The 2010 Kawasaki Z1000 is a naked bike for riders who don't feel the need to look like Ricky Rocket. Sure it still has that origami / Transformers look but it is not a dumbed-down chassis with a de-tuned, old generation engine like the best forgotten Honda 919.
Of course the head of the class belongs to the Triumph Speed Triple. It is the bike that resurrected this class and still sets the standard. The Ducati Monster is another bike that "gets it". Both bikes have sharp handling, big torque, and reasonable ergonomics. Now there is the Z1000 to add to the group. The Suzuki Bandit 1250S is nearly there and is a great bike for the money but misses the mark by just a bit.
So where is Honda? Still licking their wounds from all the 919's and 600F's that were laying unsold in the back corner of the warehouse? Over priced and under performing, the Honda name on the tank just wasn't enough to push them out the dealer's doors. However, now there is the CB1100F lurking in the Asian shadows. Released to Europe in two versions, it may be an answer. Watch this interview with the engineers who designed the bike. I promise that it's not dry and overly technical. There is some great photography of the bike in action. Still, I wonder, are there enough "mature" riders who are just dying for an air cooled big bike? If the target group is the over 40(50?)(60?) age group wouldn't the similar CB750F have more resonance? (and less weight?) After all, the original CB750F was the bike to own when Boomers were young.
Just for comparison here's a picture of the CB1100R prototype that is based on the street bike. Too radical? Or maybe just what they need to appeal to that mature market segment. Ducati is certainly doing well with their GT 1000 retro model. Comments or opinions?
Note: Many of these pages are in Japanese. If you use the Google Chrome browser (instead of Internet Explorer or Firefox) it will offer to translate each page so that you can see most of the words.
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Honda has a Classic 400cc bike that is very CB400/CB450ish in design. They won't bring it here.
ReplyDeleteThey also won't bring the good quality Honda scooters made in various SE Asian and other islander Honda companies. Some of them would bury the competition.
But, for an example of what happens to a price of a scooter when it comes to America. The Sym Symba (Sym was a Honda manufacturing parts supplier, 3rd party, that has broken out on their own several years back.)
The Symba is a modern Honda Cub with a 104cc motor and in the short test ride I had with one I enjoyed it and found it could get my bulky American frame up to 50 and a little bit on a relatively flat section of city streets and it did so with efficiency and aplomb. I was really surprised how it handled.
It sold in other parts of the world for about $1700 US. When it came here it sells for $2600 US. EPA testing is expensive but really is it that expensive?
If Honda were to bring in a couple of their scooters and undercut the Chinese bikes that are selling for $2500-$3500 then they could gain a market and put the Chinese scooter makers who create the junk out of business. The Taiwanese scooter makers put out quality scooters.
I am a little wordy this evening...sorry.
Recently, intead of looking at a modern Honda I decided to buy another vintage bike and picked up a CB550K0 (1974) It will need some cosmetic work, set of tires, and the usual for a bike that has sat for a decade and one half. May be all it needs, then again, it might have an issue that hasn't revealed itself yet.
Either way, old iron/aluminum won over newer bikes. The only bikes that tempt me are the Honda CX500s, Nighthawks, Transalp, and Suzuki's Vstroms for a modern bike...
David
I agree that there are few new bikes that tempt my limited budget. I'm not a cruiser or hyper-sport bike rider. I was talking to a friend and was thinking that a nice 996 Super Hawk might be nice if/when I want to trade in my R100RS.
ReplyDeleteThe cost of EPA/DOT certification is extreme. Not only do they run them to make sure no nasties escape the tail pipe they also run quite a few of them into barriers to make sure the gas tanks won't explode. But I think the biggest increase in price comes from the allowance they must set aside for lawsuits. Call it the trial-lawyer fee. We've all seen what that has done to our heath care costs!