| Author | Message | ||
     Bott |
THEY LOVE IT! 437 # curb weight 188 bhp 82.6 lb.ft traction control with various settings Race ABS Wow what a year 2011 looks to be in the Superbike market! With the GSXRs, ZX-10R and S100RRs (and 1190RS) the bar is SO high . What a great time to be a sportbike rider/customer. Bikes are just improving so rapidly now, it's getting exciting to see what comes next | ||
| Ratsmc |
Unfortunately, they are also getting a lot more expensive. | ||
| Buellmojo |
It will get real interesting when BMW releases their 600, if they do...I guess that bike is something else.  | ||
| Jng1226 |
Expensive? Maybe not relative to the content. The first bike with sport-oriented traction control was the Ducati 1098R @ $40,000+ Then BMW reset the bar with power and electronics (TC and ABS) at around $16K. Now Kawasaki ups the ante with a supposedly better TC system plus race-grade ABS at $13.5K? This is the first of the big Japanese to do this, just imagine what Honda will come out with... I would argue the price is coming way down for the content being added, especially when you consider the slipper clutches, superlight wheels, and premium suspension that are now becoming standard. These were all aftermarket items that would have cost way more to add when compared to the OEM off-the-showroom price. | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
Jng, the price increases compared to content may be justifiable, but they're still pretty hefty increases. Back in '03, the GSX-R1000 had an MSRP of $10,500. I shopped around and found a brand new one for $8,500 and had about $9200 in it after all of the fees. I guess what I'm getting at is that I have a hard time wrapping my head around paying $15K for a current liter-class bike when they could be had for about $5K less 7 years ago. They may have a lot more cool features and upgrades on them, but the only one I consider personally worthwhile for street usage would be ABS. Sure, traction control would be nice on the track, but even a slipper clutch is a waste for me personally (I am the rev match downshift master LOL). Will manufacturers ever consider offering "stripped down" versions of these bikes with less "features" and a lower cost but still the same basic engine, brakes and suspension as the top-dog model? | ||
| Bott |
Paid nearly 12 out the door for my 09 1125r, which was a good price at that time. Don't get me wrong- I love my r, and plan on keeping it for many years- but $1500 more sure gets you a whole lotta bike 3 years later. I like the way the market is going. As was mentioned,the CBR is due for a complete makeover, and I can't wait to see what Honda brings out. The R1 saw vast improvements recently. Lighter,faster,traction/wheelie control,abs and top shelf suspension on this years crop seems like a pretty good price- *not that I can personally afford any of them, though* | ||
| Kinder |
Doesn't the Bazzaz unit offer traction control and quick shifting? All we need is for them to produce one for our rides.  | ||
| Jng1226 |
I agree that the absolute prices have certainly increased, but consider the value relative to the dollar and inflation: From http://www.dollartimes.com/calculators/inflation.h tm "$9,200.00 in 2003 had the same buying power as $10,982.48 in 2010. Annual inflation over this period was 2.56%" Still not $13,500 for a 2011 ZX-10R but again consider the upgrades. Product development in motorcycles is typically a 5-year cycle. Back when today's bikes were on the drawing board, the Great Depression of 2008 wasn't expected and the trend in sportbikes was very much driven by win-on-Sunday/sell-on-Monday. Now with recent industry reports saying that motorcyclists are an aging demographic (moving up the age bracket to late 40's) with a dwindling pool of new riders entering the market, combined with the horrible worldwide economic meltdown, and I believe we are witnessing the near-zenith of motorcycle performance. You can be sure that the bikes on the drawing board right now for 3-5 years out will be less expensive, and likely less complicated (feature-rich) to reach those lower prices. Just my $0.02 | ||
| Curve_carver |
It will get real interesting when BMW releases their 600, if they do...I guess that bike is something else. That bike far surpasses the buell.that thing has so much technology in it and its god for saken sexy!!!! Look at those flippen wheels. } | ||
| T_man |
Whatever happened to Kawi's 'big bang' plans for their latest ZX10R? | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
Bott, I test rode an 1125r back in '08 when my gsxr1000 was still my alpha bike. I liked the 1125r but it just didn't feel like a $13k bike (out the door). But the fire sale priced 1125s were easily better bikes than their pricetag suggested, so I bought one. I don't expect to get anywhere near that kind of deal on any future new bike but I'll never pay close to msrp either. If I can't save a good chunk off msrp, I won't buy. | ||
| Milleniumx1 |
I think it's great you can get a bike of this caliber in the 13-15K range ... Extreme performance for not much money - Gotta love innovation! I'm a Buell guy, but wasn't going to spend $12K on an 1125R. I would have gone $10K, but no complaints with the post Oct 15th $6K. Sweet bang for the buck! Mike | ||
| Ratsmc |
I was thinking about this for a while last night. PErhaps a huge jump forward in the prices of superbikes isn't a bad thing. Perhaps this will push people to start buying more interesting but less track oriented bikes. There are a lot of cool bikes out there that are still insanely good performers. | ||
| Ljm |
I don't know about you all but if looking outside of American bikes, I would look at the Kawi Z1000. Cool looking naked bike with great performance and more upright riding position. | ||
| Jdugger |
> Kawi Z1000. Very cool looking bike, indeed. One of the most appealing I4 bikes, IMHO. | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
