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2/22/2016
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stuckmojo
2/23/2018 11:21am
2/23/2018 11:21am
Edited Date/Time
2/24/2018 12:56pm
This
got me thinking.
What would have happened to the tooling, production line and drawings for the CR500 or KX500 engines? Neither Honda nor Kawasaki are interested in producing these and given there are no more new spares it looks like the lines are defunct.
What if someone would buy the tooling/casing and started producing the engines on their own? The number one debate topic when it comes to dirt bikes is 2T/4T and many seem to miss the big engines. I am one of them. I would queue up to buy a new 500 - even with none of the modern things.
I'll be collecting some data and run some numbers to see how/if this could be done. I know a company who is about to release a KTM 500 engine but the cost is astronomical (think 5 figures for the drop in kit alone)
https://www.facebook.com/brcracingcanada/
thoughts?
got me thinking.
What would have happened to the tooling, production line and drawings for the CR500 or KX500 engines? Neither Honda nor Kawasaki are interested in producing these and given there are no more new spares it looks like the lines are defunct.
What if someone would buy the tooling/casing and started producing the engines on their own? The number one debate topic when it comes to dirt bikes is 2T/4T and many seem to miss the big engines. I am one of them. I would queue up to buy a new 500 - even with none of the modern things.
I'll be collecting some data and run some numbers to see how/if this could be done. I know a company who is about to release a KTM 500 engine but the cost is astronomical (think 5 figures for the drop in kit alone)
https://www.facebook.com/brcracingcanada/
thoughts?
I'm going to say your targeted market would be under 1000 buyers per year, and if that market wants the product would depend on price. For a top quality bike on a product line producing so few bikes and just that model...I'm guessing your retail would be well over $10,000 per bike. If you could produce it cheaper...China route for everything...so many variables.
The Shop
However, there is a market for crated V8s, so this would be along the same logic.
I agree on the 10k for 1,000 bikes as a target market.
I got thinking about this while watching someone riding a KX500 like a modern bike and a young girl being absolutely brilliant on a Honda 500.
I would be the first in line for one of these bikes.
My number was more based off a world-wide interest level and not including a drop-off for how many would actually pull the trigger based on price. The higher the price, the smaller the market.
Here's a scary thought, some of the big OEMs don't even sell over 2,000 of their 450 Motocross bikes per year in the US. Suzuki's '17 was closer to the 1,000 mark.
I'd like an all new big bore two stroke, and I'd pay a load of money for one, but nobody is gonna make that because only ten people will buy one.
My final statement as I have to run...for that money I'll take the Alta instead with coin leftover, as I've hated each AF 500 I've ridden.
I guess I would put the question to you why would you pay that much money for a new bike when there are tons of used ones available? What are you gaining?
I've had no problem with parts personally, so not a factor in my decision making on this. There's a CR500 for sale in the classified section as we speak from the guy I bought mine from, a 2001 in great shape, for 4500 bucks or so.
In the US there's a bigger offer of used 500s. In Europe, they are rare and extremely expensive.
A good honest 500 would still be preferable (and I know they do a 500 too).
Slight annoyance with these is that the Zabel engine they use has the kick start on the left. As if these aren't already tough to start
But this touches on what I'd want, a bike that had an OEMs full R&D effort behind it. You can buy a space age bike for under 9k right now, it's hard to imagine spending 15k on a dinosaur, even if it's a fun dinosaur.
I'd pay 20 k for truly new big two stroke. But I'm an extreme minority.
Pit Row
ALSO, most castings are outsourced by another company and unless that company still has the sand/foam dupes, you are SOL.
How many Porsche 911 owners would immediately buy a new 993 today instead of the newest 911 if they could? I would say a huge amount.
the Ford F150 is an appliance (except for the hot versions - no offense )
I just think the pool of buyers is microscopic unfortunately. It's a fun convo though.
Post a reply to: buy and run the CR 500 or KX500 production line