Depends on who's writing the check, I suppose, but $17k is probably on the low side for many buyers. When I bought my Harley, we did all the paperwork at the credit union where we both bank. I watched the guy sign a withdrawl slip to make up the difference between what he owed and what I paid, and it was pretty painful. But one difference between bicycles and motorcycles is that more people might be inclined to see a bicycle as a way to save some money when the budget gets tight. Sadly, the economy is so bad now that even I can no longer pay cash for a new motorcycle every year.