| Author | Message | ||
     Froggy |
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelsp ecs/619/0/specs.aspx $7490. | ||
| Jaimec |
$7,199 http://www.kawasaki.com/products/product-details-f eatures.aspx?autoplay=false&id=501&scid=0 | ||
| Iamike |
Maybe HD can use this info. to increase sales: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9817946 | ||
| Hybridmomentspass |
froggy and jaimec - wouldnt really call those 'top of the line sportbikes' | ||
| Ratbuell |
The other thing - you RARELY see a Sportster, 883 or otherwise, go out the door stock. "My buddy says I need" exhaust. And grips. And a seat. And with the exhaust comes a SuperTuner and a high flow. And don't forget apehangers. "If I want my friends to let me ride with them on my girl's bike, I have to do all this stuff to it first so its cool enough for them to be seen with it". Flame all you want, but I sold 'em for six years. I've seen it happen, and I sold TONS of Sportsters. I can probably count on both hands how many of them left the building at MSRP without a ton of gak on them. Even non-badass items like windshields, engine guards, highway pegs, sissy bars and saddlebags add up quick! I think HD is *able* to change with the times, they've done it a number of times in the past. Right now, I think they *refuse* to. They're just as brainwashed by their own marketing as their sheep...er, customers are. They need to admit (I'm sure they realize it, but they have to ADMIT it) that there are other viable motorcycle types out there besides a chrome cruiser, and that customers WANT those other types of motorcycles. They need to realize - and DO something about it - that those types are lost market share, and the way to return to profit and glory is not to build bikes in India or Mexico, but to build bikes right here in the USA that appeal to a larger market. HD's quality control really is second to none, and the same with their manufacturing and surface finishing (plating/painting). They have the nuts and bolts down to a science...they just need to get the tech up to speed with the rest of the marketplace, or be prepared to continue watching their market share drop and their customer base get older and older. | ||
| Court |
>>>Right now, I think they *refuse* to. I agree and it's why their top talent has walked out. Careful observers saw two former HD names assigned to Buell show up as top execs at competing firms last month. The "refuse to" always takes me back to the brief period where HD tried to get dealers to open their minds and stores to the greatest opportunity in the industry and the response was basically . . if our customers don't guzzle beer, have straight pipes and fight in bars . . who needs them. HD one hand talks about drawing the eye of the younger buyer but in practice they are blinded by the black headband that's fallen over their eyes.
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| Dfishman |
To bad............they didn't follow thru with that kind of thinking.Because that is exactly what a salesman needs to know.When I bought my Uly I knew WAY more than the salesman about the bike and my reason for buying came from this site,not from anything the salesman said. | ||
| Jaimec |
I knew a LOT more about the Buells I was buying than any of the salesmen I bought them from. Sad. | ||
| Jaimec |
I thought we were talking about "in comparison to the Sportster?" How is that a "Top of the line" ANYTHING? | ||
| Sifo |
Compare the Sportster to something like the Suzuki Gladius. Comparable bikes in many ways. I would give the edge to the Gladius on most points of comparison. Great price point on the Gladius. For an entry level bike the Gladius kicks butt at a considerably better price point. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Careful observers saw two former HD names assigned to Buell show up as top execs at competing firms last month. Unfortunately I must have missed that....more please? | ||
| 86129squids |
Court- wow, that's so sad to read, knowing "what could have been"... Also knowing that at the time, working for Smoky Mountain HD/BUELL, I was considered the "Buell" guy, and would've had first shot at working with anything new...  Hey- I second what Joe said, do tell whom it was who've found "greener grass" after leaving HD... | ||
| Jaimec |
I know at least one was Abe Askenazie (sp?) who's working with one of the electric motorcycle companies out west. Not sure of the other. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Looks like a name from earlier in this thread landed at Triumph.... | ||
| Court |
Abe Askenazi is Vice President of Engineering at Zero Motorcycles. I suspect you'll see an announcement or two soon. | ||
| 86129squids |
Woohoo! Go Abe!!! Someday I'd love to do the Deal's Gap/Cherohala/TN360 loop, IN SILENCE, on an electric bike... Neat stuff!! | ||
| Court |
I suspect Abe will do amazing things. He's not only one of the nicest and smartest folks I've ever known he's a great leader. | ||
| Brumbear |
I don't know about top of the line anything but I know an xr12 is about $10K and so is this http://newproductlaunch.kawasaki.com/Products/Over view.aspx?productid=509&featured and the bike is a hoot even for an I4 I rode one the other day real fun. I will keep my Buell as long as possible but the truth is I won't be riding a sportbike next I am 46 years old and looking for a comparable bike to the xb/ss or cr with lowered pegs and high bars. The Triumphs appeal to me the most but they are to tall in the seat so I found the Z1000 an interesting and cost effective replacement. Never would I purchase a sportster with these type of model machines for near the same price. Add in H-D being produced in India ha I laugh at that shyt flockem where they breathe!!!!!!!!!!!!! | ||
