Middleweights
Posted: 07 Nov 2018, 14:49
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.
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.