Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

39th Tokyo Motor show because, as Makino explained, it was still early in the product-development cycle and the design was not yet finalized. In fact, Makino explained that this was the first time Yamaha has made public a prototype of a planned production vehicle. 'This display is, I'd like to say, our contract to the customers," said Makino about a Yamaha model that was obviously close to his heart and holds an important place in Yamaha's product line. "Please understand that the VMAX represents Yamaha's attitude. "The VMAX was a very original design," Makino continued. "Yes, the other models have caught the VMAX in terms of power output, but people still buy and ride the VMAX. Why? Engine character, and no comparison with other bikes in styling. That's why the VMAX has survived in the market." When pressed to suggest what kind of displacement or horsepower numbers Yamaha was targeting, Makino declined to volunteer details. 'lIt this moment we cannot say engine 28 horsepower or capacity, or motorcycle weight," he said. "It's all undecided. Of course we have some targets, but now it's too early to say. Yes, the engine power needs to improve. But this is very tough for us. Our customer's expectations are still very high: 'I need more horsepower!' But we cannot make motorcycles and say, 'Please don't ride in the rainy days.' We can't say that. It's very important that we maintain the balance of engine character and horsepower, and we want to show attitude. That's why it's a very tough project. But this is our promise to the customer: that two years from now, we want to show the actual production model." Americans also probably would appreciate Yamaha's new supermotard version of the XT2S0. Starting from the enduro version of the XT2S0, Yamaha fitted 17-inch spoke wheel, bigger brakes, and tum signal and rear lights straight from the YZF-R6. Smart touch. Yamaha also had the ultimate poser bike, the 10-foot-long MAXAM 3000. For whatever reason, Japanese motorcycle NOVEMBER 9, 2005 • CYCLE NEWS designers tend to create a part-scooter, part-something-else concept. In the case of the MAXAM 3000, the something-else is a 1960s American car, complete with big chrome bumpers front and rear. "I am the designer, but people call me the 'crazy stylist,'" said MAXAM 3000 designer Takuya Nakamura. "I like 1960s American cars, and the MAXAM 3000 is an EI Camino!" The rest of Yamaha's engineering art included a new Passol-L electric scooter with a SO-percent-bigger battery; a fuelcell scooter of which Yamaha has thus far sold only one, due to the fact that the only place fuel can be purchased is at Yamaha corporate headquarters; a utility scooter called VOX that allows owners to fit a variety of different boxes on the back to tailor the vehicle to their use \VOX = Variety bOX); and a concept model with the unpronounceable name "Deinonychus," a two-wheel-drive electric cycle that can stretch its wheelbase and riding height to suit the owner's preferences. SUZUKI For old-school sport-riding motorcyclists turned off by scooter-cycles that look like they came from Disneyland and disappointed that Yamaha's VMAX was just a styling mock-up, Suzuki was the place to be at the Tokyo Motor Show. Yes, Suzuki was not afraid to recognize that speed sells motorcycles, and a six-cylinder adrenaline fix called the Stratosphere was there for the two-wheeled speed junkies. "We started work on the Stratosphere in November, 2004," explained Suzuki engineer Shinji Tamura "We did not think about the market so much. Instead, we thought about Suzuki's philosophy on motorcycles. In the project member meeting, we discussed that the engine feeling was the most important element. For engine feeling, we chose this six-cylinder configuration. A straight-four and V-four were not the best choice for riding feeling." According to the press material released from Suzuki, a six-cylinder engine has a smoother feeling at idle, a better response in the midrange, and a higher rpm redline that gives an impression of wanting to rev and

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