Wow. (Honda DN-01-related)

[falconati]

I was going to post this in the Honda section, but I thought everyone should see it because it's a good symbol of how the market treats products they don't really understand or want:

http://madison.craigslist.org/mcd/2230555053.html

DN-01 Base Price: $15,599
Price now: $8,999

A $6,600 is really huge - you don't even see that kind of discount on $30k cars.  It's too bad, I want to see Honda financially well....I'm just frustrated that they keep giving us things that are junk.  The new CB1000R is a step in the right direction, but half of me hopes we see the same discount on them so I can pick one up cheap  

[Blunder]

Who pays 16 large for a 680cc Scooter?  

What were they thinking?

[Flyer]

What were they thinking smokin'?

 
Consumers can be so unpredictably cruel to the inscrutable mind.

[bomber]

What were they thinking?

Hubris.

[shah269]

You think the new VFR will be in thos boat as well?

[McHack]

Ya know,  I go to church w/ a girl who sells Honda's,  & we were having this very same discussion...

What idjit pitched this debacle?

[atadaskew]

I'd have bought one at that price the minute they hit the showrooms.

I'm over it.

Glad to see you're back!
 

Yeah, I woulda bought one too at that price.  But now I've moved on and have bought an MP3 500 maxi pad scoot.  Honda's loss...

[county]

I was gonna buy a Rune when they hit 8999

[HipGnosis]

I was interested in the DN-01 when it came out on the press (and interweb).
I still think it'd make a decent, small ST mount.  
Or a nice entry-level bike, esp for shorter folks.
But the price...  the price is insane.

I really wish they had made it with both standard and auto transmissions.
Then we'd know why it really failed.

[Dan K]

It failed because of the price.  I think a lot of people would have bought at that discounted price if offered initially.  It has nothing to do with auto trans.  It's a scooter.

- Dan

[maddjack]

What else would you expect from Honda, price it stupid and then cry they didn't sell. They have a history of that  

[Guy]

It failed because of the price.  I think a lot of people would have bought at that discounted price if offered initially.  It has nothing to do with auto trans.  It's a scooter.

- Dan

It failed because it is a)ugly as all sin, and b)doesn't know what it is. Is it a cruiser? No. Sportbike? No. Standard? No. Scooter? No.

[county]

Yep, it is pretty ugly.

[eddie]

honda needs to bring out exciting bikes,their line is weak look at the other companys that bring out new models perks up the interest.

[wvrider]

Honda, the finely engineered, jewel like answer to ............ the question you didnt ask.

[Blunder]

Who pays 9 large for a 680cc scooter with no apparent luggage capacity?

[antvq]

The ad says, "Fully Automatic with comfort and sport style!"

 

[Kneescrubber]

You think the new VFR will be in thos boat as well?

Yes. It's a pig.

[McHack]

Looks like something the Power Rangers would ride!!!

[gritsngravy]

The one cool thing is that Honda & others have done is make their low volume odd-ball machines available in the states.   The DN-01 isn't to my taste but for those with the wallet & desire at least it's here for them......now at a discount.   I personally never expect bikes like this to sell in great numbers anywhere, its more of a low volume concept bike.   I ended up buying one of the weird slow selling bkings for a cool grand less than the "discounted" honda.  For me its by far the best all round bike I've owned.  

[naustin]

The market has spoken.

Honda should pull the bike from the market, buy back all of the unsold units from their dealerships and deep-six every last one of them in the South Pacific to help augment the artificial reef already growing on the rest of the shot down Zeros.

[HipGnosis]

It failed because of the price.  I think a lot of people would have bought at that discounted price if offered initially.  It has nothing to do with auto trans.  It's a scooter.
- Dan

How much of that price is for the auto trans.?!?  It's the only thing on the bike that remotely justifies the premium price.  And no, it's not a scooter trans.

It failed because it is a)ugly as all sin, and b)doesn't know what it is. Is it a cruiser? No. Sportbike? No. Standard? No. Scooter? No.

A) Ugly has proven to NOT stop bikes from selling;  Hurricanes, BMW GS, VStrom...  
B) Crossovers are all the rage these days.  Most SUVs aren't cars or trucks.  Our (beloved) sport-tourers are 'crossovers'.
You forgot C)  It's got a stupid name.  Marketing totally dropped the ball on that one.

[1KPerDay]

I was gonna buy a Rune when they hit 8999

I was gonna buy one at $89.99. Then I realized it was too much.

[falcofred]

Dealer say DN-O1 stands for Do Not Order One
Honda Marketing Dept. Lets design a bike no one has asked for. We know what they want, we'll include:
Contraversal Styling
Slow Speed
Auto Trans
and Make it Heavy
We'll price it as high or higher than conventional sport bikes, sport tours or cruisers
And just to make sure no one buys it we'll name it the DN-01

[servicerifle]

I was gonna buy one at $89.99. Then I realized it was too much.

 

[naustin]

Dealer say DN-O1 stands for Do Not Order One
Honda Marketing Dept. Lets design a bike no one has asked for. We know what they want, we'll include:
Contraversal Styling
Slow Speed
Auto Trans
and Make it Heavy
We'll price it as high or higher than conventional sport bikes, sport tours or cruisers
And just to make sure no one buys it we'll name it the DN-01

It truly boggles the mind.  

Maybe next Honda should build an airplane by applying the same principles...

[RenegadeVT]

The DN01 was a no brainer, you could not have a made a worse failure even if you were trying.

I think the NT700 is another Honda FAIL.  It is underpowered and over priced.  There are to many other options in the price range.

I think the VFR has a very good chance of failing, even though the press loves it.  Very competitive part of the market and it is very large and heavy.  And Honda with the price again!!  I do think the dual clutch will fail, there is no strong demand for an auto motorcycle and the cost adder is just too much, look no farther than the FJR!

[Cablebandit]

One of my local dealers has a few priced at 7999.  

[D-Mac]

I wonder what they think of this over on the DN-01 forum.....

Oh wait.....there isn't one. (is there?!)

[Blunder]

There's a forum for everything.

http://www.dn-01.net/forum/cmps_index.php

[Guy]

There's a forum for everything.

http://www.dn-01.net/forum/cmps_index.php

Their general discussion forum about the DN-01 has 5 threads, with 4 started by the admin, and one other thread that someone actually posted in!!  

[atadaskew]

Their general discussion forum about the DN-01 has 5 threads, with 4 started by the admin, and one other thread that someone actually posted in!!  

It gets better.  Clicking on the link takes you to their Recent Threads home page.  There are 30.  All started by the Admin.  With a grand total of, combined mind you, zero replies!

 

[Blunder]

I rode past one yesterday on the road.    Rider was wearing a Hi-Vizz jacket (filthy, but they're all like that), gardening gloves, non-descript helmet and Converse All-Stars. He did not look like he was enjoying it and he did not wave back.