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Jaimec
| | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 01:42 pm: | 
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So he is, in fact, buying the engines at retail, just as you or I would be able to do.
Technically I guess Harley ISN'T supplying him with engines (as they do for Buell), but they sure as hell aren't stopping him from buying them (which was my point). His money is just as green as the next guys.
Draw?
By the way, if you go back and reread this thread, I NEVER said he struck a deal with Harley. Someone else did that. I simply pointed out that:
1) His bike doesn't compete with anything in the Harley Catalog
2) His money is just as green as anyone else's.
(Message edited by jaimec on November 01, 2007) |
Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 02:44 pm: |
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My understanding was that there was already an engine sourcing deal struck. Roehr wouldn't go through all the trouble with engine development just to find out that he can's use the engines in the design.
You satisfy your parts sourcing first, not last.
Sounds like to me that Mr. Roehrich has found a middle ground between "can't use them" and "volume discount".
I'd say that he still has satisfied his parts sourcing FIRST not last. 
I guess HD could make him persona non grata at dealerships, but I believe his production volume will be low enough that at first that it won't be a problem.
At the point he needs larger volumes, he may be in a position to seek engine sourcing from other providers.
I hear Rotax has a hell of a new 72* V-Twin. |
Glitch
| | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 02:52 pm: |
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Technically I guess Harley ISN'T supplying him with engines (as they do for Buell), but they sure as hell aren't stopping him from buying them (which was my point). His money is just as green as the next guys.
Now who's the political science major 
I dunno who he could get an engine from.
Like Erik, he builds motorcycles, not engines.
Rotax for the small manufacturer is probably even more expensive that the v-rod.
Like Blake said, he could part out the rest of the bike if he had to go that route. |
Jaimec
| | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 03:08 pm: |
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Glitch: There's always Korea or China... |
Azxb9r
| | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 04:34 pm: |
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At that price I think that it will be more of a novelty for people with a large amount of "disposable income". Very cool, but waay too expensive. |
Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 04:57 pm: |
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Kinda like Saleen S7's.
They make no sense, but they sell every one they make.
You can sell a 50lb bag of crap if you market it for the right purpose to the right buyer.
Time will tell whether Mr. Roehrich has a marketable product (I am in no way insinuating that his bike is synonymous with a 50lb bag of crap!). My bet is that he has a market and will be able to sell all that he makes.
I truly hope he does. The market can only be enhanced by having another dedicated motorcycle designer/builder producing innovative products to true motorcycle enthusiasts. |
Bill0351
| | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 05:19 pm: |
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I read the recent magazine article about the bike and it sounded like a lot of money for a pretty average motorcycle. The only thing that makes is noteworthy is that is has an oddball engine and every single piece has been touched by a human hand during production.
I guess the same could have been said about early Buells too, but now even the novelty of a HD powered sportbike is a 25 year old concept.
The people who buy them will be probably drawn more the exclusivity and HD emblem on the engine than any real performance oriented reasons.
It seems like the perfect bike for a guy with a lot of cash to park next to his SE Fatboy, SE Ultra, and OCC Chopper.
I hope he succeeds though. The guy obviously has a lot of passion. If I win the lottery, I might even buy one too. As it is, I am currently waiting for the 1125R to become 7 years old so I can afford a used one. |
Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 05:50 pm: |
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The only thing that makes is noteworthy is that is has an oddball engine and every single piece has been touched by a human hand during production.
Exactly!
It's like a limited production OCC or WCC but doesn't handle like a complete piece of crap, cost $100,000, and get built by the equivalent of a motorcycle "hairband" lead singer. |
Jaimec
| | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 08:58 pm: |
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Nah, I'd put this more along the lines of the Ducati Desmosedici, the MV Agusta F4CC, or the Vyrus 985 C3 instead of those ridiculous, caricatures of a motorcycle cranked out by those custom chopper guys. |
Glitch
| | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 09:12 pm: |
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I hope to at the very least ride one.
I've got to. |
Glitch
| | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 09:16 pm: |
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Glitch: There's always Korea or China...
Yeah...and...
Who said anything about Korea or China?
We were talking H-D here.
That's one very big reason I'm so interested.
I'm looking forward to seeing them.
I'd be willing to bet FB is right on the money.
(I am in no way insinuating that his bike is synonymous with a 50lb bag of crap!)
Me either! |
Barker
| | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 09:26 pm: |
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I say give the guy some props.
IRRC I read some where the frame weighs about 30lbs!
