Honda CBR 1000RR Forums banner

Why aren't the SP's selling?

31K views 236 replies 54 participants last post by  neocryte 
#1 ·
I mean, hell, there's only 200 available in the states, so I'm wondering why they aren't being snatched up? I ask because there's 2 still on the showroom floor of dealers close to me.

I will say that the one dealer has it in a line of common bikes, and not on full display for some reason? But still, this is a limited edition bike that will be a great collectors piece someday.
 
#2 ·
To be a collectors piece it needs to be special. The SP is not. Its an 08 with a few tag on bits. Hand-selected pistons? Cute, but negligible. It gets a bit of media coverage that will help get a year or 2 out of the platform, but you can only dress up an old machine for so long. Don't get me wrong, the ohlins addition is great value over the base model cost, but when its essentially the same as an 08, no one is going swap out an 08-13 for it.

Put a '15 or '16 V4 1000RR on the market you have something special. Its all about money. That's all.
 
#3 ·
I was ready to buy one. I ended up getting a new 2013 HRC edition. The only thing that kept me from getting it was the insurance on it. I really only wanted it for the looks. After finding out insurance was double, I figured I powdercoat the wheels myself. But it's amazing how many you can find by doing a search on cycletrader.com. The ones I've seen at the dealers have been sitting there for quite a while .
 
#7 ·
I would have thought the SPs with the ported heads and hand selected pistons would be putting down more power, but is it me, or are all the new ones less?

Did Honda dial back the ECM even further, trying to make a new model coming out look that much better?

Over the years, that seems to have been the practice. The first year is usually the most powerful....'69 750s, '84 and '01 GLs to name just a few. I think that happened with the Black Bird as well.
 
#9 ·
Ported heads are only good for a few HP up on top.
Matched internals ( pistons ) only make the engine feel smoother. Less harmonic vibration.

It's hard to justify the extra cost, if you are only going to use it on the street anyway.
My 2012 is just fine for the street. Why would I need an SP? Answer is: I wouldn't.
And if I happen to LIKE the look of my 2012 better than the new SP, that just seals the deal.

This situation could have a related affect on upcoming models.
You guys are all crying for a V4 superbike. You better hope Honda is not looking at the weak sales of the SP to determine
whether or not they are going to mass-produce the V4 superbike.
Honda may decide to shelf the V4 bike, because the economy/demand isn't there for it.

I see a solid update to the CBR1000RR in 2016.
The SP just bought them some time, and tested the market waters.
Honda can't keep milking an old cow. They are forced to make a move in the market.
2016 is the point where time is up. They have to introduce something in 2016, or they will get left behind.

An updated CBR1kRR AND a new V4 superbike?
If Honda is looking at the SP sales numbers for which direction to go... you guys can kiss the V4 superbike bye bye.

Personally, I hope Honda is NOT using SP sales data to determine the V4 release.
But you never know what those head honchos in the "land of the rising sun" are thinking.

We already know Honda is busy cranking out entry-level bikes.
Honda knows the market is bad, and fuel prices are way too high.
They have been riding this trend lately.
High-priced exotic superbikes are a very limited market.
Not everyone has the means to play in this segment of the market.

Super high insurance rates only serve to squash an already limited customer base.
Some potential buyers who could afford the bike, will pass on it when they find out how much the insurance will cost them.
Nobody wants an insurance payment that equals the bike payment.

Customers will look for something else.
 
#12 ·
It's too flashy. It has the "boy racer" look.
Only significant difference is the Ohlins and Brembo, and gold wheels.

If you don't need that stuff, the price difference would not be worth it to you.
Apparently, most of us do not "need that stuff".
Only 2 or 3 people on this forum bought into the SP.

In my surrounding area, SP's are sitting at the dealerships.
One dealer is asking $18k for it, and another dealer has it marked down to $14,999.

Watch Honda do BONUS BUCKS on the SP in the near future.
The marketing wizards at Honda must be freaking out over what to do with the RCV1000.

Release it in 2016, or wait? The market is just not there.
Like I said many times before, we all want to SEE a V4 superbike from Honda... but how many of us will run out and buy one?
Unless that sucker is a huge grand-slam home run game changing badass jizz-machine, I'm keeping my Fireblade!

