Yes, sounds a little far-fetched to me that Yamaha would be downgrading things like paint and seat foam. It appears they've decontented the electronics on the bike somewhat to meet a price point (immobilizer, flashers, etc.), but I don't think they've substituted cheaper materials in the construction.
Personally, I wish Yamaha had charged another $500 and given us the immobilzer, flashers, a knock sensor, an electric adjustable screen, an ABS switch, a BMW/powerlet compatible acc plug, a true outside air temp sensor, and a gear indicator. But I understand why they feel meeting a price point is more important than these features.
Every new vehicle I buy, I monitor the forums for people's issues, both before and after purchase. If there is anything that is absolutely universal is that regardless of the vehicle, there will be some folks who think the paint quality of the vehicle, the windshield's resistance to chips, the seating comfort, etc. is subpar compared to the competition. It's just par for the course. I think it is just inherent in human nature that on a new vehicle, we pay a lot more attention to minor irritants that later will not be noticed.
- Mark
