Middleweights

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Kwacky
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Middleweights

Post by Kwacky »

A good post from Johnny Mack of Performance Bikes on their forum. I can see both sides of the argument:

2 hours ago, johnnymack63 said:


This has been the subject of recent discussion at PB.

In one corner, there is Chris "No one gives a **** about about 600's/middleweights" Newbigging.

In the other corner is Johnny "Yeah but no one gives a f*ck because there is nothing there to give a f*ck about" Mack.

Ultimately, the market decides, but I for one think that the market is going through a process of correction as the definition of a sportsbike in the last 5-10 years has basically become 1000cc, 180bhp minimum, weapons grade electronics etc. and consequently a circa £20K price tag. You'll be able to buy an R6 or ZX-636 for half the price of a Pani V4S/S1000RR/RSV4/etc. in 2019. As fantastic as the current crop of superbikes are, they are ultimately **** expensive toys, as in unrealistically expensive. With the recent disappearance of affordable sports bikes (600's), it's no wonder that the sports bike sector is struggling.

In short, superbikes have disappeared up their own arses and become toys for the well off, or those with huge amounts of disposable income. This doesn't mean I don't love the modern superbikes, but I do believe that there is a certain irony by which they have been largely responsible for killing the sportsbike class that they themselves exist in. I believe a gap in the market is beginning to open up, for affordable sports bikes. A £10K, 120bhp, 600cc thrash box fills that gap.

This months PB has the 959 Corse and F3 800. When I sat down and thought about what sports bikes there are on the market today that are not 100cc or more, I found the answer really depressing (at the time of writing, Kawasaki hadn't announced the return of the ZX6). There is only the F3, 959 and R6. I was charitable and listed the KTM RC390, but otherwise that it.
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Blade
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Re: Middleweights

Post by Blade »

I like Johnny Mack and whilst I do largely agree with what he has written I don't full agree.

From what Ive read over the last few years, the sportsbike market shifted to high end 1000cc sportsbikes as buyers were declining and shifting away from Sportsbikes to Naked and Adventure bikes. The decrease in sporsbike sales meant the maunfacturers had to adapt to keep that sector of their buisness alive and they adapted by making a small volume / highly desirable / high performance product to appeal to the decreasing market.

I would suggest possibly the insurance industry are partly responsible for the decline in sportsbike sales. As Sportsbike riders get older they normally shift towards naked bikes and adventure bikes and unfortunately there is very few new riders who can afford to insure a sportsbike so subsequently the sales dropped as the potential buyers were priced out of the market.
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duke63
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Re: Middleweights

Post by duke63 »

A big Sportsbike is something that everyone should own.

However there us no doubt they have become so powerful and good at what they do, that they have become way much more than anyone really needs to go fast on the road.

Thy are also very expensive so I gave no doubt people look at other types of bike that will do all that the Sportsbike will do plus they can tour and commute with ease.
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C00kiemonster
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Re: Middleweights

Post by C00kiemonster »

Its one of the biggest reasons i changed the RC8. It was fun, but too fast 90% of the time or it wasn't running fast enough on the road to extract all of it's capabilities. You needed to be doing 120 mph all the time. I wont buy a sportsbike over 800cc again.

Street Triple 765 is perfect as an allrounder. Fast enough to keep up, light, easy to ride normally or at speed and has a maximum speed rather than warp speed. It tours well too - 600 plus miles in a day this year (a couple of times) - no probs.

A faired ST765 would sell very well - i predict when moto2 is up and running for Triumph it will appear - it's a no brainer.
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Rossgo
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Re: Middleweights

Post by Rossgo »

I dont know the answer to this but have we seen a decline in the amount of new riders coming through? We now have these extra tests that youngsters must take before getting to big bikes, maybe when these guys get to bigger bikes they will be calling for sports bikes again?

Would be a shame to think middleweight wouldn't come back again

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Cav
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Re: Middleweights

Post by Cav »

Most people I speak to either want a middle-heavyweight naked or a superbike. They've mostly had experience of a 600 and they want to be lazy so it no longer interests them
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