Time For New Middleweight - What Manufactaurer Will Make It?

The time is ripe for a new middleweight bike. Something just like the Bikes we have right now.

The question is:

Which Manufacturer is going to leas the charge and introduce a stunning new
550 -thru- 800 cc middleweight to capture the Market now wide open for a Bike to become a Daily Rider for the masses who NEED it to escape the big hit they are taking in Fuel costs?

I have looked at the Magazines and seen a few MotorScooters that are available in the Overseas Markets, but nothing aimed at the US to fill the ever-widening gap for a comfortable middleweight that you can ride and expect to get more than 35 miles per gallon.

I'm talking a sturdy middleweight that don't look like a plastic wrapped bullet and will appeal to the NEW Rider or the RETURNING Rider Market.

It's got to be coming.
It can't be far off, now!

 

Don't know if you get all these over in the US, but Suzuki do the GSR600, Yamaha have the FZ6, and Kawa do the ER6 (not sure if Honda has a new nekkid 600??).

All naked middleweight "budget" bikes - right on the money I would have thought ????

 

I am thinking with the gas issue, and insurance coming through the roof, the 400 cc class might make a comeback. There are getting to be lots of 600 and 650cc bikes. The versys and baby strom are on my short list right now.

 

H0nda have brought out a new Hornet 6, bit naff looking for me though.

 

Somebody is going to have to get into the act and provide a middleweight that will be a sales leader and appeal to the Market of sticker-shocked gasoline buyers who are looking for a fun ride around without breaking their wallets.

I was thinking about something along the lines of a Maxim 650/750 with Fuel Injection and a 6-speed exchange.

I guess the days of air-cooled bikes are done. I noticed that the offering mentioned above is a liquid cooled 24 valve plant.

I think the makers need to simplify and deliver a quick little light to middleweight fun machine for under $7,000.00 to market and get out of the way as they bound out of the showrooms.

Something will come along.
I doubt the Star Line is going to be the answer.
Those bikes are just too big!

 

The FZ6 and FZ1 to me look like sportbikes, only goofy...

I'm a fan of the Honda 599 / 919... but not as a nice Standard Middleweight bike... just as a cool naked sportbike (it's #1 in that class IMO).

If I was out looking now I'd probably just go for a Supermoto... Maybe the concept CB750 will come out though??

 

I test rode a DRZ 400 supermotard and almost shat my pants it was so much fun. WooT!

 

Re: Time For New Middleweight - What Manufactaurer Will Make

Well I was gonna say that the Kawasaki 650R fits that bill, but I didn't see the "plastic wrapped bullet" comment. But it IS comfortable and I average 50 miles per gallon on mine. I've always loved the Ninja styling of sportbikes so it was a no brainer for me to get one. They do make a nekkid version for you NON-americans :lol: in the ER-6. I think the headlight assembly's on most nekkid bikes look HORRIBLE! Can't beat an old fashioned round & chrome headlight. If Yamaha made something like the XJR1300 in a middleweight size I'd seriously take a look at it.

 

Good time for Yamaha to step up...or Honda...
Kawi and Suzuki each have a 500 offering atm..

 

Re: Time For New Middleweight - What Manufactaurer Will Make

As much as I hate to admit it because I am a bigger Yamaha fan, it will probably be Honda. It's not that I don't like Honda, just partial to Yamaha. I am just going on the long, very popular history that they had with the Nighthawk bikes. Especially the later Nighthawk 750's; stripped down, naked, classic style, good fuel econemy, and low price and reliability. IMHO newer revamps of this style such as the 919 while a great bike on it's own, are too crotch-rocket-ish. Again, this is just my opinion. When talking a new standard middleweight, I would really like to see something ergonomically similar to the old XJ's, XS's, NightHawks, etc. If Honda puts that simple combination back together (or someone else) it could be a very popular, allbeit boring and not very sporting, bike for the motoring masses looking for cheap, reliable, fuel effecient transportation.

 

I'd like to see a big single myself like the srx,,,,or for a twin the old Yamaha 900TDM would be good also,,,,,yamaha has had a few models but dropped them fast,,,,the inline 4 is basically already here,,,I like fewer pistons for the economy an counter balance for smoothness ,,,,Dan

 

Maybe Honda or Yamaha, but I don't know that I really see it happening. Kawasaki has the 500 VUlcan which really looks like a great commuter already, and I'm not sure the market is big enough yet for the 400cc-500cc category to grow much again.

