Bikes are just metal and plastic. I don't know why people get so religious about brands. James Stewart owned the SX series this year on an old carbureted Yamaha that hadn't seen any major updates in several years, in spite of all the new tech FI competition. The old tech Yamaha had 12 wins, new tech EFI Suzuki and Kawasaki had a combined total of 5 wins, everyone else had a big Zero. So the Yammi seems like a pretty good bike to me. Why disparage an entire brand because someone you knew once had a bad experience one time?

 

But alot sure do ... and it's with everything.

Trucks: Ford - Chevy
Outboards: OMC - Merc - Yammi
Puters: Mac - Microsoft
Power Tools: Millwakee - Hiatachi
Hand tools: Well I think snap on won this one.

**** the list is probably endless.....girls might even do it with shoes and purses.

 

Yeah its brand loyalty... I mean... my dad refuses to buy Yamaha... because HIS dad always told him never buy Yamaha... and I know people with Yamahas that have had problems... I don't see how that's irrational... a history of known problems and QC issues AND having people I know having issues with their products? I don't see how that it is illogical to not buy a brand based on other's bad experiences. I won't buy a Dodge vehicle because damn near every Dodge/Chrysler vehicle I've seen was poorly made compared to a Chevy, Ford, or Toyota. That doesn't mean Dodges are all bad but I'd be hard-pressed to spend my money on one. Its like that with any brand... if a person hears all the crap we complain about with these Kawi bikes, they might not wanna buy one.

 

So. I know people who have had trouble with their Kawasakis. And KTMs. And Husqvarna's. And Hondas. And Suzukis. And BMWs. And yes, Yamahas too. Have I missed anyone? Talk to Eric about his KLX250S. It spent more time in the shop the first year than in his garage. How's your Kawasaki? Has it grenaded yet? Lots of people on here have had trouble with their KLX's. Doesn't mean it's a bad bike, or Kawasaki is a bad brand. But when a company makes and sells that many, there are going to be a few lemons, like Eric's. And then there are going to be a few who ran the oil dry and then wondered why their bike had problems and post on the internet about it and then the whole company gets a bad rap.

So, no, it doesn't really make sense to me. Why pick on Yamaha? Because your grand dad told your dad and your dad told you?

I know people have these, but I'm saying that I think they are mostly illogical. Yamaha's have been known as one of the most bullet proof 4-stroke motors and they have earned that reputation over quite a few years. Doesn't mean one won't occasionally drop a valve.

 

Well then list me as "one of them people" because I see no problem with avoiding a brand that IMO has a bad reputation. I guess I'm old-school because brand loyalty actually means something to me. I hate Bubba Stewart because he bailed on Kawasaki and got onto those damn blue bikes. I root for Ryan Vilapoto just because he's Kawasaki's A-Rider in SX. (And Kevin Windham because he's from around here ). I root for Chevy drivers in NASCAR because my first truck was a Chevy and I like Chevy. I guess enough people have told me bad things about their Yamahas that I'm spoiled on them. I'm not picking on them, just have heard tons more bad things about them than any other MC brand.

 

Fascinating.

 

No brakes....trust me... Bubba ain't riding no stock Yammy.

You can equate a factory SX bike to the stock model it represents about as much as you can a nascar to the car it represents.

 

Seriously? Because I thought for sure it was stock.

 

I say that because you said he was riding an old yamaha with no real updates.

That is kind of a moot point because whatever WAS on the bike as stock is no longer there now/during race time so its kinda of a redundant point to make.

It would be like if you were overweight and then lost all the weight and someone says "Well Nobrakes wouldn't fit into those pants, hes overweight."

 

Understood. Except the overweight analogy, I don't quite get it, but that's OK.

I guess my point was simply that it is a Yamaha. And that's the bike he says is awful. Yet it's on the top step of the '07 MX Nationals, the top step of the '08 SX series, and now the top step of the '09 SX series. All with different riders. So it must not be that bad, at least in comparison to the other major brands.

I don't really care, of course, he's free to buy what he wants. It's just faulty reasoning, IMO, to single out Yamaha. This is exactly the Ford vs Chevy debate. Any of the bikes in this class made by one of the major manufacturers is going to be made to pretty high standards. I seriously doubt any of their service departments are any more busy than any of the others. Personally, I'd buy the bike that best fits what I wanted to do with it, regardless of what color it was.