[barett]

A venerable ninja trundles down the street, scuffed plastic and a missing belly pan showcase the scars of a previous life, the slip on is cheap and sliders are worn. This is the life of a first bike.

Where you're from there may be different options, but here there aren't. Its Ninja or no go.

What I'm prattling on about is the standard of first bikes. Here in north America if you want to ride a sport bike you start on a Ninjette, thats it. While the other manufacturers ignored the small displacement sportbike market for over 20 years Kawasaki was happy to plod along a pickup sales as the pleased, it was only a matter of how many to build! There are consequences for those actions as well. See Kawasaki then enjoyed a certain amount of loyalty, a young rider starts out on a Ninja 250, time passes and he wants a larger bike, do you know which bike he considers first? Thats right a larger Ninja.

Now Honda just wised up to this with the CBR250R not 2 years ago. Yamaha has noticed the same no doubt! About 5 years from now is going to be the most exciting time to be a rookie rider, think of the used market

At least in North America...

 

[Yamahahaha]

I hadn't thought about the future used market but you have a good point there. There should be plenty of options for people who are looking for a small displacement bike on the used market. It's even an exciting time now in the new market for rookie riders. So many more bikes to choose from than there was just a few years ago.

Its a real battle for these rookies riders to because they develop brand loyalty. I'm surprised it is only now that some of these brands are figuring this out and joining the battle.

 

[u3c307]

Yeap, very good point. They are actually lossing profit in the big cc market now because not enough veteran wants 600cc - 1000cc and not enough new comer start of 600cc to 1000cc. Over the past 2 years more and more people are getting into motorcycle because of the economy slowly rising and more women getting involve (which they do not all start on big cc instead they choose used 250cc or new 300cc.)

 

[barett]

Yeap, very good point. They are actually lossing profit in the big cc market now because not enough veteran wants 600cc - 1000cc and not enough new comer start of 600cc to 1000cc. Over the past 2 years more and more people are getting into motorcycle because of the economy slowly rising and more women getting involve (which they do not all start on big cc instead they choose used 250cc or new 300cc.)

Absolutely, Liter bikes are pricing themselves out of the market. $12-15,000 for a new Liter bike is not exactly affordable, at least not affordable like the days of $3,000 1000cc's. Wages are not increasing in step with product cost, and the bike itself is gobbling up too large a chunk of income for them to be viable as playthings, toss in insurance gear and gas... I really do think thats why people are turning to 250's now. Not to mention guys with R1's and the like are coming to down to 250's as a second bike, something they can actually FULLY enjoy...

 

[Yamahahaha]

The cost of the low displacement bikes are pretty reasonable though. I do agree that the bigger bikes are pretty pricey. Many people who are interested in bikes won't want to spend over $10,000 on a motorcycle. Barring a big event that changes things, I think that we will see more focus on the low displacement segment. Depending on how time unravels, people will either upgrade later in life to something bigger, or they won't have the money and will continue to buy more small displacement bikes.

 

[YR3]

Yeap, very good point. They are actually lossing profit in the big cc market now because not enough veteran wants 600cc - 1000cc and not enough new comer start of 600cc to 1000cc. Over the past 2 years more and more people are getting into motorcycle because of the economy slowly rising and more women getting involve (which they do not all start on big cc instead they choose used 250cc or new 300cc.)

Im even noticing people going for the Grom over a scooter or 1/4, just any way to get on a cheap and cool bike to get around on

 

[u3c307]

Im even noticing people going for the Grom over a scooter or 1/4, just any way to get on a cheap and cool bike to get around on

Cant see my self starting on a scooter lol. Most of my friends that are have 1000cc only ride them for bike nights (show mostly.) While track and cruising meetup they ride 600cc, 300cc, or cruiser.

 

[Vaughan]

Cant see my self starting on a scooter lol. Most of my friends that are have 1000cc only ride them for bike nights (show mostly.) While track and cruising meetup they ride 600cc, 300cc, or cruiser.

Absolutely, corner speed on a 600 is IMMENSE! I remember when motogp dropped down to 800cc from 1000 in order to try and reduce speeds but all that happened was the now lighter bikes were absolutely rocketing through the bendy bits

On a 300 you can just whiskey it the entire way around, down shift down shift to slow, brakes optional

 

[YR3]

Cant see my self starting on a scooter lol. Most of my friends that are have 1000cc only ride them for bike nights (show mostly.) While track and cruising meetup they ride 600cc, 300cc, or cruiser.

Same here, I would never ride one.
At the very least I would start with a 1/4 and move up from their, but even then I would try to go for something with a bit more power to it.

 

[Billy the Squid]

Calling all adrenaline junkies

There's always going to be people who bite off more than they can chew. A lot of them can't afford practice motorcycles or beginner bikes. I'm very excited about the R3 & I think it's kind of cool Yamaha's making a small displacement super-sport. I just hope it's not as big and cumbersome as the CBR 500. I hope it's the runt of the litter. I'm not expecting it to be anything like a fire blade or even an R6 but I hope if it only goes 100 mph it gets there a lot faster than the ninja.

 

[barett]

There's always going to be people who bite off more than they can chew. A lot of them can't afford practice motorcycles or beginner bikes. I'm very excited about the R3 & I think it's kind of cool Yamaha's making a small displacement super-sport. I just hope it's not as big and cumbersome as the CBR 500. I hope it's the runt of the litter. I'm not expecting it to be anything like a fire blade or even an R6 but I hope if it only goes 100 mph it gets there a lot faster than the ninja.

Nah you'll get more than a ton out of her. The R25 has been showing a top end around 112-115 mph. With the extra displacement (read stroke likely) 120 could be in reach.

Dimensionally its a bit bigger than the Kawi, LxBxH (in mm) R25: 2090x720x1135, Ninjette: 2010x715x1110.

 

[YR3]

still not a bad top speed, for most it will be fine