Yonex ezone DR 98 - why did Yonex stop producing it?
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
It simply ran its 2 year product cycle. Yonex is on a 2 year schedule to replace its racquets. It’s called planned obsolescence.
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Znak
Hall of Fame
I think what OP is inferring if it's not broke why fix it. A more subtle approach would have been great, build upon the magic they established with the DR. Instead we got a horrible 2017 model that was a complete departure and junk if you ask me. If you notice all reviews always refer back to 'it feels like the DR' (when truly it doesn't). Yonex would be smart to tap into that nostalgia one day...
To sell more racquets. (The best answer) 
Everything is like fast fashion these days, including smartphones, pro cameras, software, ...
The previous versions become unavailable or unsupported. Force/induce you to buy new versions
Make you discard the whole thing of the previous versions (eg. electronic products). Make it difficult/impossible to replace the battery. No further support of the software/firmware in it.
Everything is like fast fashion these days, including smartphones, pro cameras, software, ...
The previous versions become unavailable or unsupported. Force/induce you to buy new versions
Make you discard the whole thing of the previous versions (eg. electronic products). Make it difficult/impossible to replace the battery. No further support of the software/firmware in it.
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tele
Professional
my guess is that although the DR phas a cult following, stiffer and lighter ezone 98s sell to a wider audience. i dont know why they do not make a "dr tour" instead of the ezone tour, bc it seems like the smaller market that would be interested in the tour has a lot of overlap with dr fans.
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TF40
Rookie
I used to own a DR a couple years ago, probably I didn't have the skills to handle the stick, it felt nothing special to me with average power and average spin. Later tried friend's Ezone 98, felt very crisp but a little too stiff for me. Then I settled to Head Speed and TF40 for a while. Recently got TE, then I tried Volkl C10 Pro and BP 10 MID, man they are amazing!
Seth
Legend
I’ve only tried half of the Ezone 98 gens, but I still agree with you here. It’s a great stick, but so are the 2020 and 2022 versions.
a pity if that is the case. It was their best model Ezone ever. Still have a couple of them but showing their age/use. And unfortunately the other models (in particular 2017 and 2022) are inferior.
2020 yes, with added weight/lead but still the feeling is not quite the DR one… 2022 is a bit like 2017 one but that is perhaps me and the nostalgia of the DR and Xi
Yes, but still play with mine (stole them from my son… bribing him with the newer models…) so am still convinced that they feel better. Solid!
It's as alive and well here as it is in almost any other industry. Change for the sake of (usually) needless change. Simply to keep the consumption wheel turning. Sucks, perhaps, but it is what it is.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
I have many friends that loved the DR98 and don’t like the new Ezones and all have gone to other brands.
tele
Professional
thanks for sharing. nice video and a good reference for ppl interested in both racquets.
seems like that goes without saying, but maybe i am unaware of how some ppl have been talking about the dr98?
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bobeeto
Professional
Good enough for casper ruud
Sweet thanks. I only ask because I never hear any buzz about the 100, only the 98.
tele
Professional
I think it has different magic. iirc , It does not have the super flexy throat of the dr 98
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I bought every model ezone since the DR and sanded them to see the layup..DR has special carbon layup from throat area extended to the whole inside of hoop...also I measured the ezones from inside the hoops and DR is smallest... Main drill holes are identical with very small variations in the crosses
Alright, thanks again. I'm not really looking for a "players" frame (hence the 100 in^2).
I'm just curious about older Yonex frames that I "missed out on." I mostly am looking for interesting feel and quality graphite. One can usually fix stability with some metal tape.
AMGF
Hall of Fame
Sorry I was replying to the op.
Feel and quality graphite (lower flex) are usually what we old timers call players frame.
The problem with larger head size (100in or more) is that companies will make these version stiffer than the smaller head versions. In the DR case the feel and layup of the DR100 was totally different. So much the DR100 could have been called something else entirely. Two totally different feeling frames.
The feel of the DR98 was very good. But there are many good feeling frame. The DR aura is mostly due to the following generations being too stiff and hollow feeling. You didn’t miss out on something « that » special.
