Counting the cost

On paper, the Fazer’s £7799 rrp doesn’t compare well with the £5995 Honda. Even with £500 lopped off, the Yamaha will still cost £1300 more.

But the reality is rather different. A quick flick through MCN Bikemart or BikeMart Fortnightly reveals Fazers are available for £6999 – and £500 off that could make a load of difference.

Of course, dealers could also discount the Honda – though that may not be as likely if the factory limits supply.

Rob Hobson, editor of bike trade price bible CAP Green Book, said: ” There’s every indication that Honda will limit the numbers at first so you’ll have to be quick to get one.

” After that you may have to wait a few months, but it looks like Honda is trying very hard to balance price and supply, and that should prevent a big difference between new and used prices. The Suzuki Bandit has done well simply by being cheap to start with. ”

He said: ” Prior to its launch, we expected the Fazer 1000 to do well by attracting riders coming up from bikes like the Fazer 600 and across from sports bikes like the R1. However, it’s no secret that the high price has kept sales down a bit, along with insurance. ”

For that reason he feels a £500 price cut won’t be enough. He added: ” The insurance is more of a problem than the cost – £500 won’t affect that. ”

In fact, the difference in the price of insurance could effectively make that rumoured £500 cut worth more like £200. The ticket price of the two bikes may converge, but a32-year-old Hornet buyer is still likely to pay £300 less for cover than his Fazer 1000-riding neighbour (see below).

And with our figures also showing that parts for the Honda cost around two-thirds less, Fazer buyers will find they’re paying a premium for ownership long after they’ve ridden away from the showroom.