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Borile B500CR Feedback

20948 Views 49 Replies 35 Participants Last post by  Gixxerboy, 
G
where's the headlight?
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It would almost be a shame to put the headlight on it.



This is the first Italian bike I have ever liked at first look.
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5
UGLY

I've got a
  • pretty
500 cc single that kicks this things butt. It was made in 1989 and 1990 and none of you saps bought one back then. GB500.
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They tried with the GB500 and it didn't sell. Of course the tradeoffs they made for suspension and brakes vs. price didn't help.
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C
I think you're looking at it all wrong... Your GB500 IS a pretty retro-bike... very pretty. But I also think the Borile B500CR is ALSO a very nice looking bike. Different, but nice. I don't think it was meant to look like a faithful reproduction of retro bikes, but more like a modern interpretation of what was good about the old bikes: Their simplicity, light weight, high fun factor, etc., and I think Umberto Borile did an outstanding job of capturing that in a modern package.
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I'd have to agree here. JB (met him in Daytona some time ago) did some amazing things on his own. Harley still can't recreate it with their millions. But then I heard somebody say 9 women couldn't create a baby in 1 month. Likewise, John didn't have to argue with design team members. He just figured out how to do it an did it!
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Exactly!

And this is one reason I wouldn't cry that much if horsepower limits were legislated. The manufacturers would respond by making bikes lighter and lighter.

If they can stuff 145HP into a 400 pound bike, why not 72HP in a 200 pound bike? It would be WAY more fun, and cheaper to operate, insure and buy.

Imagine a 300 pound sportbike with a 90 HP engine and brakes strong enough to shoot you over the handlebars, and WSB spec suspension. All for less than $10k. That's what they should be building, because let's face it Gixerboy, more than 90 HP is a waste on the street, but we can all use less weight, more brakes, and better suspension.
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S
No doubt your GB 500 kicks this thing's butt in the 3 ilitys (reliability, civility, and parts availability) but with 60+ H.P., 230 LBS, and modern wheel / tire combinations, this thing will peel the skin off of your GB. Sign me up, I'll take two.
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8k too much?

If this bike cost as much as an F4i, you wouldn't buy it? But what if it were more fun to ride and taught you more about fast riding? Plus, if you factored in resale (Dukes, MZ's, Huskys, ATK's, and other limited production bikes hold their value pretty well) it would really be cheaper than a Japanese 600, even at $8k.

If it was a true daily driver and had high-quality components, 8k would be cheap.
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S
This is the best "new fashion" motorcycle I have ever seen. If it came to the US, I'd get one--if it wasn't too tall for me (I'm 5'6" and short legged). I absolutely love the minimalist lines. We need more of these.
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For the younger generation, this is as cool as Jet Li riding a Return of the Jedi speederbike.



And I like the loopy side tubes.
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G
90HP weakling :cool:

Restricting horsepower is like eliminating hand guns, it doesn't matter that neither have reasonable uses, it probably won't happen (with the possible exception of corporate meddling, car manufacturers might like sports cars to have the performance of sports bikes and bike HP restrictions are just about the only way that will ever happen). I'd love to have a 300 pound (wet) 90HP sports bike. To put into concrete terms, that would be like a Suzuki DR-Z400 with better than twice the power. Yeeha, ride'em cowboy :cool:.
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R
If anyone wants this much fun you can do it yourself..for cheap. It's called SUPERMOTARD. And, in my opinion, the supermotards looks better, That thing is fugly!!
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G
Um, lets see a 500cc single, lightweight bike. Didn't Buell start doing this a couple of years ago? Yeah this bike has more ponies, but the Buell is sitting on a showroom floor near you. :)
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5
Like the old saying goes: I can get faster, but you ain't gonna get any prettier. Ever hear of 601cc kit for the GB. As a final note, if I want to 'peel the skin' off someone on a motorbike, my first choice won't be a 500cc single.



Take a closer look at the photos. That thing is hideous. And it wouldn't sell well in the US for a couple of reasons:



It's ugly.



It's underpowered compared to what you'd be able to buy with equivalent cash.



It's Italian, so it *may* have reliability issues.



Parts would be scarce.



Just look how many Dukes are rolling off showroom floors.
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$5K to $8K! That's excessive for a minimalist motorcycle more like $3K to $5K. You have to realize that the Suzuki SV650S can be had for about $5900. And that is one great motorcycle. My Suzuki DR350 weighs in at about 280 lbs. and it is a fun in-town commuter. This bike wouid be awsome for this purpose. Heck, I would buy one in a heartbeat! Why didn't BMW build something like this instead of their overweight 650? Didn't they make some great singles in their past? Yamaha used to have the SR600, but I guess it didn't appeal to the Ricky-Racer crowd. I would love someone to build a reliable, lightweight, simple motorcycle that is easy to maintain. One of the motorcycle manufacturer's should build the motorcycle equivalent of the original VW Beetle or Toyota Land Cruiser, bulletproof and reliable. You could then go to any country, anywhere in the world and ride no matter what the fuel is like and still get spare parts should you need them. Parts would be inexpensive and a strong custom market would follow. Singles and twins forever!
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Re: 8k too much?

$8K is too much for a 500 cc single. You have been indoctrinated to accept the high cost of motorcycles today. Is $8K for BMW's 650 acceptable to you? Overall, this is a low-tech motorcycle, with most of it's component's off the shelf. The Borile concept is what has grabbed everyone's attention. I really think it is the 229 lb. weight and 50+ hp that has everyone's noodle working overtime. And that you could wrench one together yourself in the back of your bicycle shop. There are a lot of custom bicycle framemakers out there. I wonder if they would like to try their hand at custom motorcycle frames? Then we could all build a Borile.
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Very nice bike. I've been thinking about how neat an XR650 engine in steel trellis frame with Ohlins suspension, Brembo brakes and Marcheseni wheels would be -- seems like a real do-able project for someone with welding talent.
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Re: 90HP weakling :cool:

Yeah, I'm would not be a fan of limiting hp because I do like the feeling of big accelleration after the ton but, realistically speaking, I don't do all that much of that.. well sorta not much :)

HOWEVER, T'would be cool if manufactures brought out some funky singles. I read an article on this guy who souped up an SRX600 - bored out to 660, higher compression nice suspension/tires etc, and ended up on the light side of 300lbs (i think). Man that bike was a looker and even at only 60 hp, it would go and handle like nothing this side of an FZR400.

Prob is, everyone wants the big numbers (must admit that's one reason I bought the old 1100 gsxr - I'm older, somewhat wiser and much more sore now). It would be nice if someone would take the chance and build what we're looking for... Triumph, you listening????
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Nope, buell used a 10,000 lb hardly engine and attempted to do the same thing for a rather large price tag. Don't get me wrong, Buells look cool and go pretty fast but they're not the same at all.



Let's get some cool, super light weight singles with loads of brakes and suspension for some serious riding - easier to fix if you crash too ;-)
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R
Hey, guys, get a KLR 250. It's 240lb, and screams on the street. Seriously. Put a smaller wheel up front and you've got the beginning of a great city-Motard (although I will admit that the graphics and new color scheme are atrocious. Oh, well that's what paint is for).
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