You Lucky Little LAMS

[James Deuce]

http://www.cycleworld.com/2012/11/12/2013-honda-cb500f-first-look/

http://www.cycleworld.com/2012/11/12/2013-honda-cb500x-first-look/

http://www.cycleworld.com/2012/11/12/2013-honda-cbr500r-first-look/

Because they're now eminently suitable for the NZ market, I'm assuming this means there is no hope of Blue Wing bringing them in.

[ac3_snow]

I was excited for a minute there when I saw the cbr500r but lost a bit of enthusiasm after reading about it. I think a new inline four 400cc sports bike like the older gsxr cbr zxr 400's would be cool!
Would be very interested to have a ride of the 500 and see what its like.

[James Deuce]

I was excited for a minute there when I saw the cbr500r but lost a bit of enthusiasm after reading about it. I think a new inline four 400cc sports bike like the older gsxr cbr zxr 400's would be cool!
Would be very interested to have a ride of the 500 and see what its like.
You're not going to see the 400cc bikes again because Japanese licensing laws have changed so these are no longer the biggest sellers in the Japanese market, the world has changed and people want affordable, economic transport, and the yearly sales across the "Western" motorcycle market is so tiny compared to what gets sold in a month across Asia that the Japanese will no longer spend mega-bucks to sell comparatively few bikes in very small markets.

I think you'll find that these will be thereabouts in terms of general performance with the 400s of yore, but without the race oriented specialisation in terms of technology and ergos. I think Honda have read the global market a great deal better than most motorcycle manufacturers and have poured their expertise into building something that's designed to last more than a year or two and will be comfortable and economic to use and own. While we're all oohing and aahing at a BMW S1000RR HP4, our pay packets (generally speaking most people's buying power has plummeted since 2008) are better aligned with these bikes. Given the average age of motorcyclists and the age that people adopt motorcycling at these days, small capacity sports bikes just aren't as important as they used to be.

[Maha]

The R version is very cool indeed, that would be my pick if I were in the LAMs catagory...1/2 a Blade is better than......not one.

[Glowerss]

Be interesting to see if they fit into the LAMS market. Won't know until power figures are released, but one of those papers guessed 50 at the wheel, which unless the thing weighs as much as a boat, is too much.

Then again, the 700 would fit into LAMS if it was sub 660, so who knows. If it fits into LAMS, why the fuck would anyone buy a ninja 300. Should effectively kill off that market if it's priced similarly. Cost and LAMS approval are going to be the 2 deciding factors I reckon.

If it doesn't suit LAMS it'll be pretty pointless in NZ. We already have that 700 econothinger from Honda. A 500 econothinger that isn't really any better then the 700 wouldn't make much sense.

[James Deuce]

The NC700 is typical Honda showboating. Clever technology, sold below cost to usher in a "new style" of motorcycle. The 500s will be what sells. The 700 won't be around in a couple of years.

Bear in mind that these are intended as "upgrades" for India and China's burgeoning middle class, for whom a Honda Hero 150 was a pretty flash bike. These will be big sellers for Honda as big bikes in non-traditional markets. If it fits LAMS, and I'm picking they will, it will be kind of incidental in terms of overall sales figures, but my original point is that these will be decent bikes in the LAMS scheme, not restricted versions of existing bikes and much better priced as a result.

[Glowerss]

The NC700 is typical Honda showboating. Clever technology, sold below cost to usher in a "new style" of motorcycle. The 500s will be what sells. The 700 won't be around in a couple of years.

Bear in mind that these are intended as "upgrades" for India and China's burgeoning middle class, for whom a Honda Hero 150 was a pretty flash bike. These will be big sellers for Honda as big bikes in non-traditional markets. If it fits LAMS, and I'm picking they will, it will be kind of incidental in terms of overall sales figures, but my original point is that these will be decent bikes in the LAMS scheme, not restricted versions of existing bikes and much better priced as a result.

They'll be great bikes for the LAMS scheme if they fit into it (probably a good guess that they will).

Pricing will also matter, however. The ninja 300 sells for nearly $10,000 here. Some 9499 or something silly like that. It sells in the US for 4700$. The Honda is already stated to sell for some $5,400 in the states.

