New African Twin Maybe 1200cc

[nhbubba]

May I recommend a pre-emptive purchase : click me
I know of your fetish for collecting wheels.
You never know, they may fit. Totally worth the risk.

[nt650hawk]

officially a squids bike now




Ice Ice baby

[nhbubba]

216 Motorcycle Deliveries Delayed? Thanks Volkswagen

[Garandman]

Ride Review: The 216 Honda Africa Twin Is Exactly What We’ve Been Waiting For

[markbvt]

Got an email today from my dealer saying that my bike should be here around the end of May... via another dealer.

Seems that after confirming that my dealer would be receiving the two bikes they'd ordered (my red/black manual-transmission one and a silver manual for floor stock), Honda reneged, canceling my bike. Instead, they're sending a red/black manual to another dealer who doesn't have a deposit down for it. Luckily my dealer was willing to put the effort into tracking down a bike for me and trading that dealer the confirmed silver one for it.

Way to screw the pooch, Honda. The way they're managing this rollout, completely ignoring bikes that have basically been presold while sending those bikes to other dealers who don't need them, beggars belief.

--mark

[Paul_E_D]

Hope that works out.

[jasnmar]

Yeah, sounds like epic level corporate stoopidity. Nice to hear the dealership is working for you on the issue.

[e30addict]

Got an email today from my dealer saying that my bike should be here around the end of May... via another dealer.

Seems that after confirming that my dealer would be receiving the two bikes they'd ordered (my red/black manual-transmission one and a silver manual for floor stock), Honda reneged, canceling my bike. Instead, they're sending a red/black manual to another dealer who doesn't have a deposit down for it. Luckily my dealer was willing to put the effort into tracking down a bike for me and trading that dealer the confirmed silver one for it.

Way to screw the pooch, Honda. The way they're managing this rollout, completely ignoring bikes that have basically been presold while sending those bikes to other dealers who don't need them, beggars belief.

--mark

At least you're getting one Bonus points if it's there when we get back!

[markbvt]

At least you're getting one Bonus points if it's there when we get back!

I'll believe I'm getting it when Ronnie's actually has it in their shop. Wouldn't surprise me at this point if Honda ends up pulling it from the dealership they're trading with too.

If so, the question is, do I settle for the silver one (which I think is ugly, but will that matter once it's got dirt on it), or do I say fuck you to Honda and buy something else?

--mark

[nhbubba]

My mission for this summer will be to score a test ride on the exalted AT and re-evaluate after that. I also owe the KTM 1190 a test. 7 out of every 10 NESRians offering to spend my money seem to think I should demo the 1200GS too, although I have barely any interest in that. The confused US rollout for this AT has made it even easier for me to not get caught up in the shiny new shit fever.

In the meantime I look around the garage and realize life sure could be worse.

[e30addict]

You'll have the bike a long time. It should be something you like. That might mean waiting for next year when the red becomes available

[sveesix]

If so, the question is, do I settle for the silver one (which I think is ugly, but will that matter once it's got dirt on it), or do I say fuck you to Honda and buy something else?

--mark

Were you not just giving me shit a month ago for not wanting to "settle" on a White Tiger 800 when I really wanted the blue

[nhbubba]

I also would not "settle" when buying new. Especially with a perfectly serviceable motorcycle (or three) already in the garage.

[sveesix]

I also would not "settle" when buying new. Especially with a perfectly serviceable motorcycle (or three) already in the garage.

Especially when none of you have actually ridden the thing. It could be the worst motorcycle you have (n)ever ridden.

[nhbubba]

World could end tomorrow too.
I give both of our little what ifs here about the same likelihood.

[markbvt]

7 out of every 10 NESRians offering to spend my money seem to think I should demo the 1200GS too, although I have barely any interest in that.

Don't bother with the GS. Good bike, but not worth the ridiculous money, especially given the quality control problems BMW has been having. You might want to give the Triumph Tiger Explorer a try though -- way more engaging bike than the GS, IMO, and from what I hear the updates for 2016 improve it considerably.

