Another one (litre) bites the dust. Is the Fireblade next?
The market decides. If they can’t sell them they won’t build them.
Too fast. Too expensive. Too extreme. There will always be a market for ‘exotica’ but it will be more expensive and exclusive, hence why I think the likes of Ducati, BMW, Aprilia and MV will continue building them, but Suzuki is already gone, Yamaha is going and Honda will surely follow. The Japanese brands are probably not viewed as ‘exotic’ enough for people to want to spend the money on one.
Kawasaki is an interesting outlier, they have diversified into Supercharged and hybrid machines. It’s just a shame they insist on making them look hideous!
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For the past year or so their white, red and yellow coloured R1 anniversary monstrosity was always available in their showroom, whether thats because they made so many or sales were slow I don’t know.
I always wanted an R1 but over the years it has been way too track focussed.
The R1 is way more uncomfortable than the BMW S1000RR.
I can see why bikes like the R1 are struggling now. Also the roads aint exactly great so ultra firm suspension aint the best match.
Only sad thing is a fairing which I miss every time ai go out.
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Never even rode any version of the R1