916 vs Black lightning

ogden · Jun 1, 2011

Hog. () said:

Why? the single sided swinging arm and wheel design are pretty but otherwise
it looks much as any race rep of the period and despite all the fluff the
engine made 112bhp.

But that was undeniably a fantastic looking motorcycle
Click to expand...

You're both mental. It's fucking hideous.

JB · Jun 1, 2011

Ace said:

Watching[1] a Grand Designs on TV, where the guy has put a 916 on the
wall of his living room. Nothing wrong with that, of course, and the
presenter's question "but is it art?" has such an obvious answer it's
not worth worrying about, but then I commented to Jude "well, of
course it is; after all it's the most beautiful motorcycle ever
built... apart from the Black Lightning, of course".

Which lead me to wonder - are there any other genuine contenders for
the award? Forget function, and obviously (IMO) forget any of the gash
'custom' shit, i.e. only real production(-ish) bikes, ahich other
bikes are really up there in the pure asethitic sense? What says the
font?

[1] For "Jude has it on so I see it too" values thereof.
Click to expand...

1980 Formula Mirage 1200

Yam TX750

Monjuic

Lemans 1 & 2

GS1000S

Spondon RG500

JB

JB · Jun 1, 2011

PipL alter ego said:

full/143_motoguzzi750sport1974.jpg

Well, if we're talking Guzzis, V11 (in that bright green), or better yet
the 1100 Sport or Daytona in red. Just possibly beating those though, the
MGS-01.
+1

The new V7 Classic in white looks quite pretty, in a gurl's bike sort of
way.
Click to expand...

Maybe. Eyes of the beholder and all that...

JB

JB · Jun 1, 2011

JB said:

Ace said:

Watching[1] a Grand Designs on TV, where the guy has put a 916 on the
wall of his living room. Nothing wrong with that, of course, and the
presenter's question "but is it art?" has such an obvious answer it's
not worth worrying about, but then I commented to Jude "well, of
course it is; after all it's the most beautiful motorcycle ever
built... apart from the Black Lightning, of course".

Which lead me to wonder - are there any other genuine contenders for
the award? Forget function, and obviously (IMO) forget any of the gash
'custom' shit, i.e. only real production(-ish) bikes, ahich other
bikes are really up there in the pure asethitic sense? What says the
font?

[1] For "Jude has it on so I see it too" values thereof.
Click to expand...

1980 Formula Mirage 1200

Yam TX750

Monjuic
Click to expand...

bugger! meant of course Montjuic

Macabre of Auchterloonie · Jun 1, 2011

Ace said:

Not familiar with that one, but quite similar to the Vinnie
http://motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/classic_bikes/1950_vincent_black_shadow.jpg

(And yes, I meant the Shadow all along, really)
Click to expand...

Well, the Lightning was just a Shadow with bigger valves, carbs/inlet
tract, higher compression, cams you wouldn't want to fall off and a few
other details- difficult to tell apart, except that the Black Lightning
in racing trim didn't have lighting or dynamo.

Macabre of Auchterloonie · Jun 1, 2011

ogden said:

Ace said:

Watching[1] a Grand Designs on TV, where the guy has put a 916 on the
wall of his living room. Nothing wrong with that, of course, and the
presenter's question "but is it art?" has such an obvious answer it's
not worth worrying about, but then I commented to Jude "well, of
course it is; after all it's the most beautiful motorcycle ever
built... apart from the Black Lightning, of course".

Which lead me to wonder - are there any other genuine contenders for
the award? Forget function, and obviously (IMO) forget any of the gash
'custom' shit, i.e. only real production(-ish) bikes, ahich other
bikes are really up there in the pure asethitic sense? What says the
font?
Click to expand...

I still think the ZX7R looks like sex on a stick.
Click to expand...

Porcupine's a contender TAAAW.

Macabre of Auchterloonie · Jun 1, 2011

boots said:

1969 Bonneville
http://triumphmotorcycles.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83453778c69e20133eca5f9d8970b-800wi
Click to expand...

Looks much too like a Triumph - and I never did like Triumphs...

Macabre of Auchterloonie · Jun 1, 2011

CT said:

Oooh, yeah - that's *lovely*.
Click to expand...

Passable, I suppose.

I'll throw in a Clubman's Venom - in black and gold...

Macabre of Auchterloonie · Jun 1, 2011

ogden said:

Old pile of scrap metal.
Click to expand...

Hurrah!

Macabre of Auchterloonie · Jun 1, 2011

Krusty said:

My mum's just sold her Prince. Worse still, my dad's sold his Grey
Flash :-(
Click to expand...

