Quote:
Originally Posted by tremens
they not really lost you, you bought technically a KTM 
but I agree, they recently started to introduce new bikes very slowly and way too early before they can actually sell it. I guess they envy Africa Twin success with that strategy. But some are not too patient and lose interest.
Let see, 1 year or more prototyping and teasing, then 1 year to make it available plus another year or so to fix all the issues. Again new AT is perfect example. People don't have time today for this games. |
I read an article recently that discussed the Honda AT in relation to the other 1000cc+ ADV bikes on the market. The author's argument was that the AT was never meant to battle the big KTM 1090/1190 nor the 1200GS. Those are $20,000 bikes. It was built and marketed with the intention of grabbing sales from the few middlewights (Tiger 800, BMW 800/850, etc) that offered similar figures on paper, this being weight, power output and price point. They also had the name Africa Twin which they very cleverly leveraged. KTM guys will buy the big KTMs. BMW guys will buy the big BMWs. For the rest of the market, they had a product that was priced similarly to smaller displacement bikes like the Tiger and offered a historically significant bike that is considered by many a very strong world tourer. Plus they have their Honda name.
It would seem that the ideal middleweight ADV bike is a bit of a unicorn and as a result, rumors of a lightweight yet powerful 700/800cc bike from big names like KTM and Yamaha will excite the masses. It's an untouched segment right now save for BMW's middleweight line and Triumph's bike, which have become more and more bloated over the years.
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