I occasionally check Canadian websites of the "Big 4" Japanese manufacturers for updates, releases and cancellations.
It is interesting to see which company focuses more on which niche and who is more innovative.
I would rank Kawasaki number 1 at the moment. They have an insane variety and selection for our small market. I only wish they upgraded (or updated) their DS segment. Something like a KLR400 FI would be cool to see.
Honda has got some weird bikes going (like the VFR1200X - that they call nimble (600+ lbs!!!)). Kudos for making real small popular again (Grom) though.
Suzuki's lineup seems a bit bland to me but they kinda have it all.
Didn't realize they have a 250cc "sport" bike nowadays. Now that the other 3 got engaged in a cc war - going back to a 250 size seems like a good idea.
Yamaha's selection is probably the most limited but they hit a lot of good spots. MT-09/FZ-09 seems to be a runaway hit, see them all over the place.
Finally a word on the naming of various models. Why is it that in the motorcycle world, almost nothing has a name just a generic code?
Imagine if all cars were like that? Ford XZ3400, Toyota HJM400X, etc.
Of course you can also go the other way, like Kawasaki when at one point almost every single bike of theirs was named Ninja something.
It is interesting to see which company focuses more on which niche and who is more innovative.
I would rank Kawasaki number 1 at the moment. They have an insane variety and selection for our small market. I only wish they upgraded (or updated) their DS segment. Something like a KLR400 FI would be cool to see.
Honda has got some weird bikes going (like the VFR1200X - that they call nimble (600+ lbs!!!)). Kudos for making real small popular again (Grom) though.
Suzuki's lineup seems a bit bland to me but they kinda have it all.
Didn't realize they have a 250cc "sport" bike nowadays. Now that the other 3 got engaged in a cc war - going back to a 250 size seems like a good idea.
Yamaha's selection is probably the most limited but they hit a lot of good spots. MT-09/FZ-09 seems to be a runaway hit, see them all over the place.
Finally a word on the naming of various models. Why is it that in the motorcycle world, almost nothing has a name just a generic code?
Imagine if all cars were like that? Ford XZ3400, Toyota HJM400X, etc.
Of course you can also go the other way, like Kawasaki when at one point almost every single bike of theirs was named Ninja something.
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