At last some recognition: Visordown: Much Appreciated: Top 10 Motorcycles of Yesterday that Are Classics Today

[Lucky Phil]

4 hours ago, deadpen69 said:

Thats the one! It looks better in your pic. The half fairing is actually really cool, but I still prefer red. 

I think this is a way better looking design and has a much better engine. Mine has a few enhancements like big bore headers, carbon sump fairing and guards, magnesium engine covers, disk rotors, Ohlins steering damper and shock, Dell West Titanium valves. Red Ducatis are so passe.    

[deadpen69]

I suppose red Ferrari's have run their course as well Phil? I was raised properly so all I will say is that's a beautiful and formidable machine you have there, there's only one thing I might change. Just curious is your ST2 yellow too?

[Lucky Phil]

11 hours ago, deadpen69 said:

I suppose red Ferrari's have run their course as well Phil? I was raised properly so all I will say is that's a beautiful and formidable machine you have there, there's only one thing I might change. Just curious is your ST2 yellow too?

No the ST2 was red, the TT2 was red, the 1198 is red, the bevel 750 Sport was yellow, the Hailwood Mille was red white and green, the 750 GT was Bronze, the 750 Sport belt engined bike was Matt Black then red, the 1098 was red. That's just the Ducati's. I've owned my fair share of red bikes it's fair to say

I actually wanted a Black 1198 but one wasn't available at the time. When I bought the 1000ss I also wanted a red one as well and have a full set of bodywork and a good second hand tank ready to paint red which was my intention. I then about 5 or 6 years later went to a motorcycle gathering and on display was a couple of 1000ss bikes in red and was actually happy mine was yellow. Not that yellow would have been my first choice but it seems that red is a very "safe" choice for a bike colour but it dates a bit quickly I think. Each car or bike has it's 'best colour" whatever that may be. I wouldn't choose a car in the yellow the 1000ss is as to me it's not really a colour for a car with so much painted area. My old Monaro was blue and that colour looked great on it but it didn't look good at all on the sedan or ute version of that model.

  

my Focus RS in Blue

 

Ciao  

 

[LowRyter]

9 hours ago, Lucky Phil said:

These are one of the few motorcycle that still look really attractive with factory panniers fitted. Very nice lines.

Ciao

The bags are Givi knock offs, the expandable type.  Not the same quality as the hard bags on the Multi Strada.  The the bolts in the brackets can shear.  Most owners (myself included) have those bolts tapped to a larger size.  Despite that, they can hold a fullface helmet (unlike a Goldwing) and are serviceable for most trips.  Other than that, it's been as reliable as a Honda.

By comparison, I've ridden the 2nd Gen SS and it's quite a bit more aggressive in the riding position vs the new bike.  The new bike has a very comfortable seat and the riding position is more relaxed than the V11 Sport. 

[NicoNZ]

Yes the value of the carbed 90's 900SS bikes are starting to rise in NZ. Really like the Superlight or the FE. Nice examples are fetching 7K USD (11K NZD) now. 

My ST4s that I have owned for 15 years will never get to classic status and that's ok. 

[Guzzimax]

I think these have already hit future classic status here in the UK, in the 7 years it was imported Yamaha only sold around 300 total. They are rarer than unicorns, Yamaha’s over optimistic pricing didn’t help, and it’s difficult to  pigeonhole what Mr Max’s target market was. I enjoy it for the technical masterpiece that it was (and still is) at launch, I don’t have anything to prove, and my days of hooning around have long passed, it’s a pussycat under 4000 rpm

 

[docc]

1 minute ago, LowRyter said:

Docc, you're clean?   How many laundromats did you go to?  

Probably very few of us saw the 10 duplicate posts that Guzzimax triggered. 

[guzzler]

Ha ha 

I wondered what was going on there....

Cheers Guzzler

[docc]

2 minutes ago, guzzler said:

Ha ha 

I wondered what was going on there....

Cheers Guzzler

Not sure, either. Gotcha covered, bud.

[Guzzimax]

5 hours ago, docc said:

Probably very few of us saw the 10 duplicate posts that Guzzimax triggered. 

Not sure what happened there, I’ll blame my IPads operator 

[Guzzimax]

Notwithstanding the unintended duplicate posts extolling the virtues of the Gen 2 VMax 1700, I’ll remind everyone that this is quite a motorcycle. Yamaha claim 123 ft lbs torque at the crank at only 6500 rpm. My guess that Yamaha sold 300 ish in the UK was optimistic. There are just 230 bikes registered here. That makes even a Ducati 900 SS seem a popular machine. I think a true future classic, the like of which we won’t see again 

[Guzzimax]

Another future classic from the tuning fork Co 

[docc]

1 hour ago, Guzzimax said:

Another future classic from the tuning fork Co 

Looks like the V11 Sport is " passing on the inside . . . .  "

[LowRyter]

I saw one of those Yamahas in Switzerland.  I almost missed the tour bus while taking the photo (the bus driver owned a Harley). The fellow travelers had a hoot watching me run for it (the Mrs too) -all good. 

 

So far as V11 being a classic?  Reminds of 911 Porsches being so good and "reliable" but all the other models with the same mechanicals aren't.  I don't think these things are cherished for any utility whatsoever.   Not a rational choice.  OTOH, I'm sure that Yamaha is as reliable as all of Doc's hammers... I'm not sure I'd want one even if it was green with a red frame. ..  anyway......