MOTUS: New Sport Tourer to be built in Alabama

[rocker59]

Originally Posted by RedRocket

I didn't ask for your history lesson, I asked you to tell me what brand cachet they had before building expensive butt jewellry.

Why don't you tell us how Lamborhini tractors were exotic and their reputation transferred over.

Look, Ferruccio Lamborghini was a well-known Italian industrialist during the 1950s and 1960s.

Tractors, oil heaters, air conditioners.

By your tone, one might think you had a Ferrari in your woodpile.

[apessino]

Originally Posted by X1Glider

Koenigsegg is another. Took 8 years to get the first one to market. Built 2 each year the first 3 years. Someone bought them. Company has zero racing heritage I know of. Just a shitload of investors.

Open any Car and Driver issue and you'll see at least one name of Supercar you've likely never heard of that has no heritage. They build one or 2 per year and someone buys it just to say they have something no one else has even if no one else has ever heard of it.

Seriously.. Pagani? Koenigsegg? Have you taken a look at those cars?

True, they have no heritage or racing history, so they make up for that by being positively INSANE. Astonishing attention to detail and materials, unique engineering and world beating performance - you do THAT and package it in a way that screams "mechanical artwork" and THEN you can charge whatever outrageous price you want for it.

The Motus bikes are nothing like that - they look utilitarian, they are not particularly sophisticated or innovative and they are not going to beat anything performance-wise other than bikes that are NOT meant to be about performance. Nothing wrong with that, but then you have to be priced accordingly, and these bikes most definitely are not. It's as if Pagani came out of nowhere, made a car that looks and feels like a Toyota Avalon and then charged $300K for it - "expensive" is relative, "priced according to expectations" not as much.

[chadhargis]

Does anyone make a 185hp sport tourer with 122ft/lbs of torque?

I'd say that's world beating.

[apessino]

Originally Posted by chadhargis

Does anyone make a 185hp sport tourer with 122ft/lbs of torque?

I'd say that's world beating.

Yeah, as I said it beats all the bikes for which performance is not the main focus (and assuming those numbers actually materialize, which is yet to be seen, and that's only for the R model). So what?

Sport tourers are really not about all-out power, because if you start thinking that way then is the ZX14 a sport tourer? Slap some Givi bags on one and it'll eat the MTS-R for breakfast in a straight line or in the corners.

[chadhargis]

I'm playing the devil's advocate here, but how can anyone be sure it would beat a ZX-14?

We're talking about a 1650cc engine generating some impressive power in a 530lb motorcycle suspended with a Ohlins suspension.

I've never ridden a ZX-14 or a Motus, so I don't know squat about either one. I do know that sometimes the stat sheets are misleading. I own a Ninja 1000 and I can tell you it has AMPLE power. Will it beat a ZX-14...no...and honestly, it doesn't have to.

I'm sorry, I might be in the minority, but this bike is DEAD SEXY:

[kwb377]

I think it's a nice concept and a good looking bike. And I hope it does well because it's a local company. If I had the income level to afford one, I'd buy one in a heartbeat...if only just to be an internet forum "hero" and start a "MOTUS, Who's Got One?" thread. But I don't, and I doubt it's going exponentially outperform my current sport-tourer to justify the price difference to me, which is a...wait for it...





















...ZX14 with Givi bags.


ETA: I do think they should have done the bags differently. If not having Givi design a MOTUS specific bag, at least spec some proprietary lids to give them a unique and OEM (not mail order) look.

[rocker59]

Originally Posted by kwb377

ETA: I do think they should have done the bags differently. If not having Givi design a MOTUS specific bag, at least spec some proprietary lids to give them a unique and OEM (not mail order) look.

With today's technology, you'd think spec-ing some proprietary lids would be do-able for a machine costing $30k-$40k.

[X1Glider]

Originally Posted by rocker59

With today's technology, you'd think spec-ing some proprietary lids would be do-able for a machine costing $30k-$40k.

I do agree with this.

[X1Glider]

Originally Posted by apessino

Sport tourers are really not about all-out power, because if you start thinking that way then is the ZX14 a sport tourer? Slap some Givi bags on one and it'll eat the MTS-R for breakfast in a straight line or in the corners.

