The end of the proper Japanese motorcycle in America

[TWTim]

From The Superbike Blog (http://superbikeblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/end-of-proper-japanese-motorcycle-in.html):



I was looking through the new motorcycle offerings this week which are being brought to America for 2012 by the Big Four®, and I think I can now safely say that the availability of a proper Japanese motorcycle is largely a thing of the past here in the USA. That's right, standards and big street naked are nowhere to be found. Unless your idea of traditional design is a cruiserbike, your only choice now is a sea of passionless, computer-designed, cartoonishly angular, fully fared sport and sport-touring scalpels with less collective soul than a gaggle of Ed Wood zombies.

Gone from the American lineup are virtually all the traditional hooligan bikes. The naked Suzuki Bandit, for example, has been fully clothed for 2012 and revamped once again into a machine barely separable in general appearance and style from its repli-racer counterparts. The ZRX1200R, several years gone now from Kawasaki's lineup in America, has no 2012 counterpart or grandchild. In fact, it's latest incarnation, the ZRX1200DAEG, is -- sadly -- available only in Japan. Save for Yamaha's barely naked 2012 FZR1000, which has lost most of its original design cues at this point, everything else Japan is offering looks like it came right out of a late-night Anime marathon on Adult Swim.

And if you think a big naked Japanese streetfighter is hard to find these days, you can forget about buying anything new even remotely resembling an old-school UJM. Even more racy naked bikes based on the UJM idea like Yamaha's XJR1300, Honda's CB1300, and Suzuki's GSX1400 are nowhere to be found.

These are sad times. I never thought I'd see the day when I could go into a Japanese motorcycle dealership at the beginning of a model year to kick tires, and lay eyes upon absolutely nothing I wanted. I mean nothing. Shame on you, Japan, for giving us nothing but a generic sea of plastic bodywork. And shame on you, America, for not supplying enough demand for anything else.

On the bright side, there is yet hope for those of us interested in riding something that actually resembles a motorcycle. Triumph, God love 'em (as just one example), are still offering modern incarnations of ravishing beauties such as the Bonneville, Thruxton, and Scrambler. These bikes are better performing than ever, prettier than ever, and more reliable than ever by all accounts. Triumph, much like Harley-Davidson, know when they have a winning, timeless design, and are preserving it for those with a keen enough eye to seek it out.

So maybe I'm looking at the wrong dealerships these days. Perhaps it's time to start seriously looking, for the first time ever, at what Europe has to offer. After all, at an average price of nine to ten grand for a new Japanese bike this year, the Euroscene of offerings doesn't seem as expensive as it used to.

Perhaps I'll consider this possibility a bit more over high tea.

Indubitably.

[papamotorman]

Tim, i could not agree with you more. We both feel the same way about the bike situation. I walked into a Kawasaki Dealership last week, and the only bike that i felt good sitting on was a KLR. Most of the bikes being sold have their foot pegs way foreward or back where your knees are bent. The half way foot pegs are almost a thing of the past. Bring over the Kawasaki W800 and i will be happy to buy one.

[Chirpy]

As rabid a Honda fan as I once was (in the 80's) it's hard for me to believe that there's nothing in the showroom I'd even sit on. Except maybe an XR650, that was around in the 80's.

Sad.

[DaveAlvarado]

The original author must not have gone to a Kawasaki dealer. The Versys is a modern UJM, and the Z1000 is a naked hooligan bike. And that's not getting into the CB1000R, Super Tenere, ER6N, etc.

Or just head on down to your local Triumph dealer and revel in bike designs of old, updated with totally modern tech. Just because *your* local Big 4 dealer doesn't have the cool bikes in stock doesn't mean they don't exist anymore.

[Hood Ornament]

And just because you don't particularly like the styling of bikes doesn't mean you're in the majority either. :sun:

[kurt]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_aOLg4pZOlXM/SJC1-NKXyMI/AAAAAAAAAEs/hfa_ejAzaQA/s400/mccain.jpg

^^^
Tim

:-P

I feel your pain. I was lamenting this very sentiment to a fellow rider at work. His response was, "they don't make Model T's anymore either". :whatever:

[focus frenzy]

In nine days I am picking up a Kawasaki ZRX1100!!
They still make traditional upright naked UJMs they just don't sell them here because they don't sell well enough.


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.766667,-97.320680
Sent from the twilight zone courtesy of AT&T-Mobile

[TWTim]

In nine days I am picking up a Kawasaki ZRX1100!!

Now *that's a proper motorcycle. :mrgreen: :dude:

I feel your pain. I was lamenting this very sentiment to a fellow rider at work. His response was, "they don't make Model T's anymore either".

Yep. I guess the older I get, the less willing I am to change with the times. All I know is, I ain't riding no ugly bike, and the showrooms are filled with them right now.

The original author must not have gone to a Kawasaki dealer. The Versys is a modern UJM...

I disagree. To me, the Versys is more an adventure bike than anything else. The styling screams Dakar. In any case, I can't imagine putting it in the same category as a true UJM like the CB750 or something similar.

...and the Z1000 is a naked hooligan bike. And that's not getting into the CB1000R, Super Tenere, ER6N, etc.

Meh. Most of these bikes have so much bodywork as to barely be considered nakeds, and the styling of many is just as extreme as on their race-replica counterparts.

Or just head on down to your local Triumph dealer and revel in bike designs of old, updated with totally modern tech.

That's alluded to in the article.

Just because *your* local Big 4 dealer doesn't have the cool bikes in stock doesn't mean they don't exist anymore.

Oh, they exist. We just don't get them stateside anymore.

And just because you don't particularly like the styling of bikes doesn't mean you're in the majority either. :sun:

That, too, is alluded to in the article.

:sun: :sun: :sun: :sun: :sun: :sun:

[TWTim]

Bring over the Kawasaki W800 and i will be happy to buy one.

Oh man, you and me both. :thumb:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y158/TimKreitz/superbikeblog/W800CafeChop.jpg

:dude: :dude: :dude: :dude: :dude: :dude: :dude: :dude: :dude: :dude:

[TWTim]

Sad.

Agreed. :tears:

[DFW_Warrior]

So, not that I'm old enough to remember, but back in the 60's and 70's were there a bunch of guys complaining that they didn't make motor driven bicycles anymore and that the "good ol days" were long gone and never coming back?

I do agree that for me, bikes like the Strom, Versys, and the streety Tiger800 are the "new" UJM and they fit the bill perfectly. Okay, minus the Tiger not really fitting the "J" in UJM.. They are all very versatile, do anything, go anywhere motorcycles. Pretty much the exact definition of what made the original UJM's so popular. Which is probably why these current bikes are becoming the cat's meow for so many folks these days.

And on a side note, I'm also glad that my dirt bikes are liquid cooled, weight 220lbs, and have 12"+ of very sweet suspension travel.

