Based on what Yamaha seems to be focusing on....

It does not look like we will see a new RSV soon. I hope I am proven wrong, but based on the latest announcements from Yamaha, they do not seem to have an interest in big cross county cruisers. I will admit though that if they build the 2 seater sports car, I may be persuaded to go from 2 wheels to 4 for the fun mobile.

http://www.cycleworld.com/2015/10/29/yamaha-motobot-do-robots-dream-of-electric-speed-yes-world-domination/?src=SOC&dom=fb

http://d2brer6wwumtdu.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/MOTOBOT-YAMAHA.jpg

http://blog.motorcycle.com/2015/10/28/motorcycle-news/yamaha-sports-ride-concept/

http://blog.motorcycle.com.vsassets.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/102815-yamaha-4Wheeler-sports-ride-concept-f-633x388.jpg

http://blog.motorcycle.com/2015/10/28/manufacturers/yamaha/three-cylinders-three-wheels-yamaha-mwt-9-concept/

http://blog.motorcycle.com.vsassets.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/102815-yamaha-LMW_MWT-9_Concept-f-633x388.jpg

the good news is as dependable as these bikes are we will be able to buy lower mileage ones for the next 10-12 years and then ride them for 6-8 years so I'm good for about the next 18 years

What, that blue bike dont look comfortable for 10hr in the saddle?

I talked to the Marking VP for Yamaha at STAR Days the last two summers. For they honesty they have shown us, this is the closest I can figure to where they would go with a car.

(Excuse the f-bomb late in the video.)

Car is not bad. Not great, but not bad.

I think Yamaha would be making a good move pushing into the auto industry as long as they are smart about it. The sure have the engineering prowess for it and would have instant brand recognition. The big money is in the auto market.

A side bonus is if they got into the auto market and were successful, that means more corporate money to spend in other areas, like thier music and motorcycle divisions. I like this idea because with solod cash flow, they can take more risks in designs and types of motorcycles.

Like Honda has done trying to push into niche markets with the CTX and F6B. Both cool bikes but you have to question two "new" models competing for the same segment from the same company. I'd say they're throwing them out to see which sells better and drop the less successful one later on. Risky, but potentially rewarding if you grab the whole niche before anyone else horns in on it. The rest of the manufactureers end up playing "catch up" once you've grabbed the niche, like the Goldwing/Venture wars in the 80's. One manufacturer after the other firing heavy shots across the bow of the other.

But Honda can leverage their huge cash base as a corporation to offset their failures and when they hit a home run, its usually a grand slam. Or they just hold on and outlast they other guy, kinda what happened with the Venture and now Honda owns the heavy tourer market now. There's no real directly comparable model out there to the 'Wing.

At then end of they day, we win as motorcyclists if Yamaha builds its cash base larger and the freedom to take more risk means more models and more choices from mamma yamma instead of having to "play it safe" with what already sells.

Just my opinion, but here goes.I think heavy large displacement bikes are dead.The wing,f6b(wing minus a trunk),bmw 1600,are here to stay since the wing has been king since 1975.The 1800 versions do seem lighter though they are not.I and others have flocked to lighter cheaper bikes.The vrod 1130 ccs has oer a 100 hp.The scout 1000 ccs has 100 hp.The bmw 1000 rr has 193 hp.I think the high performance retro muscle cars and resto mods craze is fueling it.I am a baby boomer.No way i would want some 400 hp civic.But give me a challenger with 400 hp and i would buy it for sure.I think a 600-650 pound high performance bike built for different occasions even if its expensive would be the future.Like the b king.detuned hyabusa.Rideable on the street.Suzuki has no money so they are out of the touring business.Kawasaki builds ships, they are only in motorcycles for racing and motocross.Their vaquero and voyager are failures.But the fz7,fz9,new honda 650,kawasaki 650,the little harley street 750, those bikes are meeting the demographic demands.Most people want a bike for a while, then get tired of it.Put 10% down on a 30,000 dollar harley,finance if for 84 months.in a year regret sets in, they are for sale.If i understand correctly yamaha and honda have the most money.They make between them lawnmowers,cars,pianos,motorcycles.I was surprised to not see the yamaha 1300 do better than it has. It is cheaper than a roadking, but not by much,so people buy bikes that do not depreciate as quickly and get the harley.I saw a guy that took a bike with a 298 pound motor and the finished bike only weighed 700 pounds when he got done with it.I think it might have been a goldwing based,not sure.The valkyrie already does that.I owned one before,not light at all if its fitted for touring.The v max due to its followers will always be around.Kinda like a 1000 hp shelby mustang.But you wont see shelbys by the large numbers.In a local harley dealer they have a ultra.$53,000! And someone will buy it. I think yamaha with the bolt and fz bikes hit a homerun.Personally I think all bmw bikes are ugly.Plus they have too many different models. I am afraid the venture is not coming back.

I see absolutely no reason for the robot controlled motorcycle except for purposes of testing cutting edge bikes. Who here would possible want one? Would we get any pleasure from sitting in our living rooms with a fan blowing our hair while the robot was out riding our bike? OK....I can see it being used to develop the bots for performing chores like driving tractors and etc. but for motorcycling? I don't get it at all. Even for racing, I just can't see any racing enthusiast cheating on their favorite rider if they were all robots. Just makes no sense to me.

It would be fun watching robot ridden bikes competing against human riders just to see the humans intentionally wreck the robot controlled bikes:big-grin-emoticon:

I see absolutely no reason for the robot controlled motorcycle except for purposes of testing cutting edge bikes. Who here would possible want one? Would we get any pleasure from sitting in our living rooms with a fan blowing our hair while the robot was out riding our bike? OK....I can see it being used to develop the bots for performing chores like driving tractors and etc. but for motorcycling? I don't get it at all. Even for racing, I just can't see any racing enthusiast cheating on their favorite rider if they were all robots. Just makes no sense to me.

Testing bikes beyond what a human rider would care to go for fear of physical harm. That makes sense to me. Also, parallel testing of robotic functions and controls. Pretty cool...

This is my "new Venture"

My new Venture

Now it needs to warm up, in Minnesota

My new Venture[ATTACH=CONFIG]103206[/ATTACH]

Now it needs to warm up, in Minnesota

I have an 01 Crosier Deluxe Victory, love that bike. My dream was to upgrade to a Vision, I have road them love them. I believe Victory is the best US made bike. And a good bike for the price. However what ticked me off with Victory was after 10 years they will no longer support their bikes. Dealers are far and few between, getting work done is hard. But again over all a great bike

I posted else where and I agree with comments above. The big cruisers are dead for now.

The only thing Yamaha needs to do with the Venture is 1. Rename it, 2. get rid of the cassette player, 3. put in fuel injection-that will sell the bike.. Then they could offer a big wheel version- with a 22" chrome front wheel, bagger speakers, aftermarket seat, and removeable trunk kit. And please when you do another light bar- LET SOMEONE ELSE make it for you!!