The Motorcycle Industry Sucks

I have "Buy A Another Bike Fever" at the moment. Normally, this is a good thing. Problem is, the industry SUCKS large at the moment. Why you ask? It's simple. I want a standard. I don't want a FZ1 toned down sport bike type standard. I want a standard standard. One like the CB750's of yore. I want a simple frame, single round headlight, handlebar, etc. A bike I can throw a set of bags over the rear & simply ride. A quick check reveals about 4 motorcycles that meet that criteria. The Ducati GT1000, the Triumph Bonnevilles, the BMW R1200 & the Moto Guzzi V series. So what's the problem you ask? Again, it's simple. I have some criteria that must be met before my cash is going anywhere. I will not spend my money unless I can get what I want.

I will break the 3 bikes down:

It's quite simple why I will not buy either the Triumph or the Guzz. Both bikes use a 5 speed transmission. Sorry kids, this is 2010. I will not give my money to any company that will not equip their bikes with modern hardware. In my opinion, it is completely unacceptable for ANY street going motorcycle to not feature a 6 speed transmission. Honda put a 5 speed in the CB750 in 1969. I find it hard to believe the industry can't find the resources to add another gear & bring all bikes up to modern standards. This is a shame since the Triumph Bonnevilles are realatively cheap, look pretty good & have a great deal of charm about them. If they featured a 6 sp, I would probably buy one this week end.

The Ducati GT1000
On paper, this bike is PERFECT. It has the engine I like. With the exception of the seat, it looks great. It has a 6 speed trans. It has mufflers & shocks on each side for the classic timeless look of the 60's & 70's. I was planning on buying one of these bikes soon. That was until, like I do with everything, I researched it to death. Apparently, this bike has a plastic gas tank. That isn't really a big deal since most bikes these days do. The problem is, it's seems these gas tanks warp with alarming regularity. A quick check in on the Ducati forum indicates 70% of GT1000 owners report warping tanks. It also seems that ALL Duc's with plastic tanks are prone to this problem. That, quite frankly, is total BS. Among other problems indicated by Ducati owners are saddle bags that don't fit & the brackets break, oil changes that require special tools & $12 a quart oil, shocks that can't be adjusted to suit most riders, a plastic headlight & headlight shell, pitting chrome, rusting, etc... The list goes on. I simply am not going to spend my money on any bike that I know will need the gas tank replaced at regular intervals. That is simply complete bull shit. I don't see how Ducati hasn't been sued into the ground over this. This is a true shame since I love the way the bike looks & if it was built to Honda standards it would be a perfect bike for me.

The BMW
It's kinda ugly & kinda expensive. That is a good & bad thing. Ugly & quirky mean no one else will have one. I like being the unique one on the block. I may be able to be talked into a used one. I don't know. The good thing is, BMW allows test rides so I may be hooking that up in the near future.


As usual I am less than impressed with the industry at the moment. I would also like to punch the collective buying public in the face since it's the ignorant masses that spelled the death of the standard as a viable type of motorcycle. I would have bought one years ago if I had the money to do so. Now that I do, there isn't one available that I like. Oh well, the industry needs my money more than I need to spend it. If they want it, they need to meet my expectations.

I would buy this bike in a heart beat if it were available in the US.
Honda Motorcycles Models

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

OK. And if you're in the market for a new cage, you may want to stay away from the Toyota brands. They have everything, but tend to kill people.

 

Would perhaps a Speed/Street Triple from Triumph fit your criteria? The only thing that doesn't sit right with them is that they have dual round headlights up front. Perhaps a simple modification of an aftermarket headlight bucket or a stock one from a random cruiser would take care of this.

I know there have been some guys talk about importing VFR's as of late from the US to Canada. Is the CB1300 available in Canada and you might be able to import it from there?

 

How about an FZ1? Or even better, the Z1000.

 

The BMW has another plus going for it; nobody steals ugly bikes... :biggrin:

 

One of the reasons I love FZ1 (2004, The Gen 1) is that when I test rode it I felt like My old CB750, With a shit load more power. The gen 1 had a tube trame, the new one does'nt. Both gens are running R1 motors, but cammed for more mid range torque, Damn good bike. I dig the riding position & the fact it has a handle bar. I switched mine out to a ProTaper dirt bike aluminum, made it feel even more like my CB. Anyway, I love mine, I may be dumping the fairing in the next few weeks in favor of a more streetfighter look. The gen 2 that's sold now is only availible in the half fairing model. The full nakids are a Europe & Asia. The kit to switch the US model is availible and looks prety sweet and a couple US dealers have & Yamaha Shop in Liverpool that would happily ship it to the states. these are pics of my Gen1 as sits now & the Gen 2 with the streetfighter headlite and gages.

 

What difference does the number of gears make? The VFR is effectively a 5 speed -6th is useless below 70 mph. Buy whichever bike you like. 6th is usually for highway use anyway.