| Hybridmomentspass |
jaimec - 'I thought we were talking about "in comparison to the Sportster?" How is that a "Top of the line" ANYTHING?' I didnt say it, another guy did, he made the comment about hte lowest priced sportster being as much as a top of the line japanese sportbike, i was just proving him wrong. | ||
| Hybridmomentspass |
brumbear - HDs are being produced in India...for the India market with bikes that were built here in the US and then broken down and shipped over there for tax reasons. | ||
| Brumbear |
who cares they aint built here | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
CKD is the technical term. Stands for complete knocked down. The auto industry have been doing it since forever to get round import tarifs. | ||
| Grancuda |
If Buells were the future and so much better, then why is there still 45 new ones left for sale after over a year of super low prices on left overs? Wouldn't everyone buy one of those if they wanted a "modern" Harley? Everyone is so mad a HD for closing out Buell but they can't even sell the bikes at almost 1/2 price of the new price. | ||
| Brumbear |
who is selling em where is the dealer network I aint making this shyt up read this and then tell me I'm wrong http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/11/everybody-g et-naked-a-flurry-of-naked-standards-for-the-usa-m arket-cb1000r-aprilia-v4r-tuonobmw-r1200r-and-f800 r/ That is an XB /CR market if I ever saw one!! Harley couldn't find its ass with either hand right now!! And they do not have a bike for this market. | ||
| Grancuda |
Despite naked standards being a tiny percentage of total bikes sold in the USA, OEMs insist on bringing new models in to a mostly unappreciative market. That is the market where I want a whole brand to be in. | ||
| Sayitaintso |
That is the market where I want a whole brand to be in. Who ever said anything about the whole brand???? If they did I musta missed it. Diversification is what (I think) everyone is saying is needed. Right now all the eggs are in the cruiser basket, and what did momma always say about putting all your eggs in one basket? Its gonna be ugly when the bottom of that basket develops a hole. Hell, IMO there's already a hole in the bottom the cruiser basket (market), and the hole is only going to get bigger as cool "non-crusers" come to market with advertising to push the buying public as a whole in that direction. And don't get me wrong I'm not just hating on cruisers, I have one. Edit: As for the few Buells left around the country, I'm honestly surprised they sold as well as they did after HD shut down Buell. I wouldn't think many folks would want to buy a vehicle from a defunct manufacturer that was already the "red headed step child" of the parent company. To me its a testament to Erik and his folks that they sold through the existing inventory as quickly as they did once the announcement was made. (Message edited by sayitaintso on November 08, 2010) | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
I am betting that those bikes that are still sitting on the show rooms are not being sold for rock bottom prices, They are probably going for more than original MSRP. I mean look at those random dealers who still have tubers on their lots, they want your first born for 10+ year old bikes. | ||
| Not_purple_s2 |
It's Harley's high price and exclusive persona that they've developed over the last decade or so are that's gonna kill 'em. Sure $7,999 is not "too" high for an entry level cruiser. But do most people know that you can even buy a harley for under $10K? Probably not. If they don't know that they can get a cheap harley then they're not gonna look. They'll go buy a honda or yamaha for less than MSRP at a local dealer. Especially in this market. I just checked prices at the local multi-brand import dealer. They have a bunch of left over '08 and '09 cruisers for under $10K including a 1500 Nomad for $6,999 and a C109R for $8,999! Or if you want to go top of the line sport bike; 2009 YZF-R6, ZX-6R, or GSX-R600 all for $7,999 http://www.visithalls.com/shop/land/bike/all-on-road/sport2/ Are HD dealers making those kind of deals on their left over stock? Again if they are then they're not making it known. (Message edited by Not_Purple_S2 on November 08, 2010) | ||
| Froggy |
Bingo. Out of the remaining bikes, many of them are not for sale or haven't been removed from the website yet. The rest are at MSRP. | ||
| Aesquire |
Speaking as a dude a little behind the Boomer demographic, ( In the unnamed segment too young to be a Boomer, but lumped in with them.....) I want 2 kinds of bike. A naked standard, that I will dress up as a lightweight sport tourer, & A Power Cruiser/light touring with mid AND front footpegs/controls. I've already got my Cyclone, set up as desired, so I have the first covered. H-D could sell lots more Standards. If they knew how to sell them. It may have been too far to expect H-D to remember being a sport bike company.... ( curse, sputter, rant ) but older dudes with bad backs should be able to dig a standard, and sell them. The Cyclone/Lightning long were a perfect fit in that unappreciated market. ( curse, sputter ) H-D certainly could make & sell power cruiser bikes that didn't suck. There's been some great versions of the DynaGlide that I like.... |
