Has Honda abandoned the Sport-Touring Market?

[Bob]

Although there may be some good strategic moves in Honda's new 2013 offerings I have to admit to being disappointed that an NT700 or ST1300 update was not in the mix. It also worries me that they rolled those two bikes into a general "touring" category on their web site and dropped the sport touring category. I have been waiting in particular for an ST update to move up to a silky smooth Honda V4 and I have been sold on Honda reliability for a long time. But at this point it looks like an FJR may be the choice. What do you think the odds are that Honda will update one of the two tourers in 2014? I won't buy anthing until the Spring. Will it be this time next year again before Honda announces 2014 models?

 

[Phil Tarman]

Will it be this time next year again before Honda announces 2014 models?

Bob, this is a bit later than some new model announcements have been made. When the NT was introduced for 2010, it was in some dealers by mid-October, 2009. Not all dealers knew about it when it started showing up in other dealers.

 

[Old Bob]

I know this is not exactly relevant, but the UK NT site has posted this link to a new 'Wing.

http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news-new-bikes/goldwing-f6b--a-niche-within-a-niche/21810.html

I have begun to take a liking to the lurch in direction that Honda are taking at the moment (mid-range and 'crossover' bikes); but as to their wider plans, I can't quite work it out.

 

[Mellow]

Let's look at it from Honda's point of view... if that's something we can do.

1st off... the U.S. market is probably mostly cruisers and Wings... a small slice of that is probably the sport bike segment and a tiny slice of that is sport touring... so, why market to the smallest bunch in the group.

2nd - the above groups, with the exception of sport bikes, are probably up in age.

So, from a business perspective, you've got to look waaaay past tomorrow and look at 10 years from now. That means creating something that calls out to the newer riders that can't afford a big bike nor the insurance the comes with the sport bikes - viola - the 500cc segment.

Something else Honda does by doing this is up-size the more popular options available in 3rd world countries that historically buy the under 250 cc bikes (and smaller) ... you now just gave them an option and that's a HUGE market.

As for the Wing... A lot of the Wingers will really like that choice, nothing wrong with that, I think it looks nice and priced lower than the base model w/trunk. So, Honda was able to address both the cruiser and wing market with an option that perhaps both (or an overlap of both) will look at. Pretty ingenious if you ask me.

Don't worry, I have a feeling the Sport Touring market will be addressed - I wouldn't worry too much about removing the sport touring category and calling everything touring - it means they are 'thinking' about things and that's good. Only they know WHEN things are going to happen and with the exception of the GL1800 back in 2001 I've never seen them leak any info at all on a bike reveal.

If you stop focusing on the small slice of sport touring... and you take a few steps back, you see what they are doing and it's good for everyone but mostly good for Honda.

Patience is a virtue they say and that is the case when waiting on a Honda motorcycle but the good thing is when it happens it's usually the more reliable of all the other options out there.

 

[bicyclist]

I don't think that the NT700 will ever be updated. It may be replaced with a modern design, but it wouldn't make sense to update an antique engine design.

 

[tawilke46]

That is a very good analysis Joe. Makes sense IF you look long range at the big picture.

Still when I look at other manufacturers offerings, especially European companies, I can't help feeling a little left out by Honda.
Honda has a different marketing strategy than most other bike makers.......they always have.

 

[Mellow]

Yeah... Honda is also quite a bit more diversified than most if not all other bike manufacturers. BMW is probably the closest w/cars and bikes... Yamaha started w/musical equipment.. maybe they're closer ...

They aren't usually the fastest to market but what they bring to market is usually something that is reliable and rock-solid. I don't know the fate of the NT... maybe Honda is going to skip a year for many bikes and just offer new versions of the same bike every other year to keep manufacturing and inventory in line with demand... They've skipped years with the ST and now the NT and the Wing which is something you never thought would happen.

 

[Phil Tarman]

I'm in agreement with everything that Joe has said, and I'm encouraged by the fact that even as Honda has wrapped the first 2013 models into their Powersports page, they've kept the NT there. I'm thinking that if they weren't going to bring it back someday, they'd drop it. Seems to me that now that they've jumped through the hoops to import it, they've got the door open as far as regulatory issues and the decision to bring it back can be a much simpler step.

I'm betting we'll see it back, either in later '13 or '14.

 

[suvcw04]

Japanese companies, from car builders to TV manufacturers, have a business model that is set up for 5 to 10 year cycles. The American business model is zoned in on the next quarter. Honda has had the Accord, Civic and Goldwing since the beginning of time. The Nissan Sentra dates back to the B210. Toyota has had the Camry and Corolla forever. The Prius name will be around long after Cruz, Volt and Sonic are memories.

GM changes car model names on the same schedule that most people change their underwear on. Harley just adds an alphabet soup on the end of the names of the two models it builds. How do you build brand loyalty or model loyalty when the names change every six months?

