Filed under: Japan, Tokyo Motor Show, Motorcycles
Yamaha XS-V1 Sakura concept to be shown in Tokyo
Click image to enlarge
Up until today, we weren't sure whether love at first sight was a real phenomenon or not. Now we know: It is. The object of our affection (this time) is the Yamaha XS-V1 Sakura concept. Face it, retro so hot right now -- and the Sakura definitely qualifies as retro. V-Twin propulsion is always welcome in a street-biased standard-style bike, and the Sakura features a familiar one in the 1100cc air-cooled unit from Yamaha. The marketing mavens from Yamaha use a contradictory term in describing this bike, saying it has a "retro-modern aesthetic." Whatever. Their press-release also introduces us to a Japanese word: Kando, which stands for "the simultaneous feeling of deep satisfaction and intense excitement that people experience when they encounter something of exceptional value." And all this time, we've been thinking it was just indigestion. Ah well. Just give us the bike and all is forgiven. The Ducati GT1000 could use some 70's retro competition anyway.
[Source: Yamaha Motors]
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
John P. 11:12AM (10/19/2007)
It reminds me a bit of my old sportster, and that's a good thing. This would be fun for scooting around on.
Reply
Alex 11:17AM (10/19/2007)
it is beautiful.
Lets not forget the Triumph Scrambler (which i might need to trade in for this beauty) in that retro category.
Reply
Ian 11:19AM (10/19/2007)
Nearly there. I have always hoped that a moden manufacturer would do a "Miata". i.e the Mazda designer was a fan of the Lotus Elan. Now a V twin sports tourer to become the modern day "Vincent Black Shadow" is my ideal bike. The Vincent Owners Club is now about to produce replicar bikes for $50K+ so why can't today's manufacturers give us the modern interpretation?
Yamaha you are almost there as is Ducati....but I suspect the Yamaha would be more affordable.
Reply
Peter 11:44AM (10/19/2007)
I like it, but it's almost a caricature of the look. Perhaps they could tone it down a bit, so it looks less like a Vrod and more like a real bike.
Reply
gary 12:09PM (10/19/2007)
Yamaha and the motorcycle industry needs a beautiful classic looking bike like this.
Reply
Luis 2:05PM (10/19/2007)
Beautiful bike. I'd like to see a two-tone scheme.
Reply
MikeInNC 2:11PM (10/19/2007)
That's a great looking bike. Love to see it in a 600cc version. Would be even better if they could make a 2 stroke 305 engine for it (remember the legendary 305 anyone?) or a 350cc for around town.
-M
Reply
Frogwhistle 2:22PM (10/19/2007)
We've been down this road a number of times before. Anyone remember the Kawasaki W650? Classic Brit-bike styling with Japanese reliability, the American buff-books and enthusiasts all raved about it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawasaki_W650
Trouble was, when the actual paying customers entered U.S. showrooms they walked right past it in favor of heavy cruisers and race-replica crotch rockets.
The Yamaha does have the en vogue V-twin going for it, but I doubt many Harley, Ducati or Triumph riders will be tempted to convert.
Reply
_spike 2:52PM (10/19/2007)
OMG that's beautiful!
IN 4 1!!
Reply
pbrown 3:33PM (10/19/2007)
The XS-650,XS-1100 Simple bikes back in simple times,these bikes help us to remember those times when the road was a lot less congested and gas was 85 cents a gallon.
Reply
lauralemay 3:36PM (10/19/2007)
I am nuts nuts nuts for retro bikes, and I am nuts for this bike. Ironically I just the other day passed a '69-70 yama XS650 outside a cafe and drooled all over it -- other than the engine (the old XS had a parallel twin) this bike obviously takes a lot of design cues from that. Gorgeous. Drool.
Unfortunately what frogwhistle says is absolutely true; Americans don't buy retro. The W650 was here twice; the Honda GB500 sat on the lot for years, even the Kawi drifter was a cruiser and it didn't sell. I don't know how well the new ducatis that look like old ducatis are doing -- I've seen a few of them around but I live in bike central (SF bay area) and we're not indicative of Real World America. So I doubt we'll see this pretty little thing over here. Shame.
Reply
Hamm Sammich 3:43PM (10/19/2007)
Very nice looking bike, but it's hard to beat the feel and sound of the parallel twin in my Triumph Bonnie...
Reply
ronin 5:29PM (10/19/2007)
The top half looks like a Kaw 900, and is fine.
The V-twin makes the thing look bottom-heavy, like a pregnant dog, and the cylinders too big for the rest of it. Try a big vertical twin, maybe, but the design does not have a lot of room to evolve, I think.
The '67 BSA Lightning, or maybe the '71 750 Commando was likely the epiphany of the genre.
Reply
Joshua 6:24PM (10/19/2007)
That is hot!
I sold my bikes because I just don't have enough time in the summer to ride. Regardless, I'd be damn tempted to pick that up if I knew it was waiting at the Yamaha dealer down the street for a reasonable price.
Reply
mike 3:47PM (10/23/2007)
Yamaha did a nice job of doing a retro. It is really attractive.
Funny how i can go to Harley and buy the original!
Reply
mike 3:52PM (10/23/2007)
Yamaha did a nice job of doing a retro. It is really attractive.
Funny how i can go to Harley and buy the original!
Reply
eman@aus 11:46PM (2/23/2008)
I will tell you what I did last week. I bought a 1997 Yamaha SRV250J. I was just browsing ebay to see if there is anything interesting on motorbikes. When I first saw the bike, I fell in love straight away because of the retro look. So now I got it and enjoying it. You maybe asking is there a connection to the new Yamaha concept bike? Yes there is.This is what the japanese these days are crazy about. The retro design of motorbikes. That is why all these retro bikes coming out. I'm telling you, I am hoping that they go on production because I will get one. It look so nice. I'm not in to speed. I just want to enjoy the ride. Please, please YAMAHA people make sure send it also in Australia so we can enjoy such beauty.
Reply
Sam3G 12:24PM (4/14/2008)
Looks amazing,
I think the US market is really in need of some nice looking naked & classic bikes. I would like it better if they also offered it in a 750cc also. I'd buy one!
Reply
Sam3G 12:28PM (4/14/2008)
I would however, NOT buy it if they put the logo under the clearcoat. That really bothers me about bikes today.
Reply
kontiki 6:57PM (5/04/2009)
I Love this motorcycle! Its is a total work of art.. technological, beautiful and powerful. It is far more sexy thany Harley I have ever seen.
If Yamaha doesn't build this then I'll never buy a new motorcycle. I'll just keep driving my 1980 XJ650 Maxim forever until either one of us dies.
BUILD the dang thing!
Reply