Why European motorcycles are doing better then the Japanese

[TheRiddler]

You left out Honda rebel and the othe japanese 250 cruisers. A used motorcycle cost less than a used car. I was alive in the 70's and even remember some of it. In the 70's I didn't really ride but most of my friends did. I always figured that a moto cost less than a car, cheeper transportation.

I'm in business and let me tell you, asking about something and doing something are two very differnt things. Also saying you're going to do something and actually doing it are different as well.

I left out the cruisers because "they don't look cool." Most people my age don't think of motorcycles as a form of transportation. They're just a big toy. They get a car because that's required to get from point A to point B. It doesn't occur to them that a motorcycle can do that, too.

 

[theAmazingKickstand]

They get a car because that's required to get from point A to point B. It doesn't occur to them that a motorcycle can do that, too.

The first company to figure out how to convince the public of this will dominate for the following 80 years.

It'll be like, "Let me Google that first" " I'm gonna get a Coke" "She bought a Jeep or something like that" " Aww shit dawg, U ryde? You gotta Harley or gixxer?"

 

[Punter]

It'll be like, "Let me Google that first" " I'm gonna get a Coke" "She bought a Jeep or something like that" " Aww shit dawg, U ryde? You gotta Harley or Ducati?"

FTFY.

Kind of like that already isn't it?

 

[busjohn]

How can Harley put out one of the worst motorcycles, in the reliablity and performance divisions...and everyone has to have one...for instance.

AmazingKickstand beat me to it but yeah, image, lifestyle, community, heritage, status, bragging rights at Starbucks, pressure from peers to buy nothing but "American made" Harley instead of "Jap crap", media exposure, etc., are various reasons to why. $20k for a Harley is not a lot of money for most rich dentist, lawyers, and accountants. Also keep in mind that Harley has over 100 years of followers.

 

[Feanor]

Maybe its something completely seperate from economic and other market forces and is simply an issue of saturation.

There are so many japanese bikes on the road that people gravitate toward something different. When Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki started sending bikes to the US, just being on ANY motorcycle was different so where it came from mattered so little that even in an age of moderately more racial suspicion, being on a "JAP" bike was ok.

Now that EVERYTHING is a Japanese bike, people move to something that sustains their craving to be "outside" of normal thinking and convention, much like when riding itself was in vogue. So, interest in european bikes grows, despite their assumed higher cost, lesser reliability and harder maintenance efforts. In fact, those pitfalls become the bikes' desired identifying features; helping make the owner even more "different"

I have several friends who will not buy BMWs because they are "common" as said before, every rich asian kid drives one... so now I see people I know buying Audi, Alfa, Aston etc because they don't want to be seen in a BMW unless its some BMW Supercar.

Maybe its less like econ and more like eco The rabbits multiply and then the wolves eat all the rabbits and then when there are no more rabbits, the wolves die out and the rabbits again multiply etc etc

Maybe an accurate indicator of over saturation of a brand of motorcycle is how successful the companies like ONE industries and EFFEX decal companies are at trying to give you something that makes what you have look at least a LITTLE different than what everyone else has

 

[louemc]

Maybe an accurate indicator of over saturation of a brand of motorcycle is how successful the companies like ONE industries and EFFEX decal companies are at trying to give you something that makes what you have look at least a LITTLE different than what everyone else has

Entirely possible...Factor in that Japanese bikes (and cars/trucks) OK lets say Manufacturers....revolutionized manufacturing...and gave us reliability, and the Euro Manufactures saw how it's done, and incorporated that into their bikes...so now You can buy a Ducati or a Triumph that stays together.

As far as a different look...I didn't have to leave Kawasaki...My ZX-10 doesn't look like any ZX-10 I've seen. My 1987 Suzuki 1100 GIXXR didn't look like any other either after I prepaired it to live on...for a ride that lasted 4 1/2 months long...before returning to home.

 

[Tydive]

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.

Exactly why all my used bikes were Japanese and my new one is a Triumph. NFW am I going to lay down $10K+ without riding the bike. At least Kawasaki and Yamaha do demo trucks, even if Kawk did have the slowest old farts on the planet at IMS this year.

And I don't think bikes aren't safe...I think riders aren't safe...

+1 Don't blame the tool, blame the Tool holding the tool.

Another bonus to riding a Triumph is everyone likes the bike and company. Never had a bad incident like I used to get on my Hondas.

 

[theAmazingKickstand]

I don't need a test ride on most japanese bikes. I know they will bore me on the street and will be with in 2 secs of each other on the track. I need a test on the Euro stuff cuz its all vastly different and quircky. Hard to drop $20k on something with 80hp or sumfin. Gotta ride it and see why.

 

[russ69]

I see posts like this and I just kind of laugh a little. The median age of riders has been going up for decades. It is a well known and often written about problem within the moto world. Russ and I were both riding back in the 70's when the market was dominated by riders in their 20's. Today it's more like riders in their 40's and 50's.