 

If you can't answer this question yourself, I really think anything I might type may be a little advanced for you. It's called modern technology. If you don't understand that, it surely isn't my responsibility to explain it to you.

For all the other replies, I said I didn't want a watered down sport bike. I already have a bike that's plenty fast. What I want now is a nice, charming, dependable, all around bike. I just pisses me off that the companies aren't making them any longer.

I must also add that I must recall my statement that I would buy the CB1300. I actually read the specs. Guess what? If you guess it has a 5 speed, buy yourself a beer.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

opcorn:.....................

 

With-out adding other bikes and suggestions, I took a look at both bikes online and have to say I didn't like the look at the Duc, no matter what the service issues may be. It looked like a suped up dirt bike to me. The BMW on the other hand in the R package looked better. It had that weird front mud-guard thing removed and had a single headlight. I might have been looking at a different year but still seemed like a recent model but I don't know.

And it may seem a joke, but thought I'd be funny. They do look better and they ALSO have 6 speed trans.

http://liveimages.redbook.com.au/bikepoint/bike/spec/HYOS0030.jpg

 

Does the bike need to be new? If not, how 'bout a 1st gen SV650? Single-headlight, simple frame, cheap to buy, cheap to maintain, 6-speed, liquid cooled, carburated. Maybe not the aesthetic you'd prefer but, it sounds like the function and feel is your priority.

 

Guess what dude? You were partially correct. You are indeed a simpleton. I would like to take the liberty to expand on that slighty & move it up to simpleton dumbass. My handle is my job. It's nothing more in depth or cosmic than that. If I would have joined this site before I retrained, my handle would have been "AGE Mechanic". If I was in the sanitation business, my handle would be "Garbage Collector". Now that we have that cleared up, I have no choice or input as to what hardware the USAF uses. I am fully aware the KC-10 is old news. It works & works better than any air refueler out there so that point is moot. I would also point out that no one told you to read or reply to my posts. If you choose to, you choose to accept what I type.

I will say this again, I will not reward a company with my hard earned cash unless that company is willing to inovate & produce a good product. The Duc is a perfect example. They made the exact bike I wanted in the GT1000. The bike is literally every single thing I want in a standard type bike & I do mean everything. The very large problem is the bike has severe maintenance issues. The kind of issues that make the well known VFR electrical gremlins seem minor. A $1900 part that requires replacement every few years? Are they serious?

So to wrap this up, I stand by what I said. I will not spend my money on ANY modern bike that does not offer a 6 speed trans. It is 2010. The first street bike with 6 speeds were made in the early 70's. If after nearly 40 years the OEM's can't pull their heads out of their asses & offer a modern product, I sure as hell am not spending my money. It is entirely a matter of cost cutting. If they continue to use an older, obsolete product, there is no need to spend R&D dollars. There is also no need to change manufacturing processes. The single best example of this is the NTV700. It's called the Deauville in Europe & has existed as is, basically unchanged for over 10 years. It uses the Hawk GT motor slightly enlarged & FI'd. That engine first appeared in 1988. With that in mind, I sure as hell would not give Honda $10000 for something I know for certain has not been changed or inovated for over a decade.

I will close by saying no one is making you hit reply so if you don't want me to ridicule you, don't hit the button.

I am looking at the SV1000. I can't find any naked ones but I am thinking of buying a SV1000S & converting it to a naked bike. I found a brand new, never titled 2007 for about $4500. I didn't want a toned down sport bike but it is an option that I am considering.

I am also considering getting a classic early 70's CB. I would love to have a mint CB750. I would aslo love to have a 75 CB400F SS. Bikes like that never go out of style.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

You fly in an airplane? Good for you.

 

Oh,KC, just pull the damn Trigger! The worst that can happin is it can suck. And the bright side is you can have new stuff to gripe about. :kc10:

 

I am visualizing a dude who would be most happy with a Harley sitting at a tavern, into his sixth pint, regaling all within ten feet about how big his dick is and finding the tavern to be one of those gay Harleydood joints.

 

I am looking at this months Sport Rider magazine and see that Kawi will be offering a Z1000 for 2010 that is about as close to a bike being in "standard" trim as you're likely to find these days. A quick scan of the article didn't reveal the number of gears it has. Might be worth a look, the price is pretty good. Maybe all is not lost after all KC. .......

http://www.sportrider.com/bikes/146_0308_naked_bikes_compared/index.html


http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/kawasaki/2010-kawasaki-z1000-unveiled-88776.html

Granted, that pillion looks a bit iffy, but nothing a decent aftermarket seat wont solve

Ah, after further reading of the online review from Motorcycle.com I see it has a six speed.

Its been quite some time since I have owned a Kaw, IMO there have been some very nice bikes for very good prices from these guys lately.

 

This is my take:

 

Honda did import a few CB1000s back in the 90's and I've seen a couple for sale here and there. Another great bike and a V4 would be a VMAX. The naked SV1000 and 650s are cool as well. I'd pop for a Vmax. I had a 94. I have a buddy that has had several and his current one has over 70K on it.