Who is Currently the Best Manufacturer?

[mr8ball]

Problem is, you can't find a new Busa for $10,000 any more. In 2008 you could walk out the door at $10 grand a some change. Now the prices have gone high enough to make a person shudder at the thought.

Yep mine cost me 10200 OTD. I felt lucky to be one that got it for that price

 

[Justyntym]

Best manufacturer is....Kawasaki.

You can't say who has the best bike etc...because IMHO you have to factor in VALUE.

Sure ducati, MV Augusta etc. make nice bikes but once you factor in price, they
don't hold up to the value test.

How many times do they do the liter bike trials (for example) and although the ducati is
near twice as much it either loses to a cheaper bike or gives a lap time of a few 10ths of
second better. Is 10 grand worth a few 10ths or a few seconds if you're not a professional racer...
probably not. Your almost trying to compare apples to oranges if you don't factor in price.

The reason I say Kawi is the value is still close and they where ever they are in the
pecking order (and I usually think they are right up at the top in a lot of bikes) they
continue to improve their products ala the zx14 and the concours and seem to pay
quite a bit of attention to their customers (UNLIKE SUZUKI).

 

[sixpack577]

Best manufacturer is....Kawasaki.

You can't say who has the best bike etc...because IMHO you have to factor in VALUE.

Sure ducati, MV Augusta etc. make nice bikes but once you factor in price, they
don't hold up to the value test.

How many times do they do the liter bike trials (for example) and although the ducati is
near twice as much it either loses to a cheaper bike or gives a lap time of a few 10ths of
second better. Is 10 grand worth a few 10ths or a few seconds if you're not a professional racer...
probably not. Your almost trying to compare apples to oranges if you don't factor in price.

The reason I say Kawi is the value is still close and they where ever they are in the
pecking order (and I usually think they are right up at the top in a lot of bikes) they
continue to improve their products ala the zx14 and the concours and seem to pay
quite a bit of attention to their customers (UNLIKE SUZUKI).

Not disagreeing, and they make train engines and helicopters among other things.
They can afford to put attention on their bikes.
I've owned them and I'de own another, Suzuki fan and all

 

[sixpack577]

I wasn't trying to say anything about the Busa, it's clearly one of the best bikes ever. But so is the CBR1000RR and the GSXR1000 but they all had their time. The question is always what's next.

Honestly, the Busa is the only bike for me (big power, simplicity, reasonable comfort) so I'm really watching all the technology with interest but not with plans to buy. Maybe that's the problem, winning the tech wars doesn't mean winning the sales wars.

"Had their time"...
Have you ridden the new GSXR1000?
I've ridden the 09-11(and all previous) and they are the best yet! I haven't ridden the 2012 yet, but I hardly doubt it's a letdown.
They have great power and handling, and even though I haven't ridden the BMW I'de be happy to run it against the gsxr vs. a rider at my same skill level.
I don't see a gamechaning advantage with the electronics. Beneficial, sure. Dominating, no.

 

[lankeeyankee]

Suzuki built the Hayabusa for the main purpose of POWER and SPEED for all of adrenaline junkies out there
They built this amazing machine at a very afforable price tag! In order to this they had to cut corners and that would be all the fancy bells and whistles such as carbon fiber, anti lock brakes, traction control, etc. In all honesty how many of us would be riding a Hayabusa with a price tag of in excess of $20,000.00
I couldnt be more satisifed with the Hayabusa for what I use it for.
So does this mean Chevy is lacking with the Corvette compared to a 225,000.00 Lamborghini NO! Just as Chevy built the corvette at a resonable price so middle income Americans can afford a sports car without breaking the bank Suzuki built the Hayabusa for us.
Suzuki is smart and they must be doing something right since the Haybusa sells!
Or lets do what Toyota did many years ago with there Supra model, remember that? Yeah they made it with a Turbo and added a bunch of features with a heavy hike in the price tag!! You dont see the Toyota Supra made today do you? So its not always smart to add fancy bells and whislte to something.
If I remember correctly the Top manufacturers in NHRA Pro Stock dragracing are Buell, Suzuki, and Kawasaki. I cant remember the last time Yamaha, Honda, or Ducatis came out with a pure power engine to compete in the 1/4 mile.
What is most popular dragbike at your local dragstrip on the weekends? Not Ducati, Yamaha and rarely a Honda its the Hayabusa, Why? Cause it makes POWER and its realible even placing a turbo on it increasing its HP 100% how long would your Ducati hold up increasing its HP by 100% Thats why I bought my Hayabusa how about you?

 

[LeDauz]

hey
continue to improve their products ala the zx14 and the concours and seem to pay
quite a bit of attention to their customers (UNLIKE SUZUKI).

the new 2012 zx14 is 1441cc and 585lbs, suzuki needs to to say the hell with it, back to gen 1 motor and turbo and call it gen 3

 

[RussellJ]

I just wonder how long before D.C. starts setting new regulations on hp limits?

Unlike european countries, the US has no intention of caring if we hurt ourselves on high HP motorcycles unless it would make them more money to restrict it.

 

[jellyrug]

In all honesty how many of us would be riding a Hayabusa with a price tag of in excess of $20,000.00

Shhhh, don't tell anyone, especially Suzuki, because I would.

 

[Schexy1]

Why does the best manufacturer have to be based on technology and variety? What ever happened to reliability and affordability?

The Japanees have lines that you can learn and grow with. The best manufacturer makes the best bike. What does Ducati have to offer my 21 year old son who has never riden anything with a motor. Kawaszki has something for him. So for my son, the best manufacturer is Kawasiki.

 

[brpo]

I'd say "Honder" - reasoning:

1) Dominate in Moto GP as of late... Apex of bike technology.
2) Reasonable pricing - way less than BMW and other european bikes.
3) They have three sport touring bikes in their line ups - Zuki none.
4) Their RR's are comparable to any on the market.
5) DCT - only Yama has comparable tech.
6) Rune - Insert joke here
7) Very cool scooter line up
8) Honda Ruckus best minibike ever built
9) Dirt bikes and enduros for everyone and comparable to other makers
10) A new adverture tourer - resembles granddaddy of all adventure tourers BMW
11) Goldwing - horizotally opposed six - need I say more. Only real competition is the new and unprovern K1600

Only real area they are deficient in is the Hyperbike category - not in the game since the Blackbird - but what a bike that was in it's day.