I'm kind of excited about this!

My feeling is its already dead in the water. The SRX was an infinitely better looking machine( despite the God ugly wheels) and it flopped. The 400 is to me, not "vintage" looking. Its just blah, bland or as the Brits would say grey porridge. But on the other hand I might wait a year or two and pick up a new one when it has been discounted 50% to try and unload it.
 
I gotta what to ride it? dear old dad said "if you can start it you can ride it".americans are too lazy to kickstart a bike to ride it no matter how cool it will be
 
VonYinzer said:
Yaaaa! The American bashing has begun. Didn't expect that. Haha. ;)

Especially from a guy living in the high desert of California, where just a few miles away in California City, thousands gather every weekend to kick their dirt bikes over, to make runs out into one of the biggest deserts in the world...
 
xb33bsa said:
doing what ?

I read on a post here a little while ago (I can't remember which thread it was) that one of the reasons the big bike makers don't mass produce bike that look more like café racers is that they are under legal obligation to make bikes to fit certain restrictive markets. Rather than make different bikes for different markets, they design the bike for the most restrictive market (ie. fender sizes, emissions, etc etc) and sell that basic setup elsewhere as well.

I think it was a post dealing with how Yamaha has been consulting with Doc Chops to try to incorporate some of his now famous design preferences.

Memory is a bit fuzzy but I think that was the basic idea.

HR.
 
HolyRoller said:
I read on a post here a little while ago (I can't remember which thread it was) that one of the reasons the big bike makers don't mass produce bike that look more like café racers is that they are under legal obligation to make bikes to fit certain restrictive markets. Rather than make different bikes for different markets, they design the bike for the most restrictive market (ie. fender sizes, emissions, etc etc) and sell that basic setup elsewhere as well.

I think it was a post dealing with how Yamaha has been consulting with Doc Chops to try to incorporate some of his now famous design preferences.

Memory is a bit fuzzy but I think that was the basic idea.

HR.

If you asking why Yamaha didn't build the new SR without fenders and a side mount numberplate like the aftermarket choppers and douche cafes then it's simply because it would be illegal in pretty much every other market (and probably USA if push came to shove).

Besides, keeping the original styling of a bike that's been in production for nearly 40 years is the whole point of releasing the bike in the first place.
 
plus no fenders,tiny unseen tail lights and side mount license plates are hazerdous and our lawsuit happy system ....well you can see why if you think it through
 
Not sure what the rules are overseas, but here in Oz the numberplate has to be visible from 45 degrees to either side of the rear of the vehicle. Hence the side plate is a big no-no and a nice fine thank you very much.
 
Actually I wasn't talking about full on café racer style... nor was I talking about this bike specifically. I was just speaking more generally... although it does apply to this bike.

With the popularity of café racers these days, it surprises me that they aren't producing a more trim line.. cosmetically. A happy medium between ghastly long and large fenders, for example, and the 'no fenders' reference you made.

HR
 
I think the cafe boom at the moment is because it's "cheap". A bit like streetfighters were 10 years ago.

I can't see a company selling a mega-ton of factory built new cafe bikes anywhere. It ain't like there's a waiting list for Thruxtons....
 
hillsy said:
Besides, keeping the original styling of a bike that's been in production for nearly 40 years is the whole point of releasing the bike in the first place.
I was starting to get the impression that many people are thinking this is a new design or something.

1979_yamaha_sr500.jpg

1979 SR500
 
hillsy said:
I think the cafe boom at the moment is because it's "cheap". A bit like streetfighters were 10 years ago.

I can't see a company selling a mega-ton of factory built new cafe bikes anywhere. It ain't like there's a waiting list for Thruxtons....

Actually there is a waiting list in some places for the Thruxton, but mostly it's because there isn't as many being made as people think. I read the other day that Harley sold about 230,000 bikes in the U.S. and Triumph sold approx. 16,000 and Moto Guzzi said they'd be pleased if they sold 6,000. Ducati has less than 5% of the U.S. market. I find this interesting because where I ride, these bikes are plentiful, but then a friend in the mid west will call me and marvel about the Ducati he saw over the weekend.... I saw about 50 of them all at the same restaurant.
 
Niche market ye say?
I'm the niche market. Weighing in at around 100 lbs, the bigger bikes just don't suit me. A 600 is uncomfortable because my feet don't touch the ground and I'm doing a full stretch to those handlebars. I'm not particularly short, 5'3".. there are plenty of gals smaller than that, but any bike I've owned bigger than my RD I've had to lower. Never owned a bike with an electric start (wait, the KZ had one..) but through and through.. I prefer to kickstart. And I'm gonna rock this bike, THANK YOU VERY MUCH :-*
 
go mama! said:
Niche market ye say?
I'm the niche market. Weighing in at around 100 lbs, the bigger bikes just don't suit me. A 600 is uncomfortable because my feet don't touch the ground and I'm doing a full stretch to those handlebars. I'm not particularly short, 5'3".. there are plenty of gals smaller than that, but any bike I've owned bigger than my RD I've had to lower. Never owned a bike with an electric start (wait, the KZ had one..) but through and through.. I prefer to kickstart. And I'm gonna rock this bike, THANK YOU VERY MUCH :-*

Atta girl. Haha...
 
go mama! said:
Niche market ye say?
I'm the niche market. Weighing in at around 100 lbs, the bigger bikes just don't suit me. A 600 is uncomfortable because my feet don't touch the ground and I'm doing a full stretch to those handlebars. I'm not particularly short, 5'3".. there are plenty of gals smaller than that, but any bike I've owned bigger than my RD I've had to lower. Never owned a bike with an electric start (wait, the KZ had one..) but through and through.. I prefer to kickstart. And I'm gonna rock this bike, THANK YOU VERY MUCH :-*

Aaaaaand, from the other thread:

Quote from: DrJ on Mar 12, 2014, 01:01:29
I'd never consider buying and Enfield. I worked on one and had a close look. The machining and metal quality was way below any Japanese bike. Hell, even my 40 year old Honda has higher material and build quality. But a lot of women won't buy the SR because it's kickstart only.

SONIC: True, but how cool, is any woman that does ;)
 
Haha sweet I've got Sonic cool points


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go mama! said:
Haha sweet I've got Sonic cool points


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Those are more rare than a 3 headed zebra so feel special ;)
 
You think a card is going to make me feel better after you called me a cunt and said I'm going to look like my mother in 5 years!? You best think again buddy!
 
Let the modifications begin...

http://www.bikeexif.com/yamaha-sr400-usa

ubareruj.jpg



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