Originally Posted by
Ron Damon
Except that the FnHon Tornado has been out for at least seven years. That's not opinion. Here it is on the FnHon website from eons ago when it was still only for rim brakes.
Tornado20 - 20 - ??
Link wouldn't connect. But I verified same age of X11 from article online.
I don't think FnHon developed this independently, it's too close in design, right down to the side creases on the main frame tube. I think it was just a very rapidly executed copy, soon after the X11 market debut, probably starting as soon as it was shown in trade shows before. So yeah, a much cheaper copy available, quickly.
But you cannot really fault someone for paying full price, if for no other reason than respecting intellectual property. And for some, they don't wrench, they want a full turn-key bike.
Where I grew up, there was an upscale department store, their prices were always high list MSRP, and I wondered how they could compete. And then as an adult I learned, because they offered exceptional service, and because their clientele wouldn't dream of buying things on sale, it was beneath them. Seriously. This store got by on a limited, upscale clientele for decades. Looking online now, they went belly-up in 2002 after 164 years in business.
I grew up poor, and it's never left me (to a fault, even after university and a well-paying career, I'm terrified of debt, never borrowed a dime, never bought on credit, worked my way through college). I tip generously at restaurants, but otherwise, I'm frugal; I shop carefully, fix things myself, keep a quality item of clothing *forever* (classic styles, do herringbone and tweed blazers ever go out of style?), mostly cook superbly for myself at incredibly low cost, never bought a new car. Thank goodness for youtube repair videos for things that are beyond even my extensive knowledge.
Others spend more easily. Don't fault them. If everyone was like me, the world economy would crash.