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That is the plan.

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Motus 001 is at Barber Motorsports Museum. Motus 002, 003, 004 are the 3 demo bikes you ride when they bring them to dealers. I have 005!

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The man has spoken ^^^ .... and WELCOME to VFRD ....

I have a $20,000 08 VFR how do you trade ... :goofy:

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That is the plan.

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Motus 001 is at Barber Motorsports Museum. Motus 002, 003, 004 are the 3 demo bikes you ride when they bring them to dealers. I have 005!

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Very cool!

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I'm 2 seconds away from selling all 3 bikes and my 1953 MG TD for this. there's a dealer near Seattle..........The sound is it finally did it for me. I love everything I was reading, pictures and such, then I watched some videos and....well....mm...my wife won't be happy next week.

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Wonder what reaction I would get, if I joined the Motus forum and just posted pictures of my bike.......

I think if you posted it in a thread inquiring if anyone there had seen or heard of a VFR then you would be thanked for providing the info and sharing your thoughts.

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Wonder what reaction I would get, if I joined the Motus forum and just posted pictures of my bike.......

I think if you posted it in a thread inquiring if anyone there had seen or heard of a VFR then you would be thanked for providing the info and sharing your thoughts.

Easy CC,I meant that as teasing :) forgot the smiley face

Motus005 , awesome collection of bikes you have. My son and I have tossed around the idea of riding over and touring the factory in the spring. I have been a fan of the Motus probably from the first article I read while it was still in development,and especially of the design of the power plant itself. I apologize for my clumsiness.

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I am going to respectfully disagree with this line of thought as I think what Motus would deem a success is far different from what we expect from Honda and other main-stream manufacturers. From an automotive perspective it would be akin to comparing Porsche (pre 4 door and SUV days) to one of the Detroit big 3. Of course the Ohlins parts dont account for $20,000 in added value. Motus has to price the bike at that level to recoup the Katech development costs but they want to price it there to create an aspirational brand.

I think they would be more than happy to be selling 250-300 bikes a year in 3 years at $35k each instead of trying to sell 750 bikes at $15k each to reach the same total sales dollars or more than 1,000 per year to generate the same margins.

I'm not sure if that line of logic is valid. Porsche is an established marque with a racing and performance heritage. Motus is a newbie on the block. I understand paying more for engineering or ownership of a certain brand name; but I'm not sure if Motus is in a position to command such a brand premium given the product they are delivering. Is Motus claiming, regardless of purpose, to have better than the entire sum of engineering leading to a significantly lower priced R1? The follow up to that is: "Come to the track and prove it." At $35k with no collector value, a small dealer network, medium performance (in the grand scheme of things), and no existing "street cred," there better be some other compelling reason for me to purchase one (like, this bike is guaranteed to get you laid).

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I'm not sure if that line of logic is valid. Porsche is an established marque with a racing and performance heritage. Motus is a newbie on the block. I understand paying more for engineering or ownership of a certain brand name; but I'm not sure if Motus is in a position to command such a brand premium given the product they are delivering. Is Motus claiming, regardless of purpose, to have better than the entire sum of engineering leading to a significantly lower priced R1? The follow up to that is: "Come to the track and prove it." At $35k with no collector value, a small dealer network, medium performance (in the grand scheme of things), and no existing "street cred," there better be some other compelling reason for me to purchase one (like, this bike is guaranteed to get you laid).

Well, Porsche didn't start out as an established marque. They had to gain success in racing in order to justify their products' prices.

In their words, Motus is: "An American-made touring motorcycle with the personality of a high-performance, canyon-carving machine."

So, to answer your question: No, Motus makes no claims regarding superlative performance on the track.

They're filling what they see as a niche in the motorcycle market: a high-end American made sports-tourer centered around on a unique engine.

Like the premier models of other motorcycle manufacturers, they use top-shelf wheels, suspension and braking components.

Like other American performance vehicle suppliers, they've partnered with notable performance experts for their unique engine and frame.

For some people, that's a compelling reason.

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I am going to respectfully disagree with this line of thought as I think what Motus would deem a success is far different from what we expect from Honda and other main-stream manufacturers. From an automotive perspective it would be akin to comparing Porsche (pre 4 door and SUV days) to one of the Detroit big 3. Of course the Ohlins parts dont account for $20,000 in added value. Motus has to price the bike at that level to recoup the Katech development costs but they want to price it there to create an aspirational brand.

