seems some folks are gone?

[ofdave]

So much drama for a niche bike that almost no one buys and even fewer go on the internet to post about.

yep,
but I notice on forums for other bikes I've owned that the majority of posts are bitching about something wrong with the bike.
CTXes give little reason to complain.
They take gas (not much), oil changes, and minimal maintenance. To me there isn't much to find fault with. Maybe that's why the forums are quiet?

 

[casper]

But obviously, Steve, the bike is selling better than what one would think. Hardly no dcts on the floors. That may mean dealers aren't ordering them. Otoh, explain a now 5 year Ctx700 production run. Probably won't be here for 2019.but still. Tell me how long the ctx 1300 lasted?

 

[Glen e]

I had a long talk about what sells at the local Honda dealership which is the largest in South Florida, Riva motorsports. The DCT sells to a select few. They will not carry them as stock, mine had to be ordered in. It’s a unique bike, when we may love it here, but it doesn’t sell to the large majority and they said many dealers won’t stock them. Not a single one of my friends that ride wants one. My dealer wasn’t able to transfer one in from another dealer either, there wasn’t a single one on in stock in the entire south Florida area.

When I worked at American Honda as a Zone rep in Ohio from 1975 through 82, we had exclusive Honda dealerships, everywhere. The motorcycle business was that good, one single brand could support the dealership. The dealer agreement required them to carry every model on the floor, in stock. Now that’s not the case, As the only way a motorcycle dealership can survive is if they carry virtually every brand possible, at least the Japanese manufacturers are all ending up in one dealership , in most cities and towns..... It’s a function of the market dropping 50% every four years since 2008.If the market roars back and we started getting a lot of brand new buyers and riders, I think the DCT would do much better, But not now amoung the experienced riders that are buying bikes, that all that’s left.

 

[burdicda]

I'm in Melbourne FL ..
154 miles north of Lauderdale
The Powersports dealership here has 3 or more DCT's in stock at all times
and will let you test ride one ....
I rode one for half an hour all over the place then bought it the next day....
They have no problems at all keeping them in stock at all times...

 

[mtvic]

That's because they let your ride one. Most dealers won't allow it. Then they admit people who get on the DCT like it more than they think, and they sell. Without a demo bike it's hard to introduce people to new technology. Every shop I stop in I ask about reactions of riders IF they try a DCT, and I get the same response, people seem to like it and consider buying one after walking in and saying not interested in DCTs.

Honda is missing the boat not offering dealers a floor plan for a demo bike, dealers are being cheap not keeping even a used 2014 dct as a demo.

I also didn't intend to buy a dct, then I found a used NM4 and they let me drive it. Bought it.

 

[Michael Moore]

When I worked at American Honda as a Zone rep in Ohio from 1975 through 82, we had exclusive Honda dealerships, everywhere. The motorcycle business was that good, one single brand could support the dealership. The dealer agreement required them to carry every model on the floor, in stock.

In 1971/72 I worked part time at a Suzuki/Triumph/BMW dealership in New Mexico. We had one of every model (except the MX bikes) as a demonstrator which doesn't seem to be the case with dealerships these days. You could walk in and ride a Trailhopper or a Trident, they were all ready to go.