Triumphrat

Fraederichs

I read in Money mag - I believe - that Indian will begin making motorcycles again; I think that's great. It's odd/embarrasing the U.S. only has one major brand in our country. I'd like to see a U.S. company, that's ran right, compete against Harley.

Indian Cycles

They should release a retro cycle like the Indian Four from the 30's.

http://home.planet.nl/~motors-20th-c...-Four-1932.jpg

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2004 Bonnie Black
Madison, WI

tba-golfer

I haven't kept up with this story line since earlier this year, but my 2 cents says, be wary, especially as a prospective investor or buyer. Excelsior-Henderson, in my own backyard, went through all sorts of financial and marketing machinations, before going, quickly, belly-up. The mistake that has been made, IMHO, has been to try to capture market share, right off the bat, from HD, with zero ability or financial resources to compete with dealerships, advertising, after-market merchandising, etc.
Which, as I look at it, is one of the great things Triumph has done...do not ram your head into the HD mountain, you'll just get a concussion. Do an end-around, create niche bikes, in moderate supply...a Field of Dreams marketing strategy- If we build them, they will come...
All the best to Indian, and maybe they'll take a different tact, this time, but...all the best, and not with my dollars.

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What's the most amazing thing you've ever found?
Impossible to say. You see there's something amazing every two or three weeks.

Local Hero (1983)

REVOLT

If they DO start back up, it will be the THIRD time they have "Given it another shot"...

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The Bonnie Situation...

Fraederichs

Two Harvard Business School classmates who resurrected Chris-Craft have a new plan to bring Indian Motorcycle back from the brink.

These two guys are living the dream.

[ This message was edited by: Fraederichs on 2006-12-20 21:28 ]

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2004 Bonnie Black
Madison, WI

ohiorider

I don't know how Victory fits into this US cruiser thing .... they have some lovely bikes... Arlen and Cory Ness have done some very nice styling that is cruiserish without being pure HD. I have to remember, however, that their bike effort is backed by Polaris, and I suspect Polaris has rather deep pockets. I don't know how Victory motorcycles are selling, nor if they could survive without Polaris backing. I cannot imagine them selling any better, or as well as the metric cruisers from Japan. Maybe they sell well in their home state of Minnesota and surrounding MidWest states? Anyone know?

Re an Indian revival, maybe they would do better if they revived the in line 4 cylinder Ace/Indian bikes, instead of yet another V Twin. I think we're finally getting saturated with these machines.

Bob

[ This message was edited by: ohiorider on 2006-12-20 21:35 ]

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2003 T100 (790cc) Lucifer Org and Silv: 122/42 jets, TORs, 17T, UNI filter, no AI, Polaris bellmouth, Metzeler ME880 tires, Progressive 440 shocks (105/150 springs),11-1126 fork springs, gaiters, MotoTwin low bars, 6024 lamp, htd grips, 12v outlet.

Fraederichs

I didn't realize Victory was an American cycle - my bad. I thought it was a Japanese cycle brand hiding its origin by using a different name. Nice to know.

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2004 Bonnie Black
Madison, WI

tba-golfer

Hadn't read that article, fun to read... but I think I still stand by my original thesis. Maybe these guys will take a different slant; all the best to them. Seems, though, that the Cris Craft analogy to bikes is not apples to apples.

Bob.. It is very curious to me, though I may be wrong, that Polaris does little to none in-state, home-y, buy Minnesotan advertising.
I may be oblivious to it, but the Victory line seems to be a non-event here. At least here in Mpls./St.Paul, the huge HD dealerships, (we are kissing cousins with Wisconsin/Milwaukee) dominate.

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What's the most amazing thing you've ever found?
Impossible to say. You see there's something amazing every two or three weeks.

Local Hero (1983)

ohiorider

I guess in the cruiser world, those Wisconsin boys are hard to beat.

Bob

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2003 T100 (790cc) Lucifer Org and Silv: 122/42 jets, TORs, 17T, UNI filter, no AI, Polaris bellmouth, Metzeler ME880 tires, Progressive 440 shocks (105/150 springs),11-1126 fork springs, gaiters, MotoTwin low bars, 6024 lamp, htd grips, 12v outlet.

mecscc

Someone will always come along and try to resurrect the Indian name, but, without deep pockets (eg Polaris and Victory) they don't have a prayer.

Victory is doing OK because it does not try to sell a lot of bikes and is a niche series of bikes, and all are relatively pricey, which helps if you aren't going to sell a lot of them. The niche is "factory custom" which sounds like an oxymoron to me, but what do I know. It works, particularly with the Ness name to nudge that concept along. It doesn't work for me, but, hey, it works.

Whenever we talk about these "new" mfgrs, like the "new" Triumph, why is it we never talk about entry price point?

Victory bikes start well above $10K. Ditto when they tried to resurrect other classic American logos: (Henderson, etc.) How many of us do you think would be buying retro Triumphs if, say, a basic Bonnie started above $10K?

If you are seeking to achieve even a modest production number per year you really need an entry level bike that has at least decent performance at a price point that many people can afford: $6 to $8K range. Triumph chose to do that and the result has been increasing sales of retro Triumphs from the beginning.

2 cents worth.

Monte

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Monte

"The Old Ohio Preacher Man"

KOGANINJA

fantastic news if they do make a come back a bloke around the corner had a worked "super chief" is that right I was very young all I can remember of it was it was canary yellow (heresy?) had an indian brave decal and sounded fantastic :???: :razz: