97 concours for sale pittsburgh

[roncriswell@sbcglobal.net]

Why are motorcycle manufacturers not getting on the bandwagon during these high gas price times? I read yesterday in the Wall Street Journal how Yamaha's stock was down 26% (mostly due to economy slowing in the US) and motorcycle sales were down roughly 30 % in the last year in the US). Am I missing something? My Kawasaki KLR will get 40 to 60 MPG depending on how you ride it and it will go and park anywhere .... and it is cheap. Sure there are cars out there that will get close to bike milage or the same or better than the fastest bikes ....... but they will cost you 20 to 40 grand. My KLR can be had new for $5500 and you can pick up good used ones all day long for 3 grand. And even expensive Harley's get pretty good milage. I don't get it, I haven't seen one advertisement touting bikes as good cheap transportation not to mention advantages in traffic or parking. Do we really need an advanced Yamaha YZF R1 that won't get that great milage, land you in jail if you use all those ponies (or the morgue)? I remember back in the 70's when people went all over the place on Honda CB 350's that were cheap and durable, freeway capable and some even went cross country on them. And you meet the nicest people on a Honda 90's were everywhere commuting back and forth to college etc. What about the recently updated Ninja 250 that can be had new for $3500, gets great milage and still top 100 mph? Or the Kawasaki KLX 250 dual sport for around town commuting. Or if you are intimidated by motorcycles, get a Suzuki Burgman Scooter that will do the Interstate in fine fashion. I am against smaller scooters. The only place they belong is resort islands and not sure even there because of not enough power and tiny wheels (and brakes). Criswell who is confused

[PauL M. Bober]

Try here !!!!!! http://www.gogreenon2wheels.org/ -----Original Message----- From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of roncriswell@... Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 9:00 AM To: Russ Aman; CurtisDrew@...; rocky heuer; KLR Group; Michael McSpadden; Mick; Ramey; Ralph Delmar Subject: [DSN_KLR650] explain me this ......... Why are motorcycle manufacturers not getting on the bandwagon during these high gas price times? I read yesterday in the Wall Street Journal how Yamaha's stock was down 26% (mostly due to economy slowing in the US) and motorcycle sales were down roughly 30 % in the last year in the US). Am I missing something? My Kawasaki KLR will get 40 to 60 MPG depending on how you ride it and it will go and park anywhere .... and it is cheap. Sure there are cars out there that will get close to bike milage or the same or better than the fastest bikes ....... but they will cost you 20 to 40 grand. My KLR can be had new for $5500 and you can pick up good used ones all day long for 3 grand. And even expensive Harley's get pretty good milage. I don't get it, I haven't seen one advertisement touting bikes as good cheap transportation not to mention advantages in traffic or parking. Do we really need an advanced Yamaha YZF R1 that won't get that great milage, land you in jail if you use all those ponies (or the morgue)? I remember back in the 70's when people went all over the place on Honda CB 350's that were cheap and durable, freeway capable and some even went cross country on them. And you meet the nicest people on a Honda 90's were everywhere commuting back and forth to college etc. What about the recently updated Ninja 250 that can be had new for $3500, gets great milage and still top 100 mph? Or the Kawasaki KLX 250 dual sport for around town commuting. Or if you are intimidated by motorcycles, get a Suzuki Burgman Scooter that will do the Interstate in fine fashion. I am against smaller scooters. The only place they belong is resort islands and not sure even there because of not enough power and tiny wheels (and brakes). Criswell who is confused [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[D Critchley]

In Alberta we have the Alberta Motor Assn, who never mention motorcycles in the newsletter. Yet they have all kinds of articles about saving gas, and "going green", in among the reviews of the various holiday spots that you can either drive or fly to. I think that in their case the problem is that motorcyclists don't spend enough on the resorts etc; and one cannot annoy ones sponsors. I sent them an email about m/c insurance a month ago, no answer. DC roncriswell@... wrote:

> > Why are motorcycle manufacturers not getting on the bandwagon during > these high gas price times? I read yesterday in the Wall Street > Journal how Yamaha's stock was down 26% (mostly due to economy > slowing in the US) and motorcycle sales were down roughly 30 % in the > last year in the US). Am I missing something? My Kawasaki KLR will > get 40 to 60 MPG depending on how you ride it and it will go and park > anywhere .... and it is cheap. Sure there are cars out there that > will get close to bike milage or the same or better than the fastest > bikes ..... > > . > >

[mikeypep]

I too ponder this point. The way I figure it every time I take my KLR to work instead of my Impala I'm helping save the planet just a little. Plus I arrive in a better mood, do a better job and am less likely to have a breakdown today thereby further taxing the health care system. Way to go, I helping not only ecology but society as well, and we haven't even mentioned decreased road wear. Gawd I love to ride!!!

[E.L. Green]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, D Critchley wrote:

> In Alberta we have the Alberta Motor Assn, who never mention

motorcycles

> in the newsletter. Yet they have all kinds of articles about saving

gas,

> and "going green", in among the reviews of the various holiday spots > > > roncriswell@... wrote: > > > > Why are motorcycle manufacturers not getting on the bandwagon during > > these high gas price times?

I think one problem is that ad agencies and national decision makers typically reside in areas where you cannot ride a motorcycle or motor scooter all year 'round. For example, New York City is the center of the advertising world in the United States. For four months of the year riding a motorcycle in New York City is pretty much impossible due to the nasty winter weather. Thus the advertising agency employees simply don't think about a motorcycle as transportation -- it's a luxury item used for eight months of the year, primarily on weekends, for them. Similarly, our national decision makers live in Washington D.C., and the same applies there. The thought of encouraging motorcycle commuting as a method of saving gas simply doesn't occur to them, because they cannot ride year round there and thus don't consider motorcycles to "really" be transportation. Of course, those areas of the country where motorcycles cannot be ridden year 'round are a minority now compared to the population of the areas of the country where a motorcycle *can* be ridden year 'round -- the West and South now hold the majority of the U.S. population. That's why "Christmas music" strikes such a silly chord nowdays. "Frosty the Snowman" in a nation where the majority of today's children have never seen snow? RIDICULOUS! "Winter Wonderland" in a nation where, for most children, all that happens in winter is that it rains a lot? LUDICROUS! "Jingle Bells" in a nation where most children have never seen any kind of sled at all, much less one pulled by horses? IRRELEVANT. But to the advertising magnates in New York City, they don't see a problem with tying their advertising to such outdated imagery that simply doesn't apply to most Americans today...

[D Critchley]

A very insightful analysis, wish I'd thought of it. DC E.L. Green wrote:

> > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > , D Critchley wrote: > > In Alberta we have the Alberta Motor Assn, who never mention > motorcycles > > in the newsletter. Yet they have all kinds of articles about saving > gas, > > and "going green", in among the reviews of the various holiday spots > > > > > > roncriswell@... wrote: > > > > > > Why are motorcycle manufacturers not getting on the bandwagon during > > > these high gas price times? > > I think one problem is that ad agencies and national decision makers > typically reside in areas where you cannot ride a motorcycle or motor > scooter all year 'round. For example, New York City is the center of > the advertising world in the United States. For four months of the > year riding > > . > >

[Arden Kysely]

It's an interesting idea, but I don't buy it. The four Japanese makers all have headquarters in sunny SoCal, and nobody lets an ad company just go off an do what they want without some direction of what it is they want advertised, and who they want to target with the ads. Manufacturers go after markets. Until recently, the cruiser and sportbike markets have been hot and profitable. The big rise in gas prices has been pretty sudden and it will take them some time to turn their advertising approaches around, if they first decide to go after they economy market. I would think their first challenge would be where to place the ads. In which publication would you put ads for small motorcycles or scooters to appeal to the economy conscious? Not moto-mags, we already know what's out there. Parenting? Don't think so. Maybe Sunset, since it's about living where winter doesn't interfere. I'd like to see more small bikes and scooters on the road, it would certainly help raise the awareness of us two-wheelers among the cagers. When Mom in the Suburban has a daughter going to school on a Yamaha Vino, she's going to start noticing the two-wheeled crowd a whole lot more. __Arden

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, D Critchley wrote: > > A very insightful analysis, wish I'd thought of it. > DC > > E.L. Green wrote: > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > > , D Critchley wrote: > > > In Alberta we have the Alberta Motor Assn, who never mention > > motorcycles > > > in the newsletter. Yet they have all kinds of articles about saving > > gas, > > > and "going green", in among the reviews of the various holiday spots > > > > > > > > > roncriswell@ wrote: > > > > > > > > Why are motorcycle manufacturers not getting on the bandwagon during > > > > these high gas price times? > > > > I think one problem is that ad agencies and national decision makers > > typically reside in areas where you cannot ride a motorcycle or motor > > scooter all year 'round. For example, New York City is the center of > > the advertising world in the United States. For four months of the > > year riding > > > > . > > > > >

[Jim Douglas]

roncriswell@... wrote:

> > Why are motorcycle manufacturers not getting on the bandwagon during > these high gas price times? I read yesterday in the Wall Street > Journal how Yamaha's stock was down 26% (mostly due to economy > slowing in the US) and motorcycle sales were down roughly 30 % in the > last year in the US). Am I missing something? My Kawasaki KLR will > get 40 to 60 MPG depending on how you ride it and it will go and park > anywhere .... and it is cheap. Sure there are cars out there that > will get close to bike milage or the same or better than the fastest > bikes ....... but they will cost you 20 to 40 grand. My KLR can be > had new for $5500 and you can pick up good used ones all day long for > 3 grand. And even expensive Harley's get pretty good milage. > > I don't get it, I haven't seen one advertisement touting bikes as > good cheap transportation not to mention advantages in traffic or > parking. Do we really need an advanced Yamaha YZF R1 that won't get > that great milage, land you in jail if you use all those ponies (or > the morgue)? I remember back in the 70's when people went all over > the place on Honda CB 350's that were cheap and durable, freeway > capable and some even went cross country on them. And you meet the > nicest people on a Honda 90's were everywhere commuting back and > forth to college etc. > > What about the recently updated Ninja 250 that can be had new for > $3500, gets great milage and still top 100 mph? Or the Kawasaki KLX > 250 dual sport for around town commuting. Or if you are intimidated > by motorcycles, get a Suzuki Burgman Scooter that will do the > Interstate in fine fashion. I am against smaller scooters. The only > place they belong is resort islands and not sure even there because > of not enough power and tiny wheels (and brakes). > > Criswell > who is confused > >

Interesting as a recent visit to the dealer I saw quite more folks in there than usually and asked about it and the salesman answered that as gas prices go up more and more folks are look, some buying, to save the$$ I can't image how much I have saved over the past year but I know it quite a bit, with prices like they are now probably around 250-275 a month!

[Donald Dickerson]

For many years I've wondered about this, and came to a few conclusions. First, the majority of auto drivers can barely drive beyond start, stop, and steer. And many can't do that well. The same folks cannot ride a bicycle either. Put those folks on bikes or even trikes? Nope. No way. It is bad enough that they are allowed on the streets at all. And then for a very large segment of the population, motorcycles are dangerous. If you ride one and get hurt, it's your fault for being on a bike. Like the anti-gunners, the motorcycle is at fault, regardless. $100 a gallon gas won't get those folks onto a bike. Besides, they might mess up their hair, get something on their clothes, have to wear a helmet, eat a bug, no chatting on the cel phone, deal with weather issues, actually pay attention while riding (what? No cigarettes, no joint, no beer, no eating, no TV, no magazines, can't put on makeup, etc.!?) Too much inconvenience. Not one motorcycle manufacturer has stepped up and touted their bikes for saving gas. Oh sure, you may see an ad in a bike rag, but will you see a primetime ad campaign on network television or every major newspaper from any bike maker? Not likely, and there is no logical explanation for that at all. Not to mention, how many times per day do ads from your local bike dealers air on TV? On every channel? Just like auto dealers? Bet you rarely see even one. The bike dealer that goes on the air jummping up and down on a bike like a spastic cokehead (like any number of car dealers)will be the one that sells bikes. But they don't even advertise, much less in a competitive manner. Those of us who consider bikes a viable form of transportation are a small minority. Gas prices may force a change of attitude for some, but I think most of the people who are going to buy bikes already have. The rest either consider them too dangerous, or it's just another luxury item they can't afford. I doubt we will see any mass migration to motorcycles over gas prices. When the bike manufacturers get off their butts and make enclosed 3 wheelers with auto transmissions and a/c and 3-4 seats, they MIGHT sell a few. But I doubt it. People want room, luxury, convenience, high mileage, but they want it from a full size car or truck or SUV, not a small car or bike. Good luck, folks. Don --- "roncriswell@..." wrote:

> Why are motorcycle manufacturers not getting on the bandwagon during > > these high gas price times? I read yesterday in the Wall Street > Journal how Yamaha's stock was down 26% (mostly due to economy > slowing in the US) and motorcycle sales were down roughly 30 % in the > > last year in the US). Am I missing something? My Kawasaki KLR will > get 40 to 60 MPG depending on how you ride it and it will go and park > > anywhere .... and it is cheap. Sure there are cars out there that > will get close to bike milage or the same or better than the fastest > > bikes ....... but they will cost you 20 to 40 grand. My KLR can be > had new for $5500 and you can pick up good used ones all day long for > > 3 grand. And even expensive Harley's get pretty good milage. > > I don't get it, I haven't seen one advertisement touting bikes as > good cheap transportation not to mention advantages in traffic or > parking. Do we really need an advanced Yamaha YZF R1 that won't get > that great milage, land you in jail if you use all those ponies (or > the morgue)? I remember back in the 70's when people went all over > the place on Honda CB 350's that were cheap and durable, freeway > capable and some even went cross country on them. And you meet the > nicest people on a Honda 90's were everywhere commuting back and > forth to college etc. > > What about the recently updated Ninja 250 that can be had new for > $3500, gets great milage and still top 100 mph? Or the Kawasaki KLX > 250 dual sport for around town commuting. Or if you are intimidated > by motorcycles, get a Suzuki Burgman Scooter that will do the > Interstate in fine fashion. I am against smaller scooters. The only > place they belong is resort islands and not sure even there because > of not enough power and tiny wheels (and brakes). > > Criswell > who is confused > > >

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[Don Montgomery]

top post Here in Atlanta the nightly news and radio is reporting that motorcycle & scooter accidents have (I think this is right) doubled since gas prices went up. Guess people are, as usual, buying and riding something they have not mastered enough to be safe. It may be that the state of GA allows sales to people w/o motorcycle certs on thier license. Would be interesting to know what % of those involved in the accidents had no mc certs on their license. Don M

> Why are motorcycle manufacturers not getting on the bandwagon during > these high gas price times? I read yesterday in the Wall Street > Journal how Yamaha's stock was down 26% (mostly due to economy > slowing in the US) and motorcycle sales were down roughly 30 % in the > last year in the US). Am I missing something? My Kawasaki KLR will > get 40 to 60 MPG depending on how you ride it and it will go and park > anywhere .... and it is cheap. Sure there are cars out there that > will get close to bike milage or the same or better than the fastest > bikes ....... but they will cost you 20 to 40 grand. My KLR can be > had new for $5500 and you can pick up good used ones all day long for > 3 grand. And even expensive Harley's get pretty good milage. > > I don't get it, I haven't seen one advertisement touting bikes as > good cheap transportation not to mention advantages in traffic or > parking. Do we really need an advanced Yamaha YZF R1 that won't get > that great milage, land you in jail if you use all those ponies (or > the morgue)? I remember back in the 70's when people went all over > the place on Honda CB 350's that were cheap and durable, freeway > capable and some even went cross country on them. And you meet the > nicest people on a Honda 90's were everywhere commuting back and > forth to college etc. > > What about the recently updated Ninja 250 that can be had new for > $3500, gets great milage and still top 100 mph? Or the Kawasaki KLX > 250 dual sport for around town commuting. Or if you are intimidated > by motorcycles, get a Suzuki Burgman Scooter that will do the > Interstate in fine fashion. I am against smaller scooters. The only > place they belong is resort islands and not sure even there because > of not enough power and tiny wheels (and brakes). > > Criswell > who is confused > > > > ------------------------------------ > > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650Yahoo! Groups Links > > >