I've been riding for a pretty long time and I've had the great fortune to have owned (or at least ridden) many of the bikes folks mention like the Kawasaki triples (I had the H1 500), the GB500 (I <3 thumpers and have also ridden the FT500 & SR500), the RD250/350/400, the airhead BMWs (I had the R60/5 & R100RT), Harley Sportster and a whole bunch of other bikes.
In the real world of modern motorcycles, it's a tough call, but the modern Triumph Bonnevilles are the bike I always seem to have in the back of my mind. Lower back problems preclude me from ever again riding bikes with clip-ons (the GB500 did me in), so the Thruxton is out despite its beautiful lines. I'd happily settle for a garden-variety T100, I think. I like the orange-white color scheme, which is a bit uncommon. Fortunately for my bank acct and marriage, the nearest Triumph dealer is a long way away.
Honda might do well if they re-released the GB500 in the US. Same with the Kawasaki W650/now 800. (If they were a grand less than a Triumph, that is.)
The Triumphs are becoming ridiculously common here. That's not to say anything against them, of course. But someone must be making a killing selling Bonnies in SoCal these days!
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
ericalm wrote:Honda might do well if they re-released the GB500 in the US. Same with the Kawasaki W650/now 800. (If they were a grand less than a Triumph, that is.)
The Triumphs are becoming ridiculously common here. That's not to say anything against them, of course. But someone must be making a killing selling Bonnies in SoCal these days!
I think I know the reason why. People want a "real motorcycle", that is neither a laid-back cruiser nor a lean-forward crotch rocket. I think it's part nostalgia and partly a simple desire for an uncomplicated motorcycle. And I don't think it's just being driven by "re-entry" riders like myself, either.
The current Cycle World has an excellent article up front by Mark Hoyer that says that the time is ripe for the manufacturers, and he was particularly speaking of the Japanese, to bring back some bikes we had before. Some are still produced, just not sold in the U. S.
He specifically mentions the Kawasaki W800, with is a Bonneville lookalike, and there is the Yamaha SR400, which is reduced from the 500cc version we know for the Japanese domestic market.
ericalm wrote:Honda might do well if they re-released the GB500 in the US. Same with the Kawasaki W650/now 800. (If they were a grand less than a Triumph, that is.)
The Triumphs are becoming ridiculously common here. That's not to say anything against them, of course. But someone must be making a killing selling Bonnies in SoCal these days!
I think I know the reason why. People want a "real motorcycle", that is neither a laid-back cruiser nor a lean-forward crotch rocket. I think it's part nostalgia and partly a simple desire for an uncomplicated motorcycle. And I don't think it's just being driven by "re-entry" riders like myself, either.
The current Cycle World has an excellent article up front by Mark Hoyer that says that the time is ripe for the manufacturers, and he was particularly speaking of the Japanese, to bring back some bikes we had before. Some are still produced, just not sold in the U. S.
My point exactly, though I think the big manufacturers are already a couple years behind on catching this trend for the US market.
Each segment of the bike market has its core adherents and always will, but the trends or certain types having a high degree of appeal to casual buyers, first time buyers, etc. are cyclical. The current wave will peak in the next year or two if it hasn't already.
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
ericalm wrote:Honda might do well if they re-released the GB500 in the US. Same with the Kawasaki W650/now 800. (If they were a grand less than a Triumph, that is.)
The Triumphs are becoming ridiculously common here. That's not to say anything against them, of course. But someone must be making a killing selling Bonnies in SoCal these days!
I think I know the reason why. People want a "real motorcycle", that is neither a laid-back cruiser nor a lean-forward crotch rocket. I think it's part nostalgia and partly a simple desire for an uncomplicated motorcycle.
The current Cycle World has an excellent article up front by Mark Hoyer that says that the time is ripe for the manufacturers, and he was particularly speaking of the Japanese, to bring back some bikes we had before. Some are still produced, just not sold in the U. S.
My point exactly, though I think the big manufacturers are already a couple years behind on catching this trend for the US market.
