I'm actually thinking more sport-touring (ST1100/1300). They have sat on their backside and basically given the market away. The new Africa Twin is intriguing and maybe they will be able to grab some A-T market share, but it's probably another example of too little - too late.
In bed exciters (speakers) good or bad idea? Poll
I think it was a waste of time and engineering resources personally.
I'm going to try and add a third option for the people who can't commit to a real opinion... i.e. the mushy middle with no convictions. :grin:
Edit: sorry I couldn't edit the poll to add a third option for the people who can't get off the fence.
I'm going to try and add a third option for the people who can't commit to a real opinion... i.e. the mushy middle with no convictions. :grin:
Edit: sorry I couldn't edit the poll to add a third option for the people who can't get off the fence.
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The 1100 has been around a long time and it has a cult following and I had the 1300. Went cross country ob it and it was FAST and comfortable. They did not sell a lot. they did sell quite a few but now they are moving forward fast. I was in honda the other day getting a carb rebuild kit for my XR650l and Saw the Valkyrie and CXT(?) I think that is the automatic. I am interested in the AT but just too look. I am not young enough to make use of that...I'm actually thinking more sport-touring (ST1100/1300). They have sat on their backside and basically given the market away. The new Africa Twin is intriguing and maybe they will be able to grab some A-T market share, but it's probably another example of too little - too late.
As far as the speaker in bed are concerned, people have been putting huge stereos in their trunk and back seats for all kinds of reasons. I wash and polish my S-10 pickup like a shine-aholic. The tunes would be nice, but at my age, I dont need it for 500+ bucks. 200, maybe 300 but not more. IF it comes with the Black Edition, well...thats another story.
Doesnt matter they didnt make many.how many did they have left over?
:grin:
Everyone that had one, loves it and would buy another and I know several people that bought one after the other. I looked at the 1st gen MANY many times but was holding off due to financial situations and the crappy gas mileage. Or I would have the Sport. I am glad waited.
and this also!
Would like to see your stats. Did you own a RL or not. Your thingy shows "Not a RL Owner" but yet you show a Blue 2011. If you did own the 2011 why did you get rid of it. Crappy mpgs compared to what.
For more details of my opinion of the In Bed Audio system, see my previous post:
http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/1918385-post41.html
http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/1918385-post41.html
can i fill the bed with wet grass and not mess up the exciters?
how about sharp sticks?
concrete?
how about sharp sticks?
concrete?
It was a joke about not having any leftovers...:act024:Doesnt matter they didnt make many.
Would like to see your stats. Did you own a RL or not. Your thingy shows "Not a RL Owner" but yet you show a Blue 2011. If you did own the 2011 why did you get rid of it. Crappy mpgs compared to what.
My stats?
i could not join the forums unless I entered any ridgeline, so I picked the color I would have gotten when I joined. wow, been on here a long time!
I am going by my BIL's reports on the mileage. That is his only complaint on the truck. He took many trip to Hilton head and FLA and hated it. He was getting about 20 if he was lucky, on the long trips and way less on the local runs. I borrowed the truck for one week when I was having work done on my S-10 and LOVED it! Did not want to give it back. But I did not check the mpg's.
Since 2009 the RL has sale figures around 15K a year in the US. I don't consider that a leader. Where Millions of trucks are sold every year & Ford sales 3/4 a million a year.how many did they have left over?
:grin:
Anyway, I dont think they ever advertised it well. Everyone that had one, loves it and would buy another and I know several people that bought one after the other. I looked at the 1st gen MANY many times but was holding off due to financial situations and the crappy gas mileage. Or I would have the Sport. I am glad waited.
and this also!
By the way. I've owned my RL since 2010 and it has over 240K miles on it. I will have to replace it at some time. Not because I don't like it but because the miles will eventually start causing expensive items to break. I put roughly 30K to 40K a year on my truck. During hunting seasons it's in the woods most weekends. So it's not just a Mall Crawler.
yescan i fill the bed with wet grass and not mess up the exciters?
how about sharp sticks?
concrete?
yes
and yes? Careful with the sharp sticks though, you might poke your eye out!
The exciters (sounds like some weird Japanese teeny bopper pop band) are not visible in the bed. From posts on this site, the bed is not as strong as the Gen 1 is...which is disturbing.
Why do you have a ridgeline?Since 2009 the RL has sale figures around 15K a year in the US. I don't consider that a leader. Where Millions of trucks are sold every year & Ford sales 3/4 a million a year.
By the way. I've owned my RL since 2010 and it has over 240K miles on it. I will have to replace it at some time. Not because I don't like it but because the miles will eventually start causing expensive items to break. I put roughly 30K to 40K a year on my truck. During hunting seasons it's in the woods most weekends. So it's not just a Mall Crawler.
I'm guessing optimum materials for sound and durability combination, best locations for exciters, how many, what wattage, unsupported panel size needed for proper resonance, etc., it takes a while to do it right.If that's accurate then Honda wasted an exorbitant amount of money. What is there to engineer? The exciters are a pre-engineered product. All Honda had to do was draw some mounting holes on a CAD drawing so that the composite panels would have something for the exciters to attach to. The most complicated part of the process would have been hanging a microphone in the bed to measure the frequency response so that equalization could be set in the audio system in an effort to improve the sound.
