People are idiots...

This was sent to me by a mate - it's MCN's typical second-hand journalism, on the new SR400EFI There's nothing too exciting in the article except the comments, a couple of which are worth rebuking here.

"Although I should be one of the people that this would appeal to
the XT500s and SR500s had a dreadful reputation in the 80s for not starting or for getting stuck in 1st gear and ate chains regularly. Think I would pass."

Yes you peanut, they had such a dreadful reputation that they were manufactured for the next 30 years. Due to their power delivery, singles tend to eat chains. Somehow my SR400 managed 16,00k's with it's stock 420 chain and sprockets. The SR is hard to start, if you neglect your bike and don't know how to properly kick it in the first place.

"Yamaha have made a 70's looking bike, with 70's style
performance for £3700 in 2010. At least no-one in the UK will be wasting £3700 on one of these. What a pile or pseudo retro rubbish. . You're better off buying an original piece of 70's nostalgia for £200! "

Yes, but the SR will run. Parts will be available. Although when someone says that the SR features 70's style performance, it makes you question where they're coming from. It's more like 50's style performance.

And more...

"The old SR500 was ok and a half decent run around. But why
bother with this now, and who the hell is going to buy it. I think it's a
pointless exercise and they will have shot themselves in the foot. "

It's been "bothered with" for a long, long time. The SR has sold strongly in Japan for all this time.
Ah well, some people either get it or they don't! I'm in the process of collating a bunch of information about the new SR400EFI, and I'll be trying to put it all in one post soon.