old off road bikes are ugly imho

ktm 125
Posts
132
Joined
10/11/2018
Location
GR
12/10/2019 7:37pm Edited Date/Time 12/16/2019 10:17am
i love old cars and old street bikes. i just dont like any off road bikes before 89/90. the shape of these late 80's bikes and the characteristics like fork length etc still apllies in todays bikes. but before it was like they put random parts together... maybe it has to do with the fact that i start riding at 90's and rode nothing else than off road bikes since then but i cant see the classic beauty i see on a bmw 3.0 csl or an old mv agusta in older off roaders. even the mid 80's bikes are pretty awful to look at. the plastics just dont match.
4
40
|
Johnny Depp
Posts
6438
Joined
10/16/2014
Location
Buda, TX US
12/10/2019 8:15pm
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say..

5
Mr. Afterbar
Posts
2109
Joined
5/13/2019
Location
Green Bay, WI US
12/10/2019 8:29pm
I agree. I like the look of the early-mid 70s bikes, but not much from the 80s gets me too excited.
1
Knobbyjake
Posts
806
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
West Middlesex, PA US
12/10/2019 8:35pm Edited Date/Time 12/10/2019 8:36pm
ledger
Posts
3673
Joined
1/17/2013
Location
TN US
12/10/2019 8:35pm
Ugliness is in the eye of the beholder also. And that's okay too, lol.

The Shop

Johnny Depp
Posts
6438
Joined
10/16/2014
Location
Buda, TX US
12/10/2019 8:37pm
This thread is worthless without pics of ugly bikes...


6
3
Press516
Posts
3409
Joined
9/11/2018
Location
Gilbert, AZ US
Fantasy
111th
12/10/2019 8:57pm
This is ugly??? SMDH...


lostboy819
Posts
11493
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Somewhere, CO US
Fantasy
1568th
12/10/2019 8:59pm
ktm 125 wrote:
i love old cars and old street bikes. i just dont like any off road bikes before 89/90. the shape of these late 80's bikes and...
i love old cars and old street bikes. i just dont like any off road bikes before 89/90. the shape of these late 80's bikes and the characteristics like fork length etc still apllies in todays bikes. but before it was like they put random parts together... maybe it has to do with the fact that i start riding at 90's and rode nothing else than off road bikes since then but i cant see the classic beauty i see on a bmw 3.0 csl or an old mv agusta in older off roaders. even the mid 80's bikes are pretty awful to look at. the plastics just dont match.
You are right because old KTMs are just as ugly as new KTMs . Now jap bikes from the 70s and 80s are awesome looking.
6
8
12/10/2019 9:18pm
I agree. I like the look of the early-mid 70s bikes, but not much from the 80s gets me too excited.
Same. Dirt bikes from the 70s generally had pretty clean lines, but most of bikes from the evo-era are a bit gangly from a styling stand-point. They were trying to fit so many concepts in each model year, and the implementation was often funky. Then, by about 88-'92 they locked in the standard modern look we all are pretty familiar with.
1
1
ledger
Posts
3673
Joined
1/17/2013
Location
TN US
12/10/2019 9:25pm
Press516 wrote:
This is ugly??? SMDH... [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/12/10/390512/s1200_1981_Maico_490_Mega_2_vintage_motocross_motorcycle_3.jpg[/img]
This is ugly??? SMDH...


This bike could win a beauty contest...in my opinion.
9
12/10/2019 9:26pm Edited Date/Time 12/10/2019 9:31pm
This thread is worthless without pics of ugly bikes... [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/12/10/390510/s1200_betaendurovintage.jpg[/img]
This thread is worthless without pics of ugly bikes...


These always struck me as off-the-charts in terms of 80s styling clunkiness:
5
1
mgtkr1
Posts
126
Joined
4/18/2014
Location
GB
12/10/2019 9:39pm
some of the best looking mx bikes of all time are from the 80's. hondas from circa 85 onwards, most rm;s and a few yz's. kx's were hit n miss but the maico's were nice looking things aswell. aircooled hondas ?
1
Johnny Depp
Posts
6438
Joined
10/16/2014
Location
Buda, TX US
12/10/2019 9:59pm
Pretty sure the OP meant Enduro's?

Going back a little further, when KTM was just a twinkle in Penton's eye..




4
Lastander
Posts
1181
Joined
10/9/2016
Location
SE
12/11/2019 12:14am


Bought this last summer, its so god damn ugly its gorgeus
6
ktm 125
Posts
132
Joined
10/11/2018
Location
GR
12/11/2019 7:43am
i agree. the 80's everyday technological leaps had something to do with the mediocre style. they just didnt know f.e.how to make a watercolled bike looked cool because that was something new back then. but the street bikes from that era looks beautifull. suzuki katana and the first gsxr comes to mind. the 70's mx are better looking but still like a mad max xr 600 kinda beauty...
so a question to veterans. when the new era bikes arrived (89 or so) do you like them from the very start or it took some time for you? and do you believe that the most beautifull bike is from the time you were teens?
mac3-d
Posts
1221
Joined
4/16/2010
Location
IE
12/11/2019 7:50am
In 40 years if we're still about what will we all think of today's bikes Dry
12/11/2019 7:53am Edited Date/Time 12/11/2019 8:26am
mac3-d wrote:
In 40 years if we're still about what will we all think of today's bikes Dry
Probably not too much one way or another, since the styling has been almost standardized, maybe getting slightly pointier in a few spots for about 25-30 years.

