I totally agree about the Kawasaki. Its pig ugly. Thus no matter how good it is I dont want one. The R1 above could use a better picture. But its not hideous. For some reason it has 1198 mirrors which means you wont be able to see fek all behind you. I dont think that is the real R1 but an 'artistic guess'. I like Yamahas and especially Suzuki GSXR's.
Still, it nice to see yamaha trying. If it's priced reasonably (around 8k) a few would sell. A good step up from a citroen saxo.
It's £12500 for a new R1 so it will probably be priced around the same. Less than a Ducati but more than a Suzi
it will be 13K... for a Yamaha.. no offence to Yamaha but I grew up in a time where top of the range litre bikes were all sub 10k, so convincing me they are worth 13k is not going to happen, regardless of the value of the Yen. The european stuff is now in-line price wise, the Jap bikes will never be as special (and I have owned a few).
So did I, and I'm only 27. I remember when a 600cc super sports cost around £6500 (because it was 8 or 9 years ago) and now they're 10k. Why would EVERYTHING got more expensive but not bikes?
Interesting reading peoples comments on here. Two of my bikes which I`ll never sell are my 1999 R1 and my Ducati 996. I love them both in equal amounts regardless of the facts ones a Italian V-Twin & the other is a Japanese IL4. The reason why I love my R1 so much, and probably why ive had it 13 years, is that i know it inside out. It handles quicker than my 996, feels 4 times as quick under acceleration, stops quicker and after ive had a good thrash on it I always step off tingling with my heart racing. I just dont get that same feeling after riding any of my other bikes. Maybe because I know the bike so well I push it harder, or maybe its that even now a 15 year old bike still seems to run rings around other bikers I come up against when im out & about. Its just a completely difference experience to riding my Ducati, just like riding the Ducati is a completely different experience to my R1. Im not saying one is better than the other as you cant really compare them as its totally different. However, I agree with those who have said that with Ducati you tend to also buy into the whole brand thing, thats totally right for me and something the Yamaha just doesnt have. As for build quality. I find the Yamaha plastics are better quality than my Honda, Kwak & Ducati. And at one point I was doing 25k miles a year on the R1 commuting to work without any reliability issues. Im not currently in the market for a new bike, but id certainly look at the new R1 if I was. Although im not convinced anyone ever needs 200bhp on a motorbike, i find 145bhp (or whatever my old R1 has) is more than enough.
I had a go on my mates mutley the other week. I have to say that that is a great bike. I really liked it. Twas like my 1198 but comfy. Maybe my superbike days are drawing near the end.
Well indeed. That is THE reason. You buy Italian styling and an inimitable motor. That's a perfectly good reason - probably goes for most of the people on here. As no one much supplies Italian styling and a torquey V twin motor, Ducati is providing something that no other marque offers. That is worth a price premium (because you don't have much choice). Well, there is another reason. Ducati aren't really a volume producer. They're a minnow compared to Yam or Honda. The way they make their bikes is probably completely different (nothing that hi-tech about Borgo Panigale when I went there, although I haven't been for a few years). And all the costs in racing, marketing and R&D have to be divided by a fairly small production volume. Don't know what their shares are doing now, but last time I looked a few years ago, you'd have had to be mad to consider them as a good investment - Ducati didn't make any money, no matter how good or how expensive their bikes.
The currency exchange rates made a massive difference to Yamaha prices back in 2009. When I bought my R1 Crossplane Crank model (brand new) I paid £10,500. Six months later the same bike was £13k. The resale value of my bike reflected this too when I came to p/x it
Glid. Ducati are owned by VW/Audi. That excuse doesn't wash anymore. They own everything and are humungously cash rich. Plus I can get what I want from Bimota. Or even Aprilia maybe. Or even MV......maybe not all twins but a v4 is still quite nice.
I wouldn't be buying a KTM based on build quality. Nearly every test I have read on the 1290 mentions issues with the clocks not working properly and a mate had a test ride on the adventurer the other day where the clicks didn't work at all. Not good for demo bikes.
Bimota. Yes please. I spent a night in French hotel last year owned by a couple of Bimota owners. They had about 5 between them. My 999 suddenly looked very ordinary. (but at least it was unlikely to be stolen in that company).
