Dunga motorbike web sites

[Hitcher]

For some strange reason I have just visited the web site for Yamaha New Zealand and found that not only have they done it up, it has been "done up" by some wizzy techno flash graphics geek who uses something a bit faster than 56k dial-up to access the Interweb.

Why do companies allow this stuff to be done to them? Don't marketing managers ask to see what their site looks like from a user's point of view, rather than on Joe Flash's laptop?

Us impatient old farts like to go to web sites and see the web site, rather than having to wait around for eons for it to unpack itself and its mutitudinous hierarchical trees (whatever they are).

And then I see that Yamaha still refuses to provide prices for its various models. "Ring a dealer near you". Sad.

Hitcher's web site ranking: 2.5 out of 10.

[Hitcher]

Spurred by a scarring experience with Yamaha's online presence, I thought I would see what the other distributors do.

Next stop Suzuki New Zealand.

Bonus points for no flash graphics and speedy upload.

Bonus points for prices of models.

Points off for missing models -- where's the info on the new Boulevard cruiser range or the deals in the Summerfest catalogue?

Hitcher's ranking: 5.5 out of 10.

[Hitcher]

Next stop, Kawasaki New Zealand.

Bonus points for no flash graphics. Comes up nice and quick for us 56kers.

Bonus points for price information, although it would be nice if this was in each model's spec sheet, as well as on the pricing page.

The full Kawasaki New Zealand model range is here too. Bonus points for selling the menu.

Not a bad effort. Maybe points off for discontinuing (in New Zealand) the ZRX1200R...

Hitcher's web site rating 7.5 out of 10.

[Hitcher]

And to round out the Japanese "big four", now it's Blue Wing Honda's turn.

No flash graphics, although the JPGs on the home page are a bit slow.

Bonus points for a pricing information.

Is the represented model range everything that Blue Wing Honda offers in New Zealand?

Lots of other things of interest on this site too.

Hitcher's ranking 7 out of 10.

[Hitcher]

Next on the "tour" Triumph New Zealand.

This is nice -- Looks good, good functionality, and fast on a 56k.

Good technical information and other stuff about the full Triumph model range.

Points off for no price information.

Nice-to-haves would be a bit of info about upcoming 2005 models -- of which Triumph have some rippers!

If I was going to buy a bike based on a web site offering, Triumph would push me close!

Hitcher's web site ranking 8.5 out of 10

[Hitcher]

As for Harley Davidson, I would have expected for the numbers they sell in New Zealand for this country to have its own listing on the H-D homepage. But alas no.

Slow and not a lot of use other than to have a perv at an online catalogue.

Hitcher's ranking 1.5 out of 10.

[Hitcher]

Harley Davidson deja vu for Buell New Zealand. Apart from a New Zealand splash page, it's the Harley story all over again. Shame!

Hitcher's ranking 2 out of 10.

[matthewt]

Of course the really crap thing with the Yamaha www site is that they used some photo's from overseas.

Check out the cruiser on the bridge, he's either trying to top himself by riding on the wrong side or maybe, just maybe they used a US photo.

[Hitcher]

That seems to be all I can (sensibly) find for New Zealand distributors. Has anybody else got any local web links?

[カワサキキド]

There is a lame flash game on Aprilia's site.
Rating 1/10 (The 1 is only because it's a bike game else it would be a 0)

[k14]

Yeah those sites are a pain in the arse. Isn't there some "law" of web design that every start page should be able to be opened in x amount of seconds on the slowest connection, or something along those lines? Some web designer person will probably be able to set me straight.