OK, this has gone quite far enough

The motorcycle companies are paying TOO MUCH attention to what some of their customers are doing to their bikes.

I've seen Harley factory bobbers in matte colors; but what I saw today in a motorcycle store made me wanna start looking for a new planet.

Rim tape. Rim "stripes." ON A FACTORY FRESH Yamaha FZR6 or whatever. AND on a current Ninja.

It's the end of civilization as we know it. First fruit pre-installed in beer; and now this.

 

Fitz, I'm in the "no fruit" should be in beer camp, so I'm with you on the rim tape.

 

"NO FRUIT IN BEER" is a Man-Law.

Prohibition of rim tapes oughtta be. (As should "blue denim"-finish motorcycles, but we won't go there...)

 

it's a safety thing, like rear brake delamination and old brake lines

 

Are you taking about reflective rim tape?

What's so wrong with that from the factory?

 

+1 there fitz.

 

Didn't know what it was until I looked it up... I think I agree. It rings of the Walmart automotive accessory aisle. There are better looking ways to add reflectivity. I did happen to have a bicycle cross the street in front of me with a similar treatment on its wheels and frame. I definitely knew there was a bike in front of my car.

As for fruit in beer: pre-inserted is bad, I agree, but you can't tell me that a cold Corona filtered through a fresh lime slice wedged in the neck of the bottle on a hot day ain't good drinking.

 

Sorry rim tape is a safety thing and that means I'm cool with it.

 

+2 no fruit in beer.

Although I do like almost everything about the new FZ-09/07, I can't stand that headlight. They're paying too much attention to the whole "street fighter" craze, in which people duct tape an aftermarket triangle lense to their previously faired bike, then take the seat and angle it at about 45* so your cajones are getting jammed straight into the tank. Almost everything from Kawasaki is going this direction too.

I think they need to stop trying to improve looks and start improving functionality. Heated grips, a tad more storage, better suspensions, or racks are fair game as OEM in my book.

Although I agree that reflective strips aren't the end of the world, fer chrissakes focus on something else. The new 2014 FZ-09 came with purple rims. Nobody wants that- and if they did- they could just paint them.

NO FRUIT IN THE DAMN BEER.

 

Good catch. This is the one exception that serves to completely validate the original no-fruit rule.

 

How many movies centered around old, slow vintage bikes have you seen lately?

Guess what sells bikes! The movie Easy Rider really did wonders for the harley chopper craze in the 70's.

The problem with crotch rockets it that they are to fast for the loud pipes to help them. By the time you hear them they are already 10 miles down the road. Gotta have something to draw attention. So that you can get out of the way of the shrapnel.

Ghost

 

Definitely, NO fruit in beer.

As far as the reflective wheel stripes go, I'm all for an extra margin of safety.

Tony

 

I like fruit (limes) in my Mexican beers. Most hefe weizens get a lemon or orange.

 

I do put peanuts in my Coke, but I will never put fruit in my beer.

 

My moto, if you have to put fruit in your beer, the beer must be crap to start with. Beer should not need anything added to taste better

Oh and I have red reflective stripes on my XJ 650.

 

Rim tape? Do what they want, I can't afford the new stuff anyway.
Fruit in beer? The only thing that belongs in beer is beer. Not berries, not grass, not coffee, and sure as hell not fruit. Now, if they could figure out a way to keep them cans from leaking. Every damn one of em just seems to come up empty. Cork? Duct tape?

 

Fruit in beer NO!!
Who LOOKS at the wheels of other vehicles while the are driving? I'm busy looking for where the idiots going!!! And most accidents cars are either pulling out in front of or turn in front or crash into the rear or passing and hitting head on into bikers. So reflective tape on the wheels is just BULLS*&T. It's a cheap sales gimmick and that's all it is and does absolutely nothing for safety!!!
Hell why don't we go one step further with safety, lets put poles with flashing lights on top a requirement on all motorcycles!!!! After all its a safety thing right. You can not add anything to the bike to make up for distracted drivers!!!! Or for drivers who just pay no attention to those around them. Riders who are in there cages notice motorcycles and even bicycles because they have become more aware of them because they are bike riders!!!!! I've seen bikers wearing all kinds of reflective gear get hit by distracted drivers.

 

Haven't had it in a while but there is always at least one exception to every rule. This is a good exception.

Gary

 

Hops are delicious.
Just finished a New Glarus IIPA, that's right a double IPA. Delicious and potent.
If hops count as a fruit then I am as fruity as the Chiquita Banana Lady's hat! :lol:

Used to have a garden plot near a fella that was growing hops, you grabbed one of the flowers and put it between your cheek and gum . . . Heaven! Gotta be careful with those, they are extremely invasive and will take over your yard/ garden in a heart beat.

 

"Motorcycles, all the power of a car with none of the safety features." - Tim Allen from 'Last Man Standing'