What does Limited Edition Mean... 1200 Runes

[runemyday]

I went to the Long Beach Bike Show this weekend drooling over the Rune and talked to a Honda Rep... See I am a cheap sucker and have found the bikes offered for lots less outside Cal. that inside California. I was just about to step to the plate and buy one here in Ca. to avoid registration B>S> and of course our Smog Issue. I also I did not know if I was willing to wait for some other guy to use the first 2000 miles before his old lady made him sell it..seeming how there were only going to be 1200 of them made......So i figure I would ask a few questions first..

Here were my questions and the answer that I got.

Is Honda limiting the production to 1200 UNITS???..
Answer from Honda REP... "No. Honda is already exceeded that production number is still making them and scheduling 2005 production."

How about the demand?
THE HONDA REP: The demand was so high that we just kept pushing them out... Some dealers have three of them in stock now, so there is no supply problem. The mid west dealers just dont want to pay flooring on them... (interest charged why sitting on the showroom floor)

I even went to Cycles Traders dot Com and found that one Ca. Dealership did just that .. advertised 3 units in stock this month.

OF COURSE THIS makes me wonder how the guys that purchased these RARE units feel.... See I was rushing to get one of the 1200 not one of the 1300 or 3000. I thought I read where the entire production was limited to 1200. It even said 1200 in the show brochure that they handed out at the Long Beach Bike show... RARE and limited production should have a real meaning and I bet some attorney that stepped to the plate and paid a premium for a limited edition with a released number of 1200 will take them to task....

Fair.. I guess that is what this is all about... your opinion of fair and my opinion may be different... whats your comment? Can anyone say class action...?

[LaMonster]

Kinda like the RC51 :(

[R J]

To Honda I think Limited Edition means make all ya can and sell em for 2 years and then get out.

Remember the 1985 Gold Wing, had fuel injection and was supposed to be a Limited Edition cause they had been building Gold Wings for 10 years, and this was a new Anniversary model? This Wing had the time zone map on the tank, was Brown in color, had bells and whistles up the ying yang.

Then in 1986 they came out with the SEi, same as the 85 only a different color. 1987, that model was dropped. The SEi stood for Special Edition and the i was for 1. They had a bunch of problems with heat and it staying running.

Both the 85 and the 86 had vapor locking problems. They made a supposed fix but it didn't work. The fuel pump was laying within 3" of the exhaust pipe and it would boil the fuel in the tank in the hot areas of the US.

I was on a trip in Florida in 86 after I retired with my youngest daughter when it vapor locked the first time. Took it into the dealer, he said oh yes we have a fix for that, give me an hour. An hour and a 1/2 later I was on the side of the road again, fuel boiling, and a little girl that was scared to death that she was stranded for life and going to die out there.

If finally cooled off and after about 3 more stops along the road we made it to a town. I stopped at the first Novelty store and bought a 10,000 shot water gun. Loaded it and told Valarie when I said to shot the pipe to start pouring water on it till I said stop. Every time we hit a town we re-loaded her gun. We made it to Jackson, MS that night. The next morning I noticed a bike shop across the street and he was open. I figured if I re-routed the gas line it would cure my problem or make it better.

Talked to the guy in the shop, he was an independent, he also owned a 85 Wing and was pe'od at it for the same reason, but he hadn't figured out what the problem was. I showed him where the pump laid and we proceeded to put my pump up under the seat. Took us a couple of hours, but it gave me no more problems till I sold it in 88....... Then I found out the dealer put the pump back where it was originally and the new owner started having problems. Nuf said, dealer wouldn't honor the warranty if he moved it. Go figure......................

[Smilin Jack]

I had heard that there would be a minimum of one per dealer and in some cases 2 or 3.

While at the Valkyrie ridein this year we went to Marysville during the homecomming and were told that production would be probably about 2400 units.

Most of the folks that I have seen that have them absolutely love them. I too think it is a great looking bike. Now that folks are working out the details on passenger seats and the rest of the normal options the bike has a lot more appeal.

Smilin' Jack