[Emvi]

Originally Posted by tilt

I did mention in my post - Bobby and Fantabulous. They are unconventional in the sense that one is a proper motorcycle with motorcycle styling but with scooter-sized wheels - not conventional; and the second is a motorcycle that mimics a scooter.

Thank you for elaborating your views.
I believe Honda Navi is in the same category as the Bobby and I guess you won't disagree. Fantabulous, IMO, doesn't look like a motorcycle trying to be a scooter. The extended wheelbase has made the scooter look oddball/unconventional.

Looks are definitely subjective and I have intentionally refrained myself from using any sort of adjectives to describe the vehicles in the list. A design that breaks the stereotype is uncoventional IMO. As far as looks are concerned, light clusters definitely are one of the most important characters of a vehicle, both the two wheelers and the four. Atleast 3-4 two wheelers in the list stand out just because of their light clusters. Do they look bad? Ugly? I can't say, but they are no doubt oddball/uncoventional. So much so that, the respective automakers of the two wheelers in discussion had to either rehaul the design in a rather short period of time or on some occasions simply discontinue such models owing to poor sales. Yes, uncoventionality may not always be about just one or two design elements of a vehicle, but certain design elements can be detrimental to the overall package.

[Apex1815]

I was in School when Libero was launched. To me Libero and Fazer always appeared as the Headlamp assembly is going to fall down if you apply sudden brake.

[Apex1815]

One more Head turner back then around Year 2000~2005.

This was Bajaj BYK and looked so malnutritioned. It was actually way smaller (in dimensions) than a convnetional 100 cc motorcycle.

[pugram]

Originally Posted by sridhu

The Zundapp Silver plus (?) was the most conventional of the lot!

Silver Plus was a nice mobike which was easy to ride and also easy on your pocket. The Enfield Explorer was it's bike cousin with the same 50cc engine. Enfield also had a more powerful bike 'Fury' with the 175cc engine. However Enfield let them die though it was only the Fury that was a sales dud.

How about adding Hero Majestic and Suveqa (Suvega ?) and Hero Puch to the list.

Anyone remember Avanti Garelli mopeds from Kelvinator ?

[KrisTvpm]

Originally Posted by pugram

<snip>
Anyone remember Avanti Garelli mopeds from Kelvinator ?

How can I forget this one! Bitter-sweet memories from late '90's into 2000's!

Inherited this "gem" from grandpa, which my papa wouldn't touch with a bargepole. This one was the reason I became a laughing stock before the girls & fashionable guys of college.

[Image source: olx] Mine was this exact silver colour, gave away to a cousin for free (thankfully he didn't ask money to take it over!)


It emitted the sound equivalent to a MiG-21, could be heard from almost 1km away, couldn't carry 2 puny college students up almost any slope so the pillion rider has to get down & run along, will break down sometimes but the pedal helped - it could be pedalled like a regular cycle!

I revolted at home to get me a decent bike, RX-100 being the dream one! Papa will have none of it - take this or hike along & use public transport!

[amitayu]

One look at the thread title, and you know the Fazer is gonna be in the list. Really, what was Yamaha thinking? even the body graphics were awkward to say the least. We called it the Owl (Ullu or Pnyecha as we bengalees call it).

However, the Suzuki Fiero had a decent run I guess. It was criticized more for its poor mechanicals than the look eventually.

The step through concept never took off in India. Manufacturers thought the immense success of these models in other Asian markets (Thailand, Indonesia etc) would work here as well, but we obviously never warmed up to it. It could have been a hit with the ladies if marketed properly. But, back then it was seen as a motorcycle, and motorcycles are for guys (while scooties are for ladies). Such silly notions killed off any prospects of these machines.

Surprised to see the HH Sleek and Adreno in this thread. they were not major successes, but definitely not because of their looks. On the contrary, their looks back then were their main draw!

[SulemanP]

This was Bajaj BYK and looked so malnutritioned. It was actually way smaller (in dimensions) than a conventional 100 cc motorcycle.[/quote]

I believe Bajaj Byk was based on M80_4s which was a 4 stroke version of the erstwhile Iconic 2 Stroke M50 & M80.


The 2 stroke M50 & M80 had good sales figures to their credit. These mopeds were avaiable in 90s era



Bajaj Xcd was also one of the malnourished bikes from Bajaj's stable.

[The Great]

I think the Royal Enfield Bullet of the yesteryear can be placed under this thread for the unconventional right side gear and left leg brake system.

It was because of this peculiar reason many could only desire the bike but many thought that it was - 'the one that couldn't be tamed easily' and also which in turn was the major reason for the success of the UCE and later models with conventional brake and gearing.

[Pri2]

Does anyone remember the Royal Enfield Explorer. It looked like the malnourished twin of the existing bullet back in the day. One of my relatives had it and I was always fascinated by it.

[ArTigor]

Here are a few additions to the list from my side:

Based on looks-

TVS Centra- The design of this bike was strange especially the tail lamp, proportions i.e. the length vs width vs height were terrible.



Kinetic Velocity- this was a strage duck, excess curves combined with the colors was a disaster. Back in 2007 a schoolmates father had this bike, I remember it was a major embarrasment for him.



Based on looks, engine, color, everything:

Royal Enfield Taurus- While the 'diesel bullet' was an out of the box jugaad, I still have some respect for the olive green Tauruses, yet at a later stage a Sportier version was seen. This particular iteration of the bike had overdone Leg Guards and a hilarious colour scheme, a schoolmate used to arrive on the same bike as shown below, daily to school. It had added backrest too and it looked terrible.

[DrAakash]

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

IIRC, LML had also introduced a few quirky looking bikes in the early or mid '00s, named Energy, Adreno and one more whose name I can't remember. Too lazy to dig up their pics.

Referring to the Graptor/Beamer are we??

[KPR]

Yamaha changed Libero headlights with Libero G5 model. I bought one G5 Libero in Aug2007 Red colour (might be one among the last production batch) and going super strong even today that too in stock mechanicals except tyres, batteries. Reliable bike it is. Image of a red G5 taken from internet

[Apex1815]

Another two honourable mentions in this list.

Aesthetics, Design : RIP

You will notice a rider of average build projecting outside the scooter body of
both these legends.

Upcoming Ola Scooter :



Ather 450 x:

[amol4184]

Originally Posted by ArTigor

Royal Enfield Taurus- While the 'diesel bullet' was an out of the box jugaad, I still have some respect for the olive green Tauruses, yet at a later stage a Sportier version was seen. This particular iteration of the bike had overdone Leg Guards and a hilarious colour scheme, a schoolmate used to arrive on the same bike as shown below, daily to school. It had added backrest too and it looked terrible.

Attachment 2141270

Olive green looks good indeed. I recently saw one in working condition after ages. It didn't have Taurus branding though and didn't have yellow bikes hideous leg guards either.

[MJ144]

Am I the only one who feels that the Suzuki Burgman has the unconventional looks?


Looking at it on road for the first time made me think that it is one bike which wouldn't be sold in great numbers. But then Suzuki worked it's magic and I see a plenty of them on road. (Not as many as the Suzuki Access though. But the low numbers compared to the access, I think it's more to do with the price (8000 rs ex-showroom more than the Access) and not the looks.)