No disrespect to the C14, but I would prefer the ZX14 over it for ST duty. It outhandles a Busa. I've ridden them both and highway mpgs at 80 mph is outstanding IMO for as potent as it is.

Will it outcorner a Motus? Only a few people really know at this time.

[single]

I just read about the Motus story and I'm thoroughly impressed. They not only built their own motorcycle, they built a highly complex unique big displacement V4 engine to go with it. Say what you want about the price but bringing a brand new vehicle to market as a brand new company focused on motor vehicles is no easy task, especially in today's heavily price sensitive market (the replies to this thread proving that out).

A lot of comments here are really quite depressing. There are far too many people here criticizing the people behind this company for pouring their blood sweat and tears into this project to follow their dreams and actually build something. There are a depressing amount of people out there who are quick to put others down for accomplishing something while they themselves accomplish nothing at all.

To those who have valid criticisms of the bike and honest and sincere suggestions for Motus I'm sure the company is following the thread closely and I know for small companies like this they will listen to EVERYTHING. To those whose only feedback to this thread has been useless criticism of the people who built this bike, enjoy being an angry keyboard jockey know it all, but I really hope you have aspirations higher then that.

Cheers Motus, I am now following your future a little more closely.

[soupknotzee]

Amen

Originally Posted by single

I just read about the Motus story and I'm thoroughly impressed. They not only built their own motorcycle, they built a highly complex unique big displacement V4 engine to go with it. Say what you want about the price but bringing a brand new vehicle to market as a brand new company focused on motor vehicles is no easy task, especially in today's heavily price sensitive market (the replies to this thread proving that out).

A lot of comments here are really quite depressing. There are far too many people here criticizing the people behind this company for pouring their blood sweat and tears into this project to follow their dreams and actually build something. There are a depressing amount of people out there who are quick to put others down for accomplishing something while they themselves accomplish nothing at all.

To those who have valid criticisms of the bike and honest and sincere suggestions for Motus I'm sure the company is following the thread closely and I know for small companies like this they will listen to EVERYTHING. To those whose only feedback to this thread has been useless criticism of the people who built this bike, enjoy being an angry keyboard jockey know it all, but I really hope you have aspirations higher then that.

Cheers Motus, I am now following your future a little more closely.

[Tom-Nor]

Originally Posted by apessino

Yeah, as I said it beats all the bikes for which performance is not the main focus (and assuming those numbers actually materialize, which is yet to be seen, and that's only for the R model). So what?

Sport tourers are really not about all-out power, because if you start thinking that way then is the ZX14 a sport tourer? Slap some Givi bags on one and it'll eat the MTS-R for breakfast in a straight line or in the corners.

ZX14,K1300S and Haybusa is sportstourers :-D

[kirb]

Originally Posted by single

A lot of comments here are really quite depressing. There are far too many people here criticizing the people behind this company for pouring their blood sweat and tears into this project to follow their dreams and actually build something. There are a depressing amount of people out there who are quick to put others down for accomplishing something while they themselves accomplish nothing at all.

You could not have hit the nail more centered on the head. These guys wanted a comfortable, day-long, US built, sport touring bike. They threw in all the bits they thought were missing from the market and went on a tour promoting the running protos. They were very aggresive with the roll-out plan and are in the final stages of getting the fed thumbs up.

There did everything right, to this point as far as I can tell. Hired the right engineering companies, sourced the right parts, and seem to be pulling it off.

It's easy to be the downer here. Even if the nay-sayers are proven wrong you will hear them here with 'yea, but this is all the stuff that sucks...'. Why bother? The bike isn't your cup-o-venom? don't like the business model? Don't like the bags or the lack of heat shields on the pipes (really?). Maybe bitching about HD is more your speed.

They are a US startup with a goal and the balls to pull it off. This country could use more of that and a lot less bitching.

[ktrout01]

It's a great looking bike. Being a big fan of the old Honda V's and Guzzis, I love the looks of the motor ! If I could sneak $30K out of the checkbook, I would. I better set a hammock up in the garage loft because I'd be living there for a while when she finds out.

It's great to see a US start up. I just hope that our small business hostile, federal government doesn't make it impossible for them to make it to production.

[sturgeon]

I can hardly wait for the 'I told'ja so' thread, no matter which way this goes. Hell, I'm rootin' for them to succeed and I ain't even Murrican.