Best looking motorcycle

[johnwesley]

One of the worst motorcycle decisions I ever made was to trade a fellow WG forum member my gorgeous blue & silver V11 Bassa for his red V11 Sport Naked.
I absolutely loved the Bassa and I absolutely hated the V11 Sport Naked.
I had to force myself to put 100 miles on the Sport Naked for the year I had it.

I would like to hear more about this. What was the love of the bassa and the hate of the sport? I’ve often fancied a v11lemans

[MikeP996]

I had my 916 back when they were "new."  Sold it in 2006.  Two years ago I briefly considered buying one but came to the conclusion that from a "practical" point of view for me nowadays, it made no sense at all.  But it's the only bike I've ever owned over MANY years that I occasionally wish I hadn't sold.  Never missed any of the others. 

Hmmm...I wouldn't mind having a 916 on display in my hobby room... ;)  Just did a quick price check...I should have kept mine; they are too expensive now!!! :(

[nwguy]

I would like to hear more about this. What was the love of the bassa and the hate of the sport? I’ve often fancied a v11lemans

What's not to love?

[nwguy]

I like this Centauro (from a MGNOC newsletter):




Then again, it might be because it reminds me of my Yamaha Morphous:

[Motormike]

in general, the more body work a bike has, the less attractive i find it.

Two exceptions might be a Ducati 916, and the first generaltion of Yamaha YZF 1000, 1999 IIRC.

As for all the exotics, covering up those frames is an unforgivable sin IMO.

"Never buy a motorcycle you can't see through."  Jay Leno

[faffi]

I thought (perhaps incorrectly) that this thread was about the best looking bike? Most comfortable is an entirely different subject.

 I certainly think it’s the best looking bike ever.

You are absolutely correct, it just that the subject went a bit on tangent and someone brought up the idea of choosing the bike for life IIRC.

[Huzo]

You are absolutely correct, it just that the subject went a bit on tangent and someone brought up the idea of choosing the bike for life IIRC.

Yeah me.
I contend that “best looking” Is a function of how “attractive” it is to you. If I see a bike that has nice lines, but I perceive it to be an unreliable, unstable, borderline death trap, then I find it unattractive and thereby not good looking.
Now such a bike as described above, would not be one that I would tie myself to for the rest of my run and that’s why I linked “good looking” with desire for long term involvement.
The “look” of a bike is a function of its desireability. I guess it’s a definition thing…

[TN Mark]

I would like to hear more about this. What was the love of the bassa and the hate of the sport? I’ve often fancied a v11lemans

I had two different Bassas, loved them both. IMHO, the Bassa aesthetics corrected everything I didn’t like about the EV. Plus it had adjustable forks and tubeless spoked wheels. I swapped out the Bassa foot peg subframes for the EV floorboard subframes. I also swapped out the wide Bassa handlebars for an EV set. I had all three factory windshields as well as a Swanee Aerofoil. I also had the Bassa specific Swiss made leather saddlebags plus a few Agustini items that added a few nice touches as well. Of course the polished Mistral mufflers added the right sound. I even had a G&G deep oil dump with a spin on oil filter as well as a modified riders seat by a WG forum member.
I did all this to the black 1999 and when I totaled it out, I removed all these items before the bike was picked up by the junk yard. I knew I’d get another Bassa which I did. A 2000 blue & silver one.
After a few years I bought a 2000 blue & silver Honda Valkyrie Interstate and the world's most enhanced 2000 blue & silver Bassa quite sadly turned into a garage queen.
The Valkyrie turned into our two up go to bike of choice.
After seeing the Bassa get lonely in the garage I traded it even with a WG member for his V11 Sport Naked.
Why did I hate that V11 Sport so much? It was, to me, a torture rack. The fellow WG forum member drove off with the Bassa on his trailer. As soon as I threw a leg over the seat of that V11 Sport Naked I knew I made a terrible mistake.
After keeping the Sport Naked for a year and forcing myself to ride it 100 miles, I gladly traded it off on a new V12 8V Griso.

[Vagrant]

There are a lot of pretty bike pics here. Most I'd love to have in my trophy room. But that is where they belong as they would cripple most people on a good days ride. As to good looking and can ride it 200-500 miles a day for the rest of my life the choice is clear as far as Guzzis go. 2001-04 EV, V85. End of story.

[Huzo]

There are a lot of pretty bike pics here. Most I'd love to have in my trophy room. But that is where they belong as they would cripple most people on a good days ride. As to good looking and can ride it 200-500 miles a day for the rest of my life the choice is clear as far as Guzzis go. 2001-04 EV, V85. End of story.

Ahh yes…
That would be the end of YOUR story, Vagrant.

[blackcat]