The new Z1000 has some pretty good reviews and it may be a decent bike, but I'm soured on the line after owning an '03. The '03 (mine was nucular orange, LOL) was a great looking bike but had subpar engine (its 953cc "tuned for torque" four was peaky and lacked midrange but didn't make enough top-end power to justify the peaky nature), the suspension sucked (rebound damping on one fork tube and preload on both) and the brakes were unimpressive. Supposedly the second gen Z1000 was a marginally better bike to ride but they made it ugly. And the third gen has gotten even better but it's gotten even uglier too. Make the new Z1000 look like the old one and it would probably be a great bike. As-is, I'm just too annoyed with Kawi for a) skimping on the original and b) making the later models so ugly. | ||
| T_man |
I'm going to repeat this: Whatever happened to Kawi's 'big bang' plans for their latest ZX10R? Does anyone else recall the hoopala they were making over their exaggerated (540 - 720) firing order? (similar to the R1). I even remember that they mentioned they had to supplement the engine with an electric motor at low RPM to keep it spinning. Anyways, I haven't heard a peep about these technical innovations since... anyone... anyone... Bueller? | ||
| Jng1226 |
T_man - it appears that it may have been simply a financial decision, maybe with some input from the marketing department. Coming out with a similar firing order to the R1 may have been perceived as "copying" Yamaha, which indeed it would have been. Perhaps the marketing department didn't want Kawi validating Yamaha's "innovation". Instead, they have focused on promoting how much better their traction control system is, allowing a certain amount of tire slip to maximize drive and acceleration out of corners. Additionally, it may have been too complicated (read: heavy and expensive) to make the "big bang" configuration work. The R1 is known as the heaviest bike in the Superbike street class, and perhaps that is due to the engine design. That and the electric motor you mention that is required would add complexity and cost that may have raised the cost too close to the BMW. As it stands, I think Kawi has priced the ZX-10R correctly, it represents a significant discount to a similarly-equipped S1000RR, itself a bargain compared to the Ducati 1198S with similar TC but no ABS option. Again, my $0.02 | ||
| Smit3833 |
I'm waiting on the all electric super bikes to hit the market in a few years for my next bike. By then I might be tired of the 1125R and if not it will be quite worn out. I don't see conventional IC super bikes getting that much faster, this may be the limit boys. | ||
| Zac4mac |
this may be the limit boys. I'm sure that's been said for over a hundred years. | ||
| Father_of_an_era |
For street purposes, do they need to get any faster? 180+ HP at the wheel on a bike that weighs less than 400 lbs dry is pretty damn fast. Personally though, I do like that BMW1000R. Next to the 1190RS, she is (in my opinion) the most beautiful bike out there. | ||
| Father_of_an_era |
Makes me wonder how the BMW1000R would do against the Busa in a straight line quarter. | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
so is the recall/buy back over now? | ||
| T_man |
Thanks Jng1226 - I agree with your presumptions and personally I think that setup would have certainly been overly complex and expensive as well. | ||
| Firemanjim |
Well the test guys got a 9.681 at 150,Busa ranges from 9.518 up to 10.3 depending on which editor was on it. | ||
| Jdugger |
If the battery problem can be solved, electrics are certainly coming and likely the major wave of the future, IMHO. I believe they would be a good time to race. Lots of torque, simple transmissions... it might bring a new era of motorcycle design though to market, too, since some of the traditional design limitations would be eliminated. | ||
| Ezblast |
And they would be quiet as well! You'd have to do the South Park sound effects, and build in a whole bike vibrator to get the combustion engine effect! - lol EZ | ||
| Gunut75 |
EZ,........ROFL! I like the electric concept. There was a pic in Sport Rider of a KTM. One of two electric freeride models to be released at Tokyo motor show. Supermoto style and sweet as hell! | ||
| Nattyx1 |
So I had lunch with a friend day before yesterday. He's an ex-rider who is looking to get back into it. He told me he very nearly hit a guy on a ZERO who silently flew out of his blind spot and appeared right next to him as he was merging. And as one of us (albeit currently without bike) he's far more aware of and compassionate for motorcyclists. Without getting into whether you believe loud pipes are helpful in terms of safety, a completely silent bike is as dangerous as a completely silent car. A prius in electric mode nearly hit me once in a crosswalk. I was walking and talking with my kid after catching the eye of the driver - assuming she'd wait for us to complete the crossing. Well either she let her foot drift off the brake or was just a •••••• eedjit... but she was looking left for a break in traffic, turning right at the redlight and bumped my calf with her bumper as she quickly stomped the brake - probably at the moment she actually began looking where she was going. I had no idea she was even moving and she had covered at least ten feet before her car touched me. I would have been a tad more demonstrative in my recriminations had my kid not been with me. Electric bikes are gonna require a different level of diligence for street riders. Maybe I'll make hiquality mp3 recordings of all sorts of bikes and sell onboard amp/speaker kits for em? Then you can approach cars silently, or announce your presence with 125db worth of MotoGp or NHRA drag bike or 1125cr FMF pipe? hee hee.... | ||
| Hootowl |
The professor from Flubber had the same problem with his car. |
