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What was wrong with the Criusers?

Originally Posted by saber
...They will not accept the fact that BMW has turned its back and dumped the whole Cruiser line.
The whole group is still living in their dungeon and dragon world, unable to realize the world has passed them by.

I sense the wrath of the Airheads will arrive any minute, to be joined by the K75xx owners.

Nah. Some of us just wonder why they quit making the good ones. I bought an Airhead to go with my K75RT and then replaced my K75RT with a CLC. I have enjoyed these three abandoned bikes more than any of the dozen or so bikes I have owned.
 
Oh, I forgot to memtion, I bought my CLC with 8k miles on it a year ago in July. Lets see now, 36k minus 8k equals 28k , divided by 17 mo equals a little over 16 hundred a month or 19k per year., yea I ride some but not as much as others.
 
Wellllll....

First off face the facts, we (BMW owners/riders) are somewhat a Unique small percentage of motorcycle owners. Some of us are just different for whatever reasons.

Me? I was a Harley crossover that needed to get away from the criminals I was ridding with (prior to death or CCI) but I couldn't go back to Japanese throw-away motorcycles. I'd always admired BMW's so I found an old R60 and bought it... then bought an 1978 R100RS and sold the 1965 Panhead and 1977 HLXR Cafe racer. (Have wished about 51,995 times I'd kept the Pan.) Total Beemers owned 8 (Harley's owned 10, other at least 25). Now you have a little prospective of my opinion on the BMW Cruiser....

Cruisers? Whoever coined that word was hunting for something to call a bike that resembled a Harley. Does the BMW Cruiser resemble a Harley? Crap no. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, to my eye it's Double Butt Ugly, so are the other Yamaguchi Cruisers, just worse. I know it's a BMW but what was Marketing Thinking.

Captain Mike
 
Butt Ugly

First off face the facts, we (BMW owners/riders) are somewhat a Unique small percentage of motorcycle owners. Some of us are just different for whatever reasons.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, to my eye it's Double Butt Ugly, so are the other Yamaguchi Cruisers, just worse. I know it's a BMW but what was Marketing Thinking.

Captain Mike

Funny you say that. Back in 03 when I bought mine, I thought all BMW's were butt ugly. And I still consider 75% of them that way.

What was marketing thinking? Did they market it in the US? Must have been a very limited marketing campaign, as nearly everyone I meet has never heard of a BMW Cruiser.
 
What was marketing thinking? Did they market it in the US? Must have been a very limited marketing campaign, as nearly everyone I meet has never heard of a BMW Cruiser.

Joe or Jane Average Citizen still thinks the only motorcycles made are Harleys or Ctotch-Rockets. And that BMW only makes cars. :scratch
meh.
 
This thread cracks me up

One thing foresure is that bikers are so opinionated about what they strap the legs around. It is a good thing we don't have a thread about whose wife of girlfriend rides better. I am sure it would be close to the same opinions,and views about how often and what position they like,oh and lets not forget about how fast she is?:banghead

Hey! we all choose to ride what we ride because it is a personal thing. I own multipal bikes maybe I should have been a morman so I can have multiple wives.(just joking)

I would hate to see every one riding a bike like mine, I'm not sure I would like my bikes as much or I would have to spend alot of bucks just to make it different. I personally like looking at threads where every one posts detailed pic's of all the custom things that bikers with passion do to the rides. That is cool! Isn't that why when there is a bike show all of us crazed motorcycle lovers flock across states to congregate???

One think I find more so is beemer riders are very much if it is not a BMW, your on the OUT! Not all bikers! don't get ruffled..... very clannish!

Hey in my opinion if you are willing to strap an engine between your legs, and fight cagers. You and me were on the same team.:thumb

Ride what you want to ride. Be Happy! don't knock or say one is better than the other. If I could, I would have a stable like Jay Leno. I could not have enough bikes of all kinds. :bikes I don't like it when other people say negitive things about Jap throwaway or Harleys. Hey! one day they were new and the manufacturer or investment Co put hard cold cash into there dream.(good or bad)

Hey! Happy New Year!!!! if you make it till then and you can still Lock n Load turn the screw and get a thrill. It's been a GREAT YEAR! Every one stay safe and ride on......:)
 
Now that you mentioned it...

