Send a message to Honda ?

CDNolddude · Mar 20, 2017

I wish they would bring back a totally updated GL1200 wing which was the same weight as my ST1300. Lots of people try to get their st13 as comfy as a wing.. this might solve the problem..

TourNut · Mar 20, 2017

MaxPete said:
Yup - agreed. As I've mentioned before, I work with the auto industry in Detroit and these folks are pretty canny about business decisions. When they do - or do not - build something, there is almost always a good reason and it is invariably based on data and money.

Occasionally, however, they do get it waaaay wrong and that is usually a result of plain old ego on the part of some executive. Recent examples of that phenomenon include: the early GM Oldsmobile diesels and Cadillac 4-6-8 engines, the early Ford Windstar van built without a sliding door on the left side, the Honda Del Sol and of course, the granddaddy of all boo-boo cars....the Pontiac Aztec. In bikes, you may recall turkeys such as the Suzuki RE5 Wankel, the Yamaha TX750 (mid-70s), and some of the hideous cruiser bikes of the 80s. Granted, some of those machine were technically really cool and others sold quite well, but in the main, they weren't nice to ride, nor were they pretty, or they cost their manufacturers huge sums of money which was never recovered.

Overall, I would expect that decision making in the motorcycle industry is pretty much the same as in automotive - except that I see Honda with bewildering array of models - few of which interest riders like me in the least. I sense that the firm has somehow lost its ability, or desire, to listen to the market. It is remarkable that Yamaha, BMW and Kawasaki continue, year after year, to each make a good living selling FJRs, K-bikes and Concours 14s and yet Honda has no offering to compete in that market segment.

With their size and engineering and marketing muscle, they could undersell at least one or two of the above and knock them out of this segment. Combined with the Gold Wing, which is a great machine but really in a different part of the large bike market, Big Red could dominate - but they don't. Over the last 40+ years, the Gold Wing has competed with, and dispatched similar offerings from each of the others (Yamaha Venture, Suzuki Madura, Kawasaki KZ1300 Brontosaurus) - and it now, to a good extent, owns the non-Harley big tourer market - at least in North America.
Very odd.

I wonder if Honda made a deal to not compete in the ST market if the others leave the GoldWing alone to thrive ?

dwalby · Mar 20, 2017

TourNut said:
Kind of blows your mind doesn't it , they sell all these V-Twins , NM4 Vultus & a bunch of other stuff I wouldn't ever want , when the ST -type MCs can exist instead , & the technology is there to make them .

I don't follow the exact stats, and don't know if they're even available to follow, but I do know that sport touring motorcycles make up a very small market segment, so a large company like Honda can easily ignore that segment altogether and go on living a comfortable corporate existence.

Igofar · Mar 21, 2017

ST Gui said:
Shoveling sand against the tide.

The V65 Sabre is probably my very favorite Honda followed (LOL) the ST1300.

I like shoveling sand against the tide, you may find a Halibut }<))))> :rofl1:

ST Gui · Mar 21, 2017

TourNut said:
I wonder if Honda made a deal to not compete in the ST market if the others leave the GoldWing alone to thrive ?

A deal among warring clans within Honda? I think it more likely a matter of the balance sheet. Honda just didn't/doesn't sell enough STs to make it worth their while.

Blrfl · Mar 21, 2017

dwalby said:
I don't follow the exact stats, and don't know if they're even available to follow, but I do know that sport touring motorcycles make up a very small market segment, so a large company like Honda can easily ignore that segment altogether and go on living a comfortable corporate existence.

Glad somebody other than me is saying that for a change. CLICKY and CLICKY.

--Mark

jonjonboo · Mar 21, 2017

I think Honda invested a lot of money producing the ST1300 and discovered (too late) their biggest flaw---a high speed sport tourer that becomes unstable at speeds typically above 100 mph. The ST1100 has a more stable frame which is slightly longer, a shame they wont redesign the ST1300 frame and keep same power train with electronic upgrades. I would love to have this dream bike.