:D
 
#11 ·
I doubt we will see a v4 coming in 2016. When Suzuki was asked why did they design an engine from scratch that is an inline four for motogp (instead of a v4), they answered that they want t the r&d investement to be transferred to their streetbike lineup. Aprilia did it, Honda had a v4 before...but I doubt that, given their philosophy, they will launch some sort of ridiculous v4 superbike (meh)
 
#15 ·
I mean, hell, there's only 200 available in the states, so I'm wondering why they aren't being snatched up? I ask because there's 2 still on the showroom floor of dealers close to me.

Because it is over priced.

It's a stock bike with some low end brembo calipers, a sticker kit and a couple of minor changed out parts. Yes, sure, blueprinted motor, but Honda's factory motors are good enough that 99% of people won't tell the difference.

The SP, minus the blueprinted motor should be about the same cost as a regular bike, given that the base design is now 6 (almost 7) years old and it has none of the electronics that other bikes have had for several years now. Hell, at this point in the current generation fireblade's life, the SP, minus blueprinting, should BE the standard model bike, sold for standard model price.

Don't get me wrong, it's a great bike. But for what Honda have done, it just isn't worth the extra money in my opinion - if you're someone who actually wants to use the bike as a track bike where the blueprinting would make a difference, you could just buy an 08-11 model bike, stick ohlins, brembos and rims on it and get better performance for less money.

Also, versus the competition - against the ZX10R it is completely out-classed on track.

If you want one, I'd be waiting for the 2015 model to be out, then pick one up as the dealers lower price to try and shift them.


edit:
Oh, also - the single seat thing may throw some people off. What's the point in having a "look at me" version of a standard road bike if you can't pick up girls/guys (as your preference/gender dictates) on it?

(yes, sure it has some go faster bits, but they're not game changing)

Despite Honda's wishes, it is NOT an exotic, and does not command exotic pricing.
 
#17 ·
Nice bike but not enough power, BMW is going to 199 HP or somewhere thereabouts, Kawasaki is bringing a supercharged H2R to market with close to 300 HP and the base H2 is going to have maybe 220. Yamaha's new R1 is supposed to be over 200 HP and Honda has maybe 145 HP and no TC. Like it or not the trend now is big power reigned in by TC, Honda needs to get off their butts, dump the six year old 1KRR platform and get with the program or lose market share, Suzuki same thing, nice bike but long in tooth.
 
#19 ·
To be fair, the 150 hp out of the blade is US only - other countries make more as we don't have the ignition map crippled up top. Still not as much as the newer bikes though.

The fireblade also has a lot more mid-range than both the S1000RR and the ZX-10R, which makes it a better street bike.

But yes, 6 year old base platform - no engine maps, no TC, etc.

The H2 is not in the same class - that's going to be 3x the price from what I hear, so comparisons there aren't really fair. That should be compared to the rumoured street RCV1000R replica (or a modern day NR750 equivalent, RC30, Panigale Superleggera, Desmosedici, etc.), not the fireblade.
 
#20 ·
All this Fireblade bashing is ridiculous.

Maybe you crybabies should sell your Honda and get a Harley.
:th_SmlyROFL:

I don't bench-race numbers.
I ride my bike on the streets. I can tell you, I do not need more power than what my 2012 Fireblade has.

Zx10R and stinky Beemer have all their power on top.
Just what I want to do... ride around town in 1st gear at 10,000 rpms.
:th_SmlyROFL:

CBR is a proven platform. Refined to perfection over the years.
CBR is known for it's great handling. True story.
 
#22 ·
All this Fireblade bashing is ridiculous.

...
CBR is a proven platform. Refined to perfection over the years.
CBR is known for it's great handling. True story.
Not fireblade bashing. It's a fine bike.

Despite that, it is 6+ years old, the original R&D costs have well and truly been paid off, and a sticker kit plus a few low end aftermarket parts are not worth what Honda are charging for the SP.

Pretty simple really.


edit:
if anything this is support for just how good the base model is, and was when it was first released.

And I really do think the "no pillion" factor is a major reason, too. By removing the pillion seat, you've cut a whole heap of people out of the potential market - you've shifted it from "tweaked bike I can use like a regular fireblade" to "i need another bike if I want to take my girlfriend out for a ride".

