Nonsense Thread

[varg]

I dunno man, I can't get over the electronic integration (manual swapping an E39 is more of a pain than it should be) and the ABS on the exhaust side with E39s. I only considered an E39 for my daily until I saw that they put the ABS system where I needed to put my turbo and its exhaust. To me it seems it was all downhill after the E34. Even the E34 has some stupidity compared to earlier cars, like the extremely unreliable HVAC setup, the garbage window regulator clips and chipboard door panels, the broken-100%-of-the-time headlight adjusters.

[MrBurgundy]

Yeah, cars def peaked early 2000s.

e46/e39 was the pinnacle of BMW.

I absolutely love my e39.

[roguetoaster]

Think that's a key point. Just give me a car, I don't need a crazy tech package.

These aren't supercars, you don't need traction control, stability control. And don't get me started on lane keep assist etc.

While I agree on lane keep and would add crash avoidance as unnecessary stuff, I can call out the E39s ASC as a shining example of getting it right. Blind spot warning is also nice on modern blind spot mobiles, but like all tech it seems to be a case of now that it's here we can abandon basic principles like actually looking in a mirror, or heaven forbid, adjusting it to see outside rather than inside.

But since it's here it all needs to be built with the assumption that the driver can do the thing they are doing, not catering to careless morons.

OTOH, every piece of crap that's installed on a car makes it more expensive to repair when crashed, which indirectly costs us all in insurance, so screw it, no cupholders, radio deletes for all, and wheels that only just clear the calipers.

[Panici]

Nothing to "turn off"

Think that's a key point. Just give me a car, I don't need a crazy tech package.

These aren't supercars, you don't need traction control, stability control. And don't get me started on lane keep assist etc.

[2mAn]

I think vehicles in general peaked in the early '00 models.

Where the enthusiast offerings were still a "driver's car" and motorcycles didn't have electronics beyond fuel injection.

To be clear I'm not talking about outright performance, because obviously a modern vehicle is better in every way.
But I don't really care about that tbh, it's more about how it feels to the rider/driver.

Sure there are exceptions to the rule with modern cars like the GT3 RS still offered with a manual, but those are toys attainable only for the rich.

Theres a point in the mid 00s where the cars became too overridden by tech. Its honestly one of the reasons why I love my 996 so much. Its Drive by cable. There is no traction control at all. Nothing to "turn off" ... Theres nothing. Yet it has nice A/C, power steering and can take my kid around in the back, relatively safely. Its a perfect car for me to keep, long- term and its also now my only car. It will have to do everything.

[DEV0 E30]

This was similar to what was on the Carmudgeon podcast recently: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLtIFxj3U38

[Panici]

The late '90s/early '00s models.

I scoffed and returned to my stodgy opinion that non sport bikes peaked in the 2000s.

I think vehicles in general peaked in the early '00 models.

Where the enthusiast offerings were still a "driver's car" and motorcycles didn't have electronics beyond fuel injection.

To be clear I'm not talking about outright performance, because obviously a modern vehicle is better in every way.
But I don't really care about that tbh, it's more about how it feels to the rider/driver.

Sure there are exceptions to the rule with modern cars like the GT3 RS still offered with a manual, but those are toys attainable only for the rich.

[varg]

The late '90s/early '00s models. IMO the perfect ZX-9R is the 02/03 which came with better brakes, but it's easy to fix that (I ditched the 6 piston calipers for 4 piston bandit calipers on my ZRX, it's just as easy on the ZX9), less easy to make the engine improvements. The earlier 90s models are noticeably heavier. I say old because I didn't know if Kawasaki has made one since then. I guess it would be a poor choice if you're tall, it was perfect for me though at only 5'9". I do enjoy a smaller sportbike but once I got my hands on bigger ones like the ZX-9 I realized that despite the weight and perhaps lower ultimate performance vs a 600 supersport or other ultra-light performance bike, the engines and ergonomics are far superior for the street.

