What if Yamaha jumped in?

[neilzbusa]

You know I got to thinking tonight that I have always considered Hondas the most reliable,Kawi and Suzuki as drag racers and Yamaha as the tech savy company,not that we should bicker at least their not Harleys.Yamaha have been doing (Genisis) 5 valve head motors for years that don't even have to have the valves checked for 26K miles,backpressure (EXUP) controlled exhaust systems etc.I wonder if you made a 1300/1400cc version of the R1 what you could expect.You wouldn't have the soft feel like the R1 has as the 300/400cc's should compensate,plus the exup valve could eliminate it.Besides they have to tame low end torque on the busa and ZX14 anyway.If you have ever ridden an R1 the top end rush is like nothing else in the world,could you imagine that in a 1400 package?.Just a thought but, it would have to be 200hp. or more in a low matinence wrapper.Any opinions?

[COLDSTONE1298]

i remember years ago one of the rags posted a rumor about a new "Thunderace R" to challenge the XX and rumored ZX-12. Busa was like an atom bomb though that turned everything upside down. Nothing from yam to date. Would be nice if they did do something though. Maybe if and when suzuki answers kawi's 14, we will see a new hyperbike war with honda and yam getting into it.

Few years back Triumph was working on a busa slayer. Even had spy pics in MCN (real actual photographic evidence..something rare for that rag) of the prototype. One pic of it parked next to a ZX-12R. However, even after loads of money sunk into R&D, triumph brass had the project scrapped and all prototypes destroyed. Stated that they didn't think there was a market for that type of bike anymore.

[thepushercg]

i would love to see yamaha and honda get into making the super bikes. it can only get better for the bike industry. kawasaki finally stepped up and put something on the plate. any one others bike companys want to play ?

[JQBusa]

I love to give the other bike owners crap, but the fact of the matter is these bike company's are very closely related. Anyone who rides ATV can see that they share allot of parts and technology. They are all in bed together.

[rockadaous]

not quit R1 styl'n but a 1300 sport tourer

[NightCrawler]

Another bike for the Busa to trounce ... ? BRING IT ON!

[warwgn]

Yamaha and Honda are too busy at war in the dirt to worry about the street. Suzuki and Kawasaki have been left behind in the dust and are struggling to get a share on the market for off roading.

Yamaha is king in the ATV world, but Honda keeps dirtbikes on top. It does switch back and fourth year to year.

If Yamaha brought out a serious superbike I would be very intrested!!

[mountainmotor]

<div>
(warwgn @ Oct. 24 2006,06:16)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">If Yamaha brought out a serious superbike I would be very intrested!!</div>
They have finally gone to a 4-valve head with an interesting fuel injection system on the R1 .... for 2007

I think they are getting serious with this one .

[RaveCrusader]

I think the hottest contested sport market is for liter bikes, if that changes then the other two companies may jump in.

[BUTTER2BOY]

[Juggler]

As much as I would like to see Yamaha get into the mix, I don't think it makes sense from a financial standpoint.

How many GSXR-1000s get sold for every Hayabusa? Not to mention the 750s/600s. I don't see Honda/Yamaha looking for bragging rights for the biggest/fastest.

A 1300cc or 1400cc Genesis engine would be nice though...

[Nocht]

I think 13/1400 cc competitors from Yamaha and Honda could only be good for all concerned. Competition leads to lower prices and a drive to make things better. Look at the liter bikes, all four companies are trouncing each other left right and sideways with 'em, the result being four amazing pieces of machinery, and that's benefited everyone. If the same thing happened with 13s and 14s...

[RaveCrusader]

<div>
(Nocht @ Oct. 24 2006,13:11)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I think 13/1400 cc competitors from Yamaha and Honda could only be good for all concerned. Competition leads to lower prices and a drive to make things better. Look at the liter bikes, all four companies are trouncing each other left right and sideways with 'em, the result being four amazing pieces of machinery, and that's benefited everyone. *If the same thing happened with 13s and 14s... </div>
Good answer, that is what I meant to say but you said it so much better.

[Nocht]

*slaps self for being a post ho*

[neilzbusa]

I really like things about my FZR 1000,but of course it isn't as fast as my busa.I agree that the 600-1000cc bike have seen major improvement in the last few years,even 600 are in the 10'sec/.25 mile.If they applied that to our bike wow!I mean the busa hasn't seen a change for 7 years.Honestly the improvement that the ZX-14 represents is very small over our 1999 design.I think my fear is they are going to nickel and dime us with improvements instead of a great leap as the other catergories have seen.Hell they got high 9's out of a ZX10 in one of the mags.Kind of disapointing.Have a good night.

[speed750]

I might get flamed for this but, we're about maxed out on current technology. With the top speed cap being 300kph then the race is for 1/4 mile supremacy. Dropping a full second off a quarter mile time is a huge deal, and when your in the 9's it's almost impossible from a stock bike standpoint. I have a ninja 636cc that I saw a magazine tester put in the 9's. Sure it was lowered,straped, dropped 1 front tooth, but other than that the motor was stock. The bike only weighs 410lbs wet.If Yamaha or anybody else tries to put a bike in the 8's it will be long wheelbase and a lot of weight in front.Which means handling will suffer.
I pick up my 05 busa LE (with only 1080 miles) tomorrow. I can't wait............

[HayaVegas]

<div>
(thepushercg @ Oct. 24 2006,03:32)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">kawasaki finally stepped up and put something on the plate. any one others bike companys want to play ?</div>
..."finally" stepped up?

[Nocht]

I missed that before.

Sure Kwak's putting something forward that beats the Busa seven years later, but their 636 and liter have been outright bestial for a nice while now. Sure you don't see as many of them around as Gixxers, but I'd wager that has more to do with squids scaring themselves out of buying them than any other reason. Performance wise the 636 edges out just about everything else in its class and literbike-wise the ZX will keep up with any of the others.

I can only assume that '13/1400 bike' was implied up there.

[RaveCrusader]

Don't forget that there is a new stat with the Hyperbikes; 0-180

Just because the top speed is capped does not mean that there is not plenty of room to grow in other areas. They may create more new stats to measure the hyperbike class.

[Nocht]

<div>
(RaveCrusader @ Oct. 24 2006,19:53)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">They may create more new stats to measure the hyperbike class.

</div>
So long as they don't try to make an objective 'fun to ride' measurement.