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[MightyTharg]

The only touring bike Honda has to compare itself with, is Honda. It doesn't have to compete with BMW, Harley,or Yamaha, just the last generation of Goldwing.

That insular view is probably not the best approach to increasing market share - and I doubt that Honda's goal was that limited. That's not really a wise path for any motorcycle manufacturer to follow unless their USP and their sales volumes are unassailably strong. In the UK at least there does seem to be a good selection of unsold 2017 Goldwings kicking around

Honda do look at the competition and sometimes they go all out to beat them just to prove a point, that's what I was hoping for this time but it's not quite there. If I ride it and change my mind I'll happily eat humble pie. But seriously - a 21.5 litre fuel tank on a tourer..

[Ironhorse]

That insular view is probably not the best approach to increasing market share - and I doubt that Honda's goal was that limited. That's not really a wise path for any motorcycle manufacturer to follow unless their USP and their sales volumes are unassailably strong. In the UK at least there does seem to be a good selection of unsold 2017 Goldwings kicking around

Honda do look at the competition and sometimes they go all out to beat them just to prove a point, that's what I was hoping for this time but it's not quite there. If I ride it and change my mind I'll happily eat humble pie. But seriously - a 21.5 litre fuel tank on a tourer..

You may be right. However while Honda may "compete" with other makers, my belief is that they are doing so to learn more about what the touring rider or buyer wants than to replace a specific bike. Unlike an Ultra a GoldWing is not likely to be slammed, have apes installed, modified with a Big Wheel front end, get a boom-boom stereo installed, or have the engine diamond cut. What Honda delivers is what folks have been asking for.

As for "Beating" any other brand, that usually comes over time, and not in one specific bike. As we know next year the competition will only release "something better". The best any good company can do when they have a good product is to keep refining it and improving it. Honda seems to have done that.

Let's be brutally honest. Harley does what it does because it's limited to buyer expectation. By that I mean, to the untrained eye, a 2017 Ultra looks like a 2007 Ultra, which looks like a 1997 Ultra which looks like a,.....you get the point. If you took all those bikes and lined them up, then let someone who knows nothing about motorcycles glance at them, all they would see is roughly the same bike in different colors. They would not see the refinements. Honda does not have that issue. If they want to install a different type of fork they can. If they want to change the overall shape of the fairing and windshield they can. The most Harley has done to the shape of Batwing in over 50 years is add a mail slot. And that drew anger too.

But I could be wrong.

[Powergod]

Pretty nice, may look at a GW when I get much older!

[groupw]

By that I mean, to the untrained eye, a 2017 Ultra looks like a 2007 Ultra, which looks like a 1997 Ultra which looks like a,.....you get the point.

..... that, is why we have Road Glides   

[skratch]

It's not ugly, it just doesn't look like a Harley.

that's like saying rosie odonnel isn't ugly, she just doesn't look like a woman....

it looks like a motorcycle.  and it's ugly.

went to their website and checked out the 'reasonably' priced accessories, they don't seem any more reasonable than any hd accessories, some even higher priced.  course, they don't have things like exhaust, etc.  they do have stuff like armrests, saddlebag liners, speakers/amps, etc.

[Ironhorse]

..... that, is why we have Road Glides   

 And to the untrained eye,… A 2017 road glide looks similar to a 2007 road glide which looks similar to a 1997 road glide,…

[FLSTFI Dave]

..... that, is why we have Road Glides   

Uhm, the 2011 and 2015 CVO road glide shared the same paint colors and design.  Almost impossible to tell them apart unless looking and the front of the fairing for the vent in the 15.

So most people could never tell them apart.

[charles05663]

Uhm, the 2011 and 2015 CVO road glide shared the same paint colors and design.  Almost impossible to tell them apart unless looking and the front of the fairing for the vent in the 15.

So most people could never tell them apart.

That is why the 2009 SERG is so special.   

 

[DesertHOG]

Uhm, the 2011 and 2015 CVO road glide shared the same paint colors and design.  Almost impossible to tell them apart unless looking and the front of the fairing for the vent in the 15.

So most people could never tell them apart.

What are those people smoking?