Erik said the Vrod engine was to big for a sportbike this guy crammed it into one. |
Metalstorm
| | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 10:26 pm: |
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I wish Mr. Roehrich all the success he deserves.
As has already been stated, he is a top notch classy guy.
It is forever embedded in my memory, the day he came to this board and congratulated Buell on the 1125R.
If that ain't cool & classy I don't know what is.
I don't see his creation as a threat but as another option. Another "Made in America" option that is.
The time is now for this country to build a good rep for something other than cruisers.
Buell is paving that road as we speak. I think it's pretty cool that others are brave enough to follow. Maybe somewhere down that road, they just might pave a little piece of it themselves.  |
Lions
| | Posted on Friday, November 02, 2007 - 03:14 am: |
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American my butt...
Frame is a ripped Italian design, courtesy of the SB8. Ditto cantilver seat.
Belissimo wheels and brakes: Marchesini and Brembo.
The motor is German.
The suspension is Japanese, built under Swedish license.
The Cagiva sticker has fallen off the fairing, and someone has peeled off the ZX7R decal from the tail. Soupçon of Blade as well.
Lights are Duc, their worst design error since the self-defeating sidestand.
Honda mirrors.
Paint is Rosso Corsa.
But apart from that..... |
Court
| | Posted on Friday, November 02, 2007 - 06:09 am: |
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Sounds pretty much like the make up of badweb. . . now I'm more interested.
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Glitch
| | Posted on Friday, November 02, 2007 - 07:31 am: |
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I like it, I also like the Fischer as well.
Mr. Czysz's bike is awesome! Even though it does look like he got bit in the ass close to the same way Erik did with his first bike.
I want to at least give them all props.
Look, these guys have done something most all of us could only dream, What if I...If I...
These guys went out and did what they could with what they had, or what they could do with what they could get.
Most times you'll see kits, to make some sort of chopper.
Buell competitor?
Sure they are.
The way I see it, the more competition the better.
Some say Buell isn't a competitor.
But you don't have to look far to see the impact a company that's only made a little over 100,000 bikes, has had on the Big 4. |
Tommy_black_shark
| | Posted on Friday, November 02, 2007 - 08:11 am: |
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I don't know why Harley wouldn't sell V-rod engines to a third party like Roehrich. It appears they sell engines from their core business (air-cooled cruisers) to a company making sortof-choppers. There is obviously some link between Thunder Mountain and HD, but the silence in HOG's annual report makes me think it is vendor-supplier. For the limited number of Roehrs forecast at this point they could charge whatever discount they gave (including complete engines) as an advertising/promotional expense for the press the bikes would likely create, and the interest hopefully created for the V-rod.
Failing that, there are a couple of Japanese engine manufacturers that may have excess supply of high performance V-twin engines available. I also wouldn't rule out China or Korea either. When Bimota started in the '70s, Japanese engines made a lot of power, but were not known for chassis excellence (just the opposite). Bimota started with Japanese engines and only much later used Italian ones. Are the Chinese now at the point the Japanese were in the '70s? No, but they have demonstrated an unmatched ability to quickly enter and dominate a manufacturing area.
In fact I wouldn't bet against China or Korea being able to develop some serious competition for the Japanese, and even be able to overtake them at some point. Motorcycling in the western world is currently past its peak. However, the demand for cheap transportation in the east is only going to grow. Check out the percentage of Honda's motorcycle sales that go to India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and China. China (especially) is in an ideal position to address this demand. Unhampered by western notions of patent infringement and emissions control I would imagine their share of these markets will grow quickly.
The bucks (or yuan) from these markets might give them the R&D money to develop products that the west would take notice of.
The Roehr will never be a serious competitor for the 1125r the same that the Dieci was never a serious competitor for the 900RR, but it would still be nice to see them succeed. |
Jaimec
| | Posted on Friday, November 02, 2007 - 08:47 am: |
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Tommy: I see you understood my reference. |
Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Friday, November 02, 2007 - 08:53 am: |
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American my butt...
Frame is a ripped Italian design, courtesy of the SB8. Ditto cantilver seat.
Belissimo wheels and brakes: Marchesini and Brembo.
The motor is German.
The suspension is Japanese, built under Swedish license.
The Cagiva sticker has fallen off the fairing, and someone has peeled off the ZX7R decal from the tail. Soupçon of Blade as well.
Lights are Duc, their worst design error since the self-defeating sidestand.
Honda mirrors.
Paint is Rosso Corsa.
But apart from that.....
Sounds like your average Ford or GM product to me.
What's your point? |
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