The Japanese may shift some models in and out of the lineup, but they all have instantly recognizable names that everyone knows, and those models get updates and tweaks when engineering decides they are needed, not when the marketing department decides they are needed. I think it builds a comfort zone into the consumer subconscious.

 

[elizilla]

The sport touring market has kinda abandoned itself - the most popular bikes in that sector got so big that you might as well just get a Wing and be done with it. You can put bags on anything, and if you wanna sport tour there's something to be said for sprightly handling and a bike you can fling into the corners. I think we will be just fine with the current lineup, and the NT will probably come around again.

 

[Bear]

I think that dropping the Sport-Touring designation will probably be a good thing. I certainly will approach my insurance company for a rate decrease. The NT is a Touring Bike as are the two other offerings by Honda--ST-1300 and Gold Wing. Having owned a Sportbike and having ridden an assortment of Sportbikes, I chose to change to a touring bike--the NT. I thought that when I bought the NT, that Honda was pushing the envelope a bit by calling it a Sport Touring bike. I have never ridden an ST-1100, 1300, or GW, so I can't comment on those bikes. They are, in my view super touring machines tailor made for LD riding. The NT is a great LD machine as well.

 

[charlie b]

Katherine, why not get another VFR?

 

[mikesim]

IMHO, the only reason the NT is still in their "lineup" is that many dealers still have a lot of unsold inventory. I don't think it is because they are intending on reintroducing it next year in the US. Sorry to be a spoil sport. I do however think that the NT will get a refresh or redesign for the Euro/Asian market and hopefully one day make it back to our shores. If I am not mistaken, the revised Deauville (NT as we know it) was released in Europe in 2007. That make's it a six year old bike without much changing. I think we will soon see a Deau replacement for the Euro market. If that happens and if we ever expect to see it here in the US, we need to inundate Honda with letters of encouragement as to why it needs to be sold here as well.

Just my .02

Mike

 

[Phil Tarman]

Mike, I think the NT700V Deauville was introduced in 2006.

 

[DirtFlier]

["...the current NC700X line with shaft drive, a decent windscreen, the ability to mount detachable hard bags, and (of course)
the DCT option...."]

Normally, the crankshaft for a driveshaft bike turns in the opposite direction of that for a chain drive bike. It's not an easy conversion by any means plus it adds weight and cost.

 

[mikesim]

Mike, I think the NT700V Deauville was introduced in 2006.

Yeah, I wasn't sure about the 2007. In any event, that makes it even older and more likely to have a refresh for the Euro market. In Rick's post, he makes a case for the NT staying in Honda's lineup and I hope he is correct. The bike does fit the niche he describes very well. It amazes me that while Honda had little or no marketing of the NT to the older, entry level or returning rider, here we are! We all gravitated to the bike for essentially the same reason(s).

MIke

 

[Thwakum]

The NT700 was introduced in the UK in 2006. It was an update of the 1998 650 itself a variant of the Revere. That which will drive the change will be the emissions regulations of the various markets. In Europe the restriction on new motorcyclists of 0.2kw per kg plus increasingly tough emissions controls are shaping the immediate market for motorcycles significantly. The NT isn't a big part of the market, in Q2 of 2012 there were 2647 on the road as 118 registered as off the road (www.howmanyleft.co.uk). As I have pointed out before, there are more Aston Martin DB 9's on the road than 700 Deauvilles. There were over 19,500 R1200 and K1200 (all variants) Just over 500 a year on average NT700 isn't exactly astronomical. The age profile of owners is, let's be polite, "Mature". It's a market but not one that is going to attract a great deal of investment, nor one that is going to bring the design team a lot of kudos. A 750 or 800 power unit would be nice and a little less weight, but the same could be said of me! In either case you are likely to be a very interesting shade of blue if you are going to hold your breath until that arrives. The maturity of the model and the consistency with which it sells would suggest there will be an update sometime, but it will be modular not new and it will be after the ST1300 which is unlikely before 2014.

Meanwhile happy to keep riding mine!

 

[Phil Tarman]

Thanks for that post, Thwackum! Good info and good insights.

 

[mikesim]

....... Phil coulda bought TWO ST's by now with what he's paid for in additional Large Pannier Lids (sorry Phil...I couldn't resist!!! ).....

ouch!! That's gonna leave a mark :wink:..... actually, I think if you go by the "rule book" only the first set of panniers count as a farkle..... his <ahem> additional sets are counted as maintenance.....

.... <sigh> ... poor Phil

Mike

 

[Phil Tarman]

I've been changing out the pannier lids this afternoon and have discovered that the right rear latch is jammed -- probably why the inside lip on the big lid broke. I think Honda may be replacing my latch system.

Maintenance!