Having worked motorcycle retail for several brands as well as 10 years for American Honda Motorcycle Division, I've had the opportunity to ride hundreds of different models, some for quite some time. Honda used to rent Willow Springs each year and we go up there for two days and flog all the new models as well as the competitor new models. Needless to say there was periodic carnage. Ah, when the motorcycle business still had money.
I've ridden most motorcycles sold in the U.S. during the 70's and 80's up to about 1992. There used to be a much bigger difference from bike to bike and brand to brand. Now most bikes are really pretty competent. It's a shame the industry is on it's a$$ when so many good bikes are available. I sat in meetings in 1985 that claimed Honda alone would be selling 1,000,000 units in the U.S. by 1990. Of course, it never happened and these days they're not even close and have warehouses of unsold bikes.
