Author Topic: Prettiest/Ugliest  (Read 3964 times)

Offline Scout63

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Prettiest/Ugliest
« on: January 12, 2022, 07:25:33 AM »
This could be a disastrous topic.  What is the prettiest and the ugliest motorcycle made? I’m talking about unmodified from the factory.  No limit on choices.  Off the top of my head:

Prettiest:
First generation Honda VF750F
Morbidelli V8
Harley XR750
Moto Guzzi v7 Sport

Ugliest:
Honda Pacific Coast
Norton Hi Rider
Vincent Black Prince (See Honda PC plus covering that gorgeous motor)
Any Boss Hog

Ben Zehnder - Orleans, MA USA

Offline yogidozer

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2022, 07:34:10 AM »
prettiest



ugliest



^ No connection to the owner ^

Online Luap McKeever

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2022, 07:53:36 AM »
My opinion:

Prettiest:
1970's Moto Guzzi Eldorado Police

Ugliest
Johammer J1
Founder, Wildguzzi.com (est. 1998)
2021 V85TT Centenario E5
2001 California Special
2001 California EV
2020 Indian Challenger Limited
2021 TaoTao TBR7

Offline john fish

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2022, 08:13:29 AM »
Pretty ugly:






Pretty:


He lost the run of himself.

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2022, 08:13:29 AM »

Offline Alfetta

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2022, 08:15:46 AM »
Best looking street bike ??
that is a seriously loaded question..

but the best looking dirt bike ever IMHO is the Montesa VB250

And the ugliest motorcycle dirt or street is the Rokon.



upload pic
Nothing much better than a Tannat from the Salta region.

Offline Bulldog9

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2022, 08:29:51 AM »
Could be a long list, but my top 3 in each:

Prettiest
Moto Guzzi Griso
Yamaha XS1100 SF
Vincent Shadow Black


Ugliest
Honda Pacific Coast
Duc Multistrada
Victory Vision
MGNOC#23231
The Living: 1976 Convert, 2004 Breva 750, 2007 GRiSO, 2008 1200 Sport, 2016 Stornello #742,
The Departed: 2017 MGX, 2014 Norge GT, 
In Stasis: 1978 XS750, XS1100SF

Offline blackcat

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2022, 09:03:20 AM »
V7 Sport
750S
LeMans I
Norton Manx


Ducati Apolo



Though it has grown on me over the years in a funky kinda way.
1968 Norton Fastback
1976 Lemans
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Online Huzo

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2022, 10:59:34 AM »
Several in each category, but here’s an offering..
Pretttiest.
MV Agusta F4



Ugliest
Pablo Escobar Signature series Amazonas



upload pic

Offline Antietam Classic Cycle

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #8 on: January 12, 2022, 11:02:02 AM »
Pretty:




Pretty ugly:




The Mantra may be ugly, but there's a whole crop of modern Japanese sportbikes that make it look like a beauty queen.  :grin:
« Last Edit: January 12, 2022, 11:32:32 AM by Antietam Classic Cycle »
Charlie

Offline Ncdan

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2022, 11:42:01 AM »
Prettiest
Most all of the old bikes from the 40-50 eras.

Ugliest
All Duel purpose and most sport bikes.

And I realize beauty is in the eyes of the beholder 👍

Offline SteveRivet

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2022, 11:54:08 AM »
This could be a disastrous topic.  What is the prettiest and the ugliest motorcycle made? I’m talking about unmodified from the factory.  No limit on choices.  Off the top of my head:

Prettiest:
First generation Honda VF750F
Morbidelli V8
Harley XR750
Moto Guzzi v7 Sport

Ugliest:
Honda Pacific Coast
Norton Hi Rider
Vincent Black Prince (See Honda PC plus covering that gorgeous motor)
Any Boss Hog

Funny so many people mention the Honda PC.  It was the first one that came to my mind, but not sure if it bugs me as much for outright ugliness as for the fact that it looks like a calculated attempt at blandness incongruous with the joy of the motorcycle.