I agree...The DR 98 was a low twistweight frame. I've noticed that lower twistweight frames generally get better reviews because intermediate players find them manuverable and advanced players can add lead as needed.
Yonex makes all their current rackets around 14 twistweight which seems to be a good compromise. The DR 98 came in at 13.69
Power Player
Bionic Poster
I really liked the dr98 but I think the new ezone is the best one yet.
Crocodile
G.O.A.T.
To answer this question I think the best thing to do is to grab a DR 98 and test it side by side with the 2022 version.
At the time when the DR was released I thought it was too light because during that time I owned a Tour G 330 ( orange ) and I really liked the softness and foam filled sensation it had. However when the DR plus came out I was surprised how good that was, I thought that finally had the SW the DR needed.
After the Tour G and DR were replaced by the Duel G and E Zone I thought Yonex took something out of the racquets, they felt a bit flimsy so I didn’t like them. As far as the Tour G ( now called duel G) was concerned Yonex lowered the SW and upped the stiffness from 62 to 65 and with the E Zone I think they lowered the static weight to 305 unstrung. One of my players had 3 of them and to be honest when we weighed them the specs were too variable for what you would expect from Yonex with its Made in Japan quality. I think at that point I felt the brand had come back to the pack a bit, however I think the current range seems better in that regard.
At the time when the DR was released I thought it was too light because during that time I owned a Tour G 330 ( orange ) and I really liked the softness and foam filled sensation it had. However when the DR plus came out I was surprised how good that was, I thought that finally had the SW the DR needed.
After the Tour G and DR were replaced by the Duel G and E Zone I thought Yonex took something out of the racquets, they felt a bit flimsy so I didn’t like them. As far as the Tour G ( now called duel G) was concerned Yonex lowered the SW and upped the stiffness from 62 to 65 and with the E Zone I think they lowered the static weight to 305 unstrung. One of my players had 3 of them and to be honest when we weighed them the specs were too variable for what you would expect from Yonex with its Made in Japan quality. I think at that point I felt the brand had come back to the pack a bit, however I think the current range seems better in that regard.
tele
Professional
what was the other half made of? I am not familiar with racquet construction, but I had been assuming the "graphite" in tennis racquets was carbon fiber.
Only the DR has the carbon fiber...I've sanded prince TT and monfils artengo 960CT and also the 21 vcore98...only DR HAS the carbon fiber
ichaseballs
Professional
nick uses the ai
ichaseballs
Professional
dr98 had too much power for me.
the ezone tour is 5g heavier but a pretty close match to the dr.
the ezone tour is 5g heavier but a pretty close match to the dr.
DR has the most flex and tightest string pattern...equals least power of the previous 3 ezones
Federerkblade
Hall of Fame
Maverick13
Semi-Pro
I just want to know who’s idea it was to change all the specs lower. 310g 325 SW to 305g 318SW… I hope whoever’s idea that was gets fired.
AmericanTwist
Professional
Lower specs allow buyers to add lead and customize.
tele
Professional
Why should Yonex fire that person? If the plethora of available 305g 98 in racquets is any indicator, those specs are in high demand . I much prefer the DR stock weight and SW, too, but we might be in the minority, and Yonex is a business.
mtommer
Hall of Fame
All they or any mfg has to do is slap on a new paint job, name and marketing jargon. No need to create an entirely new product.
Not that easy...I sanded down almost 20 rackets over the years including every yonex model since 2018....DR is only one with carbon fiber layup starting at throught and continues to inside of hoop but not the whole head
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Babolat was sued for just that. Remember GT tech? Well there wasn’t any GT tech in the rackets and was sued.
mtommer
Hall of Fame
No idea what GT Tech is/was but that's claiming something in the product but wasn't, presumably. I wasn't suggesting that but a good marketing person should be able to emphasize some quality of the "new" model that wasn't on the "old" model. I suppose the RF97 and its many paint job iterations would most closely resemble what I was suggesting albeit without the name change portion.
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vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Make your suggestions known to Yonex Customer service. Who knows you might get through
