If you are one of those guys (like me) that can't wait to see the new model roll outs every two years, get ready for some disappointment. I read an article over the weekend that confirmed the product development cycles in Liter bikes and 600 sport bikes is going to get a lot longer. Expect minor updates each year and "Bold New Graphics" but the basic designs will remain around for much longer. Blame a slowing world economy for the change, the manufacturers are all fighting for a piece of a shrinking pie and just trying to survive in a post bubble world.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 12/29/2009 @ 7:39 AM *

I think that's awesome. Not the post-bubble but the fact that you can buy the bike of your choice and not have to worry so much if next years model will be better. Gives a guy half a chance to ware one of these babies out with mileage. I'd like to see the world economy ramp up but I hope development of motorcycles goes stagnant for 10 years.

Where I would like to see technology advance in the performance world is in mods. It would be good to see the motorcycle manufacturers start making after market stuff. They might be able to sell that easier than a whole new motorcycle and keep their bikes updated at the same time. ....then again, why keep the bikes updated if no other manufacturers are?

* Last updated by: Rook on 12/29/2009 @ 8:20 AM *

The post-bubble era is going to be a very different one in a lot of ways Rook so you may get your wish. Many folks feel that we will never return to the boom days of the 80's and 90's and maybe that's a good thing. It's going to be a brave new world out there.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 12/29/2009 @ 9:00 AM *

It's about time.I like seeing new models but every two years was getting ridiculous.Imagine what it's going to be like to get parts for them.All these bikes are so close anymore it just comes down to preference.!!!

I will admit, the planned obsolescence and purposely short ownership time goals of the car and motorcycle industries have vexed me greatly for 40 years.

They did it to themselves, and we let them.

For example, I priced a decently appointed 2-wheel drive extended-cab 2010 Ranger and it came out to roughly US$25,000 and about $430/month. FOR A RANGER ! Who are they kidding?

I hope they all go out of business. They would have if we hadn't had the Congress we currently have to save them. Which I don't feel was the right thing to do.

Its the same problem Harley-Davidson is having. Part of the reason for shutting down Buell was because HD couldn't afford to keep the factory running. For too long they artificially pumped up the price on their bikes, and got away with it because over 90% of their sales were to YUPPIES who wear suits and ties during the work week and pose on the weekends. These days, the yuppies are older and don't make as much money and $20,000+ for a HD is not often an option when you can barely pay the mortgage and your kid's college tuition.

Either the car and motorcycle companies react quickly and properly to the reality of the new economy, or we'll come around to round two of "bail us out or we go out of business" and since all the money is spent for the next 40 years, I guess they'll just have to go out of business.

I'm guessing 2011 is about how long it will take for them to re-fail if they keep doing business as usual (which, like the President, they promised not to do).

Privateer, it sounds like it may be time for some tough love. We, the American taxpayer, cannot afford to bail out every Tom, Dick and Harry that overindulged during the boom years. This is part of the boom and bust cycle of capitalism, you have to take the good with the bad. What I'm seeing is that the very same cast of characters that stole billions during the boom are now scoring billions in tax payer dollars to pay off their losses. A correction in the market is typically as great as the boom that proceeded it, if so, we are a long way from the bottom right now. If the government continues to pump money they don't have into dead, zombie corporations and banks in a futile attempt to prop them up, then the necessary market corrections will never take place and we could be in for a long, long depression. If they would just let the chips fall where they may, the necessary corrections will take place automatically. Poorly run banks and companies will go under and be replaced by smaller, more efficient operators. The "invisible hand" of the market knows best.

Right on, Kruz... -bg

re: Letting the government stop destroying the market system (gasp! Capitalism! how evil!).

good luck. the misguided political leaders (convince me that this isn't an elected ruling class) are confident that they are doing God's Work. Until you can convince Joe Sixpack and the voters that decided that "Hopey Changey" is a better way this downward spiral is going to continue. When you get bored check out France's Brave New World. That's where we're headed. Mediocrity? Embrace it! It's YOUR future!

