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Too Bland?

akbeemer

SURVIVOR
In the current issue of Classic Motorsports there is a piece by Tim Suddard in which he expresses his opinion about modern automobiles becoming bland. He goes on to say that he doubts that the current crop of cars will produce many examples that people will want to collect and restore 30-50 years from now. While IÔÇÖm inclined to agree with him, I also can imagine my grandfather looking at the then new 55 Chevy and lamenting about how they were bland compared to the older cars and that no one would ever want to collect one of these in the future. My questions are about how you feel about the current crop of motorcycles. Are they getting bland and too cookie-cutter in appearance? Will there be any that will be hot collectorÔÇÖs items in the future? If so, which ones?
 
I wouldn't say bland or that there aren't any I would like to collect. How might be a better question. Steel & aluminium can be cleaned up and refinished to look like new (most of the time) assuming they aren't abused over their life. I can't say the same for tupperware. I've seen very few plastic parts of 30-50 years old that could be refinished to look "new" much less have the same structural integrity.
 
In the current issue of Classic Motorsports there is a piece by Tim Suddard in which he expresses his opinion. Will there be any that will be hot collectorÔÇÖs items in the future? If so, which ones?

Yes, but not telling you now otherwise everybody will buy them and they won't be collectibles.:laugh

Tim Suddard has his opinion, others have theirs.

Lets see, should be a low production number type, maybe only produced a year or two, perhaps unique color. I know, a GT without FD failure or switch gear probs.:scratch

Nope thats not it......hmmmm....how about a camo Ural?:lurk

Maybe your right, nothing jumpin out at me.:whistle
 
I had many many compliments on my r1100rt, even from non motorcycle people. Several times I was with 3 or 4 non-bmw bikes and people would single me out and say what a great looking bike. I think it will be collectible. Probably should have kept it.
 
Boy that 1976 Ford Mustang II with the 302 looks relly nice now..
Or maybe that Chevy Vega...

I will just work on the 72 CHevelle and keep her..
Course Gas will be outlawed by the time I finish her....but its American.. OOps cept those hood and cowl induction and fenders..:usa made in CHYNA (sp is correct)

oops Motocycles.. GOtcha...
hmm ............. )thinking)
Hmmmmm..

I got a headache now..
Maybe a 82 Virago? It was fun at the time...

OK oK...

nothing coming out at me and saying- YES thats the one...
anyone else?
 
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I got it=- I saw an early K bike and it sounded so sweeeeeet and looked great ..
It was over in the SPring Texas Area a few months ago..
I mean If I had heard that sound first, I prolly would have scoured the whole area looking for this bike....


It was THAT nice..

OK I did it!! Yayy

Yall just ignore the previous post.. Rambling of an old car nut as welll:dance
 
there will be issues with the electronics,.

In 30 years how will you get a functional body controller or electric power steering controller? Even the electronic chips they used will not be available. Will MFG release source code? Highly unlikely. There are lots of replacement fuel injection controllers, and transmission controls, but the highly specific stuff like body modules etc will be a challenge. Popular stuff like Camero, Mustang, Vette, Cuda will have aftermarket support probably but how about some of the cool cars like Mercury Interceptor, or Caddy CTS?

It will be interesting
 
To be collectable, a vehicle needs to be rare and unique. When they were new, there were a lot of muscle cars. However, most were abused, wrecked and mistreated. That made nice surviving cars rare and valuable. Other collectable cars tend to be low production or old enough to be rare and they are unique or desirable in some way.

Of modern motorcycles, I think the R1200CLC will be collectable because they are unique and there are not many of them (Edsels are collectable). They were only made 2 years and there were not many of them sold. Mine won't be valuable because I plan on wearing it out.
 
I get Classic Motorsports almost every month and Tim's observation is interesting. I don't know if he's correct; a major factor will be production volumes. Certainly, this has had a big impact on used Porsche prices: e.g. 996 vs 993.

