What were they thinking.

[toglhot]

Vincent took an absolutely beautiful engine and built a motorbike around it, making it possibly the ugliest bike ever made.
Norton took a reasonably good looking engine and turned it into something that would make you wretch.
Now we come to BMW. The BMW engine, by itself, is a not a bad looking engine. But whoever designed this thing should be hung from the nearest tree.
What on earth were they thinking when they released these monstrosities?

 

[bosco659]

Seats on the Vincent and Norton help ruin the look imho. Ape hangers aren’t my thing either.

 

[Downeaster]

Seats on the Vincent and Norton help ruin the look imho. Ape hangers aren’t my thing either.

Precisely. Change those minor items and they're very nice looking bikes IMHO.

The Beemer, OTOH is beyond redemption. Scrap the bike, draw and quarter the designer.

 

[46th Georgia]

Vincent took an absolutely beautiful engine and built a motorbike around it, making it possibly the ugliest bike ever made.
Norton took a reasonably good looking engine and turned it into something that would make you wretch.
Now we come to BMW. The BMW engine, by itself, is a not a bad looking engine. But whoever designed this thing should be hung from the nearest tree.
What on earth were they thinking when they released these monstrosities?

As my good friend Cleveland Brown would say "Oooh Petah, thaaats nasty"

 

[gggGary]

What on earth were they thinking

In Norton's case they were watching the easy rider generation "Chop" anything in sight, while their traditional design bikes gathered dust on showroom floors. Sales said we can't afford to design build a new bike so lets put some lipstick on the pig.
I've had at LEAST a dozen XS650's that entered TSOIR with extended forks highway pegs and king queen seats.
BMW is just in denial about cruisers and the riders leg position.



The good news was that at the right time these bikes could (can) be bought cheap and with a little parts replacement be good bikes for some riders.

 

[Kevin Werner]

Scrap the bike, draw and quarter the designer.

...and then do nasty things to him...

 

[Kevin Werner]

In Norton's case they were watching the easy rider generation "Chop" anything in sight, while their traditional design bikes gathered dust on showroom floors. Sales said we can't afford to design build a new bike so lets put some lipstick on the pig.
I've had at LEAST a dozen XS650's that entered TSOIR with extended forks highway pegs and king queen seats.
BMW is just in denial about cruisers and the riders leg position.

View attachment 236021

The good news was that at the right time these bikes could (can) be bought cheap and with a little parts replacement be good bikes for some riders.

Yamaha did this "Special" thing and all the world followed suit...

 

[gggGary]

 

[Kevin Werner]

When the "specials" came out, Vetter fairings was a start up and Goldwings were naked. Fairings and windscreens were almost unheard of.

 

[Jim]

A little history on the Norton Hi-Rider...

https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/norton/norton_commando_750_hi rider.htm

 

[jetmechmarty]

I thought the Specials were tastefully done. But I'm American and I was about 20 years old at the time. I didn't appreciate everyone's version as much. The Highboy is just an oddity and not appealing. I liked the Maxims much less and the Suzuki L bikes as well.

I like this one too!

 

[rideitfast]

Ducati jumped onto the bandwagon back in the day and it didn't go over well. The Indiana.

 

[Downeaster]

^^^Eeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww...

 

[gggGary]

Ducati jumped onto the bandwagon back in the day and it didn't go over well. The Indiana.View attachment 236089

Compared to most "factory choopers" that's pretty well done. A virago with a better looking motor............... ;^)

 

[jetmechmarty]

A virago with a better looking motor............... ;^)

That's also based upon the eye of the beerholder.

I believe that's a fine looking 750cc engine.

 

[Downeaster]

The motor is about the only thing I DO like about the Virago. Have toyed with the idea off and on of grabbing a cheap one and "trackerizing" it.

 

[jpdevol]

The motor is about the only thing I DO like about the Virago. Have toyed with the idea off and on of grabbing a cheap one and "trackerizing" it.

That'd be a challenging project with lots of potential - goferit!!

 

[rideitfast]

Yamaha did build a bike I liked using the Virago motor.

 

[46th Georgia]

That's also based upon the eye of the beerholder.

View attachment 236099
I believe that's a fine looking 750cc engine.

Of the Yamaha "Specials" including the Virago in this, I thought that the XS1100 and the Virago were the best proportioned from a style standpoint.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Of the Yamaha "Specials" including the Virago in this, I thought that the XS1100 and the Virago were the best proportioned from a style standpoint.

I agree. The XS1100 is aided visually by the long wheelbase.