Topic: "A rebranding of the whole motorcycle industry."

[CycleRanger]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-05/can-millennials-save-the-motorcycle-industry

"Honda’s Rebel is the latest entry in a parade of new bikes designed for first-time riders; almost every company in the motorcycle industry has scrambled to make one. They are smaller, lighter, and more affordable than most everything else at a dealership and probably wouldn’t look out of place in the 1960s—back when motorcycling was about the ride, not necessarily the bike. They are also bait for millennials, meant to lure them into the easy-rider lifestyle. If all goes as planned, these little rigs will help companies like Harley-Davidson coast for another 50 years."

“They’re new motorcycles, but they’re also new thinking,” said Mark Hoyer, editor-in-chief of Cycle World magazine. “They’re selling this perception of lifestyle ... it’s a cultural movement; a rebranding of the whole motorcycle industry.”

That new Rebel actually doesn't look terrible, imho.

This made me chuckle...

"Suddenly, bike-makers desperately need new riders and millennials, apparently, are the best hope. Not only are there more of them than GenXers, but they have a longer expected lifetime value, which is corporate way of saying they’re a further away from needing a hip replacement."

...then I felt that twinge in my hip.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-05/can-millennials-save-the-motorcycle-industry

"Honda’s Rebel is the latest entry in a parade of new bikes designed for first-time riders; almost every company in the motorcycle industry has scrambled to make one. They are smaller, lighter, and more affordable than most everything else at a dealership and probably wouldn’t look out of place in the 1960s—back when motorcycling was about the ride, not necessarily the bike. They are also bait for millennials, meant to lure them into the easy-rider lifestyle. If all goes as planned, these little rigs will help companies like Harley-Davidson coast for another 50 years."

“They’re new motorcycles, but they’re also new thinking,” said Mark Hoyer, editor-in-chief of Cycle World magazine. “They’re selling this perception of lifestyle ... it’s a cultural movement; a rebranding of the whole motorcycle industry.”

That new Rebel actually doesn't look terrible, imho.

This made me chuckle...

"Suddenly, bike-makers desperately need new riders and millennials, apparently, are the best hope. Not only are there more of them than GenXers, but they have a longer expected lifetime value, which is corporate way of saying they’re a further away from needing a hip replacement."

...then I felt that twinge in my hip.

I just saw a young woman riding one yesterday.  Personally they are not for me, but if they get people who wouldn't normally ride into motorcycles, I think that's a good thing.

[carnivorous chicken]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-05/can-millennials-save-the-motorcycle-industry

"Honda’s Rebel is the latest entry in a parade of new bikes designed for first-time riders; almost every company in the motorcycle industry has scrambled to make one. They are smaller, lighter, and more affordable than most everything else at a dealership and probably wouldn’t look out of place in the 1960s—back when motorcycling was about the ride, not necessarily the bike. They are also bait for millennials, meant to lure them into the easy-rider lifestyle. If all goes as planned, these little rigs will help companies like Harley-Davidson coast for another 50 years."

“They’re new motorcycles, but they’re also new thinking,” said Mark Hoyer, editor-in-chief of Cycle World magazine. “They’re selling this perception of lifestyle ... it’s a cultural movement; a rebranding of the whole motorcycle industry.”

That new Rebel actually doesn't look terrible, imho.

This made me chuckle...

"Suddenly, bike-makers desperately need new riders and millennials, apparently, are the best hope. Not only are there more of them than GenXers, but they have a longer expected lifetime value, which is corporate way of saying they’re a further away from needing a hip replacement."

...then I felt that twinge in my hip.

That things fugly as all get out, IMHO. But that means the kids will probably dig 'em -- off the floor bobber to go. I thought the Suzuki TU250 and the Honda CB300F were way better looking (out of recent "starter bikes") but I guess I haven't followed up to see how people dig 'em or how they ride.

[CycleRanger]

That things fugly as all get out, IMHO.

That's usually my reaction too. For some reason it didn't offend me that much.
I wouldn't have one myself, but I've seen a lot worse out there. (And a lot better too of course.)

[MoMo]

Interesting article, thanks for posting.  The look is better than the "transformer" style of most modern bikes.  Not a fan of either but I do kind of like the look of the XG Harleys...Larry(aka LBB)

[74cb750]

This is the first Harley that I've liked. Never was enamored of the large machines.

[Lostboy Steve]

I have mixed feelings. On one hand it's good to see them pushing beginner bikes, but on the other there is going to be a lot of people out there who either quickly need to upgrade or don't belong on a motorcycle and give up. Either one of those things could actually hurt motorcycling more than help it.


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[Sigop]

We're aging with our bikes and there is no one coming in behind us.

See blog on Bike Bandit:

http://www.bikebandit.com/blog/post/large-motorcycles-are-dying-in-the-us-and-harley-davidson-is-dying-fastest

(Sorry.  Is this a legal paste? Mods, feel free to remove.)

[BobbyR]

I like it. Honda did something right for once. The future of the sport and the industry is with the younger rider. The younger riders made the CBs and the KZs what they were. They were not for older riders who were stuck in the Harley world. The Harleys came back uo when the Boomers got enough cash and their mommy could not tell them not to ride. They also had the cash to live their dream.

I went for a ride to  the top of a mountain where bike congregate. When I pulled up their was some guy my age with a Harley. The next 3 bikes to com up were 30 something guys on Triumphs.  All of them looked at my 78K  and said that is what they wanted to Cafe, but the work and time involved made them decide to get the Triumph in Cafe style. Looking at them, they had the money, but not the time to devote.

As a business the industry is not interested in the 60+ crowd who will stop riding fairly soon for one reason or another.

Yes you know a guy that.............  We all know a guy that does something or other.

[333]

Bobby, we are those guys.

[ekpent]

 They have been building small cheap entry level and beginner bikes for a very long time, think of the original 250 and 450 Rebel ,CM250 and 450 and automatics etc. etc.and many more. Now it is as much as keeping up with the fashion trend as anything. The manufacturers are trying to ride the Bobber and Cafe trend and bring it to the masses in a nice pre-made  tidy package. Gotta go with what sells or die.

[CycleRanger]

Gotta go with what sells or die.

As Sigop pointed out above Harley better hurry up and adapt.

[MoMo]

Gotta go with what sells or die.

As Sigop pointed out above Harley better hurry up and adapt.

I think the 500 and 750 XG fit...take a look at one.  Never a Harley fan but I do like the XG

[BomberMann650]

At least its a 500cc "starter" bike.  Lostboy could be wrong about people "wanting to upgrade soon".  They made a bike big enough to at least keep with freeway traffic.
Unlike the 250's - now there's a bike that gets resold in a hurry!
The american market for 250's is the butt of many jokes.  I don't know why the american market makers continue to neuter their 250 class.
Dwarfishly small frames, #$%* suspension and questionable brakes.  Hopefully the new rebel and other millennial middleweights fair better long term.

[vfourfreak]

Seems like the motorcyclists of the future will have the money for motorcycles, but not the time for fettling or (much) customisation.

For me half of the fun was garage work, half riding, or better still racing. Am I in the dinosaur generation ? For the moment all hips are working.

Kev

[strynboen]

the hips dont have the skills to Work on bikes.

..it means metal forming velding, basis elektric...and a idea of hov a good bike is build and adjusted to good perform.
..they just dont have got aut of the scool and have to do a "real job Building anything"at all..just living in a computer vorld.. so they have to bay a fixed and done bike..from factory...so it aktuly vork and can be taken aut for a ride...

[edwardmorris]

Sorta feels like what happened towards the end of the 50s (from a documentary) when younger people just wouldn't bother with the BSAs, Nortons and the like and instead went for the Vespas for the ease of operation. History cycle

[CycleRanger]

Sorta feels like what happened towards the end of the 50s (from a documentary) when younger people just wouldn't bother with the BSAs, Nortons and the like and instead went for the Vespas for the ease of operation. History cycle

Honda has sold millions of Super Cubs based on ease of use, reliability, utility, and a legendary advertising campaign.

