Which manufacturer is the biggest prick?

[xrljoel]

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I haven't had an issue with bike shops.

But with Toyota?? I'm still walking funny.

 

[Mad Mike]

You're buying the spark plug as an OEM branded replacement part that has been marked up 300%
or
Like you say you can buy 2 somethings that looks the same and comes in a plastic bubble pack, then you can fire one of them in the garbage because you discover one actually works better then the other one :|

It's like buying light bulbs that have the filament in the right place, or buying the seconds at a third of the price and have the filament somewhere other then the right place.

I doubt NGK makes super special plugs for Honda, I’m guessing the $3 DR8 in the CTC bubble pack comes from the same production run as the $13 plug in the pretty red box.

 

[JTR]

KTM (and maybe some others) builds bikes with certain features installed but disabled by software until you pay the dealer to turn them on. I understand this from a business perspective, but it really bothers me that my bike has certain capabilities that are intentionally disabled.

People seem to LOVE that Tesla does the same thing. Look at their self drive tech for example. It's built into every vehicle they make. So the cost of all of the hardware is already included in the base price, and then they charge an additional $5k? $7k? to turn it on, I forget exactly how much, but it's retarded.

 

[FullMotoJacket]

KTM (and maybe some others) builds bikes with certain features installed but disabled by software until you pay the dealer to turn them on. I understand this from a business perspective, but it really bothers me that my bike has certain capabilities that are intentionally disabled.

Go look into buying the latest generation of Freeride-e. You don't own the battery. You rent it from them. They will sell you a 2nd/spare, though.

 

[timtune]

Sometimes the dealerships know their market better than the customers do.

I remember when Yamaha released the MT-01 everywhere but North America, there was a huge outcry from the motorcycle community. Everyone wanted one. All the moto media said they were missing a huge financial opportunity.

So Yamaha released it in Canada for 2006.

It tanked. They had to discount them to the point of practically giving them away at the end.

It was promptly discontinued the next year.

Come on was anybody really gonna buy a bike called the Empty One?

 

[timtune]

Supply and Demand.

In Russia during the cold war there was a market for lightbulbs that were blown and used cars were worth more than new cars.
- You could take the blown lightbulb to work and secretly exchange it with one that worked
- You could buy a used car right now or wait years for a new one

 

[Mad Mike]

I dont know if this makes them a 'prick' but I always found honda bikes to be very vanilla, and overpriced
But I guess when your as big as honda, you get to do whatever the **** you want

True. Built for economy and dependability — not usually style or performance. I would buy a Honda Jet (I like those qualities in my jets) but not my bikes or cars.

 

[timtune]

People seem to LOVE that Tesla does the same thing. Look at their self drive tech for example. It's built into every vehicle they make. So the cost of all of the hardware is already included in the base price, and then they charge an additional $5k? $7k? to turn it on, I forget exactly how much, but it's retarded.

That's just like paying Rogers an installation fee so they can charge you each month for cable. If you haggle (very hard) they will waive the fee. I've never paid it.

 

[GreyGhost]

That's just like paying Rogers an installation fee so they can charge you each month for cable. If you haggle (very hard) they will waive the fee. I've never paid it.

Me neither because I also refuse to pay their monthly fee.

 

[timtune]

Me neither because I also refuse to pay their monthly fee.

Oh I grind them them down pretty good on that too. I used to think you got a deal after you'd talked to the folks in "retention" but now I don't settle until they passed me on to "management".

 

[oioioi]

Sometimes the dealerships know their market better than the customers do.

I remember when Yamaha released the MT-01 everywhere but North America, there was a huge outcry from the motorcycle community. Everyone wanted one. All the moto media said they were missing a huge financial opportunity.

So Yamaha released it in Canada for 2006.

It tanked. They had to discount them to the point of practically giving them away at the end.

It was promptly discontinued the next year.

I found one that was given away, as you mention.

Now the way to sell it and make money on it.

 

[ChrisCBR]

Supply and Demand.

In Russia during the cold war there was a market for lightbulbs that were blown and used cars were worth more than new cars.
- You could take the blown lightbulb to work and secretly exchange it with one that worked
- You could buy a used car right now or wait years for a new one

Reminded me of an old joke Ronald Reagan liked to tell.

 

[Pegassus]

Everybody wants something until they can get it - there have been a lot of marketing disasters over the years.
About 8 years ago I asked Canadian Kawasaki about importing the W800. I was told, why bother if we're only going to sell maybe 50 across Canada.
Then the U.S. got on board and voila.

It's a fugly bike, no wonder...............

 

[JTR]

Supply and Demand.

- You could buy a used car right now or wait years for a new one

That's what keeps resale high on alot of exotics. Latest and greatest keeps coming out, but do you want to wait over a year to spec one yourself?

 

[TK4]

It's a fugly bike, no wonder...............

Everybody wants what they can't have - then its here and bolted to the showroom floors.

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