[kurt]

The holy grail still exists, It is just painted incorrectly.

http://www.motodesign.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/2011-Kawasaki-ZRX-1200_1-587x405.jpg

It just kills me they aren't available here.

[bluedogok]

The only Japanese motorcycles that I am remotely interested in is the Yamaha FJR and the Kawasaki Concours but not enough to pull me away from a Tiger1050, Ducati Multistrada or BMW GS or RT. The more street oriented "adventure bikes" are the updated version of the old UJM or a bigger version of the "enduro bikes" that I grew up on. I can find much more from Europe that piques my interest than I can anything from Japan. It's pretty much the same for my wife although finding ones that she can fit on narrows the market greatly but she has pretty much decided she wants a Bonneville as her "destination" bike after her time on a learner. To her it "looks like a motorcycle" whereas much of the newer stuff doesn't in her mind.

As far as the bigger nakeds, you can find plenty of them coming from Europe from a variety of manufacturers.

[OldTLSDoug]

Well, if you don't mind Austrian, the Super Duke fits in better than most.

http://photos.imageevent.com/tlsdoug/2008ktmsuperduke/wholebike/websize/P9261108.JPG

[humanrace]

Quote Tim
"Now *that's a proper motorcycle."

I bought a ZRX in 2000 Because all the magazines raved about it and it was an ELR (I like Eddie). A friend of mine and his wife borrowed it quite a bit. She liked it better than her CB750 Nighthawk and he just liked it (wheelies I believe). I loaned it to another friend to ride to California on vacation and he thought it was great. I rode it to DC, the Blue ridge parkway, and the Honda Hoot and my wife and I rode it to Colorado and New mexico for a 9 day vacation to each. I also rode about 20 track days on the thing. I never did like that bike. I don't know you Tim but, if I still owned it, I'd let you ride it any time you wanted to.

Quote DFW_Warrior
"So, not that I'm old enough to remember, but back in the 60's and 70's were there a bunch of guys complaining that they didn't make motor driven bicycles anymore and that the "good ol days" were long gone and never coming back?"

The good old days weren't that great either. If you went to a Yamaha dealer in '67 you had better be looking for a 2 stroke and it better not be bigger than 350cc. In the late '60s and early '70s I believe the best selling bike from Japan was the Honda 350 twin. It was heavy, vibrated, and had large valves that easily burned and were not covered under warranty. I bought a new bike (250 Yamaha twin) in 1970 from Goldsboro Sport Cycles in North Carolina and the salesman told me it could not survive a ride to California. I can't imagine a present day Suzuki salesman telling a customer that a SU250 won't go 4000 miles.

We have a wonderful variety of bikes available today. In the early '80s, the difference between a cruiser and a sport bike was handle bars, tank and footpeg placement. The above mentioned Honda, and many others, came in 3 different models, standard CB, "motard" CL with high pipes and "motard" SL with low pipes. In 1982 a team call Good Times Racing won the WERA middleweight national endurance championship on a Vision 550 with shaft drive!! We have variety that was unimaginable in 1970. I can't go into ANY dealership without seeing a bike I'd like to have. My wife, reading over my shoulder, just told me she'd like to have the ZRX back. Who knew.

[Annhl8rX]

I argue with myself about this all the time. I really like the style of older bikes, but wouldn't pay new bike prices for them. The best examples of this are the Triumph retro bikes. Bonnevilles and Scramblers are $7500-$9000 new. As cool as I think they are, I can buy something that's faster, handles better, and is more comfortable for the same money.

I realize that measurables aren't everything, but I can't convince my logical mind that buying less for the same money makes any sense.

[bluedogok]

I argue with myself about this all the time. I really like the style of older bikes, but wouldn't pay new bike prices for them. The best examples of this are the Triumph retro bikes. Bonnevilles and Scramblers are $7500-$9000 new. As cool as I think they are, I can buy something that's faster, handles better, and is more comfortable for the same money.

I realize that measurables aren't everything, but I can't convince my logical mind that buying less for the same money makes any sense.
That's why used Triumphs exist, they are a bargain on the used market.

[tshelfer]

In 1972, Time Magazine ran an article about a man who had decided, many years earlier, that the Ford Model A was the last good car built. So just before they were discontinued, he bought three of them and had bee driving them ever since. When one finally wore out, it became a donar car.

Well, here we were now in 1972. The man was now out of Model A's, and thought that there would be no more good cars built after 1972 due to smog restrictions and safety laws. So he went out and bought what he thought was the last good car out of Detroit. He bought three Ford Mavericks.

I have no idea what the moral of this story is. Just thought I'd throw it in and see if anybody else does.

[gixxerjasen]

I ain't riding no ugly bikeAnd yet you rode a ZRX. :mrgreen:

Oh yea, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. :rofl:

As for this comment in the article...

Save for Yamaha's barely naked 2012 FZR1000, which has lost most of its original design cues at this point

He makes it sound like the FZ1 got restyled/redesigned this year. Nope, same bike as the last six years. It's design is now older than the previous generation was when it was mothballed. Yea, it got BNG this year, but dang is that a hideous scheme on the bike. Maybe that's what he was talking about.

I think I'll go out and rub a microfiber towel across my Gen I FZ1, it's a good looking naked. Perhaps not a UJM, but I lover her none the less.

And yea, I can sit on just about anything in the motorcycle shop. If I had the money and the space (and if you have the money, you can buy the space, ask Jay) I'd happily take them all home with me.

If you want to buy something brand new thats's styling is still stuck in the past, well, those are out there too, but not from Japan. They have big fancy shops and will snub you and your old retro Japanese motorcycle if you go there. :mrgreen:

[tshelfer]

I want my V-Strom to look like a mid-seventies Yamaha 650 twin. Maybe that's what a lot of us are struggling with.

[SL350]

I guess we all will have to quit and go old school and become scroungers. W650s look pretty good and most are well taken care of. Naked Bandits are pretty easy to come by but don't miss your chance - in 10 years they might be pretty scarce.

[Ixta]

Or, are we just getting old?

[gixxerjasen]

Here's some more food for thought.

Originally you had a small selection of bikes to choose from. Big differences were in displacement. This got a lot of guys out to the garage to customize the bikes. Those bikes didn't do anything particularly well, but with modifications they could do a really good job of what you wanted from the bike.

Then the manufacturers got wise. They started designing and offering models that worked for particular groups of people, no mods necessary. Farkles maybe, but no modifying the actual design of the bike. However, don't ask these bikes to step outside of their design at all.

This fractured the idea of the motorcycle and you began to have repli-racers, touring bikes, cruisers, off road bikes, etc.

Today we hear something different though. How often do we hear about the blurring of the lines of types of motorcycles? Is it a tourer, or a sport bike? Is it a touring bike, or a dirt bike? It's both maybe?