So it's not just the additional bike cost thing. If you ride bikes and want to carry a pillion, this bike is out of the question unless you buy TWO BIKES (or retro-fit the pegs, etc. which kinda defeats the purpose of buying in the first place).
 
#23 ·
Sport Rider just did a comparison and the Honda out handles the benchmark BMW. It also out pulls it in spite of the commentary in the article based on their own roll on tests.

They are the same bike. Their dimensions, weight, displacement are more or less the same. The difference is the motor and the electronics.

Honda vs BMW

Electronics: Very little vs full complement

Engine:
Bore 76 vs 80mm
Stroke: 55 vs 50mm - Longer stroke more torque vs shorter stroke lowers piston speed
Compression: 12.3:1 vs 13.0:1 - more bang
Throttle body appeture: 46 vs 48mm - more air
Maximum RPM: 13k vs 14k - horse power is a function of speed

My limited point of view is that Honda can make small changes to the motor (except maybe the bore) and add electronics and play at the top of the field with the same bike. There is nothing fundamentally superior about the others. I am sure Honda already has the technology, look at MotoGP.

They see no market for it otherwise they'd be there.

According to at least one article on the SP the Ohlins parts are not the equivalent of the aftermarket Ohlins. They went up in size for a stiffer part. Just an FYI.
 
#25 ·
You're saying people want even more 'bling'?
It's not selling because most people don't care about the sillyness that occurs out the topside of the 1000cc class.. :hangloose:
Despite what it sometimes seems, the majority of riders aren't trying to become the next Rossi and don't care for teenagers asking them at the local froyo spot if its an 'SP'.

That being said, the 'take my money' types yelled and Honda responded ...
 
#43 ·
  • Like
Reactions: thro
#28 ·
Exactly. great demonstration that owning a liter bike is completely "unnecessary ". When you decide to own one you are define what your necessities are. For some people is street ability, for others is bling, and others want track performance.

If you try to tell a MV agusts bling type that a ninja is faster at the track he will tell you that he doesn't care. If you tell a street rider that tc is great at the track he may not care as much, and so on and so forth.

Buy whatever the hell you want, if you spent your money on it,it was probably the best bike for you. Your categories don't apply to others, so why bother arguing about it?
 
#48 ·
Agree with you but this is why you make sure you're actually buying a bike 'for you'... and not because you want someone to slob all over your bike... Or because you want to yap about features you never use. Real riders don't give a fuck about such silly shit.

They can also handle a bike that doesn't have all the safety features.

P.S - MV Augustas look like chit and that tach looks like its out of the 80s.
 
#29 ·
what a awesome example of the fact that its the rider and not so much the machine. I've been involved with riding dirtbikes, motocross atv's , sportbikes and even snowmobiles for over 30 years. Everytime it comes down to the skill of the rider. I have sunk tens of thousands of dollars building some of my machines. I've never been a pro class rider by any means, in all these years I have learned that all that horsepower and fancy stuff is almost a waste. Just like that video proves. The best money I ever spent was on suspension. You can ride what you already have a lot faster if its set up properly. 200 horsepower seems more like bragging rights to me. I was in a position to buy any bike on the market a week ago. I chose Honda again because it is a proven package. Add in the reliability and you cant go wrong. I've only witnessed about 5% of the riders at racing events can even come close to riding a stock, late model machine even close to its full potential. Most of the time, you could put a skilled rider on a outclassed machine and he'd whip them anyway. But to me, it's always been my hobby, and building them is just as much fun as riding them. But I have learned, if your gonna pull up to the gate with your tricked out exotic bike, you better be prepared to back it up or your gonna look like a fool when the race is over. It's happened to me on many occasions. Then you gotta start digging up the excuses!!!
 
#38 ·
If you wanna win at top levels. I gotta kick that brand loyalty shit to the side. That or get a serious engine build.
Again, I hear Ya. But at my age, the "in it to win it" mentality is long gone. Life and priorities have long taken the place of fun and frivolity.

But that doesn't mean I don't want to upgrade or be competitive, while sticking with what I like :cool:
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top