God help US.

* Last updated by: ZX14Bobo on 12/31/2009 @ 9:39 AM *

How can things change....we have a leader who doesn't even know the difference between a "bow of respect", and a "bow of submission"!

If the government continues to pump money they don't have into dead, zombie corporations and banks in a futile attempt to prop them up, then the necessary market corrections will never take place and we could be in for a long, long depression. If they would just let the chips fall where they may, the necessary corrections will take place automatically

Take it on the chin now or 'you know where' to our dieing day. I vote for the chin.

* Last updated by: Rook on 12/31/2009 @ 10:03 AM *

Yesterday my wife was running around getting numbers off the appliances and filling out forms. "What are you doing Hon?" "I'm renewing the extended warranties on our appliances."
That got me to thinking. Wasn't that long ago, to me, that when you bought something you chose the brand that was the most reliable...unless it cost too much. Appliances and automobiles only broke down because that was the state of engineering development. Engineering has gotten beyond the point where products can be made to last much longer and have replaceable parts for parts which must wear out due to theur function. It has gotten so advanced that they can make a product which will not last!
What do they ask you when you buy something? "Do you want the extended warranty?" What's the message? This is a reliable and well made product...NOT The message is, This is a piece of crap so now that you've paid for it you need to pay more because the date of planned obsolescence is a secret. Then later you have to pay more because things are made from non-replacable parts. You don't buy things any more you just make payments until they fail.
I too have a sense of relief that development will slow down. Maybe the byproduct of that will be attention to detail.
I agree with Rook. I'd like to see development of available upgrade mods and dependable replacement parts. Although I'm glad I bought the ZX14 I'd be happy to just maintain it, ride it , and trick it out a little, for many years to come.

Sharkey, I made the final payment on my Ford Exploder in September. With only 48,000 miles on it I figured I'd be driving payment free for another 10 years. Two months later the heater blend door failed. The part costs $79 from the local Ford stealer but they wanted $1000 labor to install it since they have to dismantle the dash, center console, half the interior, discharge the airconditioning evaporator and then re-service it. My airconditioner is one of the few things that still works half decent on this vehicle so I decided to freeze this winter. An internet search shows the part was designed back in the 90's, is made from cheap plastic that cracks from thermal cycling and Ford has known about it forever. It's also one of the most common failures, and most expensive to repair on this vehicle. This is my third and last Ford. I will buy foreign next time around. Ford are you listening??

" is made from cheap plastic that cracks from thermal cycling "

I'll bet the guy who designed and speced this part got a Bonus!

all this gloom and doom ... how many bikes you purchased this year kruz ..

everybody preaching doom when really its not that bad .. when you have to eat mud pies then its bad ..

Having to buy a new toaster because the temperature switch is not replacable is metaphorically like eating a mud pie.

Having to buy a new toaster because the temperature switch is not replacable is metaphorically like eating a mud pie.

or a computer because it doesn't have a fuse in to protect it from a power spike..

or a tv

better yet 915,000 spent on every forclosed house to save it .. average house cost 145,000 .. wait til you get that mud pie ... oh wait you won't ...your grandkids will...

Not to worry-our trusted servants know what to do with our money........................WHAT was the topic again?Am I anywhere near the ballpark here?

