Who's going to buy this? Who's going to buy this for $3000?
I'm not a fan of Honda, and haven't been for a long, long time. I just shake my head when I see some of the stuff they're trying to sell. Then they come up with this. Is the place being run by a bunch of morons?
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/sprockets/grom/64401/page1/
Should answer both of your questions.
I don't know how I missed a chance to slam Honda? 
Sorry for the repost.
Two guys here at work have already put deposits down on one.
I don't think there is anything uglier than a Ruckus and Honda has sold a gazillion of those.
I'm going to try to test drive one. If it is as useable as the 1980 Honda CB125 that a co-worker had for a while I may buy one.
Zomby Woof wrote: Is the place being run by a bunch of morons?
Since their sales are still going up, I'd say no. 5.7% increase last quarter.
Zomby Woof wrote: Is the place being run by a bunch of morons?
Maybe you should make a couple billion in profits per quarter before making that claim..
Isn't this the same size of bike that you claim the Chinese will take over the world selling?
I'd prefer a larger engine, but at 3g, not bad.
I really like it. 10$ says that there are 200cc-250cc kits out for it by the end of the first model year.
For me it makes really good sense, 7 miles to the office. I could just cruise up the coast for pennies a day.
I think it makes sense. When they are going for $1000 used it will make even more sense.
minimac wrote: I don't think there is anything uglier than a Ruckus and Honda has sold a gazillion of those.
The Ruckus is one of those things that's so ugly it looks kind of cool, like old Soviet military tech.
Not my thing, at least not brand new for $3k. But if even one 18 year old kid who has never ridden a motorcycle in his life gets sold this instead of a 600cc supersport than it is all worthwhile.
Yeah, more of them will be alive to buy that 600.
dculberson wrote:Zomby Woof wrote: Is the place being run by a bunch of morons?Maybe you should make a couple billion in profits per quarter before making that claim.. Isn't this the same size of bike that you claim the Chinese will take over the world selling?
That was a question.
No. I never said anything like that.
I don't see the market for this. Who's going to pay $3k for that? I'll be surprised if this isn't the sales failure the CBR125 turned out to be in Canada. Lot's of people put deposits down when they were anounced, and after that first year they've had to discount them heavily in order to sell any. You can still buy 2012's for $2200, with no 2013 model offered. As for the ruckus, I've never seen a single one on the road. I doubt they sell that many.
Well if you haven't seen a ruckus they must sell none of them...
Honda reported sales of 15million motorcycles last fiscal year. The North America market was 250,000 bikes (Up from 200,000 units). I'd guess given that they grew their North American sales by 25% and that they sell nearly 60X that many bikes worldwide I think they haven't lost touch. The Grom is a existing world market bike that is just being federallized. I would imagine it's quite popular in the rest of the world and Honda thinks they can grab some sales in the US/Canada.
One of the local dealers hadn't planned on ordering any when they were announced. They now have 5 deposits for orders and decided to stock 2 more.
I don't get it either. It's ugly. It's like a scooter. It's a less efficient and useful than a scooter. It's expensive.
It makes zero sense to me so they will likely sell a billion of them.
Well, thats like your opinion, man...
N Sperlo wrote: Well, thats like your opinion, man...
Let me tell you something, pendejo.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I don't get it either. It's ugly. It's like a scooter. It's a less efficient and useful than a scooter. It's expensive. It makes zero sense to me so they will likely sell a billion of them.
To me the appeal is similar to that of older bikes like CT70's CB125's and other small single cylinder bikes like where popular in the US in the 50's-70's. That market has largely been replaced by the scooter for the average rider due to it's larger storage capacity, automatic transmision, great MPG and generally lower cost than a motorcycle. The resulted in basically a Niche market for small "standard" motorcycles mostly dual sports. The Grom seems to me to be the only non dual sport bike that approaches Scooter cost (in fact is in the middle of honda scooter range in cost) but provides small motorcycle functionality (Clutch w/ Gears, dual input brakes, MC seating position and potential 55mph speed, still great MPG). I agree I probably would be better off with a scooter but this seems on paper at least more "fun" and a messenger bag solves most of the storage advantages from a scooter. Cost wise with the cheapest New 2 wheeled device from a Non-chinese manufacture being a 50cc scooter @ ~$2100 and the cheapest "real" motorcycle being $3500+ I see a market opportunity at the ~$3000 price point.
I would not count on used values being low for these. Price Used honda scooters and see that honda's low end product offering holds their value incredibly well. I would imagine used prices on these will be $2200-$2500 for a while. I would imagine however that you would be able to in some markets find leftovers for similar to used pricing fairly readily if your willing to wait.
Zomby Woof wrote:dculberson wrote:That was a question.Zomby Woof wrote: Is the place being run by a bunch of morons?Maybe you should make a couple billion in profits per quarter before making that claim.. Isn't this the same size of bike that you claim the Chinese will take over the world selling?
Look up "leading question." At least own your opinion.
That thing would be perfect for my wife, who's not a beginner rider, but still wants the feeling of a real motorcycle. But at 3K, there is no way I'm buying that.
Anytime companies have tried to sell a small-engined motorcycle (smaller than 600cc) in NA, it has always been a sells failure. I blame it HD riders who will tell you long and hard how you cannot ride on the highway if you don't have at least 1000cc. BS.
In reply to GameboyRMH:
No scooter looks cool. The Ruckus is like "I'm not cool and I don't care" cool.
Well, you don't need 1000cc to ride on the highway, but 125cc isn't gonna do it in the US that's for sure. I feel "at the edge" in my KLR650.
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