6th Gen. loosing its appeal?

Do manufacturers sell alot of any of the sport touring bikes? I kinda doubt it. I've shopped alot for a sport tourer over the past year, Kawi, Yami, Honda, Triumph and was surprised dealers rarely had one if any on the floor. The demand for this type of bike, all of them, is low. The cruiser crowd doesn't want them because they think they're crotch rockets (I've heard this a few times), the kids want racers, old guys think they look uncomfortable.

I've always had sport bikes and there's usually a couple of each color of each model at the dealer. When I bought my GSX-R they had 6 of them. It's supply and demand. The demand is low for sport tourers and always will be. Even if they come out with a 7th Gen or VFR1000.

 

My Honda dealer (and the local Ducati dealr) noted that SportTourers is the toughest market niche regardless of manufacturer. Gixxer pinned a few of the reasons for that. Me, I like my VFR fine for the long big mileage rides (which is one reason I bought it), but I want a play bike, too - maybe a Husky or KTM SuperMoto. If I had had the $$$, I probably would have purchased a Multistrada instead of the VFR. But I couldn't handle the purchase price and the $29 spark plugs, outrageously priced oil filters and other Ducati rip-offs.

 

When I think "sport tourer" I thing ST1100 & 1300, FJR, RT, etc - big, heavy bikes with real handlebars instead of clipons that are sold with hardbags as standard equipment. I think of the VFR as a comfortable sport bike, down on power and up on weight compared to the much less comfortable race replicas. It's in the same category ergo wise as Sprint ST, and less so the Busa and ZX14 which are less comfortable, but I wouldnt put any of these bikes in the "sport tourer" category.
I think the VFR sells so well in Europe because gas is so freakin expensive. Riders there want a bike that gets good mileage and is cheap and easy to maintain, but is also fun to ride. The higher gas prices makes them see bikes as more utilitarian vs the toys that most Americans see them as. Let's face it, the avg rider in the states uses their bike(s) for amusement purposes, putting miles on for the fun of it not for necessity.

 

It seems to me that Honda doesn't market the VFR very well. Except for a few magazine articles, I NEVER see a VFR advertised. How do the dealers expect to sell one if they don't even have one? The dealer here NEVER has a VFR in stock!! It took 3 weeks for mine to come in after it was ordered! It's almost like they don't want to sell them. I guess they know if they sell a VFR, they won't see the buyer again for 10 or 15 years.

 

I went and sat on an '08 Busa and ZX-14 today. Don't care for the Suzuki, but that ZX has me curious what it would be like to ride one for an hour or two. If I didnt own a great bike that I've already spent the $ making it just right, I do believe the Kawi would top my list of prospective purchases. It's hard to believe the Vtec costs the same.

 

Hey now theres some positve thinking

 

did the same thing got board today so for my lunch break went to kawi dealer and checked out the new connie great looking bike same power plant as zx14 just tuned more for touring. that would probably be my next choice if i was riding 2up long trips. the high tec gadgets on this one is kinda over the top for me.

 

Yeah, you know that key(less) thingy is bound to puke in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night.

 

Yes, all the droves of people abandoning VFRs to buy ST3s convinced Ducati to discontinue the model.

 

Who said anything about the new Connie?

 

If you figure out how to mount Givi bags to an F4i, let me know.

 

You are exactly right, Eddie, Honda doesn't do JACK to market the VFR. They don't advertise it, they don't work with magazines to do real world articles about the VFR...they don't do squat. In fact, Honda doesn't do much to market their other sport bikes, either. The VFR is an excellent bike that could be successful in the States if it was properly marketed, but it isn't. This was my point about making a modern day equiivalent of an F2 in an earlier post; it would fail with respect to sales not because it was not a great bike for a majority of riders, but because Honda would do nothing to market it correctly.

 

Got to agree. I have riden a lot of other bikes and thought that I like them, then I get back on my 05 and realise that for me the VFR is just better. Hard to explain but I just haven't found anything I like better.

 

Good god, another great thread.

 

Down this way the Viffer continues to do reasonably well in the sales (if memory serves me) but is still well behind the Fireblades etc.

But as a current national ad for the bike states - "VFR 800 - if you can only have one bike, its the one bike to have".

Spot on.

 

The VFR not reliable? You're kidding, right?

 

When I first shopped for a Sport-touring bike in 1999 My local dealer carried Honda and Triumph so I rode the VFR and the Sprint back to back to back to back and still couldn’t decide which one I liked better. I bought the Honda because of their reputation for reliability. Unfortunately I no longer have the bike and want it back. If I were shopping for a new bike today I would compare the two again and just might buy the Sprint for it’s reported improvements and it’s sweet engine; but since my budget is $5000 I am looking for a used VFR and have not even considered a used Sprint.

 

Good thread... You know none of Honda's bikes sell all that well now. Suzuki and Yamaha still sell tons of 600s and the CBR1000rr is still a lame duck in the liter bike class here in the States. Honda has had its collective head up its three point of contact for a few years. They are not marketing well and they seem to only be worried about dirt bikes and aquasports. Motorcycles are sold on image and BRAND especially in this country. Think about how many people took another look at a VFR because the RWB came out. I wasn't too intirested in one until then and may have never bought one otherwise even though I know its a great bike now. Honda needs to do more to make their product line exciting here in the States. Bring some of those new concept retro bikes with attitude over here and get people in the showrooms.... then maybe if they do some work to the VFR even if its only small things we may see a little growth. Until that happens People will continue to lust over European models or go after Suzuki 1000s that win on Sunday and sell on Monday...

 

Marketing slogan for Honda USA:

"Ehhh, why not buy a Honda?"

Man, compare that with the Ducati ads! Sexy women in tight smooth leather and stiletto-heel boots, draping themselves all over the bikes! Hmm, I'll be back in a minute . . . .

 

Alter Ego...man, you are bang on in my book. Honda seems to be doing nothing to market their sportbikes in any truly meaningful way.

Regarding the new CBR1000RR...I think it's going to be a bomb. No one I know likes the looks of the thing. I think it's going to go over like a Ducati 999. And who, other than someone with the stature of a Dani Pedrosa, could fit on the thing to ride it?

Clearly Honda had a real opportunity to market the VFR in the 25th anniversay RWB colors...the bike just looks stunning in those colors...yet, I have seen virtually no attempt on Honda's part to capitalize on this bike's appeal to the discerning buyer. You're right, they have their heads up their....