12-15-2016, 01:56 PM
(12-15-2016, 01:34 PM)The ferret_imp Wrote: Yes, you probably should have used different wording, because apparently I misunderstood your intent. Never heard anyone relate coolness with regards to unit sales bfore. I will say that Triumph is seemingly having more sales success with the Bonnie line than Honda is in the CB line, but without actual sales number we are only guessing. And for the record there were no new 2015 or 2016 models in the US but there were in other parts of the world. Despite seemingly being a poor seller, it is actually in it's eigth consecutive year of production.
The Thai may be perfectly wonderful people but I know from reading Triumph forums that the owners are not particularly pleased that the new bikes are not being made in Britain, but that is not exclusive to Triumph. Motorcycle enthusiasts are not particularly glad that their bikes are being built in non native countries universally, whether its Triumph, Honda, KTM, BMW or whoever. Triumph customers want their bikes built in Britain, BMW enthusiasts want theirs built in Germany, KTM in Austria and the big 4 customer wants his bike built by the Japanese. This may change if the bikes prove themselves worthy of the brands they represent, but I imagine acceptance is not going to instant or universal.
Clearly, neither the Big Four, BMW AG, Triumph Motorcycles Ltd., or many other firms are concerned about where their products are made, only that they are made to a high standard of quality. Many of the Big Four have multiple models manufactured in Thailand; BMW is now having its new G310R made in India. Triumph have been making the Bonneville in Thailand for ten years.
I personally believe -- and I just put my money where my mouth is -- that Thai-made Triumphs are equal to, and superior in some ways, to the two German and three Japanese motorcycles that now encumber my garage and storage area. I don't care where it's made, I just care that it's good.