220 mpg

[kmac]

Holy Cow this is cool.

It may have been posted here before, sorry if this is 205, but I just found this and wow do I like it.

It has such a cool rhetro flare, but also the modern tech.

I wish it had laced wheels and I hope the second back seat is removeable but other than that..perfection. And 220mpg to boot. LOVE IT

 

http://www.gizmag.com/yamaha-y125-concept-retro-220-mpg/20672/

[Downs]

Pretty cool but it'll never sell. At least here in the states.

[kmac]

I think if it were in a fair price range {no reason why it couldn't be with a standardized world 125 motor, same basic motor in a TTr125} it could sell.

 

I would have never thought things like mega scooters would ever sell but they have sold well.

 

Economy and style sells. The Leaf is BUTT ugly and I see them everywhere here in Cali. Same with the Prius, just terrible looking to me, but there are a million of those things here.

 

You might be surprised. I would like one as a city bike. Very high cool factor for me.

[Downs]

It's not about the looks, its about people not seeing this fitting into the commonly accepted niches of motorcycles. Sport Touring bikes are pretty popular but that took a while and even now most of the general public think of bikes in two or three categories.

 

Sport Bike

Cruiser

And maybe scooter

 

This wouldn't sell well in the US. Especially when motorcycles are still largely considered luxury items and toys instead of real forms of transport.

[JohnnyJ]

As gas prices go up, so will the popularity of this sort of machine.

 

Johnny J

[kmac]

I am more with JohnnyJ than Downs on this. I think this bike would be a huge hit in college towns and city hubs around the globe. Including USA. I feel like people are liking the vintage styling these days and like the more Eco friendly and high fuel effiency.

A few years ago I doubt many Americans would have even considered a Nissan Leaf. Yet today I see them everywhere. Ugly, small, cramped, pricey...but Green and cheap to run...big sellers.

[JohnnyJ]

Another reason why this bike is appealing to me is because it is made by a long established motorcycle manufacturing company. There are a lot of these types of things on the market today, but they are mostly disposable because you can't get parts, and often the place where you buy them doesn't repair them.

 

Johnny J

[Mister Tee]

I would absolutely get one of those. It's basically a lighter version of the Honda Wave type scooters you see in Asia. Although it isn't legal to ride on the freeway, for in town riding it would kick behind.

[kmac]

Yeah Johnny, I agree. The unknown Chinese or Korean brand bikes and scooters are a bit scary. They come and go quite quickly and some are impossible to get parts for. Even the ones you can get parts for, the fit and finish quality is really poor and I would ba afraid to put my daughter on one to run around town. But this being a Yamaha and the motor being basically a TTr125 motor with FI I am confident that is a quality piece and I DID put my daughter on one for a few years, until she wanted a Wr250F.

 

I see peoples concerns that this might not sell here in the States, but I think it might. They have already done the R&D on it and design. It is a world motor platform so very available everywhere and the rest is what it is...build it and see Yamaha.

 

HA HA HA...I say that like Yamaha is ACTUALLY here on this forum listening to me. Don't I wish. HEY YAMI, also plate that WR450 and get me the Asian competition for a KTM dusl sport I have been jonesin to have.

[Guest Kakugo]

We already have a Yamaha that has ridiculously low fuel consumption:

 

 

That's a Yamaha YBR125. No direct experience but figure over 100mpg have been widely reported for riding around town.

 

And Honda has this one here:

 

 

The CBF125. Honda claims over 130mpg but it appears to be thirstier than the Yamaha.

Also the Honda has developed a reputation for tatty finish and poor overall quality: shocks have been described as "worthless" and the fuel gauge is widely inaccurate.

Considering the two bikes cost about the same, the Yamaha is a no-brainer.

I have seen quite a lot of Yamaha's locally (and also its larger sibling, the YBR250) and owners appear to be commuters who wanted something more economical and better put together than a scooter at the expense of some comfort.

[racer7]

There are many scooters and other econo-trans items where I live in NC and not all of those are "liquor-cycles, no licenses needed"

 

I suspect they would sell to young folks and even an old guy like me could one for short hops, despite the RT and 2 K bikes I regularly ride..

 

Price is the key thing..

 

Ididn't own my first car until I was well into my 30s and almost all of those preceeding 15 years I got around on J brand stuff with motors from 80-175 cc, often going a oouple hundred miles- in a snow state 365 days a year. There are still young folks who are in similar situation and a lot of this country makes all year operation pretty simple.

[kmac]

Kakagu

We do not have either of those bikes here in the USA.

 

I agree that a low CC low power bike is a tough sell here, but NOT impossible.

 

I also agree racer7 that price is a big factor, especially on something like this.

 

BUt at least for me, I would take the vintage looking Moegi over either of those YBR125 or ahanda 125 looking bikes. It has flare and style. Those 2 bikes are so generic.

[JohnnyJ]

The concept bike is more than just a small cc motorcycle. Its look is quite unique, it is extremely light and narrow. It looks like a bicycle and has similar advantages. You could probably get away with parking it where the bicycles are parked.

 

You would be the envy of everyone at the coffee shop,

 

 

Johnny J

[kmac]

Starbucks rockstar...

[Mister Tee]

The concept bike is more than just a small cc motorcycle. Its look is quite unique, it is extremely light and narrow. It looks like a bicycle and has similar advantages. You could probably get away with parking it where the bicycles are parked.

 

You would be the envy of everyone at the coffee shop,

 

 

Johnny J

 

Which is exactly how a lot of foreign scooters are fashioned, not just small CC but lighter, narrower wheels and frame. They are great for in-city riding.