(...sucked this up from the "favorite bike" thread because I think it really is a different subject...)
Neither Kawi nor Suzi have a lot of incentive to improve their hyperbikes. For one, they don't sell like the liter bikes at all -- they never have. Second, there's no real (popular) racing class for their respective hyperbikes, so there's little constant pressure to improve. Third, Kawi and Suzi are one company now (sort of), so why bother?
(...oh, yeah, Honda makes a fast bike, don't they? Hmmm...)
Lastly, though there's plenty they can do to the platform, the yield is questionable.
Meaning to say: In order for such a fast bike to stay on the ground, it has to be long, which limits its manueverability. Ok, that means it will never handle like a superbike. If it goes 0-60 faster than 2-odd seconds and get well into the nines in the 1/4, will it be controllable by an average rider using cost-effective suspension and braking components? Probably not.
Too much risk -- they haven't nearly reached the limit of the machine, but they very well may have reached the limit of human ability to control such machines on the street and their legal departments' acceptance of liability. Of course, the liter bikes are already approaching this speculated limit of ability that the 'Busa and ZX-R may already be at.
Somebody on sh.org pointed out that other bikes (e.g., the ZX-11) were thought to be "too fast" in their time. That's true, but it's kind of like saying we'll never run out of oil because we haven't yet and others have guessed wrong before.
Unless oil condenses out of the air, we will, and regular street riders can only control so much and the companies will only shoulder so much liability. But I think this is only ONE of the factors -- the whole picture is more grim I think (see above).
My gut feeling is that the 'Busa and the ZX-R (and, to a lesser extent, the XX) are very nearly the end of the line for longer-wheelbase "hyperbikes," and that the manufacturers may even drop them in order to make their lines more differentiated. That would leave the ZZR, ST13, FJR, BMWs, and Duc STs as "fast" sport-touring rides.
Of course, by that same logic, Kawi could ditch the ZX-12R and Suzi could just make the 'Busa more "streetable" because Suzi doesn't have a ride more commonly understood as a sport-tourer (the 'Busa works great for that, but many people think it's some kind of one-eyed monster...).
What do you all think? Oh, and I own an '03 silver/grey 'Busa. Wouldn't want it any other way.
Neither Kawi nor Suzi have a lot of incentive to improve their hyperbikes. For one, they don't sell like the liter bikes at all -- they never have. Second, there's no real (popular) racing class for their respective hyperbikes, so there's little constant pressure to improve. Third, Kawi and Suzi are one company now (sort of), so why bother?
(...oh, yeah, Honda makes a fast bike, don't they? Hmmm...)
Lastly, though there's plenty they can do to the platform, the yield is questionable.
Meaning to say: In order for such a fast bike to stay on the ground, it has to be long, which limits its manueverability. Ok, that means it will never handle like a superbike. If it goes 0-60 faster than 2-odd seconds and get well into the nines in the 1/4, will it be controllable by an average rider using cost-effective suspension and braking components? Probably not.
Too much risk -- they haven't nearly reached the limit of the machine, but they very well may have reached the limit of human ability to control such machines on the street and their legal departments' acceptance of liability. Of course, the liter bikes are already approaching this speculated limit of ability that the 'Busa and ZX-R may already be at.
Somebody on sh.org pointed out that other bikes (e.g., the ZX-11) were thought to be "too fast" in their time. That's true, but it's kind of like saying we'll never run out of oil because we haven't yet and others have guessed wrong before.
Unless oil condenses out of the air, we will, and regular street riders can only control so much and the companies will only shoulder so much liability. But I think this is only ONE of the factors -- the whole picture is more grim I think (see above).
My gut feeling is that the 'Busa and the ZX-R (and, to a lesser extent, the XX) are very nearly the end of the line for longer-wheelbase "hyperbikes," and that the manufacturers may even drop them in order to make their lines more differentiated. That would leave the ZZR, ST13, FJR, BMWs, and Duc STs as "fast" sport-touring rides.
Of course, by that same logic, Kawi could ditch the ZX-12R and Suzi could just make the 'Busa more "streetable" because Suzi doesn't have a ride more commonly understood as a sport-tourer (the 'Busa works great for that, but many people think it's some kind of one-eyed monster...).
What do you all think? Oh, and I own an '03 silver/grey 'Busa. Wouldn't want it any other way.
