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Are retros the future of motorcycling?

15K views 113 replies 63 participants last post by  Bonnocam 
#1 ·
Been thinking about the number of manufacturers jumping on the "retro" band wagon. I suspect that naked retros just might actually be the future of motorcycling.

Bikes are again being produced in classic configurations by their original manufacturers. Look at the Guzzi V series, the Triumph classic twins, and Honda's CB1100, appearently soon to come to these shores. Now, we get word that BMW is to introduce a classic airhead boxter twin , though details are scanty.

I went so far as to contact BMW last year about how frikkin' heavy and/or ugly and soulless their bikes had become, and that I would not own one. I can't be the only rider out there who feels this way.
 
#3 ·
Hard core sports bikes where power is approaching 200 HP are challenging to ride at the speed limit with a constant threat of speeding fines and high insurance costs. Riders want a machine that has character, looks good and for some, reminds them of days past. I can see the appeal of retro motorcycles
 
#17 ·
That sums it up for me. Sadly it will never happen. And anyway it's all age relative - in 20 years' time "retro" will mean the origami insect look, and today's 20 somethings will be getting all misty-eyed over it.
 
#5 ·
I like the trend (note to Ducati, please bring back the Sport Classics, I never got my Paul Smart dream bike). And I like to see the MOTOR in a motorcycle. :cool:

They don't have to necessarily replace the others, but there's certainly room for them to coexist with the angry plastic insects.
 
#7 ·
I don't think of it as a new revival. Classical design always abides. New innovations, fashions and fads come and go. We continually return to the ideals set down by the ancient Greeks. Beauty, balance, grace and nothing to access. In other words, the looks of the Triumph Bonneville.
 
#13 · (Edited)
I agree with previous posts. Seems that motorcycles built for speed are really only fun going fast. Our twins have it all, and hitting the ton feels like I've accomplished something. A crotch rocket is just getting into 3rd gear at that pace.

On the other end of the spectrum, my 2-stroke dirt bike is standing up on the back wheel in 3rd gear when I'm hitting the power band. Speed? probably about 30 mph at that point, but what a blast. Top speed=maybe 60 mph, and honestly more fun than even my Bonnie. Dirt is my true first love.

So let the Power Rangers brag all they want. I guarantee I'm having more fun than they are on any of my bikes. Odds are that at the end of any of my rides, I won't need a straw to eat my meals, or even worse, probably won't wake up pushin' daisies. Just my opinion of why I prefer my bikes.

Btw Forchetto, yes, that is an absolutely gorgeous piece of art/machinery.
 
#80 ·
I agree with previous posts. Seems that motorcycles built for speed are really only fun going fast. Our twins have it all, and hitting the ton feels like I've accomplished something. A crotch rocket is just getting into 3rd gear at that pace.

On the other end of the spectrum, my 2-stroke dirt bike is standing up on the back wheel in 3rd gear when I'm hitting the power band. Speed? probably about 30 mph at that point, but what a blast. Top speed=maybe 60 mph, and honestly more fun than even my Bonnie. Dirt is my true first love.

So let the Power Rangers brag all they want. I guarantee I'm having more fun than they are on any of my bikes. Odds are that at the end of any of my rides, I won't need a straw to eat my meals, or even worse, probably won't wake up pushin' daisies. Just my opinion of why I prefer my bikes.
I keep trying to explain that over on another Forum and people get very angry and call me a fool! :rolleyes:
 
#14 ·
Harley Davidson never went retro, they always were what they were.

It just that us non-HD folks were either left with UJM's from the 80's or something fugly with an inline four Stateside.

Any attempt at retro or naked FAILED until theTriumph Bonneville line showed that it could survive. W650 came and went, other naked UJM's came and went but the Bonneville survived.

I will say this much, if it wasn't for a test ride when Triumph was doing the tour, I never would have even considered one, let alone bought one.
 
#16 ·
Most motorcycles look the same now if its a sports bike and you take the badge off you cant tell the difference, upside down forks ( I thought unsprung weight was a no no) a line that goes from the front wheel spindle to the rear of the seat, large gap between the seat and rear wheel, no front mudgaurd behind the front forks ( crap & stones all over engine and radiator) Must have radial calipers (All calipers are radial its just the way they have to be mouted on upside down forks).....Adventure bikes most look like a girder bridge with an engine slung underneath with film crew boxes on the back for panniers.
Touring bikes depends what you need no gripes there..
Retro is what you see is what you get something from a different era with modern gizmos
and you bought it because you liked the look of it....Thats why they sell like hot cakes and hold their price
My view only..T.U.D.
 
#18 ·
Saw a black and gold Guzzi V7 on the road about an hour ago and slowed down just so I could stare at it as it rolled along. If it was a Gixxer, I would've barely even noticed it.

I doubt they will, but I sincerely hope retros don't ever dominate the bike industry. If they did, we wouldn't get to look so good by comparison:)
 
#19 ·
THE future of motorcycling? No. A solid place there? Definitely.
There are too many diverse interests in riding to cramp things down to just one style, retro or otherwise.

I'm a little surprised at all the sportbike bashing, and the "my bikes way more fun/better/etc than XXX bikes" comments, though...I think of the gang here as a bit more civil and...evolved than that.
But then again, YMMV. :D
 
#22 · (Edited)
I'm a little surprised at all the sportbike bashing, and the "my bikes way more fun/better/etc than XXX bikes" comments, though...I think of the gang here as a bit more civil and...evolved than that.
But then again, YMMV. :D
First of all, I personally don't believe in evolution. :) But if this comment was made with my post partly in mind, there was no sport bike bashing intended. Im sorry if it sounded like that. I just have found that many people, including car guys, think power=fun. But I don't feel that way. I've ridden many different sport bikes, and they are indeed fun. But IMO not really at 50 mph, unless I'm breaking the law. In FL you can lose your bike if the cop sees you accelerating fast, what he considers "racing". A wheelie will also lose your bike. So, for me, I don't enjoy riding something in a way it's not designed. I, therefore, personally have much more fun on the bikes I've chosen to own.