In the Ugly department, I'd throw in most of the dreck that seems to come out of the Transformers School of Vehicle Design:
- the new gen V-Max
- Suzuki B King
- the BMW K 1200 R (the unfaired model, describe by one writer as looking like "somebody dragged a magnetized motorcycle thru a junkyard".

For good measure I'd throw in the 90's era Suzuki Intruders, with the goofy angles on the tank.

-Steve


2014 R1200GS

Previously:  1999 Bassa, 1972 Eldorado, 1986 Lemans IV, 2008 1200 Sport, 2011 Stelvio

Offline AJ Huff

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #11 on: January 12, 2022, 12:41:48 PM »
Prettiest:
Rene Gillette L1 or K1





Sunbeam S7/S8




BMW R7



secure image hosting


Ugliest:
Victory Vision
Stelvio
V85TT

-AJ
« Last Edit: January 12, 2022, 09:01:51 PM by AJ Huff »
'71 Ambassador
'01 California Special
'05 Road King
MGNOC# L-753

Offline Guzzistajohn

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2022, 02:29:55 PM »
Prettiest?  The early LeMans of course.  :thumb:

Fugliest? any of those low "baggers" with that stupid oversized front wheel. 
ебать Россию!   Not anti social-pro solitude

Offline Motormike

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #13 on: January 12, 2022, 05:04:27 PM »
Wow!  I'm surprised nobody picked on my Ducati Multistrada (now sold  :cry:) Generally regarded as the ugliest "Duck"ling to come out of Italy.  Still, I once had a fellow rider tell me, "you know, that bike doesn't look so bad in black."  I think that's called damning with faint praise.  Still, ugly or not, it was a joy to ride. Light, nimble, perhaps the best handling motorcycle I've ever owned.  I'll miss it.



Offline twowheeladdict

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #14 on: January 12, 2022, 05:10:41 PM »
I am not going to say which particular bikes I think are the prettiest or the ugliest.

What I am going to say is that bikes I think are the prettiest are the most uncomfortable for me to ride, and bikes that I think are the ugliest always end up being the most comfortable for me to ride.

Sucks, I know. 
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Offline spmoto

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #15 on: January 12, 2022, 06:18:28 PM »
Prettiest?:
"83 Laverda RGS 1000



"83 Le Mans III (the prettiest LM IMHO




Ugly:
Victory Vision (sorry JJ)
Ugliest Guzzi: Nevada

Offline jackthebiker

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #16 on: January 12, 2022, 06:46:35 PM »




Prettiest





Ugliest
Currently riding a 2022 Moto Guzzi V85TT Adventure  and a 2022 Kawasaki W800.

Online Muzz

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #17 on: January 12, 2022, 08:16:01 PM »
Prettiest, Ducati 250 Mach 111.

Ugliest, I done gone seen a lot. :rolleyes:
« Last Edit: January 12, 2022, 08:16:23 PM by Muzz »
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Offline twowheeladdict

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #18 on: January 12, 2022, 08:28:28 PM »





Ugliest

Man, that was the prettiest Victory Vision made!  The one I actually considered possibly buying if I could have found a good used example. 
2022 Moto Guzzi V85TT Guardia D'onore
2018 V7 III Carbon Dark #0009 of 1921
2018 Road Glide Special
2021 Kawasaki KLX300SM
2017 Suzuki Van Van 200
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Online ray bear

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #19 on: January 12, 2022, 10:26:14 PM »
LE Velocette  is ug a lee

750 SS round case Ducati looks ok to me
73 V7 sport
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68 BSA rocket 3
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Offline SmithSwede

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #20 on: January 12, 2022, 10:34:58 PM »
Here is the objectively correct answer.   

The most beautiful motorcycles ever made are the 2013 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone in white, and the 1996 Ducati 900SS/CR in red.  I know this from intimate personal experience as the current owner of both specimens. 







There are vastly more ugly bikes as there are beautiful ones, just as there are vastly more incorrect answers to a math problem compared to the correct answer.   

I nominate the Norton Classic as the most ugly.   I took extreme umbrage to this monstrosity when I saw one at the Barber museum in Alabama.  I think part of what bothers me is that Norton made so many beautiful bikes that this bit of homemade sin is utterly inexcusable.   You could literally stick 14 dog turds onto that Norton and it would look better.  It’s true! I know because I Photoshopped it as an experiment. 