I haven't paid much attention to modern offerings and it has served me well because when I saw the mistakes made on Kawasaki's latest retro standard lineup (including the boondoggle of detuning the Z900 engine for the Z900RS, claiming it's for low end torque, then seeing that the dyno results for both contradict that) I scoffed and returned to my stodgy opinion that non sport bikes peaked in the 2000s.

[Panici]

Good lord, a naked ducati as a touring/long rides bike? Talk about motorcycle masochism. If you want a bike that does sport and touring well, without being ugly or a 650lb+ pig of a bike like a concours or similar, the old ZX-9R is fairly heavy (just a little lighter than the noble standard that hasn't been matched since, the ZRX), but it does sport and touring both pretty well. It's more relaxed in riding position than a literbike but more sporting than most sport touring bikes.

It certainly does have a lot of character, for better or for worse. 😅
Interesting about the ZX-9R, when you say old, what year range are you talking?

[varg]

It's on my bucket list to get something better suited for long rides and touring. Thought my '00 Monster 900 would fit the bill

Good lord, a naked ducati as a touring/long rides bike? Talk about motorcycle masochism. If you want a bike that does sport and touring well, without being ugly or a 650lb+ pig of a bike like a concours or similar, the old ZX-9R is fairly heavy (just a little lighter than the noble standard that hasn't been matched since, the ZRX), but it does sport and touring both pretty well. It's more relaxed in riding position than a literbike but more sporting than most sport touring bikes.

[MR E30 325is]

Yeah the R6 makes some good power, but you have to work for it. I have a couple of 2nd gens, they make enough torque to be streetable, but I've heard the 3rd gen is absolutely gutless down low. What year was yours?

And a 600 doesn't have the same instant shove that a bigger torquey motor has on tap, which you found out pretty quick. 😆

Stay safe out there brother!

I owned an 03, but I rode a friends 06, and another friends 09, way back in the day.

You bet. You too.

[Panici]

I rode it yesterday and started to try to twist that wrist a bit more during the ride, and holy hell. My old R6 made 50 ft*lb of torque at like 12,000 rpm. This thing makes 105 ft*lb at like 5,500 rpms. It almost ripped me off of the bike. Super glad that it has wheelie control as well, or I would have been in trouble. Haha

Yeah the R6 makes some good power, but you have to work for it. I have a couple of 2nd gens, they make enough torque to be streetable, but I've heard the 3rd gen is absolutely gutless down low. What year was yours?

And a 600 doesn't have the same instant shove that a bigger torquey motor has on tap, which you found out pretty quick. 😆

Stay safe out there brother!

[MR E30 325is]

It's on my bucket list to get something better suited for long rides and touring.

Thought my '00 Monster 900 would fit the bill, but turns out it's pretty aggressive for a "sport touring" bike.
Need to respring the front to stock rate (I'm only 140lbs), but that still won't make 2+ hour rides comfortable.

I still have to adapt to the bike completely, but it positions you in a manner that feels pretty natural already.

While sitting fully erect, I get a bit of wind buffeting at my wrists, and some on the top of my helmet (I'm 6'3"), even with the windscreen moved up as high as it will go. But leagues better than the last bike I rode.

I rode it yesterday and started to try to twist that wrist a bit more during the ride, and holy hell. My old R6 made 50 ft*lb of torque at like 12,000 rpm. This thing makes 105 ft*lb at like 5,500 rpms. It almost ripped me off of the bike. Super glad that it has wheelie control as well, or I would have been in trouble. Haha

[Panici]

Thank you. Definitely a looker from the side. The front, not so much. haha

It rides like a heavy bike, but then not really. Easily maneuverable, and much faster than anything I have driven in years. Very balanced, even at like .5 mph.

It's on my bucket list to get something better suited for long rides and touring.

Thought my '00 Monster 900 would fit the bill, but turns out it's pretty aggressive for a "sport touring" bike.
Need to respring the front to stock rate (I'm only 140lbs), but that still won't make 2+ hour rides comfortable.

[MR E30 325is]

Nice looking Beamer!
How does it ride?

Thank you. Definitely a looker from the side. The front, not so much. haha

It rides like a heavy bike, but then not really. Easily maneuverable, and much faster than anything I have driven in years. Very balanced, even at like .5 mph.