I'm kind of excited about this!
- Thread starter Sonreir
- Start date
haircuttergirl
Over 1,000 Posts
http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=58067Sonreir said:
AlphaDogChoppers
Science is true whether you believe in it or not.
Meh.
I read somewhere (think it was on CycleWorld) that the SR weighs 384 lbs and makes all of 26 H.P. How exciting!! Can't wait!!
ApriliaBill
Yeah...I'm old school.
Hoofhearted said:
Well at least we found out the 66 was m.p.g. and not m.p.h......
AlphaDogChoppers
Science is true whether you believe in it or not.
SONIC. said:
It's all fun and games until someone gets an eye put out!
Seriously, I'm not sure I understand the appeal of the SR400 or the target buyer for this bike. Hipsters, maybe?
Kick-start is great...on a bike that never had electric start available or as a back-up.
Retro bikes like the W400 and W650, which had both electric and kick starts and "looked the business" were pulled from the US market due to lack of interest here. The W800 when introduced was never even available here.
Heck even the SR500 that the 400 is based on died off here years ago.
So now take away 100cc's and electric start and bring it back?
It's going to be limited to running around town and back roads.
In my experience most new riders are intimidated by the thought of kick start.
There are thousands of Ural kick starters out there that never get used.
Apparently the SR400 has been alive and well overseas all these years.
But small bikes have always done well overseas versus in the US.
Folks in the US who buy small bikes are usually looking for practical urban rides, like scoots and Burgmans.
I'd hazard that most sub-500cc bikes and scoots are being sold at way less than $4000.
If you are looking for a full sized bike spend just a little more than the $5,990 asking price of the SR400 and your options open up pretty wide.
I think over time we're going to see many, many more bikes on the road in larger urban centers where cars are a pain in the ass, and public transit sucks balls. I live in one of those (Toronto). Currently motorcycles enjoy free parking and it's certainly easier to zip around congested streets on a bike than even in my MINI.
My wife's TU250X is about perfect for Toronto riding, but lacks the legs to get it out on the highway with comfort. The SR400 would be just about perfect. Jumping on the TU and flipping it around corners seems a lot easier at city-speeds than my lumbering 750.
You also have to consider the cost of insurance in some parts. I pay a little under $1/cc for just basic liability - no coverage for the bike itself. $560 for my BMW 750. So a 400cc bike makes a lot of sense.
They make them, so might as well bring a few over here to sell.
My wife's TU250X is about perfect for Toronto riding, but lacks the legs to get it out on the highway with comfort. The SR400 would be just about perfect. Jumping on the TU and flipping it around corners seems a lot easier at city-speeds than my lumbering 750.
You also have to consider the cost of insurance in some parts. I pay a little under $1/cc for just basic liability - no coverage for the bike itself. $560 for my BMW 750. So a 400cc bike makes a lot of sense.
They make them, so might as well bring a few over here to sell.
AlphaDogChoppers
Science is true whether you believe in it or not.
Tim said:
I predict that dealers will be stuck with inventory that they can't unload, at least in the US.
ApriliaBill
Yeah...I'm old school.
AlphaDogChoppers said:
Yep, at my local dealer, for a few $ more I can get, FZ6, SV650, Bonneville.... And if I buy last years model (which I did) it gets even closer. In the U.S. it's not the price, it's the price +shipping+assembly, then they add tax and license on top of that, $5,999 = approx. $7,300.00
The SR400 could enjoy success in a niche market the same way compact cars do. Bigger cars, trucks and SUV's will always sell better here, but people do buy the smaller cars. They'll do the same for the SR400 if it's marketed well. I don't think it's just the hipster crowd that will buy it, either. Hipsters ride single gear track bikes with no brakes in pinned skinny jeans. An SR400 is too practical for a hipster. This is an urban or commuter bike. You can't compare data from before 2007, either. A lot has changed since then. People are moving back to cities. Personally, I like smaller bikes and bigger trucks. So, I may consider one.
VonYinzer
Over 10,000 Posts
Only time will tell...
Vintage styling can (and certainly) has trumped performance and frugal buying habits in the past. The modern VW Beetle was more expensive than a comparable Honda or Toyota compact, but it was "cute" so it sold. Amd continues to.
The horrid FIAT 500 sells like hotcakes even though it's WAY pricier than similar cars and has been rated as unsafe and unreliable.
The Triumph Bonneville sells great and in comparison to similarly sized/priced machines, is generally middle of the pack when reviewed.
This is America for fucks sake... The product takes a backseat to marketing and flash. The SR is the kind of bike that could easily become a favorite of the just graduated from college 20 something professional city dweller.
Or it'll languish in obscurity outsode of the vintage crowd (who won't buy one) until it's discontinued in a few years.
Vintage styling can (and certainly) has trumped performance and frugal buying habits in the past. The modern VW Beetle was more expensive than a comparable Honda or Toyota compact, but it was "cute" so it sold. Amd continues to.
The horrid FIAT 500 sells like hotcakes even though it's WAY pricier than similar cars and has been rated as unsafe and unreliable.
The Triumph Bonneville sells great and in comparison to similarly sized/priced machines, is generally middle of the pack when reviewed.
This is America for fucks sake... The product takes a backseat to marketing and flash. The SR is the kind of bike that could easily become a favorite of the just graduated from college 20 something professional city dweller.
Or it'll languish in obscurity outsode of the vintage crowd (who won't buy one) until it's discontinued in a few years.
HolyRoller
Been Around the Block
In light of the fact that Yamaha are only too well aware that the recent craze in "old" bikes is fueled by the Café Racer scene... why in the name of all things sacred would they put that AWFUL rear end on that bike.
Anyone interested in buying a new retro bike will surely rip that off as soon as they get it home... or day one after the warranty expires.
They better be doing it for legal reasons/requirements.
HR
Anyone interested in buying a new retro bike will surely rip that off as soon as they get it home... or day one after the warranty expires.
They better be doing it for legal reasons/requirements.
HR
