Favourite jap bike brand.

**quickbuck** · 5th July 2009, 16:08

Honda for me..... Yes they are reliable Bonez... When they are less than 25 years old!

Dad bought one brand new when I was 6, and I have been biased toward them ever since....

**Big Dave** · 5th July 2009, 16:14

Originally Posted by pritch

Perhaps if you are really into bikes you should be able to find something to like about virtually any bike?

Aye - I have favourite models - CB1000R, M109, FJR, Connie 14, Varadero, Rune, KLR - different manuf and diverse types of bike.

**zx rider** · 5th July 2009, 16:34

Originally Posted by Subike

Yamaha takes more risks than other Jap brands with new models IMO.
There are a lot of copies from the others of their models from what I see.
Suzuki only make lots of sales cause they are chep, and they make cars
Honda is that big red trobbing thing, and they also make cars
Kawasaki try really hard, and have a few successes
so whats left?
I like playing my keyboard.

Kawasaki make quite a lot of stuff too.

Big ol' oil tankers, container ships, trains (electric and diesel), and "Fuji Heavy Industries" are the Subaru guys as well.
This does not mean they are best of course, as opinions are usually born from one's experiences and we all have one (arsehole)

as the saying goes.

**Vern** · 5th July 2009, 16:36

Originally Posted by Big Dave

Aye - I have favourite models - CB1000R, M109, FJR, Connie 14, Varadero, Rune, KLR - different manuf and diverse types of bike.

Yeah in our family we have a Honda, a Suzuki, a Yamaha, and a Chinese Lifan and i like which ever has the most petrol in it.lol No they are enjoyable to ride so you know what I voted. Vern

**Bonez** · 5th July 2009, 16:49

Originally Posted by quickbuck

Honda for me..... Yes they are reliable Bonez... When they are less than 25 years old!

Bugger. You had to point that out didn't ya.

You'll keep

Still got a brand spankers 550F tank in the attic. Seems paint quality may have slipped over the last 33 years or so

.

**Solly** · 5th July 2009, 17:03

I like all bikes, but if pushed, I'd have to say Suzuki

**ryanf062** · 5th July 2009, 17:51

Would have said honda but suzuki is dominating my shed

**Little Smurf** · 5th July 2009, 18:47

I'm gunna have to say Kawasaki, I have 5 in my garage!!!!

I have also owned a Suzuki and a R6 and they were OK but I guess I was pleasantly surprised when I swapped the R6 to a 636 have never looked back

**DELLORTO** · 5th July 2009, 18:52

Suzuki!!!

because they make good models and have a good selection of bikes.....suzuki dominates the road racing scene in new zealand

**Deano** · 5th July 2009, 18:55

Up until age 19 I was a Zooki boy, then I got a 1986 NSR250RR. This was mint and blew away a few 91 RGV's.

Tried a 1993 Duke 900SS but servicing was too expensive.

Back to a Honda SP1, then an in line CBR1000RR and a Zooki gurls race bike.

**pete376403** · 5th July 2009, 21:50

Originally Posted by Big Dave

Aye - I have favourite models - CB1000R, M109, FJR, Connie 14, Varadero, Rune, KLR - different manuf and diverse types of bike.

dunno if you have any choice regarding test models, but - has KR ever tested a KLR650? There seems to be some conspiracy to keep the public in the dark about them, compared to (f'rinstance) the number of Suzukis KR gets.
Not too long ago in the bike of the year article, in big bore adventure bikes the KLR was not even in the list of contestants.

**Big Dave** · 5th July 2009, 22:05

Originally Posted by pete376403

dunno if you have any choice regarding test models, but - has KR ever tested a KLR650? There seems to be some conspiracy to keep the public in the dark about them, compared to (f'rinstance) the number of Suzukis KR gets.
Not too long ago in the bike of the year article, in big bore adventure bikes the KLR was not even in the list of contestants.

We have a long termer that I should get my mits on this week. It has been having some bling fitted. I plan on getting it dirty.

**cowboyz** · 5th July 2009, 22:19

Originally Posted by NZsarge

Bottom line is if you're a decent person it does'nt matter what you ride but if you're a wanker/bitch then you're just a wanker/bitch the rides a bike.

this is true but the question remains..

Do cool people buy kawasakis or do kawasakis make people cool?

**NZsarge** · 6th July 2009, 03:53

Originally Posted by quickbuck

Honda for me..... Yes they are reliable Bonez... When they are less than 25 years old!

Dad bought one brand new when I was 6, and I have been biased toward them ever since....

When we first got a bike on the farm it too was a Honda, come to think of it I too probably was'nt far from being six years old either..
It was a CT 125, and it was a pile of absolute crap, that amount of times the old man arrived home using four letter expletives was'nt funny, usually because he was walking.. After that unfortunate bike we moved to Yamaha DT 175's, they were like a heaven sent dream by comparison, I don't recall ever having any reliability issues with them at all. All the Yamaha's we had were good bikes and only became unreliable when they were absolutely knackered. It's funny how childhood experience colours your perspective until you get old enough and honest enough (with yourself) to know things change and what once was is'nt necessarily so today, all the "big four" make pretty good bikes these days but I still think it's true mostly that you get what you pay for to a large extent.

Originally Posted by cowboyz

this is true but the question remains..

Do cool people buy kawasakis or do kawasakis make people cool?

I'd say it's not necessarily true either way, perhaps it's Kawasaki's that are cool? I'm sure there is the odd knob out there riding a Kawasaki, I mean i've even seen a guy riding a Kawasaki while were wearing a Honda t-shirt, how questionable is that?!!!