A bagger from BMW?
- Thread starter curlyjoe
- Start date
the Ferret
Road warrior
You know I just cant see die hard HD fans abandoning the motor company for one of these, but I can see some young attorneys and tech guys buying them.
You know the more I think about that Road Fuhrer comment the funnier it gets. :rofl:
You know the more I think about that Road Fuhrer comment the funnier it gets. :rofl:
kmoney_imp
Road warrior
It reminds me of the Goldwing F6B -- and I've never actually seen one of those on the road, so I'm guessing they didn't do too well. I don't know, it seems like a result of one of those "quick, we need a solution right now guys" meetings. Almost a knee jerk reaction to the X-Diavel.
the Ferret
Road warrior
When I see one with a set of ape hanger bars I will know it has gained acceptance
EGAlvarez_imp
Running like a top
The BMW 1600's are cool, but I would take the R1200RT with better handling, and 200 pounds less weight any day!
At least they ditched the stupid 1980's wood grain side panels from the show bike they were showing off a couple of years ago.
The triple black theme is pretty cool on the GS, but BMW is going a little crazy with the black, on black, on black theme!
At least they ditched the stupid 1980's wood grain side panels from the show bike they were showing off a couple of years ago.
The triple black theme is pretty cool on the GS, but BMW is going a little crazy with the black, on black, on black theme!
redbirds_imp
Road warrior
Unless they can make an in-line 6 sound like an American V-twin they'd best drop the idea. And no vibration?
coliban_imp
First service completed
I donate an "ü".Capo_imp said:
The driver's license in german is called "Führerschein".
LongRanger_imp
Road warrior
I agree with the close similarity to the F6B (and Moto Guzzi 1400), much more so than any HD. I also agree it'd be less likely for a HD rider to be attracted to this bike, simply because it isn't a Harley and because the foot pegs are mounted where they're supposed to be. I share the misgivings of the current fashion trend of black on black on black, but I guess that's what we want because that's what they're making. Finally, the R1200C was actually a strong seller for BMW --definitely not a fiasco from a marketing standpoint. If this new bike can appear in a 007 Bond movie, it'll be fine!
the Ferret
Road warrior
Lol
TCinNC_imp
Running like a top
I've seen several F6B's on the road, big, but a nice bike. They also have a pretty active forum, I've checked it out in the past. I would love to have one, just can't justify the cost.kmoney_imp said:
ClassicVW_imp
Road warrior
What fiasco would that be? I owned two of them. They sold around 46,000 units in 6 years. The best "hop on and just go" bike I ever owned.TINK_imp said:
"BMW claims to be going after Harley market share in the states with the new K1600B"
Tink already said it with ..."Good luck with that one, BMW".
These excerpts from the article:
" It’s pretty much the Honda Goldwing experience with enough of a Harley-Davidson look and a brand name people will still feel justified paying a lot for"
" It will be sold in other countries as well, but BMW’s angling to double their U.S. market share by 2020 (from 4 percent to 8 percent, according to their presentation) and this baby is how they’re going to take a big bite out of Harley-Davidson’s lunch."
"That latter part wasn’t said explicitly, but come on. This bagger is exactly what BMW needed to build to drive a jackboot into the American cruiser market".
End of article excerpts.
Discount the whole Harley "Branded" lifestyle thing, the AMERICAN Icon image, national pride, the fact that Harley does indeed make a darn fine bike for the markets it targets and you're left with some undeniable truths.
1) Almost no Harley owner will jump ship based on the BMW's performance numbers or technological glitter because if they cared about that they wouldn't be on Harleys to begin with.
2. ) Direct converts from HD to BMW will be far and few between. I say this based on the following.
2.1) The BMW doesn't even look REMOTELY like any Harley out there on the road right now. In fact if anything the front half looks more like an FJ than anything else.
2.2) Harley riders like us (the ones that I know personally), mostly prefer air cooled motors, V twins in particular. I know the MoCo has some water cooled units out there now but I'm betting the HD rider would go H20 cooled with a V twin before they jumped brands to an H20 chilled BMW.
3) Harleys motors (the look of the motor itself) are a critical draw for purchasers due their aesthetic contributions to the overall appearance of the bike. Their power plants just look COOL...not so on the BMW, and certainly not hidden under 1.5 yards of Tupperware.
Here's what I see happening:
BMW sell SOME of these to Harley owners but not the "big bite out of Harleys lunch" that was predicted in the article.
