There are plenty of bikes I would like to have, I can’t justify or afford most of them. Sorry, but a Roehr doesn’t make my shortlist. Anyone, anyone???

… along with Guiseppe Morri
“Who?”

BIMOTA

“BI”anchi “MO”rri “TA”mburini

—-

“I think using the word “will” is brave”

Never start a company and use the word “might.”

—-

… Roehr is just beginning.

“But why?”

Why is he beginning? Why does anyone begin anything? Because he wants to, why not?

See, I told you I didn’t know him

From Bimota’s website “If Massimo Tamburini had not crashed his Honda 750 Four at the Misano racetrack in September 1972 the legend that is now Bimota might never have existed. After recuperating from three broken ribs he sets about the construction of a tubular steel frame to cope with the horsepower being produced by the engines of the big Japanese manufacturers.”

Back in 1972 none of the Japanese bikes handled or stopped like they should have, and gave Bimota an ‘excuse’ to exist.

From the Roehr website: “In 1995, company founder, Walter Roehrich set out to build his ultimate street bike. It needed to be light weight, powerful and above all handle like a current GP bike.

The desire to take on this challenging project grew from Walter Roehrich’s love and passion for the motorcycle and a desire to express his idea’s and build a unique bike that was not available from current manufacturers.”

Did Walter Roehrich have any history on, or with “current GP” bikes? Who is this guy? Did he find something really lacking in the bikes available at the time, and does he really believe he is improving on what is available now?

“Roehr is a company building a motorcycle in the vision of Walter Roehr, Bimota builds on the vision of Massimo Tamburini along with Guiseppe Morri.”

Who?

“Roehr is not built to satisfy the widest possible market group, same as Bimota.”

But Bimota started building racebikes, and actually had to prove it’s point, Roehr has not done this.

“If Roehr is not an American company because the engine was designed to some degree by Porsche, is Bimota not Italian because they have used BMW, Yamaha and Kawasaki engines?”

Roehr’s Mission Statement: “The Roehr Motorcycles LLC will become the premier builder of American made sports and racing motorcycles, passionately committed to producing beautifully designed high performance Sportbikes made in the USA.” and “Born in the USA” (Maybe us Kneesliderati have missed some of the point)

Fair enough, but I think using the word “will” is brave, and exactly where are they going to race the things? Where are the results? (Maybe everybody should consider the racing ‘history’ of Motoczyxz, and HD with Aermacchi?)

“Would everyone criticizing Roehr have done the same of Bimota if they were starting up today?”

I don’t think Bimota would have started today in the same way they did, if Tamburini had crashed today I doubt he could have blamed an ill-handling bike. (and maybe Bimota has a small place in making the current generation so good?)

“Am I saying Roehr is equal to Bimota? Absolutely not, but if Bimota were starting up today, Bimota would not be the equal of Bimota! You have to begin somewhere and Roehr is just beginning.”

But why?

“I have no connection with Roehr Motorcycles, nor do I personally know Walter Roehr (sic), but isn’t it better to give him a chance to build his bike and let the market decide whether or not it will succeed rather than presume to know what the market will say? Will Roehr become a well known motorcycle in the future or another company that tried and failed? I have no idea, … and neither does anyone else.”

As I assume none of us can afford one of his bikes, and if we could we would (all?) buy something else, I doubt he will succeed. I also doubt he will use this forum as a reference on whether or not to continue trying. But like so many before, maybe he should take a long hard look at himself…