Why European motorcycles are doing better then the Japanese

[msethhunter]

The author of the article brought up a great point that honda could have kept producing a 1000cc v-twin and still produce there CBR range without hurting there cbr sales.

If only! The last of the v-twins that honda made in anything but a cruiser was the RC51. It was a sad day when that bike stoped production. Even Suzuki still makes a v-twin, even if it is only a sport bike rather than a true race bred super-sport. My Superhawk is a little mangled right now, but I will keep it alive until the parts run out, or Honda comes back out with a v-twin.

 

[russ69]

The Euros are increasing their unit count but it still is below the numbers the Japanese sell. The other and most important thing is that the riding population is getting older and we are not as price sensitive as the younger buyers. As you get into your 60s and up, you tend to buy what you want, because in the back of your mind, you are wondering how many more riding years are left.

 

[Banjoboy]

Don't matter much 'bout sales, sum people made a fortune sell'in tennis shoes & pet rocks? That don't mean theyz any good, that just means they're good at marketing.
I'll take my soulless, low maintenance Japanese bike over them high maintenance, *$ posermobiles any day of the week.

 

[bluenoser]

It's the "MBA-ism" of the Japanese moto industry. There's no room for thin-margin, low production model motorcycles in their boardroom. They broke out their cookie cutters, and now want to maximize their profits on it.

 

[oorahduc]

Huh.

I wonder what a graph for US sales of 2010-2011 models for all manufacturers would look like.

Referencing Motorcycle-USA.com...

____________2010_____2009_____Change____%Change
DUAL________23,531___27,210___-3,679_____-13.5%
OFF-HWY_____80,962___105,524__-24,562____-23.3%
ON-HWY___306,702__357,691__-50,989____-14.3%
SCOOTER_____28,483___31,451___-2,968_____-9.4%
TOTAL_______439,678 __521,876__-82,198____-15.8%
ATV_________256,750___321,181__-64,431____-20.1%

ON-HWY is described in the article as "all street-legal models excepting dual-sports and scooters." We're looking at a 14.3% drop from 2009 to 2010.

BUUUUUUUUUT........

According to the latimes in an article posted April 20th, 2011...

Purchases of on-highway motorcycles increased 7% in the first quarter of 2011 versus the same quarter a year earlier

Apparently a lot of people were saving their money through the beginning of the hard times in order to buy a bike....possibly to save money on gas?

 

[oorahduc]

I totally agree with this statement, I don't care who makes them or if they have soul or not, I want something that is just an all around great bike. on another note I just picked up a copy of, "Bikes," new issue and they focus on great all around bikes new and old and what would be said person best 500 mile a day bike and there was a considerable praise for the FZ1 and the older vfr 750 and 800 and the gs1150r BMW, they even though the newest Mulitstarda was a great all around bike, which I think is crazy because that this is covered in carbon and would never take it off road.

I've been reading a lot lately about how people are growing attached to the multistrada....even going so far as to trading in their monsters for a multistrada. I don't get it. >_<

 

[flying_hun]

I've been reading a lot lately about how people are growing attached to the multistrada....even going so far as to trading in their monsters for a multistrada. I don't get it. >_<

Have you ridden one?

 

[littlebeast]

if your culture revolves around savoring things, it's not surprising that you can impart this to your products, and the marketing of your products. that said though, i think that concept also speaks to those who are looking for a little je ne se quois - regardless of the item, application or experience.

 

[theAmazingKickstand]

I've been reading a lot lately about how people are growing attached to the multistrada....even going so far as to trading in their monsters for a multistrada. I don't get it. >_<

I fell in love with the 1000/1100 original multistrada before I rode one.
Some of them still go through valves and guides but I figured whatever. Even willing to give up some power and newness for that dry clutch rattle!!!

Then I rode one. It handled fine. It made cool noises. It was under powered. I sighed and cried and passed. The new one looks good though but I'd get that ugly ass new cruiser of theirs. My kinda dream bike.

 

[Star Man]

This thread made me realize that I currently don't ride a Japanese m/c and haven't for some time. One by one, they've all been sold off and replaced by Harleys, Ducatis, Triumphs and KTMs. Dunno if it's because I'm older or what. Maybe what ScottRNelson posted really is true.

 

[oorahduc]

Have you ridden one?

Nope. That's probably why I don't get it. Something about an upright position just doesn't appeal to me. Maybe when I get older and arthritis sets in (I'm expecting this already,) I'll start to like it more (also expecting this.) But, for now I can't see the appeal. My monster is about as far upright as I care to ride.

I fell in love with the 1000/1100 original multistrada before I rode one.
Some of them still go through valves and guides but I figured whatever. Even willing to give up some power and newness for that dry clutch rattle!!!

Then I rode one. It handled fine. It made cool noises. It was under powered. I sighed and cried and passed. The new one looks good though but I'd get that ugly ass new cruiser of theirs. My kinda dream bike.

The Ducati Diavel? I'm not one for cruisers at all, but I'd ride that one every now and then. It's got some visual appeal for sure. I guess I'm sort of in love with the Ducati brand too, though.

 

[oorahduc]

This thread made me realize that I currently don't ride a Japanese m/c and haven't for some time. One by one, they've all been sold off and replaced by Harleys, Ducatis, Triumphs and KTMs. Dunno if it's because I'm older or what. Maybe what ScottRNelson posted really is true.

Love your avvy.

 

[busjohn]

Agree with those that said, the rich can still afford toys and they love toys that carry expensive brand names for status reasons.

Which one is more likely to buy a bike, a poor guy buying a 10k Japanese bike or a rich guy buying a 20k European bike? My guess is the latter.

Found these numbers on the net, not sure how accurate though...

Motorcycle Market Share in the U.S.

http://knol.google.com/k/the-u-s-motorcycle-market#

Harley-Davidson 28%
Honda 25%
Yamaha 17%
Suzuki 13%
Kawasaki 11%
KTM 2%
BMW 1%
Triumph 1%
Ducati 1%

 

[msethhunter]

The Euros are increasing their unit count but it still is below the numbers the Japanese sell. The other and most important thing is that the riding population is getting older and we are not as price sensitive as the younger buyers. As you get into your 60s and up, you tend to buy what you want, because in the back of your mind, you are wondering how many more riding years are left.

I see posts like this and I just kind of laugh a little. No offense to yo at all, but the riding pouplation is not the kind of metric that just gets older. You may be getting older, but someone buys a bike everyday, young and old, and there isn't all of the sudden a shortage of younger riders. I would reason to vet that the pouplation of younger riders is growing at a faster rate than older ones. New riders are born all the time. Old riders on the other hand are usually those who have either ridden since young, or are in a midlife crisis and usually buy some kind of comfy long distance bike far from what this thread is about.

 

[oorahduc]

Demographics of a New Bike Rider
Age
20 years and younger 1%
21-25 7%
26-30 9%
31-40 22%
41-50 30%
51-60 23%
61-70 7%
71 and older 1%

Gender
Male 90%
Female 10%

I am the 9%. *holds up protest sign*

 

[V4]

Female 10%

I thought there were more R6 owners than that..???!!111

 

[Junkie]

If only! The last of the v-twins that honda made in anything but a cruiser was the RC51. It was a sad day when that bike stoped production. Even Suzuki still makes a v-twin, even if it is only a sport bike rather than a true race bred super-sport. My Superhawk is a little mangled right now, but I will keep it alive until the parts run out, or Honda comes back out with a v-twin.

what sporty V twin does Suzuki make?

 

[/dev/null]

I also wonder what kind of effect the euro manufacturers test ride policy has on sales. I can go test ride a Ducati, Triumph, Aprilia or BMW but I can't test ride a Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki or Honda. You want me to lay down $10k+ on something I can't test ride? That shit just won't fly with older buyers.

 

[deanzaZZR]

what sporty V twin does Suzuki make?

The answer is that they don't. He was probably thinking of the SV1000S which has not been imported for 2 or more? years.

Vstrom 1000 is once again being imported for 2012. This does not count.

 

[Cafe Racer]

Agree with those that said, the rich can still afford toys and they love toys that carry expensive brand names for status reasons.

Which one is more likely to buy a bike, a poor guy buying a 10k Japanese bike or a rich guy buying a 20k European bike? My guess is the latter.

Wrong.

You cannot box what you consider the "rich" into a specific category. Some riders may fall into that category and some won't.

Its like saying that an experienced Moto rider would only choose a KTM dirtbike over a CRF or YZF. Because its European?

Miguel