9/23/2017 9:25 AM
Edited Date/Time: 9/23/2017 9:47 AM
Jeff alessi wrote:
It just shows you politics in our sport... ? No Honda product in the entry class has reason behind it, it's not money. It's ...more
Jeff alessi wrote:
It just shows you politics in our sport... ? No Honda product in the entry class has reason behind it, it's not money. It's rules and competition, no one wants to drop a competitive fourstroke in any mini class 50-85cc, Hondas 150 has so much room to progress but is put at a disadvantage by rules therefor suppressed, if they were worried about this problem they would create a class for highly modified Honda 50cc motorcycles for kids and create rules to bound a great class but they don't, why? Probably ktm. It's not because the products to create this a fast honda isn't there, it's not because parents don't have money to build it, it's. It's very weird a company like Honda hasn't pushed for it either and it's probably the reason they never pushed a fourstroke in other mini classes. To me it's crazy we don't have mini riders on fourstroke tech in our day and age, in more then 3 classes, no competitive Honda, just ktm crushing it n kawi with a bunch of talent.
leighracer wrote:
Actually, in my opinion, it's the other way round Jeff. It's a well established fact that racing governing bodies create class ...more
leighracer wrote:
Actually, in my opinion, it's the other way round Jeff. It's a well established fact that racing governing bodies create class formulas and manufacturers build bikes around the established rules. Honda's attempt to disrupt this situation by building the 150R was certainly brave but failed because the other manufactures didn't follow their lead (for once). Honda has the capacity to build a competitive 50, 65, or 85cc two stroke that would run with the Austrian bikes but choose not to. Honda as a company has never embraced two strokes and only begrudgingly built them in the past because it was the only way they could be competitive. The politics that prevent them competing in the mini classes are all internal.
Ehhh. My theory. Flawed as it may be. Id rather sell a bunch of 4 stroke customers parts all day long, long term than a bunch of 2 stroke customers. Factories drove the demand of the 4 stroke. Make one fast enough to beat the 2 stroke while AMA follows suit to allow for the displacement handicap and you just created a highly profitable change in direction. So much so that it pushes the limits, i.e. 20 year olds parting out their blown up 250fs on ebay. Not everyone can play the manufacturers high priced parts/service game. Step down from a 250f to the small bikes, and parents, not 20 year olds, start saying no thanks well go fishing. Besides, if a 5 year old blown up 250f isnt worth fixing, a 150 or smaller surely isnt. Half the repair bill is labor and its often a 1500 to 2500 dollar ticket so the 150 and smaller is worth less than that afterr 2 years. As for the hopped up 50cc four stroke for the mxer, what is the margin for the dealer selling one off the showroom floor? How many units will get sold? They know roughly how many of the general purpose 50cc bikes they can sell to their general entry level offroad audience at a certain price point. They'd rather see the kid on the crf50 grow up and ride a dual purpose or street bike so they can make money on him. I think the manufacturers wanted to go the way of the 4 stroke as they saw how much people were spending to fix their ninjas and gsxrs at the shop. It was just a matter of getting the AMA to make a rule to accommodate it and the AMA listened to yamy. Doug Henry is the best damn guniue pig you could put on one for the race season r/d. Hard to find them tougher than Doug.
Basically the manufacturers hate to see my boy in the plus 50 class at Lorrettas getting 3rd in moto one on a 14 yr old yz125. Not part of their plan.
I would imagine there is a point where if unit sales dropped enough, they would have to start pushing two strokes again, but it would have to be way down there to the point where the mad money 4 stroke parts/service game was drying up. Take a long time for that to happen.
Im surprised yami still has a yz125 and yz 250.