We've kind of come back to the bike in the middle idea, except that instead of sucking at whatever you want it to do, it does all of those things very very well. Take the FJR for example. Is it a touring bike or is it a sport bike? I'd wager that a stock FJR could easily turn a faster lap time than a proper sport bike from 20-30 years ago, stock for stock. The new Super Tenere tours, tears up twisties and doesn't mind when the pavement ends.

So what's next? I bet you see some kind of standard that does everything superbly well, something that's been wished for a long long long time.

You don't see your old bikes because styles change, but it looks like maybe your old bikes are coming back, they just don't look the same, and really, can you expect them to?

[GrayRider]

In 1972, Time Magazine ran an article about a man who had decided, many years earlier, that the Ford Model A was the last good car built. So just before they were discontinued, he bought three of them and had bee driving them ever since. When one finally wore out, it became a donar car.

Well, here we were now in 1972. The man was now out of Model A's, and thought that there would be no more good cars built after 1972 due to smog restrictions and safety laws. So he went out and bought what he thought was the last good car out of Detroit. He bought three Ford Mavericks.

I have no idea what the moral of this story is. Just thought I'd throw it in and see if anybody else does.

Why would he buy a Maverick when he could have had a Pinto:rofl:

[bluedogok]

I know for me "fit" is the big thing, most of the newer bikes don't fit me very well, all the race replicas are way too small and would aggravate those body aches that happen as we get older, I still like the looks of them but they just aren't for me anymore. I don't like forward controls and the "giving birth" seating position of most cruisers. Even the bikes that are supposed to be comfortable like the ST1300 and Goldwing are too tight for my legs to be comfortable.

[Hood Ornament]

I know for me "fit" is the big thing, most of the newer bikes don't fit me very well, all the race replicas are way too small and would aggravate those body aches that happen as we get older, I still like the looks of them but they just aren't for me anymore. I don't like forward controls and the "giving birth" seating position of most cruisers. Even the bikes that are supposed to be comfortable like the ST1300 and Goldwing are too tight for my legs to be comfortable.

I don't think the bikes are your problem. You've got it backwards, you're old body doesn't fit the bikes anymore :lol2: I have no problem spending all day riding a modern sportbike or dual sport. Sure, old injuries start to ache a little, but they do that sitting in my easy chair. :rofl:

[kurt]

Even the bikes that are supposed to be comfortable like the ST1300 and Goldwing are too tight for my legs to be comfortable.

Honda seems to build bikes for the 5'6" Japanese dude. The Goldwing especially was tight in the rider accommodations considering how ginormous the bike was overall. Very little can be done to change it. At least the ST1300 has a three position seat and easily lends itself to bar risers. I think it is a better wing than the wing.

[bluedogok]

I don't think the bikes are your problem. You've got it backwards, you're old body doesn't fit the bikes anymore :lol2: I have no problem spending all day riding a modern sportbike or dual sport. Sure, old injuries start to ache a little, but they do that sitting in my easy chair. :rofl:
Not really, when I sit on a modern sportbike it feels like a minibike. I remember when Kawasaki had the ZX-11 and to some extent the Honda Blackbird were sized larger than their Suzuki or Yamaha counterparts, I could fit on the ZX11 and Blackbird, my Sprint was still more comfortable than the Blackbird. A new ZX10R seems tiny in comparison, I feel like my knees are up around my ears, I'm 6'-2" tall, it isn't like I am trying to fit a 6'-6" body on there. Of the current models on a Hayabusa has any size to it, I have never been much of a Suzuki fan but they seem to have the best range of all the Japanese manufacturers of what they bring to the states.

[gixxerjasen]

Honda seems to build bikes for the 5'6" Japanese dude.At 5'7" I've always been told I was too short. Apparently somebody somewhere was building motorcycles just for me.

Of course what you say is a complete fallacy though. There's no way that most motorcycles, Honda's included, are built for the 5'6" guy. I mean, if you can find a guy who's 5'6" that can flat foot most of the bikes on the market, he's going to look very disproportionate with those long legs, and short torso. And with a short torso, he'll need long arms to reach the bars too. :rofl:

[tshelfer]

I don't think the bikes are your problem. You've got it backwards, you're old body doesn't fit the bikes anymore :lol2: I have no problem spending all day riding a modern sportbike or dual sport. Sure, old injuries start to ache a little, but they do that sitting in my easy chair. :rofl:

So bring the easy chair with you. You'd be amazed at how much difference it makes.

[tshelfer]

Jason, you & I have something in common, I think. I'm 5'9" & moderately built. Bikes fit me. Clothes off the rack fit me. Cars fit me. I'm the "average" guy that things are generally made for.

[sharkey]

Or, are we just getting old?

We must be. My 919 is kinda old school but with FI and I think it is my most favorite bike I've ever owned. First Honda too and the quality is really good too.

None of the new stuff appeals to me either. I like the Kawi 800 posted but I'd need a 2 seater. The retro Honda CBR they sell in Japan is pretty cool too.

[DaveAlvarado]

I disagree. To me, the Versys is more an adventure bike than anything else. The styling screams Dakar. In any case, I can't imagine putting it in the same category as a true UJM like the CB750 or something similar.
As a Versys owner I'm going to politely disagree. You'd kill a Versys quick if you tried to do actual around-the-world adventure riding. Sure you *can* take it off-road just like you can take any bike off-road. But it's really a street bike that sits tall. And the riding position is 100% standard. It's a UJM for tall people.

[focus frenzy]

Jason, you & I have something in common, I think. I'm 5'9" & moderately built. Bikes fit me. Clothes off the rack fit me. Cars fit me. I'm the "average" guy that things are generally made for.

must be nice! just finding gloves that fit right and are comfortable is a adventure for me.

[plugeye]

As a Versys owner I'm going to politely disagree. You'd kill a Versys quick if you tried to do actual around-the-world adventure riding. Sure you *can* take it off-road just like you can take any bike off-road. But it's really a street bike that sits tall. And the riding position is 100% standard. It's a UJM for tall people.

i dig that riding position & tall bike

[DaveAlvarado]

I know for me "fit" is the big thing, most of the newer bikes don't fit me very well, all the race replicas are way too small and would aggravate those body aches that happen as we get older, I still like the looks of them but they just aren't for me anymore. I don't like forward controls and the "giving birth" seating position of most cruisers. Even the bikes that are supposed to be comfortable like the ST1300 and Goldwing are too tight for my legs to be comfortable.

Have you tried some of the ADV bikes? I really like the ergonomics of them. BMW GS's, Triumph Tigers, Versys, KLR, Tenere, V-Strom, etc. Upright and roomy. My Versys was a little short in the pegs, but a $50 peg lowering kit solved that.

