Victory Motorcycle to Wind Down Production

[Cormanus]

Elegant justification, Roper. The riding-a-bike-makes-me-a-better-person thesis. It's true, I'm sure.

 

[Offroad]

Sorry to go off topic, but I suspect most of us old riders started out on mini bikes? I used to ride mine around my small town (while I told my parents I was riding along the sides of the roads and I would get off and push it across the actual road....Haha....that lasted until I was out of sight). I don't see as much of an opportunity for kids today to ride mini bikes and graduate to larger bikes.

 

[rboe]

Indian's Victory

This pull quote certainly hits the mark:

"Motorcyclists are a picky lot. There have been a boatload of motorcycles that just didn’t resonate with buyers for the most arcane reasons. Motorcyclists will happily damn a great bike for some trifling matter."

I think another quote from the article better explains what is happening:
Quote:...Profit margins are thin and motorcycles are a luxury toy in this country...
And the only way this will change, is for US/Canada to join the rest of the world, where a motorcycle is either 50/50 (Europe, Australia...) a transportation device and a toy, (or 90/10 (Asia, Africa...)).

And that that process is underway, we will know by two phenomenons: the emergence of motorcycle parking facilities in downtowns of North America, and by legalization of lane-splitting...

I'm not holding my breath...

lol, being from Europe, I do wonder where you got that 50/50 ratio?

Here motorcyclists make 6,5% of the total road users..

lol, being from Europe, I do wonder where you got that 50/50 ratio?

Here motorcyclists make 6,5% of the total road users..
Of course, but I did not say 50% of road users are motorcyclists, I said that 50% of motorcycle rides/kilometers are for transportation (as opposed to "recreation"). Where I'm from in Europe, nearly everybody that owns a motorcycle uses it to - weather permitting - get to work and around town for whatever purpose people drive around town (for shopping, social contacts..).

As long as North American motorcycle market remains the way it is now (90%+ "expensive toys", with zero utilitarian value) it will keep deteriorating.

However, HD and dwarfs are hoping that they can keep the wolf from the door by appealing only to those that buy expensive toys. (cf., Motus). They are afraid to start promoting motorcycle as transportation device, because in that market segment they face what they believe to be unbeatable competition from the imports - mostly Japanese. They are not interested what happens in the long run, perhaps because they subscribe to the old "in the long run we are all dead" piece of wisdom.

Well, Victory is dead already, Indian is sure to follow, Motus will never sell enough of $40k Honda VFR1200 home-built replicas to be viable. Anybody else? (I didn't thing so...)

Can HD survive as the last Mohican in such toxic climate?

Future will tell.

I'm doing my part. I average about 14K miles per year on my two CBs and 3K miles per year in my truck. Of course, it helps to live in the desert where rain is a rare event. Having a high tolerance for heat also helps.

I only take 4 wheels when I need to carry large items, other people, or on those rare occasions that it's raining.

Ha! No freeze yet and I have never seen such a wet winter! On the other hand I hope the wild flower season is huge.

Companies that take the high end seem to do worse than companies that go for the low dollar product. Those that break into market on price (but still maintain a good value - they don't rely on just being cheap) eventually come out with high end models (Honda Civic to Accord for example). I suspect some of the Chinese motorcycle makers will be doing fine in 20 years, but Motus........I'm less confident. But my fingers are crossed.

 

[Stichill]

There's heavy competition at the low end of the motorcycle market, which is great for consumers. It's not an attractive space for new entrants unless they have a disruptive concept. The original Honda Civic was disruptive in a world of Plymouth Fury's with 440 cu. in. V8s and high energy prices.

Any new entrant in the motorcycle market without a low-cost production system would be insane to challenge incumbents at the low end. Motus is very smart to go for a skimming strategy at the top end. In their recent open letter (repeated in my post above) they mention that they will be bringing more models to market:

"As long as we remain laser focused on providing an incredible customer experience, we will continue to grow and launch additional models in segments that complement our brand promise."

As you indicated, new entrants at the low end are going to be Chinese.

 

[Cormanus]

I'm a bit worried this thread might be running out of steam. Conveniently, perhaps, earlier today I was sent this splendidly articulate rant about Why People Hate Harleys.

With commentators like this, it's hard to understand why more people don't love bikers.

Anyway, without further ado other than a warning that there's some colourful language, please make welcome Shade Tree Surgeon ...

 

[uscgmac_imp]

Another bike company which comes and goes but seems to keep alive one way or another is Buell. The new EBR naked street bike looks awesome. I don't know where you can even buy one but it got great reviews from motorcycle.com in a bike shootout. Starts around 13k.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

 

[Stichill]

I'm a bit worried this thread might be running out of steam. Conveniently, perhaps, earlier today I was sent this splendidly articulate rant about Why People Hate Harleys.

With commentators like this, it's hard to understand why more people don't love bikers.

Anyway, without further ado other than a warning that there's some colourful language, please make welcome Shade Tree Surgeon ...

I just read a story that people who swear a lot are more honest and trustworthy. Apparently people who guard their language are more secretive and deceptive. But :huh:

I liked his point that anybody on any motorcycle is automatically cool and a good thing. We need more of us!

 

[AzBob_imp]

I'm a bit worried this thread might be running out of steam. Conveniently, perhaps, earlier today I was sent this splendidly articulate rant about Why People Hate Harleys.

With commentators like this, it's hard to understand why more people don't love bikers.

Anyway, without further ado other than a warning that there's some colourful language, please make welcome Shade Tree Surgeon ...

I just read a story that people who swear a lot are more honest and trustworthy. Apparently people who guard their language are more secretive and deceptive. But :huh:

I liked his point that anybody on any motorcycle is automatically cool and a good thing. We need more of us!

Sounds f'n right to me.

 

[the Ferret]

MSN

 

[Roper_imp]

Never liked the Ness family's approach to design with Victory. Art Deco muscle cruisers??!! Makes about as much sense as Optimus Prime plastics on "naked bikes."

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Oh brother.

Not sure why this guy feels compelled to defend his choice of motorcycles on a video, but his language puts him in dirtbag status in my book. Whatever. Actually, I feel bad for him -- I didn't see a single curve along his route, except for one right turn at a traffic light and the turn into the parking lot. If those were the only roads available to me, honestly, I wouldn't even bother.

 

[AzBob_imp]

Oh brother.

Not sure why this guy feels compelled to defend his choice of motorcycles on a video, but his language puts him in dirtbag status in my book. Whatever. Actually, I feel bad for him -- I didn't see a single curve along his route, except for one right turn at a traffic light and the turn into the parking lot. If those were the only roads available to me, honestly, I wouldn't even bother.

He actually rides a Triumph, if I'm not mistaken. The H-D he is riding and talking about is owned by a friend of his.

I've seen other videos of his. He doesn't strike me as the sharpest knife in the drawer.