Overpriced Motorcycles or What

Mail ordering parts sucks, and if I need warranty work, I have to go 90 miles to get it. I am not trading the Rocket, but there are certainly many reasons to go with Harley. Now carry on the bashing. Harley will appreciate it! :laugh:

Only 90 miles? You lucky dog!

I think the HD 'ship is 55 miles, Triumph is 110
 
:)

I visit most dealers in Tulsa just to see what is new, including the Harley dealer, the multi brand dealers always have a bunch of people rooming around the Honda dealer same way, BMW is a very lonely place and Harley has the occacional customer walking in, bear in mind this is during week days, will have to start visiting on weekends to see if there is a difference

I've recently moved to Shreveport, LA and it seems my closest Triumph dealer is a HD-Triumph multi-dealer 95 miles away. I was surprised to see a HD dealer that mingled with other brands. I look forward to checking it out sometime.
-MIG
 
I was looking at the Indian Springfield before I purchased the R3T. I never wanted the bat wing. Getting the Rocket for almost half the price of the Springfield made the decision easy.

I ride with a lot of Harley guys. We all respect each other. We have nothing to prove we just ride. I carry ear plugs in my vest pocket just in case I get behind a loud one.

The Rocket is such a novelty. Couple of my Harley friends have taken it for a spin. I get nothing but complements and that is what I give.

You are correct about the price of some of these bikes. When I first started riding it was because it was the cheapest way to get around. Today it is a sacrifice you make for the love of riding.

I think Triumph is being very smart with the new Bonnie class and others. Size is nice and pricing is affordable.

The Sportsters and Scouts are just not going to ever be able to make the long haul for riders.

If they keep the new Rocket under $20,000.00 it will have a market.

I saw the new Indian Roadmaster Special the other day. $37,000.00 OMG I would buy it but it doesn't have air conditioning.
 
You are correct about the price of some of these bikes. When I first started riding it was because it was the cheapest way to get around. Today it is a sacrifice you make for the love of riding.
And that there IS THE ISSUE.

When I first started riding in 1978 it was because

1) The company I had obtained a job with canceled the works bus. I needed transport.
2) I could not afford a car. And was still learning to drive.
3) You could ride a bike alone on "learner" plates.

I had no interest at all in bikes before this. I spent my money on shooting.

Here today the only real "consumer grade" bikes are scooters. But you can get a decent small-medium sized car for the price of a decent sized scooter - so unless you have a parking issue - many will simply get a car. It's easier/better for picking up chicks too. And I'll bet the insurance is less.

It is also quite an expense here to get a Bike license - It's a whole new exam - and frankly if I did not already have one - I would not use the money to get a license.

Bikes have ceased to be (in the main) practical. You cannot really home maintain (cost again) as more and more restrictions are applied.

Depending where you live this can make even moderate customizing a chore. So the old adage of it allowing you individuality fades.

In cities many potential scooter riders get bicycles - traffic free cycle routes promote this. Though here bikes do get to use bus and taxi lanes.

The world has changed. Folk generally have less cash for toys. So they get affordable toys. That or certain toys have become "essential" - Think iPhones, iPads and their Android equivalents. Bikes move down a notch or 6.

I have owned a Harley - it did its job well - but did not do what I needed from a bike then. Today - still not, but in 5-6 years - maybe.
But that bike will be hard to find in 5-6 years. And tbh my currently 38 year old Guzzi will do it then just as well.

If my missus had said outright back in 2010 she really did not want to travel on a bike any more - frankly I would have kept my 1997 Buell S3T and never bought a Rocket. For solo use the Buell was (and is) better suited to my roads. Was better handling, bigger tank, no electronics worth calling, better consumption and more than able to maintain the highway speeds I need/want. But the missus said yes, and so we needed seat space. Life is sometimes incoherent.

I don't know what it's like elsewhere - but here there has been a massive change towards mid-sized bikes - even small (physically). A lot of older bikes have gained in price as they become more and more sought out because they are cheap and easy to maintain. I have a mate with an "all makes" workshop and much of his work these days is Functional Restoration of older bikes. A lot of Guzzis and BMW's but also mid rage Jap stuff and some Triumphs. And I have not seen a youngster in his shop in years (except his nephew who works for him).

Simple fact is - IF YOU WANT A HARLEY - AND HAVE THE MONEY - YOU WILL BUY IT. If you don't want one or don't have the cash - then you wont. No other justification is required. If I had 45 grand to spend on a vehicle - it would not be a bike.
 
Funny thought is my R3T is the first bike I have ever owned that is over 1000 cc. I think that is one of the issues here.

I graduated High School in 1978. Honda Ruled the World back then. I road a Honda CJ360. It was a great bike. Kick start only. The CB 550 four was a great bike. The CB 750 four was huge. The Kaw 900 turbo was insane. The CBX was as wide as a truck. My favorite Honda was the CB 350 4. I think it was only made in 74 and 75. If I saw one today I would buy it on the spot. When the first Goldwing came out at 1000 cc everyone thought it was the pinnacle of motorcycle engineering.

Harley was owned by AMF. Enough said.

When I bought my 2005 America it was the largest motorcycle I had ever owned at 790cc. If I am going solo I still jump on her and enjoy every minute of it. I took her from Indiana to Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia last year. Did 1526 miles in 4 days and had a blast.

