Was that a US distributor issue or a manufacturer issue?
Both. Piaggio set up their own distribution network in Canada, the US, and Latin America about 30 years ago and control it from Italy.
I don't even think about other bikes.
Gosh...no offence meant. I have a Fronteer and Xterra also so they take the place of a Ridgeline like vehicle but neither of them will pull 10K pounds up a hill. I haven't pulled my tractor around lately either....but I just hauled several tons of steel for a neighbor and I probably could have done that with either Nissan but the Ford needed some exercise. Just paid for a new 2022 license plate so I guess I'm into the big truck for another year. What I'd really like is a "cherry" El Camino...not to haul but to wax and shine. I have a 345 hp 350 Chevy in the shop that needs a home...wife not exactly on board for that...she needs a couple more trips to "Lost in the 50's" week.
No offence taken. I don't ever haul 10K pounds up a hill, just the occasional couch or dresser across town, or a dozen bags of mulch or bird seed for my wife, so obviously my needs are different. I have towed an open trailer with an ST 1300 on it to Montana. I do wish the Ridgeline got better gas mileage (19 mpg), but for my needs it's great. Smooth, comfortable, and roomy and what's really nice, is that it's been paid for, for over a decade lol. Just sits in the driveway patiently waiting for me to need it occasionally.
Understand!
It looks like the Honda Ridgeline is the “NC” of trucks. A number of people here on the forum (at least 8 that I know of, including me) own Ridgelines. The Ridgeline seems to be chosen with the same sort of non-mainstream mentality where one would chose a motorcycle like the NC.
That makes sense. Do they come with the same great all wheel drive as my CRV? That thing is like a goat...if it had more ground clearance it would be the perfect snow vehicle.
The Ridgeline is available with AWD on some trim lines (mine has AWD). I can’t compare it to the CRV as I have not ever owned a CRV.
Probably the same engineering minds at work.
None was taken.
Honda made this improvement (including AWD on all trims) partly by eliminating the lower two trim levels so that all available models are now forced up to higher priced trims. In 2017, there were 7 trim levels, now in 2022 there are 4. The original low trim levels of the Gen 2 , RT and RTS, that had optional AWD, are gone. If I was shopping now, I would likely not be buying a Ridgeline. What I want, they don't build anymore.
I went looking for Toyota and the dealer had this 2008 with 14K, super cab and long bed for $18K. I wrote him a check and drove it home. I have 118K now and other than tires and oil I've just put gas in it. It does turn a bit wide but I have no complaints. I towed a 1948 Cessna 170 back from Ohio last Summer and it performed flawlessly so no complaints. Our CRV gets most of the miles around town and it has 192K and I replaced a clutch on the air conditioner compressor, change oil and put gas in it. I will probably put a timing belt on it as soon as I get my 74 CT90 rebuild project off my lift. I built jigs to lift different things and it is so handy when working on most anything...getting too old to crawl under stuff.