* Last updated by: blue07 on 12/31/2009 @ 4:17 PM *

you forgot the ring leader blue

With estimates ranging from 50 to over 90 trillion in unsecured debt, the party in the US looks to be over forever. Forget about the next generation or the one after that. Foriegn countries will own the US because the only way to pay off the US national debt will be to sell off assets ..hard assets. The Dems will allow that to happen if they are in power. (Obama may very well leave the "damned US" and move on to head up the new world government in the works. He seems well positioned politicallly to do that.)
That cloud on the horizion which everyone to thinks the US escaped ..well it has not gone away.It is coming in with two ton economic hail stones. The US could very well not resemble anything like it does today in the next twenty years ..
The billions the Fed simply printed,will likely soon spawn hyper inflation that will cratter the value of the US dollar. Real income for the average guy if that happens is going to become third world overnight with everything becoming astronomicallly expensive.
Forget product cycles for bikes ..or anything ..Only the very well off will have the ability to buy a motorcycle or a new car.
What the US faces with trillions of dollars of dbet ..(who can even grasp that number) seems absolutely impossible to run from ..There simply is not enopugh wealth generation in the whole world to deal with the debt level the US has racked up. It is like watching some sick comedy to see Nancy and Harry playing at spendiong more money ..while Rome is already burned to the ground.
The US is like a beautiful new airliner headed straight for the ground in the dead of night ..The passengers are comfortable for now ..the pilot has reassured them all is well..but the plane is nearing mach 1 and the ground is coming up in seconds.
It litterally will only be by some supernatural event that intervenes to cause the plane not to crash ..So it will be with the nation of the US.

* Last updated by: painterdude on 12/31/2009 @ 4:44 PM *

well painter ..don't think for 1 minute that Canada isn't in the baggage compartment

oh and the russkies are shooting at meteors

* Last updated by: Badzx14r on 12/31/2009 @ 4:48 PM *

With estimates ranging from 50 to over 90 trillion in unsecured debt

if this works like any banking does .. the 1 holding the unsecured debt is the 1 that gets screwed

We will pull through-it's not over.But there's gonna be a lot of well- offs(in the administration and elsewhere up there) that are gonna be lookin for a job before too long.Mark my words boys-the American people know what's REALLY happening.We just don't conduct ourselves like-say,Iran.Or China.Or the Gaza Strip.We do it with our votes."their time IS short"....it's gonna work out okay-just goin through some bumps here in the road(America-STILL THE GREATEST!!!)

* Last updated by: blue07 on 12/31/2009 @ 6:12 PM *

Does this mean I'm stupid for always having all my credit cards paid in full?

When I was a kid, I had 2 pair of shoes, dress and tennies, only rich people drove Cadillacs, only radical non-conformists rode motorcycles, Japan made only cheap toys, and Volkswagens had 36 HP and no gas guage. Significantly, everybody didn't think they were entitled to everything they wanted. You saved up to buy something you wanted. And you know what?
It wasn't such a bad world.

Plan B
The US declares bankrupcy and pays off all debts at $.01 on the dollar. If you don't like it you can lend us 10 billion dollars and we will defend ourselves. Makes as much sense as anything else! You know... maybe it's because todays politicians were the guys dropping all the acid back in the 60's.

There's a plan behind it all-you can bet on that.And the ones up there doin the dirt know that it's pretty much their last opportunity to get rich quick.Like Giethner stated"we don't want to waste a crisis".How true how true."keep em guessin"-that's exactly what they're tryin to accomplish-zero accountability-and if we don't like it-(Just see Ried's pic up there)That's their view of the American people.This Administration's done-finished.Kaput.

Doom and gloom, fire and brimstone, the bible predicted it all; right? And if you guys think that the dems brought all of this upon us, then you just need to turn off Fox and go back to sleep. Don't get me wrong I do think that the dems need to get their heads out of their asses, but this snowball has been rolling for a lot longer then the past year or so. I watched G. Bush jr. do a lot of dumb sh*t and I am sure that Obama will do his share aswell(did he really bow ). However I think that the position should be respected no matter which clown is holding it. I believe that you have to work and work hard for anything that you get ie: no bailouts. Just give me a fair playing field and I can do the rest. The thing that scares me the most is inflation, I don't make crap now and now that is going to be worth less . But back to the topic, I think the a longer development cycle on bikes will turn out to be a good thing. Look at all the mods that came around for the zx11, & busa. Those bikes had minmum changes for years and people couldn't get enough of them and the after market parts.