Honda Sucks

Obviously you have a very discerning eye and impeccable taste.

I've been wondering why I have a lot of personal animus against Honda. After all I did buy an '80 GL1100 recently. So I don't entirely hate Honda. I can't blame it on that abysmal Magna I've got because I've had plenty of bikes by other companies that were as bad or worse (Norton!). And Yamaha's lineup is if anything even more boring than Honda's.

I think my animus stems from a feeling of betrayal. Back in the 60s, 70's and early 80's Honda was the indisputable leader of the industry. Each year I waited to see what new thing Honda was going to lay on us. But more recently Honda has just become a fat lazy corporation that is incapable of trying anything without a meeting of the entire Board of Directors. Honda follows the industry now, it doesn't lead. Not one of their current choice of slick competent machines could ever entice me off of my rough-on-the-edges garish green ZRX1100. Certainly not the 919zzzz........

Honda lost its soul as far as I'm concerned. There's not one segment of motorcycle design that someone else isn't better at. Especially now with the demise of the V-4. Duck and Suzuki make better sport twins. Suzuki and Yamaha make better sportbikes. Everyone else make better sport tourers. Honda doesn't even bother with dual purpose (well, just 1 this year) or supermotards or Adventure Tourers in the USA. Gold Wings are no longer motorcycles but barges. Their prices are inflated. If they quit selling motorcycles at all I couldn't care less. They put me to sleep. I'd miss none of them.

Top 3 Reasons Why Honda Sucks Ass:

1. They rounded up a bunch of a-holes who were too scraggy for the Honda dealership's used car lots and put them on the sales floor with a desperation selling commission plan and no training. They look like crackheads eyeing the tourist in a rental car who's pulling over for directions in Liberty City.

2. They completed their "Sales Prevention Team" in the form of managers of the scraggy a-holes, who know about as much about non-Honda motorbikes(their competition and potential trade-ins) as my cat, and who think it's a priviledge to be offered the opportunity to pay MSRP for a bike that will lose 40% of it's value the moment you sign the contract.

3. The materials, fit, and finish of their motorcycles (with the possible exception of the Gold Wing, but who the hell wants one of those things?) is very similar to a 1972 Ford Pinto. Cheesy plastic, "rapid rust" fasteners," self-detatching chrome, and orange peel paint. Maybe they missed on the Pinto's exploding gas tank, but not much else.

It's really sad. No wonder the rest of the manufacturers are doing so well, what was once the giant of the industry is rapidly becoming the bike of choice for those who haven't got the sense to look at the competition.