03-18-2020, 07:55 AM
(03-18-2020, 06:21 AM)Guth_imp Wrote:(03-18-2020, 05:54 AM)m in sc_imp Wrote: they certainly intended to sell more new than they did , hence why there were all the holdovers 3,4,5 years later. Its just the way it is.
This comment makes me curious. I don't have the time to research this at the moment but it appears that here are fewer than 1,000 Honda Powersports dealers in the USA. Many here on the forum have reported over the years that not every dealer even received CB1100's to begin with. So there are maybe somewhere in the range of 500 - 750 dealers are involved as far as this discussion goes (?no idea here?). What percentage of those do you think had leftovers and what kind of quantities?
IDK either, but my dealings were mainly with the Honda place in Beaverton, OR. They had a '14 standard on sale towards the end of '15. I test rode it. Then while deciding, it sold. Thought I missed my chance. Then another one showed up. I bought it, Jan of '16. Two months later, another one was on the floor. Some time later...it sold. Then another one showed up (this prolly end of '16). Two other local Honda dealerships also seemed to always have one on the floor the 3-4 times I went to those places. Same bike each time? IDK. When I went to buy my '17ex in Feb. of 18 there were still 2 new '14 standards in my area. Can't remember when I saw the last one go,but I think it was still there in mid '18. Then...finally, they were no more.
I have no way of knowing for sure, but I think the blacked out bikes were gaining in popularity sometime around 2010, and Honda banked on the idea that the '14 standard would sell well as a result. Then things just didn't quite click, and the fish didn't bite like Honda thought they would.
All speculation, but that's the feel that I got talking with salesmen, by observing how long they would stay on the floor, and from looking at dealerships really from around the country trying to determine how low a dealer might go.