Kawasaki Z900RS

[rotor]

I sit on the Jap bike, but...

And, it's a "Jap bike." There goes half the potential U.S. customer base.

HD-riding buddy of mine a few years ago wouldn't even sit on my Kawasaki Concours, let alone ride it. "I don't sit on Jap bikes!" And she was educated, successful, articulate, open-minded and reasonably intelligent.

She sure sounds open-minded.

She sure sounds open-minded.
I was thinking the same thing.

She sure sounds open-minded.
I was thinking the same thing.
Oddly enough, I understand better those that buy Harleys because they "wouldn't sit on Jap bikes!..." then those that believe there is some technical merit to the big bore V twins in this 21st century.

Nothing wrong with the air cooled Harley V twin.Been around a long time and they still sell a boat load of them. Sure it's heavy and slow, and not as technically advanced as some others, but I think I've heard the same complaints about the CB1100.

We all have preferences and opinions. Some are rather stubborn in theirs...on both sides.

That, in a way, is exactly what's wrong (other than my personal objection to the stupid noise they make .

According to some, motorcycling in north America is on the decline, according to the others, it is in a tailspin. I have not heard anyone who, with any authority, claims the state of the industry is healthy.

HD is, for reasons that are not worth going into here, such a dominant force in that industry, that what it does - or does not do - is the principal factor that determines not only the future of the company, but the future of the domestic motorcycle industry. That future is not in noisy, overpriced and overweight toys completely unfit for modern urban traffic, targeting a bunch of old man that have no need for real-world transportation and will be in no position to keep buying any kind of motorised vehicle for much longer; it is in the transportation and recreation needs of our grand-kids (well, of most of us around here, if I get the demographics of this forum correct

Or, in pictures, motorcycling around the world:






And then, the only kind of motorcycling we know in north America:


I know it looks quaint, but trust me, it's not healthy...