So, although I don't expect everyone, or anyone, to necessarily agree with me, I don't think my POV makes me 'uncivilized' or lacking taste.
 
#20 ·
I've only been riding 4 years and one month. My T-100 is my fifth bike, and my wife has gone through a few bikes too. By far, the Bonneville is the one that's the most fun. Every time I go for a ride of any distance, I have a huge smile on my face when I get off the bike. It steers the right way. The mix of power and weight is just right. It has the look.
People who have not ridden them don't understand.
 
#21 ·
My opinion is that "Retro" may just be another fashion faze, although one that I like.
On the other hand I am seeing new and established manufacturers coming out with bikes that are simpler, cheaper & more utilitarian. I think this has been pushed by an economy that can no longer support $20K+ bikes. I would like to see a return to basic, cheap transportation that the average Joe can maintain.
Look at the new Honda NC700 parallel twin @ $6999. It's inovative in it's back to basics with modern conveniences, plus it gets about 70mpg and performance is almost equell to the bonnie (I said almost).
I really think it's time for the motorcycle industry to get back to basics. They can build the all computer controlled go fasts for those who have the $$$, for the rest of us, give us a seat, handlebars & and engine that I can see & work on.
 
#23 ·
If retro is the future of motorcycling then motorcycling has no future, I wan't to see bikes making progress, OK progress in the last few years (ok decades) has been totally 'sports' focussed (at least in the UK) but that doesn't make it the 'only' way but if all the future has to offer is regurgitation of 40+ year old designs (no matter how much I like my Thruxton) then I feel like Alexander the great. A bit like the Victorian building designs which hadn't moved on from medieval.
 
#24 ·
If retro is the future of motorcycling then motorcycling has no future, I wan't to see bikes making progress, ... A bit like the Victorian building designs which hadn't moved on from medieval.
\

The best of retro STYLING is here to stay I hope, because it is (in some cases like the Bonneville) a timeless thing of beauty that not only endures it works.

A building with classical styling can be made so it is functionally modern in every way. A light fixture design from the 1800's may not have quite as much ambiance if the light it puts out comes from LED technology instead of a gas flame, but it can still be attractive and it is far more efficient and safe. While some of the Victorian buildings you mentioned were horrid from day one and so are some 20th century designs, buildings along classical Greek lines are still among the most pleasing to the human eye even though the styling is thousands of years old. Aesthetically, what is right to begin with stays that way.

So it is with motorcycles. They can still have classic beauty, instead of looking like some prop from a bad sci-fi flick, and be fully modern mechanically. IMO "retro" bikes of that type will be popular for a long long time.
 
#28 ·
Define retro. My 1989 GSXR was definitely retro and looked cool as penguin piss. however if you looked at it through 1999 eyes it looked dated. 10 years ago you couldn't give away an old CB750.

Theres some awesome sports bike designs at the moment that will be highly desirable in 15-20 years. Everything goes around in circles.
 
#30 ·
I dont think the term "retro" really defines the idea that some designs are timeless, this goes beyond motorcycles. Levis 501's, Chuck Taylors, etc..There seems to have been a period of time where auto and bike makers lost sight of this.Now it seems that bike makers are realizing that the designs that made their companies huge in the first place will pretty much always have a market.
 
#32 ·
All my friends in their mid to late 30s want retro-style bikes, whether its the Cleveland Cyclewerks Misfit or a Bonnie. My one friend who is about to take the MSF course in a few months told me that all she grew up with and saw were HD cruisers, Crotch Rockets, and Touring Baggers. The 60s and 70s look is appealing because they just aren't around in a mainstream way. Ya know...everyone wants to be different! :nod

That's also probably why Stellas sell so well. New Vespas look like every other curvy plastic scooter. No thanks.
 
#33 · (Edited)
Most manufacturers use a shotgun approach to the market: Sport, touring, dirt, classic and cruisers. HD and some of the exotic Italians seem to be the only ones who can get away with name recognition alone (one expects a Ducati to be a Ducati and no one expects MV Agusta to build a cruiser, much less a dirt bike).

That said, I guess there are reasons why the BMW R1200GS (arguably the ultimate do-everything motorcycle) hasn't taken over the world. Pretty it aint springs to mind, as opposed to my Black, Kreem's Sickle, Beemerrich's Thrux, or Mikeinva's bad blue beast. Classics will sell as long as there are those of us who like them. Period.

In answer to the original question, I believe the R1200GS and it's like are ultimately the future of motorcycling. And why not? McQueen would love the damn thing.
 
#38 ·
That said, I guess there are reasons why the BMW R1200GS (arguably the ultimate do-everything motorcycle) hasn't taken over the world. Pretty it aint springs to mind, as opposed to my Black, Kreem's Sickle, Beemerrich's Thrux, or Mikeinva's bad blue beast. Classics will sell as long as there are those of us who like them. Period.
Thanks Easy. I have to totally agree on your bike, too. Very nice and mean on its latest incarnation. Unfortunately I've never seen Rich's Thrux (just his cams :)) or Mike's, aside from one pic for his rear tire, and he had changed his tank.
 
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