I think they would be more than happy to be selling 250-300 bikes a year in 3 years at $35k each instead of trying to sell 750 bikes at $15k each to reach the same total sales dollars or more than 1,000 per year to generate the same margins.

I'm not sure if that line of logic is valid. Porsche is an established marque with a racing and performance heritage. Motus is a newbie on the block. I understand paying more for engineering or ownership of a certain brand name; but I'm not sure if Motus is in a position to command such a brand premium given the product they are delivering. Is Motus claiming, regardless of purpose, to have better than the entire sum of engineering leading to a significantly lower priced R1? The follow up to that is: "Come to the track and prove it." At $35k with no collector value, a small dealer network, medium performance (in the grand scheme of things), and no existing "street cred," there better be some other compelling reason for me to purchase one (like, this bike is guaranteed to get you laid).

Comparing the Motus to the new R1 is like comparing a Porsche to a Caddy.

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My point was that they need to do something to justify the brand premium.

What if some new car company came out tomorrow with a well engineered and assembled sport sedan, though not really all that different from what is on the market. Let's say they want $200k for it.

Instead, what if it was a sports car?

I'm not saying I don't like the Motus, but I think they are coming at the market wrong. Their pricing is stratospheric for no reason other than their say-so.

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Well, Porsche didn't start out as an established marque. They had to gain success in racing in order to justify their products' prices.

In their words, Motus is: "An American-made touring motorcycle with the personality of a high-performance, canyon-carving machine."

So, to answer your question: No, Motus makes no claims regarding superlative performance on the track.

They're filling what they see as a niche in the motorcycle market: a high-end American made sports-tourer centered around on a unique engine.

Like the premier models of other motorcycle manufacturers, they use top-shelf wheels, suspension and braking components.

Like other American performance vehicle suppliers, they've partnered with notable performance experts for their unique engine and frame.

For some people, that's a compelling reason.

Your first line echos my sentiments, what has Motus done to prove that its products command a premium.

Sure they use top shelf components, but we have kind of established that the value of the individual components doesn't alone equate to the difference in price between a motorcycle from another manufacturer that has been upgraded with Ohlins suspension, BST/Carrozzeria Wheels, and various other farkles. Granted these upgrades aren't available for every make/model.

American manufacture and design might be worth something, but I can't see that it is enough to justify all of their markup.

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Considering some people spend way more than $35k on a Harley, $35k seems like a bargain, especially for what you get!

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To me the devil is in the details. It has a premium price, but not premium execution. The pillion grab handles look like an after thought, the mirrors were stolen from my '98, the lollipop turn signals look cheap. For 35,000 everything detail has to be perfect. It is a V-4 sport tourer, so every detail has to be better the the VFR1200. If you look at a Porsche, or Ferrari it is clear why they command a premium price. IMO the Motus does not look premium, not even close. I can't speak about performance, never have rode one. But, if I look at a Ducati, it is clear that some engineer and designer spent hours making every part look beautiful, and perform great. For the money, it had better look like art, and perform too.

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Considering some people spend way more than $35k on a Harley, $35k seems like a bargain, especially for what you get!

Again back to the brand thing, these buyers are getting "heritage" or a "lifestyle" - comes down to a value decision for the consumer of course. Again though, this reputation has been established by years of existence and the clientele that centers around it. A Harley is basically the entry fee for membership in a club of sorts (figuratively and literally in some cases).

Forgive me if I'm making a sweeping generalization here, but the clientele of the "sport-touring" club, on the other hand, often makes a value decision based on what the product physically delivers for the money rather than strictly the badge on the tank. Don't get me wrong, the Motus does deliver a lot, but the price per performance, comfort, and amenity ratio is just not there.

I think Motus is bent over a barrel on amortizing R&D costs combined with their annual manufacturing capability. To justify the cost, they must attempt to create a niche (high $$, exclusive, sport touring motorcycle). It's a balancing act between pricing the bike, meeting the demand associated with this price, production capabilities, and costs of doing business. Of course Motus has some accountant that has done the math, but I'm not sure if the price is based on producing at capacity or the assumption that they will sell every bike they produce.

