New Yamaha XSR700 a Ducati Scrambler beater?

[kevdog3019]

I like it a lot! It's something new from Japan hasn't been offered so much recently. they are extremely good at upgrading incrementally on sportbikes cruisers you name it but this is just a bike that you can ride all around without getting  a huge ticket. I would definitely be in line for one except that I have the doorsoduro 750 that pretty much covers that area.

There you go guys... "something new from Japan".  Good enough to fawn over because it's new??  I need a better excuse than that.

[AGRO!]

One more example of why Guzzi needs to get more than a measly 38hp from the V7 as the Yamaha is rated 73hp with 2 cylinders and the almost the same displacement

Yes it would be nice to have more HP but I purchased the V7 after having 4 demo rides and the low HP to me it was no big deal.
For me its more about riding on the street without being tempted to do dumb stuff like I used to do on sports bikes plus I love the ease of maintenance.
I notice you have a 04 R1 I used to own a 05 model  but have you ever adjusted the valves on a R1?
If not its a big job just to get to the stage of checking them but if you need to reshim any it makes the job even worse.
Yes big HP is awesome but with great power comes headaches! 

[Kentktk]

I wonder how many people know or care how much HP their engine is making? The Yamaha will feel like a Yamaha and all the HP in the world won't change that.

I am sure almost all motorcyclists and the guys here know how much HP their bike has. Unless of course it's a V7, because you would want to be oblivious to keep from embarrassment when asked.

[Kentktk]

Yes it would be nice to have more HP but I purchased the V7 after having 4 demo rides and the low HP to me it was no big deal.
For me its more about riding on the street without being tempted to do dumb stuff like I used to do on sports bikes plus I love the ease of maintenance.
I notice you have a 04 R1 I used to own a 05 model  but have you ever adjusted the valves on a R1?
If not its a big job just to get to the stage of checking them but if you need to reshim any it makes the job even worse.
Yes big HP is awesome but with great power comes headaches! 

Well since the first valve adjustment requirement is at 26,000 miles ( and that's with a 5 valve head ) and it has 12,000 miles on it in 10 years it could easily be a total of 20 years before I would ever need to do it. Amazing what real engineering can produce!

[AGRO!]

I'm sure your aware why Yamaha went to 4 valve heads?

[Phil/TX]

Lots of bikes out there, scramblers were sort of started by Honda's 250 & 305's with high pipes, many don't remember, before there was Moto Cross, it was called Scrambles racing. FZ-07 is a great bike, the radiator should be black, then it will go away a little. It has all the atrbutes of a good bike, light weight, reasonable power, low price, and a good seating position. Only needs wind protection. As far as touring, I think that has more to do with the attitude of the rider! I have ridden a KLR across the country, an FZ 6 on a 4,000 mile trip, and a BMW on several long trips, so I believe attitude has more to do with riding, than style, or power.............F unction before Form..........like Guzzi's

[Phang]

I figure the W650 wanted to tap into contemporary Bonnie success but the W650 goes back to the W1 of 1965 which was a bit of a BSA clone if anything. Then, the W650 had a bunch of its own thinking involved.

This subtractive XSR seems to merely be an FZ07(MZ?) with not even tenuous connections to its supposed inspiration, the original XS.

Todd.

The W650 and contemporary (Hinckley) Bonneville launched at about the same time. In fact, the W650 being a year earlier in 1999.

[Kentktk]

I'm sure your aware why Yamaha went to 4 valve heads?

I am and it was nothing to do with mechanical issues. Wasn't worth the expense for gain.

[AGRO!]

http://www.r1-forum.com/forums/104-04-06-r1-mechanical-help/303942-r1-valve-problems.html
This is the reason I sold mine I got rid of the bike before any issues came up.

[boatdetective]

Well, if you just look at the mass and complexity of the wc engine, you know that it can never look "retro. However, that's just a given. Live with it. The tank shape is another thing. When looking at the tank in 3D in the video, it's not that bad.  I think you need to gauge things by the intended use/market. Certainly, you wouldn't waste time saying that this is a lousy choice for a HD cruiser type. Equally, this bike was not designed ot built for old Moto Guzzi guys trapped in 1970s technology.  It is a machine built to a price for younger riders. Yamaha wants to draw in hipsters with an homage to the past, but using a modern engine that has oomph, efficiency, and higher power to weight.