But you don't see many on the highways for obvious reasons.

[BomberMann650]

the hips dont have the skills to Work on bikes.

..they just dont have got aut of the scool and have to do a "real job Building anything"at all.

But they're supposed to be really good at math and meeting a deadline!

[Lostboy Steve]

We're aging with our bikes and there is no one coming in behind us.

See blog on Bike Bandit:

http://www.bikebandit.com/blog/post/large-motorcycles-are-dying-in-the-us-and-harley-davidson-is-dying-fastest

(Sorry.  Is this a legal paste? Mods, feel free to remove.)

That's a great article! I must say, give me a roadking for free and I'll be the first to make it my only bike. Until then, eff off with your price tags Harley. Maybe the problem isn't the bike, but the ridiculous amount of money that they want for it. "You're paying for a name." No, I'm not. That's why I don't own one... if paying for a name meant anything, everyone would own a Honda, not a Harley.


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[Lostboy Steve]

Brace yourselves for another anti Harley rant now that I've digested that article. The writer mentions 4 digit Harley Davidsons. Ok? Sporty or street variant of 4 digit bike? He says Harley has given effort to appeal to younger riders... really?!?! Have they?!?!? Any of those 4 bikes under 10k can't compete with anything out of Europe or Asia. They can't even compete with the new scout. Is it bad that I want harleydavidon to fail just because I'm sick and tired of seeing expensive pieces of #$%* being sold without any resentment or change to the product? Buell was their best chance, and they pillaged that.

You want to look to the future of American motorcycles, follow Polaris Indian.


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[Lostboy Steve]

At least its a 500cc "starter" bike.  Lostboy could be wrong about people "wanting to upgrade soon".  They made a bike big enough to at least keep with freeway traffic.
Unlike the 250's - now there's a bike that gets resold in a hurry!
The american market for 250's is the butt of many jokes.  I don't know why the american market makers continue to neuter their 250 class.
Dwarfishly small frames, #$%* suspension and questionable brakes.  Hopefully the new rebel and other millennial middleweights fair better long term.

In fairness I see groms and rukus's all the time which I feel shouldn't be on the same roads.


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[RAFster122s]

Honda has a unique bike development model that requires the countries who want a new model or revision to pay for the development work. The Euro-4 requirements are ending some bike's line in those Euro countries and if they were a significant portion of sales, then that model goes away. With the all but demise of the sale of  sport racer bike like the cbr600, they will not be developing bikes for where there is little market.  Combine that with the expensive testing requirements in many countries and you will see that many Honda markets like Honda America will not fund the expensive R&D and emissions testing, etc. To get a new model off the drawing board into production.

[eigenvector]

My personal opinion - rarely popular but that's never stopped me. 

Not a fan of the style - but I can get over that.  I'm happy they're making entry level bikes that don't look like entry level bikes (if that makes any sense).

But...
The motorcycle industry wouldn't need saving if the manufacturers didn't pour all their research into building yet another HD clone, race replica, café bike, adventure bike.  It would be nice if they just made a, gee what's the word... a bike.

They should be selling bikes as alternative transportation rather than as "you'll be a bad mofo on the road".  Rather than selling a vehicle, they're selling an image - they should be selling a vehicle.  Sell an image, and only those who want that image will buy it, sell the vehicle and they'll transform it into whatever image they wish to project.  That's how you cultivate a generation.

[Lostboy Steve]

I watched a video the other night called thumpageddon about why the dual sports are dying off. It was very interesting. Explains why the wr250r has been left unchanged for so long, and why the xr650l has been unchanged even longer. I have to wonder how much truth there is the the concept that if you leave a model unchanged but present it as a year newer you're emission requirements don't change.


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