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Imonabuss
| | Posted on Thursday, December 03, 2009 - 10:45 pm: | 
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Good bikes, but don't mistake salesmanship for respect, guys. No respect there at all, just a smart way to sell bikes to disenfranchised Buell owners. I don't ever remember any ads mentioning Buell as a good alternative when Buell was around. Real respect wouldn't have had a big sales pitch for Triumph. I would have simply been a statement of regret. Very disappointing, actually. |
Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 01:19 am: |
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You don't pitch a competitor while there is a competitor.
I don't believe I've ever seen a pro-Triumph ad from Buell either. |
Jon
| | Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 01:33 am: |
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I think the ad has some merit. Selling inclusion to the abandoned is a good move too. Triumph isn't owned by an absurd anti-motorcycling board of directors, so short of a factory fire (yeah, I know) they should be counted on to be around for their enthusiasts. |
Danger_dave
| | Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 01:35 am: |
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Well, FWIW I've had a few beers with Mr Bloor Jnr on more than one occasion. The DD act is well regarded by the marque. (Funny ol' world isn't it).
DD: What's you Old Man like?
Nick Bloor: Puts one leg in his pants after the other.
The Principals strike me as down to earth in the English way as EB is 'murkin. |
Lemonchili_x1
| | Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 02:06 am: |
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Triumph owners seem to like the statement too:
http://www.sportbikes.net/forums/general-sportbike s/426538-hey-buellers-triumph-got-your-back.html |
Rocketman
| | Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 07:02 am: |
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Very disappointing, actually.
Triumph have no need to pinch sales from disenfranchised Buell owners and I'm not seeing the 'big sales pitch for Triumph' you refer to.
What I do see is Triumphs most recent sales figures. 16% profit at £14.57 million over last year. 90% were exports in 30 countries. 51 dealers in Japan. UK market share up from 9.2 to 12.8% in 2009. Bonneville sales doubled in the UK this past 12 months. Source - MCN yesterday.
I also see a very British gesture of sincerity from a proud nation of bikers. How sad that you're very disappointed. Us Brit's would have expected more from you. But then maybe not. Of course though, the statement might well have been written by an American, which might explain a lot.
Rocket
(Message edited by rocketman on December 04, 2009) |
Vampress
| | Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 07:53 am: |
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I think the statement (as I don't believe it was an 'ad') was sincere. They didn't have to say anything, but what they did say was a lot more welcoming
than many others have said. Not condescending at all.
I picked up on the fact that it was a clever way to get Buellers on-side, but also the fact that there was no direct pitch. They still refer to us as 'Buell riders'
which is a start. Not just leftovers from what used to be Buell. I think it recognizes a shared passion, and they are not afraid to say that they respect Buell in
the face of Harley Davidson and many other companies. Not a timid statement, when they are the ones left in the running. |
Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 08:17 am: |
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Harley marketing would have just said:
"Now that Triumph is gone, why don't you come over and buy a real bike." |
Jim_williams
| | Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 08:30 am: |
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Jeez, could they have said anything to keep the whiners from whining? Any gesture is a good gesture. It'd be alot easier not to say anything. Triumph is a class act, and, they make great, innovative motorcycles. |
Brumbear
| | Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 09:07 am: |
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Rocketman you remind me of plankton from spongebob |
Gohot
| | Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 09:17 am: |
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Back in the day, Triumphs were what most people chose, the alternatuve with the HD line was the Sportster, and the Triumph creamed them just about everywhere, especially made into Desert Sleds. There was no real competition in the 60-70's except a BSA or Norton or the other offerings from England. |
Swordsman
| | Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 09:20 am: |
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Hey Rocket, don't lump us ALL in that "disappointed" comment. As you can see, most of us agree with you. Bizarre, I know!
~SM |
Ronbob43
| | Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 09:37 am: |
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The British know the value of expressing sincere respect, while we USAers tend to be regard every statement with cynicism. Let's respect Triumph for the road they have traveled to get to this point. We should do that for HD too, with the hope that they will be able to lose a bit of their "big business" slant and remember that the customers are there because of a shared passion. |
Psychobueller
| | Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 09:52 am: |
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It was a classy statement 100%. If it helps sell a few Triumphs to Buell riders, so be it. It is nice to be wanted. H-D could have been more public with their affection toward us and helped ease the pain. Oh wait....  |
Rainman
| | Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 10:32 am: |
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Notice that the statement didn't say 'come and buy a Triumph.' It invited Buell riders to Triumph-based riding events.
I think the statement was pretty straight-forward without a real hidden agenda. Sure, if we hang, we might buy, but most Buellers I've met are very similar to the Triumph/KTM faithful that I've met.
Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar. |
Lemonchili_x1
| | Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 10:54 am: |
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Cross-post time...
This just posted on the sportbikes.net thread above:
"...There may be some subtle strategy buried in there, but if you've been to a Triumph event you'll quicly learn the sincerety of their appreciation for other cool bikes of all makes and models. In a weird way I'm glad to have Buell join "the rest of us" now, and not be so segregated. The more Buell riders see how we regard them and their rare and unique machines, there more they'll realize that maybe those Jap and British guys aren't so bad. I look at this all as more an opportunity to welcome a new group of riders, over us just poaching em from the HD, better than thou crowd. It would be interesting to know how the Buellers feel about things."
http://www.sportbikes.net/forums/general-sportbike s/426538-hey-buellers-triumph-got-your-back-2.html |
Etennuly
| | Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 11:06 am: |
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They got my respect. I was reading about Tigers before the Uly came out. I test rode a Buell before I got to a Triumph dealership, end of story.
This is just one more reason to look there in the future. But hey, I see four or five more years on the Uly before a need should arise. |
Paint_shaker
| | Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 08:39 pm: |
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While there MAY have been some marketing influences at work, I believe the Triumph statement is a genuine respect towards Buell riders. |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Saturday, December 05, 2009 - 12:00 am: |
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I got to do a demo at the local shop. The owner knew of my reputation, he threw me the keys to his personal Scrambler and said, dont come back with any new dents on it, fill the tank, we close at 5.
The most unabashed damn fun I have had in a LONG time. Still a HEAVY bike, but damn rugged, and the ground clearance is the answer I have been needing.
Delicious damn fun. They build a right decent bike. |
Strato9r
| | Posted on Saturday, December 05, 2009 - 01:01 am: |
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Marketing? I doubt it was the main motivator, but the truth is, I've seen Buells given WAY more respect by owners of European machines than the majority of Harley owners. Even if the statement was motivated by pure profit, it was still vastly more respectful to the reality of the position of current Buell owners, now that their brand is no longer produced, than what they have gotten from H-D and it's leather and chrome ad crap. It's offering an alternative machine, (and a darned fine one, IMHO) and a welcome to participate in Triumph events, which I never once received from HOG for H-D events, even when I was a BRAG member. I thank them for their decency, their respect for the brand, and Buell owners. And as far as marketing is concerned, I'll bet there isn't one motorcycle company on earth that couldn't recognize the FACT that Buell, it's reputation, and Buell owners suffered the greatest amount of indifference and disrespect at the hands of H-D upper management, flaky dealers, and flacid wankers convinced that their eight hundred pound crap wagons magically endowed them with a functioning penis. I hoist a Guinness to Triumph for stepping up and offering a respectful tribute to Buell Motorcycles, and a welcome to a unique and discerning group of riders. |
Runswithlightning
| | Posted on Saturday, December 05, 2009 - 11:46 am: |
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I knew I liked the Brits, and their Street Triple R too. |
Jon
| | Posted on Saturday, December 05, 2009 - 06:38 pm: |
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Strato9r,
I agree 100%. Well said. I still cannot take in the actions of HD. Hogs is right. |
4_pete_sake
| | Posted on Saturday, December 05, 2009 - 06:46 pm: |
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Strato9r- I raise my Guinness with you....Cheers!!! |
Bking
| | Posted on Saturday, December 05, 2009 - 09:37 pm: |
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I was going to test ride the Speed Triple in 2007, but rode the Uly first and bought it.
I have a Speedmaster. It's a nice cruiser. It has a soul. The newer Speedmaster/America's are made in Thailand. I have mixed feelings on that.
Triumph is on my shortlist when I buy next.
---Bob
(Message edited by bking on December 05, 2009) |
Jstfrfun
| | Posted on Sunday, December 06, 2009 - 11:07 am: |
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Well put Strato, well put. |
Mikef5000
| | Posted on Sunday, December 06, 2009 - 11:18 am: |
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Looks like I'm late to the party, and Fatty already covered my point.
But to me, I'm sure there's some 'marketing' motivation involved. But it's how they did it.
Triumph: Buell's are welcome on our rides.
Harley: Now come buy a real bike.
Makes Harley look that much more ignorant to me. |
20buellteam
| | Posted on Sunday, December 06, 2009 - 10:09 pm: |
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Triumph is Class -it was back when I worked for the biggest SoCal Triumph-Honda-Suzuki dealer in the 70's. And as far as their recent statements they are a Class act today with an even stronger line up than ever. Out to Rocket and all the other British subjects, across the pond or world wide for that matter, we are brothers with a common 2 wheeled bond at the very least. Comments that forget these facts from some folks on this site do not reflect the rest. Ride on! |
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