... It is a V-4 sport tourer, so every detail has to be better the the VFR1200...

Not just better, double the price and then some better.

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I am going to respectfully disagree with this line of thought as I think what Motus would deem a success is far different from what we expect from Honda and other main-stream manufacturers. From an automotive perspective it would be akin to comparing Porsche (pre 4 door and SUV days) to one of the Detroit big 3. Of course the Ohlins parts dont account for $20,000 in added value. Motus has to price the bike at that level to recoup the Katech development costs but they want to price it there to create an aspirational brand.

I think they would be more than happy to be selling 250-300 bikes a year in 3 years at $35k each instead of trying to sell 750 bikes at $15k each to reach the same total sales dollars or more than 1,000 per year to generate the same margins.

I'm not sure if that line of logic is valid. Porsche is an established marque with a racing and performance heritage. Motus is a newbie on the block. I understand paying more for engineering or ownership of a certain brand name; but I'm not sure if Motus is in a position to command such a brand premium given the product they are delivering. Is Motus claiming, regardless of purpose, to have better than the entire sum of engineering leading to a significantly lower priced R1? The follow up to that is: "Come to the track and prove it." At $35k with no collector value, a small dealer network, medium performance (in the grand scheme of things), and no existing "street cred," there better be some other compelling reason for me to purchase one (like, this bike is guaranteed to get you laid).

You make some valid points. One of which is that I didn't take the time to properly frame a good analogy. I suppose if Motus purchased the rights to the Vincent name (for example) it would be more like what VW did with Bugatti.

They would then be resurrecting a known name with a history and positioning it in the market where they want. All that they have done differently at this point is have a new name and to my mind the only thing that can derail the plan is they fail to deliver on quality or find themselves pricing their bikes around $15k in a few years.

If they never lower the price then there will be no devaluing of the product that the early adopters paid for (as with the VFR1200) and therefore the perception that it is a $10k bike because that is what the 3 year old leftover new bikes sell for.

Even if they fall on their collective faces and only produce 100 over a few years then the bikes that are in circulation could reach collectible status. Look back some of the low volume classics both 4 wheeled and two that you would have purchased 3 of (one to drive/ride and two to sell for retirement) had you only been sure of how their future value would have soared in the years to come.

I am not saying that a 1650 cc V4 that only revs to 8k is for me but I admire their Quixotic penchant for tilting at the mass production windmill. For all we know in 2016 small volume marketing is one end of the new normal as people want to own something that suits them and they wont see on every street corner (or Starbucks). The opposite end of that normal would be low cost disposable bikes for the 3 billion or so people in developing nations.

My point was that they need to do something to justify the brand premium.

What if some new car company came out tomorrow with a well engineered and assembled sport sedan, though not really all that different from what is on the market. Let's say they want $200k for it.

Instead, what if it was a sports car?

I'm not saying I don't like the Motus, but I think they are coming at the market wrong. Their pricing is stratospheric for no reason other than their say-so.

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and BST carbon fiber wheels, and a Sargent seat, and Givi luggage, and Ohlins TTX 36 shock, and Ohlins NIX 30 forks (fully adjustable), and Brembo monoblock M4 calipers and Brembo radial master cylinders...and their are betting that some want a small block V4 with 180 bhp that sounds uniquely American....

For me I would probably lean more toward a Ducati Mulistrada AND a dedicated RSV4 track bike

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For me I would probably lean more toward a Ducati Mulistrada AND a dedicated RSV4 track bike

Personally, I'd stick with a VFR1200 and the aforementioned RSV4....

True, if they had purchased the name "Vincent" then all they would have to do is deliver a product that met the expectations of the consumer and nobody would bat an eye at $35k. Though the name Motus is yet to proven, they seem to have the engineering down and the performance is equal to or above most of the other bikes in the S-T group.

https://rideapart.com/articles/interview-lee-conn-president-co-founder-motus has a good interview with the founder. I'll pull this one line out:

"I’ve spent plenty of cash over the years fixing annoyances with mass-produced bikes, so this is near and dear to me. Why not just design, engineer and equip build[sic] bikes with components that are not intended to be replaced immediately?"

