Industry will sell fewer new motorcycles in 2012

**OldButNotDead** · 04-03-2012

Last fall I went into Myer's Triumph/Ducati in Asheville. Things looked slow and it looked like maybe staff had been reduced. Talked to a friend who works there Saturday. Sales were going strong all winter thanks to a very mild weather. They are pushing bikes out the door as fast as they get them in. The new BMW dealer in Asheville got a load of bikes in about a month ago. Their website is on my Facebook and they post all their sales. Both used and new are going like hot cakes. On pure feeling and intuition alone, the rice propelled bikes seem to be changing marketing strategy. I do know they aren't making anything I'm interested in. Whatever it is, I don't see as many of them going out the door. In a discussion with a Triumph rider from the UK over on ADVRider about Triumph's new product lines, he seemed to think Triumph really doesn't care that much about what us Yanks do. They are selling Triumphs big time in the UK and Europe. IMO, they ARE selling boat loads of Triumphs here now, so we are buying whatever they make.. I do know that if I were in the new bike market, I sure wish I had the selection of bikes the Europeans have as compared to what is available here. At least the guys I know talk KTM, BMW, Triumph, Ducati, etc, not Kawasaki, Suzukin or Honda.

**CliffC** · 04-03-2012

OBND has just offered a very accurate take on the whole thing. there will be strong exceptions, but those with expendable income will buy European in the future. Those with less (I fall into this category) will buy scooters and UJM econo bikes. The times they are a changing.

**stevegrab** · 04-04-2012

Originally Posted by CliffC

OBND has just offered a very accurate take on the whole thing. there will be strong exceptions, but those with expendable income will buy European in the future. Those with less (I fall into this category) will buy scooters and UJM econo bikes. The times they are a changing.

OBND ? Is that Old But Not Dead, a web site, company, group, ??

I've got plenty of expendable income and not sure I'll buy European if I buy new, maybe Triumph. But both Ducati and BMW just seem to be very highly priced, like buying a piece of exlusivity, a Gucci bag or a some other top name brand item.

The problem with most of the Japanese brands is their bikes have just gotten too expensive without a corresponding increase in quality or technology. And much of what they're making (Honda VFR1200 for example) complete missed the market in my opinion.

**OldButNotDead** · 04-04-2012

Originally Posted by stevegrab

OBND ? Is that Old But Not Dead, a web site, company, group, ??

I've got plenty of expendable income and not sure I'll buy European if I buy new, maybe Triumph. But both Ducati and BMW just seem to be very highly priced, like buying a piece of exlusivity, a Gucci bag or a some other top name brand item.

The problem with most of the Japanese brands is their bikes have just gotten too expensive without a corresponding increase in quality or technology. And much of what they're making (Honda VFR1200 for example) complete missed the market in my opinion.

Yes, it is Old But Not Dead :D It is not a web site, a company, or a group. I'm pretty sure I'm a one of a kind, but more a state of mind, although that would imply that I actually had one, a mind that is. :eek:

I also like Triumphs, don't care that much for Ducati, but definitely do like my new GS. There isn't a single Japanese bike out there that lights my fire. I think that was what you were getting at when you said they haven't kept up with the market. For me, there hasn't been anything out of Japan that caught my interest since I got my FJR which I still believe is a great bike for what it does, I just don't do that anymore. Not sure about other folks, but I bought my GS, not for any kind of exclusivity, but for one reason. That big ugly erector set will fly through turns. I got tired of chasing a couple friends on GS's with my Tiger.

**stlthmsta** · 04-06-2012

I hear ya Steve. I haven't had a new bike since a WON one!!! And that was in 1997. I have 2 that were pretty close but I got a great deal on low mileaged bikes. However, I do spend a bit in maintenance and farkles. So I fit in the description in the article.

TM

**MSTASam** · 04-08-2012

Originally Posted by stevegrab

The problem with most of the Japanese brands is their bikes have just gotten too expensive without a corresponding increase in quality or technology.

Or is it that the all might US dollar is not mighty any longer? I see BMW has a new something 1600 for $24500. More than many cars!

**stevegrab** · 04-09-2012

Originally Posted by MSTASam

Or is it that the all might US dollar is not mighty any longer? I see BMW has a new something 1600 for $24500. More than many cars!

Valid question I guess. I've only been riding about 15 years, and for the first 5 or so this seemed to be the price points for Japanese bikes I was looking at
- 600cc sport bike - $8,000
- 1000cc sport bike - $10,000
- 800cc ST bike (VFR) - $10,000
- larger ST bikes (FJR, ST) - $12,000 (wasn't paying attention much)

The somewhere we got to $10,000 for 600s, $12,000 for 1000cc, 10-12 for the 02-09 VFRs, larger ST bikes even more. And now the VFR1200 is about $15,000.

I never looked much at Ducati or BMW during that time, but knew they were more expensive, by quite a bit at times (50% or more). And maintenance on some could be even more of a cost issue.

Its like at some point the instead of getting a better bike every 2-4 years for the same price, the prices just kept going up, and while the improvements were no more than before.

**OldButNotDead** · 04-09-2012

My first few bikes were all brand new. As I got older and wiser, I found that there is this thing called patience. Still haven't mastered it, but I'm still not rich either. I found if you are willing to look and wait, one of the multitude of loonies out there will sell a virtually unridden bike you lust for at a very low price for a very substantial discount from new. Back when you had to pay $500 up front for an FJR, there were places that would knock off $2-3K. Shopping around helps. I just got a demonstrator in brand new condition for $3500 off sticker and sold as "new" with full warranty. Throw in the fact that there are some older bikes that are as good as or better than some of the new and improved models. Chasing the bleeding edge with MC's is very similar to buy computers. Buying and comparing bikes isn't simple mathematics. More like Quantum Mechanics. :D

**BlueRidgeKat** · 04-10-2012

Originally Posted by MSTASam

I see BMW has a new something 1600 for $24500. More than many cars!

The BMW 1600 GTL would be Beemer's "GoldWing". Comparing the base MSRP for the two bikes listed on their respective websites.......

2012 Honda Goldwing: $23,890
2012 BMW 1600 GTL: $23,200

So...... who's overpriced ?? In my opinion both are.

**stlthmsta** · 04-14-2012

The entry fee into the Euro bikes can be heavy, some time fair if ya shop around. I have 2 Triumphs and Duc in with the Hondas. My ST11 will be with me for quite some time (for what that's worth). All were used and bought pretty right. However, I have looked in to some parts prices and ya better sit down or be very careful with that bike. BTW, the 2010 Bonneville was wrecked and I'm putting it back together for a fraction of OEM parts prices.
I do enjoy riding them so I guess that's price we pay.