Were you not just giving me shit a month ago for not wanting to "settle" on a White Tiger 800 when I really wanted the blue

Yes, but the difference is, the white is not ugly, it's just not as pretty as the blue. I had to settle for a white Tiger when I bought mine, but I didn't really mind because it still looked good. The silver AT does not look good. It makes an otherwise excellent piece of engineering look dull and pedestrian.

But then again, getting it dirty will make it look better... and I'll mind even less if I drop it.

--mark

[markbvt]

Especially when none of you have actually ridden the thing. It could be the worst motorcycle you have (n)ever ridden.

Seems highly unlikely considering the reviews it's been getting, from both pros and regular folks in Europe and Australia who've already got theirs and are saying it's fantastic.

Anyway, given the demand, at least I can resell it for a good price if I end up not liking it!

--mark

[Garandman]

That's what Super Tenere' owners said.....

[sveesix]

Seems highly unlikely considering the reviews it's been getting, from both pros and regular folks in Europe and Australia who've already got theirs and are saying it's fantastic.

Anyway, given the demand, at least I can resell it for a good price if I end up not liking it!

--mark

Would you buy a fancy sports car without ever taking the wheel? Remember the DeLorean? The New Beetle? The FRS?

All I'm saying is that I could care less what some "pros" and "regular folks" say over in Europe and Australia. The only real review I care about is my butt dyno. I'm sure it will be a fantastic machine, but definitely not worth the hype it is seeing over an ADV. Next year, I'll make sure to bump this when everyone starts bitching about their best thing since sliced bread.

[nhbubba]

Price tag isn't the only reason I don't think I'll ever "like" a 1200GS. 1200GS, 1290SA, Tiger Explorer, Super10.. all bikes I maintain serve a different (sub) niche. All probably stunning machines. None scratch the itch I have.

[markbvt]

All I'm saying is that I could care less what some "pros" and "regular folks" say over in Europe and Australia. The only real review I care about is my butt dyno.

True, of course, but I'm more inclined to take the chance because I already did once (with my Tiger) and it worked out spectacularly well.

Price tag isn't the only reason I don't think I'll ever "like" a 1200GS. 1200GS, 1290SA, Tiger Explorer, Super10.. all bikes I maintain serve a different (sub) niche. All probably stunning machines. None scratch the itch I have.

Good point. You'll notice I don't have one of those either, or any real interest in buying one.

--mark

[SteveM]

I should be able to walk into my dealership and find out exactly how many they have coming and when.

Anything less is a supply chain failure that negatively impacts potential buyers.

Why manufacturers and dealers cannot figure this out and just communicate honestly is something I will never understand.

[nhbubba]

It's been said before, but vehicle dealers seem to have their heads up their asses, generally speaking. Motorcycle and other recreational vehicle sales dealers seem to exemplify this.

Also that article I posed earlier re the VW diesel-gate fucking things up for all new model releases seems like a real thing to me. Can't hang all of this on Honda.

Mark, what was your experience with the Tiger 800XC back in '11. You preordered that too, didn't you? Totally different experience? Or were there similarities? For some reason I seem to remember you getting some runaround with the actual delivery date due to delays.

[markbvt]

Mark, what was your experience with the Tiger 800XC back in '11. You preordered that too, didn't you? Totally different experience? Or were there similarities? For some reason I seem to remember you getting some runaround with the actual delivery date due to delays.

Yes, I did preorder the Tiger, but Triumph was equipped to handle preorders and I was assured a bike regardless of where my dealer was in the hierarchy of OEM-preferred dealerships. Delivery dates did end up slipping, but only a little -- we were originally told March, and I picked up the bike April 15; I was one of the first in the northeast. And keep in mind that Triumph is a tiny operation compared with Honda -- worldwide demand for the Tiger was high, but they did a good job increasing production to meet it.

The one hiccup was that the first shipment of Tigers consisted almost entirely of white ones, so I ended up settling for a color that was not my first choice. But I was okay with it because the white actually looked good. There was none of this bullshit of the color I ordered going to another dealer as floor stock -- from what I heard, the entire first shipment of Tigers (and possibly the second) went to people who'd preordered.

--mark

[number9]

Ride Review: The 216 Honda Africa Twin Is Exactly What We’ve Been Waiting For

Do they have any bikekhana or gymkhana or motokhana (or whatever the fook) here in Mass.?