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Thread: I hate the "naked" class bikes

  1. #1
    Senior Member Aaron's Avatar
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    I hate the "naked" class bikes

    How dare I post a motorcycle-related topic on CSC, so take it easy on me.

    I hate the naked class of bikes, I'll be the first to admit it. For me, with almost every model the manufacturer completely misinterprets what I want in a bike. Personally, I want the bike that is good at everything. Give me one bike in the garage that can do everything, and that's what I want. Right now I've of course got the S1000RR, and I don't think it can be beat, that's why I bought it (Ok, it doesn't look or sound the best).

    I love naked bikes in theory. I love the comfort, I love that they try and retain superbike level performance in theory, and I love the look. But with every article I read, I read about how the manufacturer "street tunes" them. Softer (Read lower performance) suspension. Cheaper components to cut costs (Read heavier). Engines "tuned" for more midrange (Read less power). Worse brakes to cut cost (Read more fade).

    Has anyone who has ridden a S1000RR complained about its harsh suspension? Mine's got the electronic DDC of course, and it's great on the street, got no issues with that at all. It's harsh, but so is a Porsche suspension and people drive those on the street. Does anyone hear with a modern literbike suspersport have an issue with a lack of midrange power? Jesus I hope not, I certainly don't. Sure at 6,000 rpm I'm not screaming yet, but let's face it literbikes are not lacking in midrange, they just feel it because of what happens at 10,000 when shit gets illegal in a felonious fashion quick. I've never been on the street, at low rpm, and thought this bike needs moar. That's why I didn't get a 600, so that wouldn't happen. So don't tune my damn engine down. Cost? Ok I can understand that, but personally my budget was somewhere under $40k, I honestly didn't care where. The S1000RR is a bargain. I would've spent the same amount on a naked, in a heartbeat. I don't get why the manufacturers feel they need to lower cost when the market buyers have shown that they'll pay for nice bikes (Panigale and S1000RR are dominating literbike sales despite being the most expensive).

    Yamaha FZ-10 just came out. It looks bad fucking ass. I love it. That gray color with neon rims? Fucking hot. Those front lights look like a transformer. It's comfortable too? It's got cruise control? It's heavily based on the R1? Hell ya sign me up! Except nope.

    -They "tuned" the engine, robbing power to make more midrange. Great. The R1 was already down on power.
    -They made it quieter so it doesn't sound like an R1. Like, really?
    -Steel rear subframe so it weighs more
    -Steel brake pistons so it weighs more
    -Softer suspension so it's not too harsh
    -Cheaper electronics so it's cheaper

    Oh but it's cheap! Fan-fucking-tastic, so is a Katana, but I'm not rushing out to buy one. Seriously, price it the same as the R1, and put R1 level components on it, and I'd buy one. Give me an R1 except without all of the ugly R1 bits, make it look like the FZ-10 (HOT!), add cruise control and handlebars and tell me where to sign. It's not rocket science.

    In closing, mad props to KTM and Aprilia. The SuperDuke 1290 and Tuono 1100 Factory are pretty good. All of the other nakeds completely miss the mark for me by being cheaper, because in order to make them cheap, they make them worse. You'd think they'd have learned by where the 600 class is at right now. People are willing to pay for up-spec bikes.

  2. #2
    Gold Member salsashark's Avatar
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    Re: I hate the "naked" class bikes

    You son of a...

    How dare you post something related to those devil machines?! You know people get killed on those things...

    Anyways, one of the best bikes I've owned. More than enough power, electronics are great at keeping the front wheel, at least close, to the ground. Ergos are OK for riding most of the day... Touring, on the other hand, I miss the duc for that.

    Carved up the dragon with surgical precision... Or at least as much as I wanted it to...



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  3. #3
    Senior Member j0ker's Avatar
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    Re: I hate the "naked" class bikes

    I am with you Aaron, I dislike the look of the common naked bike. Any bike is better than none at all, but I'll never willing pick a naked machine.

  4. #4
    Senior Member FZRguy's Avatar
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    Re: I hate the "naked" class bikes

    Okay, how bout modern classics like Triumph Thruxton R. I don't see anything not to like here, 'cept the price.

    http://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/bi.../2016/thruxton

    I like the new Yamaha XSR900 too (and not the black one).

    https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/sp.../models/xsr900
    John
    KTM Duke 690

  5. #5
    Senior Member j0ker's Avatar
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    Re: I hate the "naked" class bikes

    Quote Originally Posted by FZRguy View Post
    Okay, how bout modern classics like Triumph Thruxton R. I don't see anything not to like here, 'cept the price.

    http://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/bi.../2016/thruxton

    I like the new Yamaha XSR900 too (and not the black one).

    https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/sp.../models/xsr900
    Those both are cool, but I still wouldn't consider buying one. That Yamaha looks like you could pimp it out nicely. Like I said before, any motorcycle is better than none at all though.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Aaron's Avatar
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    Re: I hate the "naked" class bikes

    The Yamaha XSR900 isn't really my style, but that Triumph, DAYUM! And the Triumph, BMW RnineT, and Ducati Scrambler all push the O button for me, I love them all. And on those I don't mind the lack of performance typically seen on your naked class, because they aren't made to have performance, they aren't supposed to. If I could afford a second bike, one of those 3 would be a huge contender.



  7. #7
    Member Okrapp's Avatar
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    Re: I hate the "naked" class bikes

    The naked bike thing. I like to see the mechanisms. I want to see and know how the things under the bodywork look and anything about the frame or motor indicative of artisan/engineering work going into it. Showing that off is cool. Do you really want to crack 150 with it though? The abruptness of wind force when sitting up out of a crouch at well over 100 to set up a corner isn't something I want for sustained riding at high speed. Just me though. The FZ-10 looked silly when I first saw the pictures but, in person, it grows on you like the new R1s. Like it. I think we would all like something in a single platform that did everything exceptionally. Or, maybe even a combination of any just two things that isn't currently available (i.e. superstock performance less fairings). The Touno looks pretty dang close on the sport/naked/keeping-the-superstock though. The question is how many people (outside of the sportier-side sort of us) would purchase these to drive marketing for a production model of one?
    "On a cycle the frame is gone. You're completely in contact with it all. You're in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming.” Pirsig

  8. #8
    Member GMR's Avatar
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    Re: I hate the "naked" class bikes

    Maybe next time I crash my R6 I'll just convert it to naked or street fighter. Some people love the look, my wife included. So, crash a sportbike, take off the fairings, add special headlight maybe some hand bars, boom!

    Present: 2006 GSXR 750 (black/yellow), 2006 Yamaha R6r (blue)
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  9. #9
    Gold Member asp_125's Avatar
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    Re: I hate the "naked" class bikes

    For around town and local canyon hooning, I like the comfort of my Street Triple R over a full fairing'd race rep. Triumph didn't change much between the Daytona 675 R and the Street R. I do think naked sports bikes give up something to the race replicas, in terms of performance. But then, it's apples vs oranges, or at least apples vs apple pie - same only different.
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  10. #10
    Senior Member FZRguy's Avatar
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    Re: I hate the "naked" class bikes

    I like the RnineT a lot; Foothills has a demo bike I need to ride. And the Thruxton R looks even better in the flesh.
    John
    KTM Duke 690

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