Maybe I'm spoiled ..or jaded... but development seems to be slowing down, at least in the hyperbike, literbike and supersports categories. For the first time in a long time there's nothing I'm really lusting after, OK I am spoiled ....lol!. Oh, there are a few new releases, notably the Panigale 1199 from Ducati but it has not reached it's early promise (mostly hype) and isn't noticeably better than existing bikes in the liter category, if as good. The BMW HP4 has that active suspension control but priced beyond the reach of most mortals at close to 30 large.
The base model BMW S1000RR still seems to be top dog in the literbike class but has not changed much since released, I think BNG, Bold New Graphics are the only real change for 2014. Honda is releasing their limited edition CBR1000RR SP with Ohlins suspension bits and a few performance tweeks but that bike hasn't basically changed much since introduced in 2008... and still no traction control. Ditto for Suzuki with their GSXR1000, no TC and very little else has changed since 2009. Yamaha R1 got TC a few years ago but is still relatively overweight, underpowered and pretty close to what they released in 2009.
A lot of the Jap stuff is simply recyled with new stickers.
The new ZX-6R 636 is a nice bike and a class standout...and has TC, good job Kawasaki. The new Triumph 675R is a clean sheet redesign but the old bike was a hard act to follow and the new one is really no better...just different.
The Panigale 899 looks interesting and shows promise, hope it's better than it's big brother, this might be a bike to own, time will tell. The MV F3 800 is way cool but I think dynamically compromised like little brother, again time will tell.
The rest of the middleweights are pretty much retreads of the old designs. Japan Inc., time for a new CBR600RR, GSXR600 and Yamaha R6.
I'd have to say that Kawasaki has done a great job overall with the ZX-10R, ZX-6R 636 and the ZX-14R with advanced TC on everything and some fresh thinking.
I'm looking forward to the new Hayabusa...if it ever comes! This will most likely be a fresh design as the old platform is pretty much tapped out as far as it will go. If Suzuki does it right and can spend the bucks it would regenerate the hyperbike market which Kawasaki now owns with the 14R.
OK, so there has been some new stuff coming out, mostly Euro but for some reason I'm not feeling it...not ready to get out the checkbook and spend money. Maybe it's a personal thing or maybe my tastes have changed.
I read an article a few months ago that conjectures that the point of diminishing returns has been reached with sportbike development, in other words it takes a proportionally larger input of R and D bucks to get an ever smaller increase in performance.
From here on out, the future development may be evolutionary, not revolutionary. I think electronics are the new frontier, the liters already have too much power for most mere mortals, control is everything, witness the BMWS1000RR, it's got huge power but is almost never the fastest around a track in the magazine tests.
OK, flame suit on...lol!