Triumph Seeing Red Ink ?
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Re: Triumph Seeing Red Ink
Without knowing anything about their sales or production costs, I'd have to question Triumph's development of the Rocket III. Sure, it's a huge media hit that's graced the cover of every bike rag, but how many are they actually going to sell? It's clearly a bike geared to the US market where displacement is king, but I doubt many Harley guys are going to dump their proven FatGlide DynaKing in favor of what is essentially a novelty bike. And the publicity around the Rocket doesn't seem to have much leverage for putting people on Thruxtons or Speed^3's or Sprints either since they are all completely different market segments. The Rocket III represents a lot of R&D and marketing dollars that could have been spent promoting their existing product lines.
Without knowing anything about their sales or production costs, I'd have to question Triumph's development of the Rocket III. Sure, it's a huge media hit that's graced the cover of every bike rag, but how many are they actually going to sell? It's clearly a bike geared to the US market where displacement is king, but I doubt many Harley guys are going to dump their proven FatGlide DynaKing in favor of what is essentially a novelty bike. And the publicity around the Rocket doesn't seem to have much leverage for putting people on Thruxtons or Speed^3's or Sprints either since they are all completely different market segments. The Rocket III represents a lot of R&D and marketing dollars that could have been spent promoting their existing product lines.
Re: Triumph Seeing Red Ink
i don't think displacement is king here....Harley is king...apparently 1450cc is still cutting the mustard.
i must agree with the novelty bike comment...it doesn't have good lines and the bold styling will likely go the way of MC Hammer pants.
with that said...I think the baldwin auto cycle is much better looking at pulling the giant engine thing off.
i don't think displacement is king here....Harley is king...apparently 1450cc is still cutting the mustard.
i must agree with the novelty bike comment...it doesn't have good lines and the bold styling will likely go the way of MC Hammer pants.
with that said...I think the baldwin auto cycle is much better looking at pulling the giant engine thing off.
Re: Triumph Seeing Red Ink
i guess i have to give credit where credit is due...you could buy almost 6 rockets for 1 baldwin.
i'd never buy either one (especially the 85k 4 cyl)
then again i don't know if you could make the RIII look better in my eyes than the baldwin with the extra 70k...i just don't like the design...but whatever floats your boat.
i guess i have to give credit where credit is due...you could buy almost 6 rockets for 1 baldwin.
i'd never buy either one (especially the 85k 4 cyl)
then again i don't know if you could make the RIII look better in my eyes than the baldwin with the extra 70k...i just don't like the design...but whatever floats your boat.
Re: Triumph Seeing Red Ink
Yep I agree with you. Sarnelli and I disagreed about the Rocket . He thought it was it was great move. Even though it looks nice in person, I am with you guys on that.
With our twin mega deficits (trade and budget) I can't see the US dollar doing anything but going lower compared to the British Pound. Get you some Canadian dollars. Their fiscal house is in order and they have raw material exports which the U.S. needs.
Yep I agree with you. Sarnelli and I disagreed about the Rocket . He thought it was it was great move. Even though it looks nice in person, I am with you guys on that.
With our twin mega deficits (trade and budget) I can't see the US dollar doing anything but going lower compared to the British Pound. Get you some Canadian dollars. Their fiscal house is in order and they have raw material exports which the U.S. needs.
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Re: Triumph Seeing Red Ink
Clearly you don't know any canadians. The place only stays above water because we keep them there.
As for the dollar crashing into hell and gone... it's not so complicated as trade deficits... We're just printing to durned many of the things.
of course... don't look for that to change.
Clearly you don't know any canadians. The place only stays above water because we keep them there.
As for the dollar crashing into hell and gone... it's not so complicated as trade deficits... We're just printing to durned many of the things.
of course... don't look for that to change.
Re: Triumph Seeing Red Ink
Hmm... Was really considering the new 2005 Sprint ST to replace my aging 2000 VFR (it got the bigger motor upgrade that Honda should have done when it re-designed).
But I wonder how this news bodes for reliability/build quality and future support for a new bike purchased.
Hmm... Was really considering the new 2005 Sprint ST to replace my aging 2000 VFR (it got the bigger motor upgrade that Honda should have done when it re-designed).
