I'm kind of at a loss as to how you reason that it's hard for them to build fast lightweight dual sports because of their environmental laws. I don't really see causation there. I became even more confused when you say that it's probably why the DRZ400 didn't get fuel injected. As far as I know it's probably easier to get a fuel injected bike to pass emissions standards than it is for a bike with a carb. If their laws are so strict then I'd think they'd have to retest every time they made any kind of change to an engine, fuel or exhaust system, maybe even every so often even without changes just to make sure no one is cheating. Just how hard is this emissions test? Wouldn't it just be measuring for certain things in the exhaust gas? There are a lot of places where you'd have to get that checked annually (as a private vehicle owner) and have to pay for it. I'd bet that Honda or any major manufacturer has that stuff sitting around, well not sitting as such. I bet they use it and know that things will pass the sniffer check before they ever send it to the government for the official test.
If I had to guess the biggest reason why Honda can't or won't sell the same kinds of street legal offroad bikes as the Europeans it would be warranty. Specifically our EPA mandated emissions parts warranty. Just like your car, those parts have a separate warranty. KTM and others are EPA small manufacturers. Which means they don't play by the same EPA rules as the big boys. As of 2008 they have to meet the same exhaust requirements. But, AFAIK, they do not have to meet the same emissions parts durability standards. Plus, as nearly as I can tell, there are no product liability lawyers at KTM. Honda lawyers slather their milk toast dual sports with all manner of warning labels. So imagine those same lawyers at a company selling high performance street legal bikes as "Ready to Race". That said, there is still no reason why their 250 has to weigh as much as my decade old 640 . Well, I guess there is. They want to be the least common denominator in the dual sport market. They want to sell ten thousand cheap bikes. The Europeans want to sell a thousand expensive bikes.
Suzuki said they are going to "focus on the DS market." An updated DRZ400s or a new DRZ500s might give the big four the kick in the rear to take the DS market a little more serious. As someone looking to buy a newer DS in the next 2-3 years, one can only hope.
Proud? Zoom right over your head. My point, since it apparently requires being somewhat more obvious, is that I am not brand loyal. I would buy a Suzuki in a heart beat if they offer something better than what I have. They hang a license plat on the old 450Z and they might tempt me into giving one a whirl.
"Suzuki is the only brand I have never owned" means I have owned Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha. So, yes, the museum piece that I use to remind myself of how badly bikes used suck is in fact a Yamaha. Man, y'all PUI already or what?
XLV 750.......................................................mixed with...........................FMX 650 .........................
all honda had to do was add an electric start to the XR650R... i know on my side of the world it would be the perfect dual sport
Get rid of the epa and problem solved back to street legal 2 smokers Hopefully a affordable one thats simple to work on.KISS Honda.
Honda could make a 350cc dual sport.. For more power on the highway than a 250cc. Still light and small.
What about this motor in a real DS platform ? Not perfect, a twin, but damn, it's in 3 other bikes, make it 4. I mean damnit. Ok. Not a good idea at all. But if they can do this, give us an e start 400-500cc sub300lb thumper. CBR500R http://powersports.honda.com/2013/cbr500r.aspx CB500F http://powersports.honda.com/2013/cb500f.aspx CB500X http://powersports.honda.com/2013/cb500x.aspx
never gonna happen when they already have a 250. too close. honda will more than likely release an updated 650 dual-sport and hopefully a 450 but i would not hold your breath on that size. unlike ktm, the japanese are not trying to make a bike for all the sizes. they will stick with 250, 650 and one of them (suzuki?) might delve into the 450 street legal size. after that expect them to compete in the mid-displacement multi-cyl adv bike and the 1200+ size.