Does nobody make any cool bikes anymore?

markjs

markjs

XS400 owner, bike lover
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I'm not a fan of really tiny, nor really big bikes. Definitely not a fan of sportbikes either. I am in no position now and don't expect to be in a position soon to buy a new bike but sometimes it's fun to look. What I love is 350-900cc bikes, mostly vintage, because to me it seems year by year manufacturers just make less cool stuff. Just was at both Yamaha and Honda's websites and midsize bikes seem to be a thing of the past. What's worse is what midsize bikes there are are all either cruisers or sportbikes. I mean a Harley is a Harley, those are all the same forever since the evolution, though that V-Rod is interesting, but still it just seems to me that bikes have lost their character and identity and have become just cheap consumer toys with no real style anymore. The last cool "newish" bike I saw was a Triumph.

Now this is a bike, and it's a 2013 too!

2013-triumph-bonneville-s-2_600x0w.jpg


So, what else is there in the mid size these days that looks cool, like a bike is supposed to (in my opinion) anyway?

P.S. I'd never feel "cool" riding up on a shiny Harley like I would riding up on that Triumph!
 
You could always go ultimate retro with one of these - and no need to stop riding just because of a little snow! :yikes:
 

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Scorpio1963 said:
What kinda bike is that Beamer?My exbrother N law had a nice BMW many years back.He liked it better than his harleys he rode.
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Ural. Made by the Rooskies off a design they stole from BMW in the '50s I think.
Not my cup of tea, but there is actually a dealer in the area and we see them occasionally. When hooked to the sidecar, they are 2-wheel drive (the wheel on the side car is connected to the bike's rear wheel by a drive-shaft) and they really do get driven in the snow - apparently they perform pretty well in it.
Why you would want to is a separate question.
 
Kinda late to this post but I rally like the retro look bikes. I'd love to be able to buy a Triumph or Royal Enfield to tool around on. Don't get me going on Ural. I think it'd be about the ultimate all weather ride. There was a story in Minneapolis about a man who'd commute year round on his Ural. The driven side car added needed traction and stability in the worst weather.
 
There is a bigger market for "cool" middle-weight motorcycles in other countries; most of these models are simply not brought to the USA.

In the USA people tend to buy a tiny starter motorcycle and then jump to something large that they will never have to replace, or they start with something very large they will never have to replace. I don't think it's a good thing by any means, but people here are very concerned with having the biggest and the fastest machines on the road.

There just aren't a lot of people that will drop $6,000 - $10,000 for a machine they won't keep for very long because so few of us are comfortable and content owning a mid-size motorcycle. I've personally dealt with this attitude since I started. People often think my motorcycles are amazing until I tell them the details. Once they find out the engine displacement their attitude usually changes and they become critical. Everything less than a liter bike or a supersport is viewed as just a "starter" motorcycle suitable only for beginners. In general when you meet someone on a small or mid-size bike they're usually just gaining enough experience so that they can reach their real goal: owning the huge cruiser, liter sport bike, or other huge bike.
 
I agree with BC. I started on a 250 Rebel and although I loved learning on it, it was a bit small. I am very content (once the kinks are worked out) with my XS400. It seems to be a good size for fuel economy,weight(im a small guy) and still keep up with larger bikes on longer rides.
 
Those bikes give me an idea. What do you think if I'd try to make my XS similar. Flat black paint remove most all chrome MX type bars. My biggest issue would be the exhaust. I like the high pipe but worry about burns and I'd need some muffler. I'd try to go a 2 into 1 and out 1 side. In our bikes with the alternate crank which cyl fires first? This would determine which side the exhaust pipe comes out on to help with scavengeing.
 
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The left cylinder fires first. Unless the right cylinder fires before it. :shrug:

It doesn't matter. It is a parallel twin with a 180 degree crank.

<Incorrect reply. MrStubb is on the ball>
 
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If you look at the crank the pistons are on alternateing journals. Given that these are 4 cycle engines there is a full 720 degrees of rotation for a complete cycle. That would mean there are 2 power pulses (strokes) in close proximity to each other(180Degrees apart). With that wouldn't it be an advantage to have the 1st cyl fire and have the exhaust pulse help draw the second exhaust pulse out of the pipe like headers do. This would have the effect of helping our engines breathe better.
 
Um, isn't one cylinder on a compression stroke when the other is on an exhaust stroke? Or one on a power stroke while the other is on an intake stroke? My math is pretty rusty, but I'd be estimating a 360 degree separation of the power strokes...

<What I wrote is wrong. See later post for correct answer.>
 
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