[papamotorman]

There seems to be a lot of confusion as to what a naked standard bike looks like. This is a picture of a naked standard bike ( no plastic ). Also Notice where the foot pegs are located for comfort. If this bike had decent brakes, good suspension and around 100 horse power, i can assure you that i would own one. I have just about made up my mind to buy a nice 2007 or 2008 Harley 1200 cc sportster Roadster. It is about the only bike that i know of that falls into this category ( minus the 100 horse power ).

[CBRider]

I agree that they don't make them like they used to. And it's not only styling, even the so called naked bikes available now all angle up over the rear wheel with the passenger seat about 6" higher than the riders seat. That configuration is just not comfortable to me.

I recently sold my 2008 Bandit 1250S for that reason. I tried my best to like it for 28,000 miles and finally realized that I would never really be happy with it.

I just like the old "bread loaf" type seat. Plus those old bikes just looked cool. I think my favorite bike was my 1976 Suzuki GS750. I bet a bike of that configuration could be made today with great handling and modern performance. But it probably wouldn't sell well in the US.

My current bike is a 2000 Kawasaki W650 which I bought new. I'm glad I didn't sell it when I got my Bandit. I will keep that one as long as it runs. I just hope I can find parts for it when I need them.

And it is my opinion of how a bike should look...

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i476/W650A2/DSC05308.jpg

[papamotorman]

CBR, that is one fine looking motorcycle. I have been kicking myself for years, because i did not buy one when they were available. AS you stated, this is what a motorcycle should look like.

[gixxerjasen]

28,000 miles on the bandit, and that Kawasaki looks so clean like it's never been ridden. I bet it has though.

[CBRider]

28,000 miles on the bandit, and that Kawasaki looks so clean like it's never been ridden. I bet it has though.

When that photo was taken it probably had about 25,000 on it. It has just over 27,000 now. I didn't ride it much when I had the Bandit. Riding it more now has made me realize how much I like it!

[bluedogok]

Have you tried some of the ADV bikes? I really like the ergonomics of them. BMW GS's, Triumph Tigers, Versys, KLR, Tenere, V-Strom, etc. Upright and roomy. My Versys was a little short in the pegs, but a $50 peg lowering kit solved that.
The Tiger1050, Multistrada and GS (used) are pretty much what I am looking at as a replacement for my Sprint.

[humanrace]

There seems to be some misunderstanding about what a UJM is. Original requirements:

1. 4 cylinders-All 4 Japanese brands made these in many sizes thus the term universal. The Honda Sabre (V-4) was not considered a UJM even though it met every criteria except engine design.
2. Standard (upright) seating
3. 5 speed tranny
4. Front disk brakes
5. Steel cradle frame, no monocogs

Deviate from any of these and it is different and therefore no longer universal. To be universal, all 4 must make a very similar bikes.

This is a UJM
http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2009/09/2010-honda-cb1100-the-ujm-returns/

[kurt]

28,000 miles on the bandit, and that Kawasaki looks so clean like it's never been ridden. I bet it has though.

It is obviously a 2000 photo. Note the lush green trees and grass. Also note there is nothing on fire and no smoke on the sky. :-P

[gixxerjasen]

There seems to be some misunderstanding about what a UJM is. Original requirements:

1. 4 cylinders-All 4 Japanese brands made these in many sizes thus the term universal. The Honda Sabre (V-4) was not considered a UJM even though it met every criteria except engine design.
2. Standard (upright) seating
3. 5 speed tranny
4. Front disk brakes
5. Steel cradle frame, no monocogs

Deviate from any of these and it is different and therefore no longer universal. To be universal, all 4 must make a very similar bikes.

This is a UJM
http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2009/09/2010-honda-cb1100-the-ujm-returns/5 speed tranny....psh

[Hood Ornament]

So bring the easy chair with you. You'd be amazed at how much difference it makes.

While the Strom's comfy, the Busa is even more so. :rider:

[Hood Ornament]

CBR, that is one fine looking motorcycle. I have been kicking myself for years, because i did not buy one when they were available. AS you stated, this is what a motorcycle should look like.

To each his own. These days, IMO this is what a motorcycle should look like. :mrgreen:

http://members.iinet.net.au/~causewayyamaha/500EXC/ktm500exc2012_2.jpg

[DaveAlvarado]

There seems to be some misunderstanding about what a UJM is. Original requirements:

1. 4 cylinders-All 4 Japanese brands made these in many sizes thus the term universal. The Honda Sabre (V-4) was not considered a UJM even though it met every criteria except engine design.
2. Standard (upright) seating
3. 5 speed tranny
4. Front disk brakes
5. Steel cradle frame, no monocogs

Deviate from any of these and it is different and therefore no longer universal. To be universal, all 4 must make a very similar bikes.

This is a UJM
http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2009/09/2010-honda-cb1100-the-ujm-returns/
They may have all had those things, but that's not where the UJM term came from. The "universal" part just meant the bikes were so similar that you couldn't easily tell them apart. Same features, same appearance, etc.

In the spirit of the term, 600cc and 1000cc supersports are the new UJM--they're almost identical in appearance, features, and performance.

Same thing with "naked". It doesn't really matter what one person's opinion is, a naked bike is a bike without a fairing. If you think that means it should look like a Bonneville, more power to you. I say the SV650 (not the SV650S) is unarguably naked. I also say the FZ6, FZ1, Z1000, Street Triple, Speed Triple, etc. are also all naked bikes, despite small amounts of plastic. Something like my Versys I think really toes the line, since it has "fairings" but they look like extensions of the gas tank.

[jsb223]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v51/jsb357/zrx/zrxpark_bw.jpg

:zen:

[tshelfer]

There seems to be some misunderstanding about what a UJM is. Original requirements:

1. 4 cylinders-All 4 Japanese brands made these in many sizes thus the term universal. The Honda Sabre (V-4) was not considered a UJM even though it met every criteria except engine design.
2. Standard (upright) seating
3. 5 speed tranny
4. Front disk brakes
5. Steel cradle frame, no monocogs

Deviate from any of these and it is different and therefore no longer universal. To be universal, all 4 must make a very similar bikes.

This is a UJM
http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2009/09/2010-honda-cb1100-the-ujm-returns/

I'd disagree about the cylinders. The Honda 350 was a twin. They were everywhere and used for everything.

[tshelfer]

To each his own. These days, IMO this is what a motorcycle should look like. :mrgreen:

http://members.iinet.net.au/~causewayyamaha/500EXC/ktm500exc2012_2.jpg

Nah, that's what a Transformer should look like. :lol2:

[KenH]

I still ride a UJM, CB550K2. 1976 model. Electronic ignition, o-ring chain, gel grips, luggage rack, HID headlight, LEDs all the other lights, Stebel horn.

It fits. Nothing else does. It's pretty. Everything from Japan today looks like it belongs on Transformer underwear. Nothing new fits, not even the Triumphs.