This is a valid point of marketing. Say we've got a $12000 S-T motorcycle and we add:

Seat - $300

Suspension - $5000 (Slight overestimate - nix 30 @ $3000, ttx 36 (MSTR only)@ $2000)

Luggage - $800 ($200 mounts, $600 side cases)

BST Wheels - $3700 (BST on MSTR only) - assuming you can even get these for the bike you started with

Brakes + SS Lines - Call it $1500 - again depends what you can find that fits, could be +/- $500.

------ Total: $11300 bringing our bike to ~$23300 + labor or personal time to install said goodies.

MSTR MSRP: $36975

Two questions remain: What is the value of having all this equipment protected by the factory warranty? What is the Motus tag on the tank worth?

If the company can deliver on all the other aspects expected of a premium sport touring machine - warranty repair time, customer care, technical support and if the bike is actually free of "annoyances with mass-produced bikes". The VFR charging system is a case in point - how much extra would VFR owners have paid to have a charging system that they never had to worry about? Did Motus make any of these sacrifices anywhere?

I guess only time will actually tell on this one. If I'm not paying $35k to be competitive on a track, then it must absolutely excel at being a sport tourer, like best in class handling, acceleration, comfort, reliability, and range/efficiency. Three of these can be discerned right now, reliability and Motus' reaction to any issues that come up will only be known once the fleet starts racking up real-world miles. Then we will know if any sacrifices were truly made and what the Motus name is worth. Regardless of how much testing is done, the early adopters ARE the beta testers much like any new model release. I'd like to see Motus succeed for a variety of reasons, but they will have a hard time convincing me and many other riders to drop 35 large on a sport touring motorcycle.

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Carver, I bet you could sell ice to Eskimos.

Randy I have actually shipped several dozen ice machines to Alaska when I worked in that field....not sure who the end users were though. :-)

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There is a Motus Maniacs FB page where other Motus owners are collecting and sharing. Several folks have logged serious miles on their bikes already with no issues. I will keep you posted.

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Motus is really the V4. I expect you will see it other places. Motus has put it into a Ferrari replica, Polaris RZR and the Bienville ($350k on 12 exist). Think American Rotax or V4 S & S.

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For me I would probably lean more toward a Ducati Mulistrada AND a dedicated RSV4 track bike

Personally, I'd stick with a VFR1200 and the aforementioned RSV4....

True, if they had purchased the name "Vincent" then all they would have to do is deliver a product that met the expectations of the consumer and nobody would bat an eye at $35k. Though the name Motus is yet to proven, they seem to have the engineering down and the performance is equal to or above most of the other bikes in the S-T group.

https://rideapart.com/articles/interview-lee-conn-president-co-founder-motus has a good interview with the founder. I'll pull this one line out:

"I’ve spent plenty of cash over the years fixing annoyances with mass-produced bikes, so this is near and dear to me. Why not just design, engineer and equip build[sic] bikes with components that are not intended to be replaced immediately?"

This is a valid point of marketing. Say we've got a $12000 S-T motorcycle and we add:

Seat - $300

Suspension - $5000 (Slight overestimate - nix 30 @ $3000, ttx 36 (MSTR only)@ $2000)

Luggage - $800 ($200 mounts, $600 side cases)

BST Wheels - $3700 (BST on MSTR only) - assuming you can even get these for the bike you started with

Brakes + SS Lines - Call it $1500 - again depends what you can find that fits, could be +/- $500.

------ Total: $11300 bringing our bike to ~$23300 + labor or personal time to install said goodies.

MSTR MSRP: $36975

Two questions remain: What is the value of having all this equipment protected by the factory warranty? What is the Motus tag on the tank worth?

If the company can deliver on all the other aspects expected of a premium sport touring machine - warranty repair time, customer care, technical support and if the bike is actually free of "annoyances with mass-produced bikes". The VFR charging system is a case in point - how much extra would VFR owners have paid to have a charging system that they never had to worry about? Did Motus make any of these sacrifices anywhere?

I guess only time will actually tell on this one. If I'm not paying $35k to be competitive on a track, then it must absolutely excel at being a sport tourer, like best in class handling, acceleration, comfort, reliability, and range/efficiency. Three of these can be discerned right now, reliability and Motus' reaction to any issues that come up will only be known once the fleet starts racking up real-world miles. Then we will know if any sacrifices were truly made and what the Motus name is worth. Regardless of how much testing is done, the early adopters ARE the beta testers much like any new model release. I'd like to see Motus succeed for a variety of reasons, but they will have a hard time convincing me and many other riders to drop 35 large on a sport touring motorcycle.

Don't forget labor and time.

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I am going to respectfully disagree with this line of thought as I think what Motus would deem a success is far different from what we expect from Honda and other main-stream manufacturers. From an automotive perspective it would be akin to comparing Porsche (pre 4 door and SUV days) to one of the Detroit big 3. Of course the Ohlins parts dont account for $20,000 in added value. Motus has to price the bike at that level to recoup the Katech development costs but they want to price it there to create an aspirational brand.

I think they would be more than happy to be selling 250-300 bikes a year in 3 years at $35k each instead of trying to sell 750 bikes at $15k each to reach the same total sales dollars or more than 1,000 per year to generate the same margins.

I'm not sure if that line of logic is valid. Porsche is an established marque with a racing and performance heritage. Motus is a newbie on the block. I understand paying more for engineering or ownership of a certain brand name; but I'm not sure if Motus is in a position to command such a brand premium given the product they are delivering. Is Motus claiming, regardless of purpose, to have better than the entire sum of engineering leading to a significantly lower priced R1? The follow up to that is: "Come to the track and prove it." At $35k with no collector value, a small dealer network, medium performance (in the grand scheme of things), and no existing "street cred," there better be some other compelling reason for me to purchase one (like, this bike is guaranteed to get you laid).

You make some valid points. One of which is that I didn't take the time to properly frame a good analogy. I suppose if Motus purchased the rights to the Vincent name (for example) it would be more like what VW did with Bugatti.

They would then be resurrecting a known name with a history and positioning it in the market where they want. All that they have done differently at this point is have a new name and to my mind the only thing that can derail the plan is they fail to deliver on quality or find themselves pricing their bikes around $15k in a few years.

If they never lower the price then there will be no devaluing of the product that the early adopters paid for (as with the VFR1200) and therefore the perception that it is a $10k bike because that is what the 3 year old leftover new bikes sell for.

Even if they fall on their collective faces and only produce 100 over a few years then the bikes that are in circulation could reach collectible status. Look back some of the low volume classics both 4 wheeled and two that you would have purchased 3 of (one to drive/ride and two to sell for retirement) had you only been sure of how their future value would have soared in the years to come.

I am not saying that a 1650 cc V4 that only revs to 8k is for me but I admire their Quixotic penchant for tilting at the mass production windmill. For all we know in 2016 small volume marketing is one end of the new normal as people want to own something that suits them and they wont see on every street corner (or Starbucks). The opposite end of that normal would be low cost disposable bikes for the 3 billion or so people in developing nations.

My point was that they need to do something to justify the brand premium.

What if some new car company came out tomorrow with a well engineered and assembled sport sedan, though not really all that different from what is on the market. Let's say they want $200k for it.

Instead, what if it was a sports car?

I'm not saying I don't like the Motus, but I think they are coming at the market wrong. Their pricing is stratospheric for no reason other than their say-so.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

and BST carbon fiber wheels, and a Sargent seat, and Givi luggage, and Ohlins TTX 36 shock, and Ohlins NIX 30 forks (fully adjustable), and Brembo monoblock M4 calipers and Brembo radial master cylinders...and their are betting that some want a small block V4 with 180 bhp that sounds uniquely American....

For me I would probably lean more toward a Ducati Mulistrada AND a dedicated RSV4 track bike

The Multi and RSV would make a nice pairing. I am going to boot the Motus around Thunderhill when track days resume. Should make for some interesting thoughts.

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Considering some people spend way more than $35k on a Harley, $35k seems like a bargain, especially for what you get!

Again back to the brand thing, these buyers are getting "heritage" or a "lifestyle" - comes down to a value decision for the consumer of course. Again though, this reputation has been established by years of existence and the clientele that centers around it. A Harley is basically the entry fee for membership in a club of sorts (figuratively and literally in some cases).

Forgive me if I'm making a sweeping generalization here, but the clientele of the "sport-touring" club, on the other hand, often makes a value decision based on what the product physically delivers for the money rather than strictly the badge on the tank. Don't get me wrong, the Motus does deliver a lot, but the price per performance, comfort, and amenity ratio is just not there.

I think Motus is bent over a barrel on amortizing R&D costs combined with their annual manufacturing capability. To justify the cost, they must attempt to create a niche (high $$, exclusive, sport touring motorcycle). It's a balancing act between pricing the bike, meeting the demand associated with this price, production capabilities, and costs of doing business. Of course Motus has some accountant that has done the math, but I'm not sure if the price is based on producing at capacity or the assumption that they will sell every bike they produce.

... It is a V-4 sport tourer, so every detail has to be better the the VFR1200...

Not just better, double the price and then some better.

Cruise control, heated seat and grips. The alternator is the same as a Honda Accord I think.

1661517ae7b6cc4d27a4051582cfa37d.jpg

Ram mount, iPhone

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To me the devil is in the details. It has a premium price, but not premium execution. The pillion grab handles look like an after thought, the mirrors were stolen from my '98, the lollipop turn signals look cheap. For 35,000 everything detail has to be perfect. It is a V-4 sport tourer, so every detail has to be better the the VFR1200. If you look at a Porsche, or Ferrari it is clear why they command a premium price. IMO the Motus does not look premium, not even close. I can't speak about performance, never have rode one. But, if I look at a Ducati, it is clear that some engineer and designer spent hours making every part look beautiful, and perform great. For the money, it had better look like art, and perform too.

You need to see a Motus in person and up close. Ducati has nothing on the Motus. I do love my Duc also.

d092c109555abcf6e936b8a53dcac1d3.jpg

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There is a Motus Maniacs FB page where other Motus owners are collecting and sharing. Several folks have logged serious miles on their bikes already with no issues. I will keep you posted.

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Motus is really the V4. I expect you will see it other places. Motus has put it into a Ferrari replica, Polaris RZR and the Bienville ($350k on 12 exist). Think American Rotax or V4 S & S.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

For me I would probably lean more toward a Ducati Mulistrada AND a dedicated RSV4 track bike

Personally, I'd stick with a VFR1200 and the aforementioned RSV4....

True, if they had purchased the name "Vincent" then all they would have to do is deliver a product that met the expectations of the consumer and nobody would bat an eye at $35k. Though the name Motus is yet to proven, they seem to have the engineering down and the performance is equal to or above most of the other bikes in the S-T group.

https://rideapart.com/articles/interview-lee-conn-president-co-founder-motus has a good interview with the founder. I'll pull this one line out:

"I’ve spent plenty of cash over the years fixing annoyances with mass-produced bikes, so this is near and dear to me. Why not just design, engineer and equip build[sic] bikes with components that are not intended to be replaced immediately?"

This is a valid point of marketing. Say we've got a $12000 S-T motorcycle and we add:

Seat - $300

Suspension - $5000 (Slight overestimate - nix 30 @ $3000, ttx 36 (MSTR only)@ $2000)

Luggage - $800 ($200 mounts, $600 side cases)

BST Wheels - $3700 (BST on MSTR only) - assuming you can even get these for the bike you started with

Brakes + SS Lines - Call it $1500 - again depends what you can find that fits, could be +/- $500.

------ Total: $11300 bringing our bike to ~$23300 + labor or personal time to install said goodies.

MSTR MSRP: $36975

Two questions remain: What is the value of having all this equipment protected by the factory warranty? What is the Motus tag on the tank worth?

If the company can deliver on all the other aspects expected of a premium sport touring machine - warranty repair time, customer care, technical support and if the bike is actually free of "annoyances with mass-produced bikes". The VFR charging system is a case in point - how much extra would VFR owners have paid to have a charging system that they never had to worry about? Did Motus make any of these sacrifices anywhere?

I guess only time will actually tell on this one. If I'm not paying $35k to be competitive on a track, then it must absolutely excel at being a sport tourer, like best in class handling, acceleration, comfort, reliability, and range/efficiency. Three of these can be discerned right now, reliability and Motus' reaction to any issues that come up will only be known once the fleet starts racking up real-world miles. Then we will know if any sacrifices were truly made and what the Motus name is worth. Regardless of how much testing is done, the early adopters ARE the beta testers much like any new model release. I'd like to see Motus succeed for a variety of reasons, but they will have a hard time convincing me and many other riders to drop 35 large on a sport touring motorcycle.

Don't forget labor and time.

It's in there ;) Though, For a gearhead tinkerer such as myself, I don't see this as a cost...f

Maybe you are in a position to know or have some insight into Motus. How many bikes do they want to produce every year? Do they plan to produce as many as they are capable of, or a pre-defined number? I realize production lines and quality control have costs. I'm fairly sure they will be built or equipped as necessary by dealer order but was curious if Motus anticipates demand for their full manufacturing capability.

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There is a Motus Maniacs FB page where other Motus owners are collecting and sharing. Several folks have logged serious miles on their bikes already with no issues. I will keep you posted.

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Motus is really the V4. I expect you will see it other places. Motus has put it into a Ferrari replica, Polaris RZR and the Bienville ($350k on 12 exist). Think American Rotax or V4 S & S.

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For me I would probably lean more toward a Ducati Mulistrada AND a dedicated RSV4 track bike

Personally, I'd stick with a VFR1200 and the aforementioned RSV4....

True, if they had purchased the name "Vincent" then all they would have to do is deliver a product that met the expectations of the consumer and nobody would bat an eye at $35k. Though the name Motus is yet to proven, they seem to have the engineering down and the performance is equal to or above most of the other bikes in the S-T group.

https://rideapart.com/articles/interview-lee-conn-president-co-founder-motus has a good interview with the founder. I'll pull this one line out:

"I’ve spent plenty of cash over the years fixing annoyances with mass-produced bikes, so this is near and dear to me. Why not just design, engineer and equip build[sic] bikes with components that are not intended to be replaced immediately?"

This is a valid point of marketing. Say we've got a $12000 S-T motorcycle and we add:

Seat - $300

Suspension - $5000 (Slight overestimate - nix 30 @ $3000, ttx 36 (MSTR only)@ $2000)

Luggage - $800 ($200 mounts, $600 side cases)

BST Wheels - $3700 (BST on MSTR only) - assuming you can even get these for the bike you started with

Brakes + SS Lines - Call it $1500 - again depends what you can find that fits, could be +/- $500.

------ Total: $11300 bringing our bike to ~$23300 + labor or personal time to install said goodies.

MSTR MSRP: $36975

Two questions remain: What is the value of having all this equipment protected by the factory warranty? What is the Motus tag on the tank worth?

If the company can deliver on all the other aspects expected of a premium sport touring machine - warranty repair time, customer care, technical support and if the bike is actually free of "annoyances with mass-produced bikes". The VFR charging system is a case in point - how much extra would VFR owners have paid to have a charging system that they never had to worry about? Did Motus make any of these sacrifices anywhere?

I guess only time will actually tell on this one. If I'm not paying $35k to be competitive on a track, then it must absolutely excel at being a sport tourer, like best in class handling, acceleration, comfort, reliability, and range/efficiency. Three of these can be discerned right now, reliability and Motus' reaction to any issues that come up will only be known once the fleet starts racking up real-world miles. Then we will know if any sacrifices were truly made and what the Motus name is worth. Regardless of how much testing is done, the early adopters ARE the beta testers much like any new model release. I'd like to see Motus succeed for a variety of reasons, but they will have a hard time convincing me and many other riders to drop 35 large on a sport touring motorcycle.

Don't forget labor and time.

I didn't ;) For a gearhead tinkerer such as myself, I don't see this as a cost...

Maybe you are in a position to know or have some insight into Motus. How many bikes do they want to produce every year? Do they plan to produce as many as they are capable of, or a pre-defined number? I realize production lines and quality control have costs. I'm fairly sure they will be built or equipped as necessary by dealer order but was curious if Motus anticipates demand for their full manufacturing capability.

I guess between 100-200/yr. Keep an eye on where the V4 shows up.

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New Rizoma blinkers

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New Rizoma Veloce mirrors

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New tail light

http://www.baysideperformance.com/09-11-kawasaki-er6n-competition-werkes-integrated-taillight?zenid=2be224a460aaeffa732abdb402467d27

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Black Rizoma tanks

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