As explained in the previous post, I am not a fan of the 2011 Speed Triple redesign, and that got we wondering what new Cafe Racers, Streetfighters, and Standards are avialable in this new year.
Aprillia Shiver 750, not to shabby.
The new Ducati Diavel Carbon. I do not know what it is but it looks a little off. Maybe it is that the rake angle looks to high for the bike, or the sitting position, it looks like a chopper street fighter, I still prefer the Monster.
Although this is not an entirely new bike it has had some upgrades, the Harley XR1200X, which is about the only Harley I find appealing. The new version has the benefit of Showa shocks and I believe upgraded brakes. I had the opportunity to ride last year's model, and while I really like the idea, it felt as if the engine was a let down, and that handling could have been better. Although they tout the wide handle bars, riding the XR after the trusty Z1000, I felt the bars where actually quite skinny. (Confession, my stock bars have been replaced with ProTaper bars, which are wider).
Thank you Yamaha, for realizing on the FZ8 that the half fairing previously available on the FZ1, was extremely ugly. History is full of bike manufacturers taking a perfectly good fully naked bike and ruining it with a half fairing, yes Suzuki I am talking to you, Bandit 600S,1200S, (Suzi is a Bandit 1200 no fairing), SV650S, SV1000S. Now Yamaha have done the opposite taken a ugly half faired bike and made something wonderful. I would go to the local shop to have a go, but all they have in stock are sport bikes and cruisers. Road trip to a larger city anyone.
All in all 2011 looks like a good year.
Speaking from a purely aesthetic point of view, the Aprilia is the ony bike that I'd look at twice. The Ducati is ill proportioned; the Harley looks like every Sportster of the last six decades, but with black paint; and the FZ8 manages to make a naked bike still look plasticy.
ReplyDeleteI guess it's just a well I am not in the market for a new bike.