performance figures

jn mniu87 uuu7uumhjny

The above is genuine output produced by banging one's forehead against
the keyboard.

(deep breath)

But we're not going for "user-friendly"; VFR's (which are also overtyred
from stock; are we now going to suggest that VFR's attract buyers who
are so shallow as to be drawn in by a fat rear tyre?) have already got
that market cornered.

We're going for unashamedly indulgent performance in a package which
can, and which pretty much has to in order to make an impression, win
races and gain a reputation for being the most uncompromising
interpretation of a white-knuckle racebike for the street in existence.
Something with a long wheelbase and kicked-out forks doesn't fit that
bill. Something with a high CoG, nose-heavy weight distribution, short
wheelbase and steep rake.

Such a bike, however, like a racebike, can be difficult and require
discipline to ride. To safeguard those who can't be arsed knowing better
from wiping themselves out and gaining the bike a reputation as a
widow-maker, the sharp handling has to be tempered somehow.

Answer, soggy stock suspension settings, tail-dragging stock rear ride
height and a size-too-big rear tyre. Subtle things which can either be
corrected by someone who knows what they're doing or unwittingly
retained by someone who might not know what they're getting themselves
into.

Get it?

We're not buying a family Labrador. We're feeding a tiger a slab of ribs
so it won't try to bite the arm of tourists who insist on paying $250
for the privilege of petting it.

The bike's still the adrenaline-pumper people want to buy. It's just
moderately and, crucially,_easily-reversibly_dumbed down.

Bikes have to be made for the lowest common denominator (and it's
probably not too harsh to say that this LCD is 19 years of age,
American, and hasn't ridden anything other than a snowboard in his
life). Wouldn't it make sense for the factories to, at once, include in
their final spec, a disposable (how hard is it to change a tyre?) detail
which would simultaneously cause the bike to be both more appealing and
less of a threat to this lowest common denominator? Two birds with one
stone.

It's a bit too perfect for me to dismiss with, "Bah. It's_all_just for
looks".

 

I'm sorry ! I certainly didn't intend to do this to you !

No argument.

Like a VFR (or a Bandit) ? You don't have to build a chopper to make a
bike less likely to spit a rider off.

Ie built for quick turn in, hence you don't want to be putting an
unneccessarily wide tyre on and slowing down it's ability to tip in quickly

Yes, yes I do. Did you see the bit I put in the previous email where I said
"You made a really good fist of creating a plausible and well thought
through argument for something extremely improbable. IMNSHO. "

Your argument is entirely plausible, very believable and possible.

It's a very plausible argument, however from my experience of large
corporations I'd still buy a marketing dept. edict "big tyres sell,
whack one on there" over anything as logical and well thought out as
what you've covered (not to mention the improbability of the engineering
dept getting a say...)

It's indeed perfect, which is in fact a primary motivator for me to be
skeptical- in a choice between dumb and a conspiracy theory I'll take
dumb every time (particularly if we're talking about the marketing dept.).

In a choice between a subtle and well thought out strategy and the
possibility of the guy from marketing ringing engineering 3 months
before the bike is released,(when it's way too late to do anything much
to balance it off), and saying
"guys, market research says big tyres give our buyers a hard on, so
you're sticking the widest tyre that will fit into the swingarm on it"

"but but but, that'll **** the handling, this is supposed to be a
sportsbike"

"I don't give a shit, the research says it'll sell like hotcakes, shut
up and do it" <click>

Look, I accept your explanation as a possible alternative explanation, I
don't know how to resolve though - care to interview the Japanese design
teams or something ?

JL

 

They're not too shallow to put on after market exhausts.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R

 

AGEING?!!?
Fark that's newer than all but three of the thirty-odd bikes I've owned!!
(The three I bought new)
[looks around to see if there's any fish swimming near]
I guess that's the problem with Jap bikes.......
Clem
(With chain drives......)

 

<chuckle> Get serious ! No one who was buying a bike for aesthetics
would buy a 'busa ! Surely !

JL