Bandit Alley
GENERAL MOTORCYCLE FORUMS => GENERAL MOTORCYCLE => Topic started by: ippo on September 27, 2008, 05:29:47 AM
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I took this image today and you can see that the season is almost over here in Finland.
It is possible that I sell bandit and I ride next summer by Honda CB 1000R.
First I must test honda,if I like it.
(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm165/wrt-photos/img_0712.jpg?t=1222504130)
Honda cb 1000r
(http://www.honda.brandt.fi/mp/mallisto/cb1000r_08_v3_560.jpg)
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Cool pic! it will be winding down here too. I hate to even think about all the snow we'll have and when it will start. I better get in as mauch riding as I can right now.
It would be pretty hard not to like a CBR1KRR. I think after you ride one you'll like it just fine. Like any other bike, you have to take the time and get to know the bike. :beers:
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Only about six more weeks of riding left here this season (if we are lucky). But, this is my favorite time of the year to ride. Most of the tourists (and motorhome drivers) have returned home, the foliage is spectacular, and the weather is cool enough for me to be comfortable in all that leather. :grin:
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Cool picture ippo...
My insurance is up in 2 weeks, but I hope to get out a for a couple of thousand km's before then. I'm thinking of a 800 km ride tommorrow, but none of my buddies can come. Oh well, I will likely go anyway.
Fall IS a great time to ride, lots of nice colours around. We already have snow in the tops of the Rocky Mountains, makes everything look so nice, but is a warning of what is soon to come.
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We've got two seasons around here air mesh jacket and leather! :annoy:
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OK CBR1000R,not RR. I was thinking RR,because we don't even get the R here in the states. I had shown my buddy a pic of the R,he still has a 83 CB1100F. I knew he'd want one, but after I shown him the pic,I told him too bad not avalible in the states. That would be a sweet bike indeed!
Farmer almanac prodidcts a early and heavy snowfall this year in the Great Lakes. Might need snow shoes for hunting season. We usally get around 120-130 " of snow in the winter. A few more years on the mortgage,I just might move south of the snowbelt.
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Farmer almanac prodidcts a early and heavy snowfall this year in the Great Lakes. Might need snow shoes for hunting season. We usally get around 120-130 " of snow in the winter. A few more years on the mortgage,I just might move south of the snowbelt.
hehe the bike goes in the shed on october 31st and the snowmobile comes out for the season till easter or so .if I had to choose ,well.. i sure would miss the sled
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Nice pic, but I don't see any snow or ice on the ground to stop you from riding. ;-)
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"Nice pic, but I don't see any snow or ice on the ground to stop you from riding. ;-)"
Not yet snow but max day temperatures 10-12c` and night -2-(+5c).
In the morning can be "black ice".
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"Indian summer" in Cowtown all this week....and looking not too bad for the weekend and NEXT week as well...... :beers:.....but unfortunately I've gotta work..... :banghead:.....when I could be out riding in all this nice weather. Grrrrr......
Well, next year when I'm fully retired, I can get out whenever I want.
I'd still like to get away for one more PNW/BC ride and camping expedition THIS year, though......Grrrrrrr......Stupid job....Grrrrr.....
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Time to use up some of those sick days
:beers:
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>>Not yet snow but max day temperatures 10-12c` and night -2-(+5c). In the morning can be "black ice".<<
Well, everyone has their limits. I have ridden, regularly sometimes, in ~-7°c weather. There's always the risk of ice, and I've hit little spots here and there, but I generally keep to well-trafficked roads. For the most part, roads are fairly clear here in the New York City area during wintertime, so I can "get away" with it.
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Man that looks like a beautifull place to ride. The 1200 is a great all around bike. The CBR is more race oriented. Your decision should take into account your riding style. The bandit fits my riding style perfectly. I would be uncomfortable on the CBR.
