Just My Opinion: Writing Motorcycle Reviews
Jul 28 '07 (Updated Aug 07 '08)
The Bottom Line People who are seriously looking for a motorcycle have a little different set of priorities than those people looking for a car.
I do not know all the answers. Heck, most of the time I am not even sure I understand the questions! But I do know that people who are seriously looking for a motorcycle have a little different set of priorities than those people looking for a car. Unless the only reason you purchased a specific brand was so you could wear their tee shirt, readers want to know why you picked it over all the others on the market.
I Have Never Met A Motorcycle I Did Not Like
I have spent years and years around some of the most brand loyal riders of a number of marques on the planet. One thing I have always found interesting is that no manufacturer builds the totally perfect motorcycle for all riders. I have yet to find any product of any marque that I also did not find examples that had been modified or ones that had grown accessories. Personally, I take that as proof that no motorcycle is perfect and that no motorcycle is pure junk. Throughout any review I believe it is a good idea to pass along any “nits” with the hits. What might be a “nit” to you could be a “hit” to someone else. You could also be providing a buyer with the one single factor that will lead to a long term love or hate of motorcycle riding. That power is in your finger tips and keyboard!
Emotions
Four wheels move the body and two wheels move the soul! Motorcycles are not cars, and cars are not motorcycles. Like cars, motorcycles are emotional machines. They seem to evoke stronger emotions, both good and bad, from all who own, ride, or even see them on the road. So you better believe that people interested in buying any motorcycle will more heavily color their perception of a review with both your and their own emotions. It is one of those, “if I have to tell you, you would not understand” things about the motorcycle culture. It is just my opinion, but for a review to be well received it should reflect your true emotional reaction to the bike.
But First
In the US and Canada motorcycles, unlike cars, have ceased to be a primary mode of daily transportation for most people. Some say this dates back to the early days of Henry Ford and his Model T. Americans faced the economic reality that they could buy a whole car for about the same price as a motorcycle. From that time onward motorcycles have become more of a recreational vehicle than basic transportation. Cars have to carry groceries and infant seats while motorcycles carry dreams. I believe it is good to tell a reader what dreams a motorcycle evokes. If your dreams are the same, then chances are the reader will better understand and accept the rest of your review.
Format For Impact
Like in any other review, dividing up a review into paragraphs makes it easier to read. Using all capital letters is a sure way to drive some readers to completely pass on what you have to say. Not capitalizing can do the same thing. It is not difficult to hit the "shift" key for letters that should be capitalized. There are some readers who will not only not take you seriously, but will either not read your reviews or drastically downgrade your rating based on it. I really hate to bring this up, but please use spell check as part of your proof reading since I hope you want to be taken seriously. And using bold or italics for added impact in your review can aid the reader in seeing your most important issues. Yes, these are said a lot, but are just as true with motorcyclists.
Stay On Topic!
A motorcycle review is about the motorcycle. Yes, it is very good to provide reasonable comparisons with other bikes on the market. It is also helpful to pass on related notes as to accessories, service, and support. It might even help to let others know if you have had success in modifying your motorcycle to overcome some serious design shortfall. But if you are having problems with dealers or maintenance technicians, your motorcycle review is not the place for those rants.
The Title
I did think about bringing this up last since there have been times when I have changed a planned title as the review built. I believe that the title of a review is both an enticement and a warning for the reader as to what will be found in your words. I like titles that make me want to read the review, tell me something about the product, and warn me about the coming enjoyment in reading I have in front of me. Your title is the window to your review, and the advertising agent for your opinion.
Style
Style really does mean something in a motorcycle. Dirt, trail, sport, cruse, touring, and commuting styles are hard to mesh with a motorcycle. Up front, it is a good idea to let a reader know what the bike was designed to do, and if it looks like it can do it. In the auto world a van can be almost all things to all drivers, while in the motorcycle world a Honda Gold Wing does not transition well from the Interstate highways to the race track or a motocross course for most riders. Motorcycles are usually purpose built and designed, so get that out of the way early on. The style of the motorcycle should give great hints to exactly what questions a buyer would have. Remember, it is like the first few bars of a tune on your car radio: if you are not interested you will likely change the station before the second verse.
