| My father loves trains. He loves them so much that | | | | often than not comes down to the bike that stirs |
| he buys dvd’s about trains and train trips across | | | | your heart? The bike that makes you want to poke |
| America. Classic trains or modern trains he is train | | | | your head in the garage 1000 times a day just to |
| nuts. While watching those videos about the old train | | | | make sure “she” is still OK? The bike that |
| engines and train cars with him, I started thinking | | | | your wife calls the “other woman” because |
| about design and use. | | | | you “spend more time with her than you do with |
| Looking at the way the cars were appointed (the | | | | me”? |
| polished brass trim, plush upholstery, carved wood, | | | | I began to realize that function actually could work |
| etc.) really made me think about how we (the human | | | | together with form instead of beating it into a bloody |
| race) went from function following form, to form | | | | pulp. Maybe all it takes is manufacturers |
| following function. Humans used to put form first in a | | | | understanding that their customers are driven by |
| lot of what we did. No matter where you look the | | | | passion and not logic. Understanding the product they |
| engineer’s function has supplanted the | | | | are selling is selling because while nobody |
| designer’s form in the modern world. | | | | “needs” it a lot of people “want” it |
| I really started to despair about this loss of artistry in | | | | (“it” being whatever they are building). |
| our daily lives. OK so despair may be too strong a | | | | Maybe these are the reasons why the exotics |
| word, but it did get me down a little. I started | | | | (Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti, etc..) Are also one of |
| pondering some of my favorite things and how they | | | | the last places you can go to find function and form |
| have changed over time to become slaves to | | | | playing nicely together. |
| function. I began to wonder if this form following | | | | Motorcyclists (and the really rich) are some of the |
| function illness was as widespread as I originally | | | | last holdouts that prove there is still a minority of |
| thought. After giving this subject much thought I | | | | people that aren’t willing to give up style just to |
| came to a few conclusions, some of which I’ll | | | | get a few more miles to the gallon. People that |
| share with you. I think that it can be said with some | | | | refuse to go quietly into that dark night of bland, |
| degree of certainty that a Douglas DC-3 is a much | | | | visually offensive machinery that has no soul or |
| prettier airplane than a Boeing 737. I think we also | | | | passion. |
| would agree that a 1950’s era Buick is much | | | | Maybe this is why people in Great Britain and |
| prettier than anything they’ve built recently. I | | | | European countries are more motorcycle mad than |
| could also list boats in this as well since an old | | | | those in the USA. They are surrounded by old |
| wooden Chris Craft is much prettier than a new | | | | architecture and beauty in engineering far more than |
| Bayliner. | | | | those of us here in the States. They see function |
| Of course my thoughts turned to motorcycles next | | | | and form working hand in hand everywhere and |
| (you’ve been waiting for this haven’t you). I | | | | motorcycles fit into that "visual pattern" very nicely. |
| started thinking about 50’s and 60’s era | | | | Americans (North Americans for my Latin American |
| Triumphs, BSAs and Nortons, not to mention | | | | readers) view motorcycles as toys and not |
| Ducati’s and Moto Guzzi’s. I then started to | | | | something practical. We like our lives to be |
| mentally compare those bikes with their modern | | | | surrounded with things that make our lives easier, |
| counterparts. I realized that the design of | | | | don't need too much attention, don't cause us to |
| motorcycles (with a few exceptions) hasn’t | | | | miss the important phone calls about our dry cleaning |
| fallen into the same function trap as everything else. | | | | being done, and can transport us to our destination |
| Can anyone truly say that the design of a Ducati | | | | without causing any wrinkles or messed up hair. |
| (except the Multistrada) is completely engineer driven | | | | Motorcycles don't do any of these things. |
| with little to no thought for beauty? Is a 1964 Ducati | | | | Motorcycles stir your passions. They call out your |
| 250 Mach 1 more beautiful than the 1098? Is a 1966 | | | | name on beautiful evenings cajoling you into going for |
| Triumph Bonneville more visually appealing than the | | | | a ride. They require you to mess up your hair and |
| new Daytona 675? | | | | get road grit on your clothes. They won't keep you |
| Obviously beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I | | | | dry in the rain or warm in the cold. They can be |
| think that most people will agree that when it comes | | | | temperamental and fussy. Motorcyclists (real ones |
| to motorcycle design, form can exist on equal terms | | | | anyway) understand this and embrace it. Helmet hair |
| with function. But why is that? Why do motorcycles, | | | | is a hot fashion trend and being sweaty = having fun. |
| one of the last bastions of beautiful forms, co-exist | | | | Form following function or function following form? |
| with function? Is it because motorcycles are not | | | | Which would you choose? Me? I think I'll go mess up |
| logical? Is it because a motorcycle purchase more | | | | my hair and get sweaty. |