When one is younger it's easier to be beguiled by the latest and great car/bike/thing on the block. With age and maybe some wisdom one realises it's better to just work the asset you have for as long as it lasts and give a lot less f*cks.
I give you this prime example.... https://www.mathewsons.co.uk/auction/lot/57-1982-ford-capri-cabaret/?lot=32259
It can't just be old fogeyness that is causing it, as I always thought and still think that 90s bikes look terrible and modern designs (save for their enormous exhausts) are much more inspiring. The reason cars seem to have lost their way in might be because bikes don't keep being burdened with more and more crash safety kit which adds weight and bulk. Having said that, I'm not a huge fan of the electronics on modern bikes - I rode a Pani V4 S on track for a day and while it was stupidly fast, it felt kind of remote, a bit like playing PS5 MotoGP on "Easy" mode and so I went from really wanting one, to "meh".
"90's bikes look terrible?" - best looking era in my opinion...NSR 250, RGV 250, VFR 750, 900SS, 916, Bimota Mantra*...even the SRAD was a looker. *just seeing who's paying attention...
I wasn't including the lovely 916 in that category, but yes, I do think the vast majority of 90s bikes were ugly. The SRAD is a prime example, as it looked like a two-wheeled road-whale, with a huge bulbous tank and massive seat unit. NSR250 had some delicate, sharp styling cues but again it looked dumpier than it needed to due to all the excess plastic comprising the seat unit. The 1991 - 1997 900SS (the one with a square headlight) was absolutely horrible looking (IMO) and although the Pierre Terreblanche effort was a lot prettier, it still looked kind of awkward. The 1999 R1 was ok looking, but again, the seat unit was too long, with a big rear overhang. The 2004 R1 was a pretty bike, but by then the styling abominations of the 1990s were almost half a decade in the past. And let's not discuss the awful shell-suit graphics with which most jap bikes came pre-vandalised! As for the Biota Matra....
My first Ducati was a 600SS, it had a twin round headlight conversion, I'd never have bought it if it had still had the square headlight. There are days I wish I'd never seen it, 11 ducatis later, most still in the cellar
I caught a glimpse of this today out the corner of my eye. I thought it was a Renault Clio Williams. No , it's a blue Micra with gold wheel trims .
You Sir, should stop driving/riding immediately, and you MUST NOT resume until AFTER you have been to Specsavers* *other opticians are available
Kin ell! Maybe he sold it cheap! That is a proper shed! That is mental money. The 3.0s and 2.8i were decent cars for the time but the 1.6s were always dog slow. That would need £5k chucking at it to get it decent. Genuinely gobsmacked at that. I thought the one the local lad had was £500 on a good day.
Indeed. Leave the old Capri its name and give that new thing a new name. Same with the Mustang and Puma.
Does anyone complain about the 'new' mini anymore? For 2 generations that's the only one that's existed, they probably laugh at the old one, and quite rightly so Likewise beetle , VW camper ( for camp folk) , sirroco Bound to be more Bring back the Maxi I say, 20 years ahead of its time, only Austin/Leyland( whatever) could ***k up the car of the future...we nearly all drive maxi alike cars now... ( 5 doors, petrol, fwd, transverse engine, boot you could put an elephant in) Ivor ( having had one mini for the wife ( which was a reasonable swap to be fair) will never have another, old or otherwise ) , or a beetle , but a camper maybe just maybe
