I know this is a CBR forum.. but I absolutely love the aftermarket design on this Superhawk. It's an '03 with the extra fairings and all custom paint scheme.

Sure the new bikes are quicker, lighter, and nimble. But they just don't have that character. i can't see myself loving an RR like I love my F3 after a couple hours riding.

 

Not easily. There are subtle differences, but you almost have to be that close to see them. The old 93s I pictured are readily distinguishable. It really looks like they are all copied the CBR and went from there.

Lot's of different opinions here. I guess I'll have to lament the days of old all by myself. I just feel like sportbikes have lost some originality, not that I don't appreciate the progress made in the last 20 years. It's impossible to argue that today's sportbikes aren't better in just about every category.

 

Im on the other end. I think the differences in between the new bikes is greater than the old ones. The only reason the older ones look different is because of their being more plastic and more colors. Shapewise, the old ones all have the same boxy look to them. If they were all the same color, you wouldn't be able to tell one from the other until you got up to. Newer ones, I can spot what make it is from quite a distance.

As for the kawi looking just like the yamaha. That happens all the time. Kawasaki copies everyone. They are always 2 years behind their designs because they seem to base them off of everyone elses new designs.

Here is all of the pics layed on top of each other. Not much difference between the new or the old. But in person, the new ones are very different between each other. Especially from the seating positions. Obvioulsy, they are not all the same angle or size, but you can see how close they all are.

 

of course the bikes have gotten better. My F3 is so bulky compared to the CBR RR. Not as sharp. However, I do like the 03-05 CBRs much more than the 2010+ models. Just person preference. Still, I love all the Honda makes.

 

oh heck no! kawasaki just looks like any other bike? The 05-06 636 is one of the best looking bikes around and it looks nothing like the rest! imo it stands out from the rest and you can clearly tell it is a 636 from afar. And the new ZX10Rs and ZX6Rs are so ugly that they are worlds apart from a yammy, honda, and suzuki.

 

Does anyone else like the late 90's kawi front ends?

 

Maybe it's my age (I'm 25) but I'm much more into newer bikes than the older ones. I really like my 1999 F4 because with some nice paint on there (see first pic) the bike looks much younger than it is (which is why I chose it over an F3).
It used to be yellow/green/black (OEM European model FX) and it looks old and cheap in my eyes. After I painted it black and put some red decals on it it shaved years off of the age. Most people who don't really know their bikes guess it around '05. It looked even younger after I finally replaced the stock turn signals with small tinted turns signals. I still have to paint the silver parts black though. I'll do that soon because it's getting warm enough to paint here.



I must say that I like newer bikes up to a certain year. For Honda it's from the F4 up to the '06 600/1000 RR.

I don't like it when they got the R6 looking ram air scoop on the '07+ model. I do like the half naked side fairings though. However the '06 600/1000 RR are the best looking RR models.

The Newest 1000 RR shape ('08 up to '11) looks awkard to me. The bike itself must be awesome to ride and it more comfortable for me than the RR(I'm 6'3") but it reminds me of sexual relations between an owl and the MTT superbike.


Same goes for the Yamaha R6/R1
The First R1 was ugly as **** and only got a pretty face around '05. The '07 is probably one of the better looking models. The '09 got an awesome engine but also a retarded looking angry bug-eyed face.



Kawasaki's Ninja and Suzuki's GSX-R took their time and got a good face around '06. I don't like the 2011 Gixxer though. The 1000 got that ugly wide face again.

The bike I like the most is the bike I'll be getting next year. A black 2011 CBR600F. I like the single headlight (like on my F4), it's comfortable, nimble, it's new and not super expensive. Why not get a 1000 supersport? Well I ride daily and don't have a car nor a car license. The new F is practical, pretty and should get me around for a few years.

It's close to getting that awkward fireblade shape so I hope the 2012 model isn't horrible but I like it enough to buy new. As I rarely like OEM color schemes (100%) there are a few things I would change on the F though. Paint those ugly yellow forks, the callipers, headers and exhaust black and then put some red decals on it instead of the silver ones. The icing on the cake would be a tinted screen and a HID kit.


From all the pics above the new F and '06 RR are the best looking of the bunch.

PS: Is it obvious I like black bikes?

 

I like to the shape of the older ZX7s, but can't stand the lime green. I like the older style round dual headlights better.

 

Newer is better