Best motorcycle forum?

[Zerk]

Looks like I was wrong, they moved GL to Japan. But I doubt Japan is where they plan to sell most of them. I don't think Mr. Honda did it to be closer to his client base.


Honda is making a CBR250 in Thailand. I don't know if it is cheap labor or markeyt for small bikes. Companies sell things around the world regardless of where they were built though.

 

[Zerk]

old article
Details are still thin, but Honda seems to be preparing to shift manufacturing of several models over 400cc out of Japan and into Thailand, citing the growing strength of the Yen and a need to attend to emerging markets. Don't worry, flagship models such as the CBR1000RR, CBR600RR, and Goldwing will most likely remain under Japanese-only production. But, bikes like the 599 and 919 Hornets, plus the XR650 and other entry-level models could be wearing "Made in Thailand" stickers as early as mid-2012.

 

[Trials]

doesn't make a logical argument....

That's good because I'm here for a good time, not an argument :thumbsup:


Honda is making a ton of motorcycles in Thailand because it makes economic sense.
Honda moved the millions of $'s worth of goldwing production equipment from USA to their homeland for the same reason, plus would you really want to move something like that to a part of the world that could experience political instability?

There are Honda models that are built in Japan solely for Japan domestic consumption. You kind of need to follow their homeland homesite to get a feel for that : Hondaホームページ：本田技研工業株式会社 hows your Japanese

 

[Zerk]

Honda moved production to Japan, because the manufacturing costs must be less then shipping cost to US. US is a big market for GLs, I have heard biggest, which I tend to believe.

 

[3930dave]

It's a GREAT place to ask questions, but for someone only interested in a cruiser-style, they're not going to like the answers. It's a form-follow-function kind of place, while the cruiser market is mostly about style.

The Face Plant forum there is terrific. People write post-mortems on their motorcycle accidents. You can learn a great deal about what not to do, why protective gear works and wat doesn't, and what training or techniques are effective at staying out of an accident in the first place.

There are some tragic posts (a guy who got hit from behind on a bike with a top case, that broke his back) and some hilarious ones, like the guy who hit a burro going 65mph two-up and slid 150+ yards on his side, wearing his safety gear down to threads.

Face Plant | Adventure Rider

And the "Perfect Line and other myths" forum is about riding techniques that apply to any bike.

The Perfect Line and Other Riding Myths | Adventure Rider

I had an HD Roadster for a while and HDForums was pretty good for things like parts and maintenance. For sample, the 2005 I had has a tendency to launch the $110 oil cover at highway speeds. They suggested replacing it with a 2007 cover, which had better clips, and using some cable ties to help keep it in place as well.

Thanks for posting that Gman - I've read many trip reports on ADV, but had missed that Face Plant section.

Much of what I like about riding is that is a magic blend of the physical and mental - and that you can never be over-prepared for either..... the challenge is always there......

A simple story I read somewhere will always stick with me...... I guy posted about having the front end of his bike skate away from him, during a relatively slow speed turn on bone-dry pavement. Turns out he ran over a CD that was sitting label side down in that intersection. Take a moment to consider some variables..... grey pavement or concrete, silver CD, sunlight at a specific angle, sunglasses used, state of helmet visor, state of windscreen, # of distractions in/around intersection..... it's easy to see how simple things can align to allow a 5cent piece of plastic to take down even a perfectly maintained MC.

Exchanging useful info..... why I still hang around here, and certain MC sites......

Rgds, D.

 

[Trials]

ADVrider was a good suggestion :thumbsup: thank-you for that, I signed up yesterday and have already been contacted by somebody to go riding with.
I've got the best login name on the whole site, 'Trials' was taken so I sign on as BigRedRockEater

 

[Garandman]

OK, you convinced me to join the forum for riders obsessed with really big luggage :dumptruck:

"Tough bikes for Suburban Adventurers."
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/14/automobiles/tough-bikes-for-suburban-adventurers.html

BY the laws of probability, you wouldn't expect many Timbuktu-bound motorcyclists to begin their world tours from your local Starbucks parking lot. But that's where you are likely to see their circumnavigation-ready machines, just about any Sunday morning, in just about any blue-state suburb from Scituate, Mass., to Santa Monica, Calif.

Adventure tourers gained popularity because they're really capable: comfortable riding position, weather protection, passenger and luggage space, long range.

Personally I gave up riding them on anything worse than a gravel road and bought a WR250R that I can actually pick up when I drop it....

 

[Zerk]

I would have liked a dual sport bike, some places in Alaska, but the problem was there was over 3000 miles of highway to get there, so I took my Ultra to Arctic Circle, cruise control and stereo.

 

[Trials]

Adventure tourers gained popularity because they're really capable: comfortable riding position, weather protection, passenger and luggage space, long range. ...

I have one of those

 

[Zerk]

If you see my bike on a trailer, call the cops.