It's been said before- but faithful retro standards have been built for perceived demand from traditionalists (Honda GB500, Kawa W650, Honda CB1100). In every case, the older rider/retro market has proven petulant and unappreciative of these spectacular efforts. As a result, I doubt that Yamaha gives a damn what folks on this board whine about. They certainly aren't going to engineer a ground up air cooled mill just so you folks can bitch about the fin spacing.

It's a concept bike that is trying to draw younger riders into the sport with a simpler, less expensive motorcycle that has a great ratio of fun to $$$. Good on 'em. I'm intrigued to see the progress in design and applaud new technology especially when it tries to pare down to essentials. I hope they sell a boatload of 'em.

[O]

I am sure almost all motorcyclists and the guys here know how much HP their bike has. Unless of course it's a V7, because you would want to be oblivious to keep from embarrassment when asked.

Before I bought my V7 I was fully aware of it's (perceived by some, lack of) power.  One test ride was all it took to prove the naysayers wrong.  It has all of the real world power I need.  Of course, when I was buying a motorcycle, I wasn't trying to compensate for something else. 

[Bisbonian]

God I love it; call all "standards" scramblers now. At least cafe's had a bit more distinction. Sales 101 I know.
THIS IS NOT A SCRAMBLER.

Who is calling this a Scrambler? The linked article just says this is competition for the Ducati Scrambler.

[bad Chad]

The  constant droll here from some about the lack of HP from the v7 is so tiring.  It is what it is, and it's going to remain what it is until, it's not!!!

The Sporty 883, Honda Shadow 750, and 700 series twins and v7s, all produce similar power numbers, proving that there is a market for modest powered bikes.

Not every car sold today comes with a 500 hp big block, many many seem to be getting buy on far less than 200!

Uhg!!!

[canuguzzi]

I am sure almost all motorcyclists and the guys here know how much HP their bike has. Unless of course it's a V7, because you would want to be oblivious to keep from embarrassment when asked.

Unless you've put it on a dyno you won't know squat. Otherwise, all you'll know is what someone else told you. Embarrassment isn't answering how much horsepower a Moto Guzzi has, embarrassment is asking in the first place and thinking anyone cares.

[Kentktk]

The  constant droll here from some about the lack of HP from the v7 is so tiring.  It is what it is, and it's going to remain what it is until, it's not!!!

The Sporty 883, Honda Shadow 750, and 700 series twins and v7s, all produce similar power numbers, proving that there is a market for modest powered bikes.

Not every car sold today comes with a 500 hp big block, many many seem to be getting buy on far less than 200!

Uhg!!!

Unfortunately the V7 is always at the bottom of theses bikes producing similar power. Wish it weren't so. If it were on the top of the list, no doubt those spouting horsepower doesn't matter would be praising Guzzi's engineering prowess with being able to have the most HP of similar bikes.

[canuguzzi]

Unfortunately the V7 is always at the bottom of theses bikes producing similar power. Wish it weren't so. If it were on the top of the list, no doubt those spouting horsepower doesn't matter would be praising Guzzi's engineering prowess with being able to have the most HP of similar bikes.

It doesn't matter how much HP a bike produces, there is always another that produces more. If you want higher HP, then you buy one that makes enough for you to maintain bragging rights.

There is a reason why some riders on high HP sport bikes can't keep up with good riders on single cylinder Aprilia Pegaso's or other similarly limited HP machines. No amount of HP can make up for a rider lacking riding skills. Sure, on the straights the higher HP bike can out accelerate the other bike but all straight roads end in a curve or a stop. You can try but you can't outrun skill, one of two things happen, you end up in a ditch or you've proved yourself to be someone no one else wants to ride with.

When all things are equal, more HP makes for a faster bike but not all things are equal, ever. There will always be people who buy one thing and then complain it isn't something else. Complaining about your own choices won't ever be cured with more HP.

[bad Chad]

Unfortunately the V7 is always at the bottom of theses bikes producing similar power. Wish it weren't so. If it were on the top of the list, no doubt those spouting horsepower doesn't matter would be praising Guzzi's engineering prowess with being able to have the most HP of similar bikes.