Picopower · Mar 21, 2017

A good friend of mine has a 2014 black Valkyrie with 2000 miles on it. Amazing machine. He bought it in Spokane for $12900 new
has leather bags and a rack. He's been trying to sell it cause he can't have two bikes. At $10 grand he doesn't even get calls on craigslist. If it was a gl1800 it would sell for twenty grand overnight. I wanted his bike but my 2000 mile 03 1300 came up for $6200.
boy those Valkyries are nice. But I don't think they sold well, I believe they were discontinued after two years.

Mellow · Mar 21, 2017

Picopower said:
A good friend of mine has a 2014 black Valkyrie with 2000 miles on it. Amazing machine. He bought it in Spokane for $12900 new
has leather bags and a rack. He's been trying to sell it cause he can't have two bikes. At $10 grand he doesn't even get calls on craigslist. If it was a gl1800 it would sell for twenty grand overnight. I wanted his bike but my 2000 mile 03 1300 came up for $6200.
boy those Valkyries are nice. But I don't think they sold well, I believe they were discontinued after two years.

No, the Valks went from 96 to 2003. Here's my 99:

Uncle Phil · Mar 21, 2017

Mellow said:
No, the Valks went from 96 to 2003. Here's my 99:

Maybe it was one of the 'new' Valks that they came out with in 2013.

scootac · Mar 21, 2017

jonjonboo said:
......discovered (too late) their biggest flaw---a high speed sport tourer that becomes unstable at speeds typically above 100 mph.

Based on what research???

Mellow · Mar 21, 2017

Uncle Phil said:
Maybe it was one of the 'new' Valks that they came out with in 2013.

Yes, I saw 2014 but my mind translated 2000...

There were a couple I saw riding through the Black Hills during NatSTOC last year, they didn't look as wide as the wings... knocking off the saddlebags and trimming the faring up.

jonjonboo · Mar 21, 2017

scootac said:
Based on what research???

mine and about every ST1300 owner I know

scootac · Mar 21, 2017

Blrfl said:
Glad somebody other than me is saying that for a change. CLICKY and CLICKY.

--Mark

Just because you quote facts and figures, doesn't mean you are an authority.

Hafta yell loudly...jump up and down wildly while flailing your arms.... before people think you know what you are talking about!!!

scootac · Mar 21, 2017

jonjonboo said:
mine and about every ST1300 owner I know

Not research.

jonjonboo · Mar 21, 2017

scootac said:
Not research.

go ahead---keep digging-- I'm not going to engage in some forum trial. There are plenty of police departments that sold the ST1300 bikes after many high speed lose of control accidents etc etc blahblah-----you research it if you are so inclined.

Uncle Phil · Mar 21, 2017

Mellow said:
Yes, I saw 2014 but my mind translated 2000...

You gotta watch that mind translation thing ...

TourNut · Mar 21, 2017

ST Gui said:
A deal among warring clans within Honda? I think it more likely a matter of the balance sheet. Honda just didn't/doesn't sell enough STs to make it worth their while.

No I didn't mean within Honda but with other MC companies , along the line of thought from MaxPete's last 2 paragraphs.

scootac · Mar 21, 2017

jonjonboo said:
go ahead---keep digging-- I'm not going to engage in some forum trial. There are plenty of police departments that sold the ST1300 bikes after many high speed lose of control accidents etc etc blahblah-----you research it if you are so inclined.

I did my research.
In Montana.
No wobble.

Mellow · Mar 21, 2017

Uncle Phil said:
You gotta watch that mind translation thing ...

Thanks Bob, I'll keep that in mind.

Send a message to Honda ?

CDNolddude

TourNut

dwalby

Igofar

ST Gui

240Robert

Blrfl

Natural Rider Enhancement

jonjonboo

Picopower

Mellow

Joe

Uncle Phil

scootac

Will Ride for Food

Mellow

Joe

jonjonboo

scootac

Will Ride for Food

scootac

Will Ride for Food

jonjonboo

Uncle Phil

TourNut

scootac

Will Ride for Food

Mellow

Joe