The year of the ugly stick

[rapidblue]

the 599 is nice but why add a gauge pod ripped directly fron the kawasaki ER 6N.

The z1000 has it's pros and cons, the pipes don't actaully look that bad if you can find a different angle shot of them, mind you I liked the pipes from the first go around too.

[NorthernPete]

the gauges are hideous....

I dunno.... all sporties are starting to look alike to me....

I do like the older 599...they have one here in town at the kawi dealership....

[flynrider]

Thats a look thats been creaping through all the manufacturers... Sort of anguler like a stealth bomber...

The first production place I can remember seeing it was the TnT... I suspect its a look that will be here for a while...

I remember when the Suzuki Katana introduced the angular look, humped tank and single seat, in the early 80s. That styling was like nothing else on the market. It was both loved and hated ( I wasn't that crazy about it). It looks pretty tame compared to what they're coming out with today.

A stealth aircraft has all those crazy angles for a reason. If it gave the bike a tiny radar signature, I'd buy it. Unfortunately, these bikes remind me of cars of the 50s and 60s with large tail fins.

[Nibblet99]

I must admit, the z1000 is a bike I've been loving for a while, but theres no way I'd buy the new one, it just looks ugly

and what is it whith this year and specifically ugly exhausts? they're all either stumpy or plumpy.... Where's all the long, slim, attractive ones

[JCS]

I'm still trying to figure out why everyone is going wild over the "NEW" stumpy pipes. Sorry, but this is not a new idea for the performance people. This idea is about 40 years old at least.

In the mid-seventies a tuner by the name of Kaz Yoshima working out of a performance shop called Ontario Moto Tech was building some seriously fast Hondas. Wanna guess what his pipes looked like? They ended right behind the riders peg and were a bit loud. They also worked great.

By the way, Moto, I don't think anyone has marketed any mid-sized cruiser as a fast, powerful bike. That is not what they are and not what they were designed to be. Not a slam on cruisers, just the nature of the beast.

If you are looking for fast and powerful, a mid-sized cruiser is not what you needed is the first place.

[mrchen]

I was getting over the lego z1000 colors, started looking at used bikes at the local shops, just cant quite get over the looks. I like them naked (I am a Bandit S rider). The 2007 is hideous, who the h*ll is desgning this stuff?

599 looks better to me. Nice bike, but expensive.

I can understand keeping these heavier exhaust low, keep the center of gravity down low now that mufflers weigh so much (thats uncle sam).

I just dont understand at all, suzuki cruisers hideous, honda cruisers so few changes ( but good bikes) suzuki bandit gone, katana gone, yami nice cruisers, some warranty issues, no air cooled sport bikes from suzuki, naked lovers have almost no choices but to buy ducati or aprilla. The factory sure aint asking me what I want????

[Nalian]

I like the new 599 - I'm glad to see that they're going to continue making it in the US.

It's on my short list of bikes I'm interested when I'm looking to upgrade.

[-Holiday]

Thats a look thats been creaping through all the manufacturers... Sort of anguler like a stealth bomber...

The first production place I can remember seeing it was the TnT... I suspect its a look that will be here for a while...

I remember when the Suzuki Katana introduced the angular look, humped tank and single seat, in the early 80s. That styling was like nothing else on the market. It was both loved and hated ( I wasn't that crazy about it). It looks pretty tame compared to what they're coming out with today.

I would LOVE to have one of those!

[Mustang]

They look fine to me. I think Japan is taking design cues directly from Anime.

Yep. I think the kids who grew up doodling Manga in school are now old enough to design motorcycles.

[Sev]

Maybe... then again... maybe not.