The Numbers
The numbers can be more important for motorcycles than for cars. Some numbers are critical to any prospective buyer. If the seat height is too tall it will be unsafe for a shorter rider to control the bike at a stop. Overall weight comes into play should the rider not be an Olympic weight lifter. Dry weight and maximum gross vehicle weight tells the buyer that he can carry an overweight passenger and luggage safely over the Rockies. Torque ratings and curves give a picture of how often a rider will be burdened with shifting during their chosen rides. Horsepower and weight need to be looked at together since a 100 horsepower engine is a monster in a 350 pound bike, while it would be seriously overworked in an 800 pound touring bike. Fuel tank capacity in a motorcycle is much more important than in a car. Most cars have ranges of between 200 and 300 miles in normal driving. Motorcycles can have tank limits of three to four usable gallons, so those ranges can run from 100 to 350 miles between stops – and there are still roads where “next gas 110 miles” can fill a rider with terror at midnight in the rain! I could go on, but I hope the picture is a bit clearer. You do not have to list everything on the specification sheet, but there are important ones for every style of motorcycle. Cover the important ones for that style, and make sure you explain what each one means and why someone should care!
Switches
The ease of locating important switches while wearing heavy gloves or at night is much more important on a motorcycle than in a car. With much less real estate available on handle bars than on dash boards, it can become a safety issue. Prospective buyers need to be aware of these things since they can be easily overcome with “purchase excitement” on the showroom floor.
Comfort
“If you are not comfortable on any motorcycle then do not ride it,” was the first advice I received when I first took to two wheels. Readers should find out just how difficult a bike is to control, park, load, or even stop. Handle bar placement, hand and foot controls, and seat comfort all play a role in comfort. Discomfort means distraction, and distraction leads to accidents. Do your reader a favor and let them know the truth. I have a friend who bought a popular model of an expensive motorcycle. While it had been comfortable enough around town, he traded it in on the next more expensive model as soon as he returned from an 800 mile round trip. “If I would have only known,” was all he said as he wasted a couple thousand dollars for that education.
Vibration
Vibration is becoming less of an issue with modern motorcycles. But since it still exists in one form or another, I believe it is a good idea to pass on your own impressions. Vibrations coming through the bars, seat, and foot pegs can tire a rider and lead to wearing out of body structural parts.
Handling
Motorcycles usually slide around corners only in the movies. In real life a sliding motorcycle is one that will soon be lying in a roadside ditch. So the ability for motorcycle tires to maintain contact with the pavement is paramount. This contact is influenced by uneven road surfaces, tire adhesion, pot holes, rain grooves, rain, bumps, gross motorcycle weight and power, and a whole lot of other factors. While normally thought to be subjective, passing along some idea of what to expect could save a new rider from finishing a trip with a ride in an ambulance.
Visibility
How well the headlights let you see that deer darting out in front of you is another important factor. Do the headlights really illuminate the road, or are they anemic in nature? Just as important is the usefulness of the mirrors and the authority of the tail and turn signal lights. Drivers of bigger vehicles need to see you and you need to see them. Things that go bump in the night should be feared.
Loading
It is rare to see a motorcycle that does not have some form of additional carrying capacity attached. Storage for foul weather gear, sun glasses, and all matter of things will be carried on a motorcycle. So the question to be answered should be, “can you carry extra stuff?” Each motorcycle will have a different answer.
Reliability and Maintenance
I left this for last, but maybe it should have been first. Modern motorcycles are almost all more reliable that their predecessors. Technology has advanced for motorcycles at the same rate as cars, so the days of tune ups every 1000 miles are gone. But unlike their automobile relatives, most motorcycles rarely travel more than 6,000 miles a year, they spend a lot of time sitting. Modern technology does not like to sit, so without the monthly tune ups they are rarely looked at very closely. That means that a rider can either drop the bike off at a dealer every year for a serious look, or plan a full weekend every year for maintenance. So the best advice you can give is if the bike appears to have been built with a little pride and quality control. If it has, it will normally return high reliability and low maintenance. This is a subjective call that only someone who takes the time for a close look at the motorcycle can make. It is not difficult to spot quality, but it does take a little extra effort.
Back To The Emotions
I do believe that if a review covers these factors, someone who has taken a serious look at and a serious ride on any motorcycle should be able to return a helpful review. That serious look and ride will evoke the emotions necessary for a good review.
Ride safe and write well!
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