Every motorcycle company wants one, the mass produced category killer, the one model that does it all and everyone wants it. Turn them out by the tens or hundreds of thousands because their appeal is universal. Well, dream on. The motorcycle world has become far more fractured and segmented and more riders want something a little different. Their needs are specific or their tastes are less common and being part of the undifferentiated masses is not for them.
This applies to the U.S. and probably Europe but not in Asia where the small displacement motorcycle and scooter is sold in numbers that would make a marketer over here weep. And that is the reason for the push into China and other overseas markets by the likes of Harley Davidson, they are looking for those customers even though their products don’t fit.
As every manufacturer struggles to come up with the newest and best technology, the best design, the most appealing model, no matter how superb any one of them is, only a small part of the market will want it. It’s not that the buyers aren’t there, it’s just that the buyers all want different things and this is a real problem for large companies that have to sell a lot of bikes in order to be profitable. This problem compounds at the dealer level when a dealer chooses which models to order, hoping they guess right for the fickle and fractious potential customer. When you look at the amount of research, design and development costs that go into any one model only to have it sell in small numbers, the major companies are taking a huge gamble every time they come out with something new.
Customers have come to expect a lot because in almost every other product area, there are options galore and if you don’t have it, off they go to someone who does. Motorcycle companies are faced with this same expectation and are pulling their hair out trying to read the tea leaves before sinking money into their latest creation. These companies have to face the reality that category killer models are done. There are a few bikes that still seem to dominate in their respective segments, the Honda Gold Wing comes to mind for example, but going forward it’s going to be very difficult to establish a new model with the same dominance of any of the older and fading models.
More choice for customers, more headaches for motorcycle manufacturers, another trend to watch.
The Kneeslider: Motorcycle Trends – Declining Trend 1
C. J. Luke, III says
The cost of fuel is not going to go back down much. As a matter of fact, I believe it will continue to rise. Fuel economy is going to become a major factor for most people when considering the purchase of a vehicle. Since most families have two or more cars now, it is easy to see how it could become a circumstance where they have a “family” car for those times when the entire family wants to go somewhere, and more than one of the economical ‘run-abouts’ for commute, shopping, errands, and what have you. Build something that is cute, enclosed, two front wheels, automatic, slightly austere, economical to operate, and inexpensive to purchase/maintain, and you will have a market killer. The motorcycle companies have a better chance at this than the auto makers. There is less cost and ‘red tape’ involved in getting a new ‘motorcycle’ on the road than there is to get a new car on the road.
hoyt says
Makes you wonder what impact this tough position the manufacturers are in will have on bikes like the Ducati Hypermotard. Will those varied models make up more of a companies’ line-up to maintain sales? …while having no long-term model life expectancy?
That trend would make 15+ yr. old bike auctions more interesting.
I can’t help but think the time is ripe for motorcycle customization on all model levels.
Prester John says
Harley is in China for the same reason Rolls Royce and Rollex are – if you sell to one in a million Chinese citizens, that’s 10,000 unit sales.
Successful companies in today’s market have found ways to offer niche products built on an economical manufacturing base. HDI dominates the US street bike market with dozens of models, supported by a 700 page accessory catalog – built with just three basic engine/transmission designs. Piaggio, Europe’s biggest motorcycle company, sells dozens of scooter models worldwide under the Piaggio, Vespa, Derbi, Aprilia and Gillera name plates – using just four basic engine/transmission designs.
Tom
Dodgy says
Is there a category killer out there?
One that even if people buy one of the others in the category, that they really still desire?
In other words, what they bought is second best?
One model that has been developed over years, gradual refinements, and in spite of what the others have done to topple the king?
And the one where the journey itself is the important thing?
The BMW R1200GS…
kneeslider says
The BMW R1200GS is definitely one of the big guns out there. I would be curious to know sales figures in that segment and the direction the numbers are moving.
aaron says
right now in victoria, the r1200gs is unavailable for about 9 months. in a similar segment, ktm’s overall sales are rising rapidly, don’t know what the split between supermoto/pure dirt/adventure tourer is.
