my own. Dont get me wrong i still love all types of motorcycles and there are some new ones that i might even consider owning but theres that dam many that are so similar to each other i dont lust after them.

Good lord, I just checked your profile, what a fantastic bike, bloody well done mate, nothing samey about that monster, your the man.

[Shadows]

the bike on your profile looks like a Harley Davidson TX1000 or XT1000... cant remember...!!! am i wrong?

seen a black and orange one on the hutt motorway, turns off at the avalon lights... they look mean...

You're thinking of an XR1200 - now there's something a little different.

[Forest]

Care to elaborate?

It's been discussed ad infinitum.

The problem with the Britten is that it was operating right at the material limits of its components. This is an acceptable trade-off in a race-bike, but it means that bike could never be put into production.

Almost all of the Britten bikes have ended up as static displays. They're literally too fragile to ride.

[Big Dave]

[Forest]

Ok. That's fair enough.

I didn't mean to imply that they are made from tissue paper - because they aren't.

[Big Dave]

Ok. That's fair enough.

I didn't mean to imply that they are made from tissue paper - because they aren't.

Yes - and a few parade laps isn't a race season either.

[MSTRS:Me]

It's been discussed ad infinitum.

The problem with the Britten is that it was operating right at the material limits of its components. This is an acceptable trade-off in a race-bike, but it means that bike could never be put into production.

Almost all of the Britten bikes have ended up as static displays. They're literally too fragile to ride.

Be that as it may...innovation is simply a new idea being tried. Whether it works or not. As far as 'production' bikes are concerned, all the innovation has been done long ago and practicality/market forces determine the end result. Hence the plethora of bike lookylikey in every genre.
As technology in materials progresses, we may find bikes like the Britten are suddenly possible.
This sort of thing is nothing new. Case in point

[buellbabe]

Where are all the different /unique/ innovative bikes these days. In a time when we perhaps have more bike choice than any generation before us, when you get down to the nitty gritty details they are much of a muchness aren't they?

Proud to ride a Buell that stands out from the crowd

Even when it is occasionally in the company of other X1s (at a Buell rally) it is still unique.

[martybabe]

Proud to ride a Buell that stands out from the crowd

Even when it is occasionally in the company of other X1s (at a Buell rally) it is still unique.

Yes your right if I had to award a trophy for the company that dares to be different, it would go to Buell, especially in light of that recent sports bike departure. Having said that, whilst the brand is different and kudos for that, a lot of their models are very very similar.

Personally I'd like to see them take all their quirky design features and take their hotted up Harley engines and go backwards, I could really see all that innovative stuff used in a kind of confederate cruiser type thing, that would be something. I doubt the parent company would like them treading on their toes though.

Well done you individual you.

A custom Buell like this one below stuffed full of all the Buell clever stuff,great handling, fack off brakes and a 100bhp engine, where do I sign up

[buellbabe]

Yeah thats what I like about the X1. When it was first produced it featured new innovations and also it certainly didn't look like the earlier models.
It was considered top of the range.
Then Erik got all fancy and brought out the XB and because they were a radical departure from the 'tuber' range the X1 maintained its uniqueness ...YEEEEEE HA!

[Gremlin]

And now for something completely different: Victory Vision. DN-01. Spyder. BMW Megamoto. KTM SM990. Honda Predator. Speed Triple. Granpasso. 1125CR. XB12X.

I was going to mention the supermoto... its not radically different, but it doesn't really fit the traditional "classes". There are very few of them on the road, and I can't think for the life of me why people don't want them? Price maybe?

Best bike I have ever owned... well, now that its been modified

[ukusa]

2: Cruisers, just how many v twin american style cruisers are there in this world, look at Yamahas line up, 10 or so vtwin heavy, low slung, looky likeies, Suzuki the same. without a model designation, I couldn't tell them apart in a magazine much less on the road. Stick HD and the others in the equation and you've got, I dunno, maybe 100 bikes that are essentially the same.

and some people say Triumphs are Harley clones, at least they don't have a V twin

[cheshirecat]

I sort of prefer some of the classics. I still lust after the old MV Agusta 750 with it's straight through pipes and gravel crushing sound of the gear cam drive.
A friend has an old CB550 and she has heaps of fun on it and it's great to fiddle with - All I can do with my VFR is polish it and change the oil.