 

Re: Time For New Middleweight - What Manufactaurer Will Make

650 Bandit

 

daily rider for the masses....those honda and suzuki 400 and 600 cc scooters
but the prices are out of sight
maybe our friends in china that make those "wildfire" things
http://tinyurl.com/4mwbjx

 

The headlight bucket looks as big as the engine!

Brake-Light Warranty** I presume?



**First time the brake light comes on the Warranty is VOID!

 

i talked to a fella that was selling the wildfire kiddy quads from his shed in the backyard, after he realized i wasn't serious he told me their throw-aways, parts are nonexistant
but a police chief i met has a 600cc honda scooter and he loves it, three bags of groceries under the seat with room to spare, says it goes like a scalded cat,
i guess thats good

 

Re: Time For New Middleweight - What Manufactaurer Will Make

Time for Yamaha to bring back the TDM 850.

Do they still sell them in Europe?

The problem right now with Yamaha is that the only street bikes they sell here are cruisers or sportbikes.

ken k

 

Suzuki has their GSX650F (bandit 650), Bandit 1250s
Yamaha has the FZ6, FZ1
kawasaki has Verseys

looks like honda is the only one missing a middle weight commuter/touring motorcycle; tho some might argue that the VFR is their middle weight commuter/tourer. It seems to me, all they have now is a lot of cruisers, few crotch rockets and a couple of sport touring motorcycles, leaving a huge gap. If anyone is gonna come out with a new middle weight, most likely its HONDA. Hopefully it will be in a form of a modern CB bike like the one shown in Cycle World.

 

Yes please, all the manufactures seem to be in 2 directions Huge Crusier or Sportbike. They really need to find a happy medium with a stance thats not laying on the tank or with toes trying to touch the front wheel. I bought my Griso because it's the most comfortable bike that's not trying to be a Harley. Or attempting to please the Thong Racers. I was a bit dubious about it being Italian and all but so far so good with 1500miles on it. My VFR800 has been sitting now i'm just not all that excited about leaning over that tank anymore. I think i'm getting old saying that now ....

 

I am a big fan of the in-line 4's. Can't quite relate to the V-Twin. Although the V-Max V-Quad is interesting.

Since I got my Maxim, and let my brother ride it, he has been hankering for a new bike. So, this past weekend we went out and looked at a bunch of bikes.

He has always been a Harley fan. So, we went to look at them. He rode a new Sportster 1200 and asked for a quote. The dealer came back with 9800. We went away and came back later and offered 9500. The sales manager told the salesman no and never even bothered to come out and say hi or explain why not.

We then went to look at Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki. And, much to my chagrin, I actually liked a v-twin. The Suzuki M-50 Boulevard. It was shaft drive, liquid cooled and fuel injected. It drove real nice and had decent power.

So.... that would be my suggestion. Now if it was an in-line 4 or v-quad...

Oh yeah, my brother bought a 2007 Honda VTX1100 Shadow (sabre I think) and he got it for $6100.

 

Re: Time For New Middleweight - What Manufactaurer Will Make

Here's my $.02:

I would amend Rick's initial post by saying it's time for a new middleweight, shaft driven all-arounder. There are plenty of medium-displacement bikes out there, but none of them hit the bull's eye, as far as I'm concerned.
I live in the heart of a big city, so owning more than one bike is a logistical and financial impossibility for me, given the parking and storage issues, insurance costs, etc. As a result, versatility has become paramount. That's why I came back to the Seca 650.
The bike does virtually everything well. It is ultra-nimble in city traffic, all-day comfortable on the highway, and poised and predictable in the twisties. Its fuel economy, anvil-like reliability, and tiny insurance hit make it extremely cheap to own. But......
The old Seca just doesn't stop and go like a new bike. It is definitely torque and horsepower challenged by modern standards, and the brakes are nothing short of Flintstonian when compared to what is available today.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: The first manufacturer to produce a Seca 650-style bike with up-to-the-minute engine and braking technology gets my money. Probaly ain't gonna happen, though. :cry:

 

Re: Time For New Middleweight - What Manufactaurer Will Make

Honda's '09 CB1100F seems to be just about perfect for the job, except for the "middleweight" part. I'd love to see this exact bike with a 750 or so powerplant.

 

Exactly!

I'd like to see that design in a 850 or 900 cc, Fuel Injected, DOHC, Shaft Drive, 6-Speed.

With an optional, easy to mount and un-mount windshield for all day riding down the Freeway.

I could go someplace far away on a Bike like that!

(There was a time when I could not stuff $3.97 worth of gas in my 900. Today, I paid that much a gallon and didn't get any change for my 12-bucks.

