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Message started by zipidachimp on 03/09/21 at 03:13:56

Title: Missed opportunity !
Post by zipidachimp on 03/09/21 at 03:13:56

2 new singles on the market, one coming to USA this spring:
RE 350 Meteor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeYK-xbjQvs coming here soon!

Honda CB350RS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_qV6oD3lLY

Imagine an S40 with street geometry?
cheers! 8-)

Title: Re: Missed opportunity !
Post by ohiomoto on 03/09/21 at 04:04:28

That little CB350 is nice.

Title: Re: Missed opportunity !
Post by Ruttly on 03/09/21 at 09:13:11

I’ll take one of each , but the Honda would be my first choice. It would be hella fun to road test one. Maybe a aftermarket pipe then ride the wheels off it. Hondas are built to take abuse , just change the oil and ride.

Title: Re: Missed opportunity !
Post by Dave on 03/09/21 at 15:52:37

They both look nice........and there are a lot of days that I ride where a 350 could likely provide all the power and speed that is required - but there are times when the only way home is on a 70mph highway. I just don't think a 350 single with 22 HP will keep me from getting run over on those occasions I need to ride the interstate. (The 250 twin Ninja had 30 HP and could run on the interstate all day long and an 80mph cruise was not at all difficult!)

I understand it is a world market and the 350cc motorcycle sells well in a lot of places - the US likely will not be one of them.

Title: Re: Missed opportunity !
Post by MMRanch on 03/10/21 at 00:19:20

It looks like the TU250 is in serious trouble ??? :-?

Maybe we'll see a TU400 ? :)

I do like cast wheels !

Title: Re: Missed opportunity !
Post by Ruttly on 03/10/21 at 12:02:13

I really like all these new singles popping up , all are different. Riding singles is the true essence of motorcycling. May not be the fastest , may not have abs and fancy electronics but in my eyes singles are super fun and there is no better way to see the backroads. Too bad we will never see most of them in this country , but the thumper resurgence thrills me. I’m still waiting on the new BSA. Keep on Thumping ! Twisties , Oh Yeah !

Title: Re: Missed opportunity !
Post by springman on 03/10/21 at 13:03:33

I'm with Dave on this one. That CB350 is beautiful, but I need at least 30hp.

Title: Re: Missed opportunity !
Post by ohiomoto on 03/10/21 at 15:58:01

I agree with everything posted.

My guess is that the manufactures are keenly aware of what opportunities they are missing.

My guess is the majority of the current market in the US still values CCs, "performance" and status over price, fun, and cool.

Maybe they are missing the opportunity to expand the market, but honestly, young people who want cool will probably lean towards electric.

Title: Re: Missed opportunity !
Post by Dave on 03/10/21 at 16:39:11

I am really sorry I wasn't "informed" enough to have bought a Honda GB500 in 1989/90.

https://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/Honda_GB500

Title: Re: Missed opportunity !
Post by Armen on 03/10/21 at 21:17:07

Dave,
I remember lusting after a GB500 at the local Honda dealer when they came out. I was dead broke, and I think they were asking almost $4K for one. Two years later they were sitting new in the crate in the back of the dealer and the salesman offered me one for $2300, which was about $2,300 more than what I had.
I seriously thought of doing my cafe build with a GB as the starting point.
There were a few reasons I went with the Savage, not the least of which was that the GB had attained cult status and was selling for more than new retail 20 years after they stopped brining them in.
Even as a 500, they had more HP than a Savage. And you can make them into a 600.
Ah well.
Agree that the new 350 Honda is pretty hot looking. But, prob not enough stomp to be safe at highway speeds.

Title: Re: Missed opportunity !
Post by Ruttly on 03/10/21 at 23:09:44

Dave you are not alone. I had my financing stamped approved and got cold feet and kept riding SR500s. What a bad decision over a $100 monthly payment. True Motorcycle Porn !

Title: Re: Missed opportunity !
Post by Dave on 03/11/21 at 04:21:11

The hooligan in me would love to see the KTM 690 single (77HP) used in a a BSA Goldstar retro bike. A modern powerful engine in a retro looking chassis.

In order to make it a comfortable road bike it would likely need to be de-tuned a bit - I have had cars/motorcycles with high performance engines that really didn't like holding steady speeds....moving the throttle would make the engine want to accelerate or decelerate and there just wasn't anything relaxing about driving them.

I realize this is never going to happen - there just wouldn't be enough of a market that the manufacturer would ever sell enough to make a profit on them.

Title: Re: Missed opportunity !
Post by Ruttly on 03/11/21 at 10:20:59

Ya know Dave I think I would go back a few years to the ATK and rob a Rotax engine from it for a retro build. The Rotax was a great engine simple , torque for days and good H/P , if I get an opportunity to get one I will. I’m not real fond of the KTMs reliability and cost to repair them. When the Yamaha 500 was a popular flat track engine , the guy with a Rotax engine was the guy to beat.

Title: Re: Missed opportunity !
Post by MMRanch on 03/11/21 at 21:01:45

I am really sorry I wasn't "informed" enough to have bought a Honda GB500 in 1989/90.

I just noticed the 5.3 gal fuel tank ! :)

..................................

So , forty years from now ... what kind of motorized wheel chair am I going to wish I'd bought back in the 2020's ? ;D

https://wheelchairtravel.org/new-world-records-fastest-electric-wheelchair-fastest-garbage-bin/
...........................................

I suspect years from now the Savage will be one that folks will wish they had . Our children will say " Yea , my dad had one of those when I was a kid ! " . Like the "Gold Star" of yester year !! 8-)