RocketEd
Supercharged
Since sales projections seem to be seeping into many threads, I thought I would start one just to deal with it. Then in a few years we can look back and see who gets to utter those four favorite words, "I told you so!".
Feel free to put in why you will or won't buy one. Or where you've found one for sale.
I'll start.
I don't see these ever being big sellers, I'm not sure they're even meant to be.
Here are some of the challenges I think R3 sales face:
The elephant in the room is the price of course. In the U.S. motorcycles have for decades been a relatively inexpensive toy/indulgence, but not at this price. At the money they're asking there's a lot of competition and not just from bikes. The same aging demographic that is hurting Harley is also starting to affect the price of driver quality vintage cars for example.
IMO it's over priced, even with all the technology. My made in Austria 2016 KTM 1190 came with ride modes, lean sensitive ABS and TC modes, power modes, electrically adjustable preload, and TPMS with an MSRP of ~ $17K. The electronics on the R3 really aren't anything new or unique AFAIK.
The genre of motorcycle Triumph chose to put the R3 in puts it against some stiff competition. The Diavel is $20K, the XDiavel $21K and they outperform the R3 and weigh a LOT less. The VMax weighs around the same, lists for $18K, and certainly is just as iconic.
Don't forget Honda tried the same thing with the Valkyrie - A high priced, refined, quality restyled reboot without class leading performance and it was a huuuge sales flop. You can still buy new leftover 2014 and '15s for ten to 12 grand. And this is with more Honda than Triumph dealers and the Valkyrie's excellent reliability reputation.
Because Triumph chose to emulate Harley and shut down a bunch of dealers it will be hard to even get these bikes in front of people. I've yet to see any of the new T120s except for a single Speed Twin and they've been out for how many years now?
Going forward please keep in mind features that are important to some may come across as simple whining to others, and keep it civil.
For example I like long gears on a road bike. I don't see the sense in having to shift a 6 speed just to end up with same overall gearing. Just a whine, but that's my opinion.
Feel free to put in why you will or won't buy one. Or where you've found one for sale.
I'll start.
I don't see these ever being big sellers, I'm not sure they're even meant to be.
Here are some of the challenges I think R3 sales face:
The elephant in the room is the price of course. In the U.S. motorcycles have for decades been a relatively inexpensive toy/indulgence, but not at this price. At the money they're asking there's a lot of competition and not just from bikes. The same aging demographic that is hurting Harley is also starting to affect the price of driver quality vintage cars for example.
IMO it's over priced, even with all the technology. My made in Austria 2016 KTM 1190 came with ride modes, lean sensitive ABS and TC modes, power modes, electrically adjustable preload, and TPMS with an MSRP of ~ $17K. The electronics on the R3 really aren't anything new or unique AFAIK.
The genre of motorcycle Triumph chose to put the R3 in puts it against some stiff competition. The Diavel is $20K, the XDiavel $21K and they outperform the R3 and weigh a LOT less. The VMax weighs around the same, lists for $18K, and certainly is just as iconic.
Don't forget Honda tried the same thing with the Valkyrie - A high priced, refined, quality restyled reboot without class leading performance and it was a huuuge sales flop. You can still buy new leftover 2014 and '15s for ten to 12 grand. And this is with more Honda than Triumph dealers and the Valkyrie's excellent reliability reputation.
Because Triumph chose to emulate Harley and shut down a bunch of dealers it will be hard to even get these bikes in front of people. I've yet to see any of the new T120s except for a single Speed Twin and they've been out for how many years now?
Going forward please keep in mind features that are important to some may come across as simple whining to others, and keep it civil.
For example I like long gears on a road bike. I don't see the sense in having to shift a 6 speed just to end up with same overall gearing. Just a whine, but that's my opinion.