Coming Soon: Next Year's Knockouts
COMING SOON: NEXT YEAR'S KNOCKOUTS
ROUNDUP
TOMORROW'S SALES-FLOOR superstars today? That's the idea behind these concept bikes, one each from Yamaha, Honda and Kawasaki. Topping this ready-to-rumble trio is Yamaha's "Wild Star," a Road Star-engined neo-standard that combines V-Max-esque mus clebike styling with a healthy dose of MT-01. You remember the prototype MT-01, star of the 1999 Tokyo Motor Show: 1602cc, pushrod Road Star V-Twin con verted to chain drive and hung in a looping backbone frame, then topped with a bare minimum of rider accoutrements. Two years ago, Yamaha dodged inevitable “when’s-itcoming?” inquiries. Now, a spokesman only says, “Standards have been well-received recently, but I’d be surprised if Yamaha built anything similar to the MT-01. And I don’t think using the Road Star motor for anything other than a cruiser would be very likely either.”
Even more to the point, a stock Road Star makes 54 horsepower. (Okay, at 84 footpounds, there’s torque to spare.) The V-Max, virtually unchanged since its mid-Eighties introduction, puts out a reartire-frying 109 bhp, not to mention 79 ft.-lbs. of torque. It also weighs nearly 100 pounds less than the Road Star, and has a 40-mph higher top speed. So even with its slender profile, the Wild Star might be little more than an appetizer for Honda’s VTX1800 mega-cruiser-unless Yamaha packs in more punch, that is.
Closer to reality-and likely needing no such extra beans-is Honda’s Hornet 900F. Of the three machines shown here, a big-bore Hornet may have the most sales potential. Reportedly powered by the previous-generation CBR900RR’s carbureted, 919cc inline -Four, the 900F is an Open-class version of the popular overseas-only, CBR600-powered Hornet 600. As usual, Honda “won’t discuss potential new models,” but a PR-type did say, “We’ve been watching this market for about the last five years. Until recently, it didn’t seem to be a viable segment. But in the last year or two, with a lot of the competition jumping in with some very good machines, we are now looking at ways to compete in that market.”
Back in 1994, CW built a project bike that was very similar to the proposed Hornet. The unfaired, 400-pound “Yellow Peril” CBR managed mid-10s in the quarter-mile and posted a 152-mph speed. That’s right in there with the new Yamaha FZ1 !
Last on this bike-maker newmodel “to-do” list is Kawasaki’s ZX-11-based ZX1200R sport-tourer. Yamaha hasn’t decided if it will bring its new FJR1300R stateside, and Honda has yet to show a replacement for the V-Four ST 1100. Kawasaki still sells the aging Concours, which is a stone-cold bargain in a class that aside from new Twins from Aprilia, BMW and Ducati, has enjoyed little progress of late.
Which makes the ZX1200R’s timing that much better. If the superlative performance provided by the supersport ZX-12R is
any indication, the fuel-injected, twin-spar-aluminum-framed inline-Four will be gushing with grunt and capable of a top speed in the vicinity of 170 mph, even with integrated hard luggage. Kawasaki was noncommittal about the existence of such a bike, saying only that it’s “far too early to talk about new product” and that the Concours continues to sell “amazingly” well.
There you have it, three potential super-sellers, all teetering on the brink of production. So, care to cast your vote?
Matthew Miles
