Gritboy

MV Agusta paint-job of the silver-red model... no steering damper... raised bars... finally a Honda to ride for the street again and not the just the track.

955tri

Replace Honda with Harley and the same holds true. Didn't they JUST add ABS to their bikes? Don't get me wrong, I like Harleys, but bashing Honda for lack of design innovation and maximizing profits seems a bit odd.
As for the bike, I like it, but I'll never own one. My old 900SS was more "sport"bike than I needed, and my GS is a way better commuter....

longride

The difference is that Harley doesn't crow about their superior technical innovation, nor do they consider themselves a market innovation leader. If "Performance First' is Honda's motto, then why do NONE of their bikes outperform any of their competitors? In my opinion, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki are yards ahead of Honda in every category. Honda is living in the past. They have fallen into the trap of selling lots and innovating little. Sorry, but your Harley/Honda argument doesn't hold water. Try again.

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Zachery

LR, you make a great point. Slipper clutch Honda was late. Steering damper late. Traction Control nope, etc. Perhaps it also shows on the track as well where they haven't won a AMA Superbike title since the RC51 and Nicky Hayden. Meanwhile Suzuki sells more sportbikes than anyone else I think.

955tri

My analogy holds water, but as an admitted knuckhead, you're just not accepting it. NONE of their bikes outperform their competiters? Define performance. Hondas consistantly rate as the best "real-world" sport bikes. Perhaps the Honda performance philosophy is to build bikes people can use on the streets AND on the track, in which case they perform just fine. Admitedly, it often seems that Honda offers their technology purely for technologies sake (i.e. VTEC, electronic steering dampers...etc.) but it seems that when they do that you guys just knock on them for trying something new. Which is it, are they lagging behind, or do you just not like what they're offering. If the latter is true, that's your business, but say they're lagging behind the others is a bit of an exageration.
As for the Harley analogy, you're right, Harley doesn't crow about their superior technical innovation, but they sure as hell put profits first, just like you've knocked Honda for doing.
Try again.

longride

Dude, Honda hasn't done anything worth looking at since the CBX. THAT was innovation and technology and performance all wrapped in one. Since then they got chicken shyt. Harley may put profits first, but they went from going out of business, to selling more bikes than the "Performance First" company. All Hon-Duh does is copy what everyone else is doing tow years late. Livin in the past will catch them sooner, rather than later. Spare me the 'real world' crap. Performance is spelled W_I_N_N_I_N_G, and Honda hasn't done that in any meaningful way in a long time.

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955tri

I'd point out that last years Motogp champ rode a Honda, and that the current WSB points leader rides a Honda, but I'd guess that won't "hold water" either.
Opinions are like a$$holes, everybody has one, and most of them stink.

longride

Excellent example. The got beat by Ducati this year? No, SMOKED is more like it, from a company that has a total worth that is less than some Hon-Duh execs are making. Where was Hon-Duh?
Which floor model is their GP bike? Just asking, cause I think I missed it last year. I don't mind if someones opinion is like their a$$hole, I don't like when people speak out of theirs.

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obandoj

Well well, I have not been on board for a few weeks, and when I come back to check on the old MO what do I see? The longnazi at work being a bully. How typical, once a $hit head, allways a $hit head.
And who gave you the "Super Duper Mod Man" title anyway? The companies that buy advertising space on this website should demand your demise, and pronto.

955tri

You said: "Performance is spelled W_I_N_N_I_N_G, and Honda hasn't done that in any meaningful way in a long time."
I pointed out they had.
Who's talking out of their ass?
Yes, they got beat this year, as did the almighty Rossi. Was it the bike, the rider, or the tires? Doesn't matter cause you're still wrong, Honda HAS won MEANINGFUL championships recently.
BTW, it's the floor model CBR1000RR leading the WSB series this year.
TRY AGAIN.