If I were to answer what type of man I was, using my dads logic used in the choice of a brat or hamburger, the answer would be "yes".

 

That's a kind of logic I can get behind... Can I change my vote to yes" ?!

 

To hell with this "zen of motorcycling" bullshit...I bought my SuperHawk because when I twist the throttle, it responds the way I want my motorcycle to respond. So the engine is most important to me. I wouldn't want to own a bike that didn't have the low end punch of the VTR, and the linear power band that makes it so easy to ride.

Brakes and suspension can be improved, if needed. The chassis works just fine for my type of riding. And it all works better than any other motorcycle I've owned over the last 29 years.

This is the 3rd twin I've owned, the others being a V-twin and a Boxer.

 

Don`t now why that poll for,but sorry men-without brakes we all very dead.

 

Brakes are catching up fast! Join the fast crew! Vote brakes!

 

***, ****, burgers or brats.... The answer is simple, a fat juicy Taco

 

Compared to my old 1983 BMW R100RS, the brakes on my SuperHawk are MotoGP.

 

My boss has one, and I am pretty sure that the brakes are only one of its many down falls. Although it looks good, its brakes are lacking, the handling sucks, the handlebars and the related seating position blows, its a cold weather bike (or not for +75 weather). The bike creates its own story of "almosts" that occur every time its out, like almost crashed. quite possibly the narrowest bars put on a motorcycle...

 

Well in theory that does sound right, but I do have to disagree. Don't get me wrong, brakes are very important. With that I also will say that the best brakes in the world will not do you any good if the tires are not on the ground.....

So I will stick with suspension. A well sorted suspension with average brakes will stop faster than killer brakes on just average suspension.

Of course, like always, YMMV.

 

And without an engine you won't get enough speed to need either brakes or suspension...

So... When are you guys gonna realize that you are discussing the chicken and the egg, bike version?

 

You listen too too much Rush music I think.. Just Kidding.

You have to love that sweet Honda Music!

 

I had my R100RS for 15 years...I bought it from a former girlfriend, so I'd ridden it quite a bit prior to buying. I mainly commuted on it (riding 10,000 miles/year for the first couple years), and it was only rarely in the twisties. I put over 40,000 miles on it overall.

Then when I bought my VTR 5 years ago, and I thought I'd keep the Beemer too. But after a month of riding my SuperHawk, I took the RS out the driveway and down the street. I went to turn the corner at the end of the street, and "Holy S#@*, I never realized how much the handling on this sucked". Like comparing an 18 wheeler to a Porsche. I sold the Beemer for $3800 ($800 more than I'd payed for it 15 years earlier). I was a Classic, but way outdated.

Oh, and I'd ridden a '78 once (rear drum brake) when I still had mine. I don't know if something was going on with the chassis, but it handled terrible...much heavier than mine.

 

Yeah, not so much intuitive to ride, that is for sure. The boss has a R90S, R100RS, and one of our customers has almost one of everything back to a R50. You expect nothing from the older ones, but they pleasantly surprise you. The newer ones are so quirky, it makes it tough to enjoy for a casual ride once or twice per year.

 

Well I was going on the idea that a "motorcycle" would have an engine of some kind......

That and the board is kind of slow so just kind of had to post somewhere....

 

I hear you, recently several hours can go by without a new post on anything.

But back to the subject...My feeling is that without a great engine, why build the motorcycle in the first place. I think all would agree that our beloved SuperHawks posses a very fine engine paired up with less than very fine suspension and brakes (Honda keeping the price down for marketing purposes). But both of those can be upgraded very nicely without breaking the bank. If you have a mediocre engine to start with, however...you're talking major cash, at the least, to improve it. And with some engines, even that won't work.

 

Well I was kind of looking at the spirit of the original poll.

If I was going to get a bike and out of the 4 categories listed, 3 would be just average and 1 would be outstanding then the choice would be easy for me.

I would choose the one with the good suspension every time. Not that this is the best or right choice, just what would work the best for me.

 

Good point. That would work for me too, since for me now it's mostly about the twisties. But then I'm 5'10" and 155 pounds, so for as hard as I push in the canyons (I don't ride the track) my stock suspension works fine. But when I first got my VTR, it scared me my first time in the twisties, until I learned where to place my weight and how to set up my turns.

 

Without getting too deep in the subject (as most are )... I think out of the choices given in the poll (and, referring it to the VTR) I would say that power would be the one aspect to sparked my interest. If I had purchased the VTR for her brakes, suspension or chassis I would be a very sad panda.

 

Well in a way I'm glad I didn't just use the motor as the reason for the bike when I picked up my VTR.

The reason I say this is I bought mine new in '97.
If the motor was my biggest concern at that time I would have picked up a TL instead and I doubt very much that I would have kept that bike as long as I have kept this one.

So while I do like the VTR motor, it was more the entire package that made my choose this bike. Sure the stock suspension is ***** but I have to re-spring and re-valve every bike I buy, so that was a non issue.

Which made it the best all around package of the 4 bikes I was looking at, at that time. The TL, 900ss Ducati, Moto Guzzi Sport 1100 and the good old VTR.

Anyways, like I said earlier, on a hypothetical bike with the choice of 1 outstanding and 3 average qualities I would pick suspension but that is just me.

Then again that is why my VTR has Ohlins at both ends now......

 

Defenitely suspension, chassis a very very very close second. I mean really close. I think suspension/geometry and chassis as a unit together is more crucial to motorcycle dynamics than braking and power are as a unit together.

on your typical bike for a "typical" rider, suspension offers the most benefits. Suspension enables the rider to set geometry though sag, offers safety in stability and damping and provides feel and feed back. This feedback allows the rider to sort any of the shortcoming the frame and helps the rider apply power to the ground.

Further more, the effects of suspension also come from the tires through carcass and sidewall flex.

suspension helps modulate/quel violent braking and acceleration forces and alows the rider to gage the limit of traction.

 

Pshhh- there's no "plastics/color" category. I base my motorcycle choice purely how bad *** it makes me look in pictures! And matches my unscathed leathers. Loudness is a close second...

 

Motorcycle - motor = Mountain Bike
Mountain Bike - suspension = Road Bike
Road Bike - brakes = Fixed Gear bike, aka "Fixie"
Fixie - chassis= Wheels? Art? Not sure about this one...

Since the HP/motor last one actually makes it a motorcycle, as other's have said, I'll put my vote there.

 

Maybe someone has a dark bicycling past we don't need to know about... j/k, bicycles are cool. I have a huffy too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRnxEZJCey4

 

Went for a ride today. Near the end of the ride made a sharp u turn, gassed it in 1st...front end got real light, shifted to 2nd...little power wheelie.

It's the engine all right.

 

I love those. When I come off the interstate at my exit, drop into first for the corner, swing into the outside lane around the cars, just before she's full upright, grab a handful and the front walks up, ****** second gear and the front walks up again, then third gets light = BIG GRIN EVERYTIME!

 

Watched this video, 3 or 4 times in a row, then read the comments. I think this one might be true: