Posts
2068
Joined
10/29/2006
Location
Fredericton
CA
Edited Date/Time
7/20/2012 9:41am
Only Kawasaki is representing in Canada well besides KTM. And the big 4 don't have many factory seats in the US.
They should be like KTM, the little factory that could, or even Ducati. Give the buyers choice and cool product, and get off their pile of old money and old thinking!
Off-road, good luck finding a 450 Kawasaki or Suzuki, the CRF X hasn't changed in years except a steering damper. Only the WR has been spruced up, but...no plate. A WR250 with a plate weighs 280 lbs, my 525 weighs 260 lb's. I guess Honda does have a 250 based on the CRF, but 250cc's is not enough for the street.
Their sales are down mainly because their business model sucks. The Europeans are coming along pretty well, it's the early 70's again.
It is a good thing for the big 4 the Chinese bikes stink for now, or the Japanese would be done.
I read that Suzuki cars with probably not exist nexy year, I don't know how that affects bikes.
They should be like KTM, the little factory that could, or even Ducati. Give the buyers choice and cool product, and get off their pile of old money and old thinking!
Off-road, good luck finding a 450 Kawasaki or Suzuki, the CRF X hasn't changed in years except a steering damper. Only the WR has been spruced up, but...no plate. A WR250 with a plate weighs 280 lbs, my 525 weighs 260 lb's. I guess Honda does have a 250 based on the CRF, but 250cc's is not enough for the street.
Their sales are down mainly because their business model sucks. The Europeans are coming along pretty well, it's the early 70's again.
It is a good thing for the big 4 the Chinese bikes stink for now, or the Japanese would be done.
I read that Suzuki cars with probably not exist nexy year, I don't know how that affects bikes.
The Shop
KTM and the other smaller companies, mostly European, are trying to make off-road bikes for the masses.
I'll give Yamaha credit for their new WR450.
They are a bit expensive, but a deal is only a good deal if you get something you really like.
A few thousand MX bikes are the "supermodels" for the off-road, the masses want something different.
Can you do a 110 foot triple....I thought so (me neither, maybe once)? Yamaha's off-road foundation was built on the DT1.
If Ducati can go MotoGP racing$$$$$$$$$, the Japanese can build some good off-road stuff.
Here is a picture from good old Atlantic Canada, not a sponsored rider in the mix.
Lots of sweet bikes, most with plates from the dealer. Notice anything?
Same can be said for the buyers also.
only brand i see that seems to give two shits about what the consumer wants rather than forcing what they "think" we want down our throats.
I, like most other motocrossers want the best working and most reliable bike on the track. I fail to see how the Japanese are not meeting those demands.
http://blog.motorcycle.com/2012/04/24/industry-news/us-motorcycle-sales…
Bike sales are down so the commitment from the big four factories reduces too.
MX Pro racing and bike development budgets go down accordingly.
No point in spending millions on running a pro team if the bikes sold do not warrant it. Looks like the new 'Team' structure will be private teams with 'Factory' support as per the Euros.
As KTMs core business is off road it makes sense to run their own teams and also means their bike development is so fast.
Look how quick they built the Dungey bike. Insane
Not to mention, this has been coming for quite some time. If you really want to get upset with someone for the "step back" of the big 4 factorys, then you need to get mad at Jeff Glass (Surf Honda), TUF Racing, Mitch Peyton/Pro Circuit, Honda of Troy... I mean these were the teams who stepped up and challenged the factory teams just enough that they were able to gather factory support and start the NASCAR like team style (for lack of a better explination). Maybe Jeremy McGrath is really to blame with his whole, "do my own thing" deal.
This is a move in the right direction and the sport will conmtinue to grow because of it. It is possible that in another 10 or 15 years, we may not see Japanese bikes in the US racing world. Highly doubtful, but entirelly possible. Who will replace them? KTM has stepped up already. What about a return for Husqvarna with a push from BMW? TM could become a contender eventually. Anything is possible.
Our sport will continue to grow and evolve. I think witnessing the change is something we should sit back and enjoy. I remember thinking the move away from box vans was terrible. Now I think it was not only the right move, but a better overall move for our sport.
Not everybody needs or wants the exact same bike that Chad Reed bought from the local Honda dealer and went racing on at the absolute top level of the sport in the world.
I'm sure someone will be along to say that it would cost too much for the Japanese lines to offer such a bike but that is complete b/s. They could do it in a heartbeat with little effort. Everything already exists
KTM's rising.
Ironic that KTM have the biggest range of bikes, constantly reinvent and develop their product and most importantly apply to their full line up, including 2 strokes!
Do the 'big four' not scratch their cost efficient brains and think about it? They're actually all so stupid when it comes down to all this..
Our sport has just gone a little nuts.
What are the options for an entry level rider?
A 125 two stroke? What are your options for racing it at a Beginner level? 250D class where you will get smoked off the start? a 125 "Amateur" class where you race against every hot shoe schoolboy rider looking for more track time on their 125?
a 250F that makes very good tractible power. The result is that beginner riders are able to try obstacles that they have absolutely no business trying.
a 450F? Really? Is this a good choice for a 14 year old kid when magical thinking is the only thinking going on?
Even the 50cc classes have just gotten nuts. 4-6 year olds racing bikes that make about 11 hp. Yeah, nothing can go wrong with that.
Our sport desparately needs some affordable, simple, easy to maintain option that is not so technoligically evolved that it is much more machine than an entry level rider should be riding.
As far as the OP's post.
The off road market is such a tiny portion of the business most of these companies do that the most amazing thing about the whole industry is that they mess with it at all.
The fact that KTM is increasing market share is not something to get terribly excited about.
When the economy turns around, and if and when the number of units sold start to turn around and look anything like the numbers that there were in the mid 70's (when numbers actually peaked) then the "Big Four" may chose to play a much more active roll if it does make more sense from a business standpoint.
Realistically, I wouldn't expect sales to come back that strong anytime soon. The lack of convenient riding areas, the technological complexity of the bikes, and the fact that there are so many other recreation options competing for shrinking disposable income make it a steep, uphill climb.
Pit Row
Ivan
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