Is the bike market saturated?

[HouseTiger]

So you have a 2005 model (of whatever make) that is in excellent condition. You've maintained it well, it runs like it did 12 years ago, accessories are still available for it, you can still pimp it out if you want.

Would you rather pay for all new just to get the fairing mounted GPS, or just get a Garmin Zumo ? Spend a bundle on custom stereo to annoy everyone in traffic, or use the MP3 bloo-tooth for modular earbuds under your helmet?

Figure what you'd be spending on a new bike just to get a few additional goodies, and that buys a lot of petrol, lot of tires, and a lot of ride time.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Depends on the bike...a 2017 KLR650 and a 2000 KLR650 are the same bike. A 2017 Street Glide and a 2001 Street Glide are vastly different.

 

[alarmguy]

I hear ya Cowbell. Even though my bike is pretty current, I tend to get A.D.D. with bikes, every one I get I am going to keep a long time. Then I walk in a dealer ... *L*

Anyway, it happened a month ago in the Smoky Mountains, same place I bought the 14 Road King, sat on a new Streetglide, I never was a fairing guy but though, hmmmm ... might be fun to try for a couple years.
Wife liked it too but not as much as our RK.

Anyway, I started getting the "feeling" for the bike but then backed away, thought to myself, this is crazy. the 14 Road King just over 3 years old, here I am ready to dump it for a new 17 Street Glide, when I absolutely love the 14 Road King, take another bath on resale for a bike that I am not even sure I will like more then the one I got.

Anyway, Im all settled down now, no new bike and I dont know when, if ever, I do think some more time needs to pass on the M8 bikes, still some bugs and if your one of the unlucky ones it to me, can be like [censored] dealing with issues..so much so, that I even considered a 16 Street Glide over a new 17 ... but then that brings us back to the same old reasoning, I ask myself why ...

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
alarmguy, your post is pretty accurate I think. Myself and another guy at work are two divergent examples. While we both recently had bike accidents, recovered and are getting bikes again we are going sort of two different directions. His bike he wrecked (car hit him) was an older Road King he'd done a lot of customizing to, and it got totaled. Insurance wasn't real kind, they go by auction or bluebook wholesale and don't care about custom work which we all know that. So he went recently and bought himself a high end bike, brand new CVO maybe a Street Glide but the workplace hub bub only mentions that it set him back $37,000. Switching to me, I totaled out a $21.9K bike, Ducati Multi 1200S and I am back in for about half the cost choosing to scoop up a deal over 5000 off msrp on a new Moto Guzzi priced down to $11,495 almost half what my Multi was. Just didn't want another go fast bike nor another tech-rich bike loaded with electronic systems that may gremlin-out five yrs down the line and co$t to fix. My co-worker's new Milwaukee 8 powered CVO however, dam it's got premium stereo, bluetooth, GPS, and maybe an automatic arse wiper too... thing is decked out.

MoreCowbellAz sounds like you are on the right track, hold on to that bike sounds like a keeper.


Yes, it amazes me, the price of some of the bikes and there is nothing wrong with that if it brings someone pleasure, I do think if your taking a loan out to pay for it, then it would be crazy to buy, my feelings no different then for a $37,000 car or boat.

Yes, you did good with that Guzzi.
I understand someone not wanting a preowned bike but a preowned car or truck is ok.

Im a bit OCD and I think the reason for not liking preowned bikes is some owners do far more customizing to bikes and you never can be 100% sure why its being sold.
More or less, I got this thing, I NEVER want a bike where the engine has been modified and boy that at times can be hard to find, but not impossible. There are good deals out there but there are also who have no idea what they are doing when they modify a bike and they treat bikes like toys to have fun with, chances are they would never attempt any mods like that on a almost new car or truck.

If I ever do get rid of the Road King I may (or may not) try out a Street Glide and if I do I very well may check out late preowned 2016 or as time goes on, a new 2018 or 19 if and only if the right deal, possibly another Road King too or Indian Springfield IF it looks like Polaris is going to survive in motorcycles, also if they change out that front fender and I think at this time that is very doubtful.

 

[odotb]

I am one of the old guys that has gotten out. 68 and have had many motorcycles over the years. Several Harleys and a Goldwing was my last bike. Rode to Sturgis, Red lodge, Key West, Washington DC, and many more. Put around 20,000 miles a year on them, most with fellow VietNam Vets. I sold my Goldwing 3 years ago and would really like another. Every time I leave my home, it isn't long until someone pulls out, changes lanes, or crosses the center line. I don't bounce or heal well, and it concerns me. Thoughts of getting killed on a motorcycle don't really bother me nearly as much as becoming an invalid that has to depend on others.

Bad drivers, new prices, expensive maintenance, and old riders aging out. It's going to get worse.

 

[MoreCowbellAz]

Originally Posted By: alarmguy


I do think some more time needs to pass on the M8 bikes, still some bugs and if your one of the unlucky ones it to me, can be like [censored] dealing with issues.


I agree, I really like the idea of going to the M8 from my old TC88, that's has to be an amazing upgrade, but if I'm buying I'd wait another year t work out the bugs. My life is complicated enough, I and really like to RIDE, not spend time wondering if I have one of the numerous oiling problems you hear about with the new engine, or one of the other bugs. I know those are a small percentage, but I spend zero time worrying about gremlins on my old bike so going to spending 10% of my time worrying about that stuff is a step in the wrong direction for me. I probably read the HD forums too much. lol

Anyway, I have a love/hate relationship with the technology with the newer bikes which makes it easier for me to say pass, at least for now. I hate seeing the bike market struggle though.