Thre's not much difference in basic lines between a '90 KX and every current dirt bike.

It's like trying to critique the styling of an '86 Taurus. All you can say is that it just looks like a car.
5
dadofagun
Posts
1697
Joined
3/28/2015
Location
Satan's Hollow, OK US
Fantasy
2117th
12/11/2019 8:24am Edited Date/Time 12/11/2019 8:27am
XR350 [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/12/11/390663/s1200_A3E348FC_E25F_4F76_926C_A170D1D20B49.jpg[/img]
XR350


To me, this is cool. Updated plastic in a few spots, fits design lines of the old tank without being too obvious. Only real telltale of its age is the "block" style of the seat. Good looking Honda right there, I'd be proud to own it.
8
2
12/11/2019 8:28am Edited Date/Time 12/11/2019 8:29am
XR350 [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/12/11/390663/s1200_A3E348FC_E25F_4F76_926C_A170D1D20B49.jpg[/img]
XR350


dadofagun wrote:
To me, this is cool. Updated plastic in a few spots, fits design lines of the old tank without being too obvious. Only real telltale of...
To me, this is cool. Updated plastic in a few spots, fits design lines of the old tank without being too obvious. Only real telltale of its age is the "block" style of the seat. Good looking Honda right there, I'd be proud to own it.
USD Forks w/ wave rotor also really change up overall lines. Need to throw a few more carburetors on there, though.
1
12/11/2019 8:43am
Bluelion wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/12/11/390667/s1200_1976_890860.jpg[/img]Ugly????
Ugly????
Both this and the Maico are carryovers that still had cleaner 70s styling. Then evo-era Honda's got hit with an ugly stick.
1
Bluelion
Posts
757
Joined
9/10/2013
Location
Lafayette, IN US
12/11/2019 8:44am
I think there are bikes of beauty in every decade and also ugly ducklings. Just like now...
1
12/11/2019 8:45am Edited Date/Time 12/11/2019 9:02am
Bluelion wrote:
Ugly??? [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/12/11/390668/s1200_s1200_Honda_RC_055_910x614.jpg[/img]
Ugly???
That bike is technologically bad ass and the workmanship is pure artistry, but the actual form is lumpy-as-hell under caked on make-up (paint and painted plastic)
1
5
FortyHat
Posts
345
Joined
5/16/2017
Location
CO US
12/11/2019 9:27am
These always struck me as off-the-charts in terms of 80s styling clunkiness: [img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/64/2a/81/642a81c3e8b02bac7222861170e760bc.jpg[/img]
These always struck me as off-the-charts in terms of 80s styling clunkiness:
Looks like the chain would snap just setting sag on that bike Blink
1
AHRMA361
Posts
2465
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
NE, OH US
Fantasy
262nd
12/11/2019 9:48am
This is artwork. Factory RC125 Ribi-link



8
12/11/2019 9:55am
if you don’t think an 85 XR600 looks hot you’re older than dirt or something. But to each his own.




9
3
Ray_MXS
Posts
1116
Joined
10/28/2016
Location
SE
12/11/2019 9:57am
ktm 125 wrote:
i love old cars and old street bikes. i just dont like any off road bikes before 89/90. the shape of these late 80's bikes and...
i love old cars and old street bikes. i just dont like any off road bikes before 89/90. the shape of these late 80's bikes and the characteristics like fork length etc still apllies in todays bikes. but before it was like they put random parts together... maybe it has to do with the fact that i start riding at 90's and rode nothing else than off road bikes since then but i cant see the classic beauty i see on a bmw 3.0 csl or an old mv agusta in older off roaders. even the mid 80's bikes are pretty awful to look at. the plastics just dont match.
And we need to know this why?
1
Johnny Depp
Posts
6438
Joined
10/16/2014
Location
Buda, TX US
12/11/2019 10:09am Edited Date/Time 12/11/2019 10:19am
ktm 125 wrote:
i love old cars and old street bikes. i just dont like any off road bikes before 89/90. the shape of these late 80's bikes and...
i love old cars and old street bikes. i just dont like any off road bikes before 89/90. the shape of these late 80's bikes and the characteristics like fork length etc still apllies in todays bikes. but before it was like they put random parts together... maybe it has to do with the fact that i start riding at 90's and rode nothing else than off road bikes since then but i cant see the classic beauty i see on a bmw 3.0 csl or an old mv agusta in older off roaders. even the mid 80's bikes are pretty awful to look at. the plastics just dont match.
Ray_MXS wrote:
And we need to know this why?
2
1

Post a reply to: old off road bikes are ugly imho

The Latest