2013 Honda CB1100

[M3-SRT8]

Just spoke to my Honda Dealer a couple of hours ago. He told me he spoke to his Honda Rep and that I should expect delivery on my cb1100, with ABS, by End of April/Early May.

That would be perfect...

[Scoobynut]

Originally Posted by M3-SRT8

Just spoke to my Honda Dealer a couple of hours ago. He told me he spoke to his Honda Rep and that I should expect delivery on my cb1100, with ABS, by End of April/Early May.

That would be perfect...

Hmmm...another poster on a previous page said March 12 is his bike's ETA. Anyone else been given an estimated delivery date?

[The other Ferret]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RGAXQ70...eature=related

And another if French I think

I didnt specify ABS when I ordered mine..not sure if that makes a difference or not with regards to delivery date. Ill take it either way but Id prefer non ABS

[M3-SRT8]

Originally Posted by Scoobynut

Hmmm...another poster on a previous page said March 12 is his bike's ETA. Anyone else been given an estimated delivery date?

Yeah. I saw that.

I wonder if there's a difference in delivery for ABS vs Standard? Or, maybe it's because I just placed the order yesterday. Perhaps both...

[Scoobynut]

Originally Posted by M3-SRT8

Yeah. I saw that.

I wonder if there's a difference in delivery for ABS vs Standard? Or, maybe it's because I just placed the order yesterday. Perhaps both...

Ahh, yes, I think when the order is placed will make a difference, not sure, but it makes sense.

[Guth]

I ordered mine with ABS. I was told last week that the bike "should" be shipping this month and arriving in early March.

[dirtdreamer50]

We are all speculating as to what Honda is thinking and planning, but if we read the posts here, it seems that dealers, even those in metro areas are getting allocated one or two bikes. It appears that Honda is taking no chances on the CB's movement or success, positive or negative. I have seen no ads for them in any of the major mc mags, and that is a very telling action, too.

Without presale intro ads, and stock enough to keep one on the floor at all times, the line is doomed before it is even available. If only a hand full of folks are able to buy them, and the model dies, dealers will not carry parts, after market companies will not make/ carry accessories, etc. It may become a cult classic in 2032, but I will be probably dead by then and not care.

It's ALL about MARKETING! I've been in sales 45 years and have seen so many products come and go, what ever I sold, and it was generally due to lack of manufacturer marketing and support to field its success. Other than this thread, and a few half page first ride reports in mc mags, there has been no real factory marketing push to get buyers interested in the 1100, and that's kinda sad, I think... tomp dd50

[ZappBranigan]

Originally Posted by Guth

So unless you're doing business with a large dealership that is counting on large volume sales, repeat business (or rather "continued business") is everything to that dealer.

Maybe to the dealer, but not to the salesman.

Wife and I had a conversation about this back in August when she was shopping for a new car. After getting the usual runaround/high pressure sales/bs, she asked "why are car salesmen so terrible to deal with?" I think it's because in many ways, car salesmen are the bottom feeders in the sales world. That's why there's such high turnover. Look in the classifieds and you'll usually see lots of ads for dealers looking for sales people and even offering to train those with no experience. That right there tells you that the turnover is very high (in most car sales where I've dealt with a salesmen, he had been selling for less than 3 months.)

To the salesman who's been on the job for a couple of months and who knows that within another few months he's either going to quit, get fired, or (if he's successful) move up into a better job somewhere else, why should he care about your long term satisfaction? And given that many auto and MC sales people are paid on commission only (or mostly commission), they have a much more basic need to sell than they do to make you happy because if they don't sell, they don't eat. Your happiness or long-term satisfaction is far, far down their priorities list.

I'm probably one of the worst tire-kickers out there. I'll go and look at something, do research on the internet, shop around, deliberate, consider, go back to the dealer, look again, ask some questions, think about it, deliberate some more, sleep on it, and eventually, maybe, after all that process, I might buy. And that's for something like a jacket or a helmet - for a Motorcycle or a car it takes literally months and months of research before I really know what I want and feel comfortable shelling money out on it. So in a lot of ways I feel sympathy for the sales people, even though I still regard them as an adverary.

It's a tough life and I sure as hell am glad I don't have to live it.

[dirtdreamer50]

Originally Posted by ZappBranigan

Maybe to the dealer, but not to the salesman.

Wife and I had a conversation about this back in August when she was shopping for a new car. After getting the usual runaround/high pressure sales/bs, she asked "why are car salesmen so terrible to deal with?" I think it's because in many ways, car salesmen are the bottom feeders in the sales world. That's why there's such high turnover. Look in the classifieds and you'll usually see lots of ads for dealers looking for sales people and even offering to train those with no experience. That right there tells you that the turnover is very high (in most car sales where I've dealt with a salesmen, he had been selling for less than 3 months.)

To the salesman who's been on the job for a couple of months and who knows that within another few months he's either going to quit, get fired, or (if he's successful) move up into a better job somewhere else, why should he care about your long term satisfaction? And given that many auto and MC sales people are paid on commission only (or mostly commission), they have a much more basic need to sell than they do to make you happy because if they don't sell, they don't eat. Your happiness or long-term satisfaction is far, far down their priorities list.