Each segment of the bike market has its core adherents and always will, but the trends or certain types having a high degree of appeal to casual buyers, first time buyers, etc. are cyclical. The current wave will peak in the next year or two if it hasn't already.
Interesting! I happened to be reading this while watching a documentary on the SpaceX rockets. SpaceX is hoping eventually to launch manned flights using spacecraft design that more resembles the late 1960s than the later spaceship technology. What could happen is a wave of convergence of older technological design paradigms with newer materials and technologies all being driven by post-crash economic reality and other factors. This is pretty far afield from scooters, sorry, but sometimes trends emerge in the PTW industry before they emerge elsewhere.
Last edited by jrsjr on Mon Jun 04, 2012 4:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
Check out the new Honda NC700X. Parallel twin, laid down, low rev, high torque 700 cc engine that in road tests in England delivered 70+mpg with a top speed of over a hundred. Add in scooter-like storage and you have the one I think I'd want.
Keys wrote:Check out the new Honda NC700X. Parallel twin, laid down, low rev, high torque 700 cc engine that in road tests in England delivered 70+mpg with a top speed of over a hundred. Add in scooter-like storage and you have the one I think I'd want.
Make it look like this and you'd have the one I think I'd want.
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
Keys wrote:Check out the new Honda NC700X. Parallel twin, laid down, low rev, high torque 700 cc engine that in road tests in England delivered 70+mpg with a top speed of over a hundred. Add in scooter-like storage and you have the one I think I'd want.
I've noticed that there hasn't been much info coming from Honda USA about the NC700X. I wonder if the NC is going to be one of those bikes they treat like a red-headed stepchild (think DN-01) or if they're just biding their time until they know when the NX will actually be available here. Powersports.Honda.com still lists availability as "Summer 2012" and they still haven't posted the color(s) of the non-ABS/DCT version of the NC. I'm not bashing Honda USA, it's just that I've just been down this road with them before.
Keys wrote:Check out the new Honda NC700X. Parallel twin, laid down, low rev, high torque 700 cc engine that in road tests in England delivered 70+mpg with a top speed of over a hundred. Add in scooter-like storage and you have the one I think I'd want.
I've noticed that there hasn't been much info coming from Honda USA about the NC700X. I wonder if the NC is going to be one of those bikes they treat like a red-headed stepchild (think DN-01) or if they're just biding their time until they know when the NX will actually be available here. Powersports.Honda.com still lists availability as "Summer 2012" and they still haven't posted the color(s) of the non-ABS/DCT version of the NC. I'm not bashing Honda USA, it's just that I've just been down this road with them before.
Honda USA doesn't seem to like new. They seem to like "we sell a bunch of these so we want more of this." The groundswell of demand and hype for a new product would have to be huge to get them to pay any attention. Espcially true for scooters, but I'm sure it applies to their less traditional motorcycles.
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
If the past is any indicator, I think they will sell some of the standard shifters for the price and a few of the automatics to people who want a MC but don't want to shift. Those will be the only people willing to pay the premium.
Honda has a history of trying perfectly good ideas that the market (in the U. S., at least) won't sell. The list is quite long.
Remember the Hawkmatic? It worked but was still not a success. The regular bike was a good seller. Of course, 400-500cc bikes in general don't selll any more. I think the Suzuki GS500 was the last one.
Guy in my club is having this place build his bike for him. Pretty much would like to have an old Honda done up, but I don't really want a motorcycle, scoots are too cool. Just had a convo with a bunch of BMW guys last night. Blows motorcycle minds when you talk up scooters so much I think.
Looks good but I think I prefer the new RYCA scrambler concept. Still, looks good.
I really would prefer something with a thicker seat. Thin padding seems to be de rigeur with the currently fashionable cafe trend. Me ol' bum disdains fashion for comfort.
cdwise wrote:I keep eyeing the Aprilia Mana everytime I go into the Aprilia dealership. Automatic, large storage in the "tank" upright seating and you can get NOW for $5,799.
Wow! Where are you getting the $5,799 price? Isn't MSRP somewhere around $9,500? The dealer in my neck of the woods always charges MSRP and won't budge.
