Would you buy a factory special sportsbike?

[onearmedbandit]

This is another subject that I have discussed with my motorcycling friends. Would you pay extra for a factory special from the big 4 Japanese manufacturers? The Italian brands mostly offer this, with 'R' and 'SP' models for almost every large capacity sportsbike.

So would you? The current retail on the latest Japanese 1000cc sportsbikes is in the low $20,000 bracket, would you pay say an extra $10,000 for a much better bike? Lightweight rims, top shelf suspension, factory ECU and exhaust improvements, etc? Or is the target market one that is happier to do these things ourselves, like a lot of us do currently? One plus would be the factory warranty that accompanies your 200hp (crank) 157kg R1/ZX10R etc. The same could be offered on the 600 class as well.

Or would that be too much of a 'loss of face' for the Japanese, who would be convinced that their bikes don't need a 'hop-up' option?

(And yes I know that 99.756% of road-riders can't get the max out of their current litre bike, doesn't stop them from buying the most powerful or lightest now, or making improvements.)

[skelstar]

Easliy answered if theres a correlation between Aprilia/Ducati riders and Jap sports-bike riders. Maybe also the people that buy the 1000 when a 600 is perfectly good may have to look at the 'Factory' by default anyway?

Sorry, cold here, not making too much sense.

[BarBender]

Rather bling it myself for myself.

[imdying]

Maybe also the people that buy the 1000 when a 600 is perfectly good may have to look at the 'Factory' by default anyway?Definitely hadn't considered that angle :mellow:

[onearmedbandit]

Understood actually. Sure it wouldn't suit everyone, like the 'R' and 'SP' models don't suit every buyer of the Italian brands. And the 600 factory would be a highly strung bike, maybe only worthwhile for the track. There would still be buyers for the std 1000.

[skelstar]

Don't some companies offer this anyway? Cresent offered a blinged out bike didn't they? Could be wrong.

[onearmedbandit]

But not Suzuki. Or for that matter Yamaha, Kawasaki, or Honda, not in the way that Ducati and Aprilia do.

[skelstar]

But not Suzuki. Or for that matter Yamaha, Kawasaki, or Honda, not in the way that Ducati and Aprilia do.
Yeah sure, but I still haven't seen one.

[imdying]

Don't some companies offer this anyway? Cresent offered a blinged out bike didn't they? Cold be wrong.Yeah, Harley do it in the way OAB is talking. Cresent aren't exactly an OEM manfacturer if you see what I mean?

I'm thinking more like the cruiser market, where for each model there's a catalogue of bits. For example, my bike can use the GSXR wheels... it would cost them nothing extra to offer those for SVs as well as the GSXRs. Things like rear sets, brake mcyls/calipers, forks, all those parts are interchangeable too. Be nice to go and buy your bike (whatever base model floats your boat) with all the bits already there (maybe only with some not all parts installed?). Things like turbo kits... I'd be surprised if you couldn't flog a few busas with those, obviously those would be a model specific upgrade... but then I'd bet that certain mods are only available for certain Harleys?

[R1madness]

Well i tried to buy a 2005 R1SP new while in australia a couple o years ago. But they were all presold. Bugger it. They were only $32500 compared to a std one at $19500. I would keep one for ever. 50th anaversry colours and limited number stamps. Ohlins forks/shock. close ratio gearbox etc.
What a bargin and i dont care it is single seat only.

[sAsLEX]

I would say the answer to this lies in how many people have non standard kit on their bikes.

Most pipe and maybe powercommander...... they probably couldn't do this too much with a factory bike due to Euro 3..

But nice suspension? Allot of people do this to their bikes and with Economies of scale a special should be cheaper than making one yourself?

[R1madness]

The Jap manufacturers have been making "factory specials" for years. 1987 FZR400SP for $2000 more than 1987 FZR400r. Lots of them sold. Kawasaki ZX7RR sold better than the ZXR750R even tho it was $8900 dearer. RC30s or VFR750. Yamaha FZR750T or FZR750R (looked the same but nothing like each other in terms of performance) only $1800 difference. YZF750 $21995 (new) or YZF750SP $36000 , they sold a couple of them new here in NZ.
The list is endless. The only problem is getting the importers to listen and convincing them to bring some in.

[bistard]

But not Suzuki. Or for that matter Yamaha, Kawasaki, or Honda, not in the way that Ducati and Aprilia do.

Yamaha has done an SP version of the R1,with Ohlins front & rear,plus light rims etc,just never came here & most were snapped up overseas for racing,
Kawasaki,also do a ZX600RR,as apposed to the 636,which,is quite adifferent bike
But in answer to your question ,I would tend towards adding the "trickbits"
myself,so I can control the products being used,Ohlins,Akrapovic,Marvic,etc,which I have some of each on both my bikes

[98tls]

Nope would rather do it myself...........get a bit boring in the garage just looking at something.

[Nutter34]

For a lot of people, owning a new spotrsbike is already a stretch, never mind finding the the extra 50% funds required for a special. I'm sure there are more than enough people who would buy the best toy they can though, as demonstrted by the anniversary Yam being pre-sold...

Money-not-a-problem, yes sure but otherwise I'll customise myself thanks...

[98tls]

Had a chuckle at the 4th choice option...........as a bloke who rides 99% of his kms on the road and in the real world the euro options hold no more mystic than the japanese bikes.......after 30 odd years of riding sports bikes ive yet to see a cloaked in mystic...whats the other word i keep hearing...ahhh..character dripping european bike do anything that any of the best jap sportsbikes cant.........in the real world on a real road........only euro i would chuck 30 grand at would be a select few bevel drive dukes.And yes ive owned some italian stuff.........but not anymore.

[onearmedbandit]

In the same way 98tls, yeah I couldn't bring myself to spend $30,000 on a bike that a $20,000 bikes does as well if not better, and is cheaper to insure etc.

Most will be able to tell that I prefer to do my own bike mod's as well, spent over $5000 changing stuff on my bike, not quite to the extent that you have. Although the option to be able to buy a factory special would be good.

However if money was no option I'd have some Euro's in the garage.

[TonyB]

But not Suzuki. Or for that matter Yamaha, Kawasaki, or Honda, not in the way that Ducati and Aprilia do. I'm sure you know this OAB, but for the benefit of the class- they used to. Quite a number of them ended up here, but they were only made to fulfill the homologation requirements for WSBK. Since the change to 1000cc fours WSBK now has pretty tight rules for the 1000cc bikes, and larger manufacturers (which would be the Japanese) also have to make a lot more than the 500 they used to.

So I guess maybe the Japanese see no point in making specials?

[onearmedbandit]

Oh yes, I remember the 1989 GSXR750R, the OW01, ZXR750RR, all excellent bikes (in that they were tricked up versions of the std models, not saying they were all successful), even the R7 for a recent bike. But for every sportsbike the Euros put out, there is a tricked up factory version right next to it for x amount more.

[98tls]

Oh yes, I remember the 1989 GSXR750R, the OW01, ZXR750RR, all excellent bikes (in that they were tricked up versions of the std models, not saying they were all successful), even the R7 for a recent bike. But for every sportsbike the Euros put out, there is a tricked up factory version right next to it for x amount more. there for the guys that like hanging out at the exclusive cafes..........:dodge: and before i get flamed by militant duc owners im just havin a crack.....

[Sensei]

When I seen the R1 SP I went straight to the Yamaha shop here & asked them to get me one ! a week later they phone for me & said they where unattainable from NZ Yamaha ?? Dream blown so off I went & got a RSVR .