04-26-2013, 02:09 PM
(04-21-2013, 11:43 PM)eladoppel_imp Wrote: Add another former Bonneville T100 owner here. I liked "Bonnie," but the comments about "under powered and under braked" rang true. That having been said, she was a wonderful bike for just putting around on back roads on a sunny day and drew a lot of admiring looks. The two bikes that I also considered were (believe it or not) a Harley 72 in Hard Candy Green with a white seat and white grips and the Moto Guzzi California in white. My wife thought the Harley looked like a 60's Schwin (I think it is stunning) and the CB1100 just spoke to me a little bit more than the California. Both are also retro bikes, and the big concern I see is that the primary market for all of these bikes is a demographic that is nearing the end of their motorcycle buying activity. Oh well, I'll enjoy them while I can.
You can also look at it another way. The target demographic is also reaching that age when they can easily afford to fritter away $10K on the bike that they really wanted 30 yrs. ago, but couldn't afford. That's the category I'm in.
When I started riding I was poor. I couldn't afford the sought after, high powered inline 4 UJMs. I had to settle for their (much) cheaper parallel twin cousins like the Kaw 750 twins and the Yammie XS650s.
That's why I really didn't have much interest in the reborn Bonnie. I've done the shaky, underpowered parallel twin thing and don't really want to go back. My ideal bike is a standard, air cooled, inline 4 UJM type and has been since I started riding. Given the reaction of folks I've met on the bike, I'm not alone
Sure, we're all going to die off in the next few decades, but I think there are a lot of bikes to be sold in the meantime.