Agree... but don't agree. And once the innovative manufacturers are driven out of business... what then?
The quality of finish of the Chinese bikes ( Voge, Kove, CF Moto) is pretty much on a par with the majority of other bikes at Motorcycle Live. It would appear there is nothing wrong with the quiality of engineering either. Dakar finishing bikes last year.
I’d love to see a Voge after 3 years. But consider this, subject to it riding ok, spend 6k on a Tenere equivalent or twice as much on the Yamaha one. If it’s worth nothing in three years you’ve probably only lost the same money. As a commuter I’d seriously consider one if the warranty is any good and my aim is a-b as efficiently as possible.
Agree to a point but look at what they are doing to the electric car and bike industry. We need creative people….or do we, AI is replacing all them isn’t it? Note tongue in cheek. AI will be the death of mankind
Ran in to @GrumpyGolfer , looked at a few bikes, watched 2 stage sets with James Whitam and came home. Definitely smaller, much more emphasis on bikes rather than riding gear, big push for electric (wasted on me) and not sure who the 'audience' is for all the evening gig, average age would be in bed long before it started I see and accept the erosion of value for money but will probably go again next year. Highlight for me was the 490 crosser, very tasty and I sat on the Hyper mono which, as suggested I would, I could flat foot. A total stranger said in passing "my, you make that bike look small' Andy
The ones I tried had the worst plasticky grips it has ever been my misfortune to hold, either on a motorcycle or a golf club. If something like that felt so bad it would concern me about where else corners may have been cut.
As a ride it into the ground and throw it away bike I’d be prepared to consider one, but as you say it would very much depend on the warranty and the dealer network. (subject to a change of grips, obviously )
Bumped into @Android853sp and his better half and like them, did a couple of James Whitman chats and looked round what I thought was a reduced show. One point that stuck with me was Mat Oxley’s comments in relation to motorcycling being a working man’s pursuit; I’m not sure what he defines as a working man, but I’m not sure how many working men can afford a lot of what was on offer. Looking at the prices today I can see why a lot of dealerships are folding. I am what I would describe as comfortable; mortgage free, both of us working and without any major financial concerns, but I would not be spending what a lot of manufacturers are asking for their top of the range offerings. And the longer it goes on, with new blood being priced out of motorcycling, the more perilous the future looks to me.
Even at the mad high prices, compared to cars, cheap as chips want a 5 series electric model, that’s 20k deposit plus £1200 pm please with huge balloon at the end.
Norton V4 s, £15k deposit, nothing to pay for 2 years and then £28k payment to own it. Ducati V4RS £33k. Madness.