EFI would be nice. 100 pounds lighter would be nice. Wider tubeless tires on a tasteful set of snowflakes would be nice. I can live without this stuff. I can't kive without a good fit.

[humanrace]

I'd disagree about the cylinders. The Honda 350 was a twin. They were everywhere and used for everything.

They were around long before the term UJM was conceived to describe what was coming from Japan. There was nothing else like the 350 Honda twin therefore it couldn't be universal. Cycle magazine (believe me it was once big) first used the term in the mid ' 70s.
"There is developing, after all, a kind of Universal Japanese Motorcycle.... conceived in sameness, executed with precision, and produced by the thousands."

Wikipedia: Standard seating position
Air-cooled, transverse-mounted inline 4 cylinder

The Motorcycle Biker's Dictionary: UJM - Universal Japanese Motorcycle - 1. Term given to Japanese motorcycles of the 80's, because visually they all looked alike. 2. During the 1970 and early 1980's, the Japanese became so indentified with the four cylinder, standard style motorcycle that this term was coined to describe those bikes.

There may be a "new" UJM emerging but I see too much diversity on all showrooms for that to happen. However, if one took the original idea that embodied a UJM, that is a commuter, racer, cruiser and tourer all combined into one motorcycle then, some of the bikes such as the Versys, V Stroms, Tenare, GS, etc. would fit the bill except for the fact that engine configurations set them apart.

[humanrace]

I don't know how to copy his picture of that orange and black thing, but I agree with Hood Ornament except:
1. Needs bigger front brake disk ;-)
2. How did they hide the lights so well :doh:
3. Needs more of those bumpy things on the tires so it'll ride smoother and have more traction on the Million Dollar Highway. :trust:

[humanrace]

Thread theft

Tim, would you mind if I used, "Preach the gospel. And if necessary, use words." at my weekly lunch with long time buddies?

[tshelfer]

Thread theft

Tim, would you mind if I used, "Preach the gospel. And if necessary, use words." at my weekly lunch with long time buddies?

Don't mind at all. I actually borrowed it from Francis of Assisi, who coined the phrase somewhere around 1200AD. I'm sure he would mind either. Enjoy the lunch.

[Hood Ornament]

Nah, that's what a Transformer should look like. :lol2:

Yup, transforms your dull, boring life into Yeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaawwwwwww!!!!!

:rofl:

[tshelfer]

They were around long before the term UJM was conceived to describe what was coming from Japan. There was nothing else like the 350 Honda twin therefore it couldn't be universal. Cycle magazine (believe me it was once big) first used the term in the mid ' 70s.


Clearly, I missed the difference between the UJM (Universal Japanese Motorcycle) and the GLJM (Great Little Japanese Motorcycle). :doh:

[gixxerjasen]

I don't know how to copy his picture of that orange and black thing, but I agree with Hood Ornament except:
1. Needs bigger front brake disk ;-)
2. How did they hide the lights so well :doh:
3. Needs more of those bumpy things on the tires so it'll ride smoother and have more traction on the Million Dollar Highway. :trust:Actually it needs less bumpy things, smaller wheels and a larger disk. :mrgreen:

[fortbriscoe]

http://193.164.196.40/images/589/5894086562.jpg

Nanny, nanny, boo-boo. It's American.

[RedPill]

I just wish they made something besides a low-horsepower V-twin with forward pegs. But I'm probably very much in the minority there. I would love a bike with a smooth 4-cylinder inline, fuel injection, and forward pegs. The old knees just won't handle anything besides forward pegs.

[Sleepy Weasel]

How about this?

[poser]

the only bikes that really excite me these days are coming out of europe. I still get all giggley inside when I see and sit on a Super Duke :mrgreen:

[gixxerjasen]

the only bikes that really excite me these days are coming out of europe. I still get all giggley inside when I see and sit on a Super Duke :mrgreen:I'll tell you a secret though. They are fun and sweet, but for everyday usage and commuting, the FZ1 beats it hands down. It's not as sexy and doesn't have that intoxicating vtwin low end power, but what a darn good bike it is. For my use right now, I'm not sure I'd actually trade. I'd certainly put one in my garage alongside the FZ1 but I don't know if it would be the right bike to replace it.

Now...an FJR and a SuperDuke would easily replace it. :rider:

[gixxerjasen]

I just wish they made something besides a low-horsepower V-twin with forward pegs. But I'm probably very much in the minority there. I would love a bike with a smooth 4-cylinder inline, fuel injection, and forward pegs. The old knees just won't handle anything besides forward pegs.You know, if they'd just have put FI on the Valkyrie it would have just about fit your needs.

Of course, it's minus a cylinder but the Rocket III is a fantastic bike I think when it comes to cruisers. And it has FI. Plus, they can be had for a good deal when buying used.

[Hood Ornament]

Actually it needs less bumpy things, smaller wheels and a larger disk. :mrgreen:

And for $1K extra you can get that. :rider::mrgreen:

[Hood Ornament]

http://193.164.196.40/images/589/5894086562.jpg

Nanny, nanny, boo-boo. It's American.

Yup, be about the engineering equivalent, and as boring to ride as a 70's model UJM. :lol2:

[Hood Ornament]

How about this?


Yup, the FZ 8 seems to me to be exactly what all the old timers are pining for. :lol2:

[gixxerjasen]

And for $1K extra you can get that. :rider::mrgreen:It's funny though, KTMUSA doesn't have any supermoto listed other than the 990 SMR.

[Hood Ornament]

It's funny though, KTMUSA doesn't have any supermoto listed other than the 990 SMR.

Maybe trying to eliminate back inventory. Times are tight in the motorcycle industry. You can still find leftover 690 SMC's.

[RedPill]

You know, if they'd just have put FI on the Valkyrie it would have just about fit your needs.

Of course, it's minus a cylinder but the Rocket III is a fantastic bike I think when it comes to cruisers. And it has FI. Plus, they can be had for a good deal when buying used.

Both are tempting, although both are a lot heavier and have a lot more power than I need. Did I say that out loud? I don't need more power? :lol2:

[gixxerjasen]

You can still find leftover 690 SMC's.You shut up! I have no money right now and don't want to hear these things.

[poser]

I'll tell you a secret though. They are fun and sweet, but for everyday usage and commuting, the FZ1 beats it hands down. It's not as sexy and doesn't have that intoxicating vtwin low end power, but what a darn good bike it is. For my use right now, I'm not sure I'd actually trade. I'd certainly put one in my garage alongside the FZ1 but I don't know if it would be the right bike to replace it.

Now...an FJR and a SuperDuke would easily replace it. :rider:

for sure :thumb:
when I had my fizzy there wasn't anything out there I liked enough to take a payment for, and I certainly would have kept the fizzy.