Baby Boomers, the largest group of people ever. Msethhunter, forgot how big a group we are and we are the first generation, that met the nicest people on a Honda. Oh, yeah...thanks for paying my social security, hope there is some left over for you guys after all us "boomers" eat up the reserves....

 

[Brewbacca]

I think young people are definitely not becoming motorcyclist because of cost and that it much easier to buy a used car for $1000-$3000 and it will do what you need. while owning a motorcycle requires you to get X amount of gear and class taking just to ride.

 

[littlebeast]

here you go. the next generation. born to be mild

http://www.couriermail.com.au/life/...ite-of-childhood/story-e6frer7o-1226140114933

 

[V4]

there are plenty of 10 year old japanese bikes in the market just as reliable as it were brand new, 10 years ago...many of them with low miles for it's age...

and many are still on the road today...

why buy a brand new one when a 3 year old one is quite capable today..

heck, even the f3 are great all around bikes and plenty of them around, along with sv650s which can be had for a few $$

so yea, new bike sales may be up, but plenty are buying the used bikes that are still more than capable and plenty enough for the average rider with reliablity....

euro and harley's sales may be "up" but most of them are due to being financed which it's easier to buy a new harley/ducati than a used one using one own cash..

so there...

 

[oorahduc]

I think young people are definitely not becoming motorcyclist because of cost and that it much easier to buy a used car for $1000-$3000 and it will do what you need. while owning a motorcycle requires you to get X amount of gear and class taking just to ride.

One of the first deciding factors of selling my car and getting a bike was monthly expenditure. Instead of paying $275/month on payments for a few more months and $358/month for insurance (I was speedy), I decided I'd rather pay less than half of that for my Duc + insurance. Not to mention my gas mileage went from 22mpg to 41mpg.

there are plenty of 10 year old japanese bikes in the market just as reliable as it were brand new, 10 years ago...many of them with low miles for it's age...

and many are still on the road today...

why buy a brand new one when a 3 year old one is quite capable today..

heck, even the f3 are great all around bikes and plenty of them around, along with sv650s which can be had for a few $$

so yea, new bike sales may be up, but plenty are buying the used bikes that are still more than capable and plenty enough for the average rider with reliablity....

euro and harley's sales may be "up" but most of them are due to being financed which it's easier to buy a new harley/ducati than a used one using one own cash..

so there...

Maybe I should've gone with a new Duc then instead of my '09.

here you go. the next generation. born to be mild

http://www.couriermail.com.au/life/...ite-of-childhood/story-e6frer7o-1226140114933

It also changes regionally. Growing up in Texas, we didn't know what hand sanitizier was, and when we thought up all these crazy risky things to do on dirt bikes and in the shop, we didn't care. Oh, you just almost cut your thumb off on a band saw? Put some electrical tape on it. It'll be ok. (My grandfather actually did this. Tough sucker.) The last time I went back to visit my grandma there, it was still like that.

I moved out to California well over a decade ago and there's hand sanitizer everywhere. Don't do this! it's dangerous. Don't do that! it's dangerous. Parents coddle their kids and keep them out of risky situations whenever they can here, which is instilling a lesser comfortability with risk-taking in today's generation.

 

[vato_loco]

I've read that fewer & fewer young people in Japan are riding motorcycles these days. Reason? Too dangerous. Like American youngsters they're happier with computer games.

 

[gameboi]

^^ so true!!

everyone growing up now a days is stuck to some kind of electronic gaming device (phone/ipad/computer/etc....)

 

[Aviator]

I see a lot of people talking about wealthy people buying European brands during a weak economy...I would agree about most of them, but people seem to be forgetting that Triumph has exceedingly competitive prices, and one could argue are an even better deal new because of the components that come standard.

 

[silverbelt]

there are plenty of 10 year old japanese bikes in the market just as reliable as it were brand new, 10 years ago...many of them with low miles for it's age...

and many are still on the road today...

That's right. One could argue the 05-06 GSX-R1000's and the 06-07 750's are even more popular and sought after then the newest models of these bikes.

But even then, theres just something about KTM, Aprilia, and to a lesser extent Ducati that the Japanese manufacturers just can't emulate.

 

[Brewbacca]

Well why are people still buying more European Brands then Japanese brands even if there competitively priced with one another.

 

[vato_loco]

All these posts make perfect sense, especially the prestige factor of owning a Euro brand over Japanese. Those 1-percenters, you know...

I've ridden Italian for my last three motorbikes but would definitely consider Japanese the next time around. In fact I'd like to buy an 07 or 08 CBR600RR at some point but the Tuono 1000R hits the right buttons for the moment.

 

[Ant]

Well why are people still buying more European Brands then Japanese brands even if there competitively priced with one another.

European bikes for the most part are as reliable as japanese bikes and have lost that stigma that they had like the old Triumphs of the 60's and 70's. Not everyone wants a gixxer or a harley and like you said, the Euro bikes are competitively priced and with a lot to choose from.