But there are still gorgeous cars coming out, such as the Ferrari Italia.
 
aside from rushing to the defence of my 1994 Chev 4X4 or Mary's 2008 Mustang, I would say that I cannot see one bike in anybody's lineup that did not arrive by way of cookie cutter. If I want character I have the /5 and if I want emerging character I go with our current 1992 K1100LT with Uni-Go assembly. Unique enough and certainly capable. I don't obsess about a scratch here and there either. In fact, if I was keen on something different (although not likely in any collectable category) I would go for one of those Bombardier three wheel rigs. However, I probably have a few more 'tip overs' left on the K so no three wheels yet:ha But, maybe by the time I am really interested in one there will be so many around that they too will be 'bland'.

I don't know if bland is the word that I would use but I see nothing that breaks away from the herd in either cars or bikes. - Bob
 
In the current issue of Classic Motorsports there is a piece by Tim Suddard in which he expresses his opinion about modern automobiles becoming bland.

My alltime favorite bar band (Dusty Drapes and the Dusters) usually stated sometime during their performance, "the drunker you get, the better we sound."

Corollary, of course is, "the older we get, the better we were."

A "nothing new" article, that is.
 
My alltime favorite bar band (Dusty Drapes and the Dusters) usually stated sometime during their performance, "the drunker you get, the better we sound."

Corollary, of course is, "the older we get, the better we were."

A "nothing new" article, that is.



I kinda agree, hence my comment that alludes to our grandfathers probably saying the same things about the vehicles of their day. I do, however, think there is some validity to the idea that the abundant use of plastic and the evolving electronics used today will make bikes and cars harder to restore and less desirable in the future.
 
In the current issue of Classic Motorsports there is a piece by Tim Suddard in which he expresses his opinion about modern automobiles becoming bland. He goes on to say that he doubts that the current crop of cars will produce many examples that people will want to collect and restore 30-50 years from now. While I’m inclined to agree with him, I also can imagine my grandfather looking at the then new 55 Chevy and lamenting about how they were bland compared to the older cars and that no one would ever want to collect one of these in the future. My questions are about how you feel about the current crop of motorcycles. Are they getting bland and too cookie-cutter in appearance? Will there be any that will be hot collector’s items in the future? If so, which ones?
Many of the current auto offerings are very bland. But, not all. Porsche carries on a tradition in their cars that reaches back to the very beginning of that brand. They still look damn good and always will. Corvette is another brand reflective of it's roots. Both never lost their vision nor disregarded their past and it shows. There are other offerings that will appreciate in the future; most will not. But, when have most cars ever been that collectible? The 60's springs to mind when a lot of American muscle cars were introduced. All are collectible and memorable now. I like the new retro Mustang and Camaro. As to motorcycles? The seventies are my favorite era, combining good looks and a level of sophistication I appreciate. Now? I find the retro bikes such as the Guzzi V-7 and the Ducati retro bikes the most arresting to look at and perhaps collect. The R100RS in my garage is to my eye a better looking bike than my R1100RSL, something is missing in the newer machine when compared and I believe it'll never be as collectable. I love to ride the newer bikes. But, I appreciate the retro bikes design more just as I prefer the retro car styling. There is a theme going here. Says a lot, does it not? Or perhaps I only an aging baby boomer nostalgic for a bygone era.
JD
 
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In the current issue of Classic MotorsportsMy questions are about how you feel about the current crop of motorcycles. Are they getting bland and too cookie-cutter in appearance?

That they are.

I went to two motorcycle shows this winter.

I've bought new motorcycles before when I've had more than 5 in the stables and all of them relatively current.

The only current model I would buy if I didn't own any would be a GS or GS Adventure. Nothing else even interested me. And even then, I'd sooner buy an airhead GS over an oilhead GS, even though I own both.

As for cars then and now, I much prefer the older cars. The new ones do everything better, but they lack so much that words cannot explain. I turned down a 2005 Porsche 997 and bought a 1995 Porsche 993 (both 911s) instead. All it took was a drive in each.
 
Gonna miss this bike, 08 HD Sportster 1200 Nightster
Folding plate on left side was a one year deal, color was a 2 yr run only,
After 1/2 on this rig you could not hear out of your right ear. Fun, but obnoxiously loud.
 

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