No, your wrong.  A quick check of evaluations over at Motorcycle Consumer shows the v7 does indeed make more HP than a Honda Shadow. 

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

Exactly!!  Figures are figures and they don't give you a true perspective of how things function.  Rather shallow thinking IMO.

You just described the American consumer

[lorazepam]

If it can get a ticket on the interstate, it has enough horsepower. That is just my opinion. I haven't found a long enough deserted stretch of road to see how fast my V7 will go, but it really doesn't matter, it does highway speeds just fine.  Guess I am getting old enough to not give a rat's ass about numbers when it comes to motorcycles.

[Lannis]

If it can get a ticket on the interstate, it has enough horsepower. That is just my opinion. I haven't found a long enough deserted stretch of road to see how fast my V7 will go, but it really doesn't matter, it does highway speeds just fine.  Guess I am getting old enough to not give a rat's ass about numbers when it comes to motorcycles.

I agree.   But some folks on this very forum have said that 150 horsepower on a street bike is not enough for them; they could use 200 if the bike would provide it.

And I'm sure that if it actually had 200 horsepower, they'd insist that they really need 225, etc etc etc

Lannis

[Chuck in Indiana]

I agree.   But some folks on this very forum have said that 150 horsepower on a street bike is not enough for them; they could use 200 if the bike would provide it.

And I'm sure that if it actually had 200 horsepower, they'd insist that they really need 225, etc etc etc

Lannis

Uh.. you've never heard me say, "That would be a really nice bike (or airplane) if it had a little less horsepower.." 
Guilty, yer honor.

[lorazepam]

Uh.. you've never heard me say, "That would be a really nice bike (or airplane) if it had a little less horsepower.." 
Guilty, yer honor.

You won't hear me say I wish I had less bullets, though  .

[Penderic]

Definitely not ready for a Moto Guzzi.

 

[Lannis]

You won't hear me say I wish I had less bullets, though  .

Or less altitude.   Or less fuel.   Or less runway ......

[canuguzzi]

I see a difference between having enough and saying you want less, especially if you don't really know for sure what you have in the first place. How many of us can say we know what the HP numbers are at the rear wheel? Given the states of tune so often talked about here, the differences between bikes of the same model could run 10 HP or more.

[canuguzzi]

Less cars.

[SteveRivet]

Ugly front end IMHO.  Don't like the radiator, or how the tank looks cut in half. Probably pretty functional, but they have to quit hiring designers who's favorite movies are the Transformer series.

Steve

That's going to sell like hot cakes!


http://lanesplitter.jalopnik.com/the-yamaha-xsr700-is-the-ducati-scrambler-competitor-we-1719558774




The inspiration

[Doppelgaenger]

Unfortunately the V7 is always at the bottom of theses bikes producing similar power. Wish it weren't so. If it were on the top of the list, no doubt those spouting horsepower doesn't matter would be praising Guzzi's engineering prowess with being able to have the most HP of similar bikes.

At this point I do have to make a case for this: Guzzi may make "underpowered" engines, but there is a lot to be said about engines that are understressed. If a guzzi engine doesn't have any kind of manufacturing defect, it's likely to last longer than all the other engines of the same displacement that make around the same power.

[Kev m]

I like this new Yammie variant, it's less ugly and more interesting than most other bikes coming from JAPanInc.

I figure the W650 wanted to tap into contemporary Bonnie success but the W650 goes back to the W1 of 1965 which was a bit of a BSA clone if anything. Then, the W650 had a bunch of its own thinking involved.

I would argue that a licensed copy is not a clone or knock off, but legally the same thing.

And if memory serves, the W650 preceded the neo-Bonnie.

[Kev m]

One more example of why Guzzi needs to get more than a measly 38hp from the V7 as the Yamaha is rated 73hp with 2 cylinders and the almost the same displacement

Point of order, the 73 hp figure is undoubtedly crank and not rear wheel, so let's not exaggerate, the comparison is 50 vs 73.

But again, I can choose between a similar difference every time I walk into the garage (V7 vs. Duc) and 9/10 times I choose the V7.