Aprilia had a promotion a month or two back to blow out the 09 naked (non-ABS) version at that price. It's a good price for a lot of bike, I'm just not sure if you'd have any luck finding one at that price any longer.
If I were to get a Mana, I'd personally want to opt for the GT (with ABS, a half fairing and windshield). Huge difference in price between that and the blowout nudies. Makes it a little hard to swallow.
I've recently been rebitten by the V Strom bug. At first I thought I'd want the DL1000, but they refined the DL650 this year and that orange is kind of growing on me...
Decisions are hard!
My local Aprilia dealer had a few Mana's in stock at that price when I was there Saturday.
TTaM wrote:I'm pretty happy with my Aprilia Futura. Except for when its down needing parts, then I really regret buying an Italian bike.
What year is that? Is it from before Piaggio owned Aprilia?
Pre-merger, Aprilia had the worst reputation in the market for parts availability. Things got really confused when Piaggio bought them and then tried standardizing everything (by changing all the part numbers for ALL its products). It was a real mess for a while. Now, Aprilia parts are as easy to get as Piaggio/Vespa, meaning sometimes easy, sometimes you wait a long ass time and sometimes you're SOL. Parts for earlier Aprilia models are probably a nightmare!
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
TTaM wrote:I'm pretty happy with my Aprilia Futura. Except for when its down needing parts, then I really regret buying an Italian bike.
What year is that? Is it from before Piaggio owned Aprilia?
Pre-merger, Aprilia had the worst reputation in the market for parts availability. Things got really confused when Piaggio bought them and then tried standardizing everything (by changing all the part numbers for ALL its products). It was a real mess for a while. Now, Aprilia parts are as easy to get as Piaggio/Vespa, meaning sometimes easy, sometimes you wait a long ass time and sometimes you're SOL. Parts for earlier Aprilia models are probably a nightmare!
Its a 2002, so pre-merger. I needed a rear hub and bearing this spring. It was in the shop for 2.5 months, and the parts alone cost nearly $1500.
DCUNITED4LIFE wrote:Guy in my club is having this place build his bike for him. Pretty much would like to have an old Honda done up, but I don't really want a motorcycle, scoots are too cool. Just had a convo with a bunch of BMW guys last night. Blows motorcycle minds when you talk up scooters so much I think.
Ahhhh, memories. My co-worker, a female computer operator who was about 4-foot-11 and a weekend cafe racer, had one of those transverse-V Moto Guzzis as her daily driver in the late '70s - it was low enough that she could flat-foot.
Feel da rhythm! Feel da rhyme! Get on up! It's Buddy Time!
Yes! I love the beefy-looking upside-down forks, brakes, and tires on that bike. I've been dreaming about something like that for years. The first Yamaha 920 was a euro-styled model (see pic below) that looked like it would be fairly easy to go café or maybe bob. They didn't sell well in the USA (of course) so Yamaha came back the next year with the Harley-styled Virago 920 and that was the end of the original XV920 here. Compare the original forks, brakes, and tires on the 1981 XV below to the pic above. They're downright spindly-looking by comparison, aren't they?
The motorcycle I currently ride. A 2011 BMW R1200RT in Ostra Grey!
Although, if I had the means I would have quite the collection. One of every motorcycle listed in this post would be a good start.
Just got back from my local Aprillia dealer to look at the Mana someone mentioned in this thread. They had two 2009, one new one used, and I was so impressed I almost walked out with one. Unfortunately my finances would not allow it.
Before I bought my Psycho, I bought a 1970 Honda CB350. It proved to be a bit too much for me to try to service myself. But I'd eventually love to have another or something similar.
nickcornaglia wrote:Before I bought my Psycho, I bought a 1970 Honda CB350. It proved to be a bit too much for me to try to service myself. But I'd eventually love to have another or something similar.
Oh, sweet nostalgia! I used to own and ride one of those in gold and white. It was a great bike.