I think the Suzuki Boulevard C50 and C90 are the most practical cruisers on the road today.

I love the Rocket. I am leaving for the Kentucky Rally again in 10 days. I am taking the Rocket. For Triumph to even consider making this bike to me is insane. Every time I climb on her and lift her of the kick stand I think, "oh my god she is a monster." Then I hit the throttle and the weight melts away.

But then the question remains, why do manufacturers make these monsters? At least Triumph makes mid size bikes that are capable of meeting a riders demands. As I said earlier the Sportster and the Scout are just not made to jump on and ride all day. They will beat you to death. It is a pity because their power plants are capable. It is the overall design of the bikes that fails.
 
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I am a motorcycle rider. I could care less what name brand my friends ride. In the past I owned Harley dressers. I thought they were the best big bike on the market. My best friend bought a R3R. Biggest **** bike engine I had ever seen. Yes not a car engine. Still, I believed my Road King was a better bike for long rides. Then he talked me into riding the Rocket.
Triumph needs to decide if they want to sell bikes in the States. Triumph has the worst marketing I've seen. I had never seen a Rocket. How pathetic. Just a little effort and cost. Triumph's are competitive with Harley's. In most areas Triumph is a superior. But in my location you can't even get decent service from Triumph. 5 Harley dealers in a 35 mile radius from my home. Triumph has 2 dealers in a 50 mile radius. Both of them carry less tha 2 Rocket models. Oh ya, no spare parts...
 
My point was that the full dresser cruisers are way overpriced for what they offer compared to cars. I can never comprehend $44K Canadian for a motorcycle when a fully loaded technological marvel of a car with a tristar badge costs 48K.

I fully agree.... and that's the way it's been with "recreational" vehicles, boats, etc., since time immemorial, it seems. "Pay to play", but sad nonetheless.... especially when I see fellers' buying $25,000 or up (heck, $10,000 or whatever...) bikes and they're just good workin' folks w/families and may be struggling to pay all the other bills.
 
I've recently moved to Shreveport, LA and it seems my closest Triumph dealer is a HD-Triumph multi-dealer 95 miles away. I was surprised to see a HD dealer that mingled with other brands. I look forward to checking it out sometime.
-MIG

One of our big Trumpet dealers here in NC is principally a H-D dealer, "Ray Price H-D/Triumph" in Raleigh... they also own a large dealership in Fayetteville (NC) that goes under a different name. I hate to say it, but I believe the H-D part of things there (and the larger part by far) HELPS GIVE SOME "STREET CRED" to the Triumphs, which is NOT A BAD THING, at all, in the long run. There was a time - and we're talking "old school" - when Trumpets and even Beesers (BSA), as well as Indian (to an even lesser degree than the Tri's and BSA's at that time, as they'd been gone so long there weren't many left to ride), were well-accepted rides, and considered perfectly "cool" even among the MC's (clubs). In fact - and not to aggrandize 1%'s in any way - it is said the Pagans' founder and many bro's rode Trumpets heavily in their earlier era. Point being that all of that DOES/did have an effect for some decades on the "what's cool factor" that H-D trades on, today (and Triumph SHOULD try to capitalize on much more than just an occasional "Steve McQueen" tie-in. A Rocket III R or T, either one, could have huge appeal to the same market as H-D if MARKETED PROPERLY. (An R3T in 2017, though they say they're discontinuing the model for 2018, is priced similarly to the H-D Road King, and of course is comparably appointed and styled, yet it's "half again" more motorcycle at about the same price point, or close)
 
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Well hopefully they can build something the youngsters are interested in. Build a sport bike with a Vrod motor or something.
Harley did build the VRSCR Street Rod in 2006 / 2007. In my opinion it was the best bike they ever built but it was butt ugly and didn't sell. Despite being heavier than necessary it was a fantastic ride.
 
One of our big Trumpet dealers here in NC is principally a H-D dealer, "Ray Price H-D/Triumph" in Raleigh... they also own a large dealership in Fayetteville (NC) that goes under a different name. I hate to say it, but I believe the H-D part of things there (and the larger part by far) HELPS GIVE SOME "STREET CRED" to the Triumphs, which is NOT A BAD THING, at all, in the long run. There was a time - and we're talking "old school" - when Trumpets and even Beesers (BSA), as well as Indian (to an even lesser degree than the Tri's and BSA's at that time, as they'd been gone so long there weren't many left to ride), were well-accepted rides, and considered perfectly "cool" even among the MC's (clubs). In fact - and not to aggrandize 1%'s in any way - it is said the Pagans' founder and many bro's rode Trumpets heavily in their earlier era. Point being that all of that DOES/did have an effect for some decades on the "what's cool factor" that H-D trades on, today (and Triumph SHOULD try to capitalize on much more than just an occasional "Steve McQueen" tie-in. A Rocket III R or T, either one, could have huge appeal to the same market as H-D if MARKETED PROPERLY. (An R3T in 2017, though they say they're discontinuing the model for 2018, is priced similarly to the H-D Road King, and of course is comparably appointed and styled, yet it's "half again" more motorcycle at about the same price point, or close)
Triumph could do a lot as far as marketing is concerned. I have a hard time finding a t shirt that fits. HD gets lots of free marketing from me simply because I have a closet full of their t shirts.
 
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