Both the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and TechnoRide are reporting on interesting trends affecting vehicle
design.According to the former, automobile and SUV styling is becoming edgier and more menacing, backtracking from previous attempts to make them more friendly-looking. (Remember the Dodge Neon and its 'Hi' advertising?) Examples include the slanted headlights of the BMW 3-Series; the Dodge Charger and its 'tiger eyes'; and the Audi Q7 and its gaping mouth of a grill. The Mazda Miata, with its 'winking cartoon character' fascia also follows the trend. "The original Miata had a happy smile," said Ken Seward, lead designer for Mazda. "The new one has more of a sly grin."
The reason for the shift, designers argue, is that drivers are feeling threatened by large SUVs, increased traffic, and other road hazards, and may be seeking security by projecting a more aggressive image with their vehicles.
Motorcycle design, on the other hand, is going in the opposite direction. Honda and the Wako Research Center have determined that drivers and pedestrian notice objects that have anything akin to a human face. Honda has developed an experimental motorcycle, the ASV-3 (pictured), with a distinctly human-looking fairing, in an effort to draw more attention to the bike and its rider.
[Source: Wall Street Journal via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and TechnoRide.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Michael Karesh @ Mar 27th 2006 11:02AM
Which planet are they living on? That fairing doesn't resemble any human I know.
Jeff Welch @ Mar 27th 2006 11:13AM
The link to the article should be:
http://www.technoride.com/article/The%20New%20Humanism%20in%20Motorcycle%20Design/169224_1.aspx
mo @ Mar 27th 2006 11:24AM
Maybe if you drive a scooter you want something that looks more like a human. But for the rest of us (sport bike riders), we want something that looks mean, has edges, and is shaped like a hornet. Give me angles. Give me uniqueness. Above all, give me fast!
If you want something to look like a human, then tie a mannequin torso to the front of your bike.
cowboy bob @ Mar 27th 2006 11:43AM
Hmmmmmm. So the Japs think this looks "human"? I go along with post #1. Perhaps this is the result of all those giant lizard movies where Godzilla meets Mothra or something.
Steven @ Mar 27th 2006 12:41PM
Yeah...baby..."give me FAST"! Like maybe you've never been the driver of a car doing, say 70, when all these "angled hornets" swarm upon you from the rear doing, say, 140 mph in heavy traffic......can you say "immortal"?
Steve S @ Mar 27th 2006 1:07PM
Looks like a bug face maybe...
As with all other vehicles they are tools and it's the meat behind the wheel/handlebars that makes the judgement on how to use it.
I grant you that someting that fast and agile screams to be ridden hard and temptation can get the better of judgement from time to time.
Steve B. @ Mar 27th 2006 1:14PM
Strongbad!
ZoomZoomin' @ Mar 27th 2006 2:34PM
That faring just looks pretty creepy/odd.
I can imagine one huge downside to the psychology of "cute/friendly/soft" looking vehicles is that it would probably invite more people to talk to you.
Of course, no matter what car I'm driving, I solve this by always looking really pissed off. People tend not to bother someone who looks angry.
ZoomZoomin' @ Mar 27th 2006 2:35PM
"Strongbad!"
Totally...or perhaps Zorak.
Takeo @ Mar 27th 2006 3:17PM
Hey Cowboy, if you haven't noticed you hick we don't call them "Japs" anymore, moron.
The headlights are definitely not supposed to resemble any real human, if you look at a lot of the art that comes out of that part of the world you'll notice something similar about the shape of the eyes.
Mark @ Mar 27th 2006 5:15PM
Looks more like a bird to me than a person, but whatever...
And #3, what's unique about all Japanese sportbikes looking like insects? That's why I like the looks of the Triumph Daytona 675 or MV Agusta F4 better -- nicer lines, less like all the other sportbikes on the road.