If they sell too many, GM/Ford will lobby for rule changes to squeeze Honda out. Just like what happened when Mopar started winning all of the NASCAR races in the 60's...I think that would be awesome for business but I'm confused they don't want to sell tons of RL's? I know we have talked about this before not that easy to buy and setup land facilities just to build one midsize truck in the model lineup. I'm sure Honda reps turned that down in a minute of talks. Still imo to make impact and succeed with selling these trucks I believe they needed to do something like this to really make that ok Im really interested now in a big way statement. 5k towing, maybe not the best off road, who cares! its got a slide out bed who else does that.
Now it has all the other great features and it has the bed speakers, bed extension or whatever else it could have been.
Every last one of those variables can be determined by one mechanical engineer, one audio engineer, one electrical engineer, and one structural engineer in a matter of days for less than the cost of one new Ridgeline - and even that quantity of people and dollars would be excessive.I'm guessing optimum materials for sound and durability combination, best locations for exciters, how many, what wattage, unsupported panel size needed for proper resonance, etc., it takes a while to do it right.
Because I wanted one. Doesn't mean I have to like Gen2.Why do you have a ridgeline?
and there you have it. The people that want the new RL will get one. Some of those people will never put more than groceries in the bed. And I bet there will be many that will put their dogs in the bed, get in turn the bed speakers on and smile and talk to their dogs, like the dog has been waiting for this event all their lives.Because I wanted one. Doesn't mean I have to like Gen2.
I don't remember what Joe said it was (too lazy to do a search), but it was WAY more than it sounded like it should have been. Even a 100k would be way too much to spend on something like that.Every last one of those variables can be determined by one mechanical engineer, one audio engineer, one electrical engineer, and one structural engineer in a matter of days for less than the cost of one new Ridgeline - and even that quantity of people and dollars would be excessive.
in bed exciters... stupid
in engine torque... gooooood!
in engine torque... gooooood!
Is it a good idea : Yes, it is another unique feature of the Ridgeline (Although I could make an argument that R&D money could have been spent better elsewhere)
What was a bad idea is not offering it on all trim levels or potentially making it standard. :surprise:
What was a bad idea is not offering it on all trim levels or potentially making it standard. :surprise:
I voted bad idea. Some may like the in bed speakers. I enjoy camping, being with nature and hate it when another camper invades the sounds of nature with the sounds of man. As to the sunroof, my dogs love it, keeps the cab cooler when all four are in the truck.
I would have rather seen the R & D cost used for a tailgate lock......
I didn’t vote because I am one of the wafflers…I guess…not sure about that….I dunno...I think so...maybe not...:act024:
Seriously, I don’t think it’s a brilliant idea and I don’t think it is stupid. As someone noted earlier, it’s an interesting and kinda cool idea. Could the money used to develop/integrate it into the RL have been better spent elsewhere in the Gen 2 design…?...yes, I think so.
I guess my reaction to this option can be summed up in one word: Confusion. The folks at Honda are saying they are targeting the 2nd Gen RL to an older demographic. The kinds of folks who have money, know what they want to do with it, who like the handling/ride of an SUV, but who want/need a truck. OK, yeah, I can see that. But the folks who are older, who have money, normally have THINGS. Namely cottages/hunting camps to go to, a fishing/recreational boat, and/or maybe a camper to tow. Wouldn’t the folks who have stuff to haul/places to go rather have…oh, I dunno….more ground clearance, more HP/torques, more functionality…opposed to a sound system in the bed...that they would rarely use?
Just seems to me the folks at Honda are saying they want to target the Gen 2 at an older audience, yet come out with this option that would probably be more attractive to the 20’s and 30’s aged crowd. It’s like the AARP announcing they are going to have a concert for all their members and then end up playing Justin Beiber tunes all day long.
Seriously, I don’t think it’s a brilliant idea and I don’t think it is stupid. As someone noted earlier, it’s an interesting and kinda cool idea. Could the money used to develop/integrate it into the RL have been better spent elsewhere in the Gen 2 design…?...yes, I think so.
I guess my reaction to this option can be summed up in one word: Confusion. The folks at Honda are saying they are targeting the 2nd Gen RL to an older demographic. The kinds of folks who have money, know what they want to do with it, who like the handling/ride of an SUV, but who want/need a truck. OK, yeah, I can see that. But the folks who are older, who have money, normally have THINGS. Namely cottages/hunting camps to go to, a fishing/recreational boat, and/or maybe a camper to tow. Wouldn’t the folks who have stuff to haul/places to go rather have…oh, I dunno….more ground clearance, more HP/torques, more functionality…opposed to a sound system in the bed...that they would rarely use?
Just seems to me the folks at Honda are saying they want to target the Gen 2 at an older audience, yet come out with this option that would probably be more attractive to the 20’s and 30’s aged crowd. It’s like the AARP announcing they are going to have a concert for all their members and then end up playing Justin Beiber tunes all day long.
21 - 40 of 140 Posts
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