When will it be available here? New plated bikes from Honda.

[Guest Crusty]

[tntmo 887]

I'll put $1 on "Never", what's the odds?

[PbdBlue 46]

I vote never. The Japanese mfrs have no stomach for importing a true trail worthy dualsport.

[Vacman 0]

I'm betting it will be right around the same time as the Africa twin. Some Japanese manufacturer needs to challenge Ktm with a plated 450+ but I doubt it will be honda.

[Suspenders 43]

Would be nice if KTM had some competition but I guess the market is somewhat small. Honda would have to get back to their earlier business model where dependability was job 1.

The fact that the race teams have to change intake and exhaust valves on the 250 and 450 as maintenance is not like Honda of old. Otherwise stick with the KTM as they are pretty well sorted although big $.

I am not brand specific as I am not sponsored by them and have enough thought process to ascertain some brands have good years or models and some have bad. Therefore the best bike wins regardless of color. For instance Yamaha for a long time have a bullet proof powerplant. The valves most times are within spec at valve adjust intervals and that is what is needed for a dualsport. Oh and maybe some oil quantity would help. Look at Sicvic out there changing oil every three days. What is that about? Maybe a 690 motor in a 500 chassis?

[PbdBlue 46]

Depends on what you want to do with the bike. For serious trail riding I want an off road bike with a plate. If you want longer oil intervals and a bike designed for long range travel that's a different animal. Pick the right tool for the job!

[Suspenders 43]

+1

[Vacman 0]

http://www.yamaha-motor.com.au/products/motorcycle/offroad/enduro/14-wr450f

This is much more likely to make it here than a plated Honda.

[Dress4Less 162]

http://www.yamaha-motor.com.au/products/motorcycle/offroad/enduro/14-wr450f

This is much more likely to make it here than a plated Honda.

Bring that baby on!

Dress4Blue&White

[Afry 1]

I don't know how "new" this bike is as it is available in Europe as a 2014 model and the 2015's will be announced soon. The USA release date is set as ....never.

Once again the USA DOT and EPA keep us from having the good stuff from Yamaha and Honda which leaves KTM as the only game in town for many riders needs.

[Covered in Dust 163]

Why wait when the best Dual Sport bike ever made is available now.

http://www.cycleworld.com/2014/07/28/best-dual-sport-enduro-motorcycle-ktm-500-exc-cycle-world-ten-best-bikes-of-2014/

CiD

[PastaPilot 17]

The street legal bikes above sell in the world markets at higher than our KTM EXC prices and KTMs sell for significantly more. We get non-DOT versions of WRs and CRFs at reduced prices. As long as Honda and Yamaha and the rest continue to sell all the MX and off road bikes they import they really have no need to bring in the street versions. Especially Honda. They still sell out on CRFXs even though they"ve only done BNG updates for close to 10 years. Look at the XR650L. That is practically the same bike that Honda released in 1993 and the price goes up every year, yet they still sell a ton of them. That is tooling that has been paid for many, many times.

[TrophyHunter 15]

Same with the DR650. Same bike since '96 minus some very minor changes.

[bikeslut 1]

"The tooling" keeps trying to convince us Honda is going to offer up a revolutionary bike

[Guest Crusty]

And since Honda's motorcycle division first quarter numbers just came out showing a 19.6% increase from the same period last year, it's hard to question if they know what they are doing...

[TrophyHunter 15]

That’s not the only good news for Indiana golf course operators. Additionally, other key performance indicators such as food-and-beverage revenue (up 32.5 percent) and merchandise revenue (15.1 percent) increased across the state in April, when compared with 2013 data.

KTM is up 26.8%

Hodaka sales have slumped.

[zancat 0]

I have heard dealers discuss something that may be related to this. There may be some rules around the volume of bikes imported has an effect on how stringent the DOT / EPA rules are to be met.

Something to do with KTM being just under (small enough) a threshold.

Zancat

[Guest Crusty]

I have heard dealers discuss something that may be related to this. There may be some rules around the volume of bikes imported has an effect on how stringent the DOT / EPA rules are to be met.

Something to do with KTM being just under (small enough) a threshold.

Zancat

Too bad Honda sells 130 to 1 KTM.

As KTM. grows we may lose their plated bikes.

Who will buy a KTM without a plate??

Funny thing I learned at the Penton movie last night.

They sold bikes at cost knowing they would make it up on repairs.

[PbdBlue 46]

Remember dirt bikes are a tiny fraction of Hondas business. For KTM the off road market is the bulk of their business. I doubt Honda will ever import a trail worthy dualsport. The numbers just aren't there for them in their business model.

[TrophyHunter 15]

Funny thing I learned at the Penton movie last night.

They sold bikes at cost knowing they would make it up on repairs.

Go by any dealership, car, bike, etc. Repairs is a huge business and getting into a market may dictate the biz model of going in at cost, or even under cost. Harley sells their bikes equipped, but also with a catalog containing 40 gazillion add ons.

Honda's not going anywhere, that's for sure....but their "outta the box" plated dirt race bike is nowhere to be found.

[Afry 1]

Honda's not going anywhere, that's for sure....but their "outta the box" plated dirt race bike is nowhere to be found.

And never will.

[PbdBlue 46]

I have heard dealers discuss something that may be related to this. There may be some rules around the volume of bikes imported has an effect on how stringent the DOT / EPA rules are to be met.

Something to do with KTM being just under (small enough) a threshold.

Zancat

Too bad Honda sells 130 to 1 KTM.

As KTM. grows we may lose their plated bikes.

Who will buy a KTM without a plate??

Funny thing I learned at the Penton movie last night.

They sold bikes at cost knowing they would make it up on repairs.

In the dirt bike market I doubt that. Ktm sells a boatload of non street legal bikes.

[bikeslut 1]

I have heard dealers discuss something that may be related to this. There may be some rules around the volume of bikes imported has an effect on how stringent the DOT / EPA rules are to be met.

Something to do with KTM being just under (small enough) a threshold.

Zancat

I believe that may be true... something about each manufacturers rules being different based on the TOTAL impact to environmental rules.

It has NEVER been a question of whether Honda is bigger than KTM; the question is whether Honda can, and will make a licensed dirtbike... so far, the answer is a 20 year old 650, or a modern 250L at over 320 pounds and 20 horsepower. Both fine bikes by many measures, but neither is the dirtbike with lights and a plate that the US wants.

KTM makes licensed dirt bikes; so what if their margins are less? Unless you are investing in KTM and Honda, why do you care about margins and EBITDA? If you are a RIDER, you want the best bike you can afford, for the needs you have.

[Covered in Dust 163]

I'm pretty sure Chevrolet sells at least 130 to 1 more cars than Ferrari and Chevys are good cars but I'd rather drive a Ferrari given a choice.

CiD

[PbdBlue 46]

I'm pretty sure Chevrolet sells at least 130 to 1 more cars than Ferrari and Chevys are good cars but I'd rather drive a Ferrari given a choice.

CiD

I have a few Ferrari's, but only need to ride My CRF 230 F to be waiting for most people to catch up.

You obviously ride with the wrong people. I have a 230F and I use it to fetch beer from the cooler!