I'm probably one of the worst tire-kickers out there. I'll go and look at something, do research on the internet, shop around, deliberate, consider, go back to the dealer, look again, ask some questions, think about it, deliberate some more, sleep on it, and eventually, maybe, after all that process, I might buy. And that's for something like a jacket or a helmet - for a Motorcycle or a car it takes literally months and months of research before I really know what I want and feel comfortable shelling money out on it. So in a lot of ways I feel sympathy for the sales people, even though I still regard them as an adverary.

It's a tough life and I sure as hell am glad I don't have to live it.

Car dealers and MC dealers aren't quite the same thing. I have purchased eleven bikes from one dealer over the past 30 years, seven of them from the same salesman. He appreciates my business and bends over backwards to make me the deal I want, and normally does. He is expecting me to purchase the 1100 from him and wants me for a future customer until I finally can no longer ride motorcycles. I was at his place last weekend to pick up a part, and while there sold a used bike for him, because I knew much more about the bike than he did. He installed my part at N/C as thanks. That's how I think it should be for a hobby situation. He does too, and that's why I keep going back to him.... tp dd50

[Scoobynut]

Originally Posted by ZappBranigan

Maybe to the dealer, but not to the salesman.

Wife and I had a conversation about this back in August when she was shopping for a new car. After getting the usual runaround/high pressure sales/bs, she asked "why are car salesmen so terrible to deal with?" I think it's because in many ways, car salesmen are the bottom feeders in the sales world.

No offense Zapp, but if they're pressuring you, you're at the wrong dealership. That high-pressure tactic comes from the management on down. Yes, I blame the dealership management -- there's no way in hell they don't know the methods and techniques of the their salesmen, matter of fact I think the salesmen do as the management tells them. As I said before, if that's how a dealership treats its customers, then everything else is suspect about the place in my book. Good dealerships with the customer-friendly sales philosophy don't have nearly as high a salesman turnover as the high-pressure ones. The guy I bought my Subaru from has been there over 5 years now. The owner explicitly states in his TV commercials that he wants his customers to feel like they're part of a family. Sure, that's a sales tactic in itself, but it's been my experience that they not only talk the talk, they walk the walk too.

I'm afraid some dealers are still stuck in that pushy circa 1960's sales style, you know, the in-your-face, "What's it gonna take to get you in this vehicle today?" routine. As far as I'm concerned, they are bullying people who don't have much experience buying vehicles, and in fact are counting on people to be spineless. I simply refuse to deal with them. They are, you're correct, the bottom feeders of the sales world. Dealers that employ aggressive sales tactics deserve to go out of business as far as I'm concerned. However, there are plenty of dealers out there who are a lot more sophisticated about it and can actually make buying a vehicle a pleasure. All one has to do is seek them out.

[ZappBranigan]

Originally Posted by dirtdreamer50

It's ALL about MARKETING! I've been in sales 45 years and have seen so many products come and go, what ever I sold, and it was generally due to lack of manufacturer marketing and support to field its success. Other than this thread, and a few half page first ride reports in mc mags, there has been no real factory marketing push to get buyers interested in the 1100, and that's kinda sad, I think... tomp dd50

I hope you're wrong but I fear you're right. It's strange, isn't it? Honda will purchase a full page ad in every bike rag out there to tout their latest supersport or cruiser, but not the CB. Why? It almost seems like they are reluctant to sell them. As if they brought them over here only to prove a point and the point they want to prove is "American buyers won't buy naked standards." Well, no kidding, people won't buy them if you don't put any effort into selling them!

Maybe the profit margins are too low on these standards compared to other types of bikes? It does seem weird, though. There are some things you can't do halfway. You are either in or you are out. Either sell the damn thing or don't import it, but importing it and then letting it wither on the vine seems like a money losing strategy to me.

[Mambo Dave]

Originally Posted by ZappBranigan

Maybe to the dealer, but not to the salesman.

Wife and I had a conversation about this back in August when she was shopping for a new car. After getting the usual runaround/high pressure sales/bs, she asked "why are car salesmen so terrible to deal with?" I think it's because in many ways, car salesmen are the bottom feeders in the sales world. That's why there's such high turnover. Look in the classifieds and you'll usually see lots of ads for dealers looking for sales people and even offering to train those with no experience. That right there tells you that the turnover is very high (in most car sales where I've dealt with a salesmen, he had been selling for less than 3 months.)

To the salesman who's been on the job for a couple of months and who knows that within another few months he's either going to quit, get fired, or (if he's successful) move up into a better job somewhere else, why should he care about your long term satisfaction? And given that many auto and MC sales people are paid on commission only (or mostly commission), they have a much more basic need to sell than they do to make you happy because if they don't sell, they don't eat. Your happiness or long-term satisfaction is far, far down their priorities list.