[TWTim]

On the other hand, here's something new from Japan that actually sounds kinda cool. Kawasaki has filed patents for a supercharged 1,500cc sportbike. They currently have a 1500cc supercharged watercraft design with close to 300 horsepower. Nifty, and this is actually a bit of an old-school idea. The GPz750 Turbo comes to mind for some reason.

New ZX-15, anyone? :eek:



"Recent power increases in in 1000cc Superbikes, many of which now produce nearly 200 crankshaft horsepower, have created a problem for hyperbikes like the ZX-14 and Suzuki Hayabusa. Once the final word in top speed and flat-out acceleration, these road burning behemoths are now regularly out-performed by lighter, nimbler literbikes in a straight line as well as around corners. The solution? Take advantage of the fact that unlimited-class machines have no race regulations to conform to and add huge extra dollop of power in the form of a supercharger.

No fewer than four new patent documents reveal that Kawasaki is working on a supercharged four-cylinder motorcycle as a potential replacement for the ZX-14. Even without an intercooler, a supercharged ZX-15 should still produce at least 250 BHP at modest, reliable boost levels."

If only they'll make it look good. :)

[NathanH]

Everyone has a slightly different opinion of what beauty is, what comfort is, and what convenience features are necessary. So, one man's "why don't they make this?" (feel free to add "anymore" to that question, as well) is another man's "who would by that?" However, I do see one glaring commonality to the trends and the hole that it leaves. And that is a more basic option in the catch-all category.

A number of bikes fall into that naked/universal/not-quite-adventure/light-touring-capable/not-a-cruiser-either category. But almost none of them are BASIC. They either skew heavily to the retro-styling category, or the sport-plus category (i.e. sport touring, sporty-naked, etc.), or the wannabe-Ewan-McGregor category, etc. In other words, most of the stuff that is middle of the road for performance, comfort, and function try hard to NOT be middle of the road in styling. Most likely this is intentional to avoid mediocrity. To give the model some sort of identity. Face it, if a bike isn't a performance leader in one category or another, and it's also not a styling leader in one category or another, what appeal does the model hold that the marketing department can push it with? So, no one makes something that they'll have to market as plain vanilla. But the problem is that there is whole segment of the population (as evidenced in this thread and others like it) who DO fall squarely in the middle and really like plain vanilla just fine.

The question the OEM's have to answer is: how often do plain-vanilla-bike fans turn into new-vanilla-bike purchasers? I would venture a guess that most vanilla-fans are also down to earth, smart and frugal, real world types who are just as likely to pass on this years latest and greatest (even if it's the latest and greatest vanilla) and wait for a clean used one to come up at a better price in a couple of years. So does it help the OEM move new models to have a plain vanilla even if there is a segment demanding it?

[KenH]

How about this?

No.

This!
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh210/kdhhh/IMG_1110.jpg

If you can't see obvious glaring differences, you need glasses.

[RxZ]

http://193.164.196.40/images/589/5894086562.jpg



When I have the money, this will probably be mine. I sat on one at a dealer, and for me it just "fits". I don't really care that it isn't the fastest bike out there, or that I could get "better" bikes for the same money. I just like this bike, and that is what matters.

I also agree with Tim though, I really do like the styling of the newer Triumphs, and other brands out of Europe. Something about that standard style is just right to me. My MSF course was taught on 125cc bikes that looked like these older bikes, and it may have been one of the more comfortable bikes I have ridden so far. Granted I have not ridden but about 5 bikes, but still... The ergonomics and geometry were nice.

[YoDoc]

Yup, be about the engineering equivalent, and as boring to ride as a 70's model UJM. :lol2:


These fine folks (http://www.motorcycle.com/shoot-outs/ducati-monster-1100-vs-harleydavidson-xr1200-review-87928.html) seem to think it does pretty well! I'd own one if I had the money, for sure.:trust:

[KenH]

When I have the money, this will probably be mine. I sat on one at a dealer, and for me it just "fits". I don't really care that it isn't the fastest bike out there, or that I could get "better" bikes for the same money. I just like this bike, and that is what matters.

That's what it really is all about. Ride what makes you happy. Nobody else's opinion really matters.

[Hood Ornament]

These fine folks (http://www.motorcycle.com/shoot-outs/ducati-monster-1100-vs-harleydavidson-xr1200-review-87928.html) seem to think it does pretty well! I'd own one if I had the money, for sure.:trust:

Harley vs Italian Harley. Seems redundant. :lol2:

[YoDoc]

I just wish they made something besides a low-horsepower V-twin with forward pegs. But I'm probably very much in the minority there. I would love a bike with a smooth 4-cylinder inline, fuel injection, and forward pegs. The old knees just won't handle anything besides forward pegs.

This is the same problem I have on my Concours. A few months back (after I bought the Connie, of course) Dallas PD auctioned off about 25 early 2000's (I think) Kawi KZ1000's. Cop bikes, with four cylinder 1,000cc motors and forward controls and engine guards, the whole nine. Most of them needed a little work, but then again, most of them were going for $500-1200 bucks, too. :doh:

[elcolon]

http://193.164.196.40/images/589/5894086562.jpg

Nanny, nanny, boo-boo. It's American.



id have to kill my self if i have to ride that bike again.....what a pile of junk......

[bronco78]

What an interesting mix of responses, from "Get off My lawn" types to.. "Please go look again at any dealer.... this time with your eyes open" kind of stuff, and inbetween as well.

:giveup: And of course there is no wrong answer. :giveup:

The bike in this picture below... I owned one kind of like it., was my first street bike, I bought it used in 1978 a 1976 CB550 Four SS.. I spent three years making it better, better looking, riding, stopping.. Then sold it and bought a real sport bike, 1984 VF45 Interceptor.

I have been looking for a 1978 CB550 Four lately,, Not so I can ride it in all it's original glamorous "lines" or what ever the older nostalgic crowed here is aiming for.. But to be able to, in my ,advanced age of 46.. Strip it down,,, and spend some real money, time, hand made parts, finishing on it, like it deserved in 1978, but I could not afford.

I want bikes of my past, an 84 Interceptor, and 85 RZ350, the Cb550 Four and a few others, but not as a replacement for the much better looking, riding, sounding, handling bikes that can be bought off the floor today, but in addition.

Japan Big Four.. Keep going, your doing just fine thank you. :-D
No.

This!
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh210/kdhhh/IMG_1110.jpg

If you can't see obvious glaring differences, you need glasses.

[DFW_Warrior]

id have to kill my self if i have to ride that bike again.....what a pile of junk......

Really? I've always told myself that if I were to ever own an HD it would be that one. What is wrong with it (other than the way to tiny gas tank)?

Oh and sorry for the thread hijack.

[gixxerjasen]

I find it funny when people are nostalgic towards their first bike. To me that is akin to being nostalgic towards a favorite TV show from your past.

My opinion and personal experience, if you have fond memories of these items, do NOT revisit them.