If the Honda sells for over $10,000 here I don't think it will sell that well. It's just too expensive for a learner bike. At $10,000 new I'd rather have a 3-4 year old GS500 for $5,000. There will always be those with the cash and the incentive to buy something new, but especially in NZ, infinitely more people want something cheap n easy (if you know what I mean) for their Ls n Rs.

[James Deuce]

Yes, absolutely, thought the NC700 is a really good price here, so I reckon these will undercut the Ninja 300 provided the Blue Wing factor isn't bought into play.

[Oakie]

I guess I'd look at one in a couple of years when it's time to move the Bandit on. Ticks most of my boxes. Of course I'd easily look at a newer Bandit too.

[FJRider]

The R version is very cool indeed, that would be my pick if I were in the LAMs catagory...1/2 a Blade is better than......not one.

Horsepower .... 50 at the wheel. (70+ at the crank ???) might be a bit over the limit for LAM's ...

[James Deuce]

Horsepower .... 50 at the wheel. (70+ at the crank ???) might be a bit over the limit for LAM's ...
It's a Merkin review and they're not allowed to bag their advertisers. I wouldn't expect more than 40 at the rear wheel. The 500cc engine won't put out more than the NC700 until the 700 is dead and buried.

[Glowerss]

Horsepower .... 50 at the wheel. (70+ at the crank ???) might be a bit over the limit for LAM's ...

Funny thing though, is it could still be LAMS compliant by my understand so long as the manufacturer quoted the HP at the wheel instead of at the crank. They won't because manufacturers like to make their bikes seem more powerful then what they are, but there are a lot of bikes out there that would be LAMS compliant if official stats were quoted wheel instead of crank (or more quoted wet weight for that matter). :woohoo:


It's a Merkin review and they're not allowed to bag their advertisers. I wouldn't expect more than 40 at the rear wheel. The 500cc engine won't put out more than the NC700 until the 700 is dead and buried.

+1 to this as well. You occasionally see a bad review,but not often. We also tend to be an "optimistic" bunch when it comes to performance :nya: It might put 50 at the crank. It certainly won't put out more then the 700. That would be a bit embarrassing from Hondas perspective.

[FJRider]

Funny thing though, is it could still be LAMS compliant by my understand so long as the manufacturer quoted the HP at the wheel instead of at the crank. They won't because manufacturers like to make their bikes seem more powerful then what they are, but there are a lot of bikes out there that would be LAMS compliant if official stats were quoted wheel instead of crank (or more quoted wet weight for that matter). :woohoo:


LAM's has never been a selling point/issue in the NZ motorcycle market before because its new legislation here. Although the Aussie market for LAM's was there ... it may have been big enough to make any real changes in marketing ... or build specs ....

Even with the NZ market added now ... it may still not suffice to make changes profitable.

[Dave-]

the X looks about as adventure as the RR looks sporty.

they also look cheap....plasticy and tacky....

[James Deuce]

the X looks about as adventure as the RR looks sporty.

they also look cheap....plasticy and tacky....

I think you may have missed the point, not just utterly, but so monumentally, appallingly, massively that you are now orbiting Titan, bemoaning the lack of actual road.

[martybabe]

CB500, the epitome of a motorcycle.
I prefer the styling of the older model but that's because I'm an 'older model'. The fact is, it is everything most people will ever need in a motorcycle, you may want more from your ride but arguably you will not need any more. It is swift, handles well, economical, carries two, low insurance, low rego, reliable etc. Not the bike of dreams for sure but practically perfect as two wheeled transport.

I hope they bring them in, as a bike to learn your craft on in NZ , with just enough of everything to keep life interesting, Cb500 ?, I reckon :yes:

[Dave-]

I think you may have missed the point, not just utterly, but so monumentally, appallingly, massively that you are now orbiting Titan, bemoaning the lack of actual road.

Explain what the point is of a motorcycle that isn't quite what it's suppose to be?

Is there an emerging niche market of people who want to go off road, but not quite off road?

I know why they look cheap, cause they are, to keep costs low. And they look tacky cause they look like a toy of a real motorcycle, the RR looks like a cartoonists impression of a real cbr.

But they'll sell like hot cakes if in LAMS.

[James Deuce]

I think you must be "University Educated".

[Dave-]

I think you must be "University Educated".

So are you going to explain where I went wrong with my post?