| Author | Message | ||
     Hughlysses |
Announced at today's dealer meeting: http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/ebr-to-distrib ute-hero-motorcycles-scooters-in-north-america/#.U l80tNtVt9Y.facebook | ||
| Hughlysses |
Another article, with pics of Hero bikes: http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/3/17219/Motorcycle-A rticle/Hero-Motorcycles-in-US-by-Mid-2014.aspx | ||
| Fast1075 |
At the AIM expo today, I talked with some of the Hero people, and it is a sure thing. | ||
| Ljm |
If still around or anyone knows, are they going to any of the IMS events? I'll be near the Phoenix one in January and would love to see it in person. | ||
| Noone1569 |
Talked with a couple Hero guys straight from India and a couple of the EBR folks. Everyone is excited about turning the entry level motorcycle market on its head with the Hero bikes. They mentioned <$3000 out of the door, with the 125cc being cheap enough to "put it on a credit card" | ||
| Hughlysses |
Interesting article on the founder of Hero: http://forbesindia.com/article/leaderhip-awards-20 13/brijmohan-lall-munjal-a-hero-for-lifes/36351/0 I like the way this guy thinks about business. | ||
| Longbeard |
Im sure those will be flying out the door.....LMAO | ||
| Court |
>>>>Im sure those will be flying out the door.....LMAO They've been producing them at roughly 17,000 PER DAY and just commemorated their 50,000,000th bike sold. They are flying somewhere. Hero makes, in about 9 days, what Harley-Davidson makes in a year . . . as a basis for comparison. If they bring one of those scooters here . . I'd be all over one of those. | ||
| Longbeard |
Really? IMO it will be a flop in the US. Having lived overseas for 6 years I can understand how there is a huge market for them there but I dont think they will do as well here. I will never forget my first vision of the leather clad skinhead scooter gang that would buzz up and down mainstreat Lakenheath...  I hope you get one. There does seem to be a trend with younger guys to buy scooters and Bergmans. Maybe they will do well. I bought the Buell blast when I saw the EPA MPG estimates, but it got about 20 mpg less then advertised so I bout a XB12S and it did much better then the blast and was way more fun. | ||
| Froggy |
I'm in line for the hybrid model 
There was something terribly wrong then, probably your riding style. Mine easily gets higher than the EPA numbers, my all time best was about 85MPG, the bike was stock. Both my XB12s are good for 55-65mpg on average, but they are nowhere near as fun as the Blast. | ||
| Court |
I'd be game for trying one in NYC. I spend about $800 a month in tolls and 2 wheelers are significantly less expensive. Hero . . . and I suspicsionating here . . . is making huge strides in quality, vendor consistency and manufacturing. The EBR/Hero relationship is the epitome of "win-win". EBR has the cognitive fire power to develop systems that will scale nicely, HERO has the ability and the burning desire to scale. Don't get me wrong . . . I think the styling is a bit "foreign" to USA eyes but that's easy. You get a Ti and an EBR version of the famous Josef Boyd (the genius engineer who's job it was to "American" Honda's similarly foreign looking offering before they came to our shores) and you've a powerful combination. These folks, in concert, are both smart and well funded. Toss some of both in a crucible . . toss the in the catalyst of burning passion and stand back. I, and I suspect it's poorly concealed, am really excited about what E2 (Erik and The Elves) are doing. P.S. - when you look at some of the names showing up at EBR . . . . if's scary to think of the potential. (Message edited by court on October 25, 2013) | ||
| Ratbuell |
Go to Key West sometime. You'll see how popular scooters can be in the U.S. I think it's a great way to flesh out the product line - can't wait to see how the market reacts. | ||
| Duggram |
I recently started full-timing in my toyhauler. I could sure use a street legal pit-bike for cruising the parks I live in. And it would also be nice at the track. I don't think there would be that big a market for a bike like this but hopefully Hero will have something that fits. | ||
| Slaughter |
I'm in line for a small displacement in-town machine with enough guts to keep up with city traffic. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Apparently we haven't really seen the Hero bikes designed with EBR help yet, apart from the hybrid scooter. I've found several articles (see links and discussion here: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/253 912/722336.html?1382713540). The styling on the new Karizma ZMR shows some definite 1190 influence; it appears it uses the same taillight assembly and turn signals, and the stacked projector beam headlamps are clearly modeled after the 1190RS. Otherwise it appears to use old Hero technology. The latest article says Hero will introduce 3 new engines in 2014: a 100, a 125, and a 250, designed with the help of their technological partners including EBR. The new bikes may be a lot more attractive to the U.S. market than the ones we've seen, which feature engines which are clones of older Honda's. | ||
| Duggram |
Steve, you make me think of La Guna Seca. My street legal pit bike would be great there with the hills. Although I can't remember how much access you would have all around that track. And, you could use it on the streets of Monterey. Nice thought. (Message edited by duggram on October 26, 2013) | ||
| Rodrob |
I'm in line for a small displacement in-town machine with enough guts to keep up with city traffic. Ditto. | ||
| Trojan |
They are flying somewhere. Hero makes, in about 9 days, what Harley-Davidson makes in a year . . . as a basis for comparison. How can you compare a cheap Indian 125 honda rip off with a Harley (try not to let personal feelings towards the MoCo sway your judgement). Making 17 million bikes a day for the Taliban and Indian domestic market is hardly the same as trying to sell them to a western market that believes a bike should last more than 2 weeks before it falls to pieces (which probably accounts for the 17,00 a day figure!) and is used to a much higher quality product. The EBR/Hero relationship is the epitome of "win-win". It could be exactly the opposite if EBR become the focus of pissed off customers complaining about quality control issues and cheap materials. That could start to eflect very badly on EBR's own premium product unless they can somehow succesfully separate the two products. With Hero sponsoring EBR race teams I can't see how that separation can be done now unfortunately, so they had better hope that the quality of Hero products improves a lot before they start selling them in the US. I hope the partnership works well, but I do have reservations. | ||
| Court |
You've missed your homework assignment. Read up on the people involved and where they are headed. It's not persona Michael . . . it's business. I am very optimistic.
Losers "hope" Winners plan. Court P.S. - our country is in the throes of "hope and change" . . if you want to see what "hope" does witness how this group of hoodie clowns has tanked up a country. | ||
| Crackhead |
It would be interesting to see a competitor to Honda Grom. |