Examples:
1. Do not watch old MacGyver episodes. Trust me on this. You simply do not remember how horrible the acting is or how cheesy the writing was. It'll ruin it for you.
2. Do not go back and ride a 1997 Suzuki Katana 600. You have no idea how crappy this bike really is.

I look back through the bikes I've owned and the only one I'd buy and ride again is the Suzuki DRZ400SM. I will have another SM again soon and it'll likely be one of these.

[tshelfer]

Do not watch old MacGyver episodes. Trust me on this. You simply do not remember how horrible the acting is or how cheesy the writing was. It'll ruin it for you.


Aw man, don't dish on MacGyver. Where do you think I learned how to make a flash grenade from baking soda and a bottle of nasal spray while riding my CB400 one-handed? :rofl:

[SparkyBlue]

Motorcyclists are impossible to please. Japanese market research (from us bikers) says build this model, or that one. They do it and then we complain. As for naked bikes, if the things moved off the showroom, my guess is they would continue making them.
But it's a difficult question for manufacturers, and then there's the economy.

[RedPill]

1. Do not watch old MacGyver episodes. Trust me on this. You simply do not remember how horrible the acting is or how cheesy the writing was. It'll ruin it for you.

I knew those things the first time I tried to watch an episode. Absolutely terrible.

[gixxerjasen]

Aw man, don't dish on MacGyver. Where do you think I learned how to make a flash grenade from baking soda and a bottle of nasal spray while riding my CB400 one-handed? :rofl:I loved MacGyver, but I recently tried to watch an episode and it was painful. Just about as painful as when a friend of mine picked up a Katana 600 and asked me to test ride it since I used to have one.

[sharkey]

Motorcyclists are impossible to please. Japanese market research (from us bikers) says build this model, or that one. They do it and then we complain. As for naked bikes, if the things moved off the showroom, my guess is they would continue making them.
But it's a difficult question for manufacturers, and then there's the economy.

So true. Most here on TWT probably don't represent the majority of US cycle owners.

That said, I think their is a market for retro UJM styling with Modern engine and tranny components. Triumph has sold a boatload of Bonnies.

the holy grail for me would be a under 1000cc bike, with a low seat height, upright ergos, ease of maintenance, belt drive and the addition of hard bags as an option when needed, and NOT a cruiser. I had high hopes for the F800ST but the final design, engine issues, and customer support turned me off.

[RedPill]

Motorcyclists are impossible to please. Japanese market research (from us bikers) says build this model, or that one. They do it and then we complain. As for naked bikes, if the things moved off the showroom, my guess is they would continue making them.
But it's a difficult question for manufacturers, and then there's the economy.

Somewhat true. Market research is not always right. Sometimes they ask the wrong questions, and/or the wrong people. And if market research was the only criteria, then nothing new would be built, or nothing that wasn't just slightly or incrementally new. Add to that the fact that some manufacturers go a different way. Industries can become calcified. Remember that the Mustang was based on one man's drive, and it was a big risk for Ford. Of course, so was the Edsel . . .

[KenH]

I find it funny when people are nostalgic towards their first bike. To me that is akin to being nostalgic towards a favorite TV show from your past.

My opinion and personal experience, if you have fond memories of these items, do NOT revisit them.

Examples:
1. Do not watch old MacGyver episodes. Trust me on this. You simply do not remember how horrible the acting is or how cheesy the writing was. It'll ruin it for you.
2. Do not go back and ride a 1997 Suzuki Katana 600. You have no idea how crappy this bike really is.

I look back through the bikes I've owned and the only one I'd buy and ride again is the Suzuki DRZ400SM. I will have another SM again soon and it'll likely be one of these.

Nostalgia has nothing to do with it.

1. I don't have a problem with wind until about 80mph. I usually stay about the speed limit, even on the highway. I don't need a fairing, so the extra weight and size is extra work for no gain.
2. I slide back on the seat to increase the angle of my upper body leaning into the wind--when done right, no weight rests on the grips, and no effort is used to hang on, even at speeds as high as 80mph. Try sliding back on a stepped seat, it can't be done.
3. Slide back a little more, put feet on the rear pegs, and weight shifts from the back and pelvis to the arms and inner thighs, providing a few minutes to recover from pressures of a long ride. Try sliding back on a stepped seat, it can't be done.
4. Try sliding forward on the seat to stretch the feet forward to reach highway pegs. A whole different group of points take the pressure, providing relief for the usual pressure points on a long ride. One's testicles cannot occupy the same space as a gas tank on newer U-shaped seats.
5. The seat/grips/pegs relationship of the CB500/CB550 family of bikes fits my body geometry. I never have to reach or stretch. I can reach the ground with all of both feet at the same time.
6. No need to do a headstand to check the oil.

Now, find another bike with those attributes, and I'll take a look, if:

1. The throttle return spring isn't so stiff.
2. The brakes are more resistant to fade and more effective at highway speed.
3. The centerstand doesn't drag in the corners so easily.
4. The tank holds more than 5 gallons of gas.
5. The valve adjustment intervals are at least 4 times longer, but no more difficult to do. Better yet, hydraulic.
6. Shocks and forks have some rebound dampning.
7. Tubeless tires, at least 130mm wide in the front and 160mm wide in the back with a cross-section and diameter that offers many choices from race slicks to touring, and maybe even DOT knobbies for adventuring.
8. 100 pounds less weight.
9. Smoothly mapped EFI for better fuel efficiency.
10. Brighter headlight.

Seriously, is that too much to ask? It's not about nostalgia at all, it's about function. Newer bikes don't function as well for me. YMMV

[martin-csr]

The one in the pic was listed on ebbaayy a few years back...

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f81/wiggywoohoo/MC/1993-ZR1100-1.jpg

[V10KLZZ71S]

The best ujm ever....... with some updates.

[V10KLZZ71S]

One more of the GS. The Italians get it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-zT03n_mSM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu01opawm_Y

[focus frenzy]

The best ujm ever....... with some updates.

That's not the best! The best is a 83 GS1100E in red!!! LOL
Gotta have the black engine!


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.766743,-97.320655
Sent from the twilight zone courtesy of AT&T-Mobile

[V10KLZZ71S]

That's not the best! The best is a 83 GS1100E in red!!! LOL
Gotta have the black engine!


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.766743,-97.320655
Sent from the twilight zone courtesy of AT&T-Mobile

And a welded clutch basket instead of riveted. I had an 82 just like in the pics. Champagne gold color

[Scorch]

The one in the pic was listed on ebbaayy a few years back...

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f81/wiggywoohoo/MC/1993-ZR1100-1.jpg

Nice, really nice.

[TWTim]

Zephyr FTW! :dude:

[alarue]

The Honda Shadow RS is a cruiser, but it's pretty close to "standard" ergos, not so laid back. But the tank is tiny (less than 3 gallons!). To me, it does recall the UJM really well.

http://powersports.honda.com/Assets/Models/2011_ShadowRS_580x385_BlueWhiteRed_42515B.jpg

Okay, maybe it still has too much rake.