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I can't find a bike on Honda's site that looks anything like the one you have pictured here. That's not a "cbr1000rr" the racing style bike Geoffwhite mentioned, that's more of a street fighter. I imagine its riding style would line up pretty much like a Bandit's after a street fighter conversion.
However, Suzuki has "Coming Soon" on the 2009 tab of the Bandit! That's good news. Looks like the ABS version will be in two colors cool blue, and Black. but that could just be to give you something to look at.
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I can't find a bike on Honda's site that looks anything like the one you have pictured here. That's not a "cbr1000rr" the racing style bike Geoffwhite mentioned, that's more of a street fighter. I imagine its riding style would line up pretty much like a Bandit's after a street fighter conversion.
However, Suzuki has "Coming Soon" on the 2009 tab of the Bandit! That's good news. Looks like the ABS version will be in two colors cool blue, and Black. but that could just be to give you something to look at.
You may not have seen it because its not a buying option for you. But they are in some of the magazines,you just can't buy one.It would be a great bike , I'm sure.
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Man that looks like a beautifull place to ride. The 1200 is a great all around bike. The CBR is more race oriented. Your decision should take into account your riding style. The bandit fits my riding style perfectly. I would be uncomfortable on the CBR
Actully, Hondas are usally pretty comfortable. It would be more relaxed than my SV. You just have to get used to the bike. Get to know the machine, and befor you know it, the grin on your face makes up for any minor nit-picks.
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Oh ya, seasons end,the leaves are all colored up and falling here.I have archery season starting Sat., but I know whats coming next!
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ahh. I didn't catch that it was the CB 1000 R and not the 1000RR. The CB 1000 R is basicly a copy of Kawasaki's Z1000 which is an awsome bike. I think you would really like the CB 1000 R. I like the single sided swing arm. However, it isn't available in the US. Yet. If it ever will be
http://honda.co.uk/motorcycles/2008/CB1000R/
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"However, it isn't available in the US. Yet. If it ever will be"
Don`t worry,it will be.USA is too important market area to miss.
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Don't be so sure... there are lots of models the manufacturers sell in EU that never see the US dealerships.
Given the slow sales of the big and mid-size Hornet series in the US, I'd be surprised if American Honda brings the CB1000R here. IMHO, the #1 reason they've sold poorly is because they've been priced much higher than their competition.
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Yeah, I'd love to see the SV1000 back in the 'States, as well as BMW's F800 inspiration, the Yamaha TDM. Lots of great bikes in Europe and Asia that don't make it here because American riders are too ignorant to see beyond cruisers and sportbikes as street machines.
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Is it the riders are too ignorant, or the importers are only willing to bring in the bikes they can sell in large numbers? I also wonder what part the US moto-media plays, since they seem to dedicate their coverage primarily to the two extreme ends of the street bike spectrum.
Bikes like the TDM, SV1K as well as others like the Transalp, B6, 599 & 919 Hornets have been sold in the US but were discontinued because of "slow sales." I'd be curious to know what kind of numbers these bikes enjoyed in the States compared to their sales figures in Europe. It seems to me, especially after my six month stint in France back in '06, the Euro distributor/dealer network seem to be willing to sell a little bit of everything instead of a lot of two basic niches. Though I must say, it seemed like the B6 and Yamaha's 600 Diversion/Fazer were by far the most popular bikes I saw on the road on a regular basis (over 50cc) in France. Though when I attended the Bol d'Or race, that seemed to bring relatively rare sportbikes out of the woodwork - but then bikers from all over Europe seemed to make the trek to the track for that event.
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I think a lot of the problem is the american mentality. The bandit, for instance, can be looked at from two points of view. One, it is a well rounded bike and can be used for casual racing, or trips from a to b. The other point of view, which is what most americans see from is the bandit is worthless because it is not a great race bike, nor is it a great cruiser. Most americans would rather have a full on race bike to take racing, then when they want to go cruising they can hop on the M109. With things tightening up on the economy I think people will start to change the way they look at things and bikes like the bandit, will become more popular because people can't afford two bikes. The media dosn't help either. Most people don't even know what a bandit is. I know I didn't until I got mine!!!
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Cool photo. Nice to see another part of the world. :thanks:
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>>Is it the riders are too ignorant, or the importers are only willing to bring in the bikes they can sell in large numbers? I also wonder what part the US moto-media plays, since they seem to dedicate their coverage primarily to the two extreme ends of the street bike spectrum.<<
I think that unfortunately these two reciprocate between each other on this matter. The American mentality fuels the press to concentrate on sports and cruisers and then it bounces back to the consumer mindset. They never think outside of the box.
Americans are obsessed with big bikes too. Sure, Europeans like big bikes too, but you'll see plenty of smaller bikes in Europe. In Asia 400cc and under are standard fare, hence bikes like the GSR 400. What are the chances of ever seeing something like THAT here? Right. :lol:
Generally there's a shortage of true streetbikes in the US. You have a small handful, like the SV650, Honda 599/919, Breva 750/1100 and such, but compare them to the sheer number of cruisers and sportbikes. Even bikes like the FZ6 and Ninja 650 are rehashed sportbikes. A good number of STs are also rehashed sportbikes.
Now, there's nothing wrong per se to rehashing bikes as such, but there's something about the simplicity of a good day to day bike that is comfortable (for instance) in a long run in the country if you like, and can get you through daily city traffic without sore wrists and/or excessive weight and (literally) excessive baggage that to me is missing from the American motorcycle landscape.
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Is it the riders are too ignorant, or the importers are only willing to bring in the bikes they can sell in large numbers?
It IS an interesting question Red...especially when Canada seems to get a number of the european models that the US doesn't get, and our numbers are VERY small compared to the US.
However, the Canadian importers are also expecting a healthy margin compared to the US distributors. eg: 2009 Bandit 1250S ABS has a US list price of $9199 US ($9949 Cdn) whereas the same bike is Canada has a list of $9985 US ($10799 Cdn). And this difference is a lot smaller than it has been in the past. I guess an 8-10% greater margin here results in a little more choice, and I expect that is part of the issue in the US.
IE: You guys get GREAT deals on bikes that move in BIG volumes. We get more choice, for more money, and I expect Europe is similar to Canada in that regard.
Another example: 2008 Triumph Sprint ST 1050 - US list $11199 US ($12177 Cdn) - Canadian List $12944 US ($13999 Cdn). And remember, this is after the Canadian dollar has fallen to .9246/US whereas we spent most of the year closer to par.
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IE: You guys get GREAT deals on bikes that move in BIG volumes. We get more choice, for more money, and I expect Europe is similar to Canada in that regard.
Europe does pay more for their bikes than we do in the US. For instance, in the UK, the '08 Bandit 1250 ABS lists for £5799 (US$10,089 or CDN$11,160). (The Suzuki UK site doesn't seem to be listing '09's yet... except for the new DR125SM.)
When I was in France in '06, I'd thought about trying to find a nice used 500cc 2-stroke sport bike and bring it home, but I could buy one already snuck in for less money than I could have bought one there - and I still would have had to deal with getting it home. My visits to the local dealers also showed the French were paying similar prices to the UK for new bikes.
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Topic season end. Not so here in Southwest Arizona where the Colorado River horseshoe bends, only the ride day changes from night to mid morning to 24/7. Although temperatures lows will get down to 50 degrees between Dec and Jan, this is when the season starts and narrows between May and Sept. And where viability is almost always 60+ miles
(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/216/464055900_62894fc6bf.jpg?v=0)(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/209/464055970_aef0408087.jpg?v=1177205578)
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Nice Pic! :thumb:
(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/209/464055970_aef0408087.jpg?v=1177205578)
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yeah I wish I lived a little further south. UGG!!!!
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well i wish i could move now :banghead: thanks :roll: