But are you forgetting that there are no new designs from the design table before next summer, Bob? :dontknow:
Nope, it's a whole 'nother year to wait around to see if BRP does something other than the F3 and RT... grrrrrr.
BTW, as another resident RS champion in these parts: I'm bummed, but completely unsurprised, we all knew this day was coming. The only surprise is the small one, that BRP dropped the line without immediately replacing it with something new. While having four models in the stable was clearly too much for a niche vehicle, I'm not sure that dropping from four to two is a good look for BRP, my first impression is that it smells of brand *weakness*, and not confidence in the future of the product line. Particularly since we're back to a single engine model for the entire lineup-- a great engine, to be clear, but also an expensive one, i.e. the entry fee for Spyder ownership continues to remain very high for all but the most committed buyers.
Then again, I also wouldn't be surprised if BRP was running the numbers on the late-model Spyder market and realizing the obvious: it helps no one but the immediate consumer to have so many 2015, 2014, and older (!) "new" models sitting on the floor begging for deep discounts. BRP's completely hosed the resale market on Spyders from the beginning-- a new brand was never going to hold value all that much, but it's not going to hold anything at all when you can buy new bikes off the floor for the same price or less as a used bike. If the RS and the ST weren't selling through on the dealer floor, it was indeed time to drop them rather than continuing to bring out yet another model year to gather dust awaiting the inevitable mfr discounts.
opcorn:opcorn:opcorn::shocked: Try stepping up closer; don't forget to use a sighted-in rifle! :roflblack:
But are you forgetting that there are no new designs from the design table before next summer, Bob? :dontknow:
Nope, it's a whole 'nother year to wait around to see if BRP does something other than the F3 and RT... grrrrrr.
BTW, as another resident RS champion in these parts: I'm bummed, but completely unsurprised, we all knew this day was coming. The only surprise is the small one, that BRP dropped the line without immediately replacing it with something new. While having four models in the stable was clearly too much for a niche vehicle, I'm not sure that dropping from four to two is a good look for BRP, my first impression is that it smells of brand *weakness*, and not confidence in the future of the product line. Particularly since we're back to a single engine model for the entire lineup-- a great engine, to be clear, but also an expensive one, i.e. the entry fee for Spyder ownership continues to remain very high for all but the most committed buyers.
Then again, I also wouldn't be surprised if BRP was running the numbers on the late-model Spyder market and realizing the obvious: it helps no one but the immediate consumer to have so many 2015, 2014, and older (!) "new" models sitting on the floor begging for deep discounts. BRP's completely hosed the resale market on Spyders from the beginning-- a new brand was never going to hold value all that much, but it's not going to hold anything at all when you can buy new bikes off the floor for the same price or less as a used bike. If the RS and the ST weren't selling through on the dealer floor, it was indeed time to drop them rather than continuing to bring out yet another model year to gather dust awaiting the inevitable mfr discounts.
RT could be around for a long time, just like the Goldwing. It's been 41 years for the 'wing with evolutionary changes along the way, about once every ten years, but it's still a 'wing. Then there's the Valkyrie. Subordinate to the 'wing with a lot of great features that a lot of folks liked. It's come and gone. Same with the Runo, but shorter lived. And the Silverwing, come and gone. But 'wing keeps on going. And now the F6B. It's to the Goldwing kind of like the F3 is to the RT. They both may last a long time while the king of the lineup keeps on going and going and ..... And then again, they may not.
Don't think the RT will be on the chopping block, a redesign block probably!
Amen!
Yup Bob, like I said they do not go back far enough. The holes for alignment do not run back far enough. And special linkage would be required.:banghead:
