MOTUS: New Sport Tourer built in Alabama

Ah, that makes sense. Then I like it for solo riding, keeps the weight centered.

I think we basically agree on this, I have a GSA and a KTM righ now, because there aren't good options American made. I almost bought a Buell Ulysses, but the riding position was too cramped for me. And while I agree with you about self control - a ZX14 has the annoying habit of just goading you to pull the trigger....all the time.... I lack self control...

I love the mid range torque of the Harley engine, that's what I think the Motus is bringing to the table - but with a chassis that makes sense.

I'm not sure how close a zx14 is to the motus category wise....but I have a 270rwhp zx14 I bought with 1600 miles on it, boosted it (which means turbocharged for some of the folks who don't understand the terminology), and have a little over 10 grand total in it. It looks like new, is very comfy for long rides, handles extremely well for its size, makes a superb sports tourer, is brick reliable, and is the most intense, thrilling, gas powered vehicle of any kind I've ever experienced and probably ever will.
I'll be keeping this bike forever
If the motus does end up competing with the zx14R, which it might, it'll have to be pretty unique to compete with a bike half its price, that also has more power, traction control, abs, very comfy, great for the long haul, very practicle, and a TON of fun to ride

If the economy turns around it could do well, if not......I gotta wonder. Tough competition out there for a lot less money.

For me the motus looks more like a biger version of somthing like suzuki bandit or simulare types.

A carburwhat??

The new (yet unseen) Indian will NOT be a bike suitable for Sport Touring as defined by the Motus or its competitors.

The big bike show charges a huge amount of money for a display area, so the smaller manufacturers generally don't go. For quite a few years, even Triumph didn't want to pay that much, and didn't go. I think they should have a floor area with lower rates for smaller displays by smaller makers, so you could go and see MV Agustas and Bimotas and Moto Guzzis and Royal Enfields and Urals all of that. That would make me more likely to go as well. No, MOTUS isn't at the show.

PhilB

:eek1:eek1 270rwhp?!?!?! Dyno of that one please! I mean SERIOUSLY?!?!?!?

Oh, and for comparison I did a bit of research on what it costs to get 270 hp out of a ZX14.

http://www.carpenterracing.com/sbp_zx14.htm

They top out BELOW 270 for just under $11,000!!!

Um, suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure duuuuuuuude.

Oh, and WTF? Where does the passenger go when fully loaded???

Again, SERIOUSLY?!?!?!

GG , careful where you step. It's not hard to get 270 or more with a turbo. I don't know the poster , but, he did say he "boosted it " which to me means turboed.
At the horsepower shootout during Bike Week several winners have had upwards of 500 hp in bikes with licence plates.

They are all over carpenter's website.

As are 260hp Rocket IIIs that they "think it has more in it"

I can see making that kind of HP, but I can't see that kind of HP and "brick reliability" going hand in hand.

Sierra Thumper said, "and have less than 11 grand total in it. "

I'm questioning getting that kind of HP out of that bike for that little $$. Mind you he said he's got that little TOTAL IN IT. That, to me, includes the purchase price of the bike.

You're also starting with a SuperSport, not a touring bike at all. As stated above, when it's loaded where does the passenger sit? We've got four kids. Only two are old enough to ride their own at this point. When we go out we need two more passenger seats. The setup shown eliminates the back seat. Oh, and that $11 grand probably doesn't include the hard bags either.

By the time you farkle the sucker out to be comfortable for two with enough luggage and then add the hp stated you're looking in the $20K region. That's also without all the added bits like powerlet ports, heated grips, heated seat, etc. that I consider essential to be able to ride my touring bike year round.

My point is we're back at apples and oranges. If you want to rig up a SuperSport to go touring that's fine. If you find it comfortable, that's great. Will your passenger be riding in just as much comfort? Sure you can get bikes with more hp than the Motus for less. But they won't be in the same category. It's not comparable to the Motus. And in the end we're talking about a hand built, fully farkled, light (for a touring bike), comfortable, long distance bike that is also very fun on more challenging roads.

The back seat on the ZX14 is covered by a cowl cover, that removes in about 5 minutes. It was designed in a wind tunnel.
Have you ever ridden a ZX14? Might be more comparable than you think. (I haven't ridden a Motus.)

The configuration I'm talking about is the top bag mount. The top bag covers the rear seat. When we go on a trip we use ALL of our luggage!

I've ridden the ZX10, not the 14. They are very similar in the ergos and for a SuperSport it is extrememly comfortable and a lot of fun. Would I like riding a bike like that all day with a passenger? Hell no! I doubt my passenger would either.

I just don't get the argument here.

If you're buying a Motus, you aren't buying HP. It's like buying a Rolex. Sure, a Timex keeps time just as well (if not better), but it's a freakin' Timex. It's cheap, reliable, and everyone has one. The Motus is supposed to be different, and it is.

I know I'm getting old when I don't give much of a crap about how much horsepower a motorcycle has or how fast it will go. The perfect bike for me has "enough" horsepower and goes "fast enough". For me, that means I can pass at least two cars on a short uphill straight away without fear of meeting oncoming traffic and I can cruise comfortably at 80mph with the occasional burst up to 100 or so. I don't need 200hp to accomplish that.

What I value more is comfort and handling. It's a bonus if you have a bike you don't see much or no one knows what it is.

Comparing a Motus to a ZX-14 is like comparing a rock crawler to a Range Rover. Yeah, you can build a rock crawler for FAR less than a Range Rover that is FAR more capable, but it just won't look quite right in front of the opera house or the country club.

BINGO! Thank you chadhargis.

Your making too much sense,that wont fly here.

I do agree though,a Motus is unique,costs more,they wont be on every street corner. A 1400 Kawi is just another 1400 Kawi.

Having 270HP in a sport touring bike might sound neat,at least until it melts a piston at roadside or rattles a rod bearing out in Nebraska.
My boat anchor 1999 1200 Triumph likes cruising at 140mph and passes cars right now with no down shifting required.

Of course its no where near fast enough for the tough guys who check in on here.

That was just one person's personal example. A stock ZX14 has same/more HP than the Motus. ZX14's have a track record of reliability. It also has a great real world power output.


They have topcase mounts for the ZX that put it right were the Motus top case would be, allowing plenty of room for the passenger.

I'm not knocking the Motus myself, it's a cool bike if it suits your taste- I'm just saying in a side by side review of the two, allowing the ZX to have handlebar risers and the same of the shelf Givi luggage, the Motus is going to have a hard time proving it's worth.

http://cycle-ergo.com/

Not sure if it's been posted but this site has the ergo data for the Motus.
Real world seating position may change the numbers a bit, but it would need a lot of rise to the ZX bars to match the foward lean angle of the Motus.

Haven't been here for a while. Is there an actual bike yet?