Yamaha to discontinue R1

How do you know that the others selling in the same price range are making money?

 

Even if it were profitable, it's not the sales leader. The MT-07 was the best selling motorcycle among new buyers as well as people who have owned bikes for 20+ years.

The main driver is purely cost of ownership and insurance. In 2004 all the kid were buying them. Now, the person who can afford an R1, doesn't really want one. They've essentially gone the way of the supercar.

 

How do you know they're not? Don't be an asshat you damn well know that nothing gets made unless there's some sort of a profit margin apparently BMW likes their S1000RR and Ducati their V4R to make the EU5 legal.

Asshat.

 

You've never heard of a halo car? Lexus LF-A, for instance. Look it up. Why could they not do it for bikes?

Secondly, it's the other Japanese manufacturers you need to compare Yamaha to. Not the premium European stuff. Those guys can adjust their prices to make money regardless of what's happening. They will sell.

 

So you're saying the other ARE making money? Yeah, that's what I said...

The R1 got cut for a host of other reasons that didn't involve the guberment but think as you like.

Reality is Yamaha decided to not participate in the market because they can see the writing on the wall. Simple as that.

Now who on here wants to talk Honda into making a CBR900RR replica...

 

Do you believe it is a coincidence then that a large number of models have been cut from production since EU5? What about the R6? Is your contention that the R6 also was not cut because of regulations?

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/euro-emissions-standards/

 

Okay smooth brain let me try to simplify this for you.

If Yamaha was selling R1s and R6s by the thousands and it was a profitable business model they would have done anything they needed to pass the EU5 emissions regulations.

Obviously they know that sportbikes are a dying market, as everybody knows, and there's no point of pouring more money into a dead market. So they cut their losses and are moving on.

You can keep beating the dead horse now, I'm out.

 

I see that you responded before taking my suggestion and reading up on halo cars. Typical.

A manufacturer can put out a car on which they lose money because it enhances their image. I gave you the LF-A money pit as an example. I don't know who is making money or not with the liter bikes but until they tell you that they are, you have no way to know. All kinds of industries do it. Every Concorde flight was a money loser despite the outrageous ticket price. British Airways and Air France felt that it was worth it.

And since when is the Ducati V4 in the same price range as the Yamaha R1 anyway? I know I don't follow street bikes but that doesn't seem plausible. Are you sure Ducati make money selling their bikes at Yamaha price point?

 

To insinuate that I don't know what a Halo car is some below the belt shenanigans.

The rest of that post is gibberish.

Good day Sir.

 

Folks need to get out more and check out the local bike scene away from the track and the keyboard. People are buying motorcycles. Just not the ones that cost more than a car.

Most of what I see new riders on are new small capacity (affordable) bikes, or 90's and early 00's used bikes.

Whoever is buying the few whiz bang liter bikes sold either park them in the garage or must have wrecked them because they sure aren't riding them. Never see em on the road.

There is definitely an appetite for sporty bikes. It's taken the manufacturers a long time to adjust to reality of what people are willing to spend on a hobby.

 

I'm not so sure. People want them they just aren't going to dump $15-$20k plus insurance on a toy. I think with more solid lw twin offerings it will pick up. Already seeing it.

 

You're right, I should have said superbike market.

 

A 750cc with the 600cc power map? I do think out of all the options out there, the NG 750 is probably the easiest on the wallet with the most competitiveness and then load an unrestricted map for club racing... win-win.

 

Saw a rideout a couple months ago in Jax. Hundreds of sport bikes of all flavors. Every possible Starbucks bike, squidward and hooligan. Loved to see it as it reminded me of my teens cruising. Would not be interested as grownup.

 

It was 2015 and after cutting my teeth on a few 600s, I was seriously shopping a liter. Being a fan of reliability I'd already brushed off Duc & Ape and was shopping what Asia had to offer when the 2015 R1 dropped. I was a bit unsure of the aesthetics, but loved the bark and by the way the media were worshipping the electronics, I felt it was the most compelling reason to choose it for a first literbike.

After dealing with a recalcitrant local Yamaha dealership, I voiced my frustration on locating a '15 R1M on the R1 forum. Someone a couple cities from me PM'd me and said his dealer had one. He was kind enough to give me the details, then even meet me there to shake my hand and congratulate me on my purchase. What an intro to ownership!

Yamaha invited me and a guest to the MotoGP races due to my purchase and it added even more to the ownership experience. It was a kickass gesture.

The bike was a phenomenal ride. Once tuned and breathing freely, she made the most melodious cacophany of crossplane symphonies with interludes of crackling and popping on decel as if it were reloading and beckoning for another chorus. The oem throttle side grip should have read, "play me the song of my people". It was glorious.

It never let me down and the only recall it had was because Yamaha thought it wise to install sintered gears instead of steel cut ones. Thankfully, they rectified that quickly in the intro year.

The only quibbles I ever had were the ergos being wristy, and on tip in, while really light, always felt a bit nervous. ...Mmmm, but that corner exit... The aesthetics, like almost everything automotive (except Chris Bangle's BMWs), grew on me a bit more than when I first laid eyes on it. And I have never once thought I made a mistake by buying it. In fact the only regret I've had was selling it.

Thinking about the R1 makes me want to buy a last-year road legal version. There's a reason why it set the world on fire when it was introduced. In my opinion, save for the unapproachable rc213v-s, it was the last literbike from Japan to really create waves. And for that, it will always deserve to be iconic.

 

I'm trying to bum a ride on one of the 2 that Top Pro bought from M4- 2 people I trust have told me they don't care what the maps say, the damn thing is faster than a stock 750. Kind of like an R6 with ported heads, cams, and lightweight subframes maybe?

I don't know how hard it would be to swap maps- I'm pretty sure you can't have an unrestricted map in there and be able to switch on the fly. The tech guys are supposed to be able to turn the bike on and see what map is loaded immediately.

Anyways I'm just dreaming, I have 5 bikes in my garage that could win already. Need to keep working on the rider! Chris are you coming out for any MA this year?

 

You could trade sessions between your Moto2 bike and almost anyone I would guess!

My ‘24 racing plans are TBD at the moment. I’m looking at some jobs out West so that puts a big TBD on lots of planning.

 

You aren't caught up on what's been happening with Electric Vehicles in the last year or two, eh?

 

Sadly I doubt the lady would of had a CCW. Its not real common for ladies in their mid 60's to pack heat.

But she could had punted one or two of them quite easily with a flick of the steering wheel. Never understood some of these idiots who try to play thug against cars on a bike. Especially the idiots on HD's with bar whips. Use the whip one someones car and they may find that unstable person who decides to just play ping pong with them.