Distinguishing features

[LongRanger_imp]

On a motorcycle, a lot of attention is usually paid to how the fuel tank looks. The styling, the shape, the design, the finish. Folks also obsess about the engine -- how it looks, how it dominates the focal point of the bike, how it sounds, etc. And headlights certainly haven't escaped the designer's influence either. For many of us, I think these three components (tank, engine, headlight) either attract or disuade us from considering a bike.

On a car, the fuel tank is buried under the vehicle. Same with the engine -- it's under the hood and usually not too attractive. I can't remember the last time I cared to look at mine. While they're both critical styling elements on a bike, they're inconsequential to most car buyers.

So my question is simply: Assuming the tank, engine, and headlight are the focal design elements on a motorcycle, what are the key design elements on a car? The hood? The grill? The shape of the bodywork? What distinguishes one car from the next and gives it a personality, an image, a statement? Why is one car perceived to be cooler, or meaner, or softer, than another?

 

[Roper_imp]

Definitely the grill. When it's not done right, it's the first thing people notice (Lexus fail.) Then, the fender lines and roof line because they draw your eyes along the length of the body, such as a classic Stingray or Jaguar vs. just about every car made in the 90s.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Ugh, cars. Tis' hard to wrap my mind around a car when motorcycle thoughts don't escape me. So here is my 2 cents, from an opinion who sees cars as purely servants:

* Overall: Gait. Examples of possibly incredible gait: '55 Chevy Belair, Dodge Challenger (pretty well any year), maybe the '70 Plymouth Cuda, ... those come immediately to mind anyway.
* Front grill arrangement for sure. Masculine typically is liked by many. Example: The Ford Edsel grill is not particularly attractive.
* Wheel rims come to mind.
* And arguably the rear end arrangement. Example: There are some pretty ugly arrangements out there. Thinking of the late model Toyota Prius. Like, wha the heck?

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Perhaps I should have reworded my question. Nobody who buys a car really cares how the fuel tank or engine looks, yet that's mostly what we talk about when it comes to bikes. I find it fascinating that we find these elements so devisive and polarizing on a bike, but inconsequential on a car.

I agree that the headlights and grill are what distinguish one car from the next. A lot of new cars have menacing headlights and angry tailights, with downward pointed brows. Heck, even my R1200RT has an angry front-end. It's intentional and I think it's stoooopid. The CB appears approachable, likeable, and non-assuming by comparison.

 

[Rocky_imp]

Grille and wheels for me.

 

[peterbaron]

Yap, wheels, wheels and grille

 

[the Ferret]

Nothing for me, I just don't care about cars, one bit, never have. They are just conveyances I have to use sometimes. I drive a Honda Ridgeline because (1) it's a Honda (2) it's a truck and I occasionally haul something for my wife or pull a trailer (with a motorcycle on it) and (3) .... wait there is no 3. Couldn't tell you what the grill, headlights or wheels look like without looking at it. I think they are all rectangular, and the grill is chrome. Not sure about the wheels. Factory mags of some sort. I know it has Michelin tires on it lol. It does have a weird slanted thing behind the cab that goes down to the bed rail. Also seen that design on Chevys and Cadillacs pick ups. Don't care what color it is (It's black but my wife picked it out).

Last year I rode my motorcycles 25,000 miles and my truck 4,000 miles. I like to ride my motorcycles every day. I force myself to drive the truck once in awhile so that it gets driven or it will just sit.

 

[alprider]

The shape of the bodywork with all his accents and details....grill is one of them....or its need not still one...total harmony shall be there or is important for me like by a bike too.....i see still the whole thing....

well for example a grill can dominate very much....clear of course....or its too a question from wich side you see it as first...smileee

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

In contrast, the mill is the first thing that catches my eye on any ride. If it is air-cooled, even more so because it is usually not obstructed by ugly cooling jackets, radiators, and fake or ornamental dressings. Air-cooled lumps, whether single, twin, triple, inline-4, inline-6, V-anything, and opposed cylinder types are organic in nature to me. There is something fundamentally spiritual about it. Whew! Okay, I am back to earth. To be honest, I don't like the oil-cooler on the CB, but I reckon the engineers put it there for a reason. So be it.

 

[Bheezy27403_imp]

Definitely the grill. When it's not done right, it's the first thing people notice (Lexus fail.) Then, the fender lines and roof line because they draw your eyes along the length of the body, such as a classic Stingray or Jaguar vs. just about every car made in the 90s.

