Not sure if this has been brought up before, but why does honda only make CBR 600s and 1000s? I know those are the most popular, but there is definatly a market for something smaller, like maybe a 350 (250 is a bit to small) to compete with kawis ninja 250.

and also a 750rr or 800rr pure bread to compete with GSX-Rs

I think both sizes have a big market. I know a lot of people that want an entry level bike but think most of them are AWFUL, which they are, with the exception of the 07 ninjas, which i am very pleased with and i have seen a bunch of around town, to bad it too kawi 15 years to wake the F*** and realize that you update things every now and then.

something like a 350 would be good, with a high reving engine, so it wouldnt have to much power to put around with, but if you needed to get up to highway speed quickly you could wring it out and get the rmps up. i realize honda made a cbr 250 for years but never sold it here, but I think with gas prices the US market is changing alot, the number of scooters i see is insane, and i think people wouldn't mind paying a grand or two more for something that was alot better.

as for the 750, it would be nice for CBR lovers to have an intermidate between our beloved 600rr and a full on liter bike, It might not be quite as popular but it would sell, and it wouldn't be that hard to produce. GSX-R 600s and 750s are the same bike, and i am not talking about looks, they are the same bike, mabey even down to the frame, look up parts for either one and it will come up 600/750. (atleast for the new ones, not sure about the old ones) only difference is the engine and its not even that much different. So honda would not have to re-tool very much to put out a 750.

other companies are weird about making a 750 too, yamaha made a YZF R7 and people gobbled them up, granted they were sold in pure race form and very tricked out, but they were like 30 grand or something rediculous. Kawasaki made a 750 for a long time to, but i dont think they ever redisigned it, and it still sold, (i have seen alot of craigeslist from all different years)

 

Honda makes the interceptor thats an 800

and cost is the reason, the more different kinds of bike you make the more factories you have to have to make them.



as far as the 250 they do make one but it's only in europe there's not enough of a market to bring it to the states or they would have.

 

to clear it up the only diff btw gixxr 600 and 750 are internals in the engine

 

Now honda could bring a 400.

Kawi has one, but won't bring it. They've already got the 250/500 and a pair of 650s.

Yamaha has the 125 - and could bring a larger small displacement bike out... but that's not their bag really.

Honda has the 125... then the 600.. the 400 fits nicely, but would probably kill 125 sales.

the real issue is cost. An inline 400cc does not cost much less to make than a 600... and it won't sell as strongly.

 

I can see them not introducing new models, especially with the economy, but the ones they already have, they should bring to the states. They could easily sell them on an order only basis. I'm sure they would sell a lot more of them then people think. The CBR 125 or 250 would be huge sellers.There is a definate market for small cc bikes, especially ones that look cool.


thats true, but the money saved in a chassis that doesnt have to handle the power a 600 puts down will save money. It could easily cost 2-3 grand less than a 600. I would have loved it if my wife could have started out on a capable smaller cc machine. She did ok with the 600's, But an inline400 would have fit the bill perfectly.

 

Honda has the 125, I think they also have a 250, that are not sold in America.They do not sell them becuase market studies say that Americans will not buy them.You have to realize that up until just a few months ago, Americans dont give a crap about fuel costs, they just want big bikes with big power.

You have these guys now that go straight to a 1000, or jump right from a 600rr to a liter bike after a very short time frame. So, I beleive them when they say the market for smaller bikes isnt here in America.

However, I dont know why they dont make a 750, to compete with the GSXRs. I would be all over a honda 750rr. but, then the new 1000rr is pretty bad ***,and very light and nimble, so why would you even want a 750.

 

Aren't different Honda cc models all around the world already? Why can't we get more to choose from?...just my two cents.

 

They have many different models...

- they need to pass the local safety tests (relatively easy)
- they have to sell well enough to be worth it.

For example. If they bring in a 400, it has to be priced at apoint that it sells and they make a profit. The cost difference in building a 400 and a 600 inline 4 is marginal. SO if they bring in a 400 they eat sales from their own 600... which is more profitable. Granted they might steal a lot of first time buyers from other brand's 600.

The 400s I road in UK were awesome... I'd buy one. cheaper to insure, cheaper to fuel, cheap maintenance and more than enough power for the freeway.

 

i would ****** up a 750RR in a second if they made them! i almost picked up a gsxr 750 over my current bike just because i wanted that extra power in a small lightweight bike.

 

The Honda 800 Interceptor.. That bikes nothing but a joke! Completly gutless, and if the vtech kicks in on a corner it's scary

Honda doesn't seem to know how to market bikes here in North America. eg I really like the euro CB1000R, but honda won't be bringing it to canada cause the Honda Hornet was a complete failure. Well no kidding, the hornet sucked. Who brings out a carb bike in this day an age, when even bandits are fuel injected?

I was just at the bike show last weekend, and they where showing the DN-01 17 grand for a scooter? hmm Wake up Honda