Dodgy says
I guess we are getting a bit off the (more general) topic, but I do think the R1200GS is an excellent example of a ‘category killer’.
I wonder how much of the interest is (partly) due to “The Long Way Round” series, both in terms of the sales of GS’s, and the efforts of the other manufacturers to promote (or even develop) their own versions.
Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor have both given KTM a fair hiding for not supplying ‘free’ bikes to them for their holiday… But I suspect that if I was in their position having seen their (questionable) abilities, I doubt I would have handed over the gear. And yet I admire them for their tenacity now.
KTM, Suzuki, even Buell (you are kidding aren’t you?) all have ‘competitors’ for the GS, but none come close to the credibility and history of the Bimmer.
Ask yourself this; if you were going to do a similar (long, isolated, difficult) trip like that; what would you ride?
Maybe the GS is the motorcycle version of a 4wd SUV?
Most owners don’t need it, and most won’t ever take advantage of its abilities or strengths, but we will still buy it, because we either think we are (or could be) like that, or the marketing tells us we should be ready to be like that, just in case…
todd says
I probably wouldn’t do it on an overweight GS. I think the F650GS is more suited for semi off road adventure touring than the larger GS ever will be. Heck, even the F650 is a pig off road. Maybe I would do it on a KLX, no wait, and XR650L… Did you ever read about the guy who rode his old Goldwing around the globe?
http://www.emilioscotto.com/
I guess it depends on how fast you want to cover paved roads. The R1200GS is overkill for just about everything it would ever be asked to do and Americans like overkill over ability.
-todd
Schneegz says
Anyone here ever bought a mountain bike?
Mountain bike manufacturers – Trek, Giant, Cannondale, to name a few of the more popular in the US – are basically bicycle frame manufacturers. I can walk into a bike shop, buy a frame and build it up from there with components from Shimano, RockShox, Marchozzi, etc., etc., depending on how I want my bike to perform and how much money I’m willing to spend.
Obviously, motorcycles are far more complex than bicycles, but a similar system could work. Motorcycle manufactueres are basically frame, engine and transmission manufacturers. Other components – suspension, brakes, wheels, etc. – and accessories – luggage, heated grips, seats, etc. – can be, and often are, sourced from specialty manufacturers like Brembo, Marchesini, Ohlins, etc. Theoretically, I should be able to walk into a bike shop, buy a frame, engine and transmission package, and have the shop outfit that package to my specifications. The motorcycle manufacturer wouldn’t even have to keep the parts they do not manufacture in stock, because the dealer would order them from Nissin, or Showa, or whomever.
Obviously, one could still order a complete motorcycle if one were not inclined to go through the hassle of picking out parts. And there could be “trim level” packages that would increase in price with increasingly more trick parts.
It’s doable, but would require much flexibility from all parties involved.
hoyt says
Schneegz…great idea. There is a lot of room for something like this to take off.
A huge help would be if a compact transmission for the big twin aftermarket was available. That would make a great streetbike kit. Make use of the torque from the aftermarket big twins by putting it in a sportbike chassis…..could you imagine if you saved enough to put carbon fibre wheels on the bike?
Victory — take your custom bike ordering system to the next level..
coho says
Schneegz does, indeed, have a good idea.
And think how much easier that kind of bike shopping would be if the bike shop had a CAD/Electron Beam Melting machine…
super says
there is a new 3 wheeled vehicle (supposedly) coming to market next year bia VW called the GX3. available for under $17,000. check http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060105/FREE/60105003/1064 for details kinda makes me mad though as if it catches on then they will be everywhere and makes the three wheeled vehicle i am building kinda a wash.
kneeslider says
The GX3 was covered twice on The Kneeslider, here and here
noName says
Everything on the market now is boring (sportbikes and cruisers, blah). Rather than pandering to the people wo already own motorcycles, manufacturers need to target new riders with fun and interesting designs. For example, Victory needs to put the ‘Vision 800’ into production (but give it a different front-end and a windshield).