I'd love a Grey Flash.

The 500s handle so much better than the big-'uns. (Ridden both Comet and
Lightningised Shadow.)

Macabre of Auchterloonie · Jun 1, 2011

PipL said:

Nice, but I prefer the Gold Star.
Click to expand...

Only for looks, I trust?

The materials used in their construction was crap - flywheels broke, as
did frames, whereas the Nortons used Reynolds 531 for frames.

Macabre of Auchterloonie · Jun 1, 2011

Andy said:

Ace said:

Watching[1] a Grand Designs on TV, where the guy has put a 916 on the
wall of his living room. Nothing wrong with that, of course, and the
presenter's question "but is it art?" has such an obvious answer it's
not worth worrying about, but then I commented to Jude "well, of
course it is; after all it's the most beautiful motorcycle ever
built... apart from the Black Lightning, of course".

Which lead me to wonder - are there any other genuine contenders for
the award? Forget function, and obviously (IMO) forget any of the gash
'custom' shit, i.e. only real production(-ish) bikes, ahich other
bikes are really up there in the pure asethitic sense? What says the
font?
Click to expand...

If I had a collection of bikes I'd have to have one of these in the
front row

http://www.bikeexif.com/velocette-venom-thruxton

Any bike that has to have the fuel tank cut away to fit a bigger carb is
going to be popular with me and the bell mouth on the carb would
probably swallow a small dog if it got too close.
Click to expand...

Yes. I had the Clubman's of the same year it did the ton average. You
could almost crawl down the carb, but if you didn't start the bastard
straight away, that was it for the rest of the day.

Krusty · Jun 1, 2011

Macabre said:

I'd love a Grey Flash.

The 500s handle so much better than the big-'uns.
Click to expand...

My brother's didn't handle too well after the back wheel collapsed at
70mph in Belgium a couple of days ago. His other half's now a fully
paid up member of the 'dumpy burds with a broken leg' club as a result.

prawn · Jun 1, 2011

Ace said:

Which lead me to wonder - are there any other genuine contenders for
the award? Forget function, and obviously (IMO) forget any of the gash
'custom' shit, i.e. only real production(-ish) bikes, ahich other
bikes are really up there in the pure asethitic sense? What says the
font?
Click to expand...

<reads thread>

Look away, now Lozzo

BMW R90S hasn't been mentioned. The only one that really looks right.

Oh, I'm in the pro Katana camp too. Deffo.

Mk1 Le Mans and Laverda Jota also make the list.

Ace · Jun 1, 2011

Would you care to look up 'undeniable', in light of my earlier
assertions that it's an ugly pile of shit.

You're both mental. It's fucking hideous.
Click to expand...

Now I'm worried...

M J Carley · Jun 1, 2011

In the referenced article said:

Which lead me to wonder - are there any other genuine contenders for
the award? Forget function, and obviously (IMO) forget any of the
gash 'custom' shit, i.e. only real production(-ish) bikes, ahich
other bikes are really up there in the pure asethitic sense? What
says the font?
Click to expand...

Any of the SOHC4s, with four into one pipes.

ogden · Jun 1, 2011

Ace said:

Would you care to look up 'undeniable', in light of my earlier
assertions that it's an ugly pile of shit.

Now I'm worried...
Click to expand...

Even a stopped clock, etc.

TOG@Toil · Jun 1, 2011

Would you care to look up 'undeniable', in light of my earlier
assertions that it's an ugly pile of shit.

Now I'm worried...
Click to expand...

All right then, what about utterly minging bikes. Things that were so
ugly they made your eyes bleed.

MZ ES series (all)

CZ250 Sports (the one with the metalflake-painted half fairing)

Suzuki RE5

Norton Commando Easy Rider

The Yamaha Fizzie US Custom thing

Suzuki Gladius

Mark One Ducati MultiStrada

Moto Morini Excalibur

CT · Jun 1, 2011

TOG@Toil said:

All right then, what about utterly minging bikes. Things that were so
ugly they made your eyes bleed.
Click to expand...

[snip]

Going on the monstrosity that I saw on the M4 this morning: VFR1200

Krusty · Jun 1, 2011

TOG@Toil wrote:

All right then, what about utterly minging bikes. Things that were so
ugly they made your eyes bleed.

MZ ES series (all)

Mark One Ducati MultiStrada
Click to expand...

These. Everything else pales into insignificance.

916 vs Black lightning

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tri colour 916 looksinteresting , got any more piccies of that

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