BMW will face FIERCE competition for the demographic they're targeting from Moto Guzzi's MX21 "Flying Fortress", a new model to their lineup that has a massive, beautiful, air-cooled opposing V-Twin power plant and more appealing traditional bagger look that for those folks willing to defect from HD will find more appealing. Moto Guzzi had these at Sturgis this year and from everything I read they received A LOT of attention from the faithful. Time will tell.
Take both the Moto Guzzi and BMW and park them at a Harley joint and see which one draws the most attention. For that matter, take Nemo's California and the BMW and do the same. I'm pretty confident what the outcome will be.
Tink already said it with ..."Good luck with that one, BMW".
These excerpts from the article:
" It’s pretty much the Honda Goldwing experience with enough of a Harley-Davidson look and a brand name people will still feel justified paying a lot for"
" It will be sold in other countries as well, but BMW’s angling to double their U.S. market share by 2020 (from 4 percent to 8 percent, according to their presentation) and this baby is how they’re going to take a big bite out of Harley-Davidson’s lunch."
"That latter part wasn’t said explicitly, but come on. This bagger is exactly what BMW needed to build to drive a jackboot into the American cruiser market".
End of article excerpts.
Discount the whole Harley "Branded" lifestyle thing, the AMERICAN Icon image, national pride, the fact that Harley does indeed make a darn fine bike for the markets it targets and you're left with some undeniable truths.
1) Almost no Harley owner will jump ship based on the BMW's performance numbers or technological glitter because if they cared about that they wouldn't be on Harleys to begin with.
2. ) Direct converts from HD to BMW will be far and few between. I say this based on the following.
2.1) The BMW doesn't even look REMOTELY like any Harley out there on the road right now. In fact if anything the front half looks more like an FJ than anything else.
2.2) Harley riders like us (the ones that I know personally), mostly prefer air cooled motors, V twins in particular. I know the MoCo has some water cooled units out there now but I'm betting the HD rider would go H20 cooled with a V twin before they jumped brands to an H20 chilled BMW.
3) Harleys motors (the look of the motor itself) are a critical draw for purchasers due their aesthetic contributions to the overall appearance of the bike. Their power plants just look COOL...not so on the BMW, and certainly not hidden under 1.5 yards of Tupperware.
Here's what I see happening:
BMW sell SOME of these to Harley owners but not the "big bite out of Harleys lunch" that was predicted in the article.
BMW will face FIERCE competition for the demographic they're targeting from Moto Guzzi's MX21 "Flying Fortress", a new model to their lineup that has a massive, beautiful, air-cooled opposing V-Twin power plant and more appealing traditional bagger look that for those folks willing to defect from HD will find more appealing. Moto Guzzi had these at Sturgis this year and from everything I read they received A LOT of attention from the faithful. Time will tell.
Take both the Moto Guzzi and BMW and park them at a Harley joint and see which one draws the most attention. For that matter, take Nemo's California and the BMW and do the same. I'm pretty confident what the outcome will be.
PowerDubs_imp
Road warrior
Frulk nailed it- because of #1 & #3.
ClassicVW_imp
Road warrior
You're basing your perceived failure solely on HD riders not switching to the BMW. There's more potential owners out there than just those HD diehards. Current and former BMW owners as well as riders of other brands, and then there's those that would never buy a Harley.
As far as the Guzzi is concerned, I sold my CB and bought a California 1400 Touring (what the mg - 21 is based on) and really disliked the handling and got rid of it.
As far as the Guzzi is concerned, I sold my CB and bought a California 1400 Touring (what the mg - 21 is based on) and really disliked the handling and got rid of it.
Elipten_imp
Road warrior
BMW better learn to live with their 4%, because that product is not going to convert many HD owners or sell well.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Classic VDub. I have no doubt that BMW will gain some riders from other areas but I never said they wouldn't.ClassicVW_imp said:
I only take issue with the author stating that this BMW model will be the one which "Takes a BIG bite out of Harleys lunch" and cause an en mass defection from their ranks. BMW workers and shareholders will not increase their caloric intake for lunch from Harleys sales figures. THIS BMW will not be the bike that makes that happen.
coliban_imp
First service completed
I donate an "ü".Capo_imp said:
The driver's license in german is called "Führerschein".
I need an umlaut key!
With umlaut-keys comes great responsibility
Similar threads
