[Rayme]

Can anyone tell me why there isn't any super sport / 600 or liter racing bike in Japan??

http://www.kawasaki-motors.com/model/index.jsp

All I see is a bunch of retro looking bikes with sealed headlights

 

[GNeo]

thats cuz they think their country is too small for their own big boys.

But Hawaii gets the big boys and its far smaller than japan...wtf?

 

[einobaka]

I'm sure you can, but I believe the more popular style is the naked/sport touring bikes. We'll never see a newer Zephyr here, that's for sure (which is sad because they're awesome!)

 

[blingin10]

Not true. I live in Tokyo. There are plenty of busas and 14s here. Have you priced them in yen. It's expensive.

 

[ben6r]

Licensing system makes it very hard for most japanese to pass. Its a staged system so most people stop at 400-600cc.

 

[jdgun_13]

In case you didnt know anything about japan....

Japan society for the most part is very TRENDY (like europe) and things come and go.
Also the cost of the bikes and licensing requirements play a large part as well.

For racing they have a very very popular and competitive Japan Superbike Series.
just look into the Suzuka 8 hours (most prestigous japan race), and other races they have there.
there are loads of bikes and parts and everything seems to be available to almost anyone over there.
Just ask Simon Kobe and all the people he has helped get some trick as parts.

 

[250Rocket]

They're not plagued by the "Bigger is Better". They're happy with 400cc or less i guess. Plus i believe the japanese have strict laws about fast vehicles. I know in Japan the new Skyline R-35 is limited to like 180 km/h by GPS. Any vehicle that can do faster than that can easily out run the cop's shit cars. Plus there's so much traffic why the hell would you get a ZX-14?

 

[Rayme]

I wonder why they are not even listed. I cant read japanese so maybe they have another website or something... I just find it interesting that their flagship bikes(at least here if you can call them that) aren't even listed on their website.

They get the fast cars (type-r, etc..) but we get the fast bikes. mmhh

 

[chappers]

In case you didnt know anything about japan....

Japan society for the most part is very TRENDY (like europe) and things come and go.
Also the cost of the bikes and licensing requirements play a large part as well.

For racing they have a very very popular and competitive Japan Superbike Series.
just look into the Suzuka 8 hours (most prestigous japan race), and other races they have there.
there are loads of bikes and parts and everything seems to be available to almost anyone over there.
Just ask Simon Kobe and all the people he has helped get some trick as parts.

Well said one of the few people on this forum who knows what he's talking about again.

 

[GNeo]

Hmm i see im wrong then. I thought it was this way because Honda cranks down their cbr600 to 64-69 hp when the american cbr600 get over 100 hp.

 

[jbreit]

I heard of the staged licensing system there.....but even the 400's are electronically restricted so ~60hp. Some of the 250 and 400 bikes are really bitchin' bikes...but the couple of 400's that came over here didn't survive...the cb-1 and fzr400. Occasionally a grey bike will pop up, most will be older, and anyone that has one titled will want more for it than a contemporary 600. I'd love a zxr400 or a rvf400...but good luck finding one under $5k here..

 

[blingin10]

For 1, the stage licensing is a serious deterrent. They even have a class for scooters up to 49cc. The most popular class is the 600 class. It's hard to get the Class V which is 751cc and higher. I can take a pic of the local bike shops. All you see are imports. Mainly Ducs but I had a 14 and a Busa on my ass the whole time I was in the mountains. I'd probably get a CBR 400 though.

 

[GNeo]

Bless the America where a 16 years old can ride a ZX14R with a simple motorcycle license. [/sarcasm]

 

[nicopico]

It seems that they don't need all the extra power, especially in the cities. I visited Tokyo over the summer and only saw scooters and 400cc bikes. There's so much traffic and many tight roads so they wouldn't need to ride around something so heavy. But I'm sure there are plenty of hardcore riders with 600cc+ out in the countryside/mountains where the roads are open and clear.

So, Japanese companies will pretty much only advertise what the common person needs.

 

[Dageorge]

The real question is why do we not get this thing?

http://www.dream-plus.jp/

What is that? A tanning bed? "Dream-plus"? Sounds like some Matrix shit to me. Sign me up.

 

[nicopico]

^

It's a time machine.

 

[jbreit]

But I'm sure there are plenty of hardcore riders with 600cc+ out in the countryside/mountains where the roads are open and clear.

don't underestimate the 400's, even in the open spaces.... I raced lightweight years ago and you may have to work them harder, but they are still good for 130mph. Europe has a good selection of the 400's as well.

 

[nicopico]

don't underestimate the 400's, even in the open spaces.... I raced lightweight years ago and you may have to work them harder, but they are still good for 130mph. Europe has a good selection of the 400's as well.

Oh, don't worry, I wasn't underestimating the 400's (I used to ride a 250 and loved taking it through the mountains). I was just saying you won't see many of the big cc bikes in a city like Tokyo because they'd be out in the open roads.

Of course, the small cc bikes can be used both for in and out of Tokyo. When I was there I was trying to rent an '08 250 to ride around through the metropolitan highways and out in the country. I even brought my international driver's license, but sadly I had run out of time on my trip.

 

[kermitz636]

I really hope this whole 450 super single idea takes off. It pretty much is a home built bike. You take a 450cc dirt bike, modify suspension, wheels and add race body work. I hope the factories jump on board and start offering them off the showroom floor.

 

[blingin10]

I'm sorry I guess I missed the OP's question. Maybe you're going to the wrong website
http://www.kawasaki-cp.khi.co.jp/mcy/index.html