Depressing new bikes

Been looking through the pages and pages of 2007 model bikes in this
month's Bike and this week's MCN.

I must be getting old.

Another revamped Honda CBR. A bit sharper than its predecessor. A ditto
Kawasaki sports 600... erm, some combination of Zs and Xs with an RRRRR
or something.

Some changes to a Gixxer Thou, A few naked bikes, all, without
exception, as ugly as monkeys arseholes. What is this trend for
headlights that look like they wre styled after a Dali half-melted
watch?

Kawasaki 1400 tourer. Might be fun. A revamped Ducati or two.

Nothing actually new. Just more instant model replacements. Hey, let's
give it a new paint job and a black anodised swinging arm to show it's a
new model. And to dealue last year's purchase by another few per cent.

I like novelty if it's coupled with imagination. And it hasn't been.

Why is it that Suzuki is the only manufacturer to do something nicely
different with its SV650-based series?

Where's the equivalent to the old model Fazer 600 - a basic engine that
ticks all the boxes, in a simple frame, with a cheap price tag?

Where's the nice torquey basic Jap shafty, that should be following in
the footsteps of the Divvie 900, Kawasaki GT series, and the Honda CX?

Where's the basic sports bike? New bandit 1200, I suppose, but it's so
fucking ugly.

Where, for Chrissakes, are the fun light-to-middleweights? Most of
Europe is now set about with intermediate capacity licence classes, or
is moving that way. Where are the little fun bikes, in 250-400cc
categories? Remember the LC? That tempted a whole generation of riders
onto small fun bikes.

 

Kawasaki Z750s ?

In the skip, where it belongs.

The B12 isn't really a sports bike now, is it?

Basic sports bike.. What's wrong with the current crop of 600's? And
the Truimph 675?

 

From what I've seen of those they're too far biased towards 'sporty'.
Fazer 600s were really comfortable to ride distances, I don't think the
Z750 would be anywhere near as plush - and certainly wouldn't be for the
pillion.

TOG has a point, though. For anyone wanting a middleweight commuter /
tourer, there's very little on the market these days.

They're all far to extreme these days. IMHO, of course.

Mind you, I must be getting old, I'm starting to find the VFR
uncomfortable to ride for more than an hour at a time.

 

*yawn*

I had a Fazer as a courtesy bike for a week. Did a few hundred miles on
it. It was a bit buzzy (as you'd expect from an inline-4 600cc engine),
but it was just as comfy as a Divvy, but much faster and better
handling. There's nothing out there that fits that market at the moment.

Having been in a bike dealer for the first time in well over a year this
afternoon, I have to say that most of the bikes in there, other than
stuff like Pans and the big Varadero type things, look bloody
uncomfortable.

 

SteveH says...

Gixers look really uncomfortable, until you ride one. Same goes for my
Daytona and numerous other bikes.

 

Doesn't work for me.

The afternoon I spent on Hog's Gixer a few(?) years ago taught me that
the latest generation of sports bikes really aren't for me. I was in
absolute agony when I got off that.

 

SteveH says...

That Gixer was one of the most comfy bikes I have ever ridden, easily in
the same league as my old Thunderace and ZZR1100s.

 

Quite.

 

I just don't get it. I find my GSXR no worse than my Blackbird, which can't
be a million miles away from a VFR.

 

I'm starting to find the VFR uncomfortable to ride these days. I can
barely walk when I get off it after an hour or so or riding.

 

Ah, so it's you, not the bike.

 

Or a BMW K1100LT. I sort of see the appeal of those these days.

I've been considering chopping the VFR for something more comfortable -
but it's depreciated so much that I can't really justify doing it for
another year or so.

 

You're getting old. My VFR gets comfier and better every time I ride it.

 

SteveH says...

You big fucking wuss.

 

SteveH says...

I cannot for the life of me see why people buy these when there are
better bikes, such as the Pan Euro, for far less money.

 

You mean you don't like the Suzuki B-King? I do.

 

Severely damaged cartilage in both knees - I have most of the cartilage
from my right knee in a jar in the spare bedroom.

 

Erm, WHY?

I don't get it,it's not like it'll serve any use, or make for a tasty
snack. Nor would it be a talking point at dinner parties..

"Look Suzanne, here's the cartlidge they took from my knee."
"Oh wow. Hey Bob, have you seen this, it's Steve's cartlidge!"
<jolly laughter around the table>

Very strange.

 

Because the hospital gave it to me, nicely preserved, in a jar.

 

I fancy the 2007 Tiger.