My first two wheeler vehicle was a little Yamaha 80. I learned how to ride in my backyard and on my dead end dirt road before taking the motorcycle test ions ago. I sold it after my first child was born. I kept my MC endorcement even though I had no plans to get back to riding. Then I saw a Ducati Condor 350 in this one catalogue of unusal and surplus things and for some reason it rang abell with me. These motorcycles had been used by the Swiss army and came complete with saddlebags and a mount for a rifle. I didn't have the money at the time to buy one but it got me thinking about riding again which lead me to scooters. In the real world though, if I did but a MC, it would probably be something much smaller but I still like the looks of the Condor.
I was riding alongside a BMW F650 GS (newer parallel twin version) today and must say, I kind of liked it and could see myself on it as a touring bike.
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
ericalm wrote:I was riding alongside a BMW F650 GS (newer parallel twin version) today and must say, I kind of liked it and could see myself on it as a touring bike.
Yeah, those are nice looking bikes even though they remind me of a bird:
I've thought of getting myself one also. But then Honda announced their auto trans dual sport and I decided to see what it was all about.
But realistically, I doubt I will ever ride a motorcycle again more than I ride my scooter. But cool looking motorcycles always get my blood flowing.
Hehe, I'm at a conference this week. One vendor is giving away a Monster, which sadly looks too tall for me to keep upright at a stop, and another is giving away a Sportster. Wouldn't it be cool for one to give away a Buddy or two???
Feel da rhythm! Feel da rhyme! Get on up! It's Buddy Time!
PeteH wrote:Hehe, I'm at a conference this week. One vendor is giving away a Monster, which sadly looks too tall for me to keep upright at a stop, and another is giving away a Sportster. Wouldn't it be cool for one to give away a Buddy or two???
Actually, the seat height on the Monster isn't too bad. IIRC, it's somewhere around 30.5" which is only an inch or two higher than a Buddy. And you can lower it another inch with their lower seat height accessory seat.
nickcornaglia wrote:I like this '72 in green better!
I would trade my Presonus digital console for one of those... and more! SEXY! The only other bike that would tempt me away from a Triumph (aside from a nice Stella/P200). Yes, they were mimicking the British, but that's ok! They made a sweet bike in the process.
There have been many comments around about their use of lower-grade Chinese parts and a fit-and-finish that isn't quite up to the quality of competitors like SYM in their Wolf 150. Granted I have never seen one in the wild and I'm sure there isn't a single dealer for them in Arizona, but the buzz isn't that great about them from what I hear. That, and if they are hard to find parts could even be worse.
There have been many comments around about their use of lower-grade Chinese parts and a fit-and-finish that isn't quite up to the quality of competitors like SYM in their Wolf 150. Granted I have never seen one in the wild and I'm sure there isn't a single dealer for them in Arizona, but the buzz isn't that great about them from what I hear. That, and if they are hard to find parts could even be worse.
I have seen them, though haven't ridden them. Not really impressed from the outside. I'd like to test ride one, though, just for kicks.
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
There have been many comments around about their use of lower-grade Chinese parts and a fit-and-finish that isn't quite up to the quality of competitors like SYM in their Wolf 150. Granted I have never seen one in the wild and I'm sure there isn't a single dealer for them in Arizona, but the buzz isn't that great about them from what I hear. That, and if they are hard to find parts could even be worse.
I have seen them, though haven't ridden them. Not really impressed from the outside. I'd like to test ride one, though, just for kicks.
I saw one of these at a local dealer, it looked SOOOO cheap.
Thin metal, bad chrome, cheap electronics... no thanks.
but sometimes trends emerge in the PTW industry before they emerge elsewhere.
I've been dreaming about something like that for years. The first Yamaha 920 was a euro-styled model (see pic below) that looked like it would be fairly easy to go café or maybe bob. They didn't sell well in the USA (of course) so Yamaha came back the next year with the Harley-styled Virago 920 and that was the end of the original XV920 here. Compare the original forks, brakes, and tires on the 1981 XV below to the pic above. They're downright spindly-looking by comparison, aren't they? 
and this 
!