2012 comes in blue only, but the red/white/blue really says old Honda.

As far as a modern UJM, Honda tried to sell the 599/919 here, and not enough people bought them. Seems to me that the Kawasaki ER6N fits the bill, though. The Versys, to me, feels like you're sitting right on the handle bars. Those two and the Ninja 650 are basically the same machines.

Of course the RS and the Kawasakis are twins. The 599/919 (which are the very popular Hornet in Europe) I think are really the heirs to the UJM formula.

[Scorch]

As far as a modern UJM, Honda tried to sell the 599/919 here, and not enough people bought them. Seems to me that the Kawasaki ER6N fits the bill, though. The Versys, to me, feels like you're sitting right on the handle bars. Those two and the Ninja 650 are basically the same machines.



That's the same story with the last new bike (1991 GSX1100G) I bought before buying the Strom in '08--they made a really solid bike, but no one bought it. :doh: I kept that bike for 17 years, hoping Suzuki would make a water cooled version with a sixth gear OD...but all they made were the bikes that sold--Gixxers and cruises. Finally, I decided the Strom was as close as I was going to get to a new UJM (and the Strom is great).

http://moto-dude.com/images/index.4.jpg

[kurt]

My first true street bike set my expectations for many years to come. In retrospect, the 83hp seems tame by today's standards. To a 20 year old kid, it was all-day comfortable, probably not so much today. Some have heard the story of my voyage home from Lubbock to Tyler in the early 80's for Christmas break in teen an 20 degree weather. I stepped off of the bike in my parent's front yard without even shutting it off, vowing never to ride again. To me this bike symbolized my youth. If I want a modernized retro-bike then so be it. Brakes, suspension and 100+hp only make it better.

Not mine, but mine was just like this:

http://www.cyclechaos.com/images/0/02/1979-Kawasaki-KZ1000-A3-Red-3.jpg

[TWTim]

To me this bike symbolized my youth.

That's a big part of it for me when it comes to old bikes, especially. I've mentioned it before on TWT, but my interest in Kawasakis, along with having restored my old KZ, is partly about preserving an era of my youth which I'm very fond of.

I don't believe in living in the past, but I do believe in keeping respectful watch over its memory.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y158/TimKreitz/OSB/1978_KZ1000_LTD_007.jpg

[RedPill]

And may I say, that KZ1000 is gorgeous!

[TWTim]

And may I say, that KZ1000 is gorgeous!

Many thanks. :thumb:

[Sleepy Weasel]

Try sliding back on a stepped seat, it can't be done.

If you really meant that, you'd say it twice.

Try sliding back on a stepped seat, it can't be done.

Oh, I guess you really mean it...

Still, that doesn't change the fact that I did it plenty on my SV650Ns (plural) on long rides.

[shadow247]

I would say the 919 is the last true UJM. I test rode on at Al Lamb's in Greenville and was ready to trade my shadow for it in a heartbeat. I'm glad I didn't though, because I really love riding my shadow. In the future I can see a 919 as my second/third bike. I really love the riding position, the electric like engine, the smooth as butter clutch. Dangit now I am wanting to go out and get one!

[Buellboy]

Honda makes the CB1100F for other markets, beautiful 4 into pipes like the old CB400F.
It is as you say the "proper UJM" from the big four. Four Cylinders, air cooled, no body work, standard seating/peg location. Honda brought a bike like this into the states in the mid nineties called the CB1000 "Project Big ONE". First year was Black, Second year was Red. They did not sell real well ( I owned them both). Both were under powered but cool. Saw one in black yesterday at the Harvest Festival, brought back great memories as I rode one to Leguna Seca from Austin one time. Honda still makes this bike in other markets called the CB1300 (solved the power problem?). My point is Honda has tried to bring these bikes to the US with out success. UJM's are still available just not here in the USA from the Big "4" . The Europeans get the idea and vote with their pocketbook.

[Dave.TX]

We've always had different tastes than the Europeans. Some things are shared for sure but others aren't. Cruisers and supersport bikes sell like hotcakes, then there's the touring and sport touring bikes. Aside from that everything else is low numbers. We like big, we like fast. There's only a couple of Ducati's I'm not in love with, the rest are sexy as heck. I like several Triumphs (not so much the retro models, just the modern ones), BMW's... if I were to plop down some cabbage for a Japanese bike it'd probably be the Super Tenere or FJR (not that I'm partial to Yamaha). I'm one of those people that doesn't go get the popular thing, I like the one that not many have and that's why I'm thinking the Triumph Tiger 800 will be my next bike though the guys I meet for lunch on Thursdays have their GS's and they're nice too. The UJM, wildly popular in the U.S. for a few decades, is gone because few want them. Remember the El Camino?

[kurt]

The UJM, wildly popular in the U.S. for a few decades, is gone because few want them. Remember the El Camino?

I have owned both. :mrgreen:

If you want exclusive, buy a Moto Guzzi Stelvio. I owned mine for two years and to this day have never seen another one.

[P-Ratt]

I find threads of this nature odd, as most of these bikes being missed so much have absolutely zero desirability for me. I like sensibly positioned ergos, but find little offense in the artistic passion which generates current aesthetics.

[Buellboy]

Dave.Tx- The Universal Jap Motorcycle is not dead. There are not as many but
they are still out there. The GSX1250FA is a perfect example (w/fairing removed)
and the FZ-8 is about as(do anything on-road) UJM as you can get. The Super T
is great but at $16K OTD it is now, like the GS's, out of my budget. I like the FJR
but with shaft drive and it's price it was not on my list. New Tech equals Big Price.
We are in the after world recession of low volume production. UJM's had big prod#'s.
The only new tech I embrace is ABS and Fuel Injection. So the GSX spoke to me....

[Johnf3]

I'll tell you a secret though. They are fun and sweet, but for everyday usage and commuting, the FZ1 beats it hands down. It's not as sexy and doesn't have that intoxicating vtwin low end power, but what a darn good bike it is. For my use right now, I'm not sure I'd actually trade. I'd certainly put one in my garage alongside the FZ1 but I don't know if it would be the right bike to replace it.

Now...an FJR and a SuperDuke would easily replace it. :rider:

...because we know we sure aren't allowed to have more fun on a sexier bike during our daily commute. :giveup:

If I ever have to be resigned to considering "practicality" when I choose what I ride, I will give up and just drive my wife's mini van. I realize that my perspective is not the only one, but it what makes motorcycles fun for me.

Maybe that is why the UJM has died out. It's because there are many other better choices now. There are a bunch of current bikes out there from several different manufacturers (including japanese) that I would consider.

No lament or hand wringing here.:rider: