Why no one will sell you the bike you want

[Druff]

Obviously because the rest of us have no attachment to our bikes what so ever, and obviously can't ride for toffee, etc, etc.

Thanks for the heads up.

I mean no offense but there are those who LOVE the act of riding, no matter what they ride and those who LOVE the machine itself, for me its both.

I've hand built my own bikes from the frame up with only a grinder and hand tools its not that i'm any more passionate a rider (and definitely not a better rider) but that my passion is for the mechanics and machine as well as the act itself.

 

[Dry Martini]

Nothing new here, except some erroneous assumptions on the writer's part. "Sensible" bike? Based on what? There have been plenty of "sensible" bikes over the last two decades. Most of them were not big sellers, and they disappeared.


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[iSteve]

Nothing new here, except some erroneous assumptions on the writer's part. "Sensible" bike? Based on what? There have been plenty of "sensible" bikes over the last two decades. Most of them were not big sellers, and they disappeared.

I think that was part of the writers point. Most American riders want the fastest, loudest and want to impress others more then drive something that is sensible.

 

[Dry Martini]

I think that was part of the writers point. Most American riders want the fastest, loudest and want to impress others more then drive something that is sensible.

I won't discuss the cruiser ilk. That is more of a so called lifestyle choice, than anything to do with riding.

I find nothing wrong with a fast 600 or 1000cc sportbike. "Sensible" is in the eye of the beholder. I love the riding position of a Sportbike over any other type of bike. There is the London courier who rides a high mileage YZF R1, and then the guy who rode an R1 around the world.

I think the real reason there are not more people riding is because most people are not gearheads, and only want transportation from point A to B. The same had always been true of cars as well.


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[Dry Martini]

Here is a list of what I would call a sensible bike, past and current production. How many does the market need?

Yamaha TDM 800
Honda 599
Honda 919
Yam FZ6
Kawasaki versys
Yam fz07
Yam fz09
Ducati monster
Suzuki sv650


Yes some are more expensive than others, but this is not a cheap sport.


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[FZ09Bandit]

There is way more than that.

But you are right being very subjective. Is riding something that can break the speed limit in first gear and under 4 seconds sensible? Would you take your Ferrari to home depot? LoL just a thought.

 

[Dry Martini]

Home Depot yes. Walmart, no. I don't believe in garage queens.

I purposely left out such bikes as the honda rebel 250.


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[ChanceCoats123]

Home Depot yes. Walmart, no. I don't believe in garage queens.

I purposely left out such bikes as the honda rebel 250.


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I have to agree on the car aspect. What's the point in having it if you never drive it? Take it out and beat on it (metaphorically) because that's what it was made to do. Anything else is just a waste.

 

[Champ1978]

I have the bike I want.

As far as taking care of your motorcycle yourself, I do as much as I can.


I was changing my oil for the first time myself on my latest bike.

When I took off the oil case covering the inside was sprayed with a bunch of black goop, i guess changing a 5 dollar O-ring was too much to ask of the mechanics so they just spray more junk and go.

I do what I can for my bike because mechanics/dealer don't care enough though I am sure they are 100x more skilled than me it will not be shown in the workmanship.

 

[payneib]

Depends entirely on the mechanic. Recently had my 24k mile service done by my local guys, went in with my list of jobs I specifically wanted done, just to be clear how deep I wanted them to go on the "full" service. They totally agreed it was worth changing all the little things, that didn't necessarily need it while they were doing the bigger jobs (eg, the fork seals were fine, but why not change them for an extra £7 while you've got the forks open doing the oil anyway? Why bother greasing the head bearings, might as well just throw a new set in for a little extra?). But then I suppose it does help that in a town of about 10,000 people, they're the only bike shop, and it only takes one bad review to spread through town. Also, being a small town with not many bikers, we're friends not just customers/shop staff.

Just because I don't have time (it's a daily commuter around twelve hour shifts, with a one year old boy running around at home, while the wife's studying for uni full time), space (garage is full of junk) or tools (they're expensive) doesn't mean I don't know every inch of that bike inside and out, and don't demand and expect the very best levels of maintenance for the machine that propels me at significant speed in the cold, the dark and the wet. Even my boy likes to swat up on the procedures every now and then:

The "REAL bikers strip every bike down an rebuild from the ground up, everyone else is just a poser" brigade, really grind my gears.

 

[FZ09Bandit]

Like post above, sorry I can't take the time in my 90 hour work weeks to OCD my bike lol

 

[blackONblack]

Here is a list of what I would call a sensible bike, past and current production. How many does the market need?

Yamaha TDM 800
Honda 599
Honda 919
Yam FZ6
Kawasaki versys
Yam fz07
Yam fz09
Ducati monster
Suzuki sv650


Yes some are more expensive than others, but this is not a cheap sport.


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I think the issue is less about what the market needs and more about what the market says about the bike culture in the US. The market has matched what people want, which is loud, fast toys, not daily commuters. Most people in the US don't view bikes as transportation. The original article does a poor job at making this point, but that's what I think his problem is. People who might be interesting in bikes as transportation are discouraged by 1) the culture, 2) the limited availability of more practical bikes, or 3) both.

Regarding sensible bike options, the fact that you can use a 1000cc RR in a practical way doesn't make it practical for people to own. It's objectively true that touring bikes are (by and large) better for practical uses, like commuting and vacations.

I think the analogy to the car world is perfect for demonstrating my point. The market is almost completely focused on people who are going to be driving daily for practical reasons. Say some magical other form of transportation existed. It would be really hard for car companies to compete with it if 90% of what they offered were exotics, because people need to go to work, shuttle their kids around, run errands, etc. and although a Ferrari can do most of this, a minivan/midsize sedan/crossover suv/whatever is a heck of a lot more practical.

 

[zpdrumer]

I think that was part of the writers point. Most American riders want the fastest, loudest and want to impress others more then drive something that is sensible.

But this isn't a bike problem. It's just a society thing. Everyone wants bragging rights. Same goes for cars boats phones computers houses. Ok well it's not loudest and fastest in all these cases but people want the best to impress. Whether or not they need it, or will utilize it is hardly the point.

Sure not everyone is like that, but the people that are like that are the ones that stand out and the ones we remember.

 

[Dry Martini]

I think the issue is less about what the market needs and more about what the market says about the bike culture in the US. The market has matched what people want, which is loud, fast toys, not daily commuters. Most people in the US don't view bikes as transportation. The original article does a poor job at making this point, but that's what I think his problem is. People who might be interesting in bikes as transportation are discouraged by 1) the culture, 2) the limited availability of more practical bikes, or 3) both.

Any of the currently available bikes that I listed earlier could be good commuter bikes. How many commuter bikes does one person need?

No manufacturer makes a loud bike. Harley's are not loud when they leave the factory. Bubba adding straight pipes makes it loud.

Sure people here do not see motorcycles as transportation when they have a 30-50 mile commute, one way. When the average interstate speed is 80mph, no one wants to be out thee riding a 250 rebel. Let's face it, our riding conditions are a lot different most European countries. Sure some of this of our own making. "I want to live by the lake" well the lake is at least 30 miles from downtown. You can't fault people for their choice of address.

Speaking of cars, yes car makers build what the public wants. Now isn't that what the bike makers are doing? What is wrong with that?

Remember those small cute bikes honda made in the early 60s and sold here? They were bought by people in relatively large numbers. How many people commuted on them? Not many. So the writer's overly simplistic idea of "build them and they will ride" is not going to work.


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[FZ09Bandit]

-_- screaming eagle

 

[Dry Martini]

-_- screaming eagle

Custom bike shops don't count. Their sales numbers are nonexistent compared to harley, victory, and all the metric cruisers. They are not even on the EPAs radar.


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[FZ09Bandit]

Screamin' Eagle Motorcycle Performance Parts | Harley-Davidson

 

[Dry Martini]

Screamin' Eagle Motorcycle Performance Parts | Harley-Davidson

Add on pipes are not installed by the factory. The dealer is another story.


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[FZ09Bandit]

They used too.

403 Forbidden

 

[Dry Martini]

They used too.



403 Forbidden

HD never installed straight pipes on any bikes, at the factory. That would be against FED law.

In your link, the pres of HD is asking the owners to pipe down. They are the one installing the loud pipes.



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