Now something like a new RC30 - that'd be a good story

[merv]

Paul, people with money buy what they want. Some even buy and ride Moto Guzzis - sigh. Others buy a new iPhone when they only got their last one less than 6 months ago. Others just 'waste' their money on travel.

The engineer creates, the marketer sells, the passionate buy this kind of stuff.

Others are just sensible and buy cheap and practical.

If the British motorcycle industry had let people dream and create and then let them build it they (the companies) might have still been around today.

[bogan]

Honda are in trouble if they need to look back at old stuff to inspire the new....

You could also say that Honda are looking at their customers, to inspire the new. A lot of people I talk to reckon the IL4s are overdone, who gives a shit if they add another R to the name an find 3 more horsies. Give us something with a bit of class! I can't think of an IL4 I would like to own, on the other had, an RC51, RC30, RC31 (do own) are right at the top of the list, see any trends?

[Crasherfromwayback]

Sigh.....

People also buy limited edition all sorts and pay waaay over the odds but the real question is - did Honda make a profit on those bikes? All up I doubt it....

Factor in a different era. People thought Honda was going to make that work, how many would have bought them if they had known it was going to be dropped like the turd it was? Even more, how many would buy these bikes right now given the recession and what its done to bike sales? ..

I don't think things like the NR750 were ever about making money for Honda Paul. They could build 100,000 postie bikes for that purpose. It was about showing us all they could build it and sell it IF they wanted. And people knew they'd be a lemon. Fuck...they couldn't even make their race bike that kick arse really. But purchase it they did.

Bit like Ducati with the V-four GP replica. I bet, that if Honda made a hundred V-5 RC211V replicas, and charged $150,000.00 for it...they'd sell out in a week. There are always enough people out there with enough coin to buy 'em if they make 'em.

[imdying]

I'll probably buy one; I'm already an existing new Honda customer. I'd like something tricky, but I'm not prepared to put up with the kind of shite that Ducati/MV/etc build... I want a GP rep super duper racing thingy, but I still want the side stand to work, the bits to all stay attached, and some sort of idle at the traffic lights.... Honda will undoubtedly provide me that... and should it break, I just get the Honda shop to come take it away and it'll be fixed under warranty. That might seem trivial on a new bike, but it is something that has thus far kept my wallet in my pocket regarding the RSV4 APRC.

Mind you... I'll still buy the single seat cover and other accessories from the USA, because sure as God made little green apples, Blue Wing will consider my new bike ownership some sort of excuse to let me have it with the anal annihilator.

As far as the NR750 goes... Honda could give two shits about making money on them. They're a corporation that on occasions likes to make a statement, and they have the money to do it. The Rune is another example.

[onearmedbandit]

Exactly. Honda don't give a damn about losing money on big news ventures, just showing the world they can is satisfaction for them. And that to Honda is almost more important than profit. And like already stated here, if they made a 100 and sold them at $150,000 they would be snapped up in a week. And Honda wouldn't care about returns.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Exactly. Honda don't give a damn about losing money on big news ventures, just showing the world they can is satisfaction for them. And that to Honda is almost more important than profit. And like already stated here, if they made a 100 and sold them at $150,000 they would be snapped up in a week. And Honda wouldn't care about returns.

They no rissen.

[BMWST?]

They no rissen.

you should know what these bikes are about(and iam sure you do know) Its called THE BRAND...to many many many people(and most are probably the people Honda have already impressed) there can only be one iconic honda..and its a v4.I didnt own a v4 Honda,but in sampling many many bikes over many many years there are bikes that even now impress me.
1) Vf 750 r,the thing had an absolutely effortless air about it,the way it handled and the way it made power....
2) Vf1000f not nearly as nice a bike as the 750 but the engine was everything.....
3) CBx1000...as above but more
4)GSX1100.....a mates one was sublime,but others i rode were horrible.

dated and narrow sample maybe...but of ALL the manufacturers a HONDA is probaly the only one i would consider if they built a "special" one.

[imdying]

Well I hope it's not $150k; would be very hard to justify it. The news coming from the Honda head honcho is encouraging

[Paul in NZ]

Oh Pooh - I forgot about this thread...

Anyway - getting back to it... I think my argument got turned about and I ended up arguing against it as a commercial idea which is NOT where I started. Where I came from was that IF Honda decide to do this, looking back at an RC30 isnt a great idea. That would be like building (in hommage to mr jellies post) an ultimate edition GoldWing as a 1000cc 4 when the std model had already surpassed it.

If they do it then it needs to be right out of the ball park, blow peoples minds, holy fuckin crap look at that....

Now - how about we think what THAT might look like? V5 two stroke? Hybrid powered? Hydrogen powered? Steam?

[bogan]

Oh Pooh - I forgot about this thread...

Anyway - getting back to it... I think my argument got turned about and I ended up arguing against it as a commercial idea which is NOT where I started. Where I came from was that IF Honda decide to do this, looking back at an RC30 isnt a great idea. That would be like building (in hommage to mr jellies post) an ultimate edition GoldWing as a 1000cc 4 when the std model had already surpassed it.

If they do it then it needs to be right out of the ball park, blow peoples minds, holy fuckin crap look at that....

Now - how about we think what THAT might look like? V5 two stroke? Hybrid powered? Hydrogen powered? Steam?

Its kind of like how Hollywood are going through a phase of sequels and comic/book movies. You get a cool movie for people to see, and you get the followers of the previous movie/comic/book turn up as well, win-win right?
So honda want to do the same with the RC30 followers, and fans of cool bikes. Its a great commercial idea, but paying tribute to such a great bike is risky, cos if they fuck it up...
But its honda, so they wont
Imo fucking it up would be; making it too much like the RC30 as there is no point in a carbon copy, or not making it better (must be lighter and more powerful, perhaps throw some active suspension in there or something), or not putting a SSSA on it.

[onearmedbandit]

Simply put, the RC30 was a racer for the road. That's all I'd expect for their next version, ie a road going RC213V. Leave hybrids/hydrogen powered/steam bikes to something other than the ultimate race replica. Like the RC30 was.

[onearmedbandit]

Reading some of the comments here has got me wondering whether some people think Honda are going to 're-engineer' the RC30 for the modern age.

[Pumba]

Speaking of Chinese innovation, is it wrong of me to want this for 3 grand?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-517216582.htm

Yes it is, you know it will start to rust the first time it gets wet and part will no doubt fall off on the first ride. But it is ok because I want one too

[bogan]

Reading some of the comments here has got me wondering whether some people think Honda are going to 're-engineer' the RC30 for the modern age.

Guess it depends how you read into the RC30 part, if its just doing the same thing they did with the RC30, which is to make a road going race bike then I wouldn't expect any of the RC30 to be present in the final design. But if they mean the design itself will be influenced by the RC30's, then I want to see a SSSA dammit!

Either way, can't wait to see what they come up with.

[imdying]

Reading some of the comments here has got me wondering whether some people think Honda are going to 're-engineer' the RC30 for the modern age.

I think it's easy to forget that they have as rich a racing heritage as anybody; they don't have to hang their hat on it every moment like the Italian marques as they have an incredibly well rounded engineering base to draw from... the Italians... well, they don't have anything else.