Nonsense Thread

[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.