I'm probably one of the worst tire-kickers out there. I'll go and look at something, do research on the internet, shop around, deliberate, consider, go back to the dealer, look again, ask some questions, think about it, deliberate some more, sleep on it, and eventually, maybe, after all that process, I might buy. And that's for something like a jacket or a helmet - for a Motorcycle or a car it takes literally months and months of research before I really know what I want and feel comfortable shelling money out on it. So in a lot of ways I feel sympathy for the sales people, even though I still regard them as an adverary.

It's a tough life and I sure as hell am glad I don't have to live it.

I'm living it right now. You are partially correct (or maybe even 95% correct).

A family-owned dealership will usually treat its sales people better, but at the corporate multi-store end they started hiring far too many sales people to have salespeople at hand for when a few of the high-turnovers leave. Having too many sales people seems good from a dealership perspective, but the problem is that since the sales force is fighting each other to at least keep acceptable numbers (or starving), no one is really making acceptable money for 60 and 70 hour work weeks (some may do more, I don't know), so eventually those dealerships end up with an even higher turnover rate.

Where salespeople used to at least know the numbers in as far as how much they'd be paid for each vehicle, these days you're gonna get in trouble if you actually start asking management how your commission is calculated. Sure, they'll tell you 15%, 20%, or whatever, of profits, but beyond that there are huge questions as to just what that entails. Even tonight three of my co-workers spent near an hour trying to figure out what algorithm(s) management was using since they weren't seeing what they thought they should have seen on paychecks.

Luckily I'm selling a quality vehicle. That's at least a start. But beyond that, and as a new salesman, I am wary of everything I'm hearing from the sales people who aren't happy... and from prior sales people (who stop by still) who used to work under to old owner; they tell us of how good it used to be, and why they stayed so long, and why they left when they did.

[dirtdreamer50]

Honda has been selling Civics here since early 70's, it has been a top seller in this country since it had 12" wheels, and they still run ads for them daily. I realize that motorcycles are a very small part of their business here, but everyone knows the Honda name, and if a non rider wants to become a rider, the Honda name would be second nature to them.

Seeing some ads for their bikes on shows other than on Speed channel, where they are preaching to the choir, may be advantageous to the sales of their powersports lines. I'm sure they have great marketing gurus at corporate, but occasionally thing out of the box may bring in greater profits and a happy Honda motorcycle owner may purchase a Honda car or visa versa.

[dpg]

Originally Posted by Moonshiner

BMW doesn't really make a retro bike. However there are still quite a few "R" bikes from the 70's and 80's still on the road, ridden as daily riders. Mine is one of them

Ducati had their "Sport Classics", and yeah, they didn't do so well as they had hoped, either.

I do hope the CB1100 is a success, and I do hope to see more retro type bikes hit the U.S. shores, i.e. W800. As I've stated before in this thread, I wanted soooo much to fall in love with the CB1100, but then I saw it in 3D, sat on it, etc. I didn't care for it for several reasons.

Good Luck to all the new owners and soon-to-be new owners! There's nothing like getting a brand new, sparkling motorcycle to ride.

Interested to know what you did not like about it.

Also, BMW is coming out with a retro in 2013. Google New BMW retro for a drawing of what it might look like.

[Mambo Dave]

Originally Posted by dirtdreamer50

Honda has been selling Civics here since early 70's, it has been a top seller in this country since it had 12" wheels, and they still run ads for them daily. I realize that motorcycles are a very small part of their business here, but everyone knows the Honda name, and if a non rider wants to become a rider, the Honda name would be second nature to them.

Seeing some ads for their bikes on shows other than on Speed channel, where they are preaching to the choir, may be advantageous to the sales of their powersports lines. I'm sure they have great marketing gurus at corporate, but occasionally thing out of the box may bring in greater profits and a happy Honda motorcycle owner may purchase a Honda car or visa versa.

I agree. But for far too long Honda of America just couldn't seem to think outside the box, and I fear it's still like that. Honda followed suit with all the other makes who were making cruisers/Harley-clones. Sure, Honda made some great ones (apparently) that owners really appreciate, but year after year I kept looking at the Honda motorcycle site and saw bikes I didn't want.

Likewise, for whatever reason Honda's ability to think outside the box and to find whole new types of customers seems to be extremely limited for the talent, history and ability the maker has. I don't know why that is, but there is no doubt that fewer and fewer younger people are riding. All it would take would be a few good and creative youtube clips (we do NOT WANT TO SEE STUNTERS - they don't attract the hoards who could otherwise really use a great-on-gas commuter bike) to get it done. I'll never forget how unusual and interesting Icon's Bikes vs, Car drift video was, and the damned thing went viral. It was creative on multiple levels, and hell - that's just an accessory manufacturer that did it.

Honda keeps preaching to the choir, and advertising to them, instead of learning from their own history and re-starting a new wave of hip and young gals and guys riding around (I'm thinking late teens?) with some form(s) of advertising. Honda doesn't seem to have it in them to create good advertisements, and seemingly refuses to hire anyone with talent.