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Whisperstealth
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 - 01:11 am: | 
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A 50K SUV is a status symbol. The fact that many see it as a necessity is sad to me. A 30K vehicle will handle all your “necessities” just as well.
I would be hard pressed to call a 20K motorcycle a necessity. Especially when a loaded out 7-8K KLR 650 will handle all my “necessities”, and a 15K bike should be pretty damn nice.
As fuel prices continue to go up (And therefore everything else.), and the economy doesn’t, motorcycles are going to become more and more common. It will get to the point where they become a necessity for many. (Think Asia and many other parts of the world.) Here is where Fatty’s words on economy of scale come into play big time. What will sell, how many, and for how much? What is the competition doing, what are they offering, and for how much? What will sell the most: A line of bikes from 5k(dirt bike) to 20+, or a line that starts at 20K? There is a reason BMW came out with the F-series GS’s, and others have followed suit. Erik would / will sell 20K bikes - like Motus will, but to a much smaller market.
Listening to what Court says, Erik understands this. He is, “quite literally, betting the farm”. Where he not, he would not be talking about an entire line of bikes. Instead, it would seem he’d stick to building small batches of Race and High end bikes. He might also look to be hired on somewhere to protect his retirement / future. The 100RS’s he plans on building are to get on the track yes, but will also help form some seed money, as well as show investors there is something worth investing in is my belief.
My .02 anyway. And that’s worth about .01 on a Good Day!  |
Scooter808484
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 - 03:29 pm: |
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My problem with the $20k MultiStrada (or BMWs for that matter) isn't the $20k price so much as what is available at $13-15k that gets you a lot closer to the performance of the Multi. Thinking Sprint GT, Ninja 1000, etc.
Haven't ridden any of them so can't talk specific merits, but that extra 15 hP for the Duc cost you $7k.
The 1125s, if available in a more uprighty, sport toury kind of package would also easily fill that bill.
(Message edited by scooter808484 on April 13, 2011) |
Sayitaintso
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 - 03:59 pm: |
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I dont want to get into a pissing contest about bikes but that 7k gets you more than 15hp.
The Multi also has traction control, abs, and an electric, on the fly, adjustable suspension. Do those other bikes have the same things?
Its the total package of the Multi that has me interested. The BMW leaves me completely uninterested, its a station wagon on two wheels imo, and sport bikes just aren't comfortable for all day rides.
I'm probably in the minority but I'd pay a premium for "Made in America" but only to a certain point. If two hypothetical bikes cost the same, I'd take the US one even though the features were a little down from the import. Conversely I'd pay a little more for the US bike if the features were the same. I wont pay more for a US bike that offers less and costs more. |
Scooter808484
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 - 05:20 pm: |
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The Sprint does have ABS. That electric, on the fly suspension sound nice, but that's where the complexity gets worrisome to me. The Italians don't have a great reputation when it comes to their "electrics".
So, no pissing contest, but you can see the point. $20k puts you significantly ahead of a lot of the competition pricewise and makes you look real hard before leaping. |
Court
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 - 10:35 pm: |
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>>>>I dont want to get into a pissing contest about bikes but that 7k gets you more than 15hp.
I absolutely agree and it's a darned attractive bike. My comments, earlier in the thread, were'nt intended to diminish the Multistrada . . I think it's a darned attractive bike.
Rather I was simply stating that when you get past the $15,000 point you approach flying in rarefied air.
More bucks does, so my neighbor that just popped for the $134,000 Porsche Turbo Cayman tells me, gets you more. His "truck" (his words) is cool . . but I confess at my income level the idea of paying $70,000 for a 200HP motor upgrade is beyond my means. |
Swampy
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 - 10:36 pm: |
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Court, the crappies will be biting in the next few weeks...
I have a friend that invested a ton in a custom motorcycle shop, it is in his soul, he has been in the retail business for years, but I worry about him that the business is going to burn through his savings in less than a year. They build some great bike, have some great ideas...but gosh, it's the economy stupid, and it is seasonal to boot. I can just imagine the red ink flowing, like blood from a knife wound to the head. It is a hobby not a full time business.
Anyways, I'll be at the lagoon knocking out the crappies when they come up to take a pea. |
Sayitaintso
| | Posted on Thursday, April 14, 2011 - 08:50 am: |
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Here's to the AX-11, I hope its everything we want it to be.....a success. |
Conchop
| | Posted on Thursday, July 28, 2011 - 07:49 pm: |
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Threads dead - lets see what the "numbers" are here at the end of July - whoa - looks better. Polaris-BMW - HD-Duc - all numbers up. Hmmmm.
Limited batch runs of any product or any modified version of said products are generally more expensive to run. 100% "in house" production has many quality advantages, but it is considered too expensive [ but the Koreans do it ].
Here's a thought. Perhaps we can get a contract for a piece or two of the new supposed AX and sell the limited run part to Erik Buell Racing at a very low price. Utilize local talents at the trade schools to run the CNC's. Lower the price even more.
Build the darn thing. Kids learn. Erik Buell Racing has a higher product volume business launch. We get a special deal on a new Ulysses named AX plus maybe make a little money. Of course quality would have to be there. But what is a traditional short run could be done profitably IF it is done creatively and simply.
Hopefully, this time next year, everyones "numbers" will be improving substantially.
Good luck to us all! |
Rainman
| | Posted on Monday, October 17, 2011 - 11:41 pm: |
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Sport-touring rig to replace my Connie and a 450cc light weight, radical steering geometry urban assault vehicle to replace my Blast.
Please. |
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