Just curious....

[bigswole31]

This has come up in a few other threads, but i never saw anything conclusive, and I didn't want to hijack a thread.

Has anyone ever gotten a definitive answer from anyone who can reasonably speak for Honda USA (Honda rep, dealer, etc.) about why our F6B has no ABS, reverse gear, and is JUST getting cruise control?

It's always seemed strange that this is the case, when virtually every direct competitor in the US bagger market has had cruise and ABS as standard features at a similar price point to the F6B before the F6B was first introduced. They also offer accessories like navigation and seat warmers, but Honda does not. It just seems strange that Honda would enter such a popular market without giving the same standard features/ optional accessories that the competitors who were already in that market do.... on trop of the great engine.

Add in the fact that they give ABS, cruise AND reverse to the Australian market for a comparitive price to what we pay for our bikes and I am thoroughly confused.

I once asked a dealer, and he told me that the US market doesn't want all that stuff. He said that when Honda tried to put ABS on the full wing, riders demanded that they didn't. I can't see how that could possibly be true, but I'm new to the Honda family.

So if anyone knows anything, please clue me in.

I'm just curious, so I respectfully ask that the officers of the HDF (Honda Defense Force) refrain from the "You should be grateful for what Mother Honda has given us!", "Just shut up and ride!", "You're asking a lot for $20K", etc. types of responses. I am a happy owner who gladly purchased what was available to me at the time. I LOVE MY BIKE! I would just like to know why the decision was made to NOT make things available to the US market that they have no hesitation about giving to other (smaller) markets for around the same price that we're charged.

Thanks!

[ths61]

This has come up in a few other threads, but i never saw anything conclusive, and I didn't want to hijack a thread.

Has anyone ever gotten a definitive answer from anyone who can reasonably speak for Honda USA (Honda rep, dealer, etc.) about why our F6B has no ABS, reverse gear, and is JUST getting cruise control?

It's always seemed strange that this is the case, when virtually every direct competitor in the US bagger market has had cruise and ABS as standard features at a similar price point to the F6B before the F6B was first introduced. They also offer accessories like navigation and seat warmers, but Honda does not. It just seems strange that Honda would enter such a popular market without giving the same standard features/ optional accessories that the competitors who were already in that market do.... on trop of the great engine.

Add in the fact that they give ABS, cruise AND reverse to the Australian market for a comparitive price to what we pay for our bikes and I am thoroughly confused.

I once asked a dealer, and he told me that the US market doesn't want all that stuff. He said that when Honda tried to put ABS on the full wing, riders demanded that they didn't. I can't see how that could possibly be true, but I'm new to the Honda family.

So if anyone knows anything, please clue me in.

I'm just curious, so I respectfully ask that the officers of the HDF (Honda Defense Force) refrain from the "You should be grateful for what Mother Honda has given us!", "Just shut up and ride!", "You're asking a lot for $20K", etc. types of responses. I am a happy owner who gladly purchased what was available to me at the time. I LOVE MY BIKE! I would just like to know why the decision was made to NOT make things available to the US market that they have no hesitation about giving to other (smaller) markets for around the same price that we're charged.

Thanks!

I would assume it is the same marketing mindset as their cars. When they come out with a new body style, the US market gets screwed. Each subsequent year, they add a feature or 2 to keep the buyers buying the newer model of the same body style until they finally change body styles and start over again. Foreign markets tend to get the toys well before the US market does.

[flat6bagger]

When the insurance company ran my VIN numbers on my 13,they informed me that I get a discount because my bike has ABS.
I told her that it did not.
She said the VIN numbers show that it does and that is what they are going with.
I said ok and gladly took the discount.

[srt8-in-largo]

Sometimes regulations and certifications drive options differences and release schedules amongst countries... but surely those couldn't be it.

[yellow rex]

When I purchase my trailer Tom told me to send a letter to NHSTA and ask them why
other markets get the most valuable piece of safety on the F6b and the US does not,
as Tom said our safety and life is just as important as any other country.

[BIGLRY]

IMO it is all about Attachment 13639 and why the F6B is much cheaper than Honda's flagship the GL1800, to keep the cost down don't put on the extras. Watch as the goodies get added through the next few years and how the price will go up and if Honda had all the goodies now what could they add in later years?

[Kurare79]

In the European Community every motorcycle released by 2016 has to have ABS by law. Already now nearly every motorcycle with more than 500ccm has ABS. It's just a standard for us.

I think it is, because companies like Bosch, who produce the ABS systems, are located in Germany they have a very good touch to the Motorcycle Magazines who then teach us, that we need that system and also to the politicians who make the laws.

But i am also surprised that the American version comes without the ABS, because Goldwing market number one is the US. So i thought you would get those things first. (I've never seen another F6B on the road in two years, than my own. I am so lonely )

[FlaMike]

IMO it is all about Attachment 13639 and why the F6B is much cheaper than Honda's flagship the GL1800, to keep the cost down don't put on the extras. Watch as the goodies get added through the next few years and how the price will go up and if Honda had all the goodies now what could they add in later years?

I think BL got it. Less stuff, cheaper price. They wanted a reasonable price spread between F6 and a base Wing. The Goldwing comes in multiple levels with increased price per level. Personally, I would have paid a little more for the choice of cruise/abs. The thing that baffled me, was that the new Valk has ABS/ non ABS choice but not the F6.


As far as US market not wanting ABS, that's what Harley thought. Their 1st use of ABS, were on Police Bikes only, around 10yrs ago. A few yrs later, they made it onto consumer touring bikes. And now I think just about any Harley can have ABS.


In general, I don't think any bike manufacturer really knows what the market wants. They just throw stuff against a wall and see what sticks, especially Honda.

[Steve 0080]

I call B.S. on ABS costing $1000 per unit.... it is in just about all vehicles on the roads in the USA... If the manufactures wanted to they could !!! Maybe just waiting until forced to...

I am not going to buy a new bike this year...waiting for reverse...is it possible to get a overseas bike shipped stateside ? Just change out the speedo???

[bigswole31]

So we're just being raked for cash, huh?

Bryster (in Australia) just bought a 2015 with ABS, cruise control and reverse for a RP of AUS $26995 which equals $21322 American dollars.

In the U.S., a brand new 2015 with cruise and NO ABS or reverse has an RP of $20499.

That's a difference in cost of $823.

Had I been given the choice, I would have gladly paid 800 bucks for cruise, ABS, and reverse. I bought a '13 a year ago, so none of these options were available.

Honda maintains a price disparity of a few grand between the F6B and the Goldwing in all of their territories without stripping so many features. It seems that they do this here simply becaise they can.