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Perhaps I am glossing things over Minty ... I am looking at this from an American perspective where the number of (for the inline-four crowd) the fully-clad repli-racers far exceeds that of the naked 'streetfighter' or 'retro' type bikes out there. Your Bandit is pretty much a 'retro' in that it's layout, styling and powerband are direct throwbacks to 20 years ago (albeit with many improvements).

Perhaps we simply differ on the semantics ... 'what is a sportbike?'

sapaul - Perhaps it's not the roads that are outdated, but the people? Is technology surpassing our ability? Meaning - If the Roads were made to handle 200kph corners - would we (humans) be able to handle it?

Race results sell bikes.
So does the styling and technology that goes along with it.

sapaul - Perhaps it's not the roads that are outdated, but the people? Is technology surpassing our ability? Meaning - If the Roads were made to handle 200kph corners - would we (humans) be able to handle it?


Yeah I guess so, it's not that long ago that people thought that 100 miles per hour was like going to the moon. I hear what you are saying though. My old Montessa trials bike was a dog to ride in comparison to the new GAS GAS and no matter what they did to a retro Montessa you could not make it perform like a new modern bike packed with modern technology. As you know I very rarely knock a bike as they all have their attractions and appeal to differing people. Personally I want my engine managment, abs, trick suspension and so on. I believe in technology. Retro styling combined with the technology OK. Retro technology. NAH. I feel safe with my technology. My Grandad used to tell me about those old Triumph Bonnevilles though.

Okay, so I've avoided posting in this thread up to this point because I was rather interested in seeing what the people who are older then I am think. I was sort of wondering what was going to be said by the people who were around to experience this style the first time.

To them I would assume that it has a great nostalgia factor. The ability to hop on a bike that looks almost exactly like something they flew around on 20 or 30 years ago, but handles like something they rode yesterday must at the very least tickle someone's fancy.

To me, it goes deeper then that. The world we live in is (to me) become more and more detached. We have instant tellers, instant messaging, voice mail, e-mail, 10 person vehicles, drive-thru marriage, followed shortly by drive-thru divorce.

At this point, the person that I am, with the skills I have, I could almost literally get away with never leaving the house. I could get a job managing a website, or several. I can order games, computer parts, clothes, and even food online or over the phone. I can literally starve myself of any and all human contact.

How does that apply? Well, to me these bikes aren't just an example of borrowing design concepts. These bikes represent something that we (as a society) used to be. They are a solid link to the past in a world where links in general rarely exist. In a world that becomes increasingly disconnected these retro designs and fashions that are cropping are indicative of humanities basic need for socialization.

Added to that is the almost automatic acceptance into the biker society when you hang yourself out there on 2 wheels. Everyone knows "the biker wave," and I'm sure we all look for it.




Of course there is also something to be said for repackaging one's childhood and selling it to you. They did this by rereleasing all the original transformer toys. The bastards.

I like the retro looks. Adding class designs with a modern flair. I do hope that they start modernizing their designs in the next few years though once the retro fad is over.

I ride what I consider a retro bike. My Nighthawk was in production until '03 and it was pretty much a copy of the original UJM Nighthawks of the early 80s. Kawasaki was in the U.S. retro market for a few years with the Zephyr series, which was nearly a clone of the old KZ bikes. Although Kaw only sold 'em in the U.S. for a few years, they were hugely popular in Japan and Europe and sold until around '99.

The main reason I bought one is that I was perfectly content with the standard UJM of the early 80s. It wasn't specialized like the sportbike or cruiser. It was comfortable for long hauls and great fun on twisty mountain roads. A good general purpose motorcycle. When bikes morphed into the sportbike and cruiser segments in the mid 80s, the concept of a general purpose UJM was lost. I hope there's a retro bike on the market when it's time to replace the Nighthawk.

I like the idea... but I don't think it's for me. I like the old stuff because it has heart and a real history. 3 of my bikes were made 5 years before I was and I just can't get as exited about my Ducati as I get about them because it has no soul... it's kinda boreing and ordinary. The new stuff, like the sport classics and the triumphs are nice (when I bought my monster it was between it and a thruxton) but they just seem so hollow. Maybe if I didn't have the ability or desire to build the real ones up myself I'd be into the new classics.

That new car smell only lasts a few weeks, but nostalgia gets better with age.