I'm with you on that one Roper. Those new Lexus grilles are just plain terrible. And, they doubled down on them and added them to the whole lineup. Atrocious.

 

[Stichill]

Car styling involves a lot more dynamic interactions and dependencies than motorcycle styling. Much about car styling is driven by size and proportion.

I see these major influences:
[ul] [li]Ground clearance[/li] [li]Location of beltline and height of the doors[/li] [li]Ratio of height to length and width[/li] [li]Size and shape of greenhouse[/li] [li]Length of hood and trunk[/li] [li]Size of wheel openings[/li] [li]Size of wheels[/li] [li]Location of wheels with respect to front, center, and rear of the car[/li] [li]Paint color[/li] [li]Wheel styling
[/li][/ul]

 

[alprider]

lexusgrill ? ...wehre is a grill ? .....LOL......i see only hot sharp eyes (lights) towards the middle combinied with the air intakes underneath

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Car styling involves a lot more dynamic interactions and dependencies than motorcycle styling. Much about car styling is driven by size and proportion.

I see these major influences:
[ul] [li]Ground clearance[/li] [li]Location of beltline and height of the doors[/li] [li]Ratio of height to length and width[/li] [li]Size and shape of greenhouse[/li] [li]Length of hood and trunk[/li] [li]Size of wheel openings[/li] [li]Size of wheels[/li] [li]Location of wheels with respect to front, center, and rear of the car[/li] [li]Paint color[/li] [li]Wheel styling
[/li][/ul]

Sorry - disagree Stichill. A car is just a cage. That is it. A cage on wheels. A car will mean nothing in a few decades or less. A bike on the other hand will likely mean even more.

 

[alprider]

tell that to a car fan

 

[peterbaron]

Car styling involves a lot more dynamic interactions and dependencies than motorcycle styling. Much about car styling is driven by size and proportion.

I see these major influences:
[ul] [li]Ground clearance[/li] [li]Location of beltline and height of the doors[/li] [li]Ratio of height to length and width[/li] [li]Size and shape of greenhouse[/li] [li]Length of hood and trunk[/li] [li]Size of wheel openings[/li] [li]Size of wheels[/li] [li]Location of wheels with respect to front, center, and rear of the car[/li] [li]Paint color[/li] [li]Wheel styling
[/li][/ul]

Sorry - disagree Stichill. A car is just a cage. That is it. A cage on wheels. A car will mean nothing in a few decades or less. A bike on the other hand will likely mean even more.

Sorry - disagree Stichill. A car is just a cage. That is it. A cage on wheels. A car will mean nothing in a few decades or less. A bike on the other hand will likely mean even more.
???? careful what you say about cars...going back to my 20-s, a friend of mine had a few old cars; 1948 Mercedes 170, 1950 Fiat Topolino, BMW 328 Junior and 1954 2.9 L-I6 Citroen Traction Avant - 15CV...we ditched the modern ones and drove antiques only...

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Still not convinced.

Don't get me wrong, a hardtop '57 Bel-Air has a special place in my heart, but it is just a cage that will fade away in history. The cage just carries, except instead of organic horses, it is powered by dino burning engines that are past their prime. Once cars go complete electric, so will end their reign. A bike carries the soul, possibly even an electric one, but I digress. Gasoline cars are relics - period. The electric ones to come will be merely servants.

tell that to a car fan

Cars are toys that mean absolutely nothing in the end.

A bike? A little less so.

 

[Desert viper_imp]

For me it’s the grill and the hood....

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

For me it’s the grill and the hood....

They are nice.

 

[baxtercat_imp]

I agree with Stichell. It's details, but really ultimately proportion--how all the parts come together and balance one another. Cars also often imply their aerodynamics with their styling--there's a lot of mass there for the air to get around--where generally bikes seem have the luxury of both addressing and ignoring them. As has often been observed on the forum, some bikes now look like plastic insects, and more and more they are hiding their engines under waterjackets and bodywork. And some cars are works of art--like the Mercedes 280 SL, Ferrari GTs from the 60s, or most Austin Healeys. I would put one of each in my dream garage, next to the Vincent Black Lightning and the Ariel Square Four.

 

[Cormanus]

Am I missing something, LongRanger? Engines and fuel tanks are of no interest to those admiring the external design beauty of a motor car for the simple reason that you can’t see them. On a motorcycle, they are as visible as the proverbial part of the dog’s anatomy and so of course people see them as distinguishing features of a motorcycle’s design.

There is any number of beautiful cars and my view is that they will continue to be found beautiful by any number of people while ever design is of interest to humans.