necrotimus
Stop looking at my title!
In one word: Plastics
The more complex answer is how motorcycling is seen in the US. In many other countries motorcycles are riders only form of transportation and are seen as a necessity. In the US most riders see motorcyling at best a sport at worst a hobby. Viewing motorcycling as a sport has a connotation of a season. Viewing motorcycling as a hobby has a connotation of something to do in your spare time. Both are finite views that temper the riders expectations of what they should get out of owning and riding a motorcycle. "Since motorcycling is part time I want to get the most out of it."
Think back to when you were a kid and first saw a motorcycle. Be honest about what first attracted you to motorcycling. Was it the "freedom of the open road" or was it the way a certain motorcyle and rider looked. I am going to go out on a limb and say for most of us it was the look and only later did we learn to appreciate the way we felt when on a motorcycle. Even those who have come to appreciate all the joys motorcycling can bring to them still too often see it as a temporary thing.
So we even though we have both new riders and experienced riders buying new motorcycles in the US too many see it just their ownership experience as being temporary. How do most people view a purchase that is going to be temporary... getting the most bang for your buck. All these new buyers will have different things they value when buying a motorcycle but most have one thing in common, they want to look cool... just like that first motorcycle they saw that caught their eye.
Like most people before I knew anything about motorcycles I could identify two types of bikes: harleys and crotch rockets. What are the identifying characteristics: shiney chrome or sleek plastics. So as a new rider I easily pick the side I fall into and go out and buy the sexiest bike I can afford with one thing in my mind... I want to look cool. After sitting on a few bikes comfort or function might rear their nasty heads but remember it isn't like you are going to be riding this thing everyday. Even for a lot of previous riders how the bike looks and how you look on the bike is the strongest value when looking at a motorcycle. These riders aren't much different than the owners of sports cars that spend the majority of its time being polished with the garage door open.
Unfotunately for the FZ6 plastic sells over function in the US. I think this can be seen with the quick influx of forum members we saw when the R was released. I'll be honest even though I have come to love the look of the naked and semi naked bikes it was a process. Having come to love my bike I may never buy a fully faired bike even though that was the first type of bike to catch my eye (and sometimes I still have a affair).
Hopefully plastics won't be the death of the FZ6 but I am afraid it is. To make a horrible stereotype I think FZ6 riders and many other naked/semi naked motorcycle owners seem to have a better appreciation for motorcycling than other owners.
Other opinions always welcome
edit: I realize most people on this forum are going to say they like the FZ6s looks or looked past the athestics to the bikes function but we are a minority. I wasn't saying everyone likes a fully faired bike but that the majority of motorcycling purchasers who are looking at 'sport' bikes are going to purchase a fully faired bike and compared to them we are all a relatively small group.
The more complex answer is how motorcycling is seen in the US. In many other countries motorcycles are riders only form of transportation and are seen as a necessity. In the US most riders see motorcyling at best a sport at worst a hobby. Viewing motorcycling as a sport has a connotation of a season. Viewing motorcycling as a hobby has a connotation of something to do in your spare time. Both are finite views that temper the riders expectations of what they should get out of owning and riding a motorcycle. "Since motorcycling is part time I want to get the most out of it."
Think back to when you were a kid and first saw a motorcycle. Be honest about what first attracted you to motorcycling. Was it the "freedom of the open road" or was it the way a certain motorcyle and rider looked. I am going to go out on a limb and say for most of us it was the look and only later did we learn to appreciate the way we felt when on a motorcycle. Even those who have come to appreciate all the joys motorcycling can bring to them still too often see it as a temporary thing.
So we even though we have both new riders and experienced riders buying new motorcycles in the US too many see it just their ownership experience as being temporary. How do most people view a purchase that is going to be temporary... getting the most bang for your buck. All these new buyers will have different things they value when buying a motorcycle but most have one thing in common, they want to look cool... just like that first motorcycle they saw that caught their eye.
Like most people before I knew anything about motorcycles I could identify two types of bikes: harleys and crotch rockets. What are the identifying characteristics: shiney chrome or sleek plastics. So as a new rider I easily pick the side I fall into and go out and buy the sexiest bike I can afford with one thing in my mind... I want to look cool. After sitting on a few bikes comfort or function might rear their nasty heads but remember it isn't like you are going to be riding this thing everyday. Even for a lot of previous riders how the bike looks and how you look on the bike is the strongest value when looking at a motorcycle. These riders aren't much different than the owners of sports cars that spend the majority of its time being polished with the garage door open.
Unfotunately for the FZ6 plastic sells over function in the US. I think this can be seen with the quick influx of forum members we saw when the R was released. I'll be honest even though I have come to love the look of the naked and semi naked bikes it was a process. Having come to love my bike I may never buy a fully faired bike even though that was the first type of bike to catch my eye (and sometimes I still have a affair).
Hopefully plastics won't be the death of the FZ6 but I am afraid it is. To make a horrible stereotype I think FZ6 riders and many other naked/semi naked motorcycle owners seem to have a better appreciation for motorcycling than other owners.
Other opinions always welcome
edit: I realize most people on this forum are going to say they like the FZ6s looks or looked past the athestics to the bikes function but we are a minority. I wasn't saying everyone likes a fully faired bike but that the majority of motorcycling purchasers who are looking at 'sport' bikes are going to purchase a fully faired bike and compared to them we are all a relatively small group.
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