[silverf4i]

It is my opinion that Honda is making a big mistake by leaving the f4i price at 8199 :confused when for $400 more you can get a 600rr. I just think there sales of f4is will drop while everyone is waiting to get a 600rr.

What do you guys think?

 

[TXF4i]

Different target audience - Exclude all squids from this scenario

A reasonable persone stepping up from dirt bikes or a 250 would still be very interested in a F4i. A veteran of the 600 or 1000 class would be more excited by the 600RR, and less likely to dump it on day 1.

The F4i is billed as an all day every day bike. The 600RR is a track bike that is street legal. You aren't going to see guys commuting in a 600RR, but you will see it on an F4i. Heck I do it occationally.

If they lower the price it just devalues all the F4i that are currently on the road. Keep that price high

 

[Kev]

I don't think that F4i sales in 2003 could be anywhere close to the sales in 2002 as long as the RR is out. Look at YZF-600R sales compared to the R6; price isn't really the issue.

 

[sargent]

I don't think the RR is going to be produced in the numbers that everyone is expecting. I'm guessing that they'll make less of them than the did the RC51 the first year. Maybe 1 per dealership?? The supply may drive the RR's price up and turn more people over to the regular F4i, which is probably a better bike for the majority of riders anyhow.

 

[Snowman]

I agree that it will not impact sales, F4i will be a good starter bike as the 600RR will produced in low numbers. Time will tell

 

[silverf4i]

I agree that it will not impact sales, F4i will be a good starter bike as the 600RR will produced in low numbers. Time will tell

Saying the f4i is a good starter bike would have gotten quite a stir on sbn, funny how things change for the better sometimes. I guess now that the 600s are getting faster and faster what once was considered the top of the heap is considered good for beginners.

 

[JoeyZ]

F4i good for BEGINNERS? Not sure I understand that. God forbid that new RR didnt come out, everyone would still favor the F4i. In all seriousness, do you really think the RR will have THAT much more power and speed then the F4i? Let be realistic here. Those that will really benefit are the guys on the track. I can just hear it now......my RR will beat your F4i.......

No schmuck on the street will notice a real difference.

I like the new RR a lot, but to call the F4i a beginner bike is nuts. Not to mention that most of these assholes who have never ridden before are gonna head right for the RR anyway.

 

[WOT Blake]

The RR will sell like crazy and the f4i will flop....

R6...YZF600

ZX6R...ZX6E

The f4i is a awesome bike...but squids will be squids...

BTW, I would take the RR...

Those pegs are just to low on the F4i for me...*grind*

 

[silverf4i]

F4i good for BEGINNERS? Not sure I understand that. God forbid that new RR didnt come out, everyone would still favor the F4i. In all seriousness, do you really think the RR will have THAT much more power and speed then the F4i? Let be realistic here. Those that will really benefit are the guys on the track. I can just hear it now......my RR will beat your F4i.......

No schmuck on the street will notice a real difference.

I like the new RR a lot, but to call the F4i a beginner bike is nuts. Not to mention that most of these assholes who have never ridden before are gonna head right for the RR anyway.

I agree with WOT Blake's post just like in the past people will want the newest/best bike out there and for only $400 more the decision is already made for them.

 

[syk0path]

just the looks alone is worth $400 but good luck getting it for the sticker price. THey're gonna jack that baby up for the first several months after its release

 

[nace]

if the rr is going to be as scarce as people say, i would imagine owning one will come at a premium, i know that dealers ADD to the sticker price on the s2000 and the new z350 because of the high demand and low quantity...

 

[nace]

i think honda's marketing of the f4i is pretty good...

with the addition of the 600rr to their lineup...

they are putting the f4i up against the katana 600, zx6E and the yamaha 600r...

which one would you want to own?

 

[LeanAngle]

I haven't heard anything about the RR being limited production. That would put them way behind Kawi and Yamaha. They are both releasing all new 600s. Even though the zx-6rr will be limited production, the zx-6r is still all new.

I expected them to change the F4i slightly. I thought you would see a softer seat, tuned for better mid-range, and maybe higher bars with a price more competitive with the yzf-600r and the zx-6e. I thought that would have been a much better idea, and would have expanded on the F4i's "best streetbike" status.

 

[UFO]

No schmuck on the street will notice a real difference.

Agreed.

But that won't keep all the squids on the street from thinking the RR is at least twice as fast as the F4i. :laughing

 

[Brian FXSTB]

I think Honda is making a mistake by marking up the 600rr to 8699. You can almost buy a litre bike for that price!

I paid around 8k out the door for my f4i 2 years ago.... and my tax rate here is 7%!!! Honda might be 'out-pricing' themselves on these new models..... the other manufacturers make just as good of a bike, and if they decide not to increase their prices any, it WILL hurt Honda sales.

I wouldnt hesitate to buy a GIX600 for 700 cheaper..... I'll say that for the record.

 

[geremy]

You aren't going to see guys commuting in a 600RR

Think again.

I commute on the '51 now...

 

[icehot113]

just cuz the price of a 600rr is $8500 and the price of a literbike is not much more doesnt mean people will skip 600s.... people want 600s, not everyone cares to own a literbike, if u want to look at it like that, why are 750s not more popular, why dont all the people who buy gixxer 600s just spend the little extra and get a 750...

the 600rr im sure will be a big seller, i like the new kawis better, but it will still sell like crazy, as far as being limited production, i have yet to hear anything like that, but look at the 919, try finding one of them... im sure it will be hard to find a 600rr for a few months, but not necessairly because of limited production, but because they will be sold before they get out of the crates... just like the gixxer 100s were hard to find when they first came out...

just my opinion.
-icehot113

 

[TXF4i]

just like the gixxer 100s were hard to find when they first came out...-icehot113

I hear its REALLLY hard to find those 100s:redflip

geremy- Ive seen people downtown on RC's also. I think a better comparison would be if you were on a RC-45. The RR is more of a track bike than streetbike (like the 45). Squids on curbs and track days are where the majority of these will show up.

I do agree that if noone else increases the price of their 600ss. Honda sales will suffer.

 

[LeanAngle]

geremy- Ive seen people downtown on RC's also. I think a better comparison would be if you were on a RC-45. The RR is more of a track bike than streetbike (like the 45). Squids on curbs and track days are where the majority of these will show up.

I'd disagree with that. I haven't read anything that said the RR was going to be a bad streetbike. I'm sure the ergonomics won't be any worse than an RC-51, or any of the Gixxers for that matter. It'll be on the street.

I do agree that this will be the hot squid bike of the year. Maybe not, but It'll be a close call between it and the R6. I'm gonna wait and try to pick up a nice salvage RR. I'm predicting that it will be the winner of the "Most Binned" award for 2003.

 

[nace]

I do agree that this will be the hot squid bike of the year. Maybe not, but It'll be a close call between it and the R6. I'm gonna wait and try to pick up a nice salvage RR. I'm predicting that it will be the winner of the "Most Binned" award for 2003.

LOL you read my mind:laughing

i am hoping to also pick up a salvage one and re--build it or possibly turn it into a track bike