Excuse The Rant

Technology moves on. There really is no doubt about that and motorcycles are no exception. Lately, I've been seeing a lot of videos on the old interweb comparing new sportbikes to old ones; the conclusion is always the same: the 20XX model is a  better performer than the 19XX model.

Well yea. That's pretty obvious, if you're comparing like models. The same can be said for cars. If you take a 19XX Corvette compared to a 20XX model, it's leaps and bounds better. Or a 19XX F1 racer to a 20XX model. But I mean really, is that a surprise? No? Yea, didn't think so...

I saw a video that compared a limited production 1989 Yamaha FZR750RR (OWO1) to a 2008 Yamaha R1 (A mass produced model.) The conclusion of the video was that 20 years has made a better bike. Again, yea obviously. That is the point of moving forward. But that's not what draws people to want to own an older model.

Perhaps it's the different time periods. Back when the FZR750RR was made, the 750 class was the Superbike class. That's what people wanted. That's what people looked to for the absolute top notch models. So Yamaha did just that. They made a lightweight Superbike with all the best off the shelf components and technologies of its day (Ohlins suspension, close ratio gear box, metallurgy improvements like magnesium and titanium) but it gets a lot of criticism from the riding position.

Yes it is a super uncomfortable ride for the road with it's high pegs coupled with it's leaned over clip-on position and it's spartan seat. But you have to remember. The road wasn't the aim for this bike. It was a limited production (500 or so) - bread-for-the-track all out racer.

Turn the tables 20 years and the company isn't all that about racing - it's about selling and marketing to make that bottom dollar. Superbike racing had also taken a different course. It was now about 1,000CC 4 cylinder bikes.

This meant that Yamaha could take the production YZF-R1 (first introduced in 1998 as an open class sport bike) which had been built upon since it's inception and in 2008; completely out do a 1989 FZR750RR on the track

This is but a small example of the advances and videos made regarding sport bikes but a valid one.

Call me crazy, but I think the people who pay top dollar for a 1990 Corvette ZR1 aren't paying that cause they saw a video that said the 2006 model had 130 more HP and a better chassis.....