Of course, this Ducati certainly got several prolonged beatings with the Ugly Stick. 



« Last Edit: January 12, 2022, 10:42:25 PM by SmithSwede »
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Offline Turin

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #21 on: January 12, 2022, 10:47:49 PM »
To a degree, sportbikes are function over fashion. A hayabusa looks the way it does to reduce drag. Judging aesthetics, I don't want to judge a paint job on a sheet of fiberglass, I want to see the craftsmanship of the mechanical bits.

  When it comes to pretty, it's tough to beat Harley Davidson. I submit the Duo glide.




As for ugly, I have to go with the Suzuki Madura as the worst looking if the '80s metric cruisers. I say it's the worst for 1 unforgivable design element... Vertical fake cooling fins.



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Offline reidy

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #22 on: January 13, 2022, 02:19:28 AM »
One of the Prettiest bikes I have owned was a 1978 Ducati 500 Desmo sport parallel twin. One of the ugliest bikes I have seen was the 1978 Ducati 500 GTL.



 




Online Huzo

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #23 on: January 13, 2022, 02:34:51 AM »
I am not going to say which particular bikes I think are the prettiest or the ugliest.

What I am going to say is that bikes I think are the prettiest are the most uncomfortable for me to ride, and bikes that I think are the ugliest always end up being the most comfortable for me to ride.

Sucks, I know.
There’s a hundred lines in there and I can’t use one of them...
BTW..
I cannot believe I forgot the Honda Prune.



geojson coordinates order

I think naming it the Prune was a stroke of genius, looking at one has the same effect as eating a bucket of the things..
« Last Edit: January 13, 2022, 02:48:28 AM by Huzo »

Offline Steve Scott

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #24 on: January 13, 2022, 06:35:10 AM »
Prettiest,
Honda CB175, in red-black-white-chrome, of the 1972 vintage:




Ugliest,
A second vote for Honda's Ruin-E... of any vintage:


'79 Morini 500S
'00 'Guzzi Jackal
'67 Teisco ET-440
Spring Grove, PA USA

Offline Motormike

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #25 on: January 13, 2022, 10:25:48 AM »
I too thought the Honda Ruined was pretty grotesque! Of course, I didn't tell that to the manager of a hotel I stayed at that owned two of them! :shocked:

Online Sye

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #26 on: January 13, 2022, 10:32:44 AM »
I can't believe there's not one vote for the beautiful NR750, just gorgeous!


Offline LowRyter

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #27 on: January 13, 2022, 10:39:38 AM »
I always thought these were among the worst.  Unlike some "ugly" things that over time may gain some charm, this thing still looks bad and always will.



so far as pretty, my two bikes are on the list. 





Life's too short to ride an ugly bike.   :thumb:
« Last Edit: January 13, 2022, 10:49:28 AM by LowRyter »
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Online tazio

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #28 on: January 13, 2022, 11:25:38 AM »
Surprised to see the Victory Vision mentioned more than once as "ugly".
Always saw them as glamorous and different.
Here's two beauties in my Book!



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Offline Mwether

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Re: Prettiest/Ugliest
« Reply #29 on: January 13, 2022, 01:20:51 PM »
Wow!  I'm surprised nobody picked on my Ducati Multistrada (now sold  :cry:) Generally regarded as the ugliest "Duck"ling to come out of Italy.  Still, I once had a fellow rider tell me, "you know, that bike doesn't look so bad in black."  I think that's called damning with faint praise.  Still, ugly or not, it was a joy to ride. Light, nimble, perhaps the best handling motorcycle I've ever owned.  I'll miss it.

Hey, wait a second here!! :grin: Öhlins-gold makes everything prettier!

(Totally concur that it was an awesome bike. Had to sell because of a "tax surprise." Still makes me sad.)





Edited to add that not for a minute do I think the Multi is a pretty bike.

The prettiest bike title for me—at least of things in current production—is the Janus Halcyon 450. :drool:

« Last Edit: January 13, 2022, 02:33:06 PM by Mwether »

 

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