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Post by future on Nov 6, 2007 4:42:25 GMT -5
Why have we downunder here never really embraced the big road going single?
My understanding is that Yamaha Australia thinks that there is no market for the SR here. Do they just go by sales of their bikes to determine what we want???
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Post by Bize on Nov 6, 2007 4:50:01 GMT -5
I think it's based very much around our licencing laws and the comparative cheapness (compared to Europe, for example) of owning a litre bike.
250s were so popular because they use to be (and maybe still are in some states) the biggest bike you could ride on Ls and Ps. Now the states with LAMS allows bigger bikes, based on power to weight, but if you take Suzuki's GS500 as an example; it's cheap and looks sporty (to a lot of new bike riders) and when I say cheap, I mean in price and quality.
We all here love the SR, but the fact is, in terms of selling units out in the real world, we are a minority. . . or for want of a nicer term; a niche market.
A similar situation in Japan is behind the 500 being replaced by the 400. If you're licenced to ride a 500 over there, then you can also ride an R1 etc, so there's not really the demand anymore for the 500.
That's my take on the situation anyway.
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Post by davedunsboro on Nov 6, 2007 6:05:11 GMT -5
Yes you are right there , here in sandgroperville you have to run with a 250cc for at least 12 months before you can get what they refer to over here as "a big bore licence" That makes 250s worth faily good coin (CBR250Rs sell for 6-8grand for a 10 year old import with up to 60,000ks on them) Old GNs & bikes like it fetch 2-3grand . Old 750s are only worth 1-2grand if your lucky . I even saw a XT500 in Sundays paper for $2500 in good cond too but I recon it would have gone before I got my trailer hooked up (I phoned the guy & 3 people were going to have a look & I live 200ks away).Anyway back on track , my brother inlaw in Ireland is allowed to have a 750 but its got to be detuned to bring it to the HP required for his licence so something like that would even it out a bit .I find with the laws here guys still go straight from the 250 to the 1000 because thats their ultimate goal .Then there is people like ourselves who've had the 1000s & 1100s and realised that speed isn't just the ultimate thrill(don't get me wrong I still dig it) I actually left 3 harleys in my wake on the weekend ride but that wasn't just speed that was cornering & good passing opportunities(on my 668 too) & those things were late model 1500cc HDs with EFI (400-500kgs to my160 &a fairing bonus) But hey if you like the wind in your face & picking dung beetles out from your teeth its what your into isnt it ? But I think the point is you should be able to use any bike as long as you are competent to ride it! As a RGV250 can wizz past nearly any thing I've seen & you can get it the day you pass your test cheers Dave.
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Post by marlon on Nov 6, 2007 11:34:33 GMT -5
I think some of it has to do with the fact most Aussie riders are just recreational.
It'd be great to be able to run a four pot screamer just for the weekends, and just drop it off to the mechanics once every six months to get it looked over. Not many people use their bikes to commute, and that's where the single cylinder comes into it's own, IMHO.
I think the SR400 makes a d**n-near perfect commuter - it's comfortable, has enough pulling power but sits nicely in the CC area to make insurance reasonable. After being shown the basics by Stew in a few hours I went from not being able to remember the "righty tighty" rule to adjusting valves, cam chain, changing the oil etc. The bike handles well and in stock form it's quite comfortable. Makes sense to me.
And it's LAMS legal...
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Post by milkman on Nov 6, 2007 22:54:23 GMT -5
The 1 litre love affair is ego a lot of the time, and they give slower riders a chance to catch up on the straights.
I'm not judging, I had V8 car's that I didn't exactly need either. Its nice to have the power there, even if you don't use it.
Its not that much deaerer between 650's and up sometimes, so people think, if they're paying so much for 650ish, may aswell add the little bit more and get the litre.
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Post by future on Nov 7, 2007 4:01:58 GMT -5
I think that maybe the number of people wo really do ride/buy a bike also decides what comes in. I suppose dealers don't want ot be left with stock they can't clear.
I agree that the now 1300/1400 ego here is going to also tell the market place what has to be bought.
Shame that Yamaha don't bring in a limited number of new SRs.
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Post by trumpychris on Dec 20, 2007 0:56:18 GMT -5
In a way I think its not such a bad thing that Yamaha dont bring them in.
If everyone had an SR wouldnt it be a bit of a bore.... It would "take away" the prestige of owning one.
I know that my bike is terrific, and there are those that can appreciate what it is. I also have a litre sportsbike and yes it is a ton of fun and yes its just about the quickest thing on the road....but the SR is motorcycling at its purest.
The new bike brigade dont know what they are missing out on.
I just wish the Vintage Japanese rally wasnt on the same weekend as my 400 club racing at Morgan Park......
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