Because we (or... I) hijacked another topic: what is the best and worst looking motorcycle you can think of? Best looking: 1998 Speed Triple and 2016 Speed Triple R: bulky, raw, completely balanced. Ugliest: Aprilia moto 6.5 (1995 ridicilously overdesigned, Starck probably would have invented the wheel because of its shape) and Bimota Mantra (1995, intentions taken faaar too literally). Together on 1 photograph:
Got to be the best looking motorcycle ever made. I remember drooling over it on the front of the MCN when it first came out in the mid 90’s. Swore I would own one someday. I currently have a red 996 in my garage and can’t see myself ever selling it. Having said that I think the 1200 Thruxton runs it a close second. I also have one of them in my garage!
My 1198SP....... ...and my '04 R1 which I part-exed for the 1198 and came to regret it. In fact, I went back to the dealer hoping to buy it back but it had gone.
I always liked the early F4 MV's, penned by Tamburini the same as the 916. Taking delivery of my 1000S, must be 20 years ago. Deffo fits into the category of 'should've kept it' Lol
This could possibly go either way depending on people's taste for spaceframes and creative engineering, but for me Ariel Motorcycles are ugly!
There's not much so far in this thread about the Ugly bikes. I suppose you may offend someone who might own that particular model you dislike? In the case I'm going to mention, if do have one, you will be Quids in as I'm told they are very rare and sought after. So I put my shout in for the MV F4 as a beautiful bike, but many years earlier when MV brought out their first 4 cylinder road bike, it wasn't exactly a looker, in fact it was nicknamed the Black Pig. That headlamp doesn't help I think. But they only built 127 examples hence their value if you happen to find one in a shed somewhere. Unlikely I know.
For me, it has to be the Z900 Kawasaki. I've always thought that this is the best bike ever to come out of Japan. My GS 750 came close, but this has always been the one bike I'd love to have. In the pig ugly department, well for me the whole CCM range. I just can't understand anyone putting money down to buy any of the range. Well overpriced and for what, they look disgusting. Then there's this pile of junk Maybe I don't get it, I wouldn't want any of them, even for free.
OK, how about a Munch Mammut, never seen one in the metal thankfully..... ...and a modern contender. Far better to ride than to look at, or so I'm told.
Charley and Ewan have a lot to answer for. I'm not a fan either, but BMW sell them by the bucket load and of course they ain't cheap.
Well, I hope you will forgive me for putting forward two that I own myself, but I always liked the NS400 and I'm on my 2nd STRS.
Another one which may cause a bit of debate.... but I think a Series 3 Lambretta, especially an SX200 with a nice paint scheme like this one, has real Italian elegance. Or maybe that's just because I had one!
