Perhaps one of you can help me understand...

[DarkKnt]

It is called marketing, and it's not for us to understand. Probably, if you were on the other side of the fence, the Honda side, it would make total sense. But from our viewpoint it does not.

It probably makes perfect sense from Honda's point of view. For a first year model with the unknowns of market reaction and total sales, it makes sense to keep it as simple as possible. Manage the complexities of supply chain issues, manufacturing and distribution. The fewer the options and variants, the simpler all that becomes. They want the "Goldwing" to make a certain price point (substantially cheaper than the "Tour") yet still provide their profit margin. Simple - strip it down a bit, market it the same way as they did the "B" - sportier, lighter etc, etc... and limit the options. Here in our smaller market (Canada), they limit it even more by not offering the DCT on the 'Wing. I don't think the majority of buyers go into a dealership and sit down, check a bunch of boxes and wait patiently for weeks or months for Honda to build, ship and deliver the bike. At least, I've never bought a bike that way. I don't even think people buy a car that way any more. Anyway, as sales are proven with the next model years, as somebody stated, the different options become available. Honda will react to the market and what buyers want. Slowly.

[3Chief]

It probably makes perfect sense from Honda's point of view. For a first year model with the unknowns of market reaction and total sales, it makes sense to keep it as simple as possible. Manage the complexities of supply chain issues, manufacturing and distribution. The fewer the options and variants, the simpler all that becomes. They want the "Goldwing" to make a certain price point (substantially cheaper than the "Tour") yet still provide their profit margin. Simple - strip it down a bit, market it the same way as they did the "B" - sportier, lighter etc, etc... and limit the options. Here in our smaller market (Canada), they limit it even more by not offering the DCT on the 'Wing. I don't think the majority of buyers go into a dealership and sit down, check a bunch of boxes and wait patiently for weeks or months for Honda to build, ship and deliver the bike. At least, I've never bought a bike that way. I don't even think people buy a car that way any more. Anyway, as sales are proven with the next model years, as somebody stated, the different options become available. Honda will react to the market and what buyers want. Slowly.

I ordered my jeep that way but by and large your probably correct.

[bigswole31]

.... The fewer the options and variants, the simpler all that becomes. They want the "Goldwing" to make a certain price point (substantially cheaper than the "Tour") yet still provide their profit margin. Simple - strip it down a bit, market it the same way as they did the "B" - sportier, lighter etc, etc... and limit the options.

That's my point... The reverse feature is a "Goldwing staple". As we read in other posts, its removal, along with other platform staples like cruise and nav, are responsible for the F6B not selling anywhere near its MSRP (they stripped way too much for a + $20K asking price). The R&D for electric reverse has been more than covered over the years, and the parts have been in their warehouses for over a decade, so I just don't see it adding any significant cost to the price of the bike...while it does (needlessly IMHO) create another variant.

Removing the trunk/rear seatback, rear speakers, heated grips and seats, electronically adjustable suspension, taller windscreen, etc. are great differentiators between the base and the tour models. Yanking a tried-and-true platform staple (again) that your customers expected/wanted without at least making it an available option while knowing that your competition (BMW) does on their bike (with a similar price point and feature set) is a head scratcher.

Oh well... it is what it is. When the bike becomes available for sale, Honda's various regional decisions notwithstanding, we'll make our individual decisions on whether or not we want to buy it.