Comments on: Premium Motorcycles – Will You Pay More for Quality if Only You Know the Difference?

By: Daniel

Daniel — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 03:52:09 +0000

Whats wrong with being please by the eye? usually looks are everything with symmetry,proportion..so…handling.
I want a bike that is light, low, powerful enough..lets say 50HP and up ? and pretty
I use to drive an XR and got tired of riding stand up and jumping in and out of the bike ,or whising nice cruising speeds…then I got a Shadow and want it better acceleration, handling, braking, etc…then the next one and so on..
there is no perfect bike no real dualsport or multi purpose thing..they are all fakes or mild products without personality or attitude( ie Transalp?)
Conclusion, I would love to have many..one for every mood.what’s the connection with the current subject? I don’t know…But I demand reliability, reliability, reliability, so if I decide to work on a bike is beacuse I want something from the machine that was not available stock…yep!, because manufacturers not always get it right, … or sometimes don’t want it to get it right, or they cant get it right,..just have alook at the head lights of all the new bikes from Kawasaki so say something…I’m too old to find beauty in “the transformers”…or the lovely new Triumphs classics , can they make them more vintage?, or the new Triumphs can’t they stay away of the Mantis theme headlight (sorry its an obsession), or the Ducatis can they just make them last, …on the road …C’mon guys ..is like women…or ice cream …or pizza….can you choose a style ?only 1 flavor ? wouldn’t you change something on the recipe ?…paying extra for your favorite bit, sure…if I got the money ? ..but in luxury, I don’t think so, is not my game, there will be alway somebody with more money..ha!..ha!..ha!, you are doomed to loose there, and by the way who told you whats more beautiful than this other one…is very subjective

By: Ken

Ken — Tue, 26 May 2009 03:15:47 +0000

Would you pay more for an SP version of a cooking model from a big manufacturer? An FZ-6, Z750 or CB1000 specced up with Ohlins, Brembo, billet and steroids for a 35% premium, Aprilia or Ducati style? I think I might, provided they still undercut the Italians. But I’d be nervous and so would the manufacturers.
Why? Because, premium or luxury, it’s ALL marketing. Most bikes are fit-for-purpose out of the crate, and if you’re tying them in knots, good on you, you’re obviously a bloody good rider. In truth, the only quality the vast majority of us ever will notice is how quickly the damn thing rots, wobbles or squeaks.
Which may indicate there’s a potential market out there for a two-wheeled Lexus. That’s your bag, Honda.

By: Bjorn

Bjorn — Thu, 21 May 2009 05:07:43 +0000

No question, I will pay a premiun any time for quality and I don’t care if you know it’s there. I buy good tyres, highest quality affordable chain and sprockets because anything else is false economy. Making a motorcycle handle better or run better is one of my great joys in riding so I choose better quality equipment whenever possible.
I was lucky enough as a twenty something to work for a Ducati dealer and I rode everything I could get my hands on, including some pretty special stuff. That said, any standard bike will out perform a Tarts Handbag. (A collection of expensive parts thrown together without being balanced.)

By: dan

dan — Wed, 20 May 2009 23:17:43 +0000

My favorite bike was a KZ1000 bored out to 1100cc, flowed heads and a kerker which I painted flat black but the megaphone was chrome. Then I put a fork brace better spings and fluid in them. Then rear got Progressive lowered slightly. I got the widest tire possible on back a duel tread Bridgestone. Painted it dark green with ghost flake. That thing was so solid I could ride it from Wisconsin to Ohio with 1 hand and dust any car on the road except this one Mustang must have been blown! People gave it respect at any event or outside any shady bar! Go figure!

My next keeper after a few failed attempts at trying new styles was a Suzuki RF900 but it was built for endurance racing but never raced, likely cause it had a steel frame and was a little heavy. It had Kelein carbs, bored to 1000 with a cam, a Yosh pipe and Fox shock with GXR front end, not to mention upgraded brain box and PM Wheels. I paid $4500 and was the first bidder on ebay it had 300 miles on it. I rode that thing all over New Mexico and had a blast and never opened it up but dusted anything in my path. After meticulously maintaining it for 4 years I sold it to an unsuspecting hispanic kid from Espanola for $3400 cash with 5200 miles on it. I gave him my helmet and jacket and told him to be careful! That bike was absolutely perfect for that era in my life!

By: tim

tim — Wed, 20 May 2009 22:49:39 +0000

I DID!

My latest streetbike (Triumph Scrambler 900) I loved the look of the thing, but it needed some tweaking from stock. So it got Ohlins shocks, a fork rebuild with cartridge emulators, I changed the handlebars, added some other bits and pieces (oil cooler guard, longer seat bolts, a pillion backrest and rack). It has made the thing more what I want. Next on the list: fit my new pipes (that is primarily an aural/visual upgrade): but unless you know what you are looking at and for, my bike appears near stock.

I would like the floating disc from a Thruxton but dont want to buy new. Or one of those Beringer motard setups…..