Does any manufacturer actually make a "standard" motorcycle? or would that be just an antique? You are correct about the two types, so where do we fall in... A Crack? :)
 
Now that you mentioned it...

Does any manufacturer actually make a "standard" motorcycle? or would that be just an antique? You are correct about the two types, so where do we fall in... A Crack? :)

Sure. Even BMW does. Their current "standard" is the R1200R. Very nice standard bike.
 
yep

There is also the Triumph Thunderbird; very nice ride.
 

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This Bird Has Flown

Actually, Triumph discontinued the Thunderbird a couple of years ago just as they had done with their other standard triple, the Legend TT. However, I think the Bonneville and Bonneville T100 could be considered standards.
:cat
 
Actually, Triumph discontinued the Thunderbird a couple of years ago just as they had done with their other standard triple, the Legend TT. However, I think the Bonneville and Bonneville T100 could be considered standards.
:cat


As far as I know that is all true. The pic above is of my cousin's bike and I am not sure of the year model. It is a mighty sweet sounding, and running bike though.

thread-jack over; back to your regularly scheduled BMW "cruiser" discussion.

Since we are back on topic now; when BMW first introduced the "cruiser" back in 1997 in Europe and in 1998 in the US, it was not designated by the company as a cruiser but rather as a "custom" hence the "C" part of the R1200C. It was likely we Americans who distorted, corrupted, and defiled it into "cruiser".
 
Well, We Did It for Your Own Good

These marketing decisions seem to be things that many of us regular folks just don't understand. The aforementioned Triumph Thunderbird is a good case in point. By all accounts, that was said to be an excellent motorcycle. Yet Triumph chose to discontinue it because they felt there was no longer a market for a three cylinder standard.

The people who own and appreciate those Thunderbirds, just as the owners of the R1200C or, I suspect, the K75, find it difficult to comprehend why these models were dropped from their respective lineups. We find a bike that we feel is unique, competent, and reliable, and the manufacturer turns around and puts it in the crapper.
:cat
 
Marketing Decisions

When I think of marketing decisions made by corporations, I think of the "New Coke" that soon lead to "Coke Classic". What a fisaco! While market reseach is important, most companies are lazy and inept. If it does not sell, drop it rather that admit a mistake was made or make an effort to implement some adjustments.
 
Just my .02, but I thought they were ugly. But what do I know, I ride a GS.
 
Amen RJM2096. And I Want My M T V! Something else I'm P.O. about.

K75's too. If I find a nice one it's Mine.

GS? Heck it looks like a Big Dirt Squirt. They been making dirt bikes for 8,000 years.

I studied the Cruiser some and maybe it's not so Butt Ugly after all, I'm sorry. :)


When I think of marketing decisions made by corporations, I think of the "New Coke" that soon lead to "Coke Classic". What a fisaco! While market reseach is important, most companies are lazy and inept. If it does not sell, drop it rather that admit a mistake was made or make an effort to implement some adjustments.
 
I ride an '04 CL, and for the most part I love it. My biggest complaint is that it's VERY heavy (about 140 lbs heavier than my 750 Shadow was). Other than that, I'd prefer the seat height to be 1-2" shorter. I can flat-foot it, but with all that weight, I could use the extra leverage sometimes. Power has never been an issue for me - I can keep up with Dave's RT (or catch up quickly enough anyway).

Cheryl
 
...What was marketing thinking? Did they market it in the US? Must have been a very limited marketing campaign, as nearly everyone I meet has never heard of a BMW Cruiser.
Ha ha ha. I have friends in Germany who are Harley riders, they visit us every summer. When they first saw my R1200C they said, "Wow, what is this bike, we don't see this in Germany."

There's a real marketing success!
 
To each his own. First time I laid my eyes on a BMW cruiser all I could think was wow, that is one ugly motorcycle. :dunno
agreed:
A few years ago I thought I wanted one and went to a dealer with a check book ready to buy, I test drove one and hated it.
It's not what your typical BMW buyer is looking for. I didn't like the riding position and thought it was noisy, it also seemed to have a built in vibration; I guess to make the Harley guys feel at home.
 
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