MOTUS: New Sport Tourer to be built in Alabama

[kirb]

Originally Posted by PhilB

There were lots of people saying that they might consider it for $20-25K, but $30K+ was too much. If they could get that price down to that range, they would be a lot more competitive in the touring market. The more you make, the more units you can amortize the fixed costs and the setup costs over. So we'll see. I'm not saying it will ever be a bargain bike, but many of the premium brands have been working to reduce prices and provide value for money. Prices on BMWs and Ducatis and others haven't risen nearly as much as the Japanese bikes have, and the price differential for stepping up is smaller than ever.
PhilB

Lower the price 10k and you kill resale of all bikes you sold before, piss off all who bought in early, and lose credibility to others who may consider buying. Buell did that when they did the closeout (wow, there were a few loyalists who were PISSED), but they didn't have to worry about future sales.

The other side of that coin would be the need for more MFG space, more bodies to build bikes, less able to ebb and flow with the market.

Maybe selling 10 times less bikes for $10k more each is better than the other way around.

[PhilB]

Originally Posted by kirb

Lower the price 10k and you kill resale of all bikes you sold before, piss off all who bought in early, and lose credibility to others who may consider buying. Buell did that when they did the closeout (wow, there were a few loyalists who were PISSED), but they didn't have to worry about future sales.

The other side of that coin would be the need for more MFG space, more bodies to build bikes, less able to ebb and flow with the market.

Maybe selling 10 times less bikes for $10k more each is better than the other way around.

All of those choices will depend on a variety of factors; making blanket statements like you are doing is wrong and pointless. You can't say for sure that there are "far more downsides to reducing prices than upsides"; there may or may not be.

Buells started out very expensive, and got more reasonably priced over time, without running into any of what you are talking about. And I'm not talking about the closeout situation; I'm talking about the1990's and 2000's. Indeed, that's the plan for the current EBR as well -- start with limited production of an expensive handmade bike, and expand into larger-scale production of more affordable future models.

Maybe it will be better for Motus to be an expensive limited niche bike, and maybe not. I didn't say they would definitely choose one over the other; what I said was that if they do reasonably well, higher production would allow them the option of lowering prices and thus expanding their market. As with my comments in the same paragraph about restoring DFI to the design, and implementing shaft drive, I was saying that those were all things I would like to see, that I thought would be improvements.

PhilB

[viajero]

Late September 2012, shouldn't this bike now be on sale somewhere?

Is production even underway yet?

Or have the banks pulled their financing?

[Gadget Girl]

Apparently they're alive and well and proceeding with production.


Motus City Bike Night


EDIT- 8 October

I just got the latest update email from Motus. Here's a link to the web page view of the message.

Motus Email Link

[RAGBrian]

Gadget Girl, thanks for sharing that linky on the insider emails from Motus. Wow, they moved into the old Barber Museum. I was working down in that area of B'Ham back in August. I'll need to check that out next time I'm down there!

I note that Motus has secured financing from GE Capitol for the floorplan financing, Plus with the partnership with FreedomRoad Financial (Zero Down, 84 month financing) some of the FF's who complained about the cost of ownership may have a change of heart.

[iyaoyas98]

Just got up close to a MST and a MST-R at Barber this past weekend.

I'm checking on the realities of living with one kidney so I can spring for a R.

[bk brkr baker]

I went to the Motus City Bikle Night at Slices in Birmingham last Sat. night. I threw a leg over the base model. It felt pretty good to me.
I like the bike , it's all bussiness and no fluff. I wish them well and wonder what the monthly payment would be spread over 84 months... hmm in 84 months I could just get my Social security check sent to Motus and not have to worry with it.

[rocker59]

Originally Posted by bk brkr baker

I wish them well and wonder what the monthly payment would be spread over 84 months... hmm in 84 months I could just get my Social security check sent to Motus and not have to worry with it.

$438 if you finance $30,000 at 6% of 84mos/7yrs.

[limeymike]

Originally Posted by rocker59

$438 if you finance $30,000 at 6% of 84mos/7yrs.

Stupid money when there are bikes that will be better for 1/2 the price.

[whisperquiet]

I was at the AHRMA event at Barber last weekend and took the time to look at/sit on the MOTUS.............the fit and finish on the display bikes was awful with wires hanging everywhere, ill fitting body work, rough castings, etc. $30,000?? WTF, over.

[Sierra Thumper]

Originally Posted by whisperquiet

I was at the AHRMA event at Barber last weekend and took the time to look at/sit on the MOTUS.............the fit and finish on the display bikes was awful with wires hanging everywhere, ill fitting body work, rough castings, etc. $30,000?? WTF, over.

Yep those things are gawdawful overpriced for what you're getting......they won't make it for long with their current game plan. To bad every american sportbike goes down the same way

I guess the U.S. isn't meant to produce a meaningful sportbike.....even tho we are the only country to ever put men on the moon

[Motard_Menace]

I give them 2 years if they indeed found some backers with $$$ and then it will be tits up......$10K more for a touring bike that is subpar in comparison to the Connie, FJR, RT, Trophy, ST etc, etc.....will never survive. They would be better off doing custom builds of the bikes for folks with the coin. Go the route of Confederate and use all kinds of crazy materials and get people to pay $70-$80K per unit.

On a side maybe a guy should pick one up and never use it. Might be worth 2-3 times as much in 30 years since it will have a short run as one of the few American Sport Touring Rides.......

[Worroll]

Originally Posted by whisperquiet

I was at the AHRMA event at Barber last weekend and took the time to look at/sit on the MOTUS.............the fit and finish on the display bikes was awful with wires hanging everywhere, ill fitting body work, rough castings, etc. $30,000?? WTF, over.

If that's true- that is absolutely horrible. At this point their demo's should be mint. If not that's not a very good sign for them. I think they can get away with the high price tag in the limited quantities, but they better be PERFECT.

[Dave.0]

I have yet to see one of these bikes in the flesh, but I agree they should be rolling art at the price. Something along the lines of the fit and finish you see in a Bimota or previous MV Augustas where even parts nobody would ever see are finely crafted and well thought out.

[whisperquiet]

Originally Posted by Worroll

If that's true- that is absolutely horrible. At this point their demo's should be mint. If not that's not a very good sign for them. I think they can get away with the high price tag in the limited quantities, but they better be PERFECT.

They Motus bikes were crude looking (like the first year Victory bikes)...........especially when compared to the Erik Buell Racing bikes..............they looked great. I am not in the market for either bike.............................................. ...BUT, if I was..............the Buell bikes all the way.


http://www.erikbuellracing.com/

http://www.motusmotorcycles.com/mst-01.html