 

[BigCahuna]

If you think about it the bike market is saturated with bikes with all the same things. Electronic gizmos are about the only thing that's changed in the last 10 years. Would you buy a car that you couldn't adjust the seat in? Or that you had to bring in for service every 5k miles?. Or a standard set of tires that cost $1500?. How many times have you heard people say, I can't put my feet flat on the ground with that bike. Having an adjustable seat, handlebars,and windshield come standard on a motorcycle, would make that bike feel like it was custom made for you. Instead of giving a potential customer a reason to NOT buy that bike, while he's still in the showroom. Cars have oil life monitors why not bikes? Even the high end Harley's, Honda's and BMW's don't have that. You'll pay as much for those bikes as you would for a car, get less, spend more for maintenance, and depending where you live, might not be able to drive it year round. What the motorcycling world doesn't need is another model year with the same old things that don't excite or inspire people to go out and buy. The saying " don't mess with success" only works until it stops working ,,,

 

[gman2304]

"Having an adjustable seat, handlebars,and windshield come standard on a motorcycle, would make that bike feel like it was custom made for you."


^^ Or.... you could just drive the Lincoln.

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted By: MoreCowbellAz
Originally Posted By: alarmguy


I do think some more time needs to pass on the M8 bikes, ...


... My life is complicated enough, I and really like to RIDE, not spend time wondering if I have one of the numerous oiling problems you hear about with the new engine, or one of the other bugs. I know those are a small percentage, but I spend zero time worrying about gremlins on my old bike so going to spending 10% of my time worrying about that stuff is a step in the wrong direction for me. I probably read the HD forums too much. lol

Anyway, I have a love/hate relationship with the technology with the newer bikes which makes it easier for me to say pass, at least for now. I hate seeing the bike market struggle though.


Well said, my feelings too, including the complicated part, my job demands long days, at the same time I put those hours in a 4 day work week but run non stop at times to an extreme of 14 to 16 hours before I get home. (not all the time by any means)
More or less my 4 day work week, I still put in more hours then someone working a 5 day week. Not complaining, like what I do and deal I have with my company.

Anyway, somedays the first day off is just to recover *L* and last thing I want to do is not be able to ride because the darn bike gives me another problem.

I TOO most likely spend to much time in the Harley forums. My 14 Road King has been awesome/rock solid/keep my fingers crossed/has not needed a repair since new and I am now almost at 20,000 miles.
Because of the darn forums, for the first time in my LONG LIFE I have purchased an extended warranty of 4 extra years and cost of $1,100.
I am NOT a person who has ever bought a warranty in my life, but darn forums .. oh well, maybe I will need a repair in the now 3 years left on the warranty. I think highly likely, then I wont feel like I threw money away! *L*
But yes, man, some of the issues, like you say maybe not a large percentage but very real issues on the M8 and maybe to be expected. But got to feel for those guys/gals who do have problems.

2 guys with CVOs (which I think are clsoe to 40K?) one had his engine replaced 3 times, the other 2 times.
Standard touring bikes transmission oil is flowing into the primary on hot higher speed runs, running the transmission oil low.
Oil pump issues are being resolved with a new designed pump that HD is replacing as the pumps break, but what about the low mileage guys who pump may not break for years. etc ..etc .. Anyway, others with no issues but if I was one with no issues I would be wondering if and when it might pop up. Im sure 2018 will be vastly improved and 19 will truly be the right year.

Honestly, so happy with my 14 at this point, If (and I am not) I was going to go for a Street Glide I would rather look for a low to no mileage 2016 at a great price. I dont know, so happy with the power of my 14, I dont need any more, but again, the Road King is a lighter bike.

 

[alarmguy]

Ps ... to the above

I want to be clear to others I am not saying all M8s are bad, it seems like the vast majority are truly loving their bikes, but there are better then a few people who wish they didnt upgrade to the M8 at this point and I suspect that is more the people with bikes not older then 2009.
I suspect they might be people like me who think over $20,000 is lot of money to spend on a bike and it better be perfect as can be AND an improvement, MUCH more so if I already have a recent bike I consider perfect, I would REALLY need to see and feel the difference.

Personally, even though I LOVE my ABS brakes, other then that, to me, the darn bikes are really getting complicated and maybe as I take it as Cahuna says, maybe they need or should focus on comfort. Seems silly you have to go out and buy a new seat right away on your 20k+ motorcycle as an example.

At the same time, they do market research, all companies, and its the SIZZLE that sells in the showroom, its an emotional purchase most times, not a practical one for most people ... not all. But the companies (all companies) got it down, all the garbage we buy now (electronics) are so loaded down with [censored] that NO ONE uses, yet we buy it, because the press eats the extra [censored] up and loves it, then gives it glowing reviews in the press, so competitors get in a race with each other, who can load in the most [censored], for the best reviews and best sales in the showroom.

 

[grampi]

I'm glad I'm done with bikes...it's getting too hard to sell them now days, and there's way too many distracted drivers on the roads making it extremely dangerous...

 

[LoneRanger]

grampi you know it's still in your blood.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
grampi you know it's still in your blood.

I don't know what happened to me, but I just lost all interest in bikes. Maybe it's because I've run the gamut of bikes....I've had Kawasaki Triples, a Z-1 900, a CBX, a V-65 Magna, a V-Max, an M109R, and a Rocket III....touring bikes bore me to tears, and Harleys do absolutely nothing for me. What else is there? A Boss Hoss maybe, but those things handle like a freight train, and if you ever drop one, you'd have to call a tow truck to pick it up...no thanks, I'll move on to a Corvette...

 

[Jarlaxle]

Go back to something small and nimble, maybe? My wife loved her Hyo Comet.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Go back to something small and nimble, maybe? My wife loved her Hyo Comet.


Yeah, like a Vette...