famous / iconic / recogniseable bikes.

[Motorbreath]

I'm 28, from Spain:

Kawa zxr 750, it is nothing new but lot of people love its looks. I was I child and I loved it.
CBR 600F and Fireblade,
GSXR 750
R1&6,
916
Hayabusa,
V-Max,
Harleys,

Of course the FZS 600 is the best all round and affordable bike ever made but it is not iconic.

[BIG MAC]

Hmmm...Adds VMax to list...I did consider the VFR750 but it really is a great bike but borne of a horrible one

[pitternator]

its almost impossible to answer this question  because it all depends on the status of the observer ...biker or non biker ; young person or old; english or foreign; etc etc.

you cant criticize people for their choice either !

I dont have just one iconic bike, and my view changes over the years. I have been riding bikes since 1975 , so have seen a multitude of machines.Bikes which stand out to me are
bonneville- 60s icon, always wanted one
yam 2 stroke twins - RD400 inparticular - 70s teen dreams, cheap available performance for the masses
400/4 honda- my first pocket superbike, first jap bike which handled its power
z1- bad boy image, ultimate bike of 70s
gixxer 750- wot I lusted after but couldnt have in 80s, probably joe publics typical  idea of a sportsbike
duke 916 ( but more from wsb than the road) - so formative in 90s racing and media
R1-  awesome roadbike, groundbreaking at time
Gixxer 1000- ditto
GS1200  - changed motorcycling in UK from sportsbike to adventure ( with help from ewan and charlie)
speed triple- iconic and british - the rebirth of triumph

next on list will probably be an electric bike !!    :rolleyes

[snooky]

Nobody going to say the GPz900R the original and still the best ninja

[BIG MAC]

Nobody going to say the GPz900R the original and still the best ninja

Nope as it was defiled by Tom Cruise in Top Gun to a soundtrack of an entirely different bike...
Besides I didn't include the GPZ 750 or 1100 as even although the 750 was easily one of the smoothest bikes I have ever driven....(My mate had one) it wasn't truly iconic.
Although maybe the Ninja should be in there as it did spawn the term Ninjs which has been incorrectly applied to so many others...You're probably right Snooks

[Motorbreath]

Maybe the BMW S1000RR should be included.

[t140]

A T140 obviously then a JOTA

[dx408]

RD 500 LC
GP 100/125 (my first bike started life as a 100 ended it as a 125 but Shhhhhhhh)
DT 125
CBX (6 cyl one that is)
Z1
Goldwing/ Aspencade
Super dream (not fast not clever but all round capable reliable and popular)

[Lumpy]

Maybe the BMW S1000RR should be included.

famous? Recogniseable? Really?

[snooky]

BM, in answer to some of your doubts, The engine produces 115bhp,  which was serious power in 1984 and gave the bike a  top speed of 155mph.  No production bike was faster, which is why the GPZ bagged  the top two  steps of the podium in the 1984 production TT, it was the fastest production bike for a few years so think it still needs a worthy mention. Top gun has also made it recogniseable bike which was part of the original question, and if the case can we add the XT500?
I could also add the GPz750 Turbo which unlike amny other attempts did actually wotk and was cracking to ride

[BIG MAC]

I am not the upholder of good taste here Danny ...go for it...it's your icons list as much as mine lol!..XT500 is probably a bridge to far though...and the XL500 was a much better bike to be fair....but not Iconic as such....The original Red Rocket Elsinore...possible?
Again the gpz750 turbo was good but I thought the Unitrak bikes werent as pretty as their predecessors...but then I like the box eye fazer over the fox eye

[Oldgit]

Honda 400 Four pot.

[Tmation]

If I understand Lumpy's meaning, I think what the man or woman in the street would recognise:


Any Harley (thanks to Hells Angels, American Chopper etc)
BMW GS (thanks to Ewan and Charlie Longway round the bend stuff)
Old British bikes (a few on various TV programs/Films but most wont know what they are)
Vespa or Lambretta Scooters (as above)


Non Bikers wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a 400/4 and a Z1 and to joe public most modern machines are just brightly coloured noisy death traps

[fireblake]

[quote author=Motorbreath link=topic=1826.msg13966#msg13966 date=1330172342]
Maybe the BMW S1000RR should be included.

famous? Recogniseable? Really?
[/quote]


That would be why they fitted the gimpy headlights, it's now recognizable from all the others.

[fireblake]

And what about the Plastic Maggot. Most Londoners would know what they are having to jump outta the road whenever one was on a mission.

[Lumpy]

I could also add the GPz750 Turbo which unlike amny other attempts did actually wotk and was cracking to ride

not in my memory it wasn't. The ordinary 750 and 1100 were and the twin shock 11 rode better than the unitrak. I did have an XS11 a the time so everything felt a bit rough. Also rough was the GSX1100EFE a truly horrible bike, the XN85 wasn't too bad but far too heavy, the Seca was okay, the KJ650 was actually quite nice, the 500T wasn't as good as the 650T but looked awful in it's own way and the XJ650T was horrible too. No production turbo bike worked particularly well or gave any advantage over an atmospheric bike but it was exciting at the time. The GSX1100 was a not bad bike and I hate Suzukis. The GS thouh was okay, the CBX thou too heavy but I would still kill for one, the Z13 was ridiculous and you definitely rode on it and not in it  :lol , ah memories.

[GrahamB]

I have a 93 Fireblade which I can not bring myself to part with because I think it is such an iconic bike. Also got 2 FZ750's but not sure they should make the list? There's no mistaking their silhouette for sure. Big flat headlight, classic 80's Yamaha lines. Looks a lot like a 350YPVS with the fairing removed which is no bad thing.
Has anyone mentioned the original slab sided GSXRs?

[BIG MAC]

Aha! great calls...CX500 turbo ...Urban Tiger Blade...yepp gets my vote..both very distinctive...Incidentally having owned an XJ650 back in the day (normally aspirated) it was a sweet thing to drive...well compared to my 650 Katana which replaced it after the Yammie went to heaven

[Lumpy]

Aha! great calls...CX500 turbo ...Urban Tiger Blade...yepp gets my vote..both very distinctive...Incidentally having owned an XJ650 back in the day (normally aspirated) it was a sweet thing to drive...well compared to my 650 Katana which replaced it after the Yammie went to heaven

The brakes on the 650 Katana were viscious when new, I remember.

[fireblake]

Mmmm Urban Tiger