 

Add a realistic and comfortable pillion seat as well please!

 

Add a realistic and comfortable pillion seat as well please!

 

+1.

It will be interesting to see how the new CB1100F sells. I hope it does well. As an old fart who grew up in the seventies, I can't get used to the hooligan-style nakeds that have become so popular in recent years. It would be nice to see the "SJM" architecture make a comeback.
I mean, the Speed Triple, B-King, and Tuono (for example) are great performers, but I would never buy any of them because I hate the way they look, and they totally disregard many of the real-world attributes (versatilility, simplicity, cost of ownership, pillion comfort, etc.) that I look for in a bike
Rick has it about right. A 100 hp, shaft-driven middleweight standard that looks and acts like a "real" motorcycle would be tops on my list. Let's hope the factories are listening.

 

A co-worker of mine (Woman) just bought one of those, and really likes it. Her boyfriend says it's faster and lighter than his Triumph American 750.
I voted Honda in the poll, because I think they are more agressive about reaching out to a potential new market than the other players.
The reason you can only find sportbikes and cruisers at the dealers is because that's where the sales have been recently. Who knows what the next big fad will be and when it will evolve. I've been a bit suprised that big trucks and SUV's have been so popular in the last decade with gas prices steadily rising the whole time. The big rig market didn't slow down until the recent price jump. I would think that fuel prices would drive the market tward a 250cc commuter like the Rebel or the Ninja 250, but maybe the buyer's lust for power and speed will override the thrift instinct.
That's okay. I'm happy with my Maxim. I won't need a new bike for at least another 50,000 miles, as long as I can still get parts.

 

humm i'd kinda like to have a 1100 vstar motor in a sporty type frame myself. not a fan of the large frames at all. but a 650 v star would be good also.

 

Re: Time For New Middleweight - What Manufactaurer Will Make

ditto....

OOOH....AAAAHHH.......

ken k

 

I think I have found my next bike. Now, if I can only afford the dang thing.

It seems to be air cooled, but, i hope it is either shaft or belt drive.

 

when i say sporty i mean sportster type frame not sportbike lol.

 

I'd be ready to wager that the Chinese are looking down this market segment while trying not to drool, realizing that their own market demands in this area are ready to explode. Some maker over there is going to be very, very wealthy.

Rick has my vote of agreement as to the basic structure. While water cooling has a lot of advantages, I personally like air cooling as it is so simple. Surely those smart engineers have a way of quieting the mechanical stir of an air cooled engine? Lately I have acquired a new-found appreciation for the strong, silent type seen and not heard in a lot of solid sport bikes.

To add to Rick's outline, anti-lock discs, nice seat for my old back (heated of course), room for a larger rear tire and the same demi-cruiser looks and riding position of these Maxims would be nice, too.

 

I could do without the anti-lock brakes.
But, add the stainless wrapped lines at the factory.

Give it an Alternator and Regulator that will allow for some decent lighting accessories.
Go LED for all the regular indicators and lights and leave some extra Amps available for accessory lighting.

Build it for the ages.
Make it so all you need to do is change the Oil, get new tires and occasionally replace the brake pads.

And make anything that needs to be replaced inside accessible without tearing down the whole engine to get at it!

 

I think you need to take a look at the Triumph line. Ergonomics and size are there, but no inline four. Don't underestimate the Kawasaki 750 Vulcan. Nice easy handling bike that can do it all.

 

Re: Time For New Middleweight - What Manufactaurer Will Make

The smart money is on the Kawasaki Ninja 650R (ER-6F) but I'm a little bias.

Kiwi

 

For me I think a Triumph Scrambler is the go a good old fashioned do everything bike not the fastest not the best off the tar but capable of pretty much everything the average rider wants to do.That exhaust looks like a worry but various tests seem to think its not an issue.
But its got a chain and fuel injection and thats a bit of worry for a luddite like myself.
Dont get me wrong I love technology but when your fuel injected bike starts missing in the back of the never never, where do you begin your search for faults?
The ER6 or a couple of the 650gs BMWs look allright but the extra 150cc would not go astray and frankly I think a pillion would be a bit more comfortable on the trumpy.
And to be honest I just like old brit twins.

 

Re: Time For New Middleweight - What Manufactaurer Will Make

Kawasaki have attempted to appeal to quite a wide market with the 3 variations of the ER-6. The fully faired Ninja 650R (ER-6F) the naked ER-6N and the dual purpose Versys all based around the 650cc parallel twin engine.

 

Hmmm we only get the Versys and The 650R (ER-6F) no 6N offering :/