But I wonder how this news bodes for reliability/build quality and future support for a new bike purchased.
Re: Triumph Seeing Red Ink
I'm also seriously considering buying a new Sprint ST. I own a Sprint RS now and thus far dealer support has been great. Whether I buy a new Triumph or not, I'm crossing my fingers that the dealers stay happy and well supplied.
I'm also seriously considering buying a new Sprint ST. I own a Sprint RS now and thus far dealer support has been great. Whether I buy a new Triumph or not, I'm crossing my fingers that the dealers stay happy and well supplied.
Re: Triumph Seeing Red Ink
Triumph will do ok. I think the Rocket was a good move. It just hasn't had time to pay off yet. The ONLY move I question, was getting into 600 supersports. A losing proposition by any measure. The new Sprint and Speed Triple look fantastic. That Speed Triple could make me a Triumph owner again. Would have loved it if we could have gotten one for the Streetfighter Shootout, and when they show at the dealer, I will be first in line for a ride on one of them.
Triumph will do ok. I think the Rocket was a good move. It just hasn't had time to pay off yet. The ONLY move I question, was getting into 600 supersports. A losing proposition by any measure. The new Sprint and Speed Triple look fantastic. That Speed Triple could make me a Triumph owner again. Would have loved it if we could have gotten one for the Streetfighter Shootout, and when they show at the dealer, I will be first in line for a ride on one of them.
Re: Triumph Seeing Red Ink
Well, I am a Canadian. Our dollar has been doing great relative to the US recently. Harleys and Buells all cost more than a thousand less here today than they did a year ago.
As for Triumph, I still can't afford even a basic Bonneville, so I won't be helping them out though I am currently shopping for a bike and a Bonnie would be close to what I would like to have. No. It's the used Japanese cruiser market for this poor boy with a big new mortgage.
There is no doubt that we need the US economy more than it need us, but that is a question of size, not of relative sanity in government. But if Americans want a leader that runs up a huge deficit and tears apart the economy yet has the nerve to call himself a fiscal conservative, so be it. And don't forget that we're one of your biggest trading partners too.
Well, I am a Canadian. Our dollar has been doing great relative to the US recently. Harleys and Buells all cost more than a thousand less here today than they did a year ago.
As for Triumph, I still can't afford even a basic Bonneville, so I won't be helping them out though I am currently shopping for a bike and a Bonnie would be close to what I would like to have. No. It's the used Japanese cruiser market for this poor boy with a big new mortgage.
There is no doubt that we need the US economy more than it need us, but that is a question of size, not of relative sanity in government. But if Americans want a leader that runs up a huge deficit and tears apart the economy yet has the nerve to call himself a fiscal conservative, so be it. And don't forget that we're one of your biggest trading partners too.
Re: Triumph Seeing Red Ink
Don't kid yourself about the influence the president has on the economy. The Prez (any of 'em) would lurve/lurved to have the relative power of a Canadian or UK PM. I didn't vote for Bush, but anyone who votes for a president based on the current health of an economy is pretty much brick-ignorant.
Don't kid yourself about the influence the president has on the economy. The Prez (any of 'em) would lurve/lurved to have the relative power of a Canadian or UK PM. I didn't vote for Bush, but anyone who votes for a president based on the current health of an economy is pretty much brick-ignorant.
Re: Triumph Seeing Red Ink
So I read the great reviews on the Speed 4 last Spring, took a local demo for a test ride, found it really was more fun than a barrel 'o monkeys, decided to buy one, then waited and waited as they searched all dealerships east of the Mississippi for a black one. There were none so they checked to the west and again, nothing.
I liked the pix so I decided to check into the Thunderbird Sport. Nothing at the 5 dealerships in my region.
I was left with the impression the dealer network had a lot of leftover inventory they wanted to unload before getting too deep into the '04s. I wonder how many other sales were lost because of dealer hedging.
As to the '05 model line, I think its a smart move to migrate away from the 600 class. I don't know the economics behind being the winner there, but it seems to be a huge drain on the rest of the model line. I continue to be impressed by the YZF-R6, for example, but have been frustrated by Yamaha leaving the FZ1 untouched for 5 years or not improving on complaints with the FZ6.
Anyway, I'd shop a Daytona hard because they weren't jumping out of dealerships last summer.
The Speed 3 looks pretty neat and may even help legitmize Buell's stubby look. Look for that rear fender assembly coming soon to a landfill near you.
The Rocket III is too easy to imagine in John Deere green and yellow. I've also been wondering why I've yet to see any Triumph cruisers on the road.
So I read the great reviews on the Speed 4 last Spring, took a local demo for a test ride, found it really was more fun than a barrel 'o monkeys, decided to buy one, then waited and waited as they searched all dealerships east of the Mississippi for a black one. There were none so they checked to the west and again, nothing.
I liked the pix so I decided to check into the Thunderbird Sport. Nothing at the 5 dealerships in my region.
I was left with the impression the dealer network had a lot of leftover inventory they wanted to unload before getting too deep into the '04s. I wonder how many other sales were lost because of dealer hedging.
As to the '05 model line, I think its a smart move to migrate away from the 600 class. I don't know the economics behind being the winner there, but it seems to be a huge drain on the rest of the model line. I continue to be impressed by the YZF-R6, for example, but have been frustrated by Yamaha leaving the FZ1 untouched for 5 years or not improving on complaints with the FZ6.
Anyway, I'd shop a Daytona hard because they weren't jumping out of dealerships last summer.
The Speed 3 looks pretty neat and may even help legitmize Buell's stubby look. Look for that rear fender assembly coming soon to a landfill near you.
The Rocket III is too easy to imagine in John Deere green and yellow. I've also been wondering why I've yet to see any Triumph cruisers on the road.
Re: Triumph Seeing Red Ink
Well said. It's amazing how blind Americans are to the facts you point out. I am a fiscal conservative who usually votes Republican but I couldn't vote for Bush cause of the war and the huge deficit. I work with several Canadians, I love to hear their perspective on things. i.e.. tend to see world events a little more objectively. Also the Canadians I work with are fantastic engineers.
Well said. It's amazing how blind Americans are to the facts you point out. I am a fiscal conservative who usually votes Republican but I couldn't vote for Bush cause of the war and the huge deficit. I work with several Canadians, I love to hear their perspective on things. i.e.. tend to see world events a little more objectively. Also the Canadians I work with are fantastic engineers.
Re: Triumph Seeing Red Ink
Triumph gambled on the rocket. While everyone marvelled it's arrival, but in terms of sales it might fall short of its objectives. Americans is crazy for big torque and horses but it usually has to come in a familiar package - a V-twin. Visually the Rocket is a bit of an oddball and may take a while to get used to. The after market could do wonders and transformed the rocket or it could be another Vulcan story - butt ugly at first but they improved on subsequent models and became no 1 in sales for metric cruisers. Nevertheless, thumbs up for the Brit bike manufacturer for the engineering masterpiece.
Triumph gambled on the rocket. While everyone marvelled it's arrival, but in terms of sales it might fall short of its objectives. Americans is crazy for big torque and horses but it usually has to come in a familiar package - a V-twin. Visually the Rocket is a bit of an oddball and may take a while to get used to. The after market could do wonders and transformed the rocket or it could be another Vulcan story - butt ugly at first but they improved on subsequent models and became no 1 in sales for metric cruisers. Nevertheless, thumbs up for the Brit bike manufacturer for the engineering masterpiece.
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Re: Triumph Seeing Red Ink
I understand the economics behind some of Triumph's past decisions. I really hate to see such great machines discounted so deep and still remain on the sales floor. The '04 daytonas are at $8999 + another $500 and the new S3 may push the "old" one to $7k. The new bikes are hitting the used bike prices. I hope Triumph keeps on making such a wide range of great bikes.( I haven't owned one.....yet)
I understand the economics behind some of Triumph's past decisions. I really hate to see such great machines discounted so deep and still remain on the sales floor. The '04 daytonas are at $8999 + another $500 and the new S3 may push the "old" one to $7k. The new bikes are hitting the used bike prices. I hope Triumph keeps on making such a wide range of great bikes.( I haven't owned one.....yet)
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