"Bits of modern motorbikes that are antiquated" thread in "Motorbike Chat"
I think motorcycle design would have taken a different route if the bike was still seen as a cheap form of transport rather than a ...

I think motorcycle design would have taken a different route if the bike was still seen as a cheap form of transport rather than a leisure vehicle
Scooter design has progressed in terms of storage space, performance and comfort, but apart from a few tourers, there is precious little consideration given to practicalities on most normal bikes. However, the Honda Dullville isn't the best selling bike - its not what we want, even though it might be closer to what we need?

Form wins over function in the market, and for most of the time, armed with back pack, tank bag and throw-overs, I'm fine with that.

Doesn't even need to be seen as cheap, just viable and (IMO) that is where modern motorcycles fall down badly.

I never really noticed that the K1100LT I had was a shaftie, apart from not having to lube it all the time

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"So far south, he's nearly French"

Nail struck right on the head there.

Ahh, I see.. You're taking 'visual inspection' to mean something other than sauntering towards my bike looking for rusty bits..

You're talking about some kind of 'getting on your knees and getting your hands dirty' type visual inspection. I understand.

Modern chains are a lot better than those made 10-20 years ago.

That said they're still chains, they haven't turned into hydraulic drive or anything like that.



I think belts can break if they get a stone in and it's a big job to change them when it has to be done (?? every 25-50 thousand miles ??)

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Lying outrageously on the internet since 2003

Things I would like added again are chain enclosure and fork gaiters. Some improved security wouldnt go a miss either.

But the way things are going I just dont see it, all seems to be about weight and power at the expese of everything else. They need to make road bikes but with good performance.

Thats why I like my ZZR, big seat, comfy, protective fairing and lots of power. Now if it had chain/fork enclosure, finish made to last and less hassle with calipers I would be really happy.

I want a multi purpose lasting every day bike, too much choice of toys and few road bikes.

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Blitz0r'd ZZR1200 Heavyweight Power



HM Government Approved Road Pirate

Yep, BMW used to make excellent road bikes but they're just not robust enough any more

Loads of stuff on bikes is pretty old design, when you look at it, particularly in the cycle parts. All the R&D effort appears to be put into engines and fuelling, although I'm not convinced that much R&D is really spent. The business model of the manufacturers is based on flogging tiny incremental developments as groundbreaking change, that way you can release a "new" model every year even if it's hardly any different, paint it differently and make sure the spares are *slightly* different shapes and sizes thereby forcin people to buy your overpriced bits when they bin it or it it breaks - that's where they make their money.

Current state of the art with belts doesn't cope with much more than 100bhp (AIUI)

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Formerly known as Mikey

mind you, they are a very heavy bike so it masks the feel. the bike i had was one that i bought as a damaged/repairable. it was only when i let someone else have a go, that as they rode away i noticed the rear wheel was quite badly bucked - i'd ridden it all over the place like that and couldn't tell!

I think with exposed chains it has little to do with the manufacturer and everything to do with the customer. Because no one resists change as much as the average rider. The old Brit industry offered full chain enclosures on many bikes over the years - but no one bought them, because they were perceived as naff and buyers don't want that image. Shafts will never truly catch on, regardless of how beneficial they may be because the buyers don't want the baggage of extra weight and loss of power, on a bike they'll never use full power and was sold to them on the basis of fabricated manufacturer's "dry weights".

Slightly tongue in cheek...

Once manufacturers had perfected hoverbike technology, they asked motorcyclists at a meet at Box Hill how they would like the design to look...

I think, with the possible exception of the use of electronics, there is very little 'new' in the world of cars or bikes.

For example

Fuel injection - 1950s (Merc Benz SL iirc?)
Turbo charger - on ships in early 1900s, cars in 1950s

etc.

try 1930's for the Merc injection... oh - and they had Desmodromic valves too IIRC.

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non quod, sed quomodo

The Scott motorcycle company built a rotary internal combustion engine designed by Fred Umpleby* in about 1910. It never went into production because of excessive wear of the rotor.

*Fred was a bit of an inventor, apparently.