Suzuki - How times have changed

burn1986
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5/21/2012 6:59am Edited Date/Time 5/24/2012 6:56am
Isn't it funny how not too long ago Suzuki was the losing brand - LaRocco 96-98 (I think), McGrath (97), Windham (01-02). Now, it seems to be the winning brand - Carmichael, Reed, Alessi, Dungey, and now Stewart.
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Predator
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5/21/2012 7:05am
Yet nobody buys them... I RARELY EVER see a zook out at my local tracks. I've always wondered why that is... if the bike is sooo good then why don't people buy them?
Paul333
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5/21/2012 7:07am
I think it's great Suzuki is running at the top again with Stewart & Metcalfe. I think they needed it, or they might have gone down the tubes.

FYI: It would be hard to call MC's 1997 season a "Loser", he won a lot of races and only lost the Supercross title by like two points.
Stephon
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5/21/2012 7:14am
Yeah, funny how things work out...and they, supposedly, aren't paying Stewart for his services.

I've always liked the yellow bikes.
zookie
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5/21/2012 7:15am
Predator wrote:
Yet nobody buys them... I RARELY EVER see a zook out at my local tracks. I've always wondered why that is... if the bike is sooo...
Yet nobody buys them... I RARELY EVER see a zook out at my local tracks. I've always wondered why that is... if the bike is sooo good then why don't people buy them?
Because people want the newest, latest, greatest fad of a motorcycle. My nearly 10 year old RM125 and RM250 are still great bikes, handle better than most of what is on the track today.

The Shop

5/21/2012 7:16am
yeah it will be funny to see if the U.S sales go up over the next couple of years once Stewart has torn some new arseholes, and I know it hasn't happened yet but we all know it's not going to harm sale figures when he does, which he will
slipdog
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5/21/2012 7:22am
burn1986 wrote:
Isn't it funny how not too long ago Suzuki was the losing brand - LaRocco 96-98 (I think), McGrath (97), Windham (01-02). Now, it seems to...
Isn't it funny how not too long ago Suzuki was the losing brand - LaRocco 96-98 (I think), McGrath (97), Windham (01-02). Now, it seems to be the winning brand - Carmichael, Reed, Alessi, Dungey, and now Stewart.
Alessi??? Just asking...
Racer92
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5/21/2012 7:23am
Paul333 wrote:
I think it's great Suzuki is running at the top again with Stewart & Metcalfe. I think they needed it, or they might have gone down...
I think it's great Suzuki is running at the top again with Stewart & Metcalfe. I think they needed it, or they might have gone down the tubes.

FYI: It would be hard to call MC's 1997 season a "Loser", he won a lot of races and only lost the Supercross title by like two points.
If not for a stinkin' flat tire, McGrath woulda won the title in '97 and that sure wasnt Suzuki's fault.
Huckster
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5/21/2012 7:55am
so is it safe to say that the old saying, "Win on Sunday(sat now), sell on Monday..." is no longer true and doesn't hold much weight?

I owned a RMZ 450 and loved it. thinking of actually buying a new one.
SPYGUY
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5/21/2012 8:40am
Racer92 wrote:
If not for a stinkin' flat tire, McGrath woulda won the title in '97 and that sure wasnt Suzuki's fault.
That flat tire didn't cost him as many points as the toasted clutch did at Indy that year.

It was just a string of bad luck. Tangled with Lamson at round 1...clutch problems at Indy, fell while leading at Pontiac, flat at Charlotte, first turn pileup in the mud at Dallas after he had almost evened up the poiints to Emig.
fader418
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5/21/2012 8:53am
Yes they have won alot, but it seems since Roger left they haven't been improving the motorcycle. They have way too many dnf's over the last year and a half...
Moto_Geek
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5/21/2012 9:12am
Color preference and branding I bet has alot to do with it. They are big in the quad market.
Uncleof2
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5/21/2012 9:15am
Predator wrote:
Yet nobody buys them... I RARELY EVER see a zook out at my local tracks. I've always wondered why that is... if the bike is sooo...
Yet nobody buys them... I RARELY EVER see a zook out at my local tracks. I've always wondered why that is... if the bike is sooo good then why don't people buy them?
There YELLOW Smile
Ish
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5/21/2012 9:47am
I can't stand yellow.. If I found a black one for a good price I would ride/buy it.
mjskier
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5/21/2012 9:54am
slipdog wrote:
Alessi??? Just asking...
(June 9, 2009) Rockstar Makita Suzuki has reported that championship points leading rider, Mike Alessi, underwent successful left knee surgery this morning.
lostboy819
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5/21/2012 10:12am Edited Date/Time 5/21/2012 10:15am
Paul333 wrote:
I think it's great Suzuki is running at the top again with Stewart & Metcalfe. I think they needed it, or they might have gone down...
I think it's great Suzuki is running at the top again with Stewart & Metcalfe. I think they needed it, or they might have gone down the tubes.

FYI: It would be hard to call MC's 1997 season a "Loser", he won a lot of races and only lost the Supercross title by like two points.
Racer92 wrote:
If not for a stinkin' flat tire, McGrath woulda won the title in '97 and that sure wasnt Suzuki's fault.
That and Steve "lame" Lamson taking McGrath out twice at the season opener. McGrath said he always got great starts on the Suzuki because it didnt have enough power spin the tire and lose traction. lol
burn1986
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5/21/2012 10:25am Edited Date/Time 5/21/2012 10:27am
Lost seasons
LaRocco


McGrath


Windham


Winning Seasons
Carmichael


Reed


Alessi


Dungey


Stewart - Good win at Hangtown, forecast looks like more wins on the way
slipdog
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5/21/2012 10:40am
slipdog wrote:
Alessi??? Just asking...
mjskier wrote:
(June 9, 2009) Rockstar Makita Suzuki has reported that championship points leading rider, Mike Alessi, underwent successful left knee surgery this morning.
Gott'a be in it to win it!

I'm not bagging on his skills, just that he won 2 races and the OP called him a winner. McGrath won a lot more than Alessi, but he was a loser...

I disagree with those statments, that's all.
burn1986
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5/21/2012 12:14pm
Okay, I wrote it wrong. Originally meant that for awhile, when a rider went to Suzuki they didn't do as well on it. Lately it seems that they have had their best seasons on Suzuki.
brimx153
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5/21/2012 12:21pm
burn1986 wrote:
Isn't it funny how not too long ago Suzuki was the losing brand - LaRocco 96-98 (I think), McGrath (97), Windham (01-02). Now, it seems to...
Isn't it funny how not too long ago Suzuki was the losing brand - LaRocco 96-98 (I think), McGrath (97), Windham (01-02). Now, it seems to be the winning brand - Carmichael, Reed, Alessi, Dungey, and now Stewart.
your forgetting albertyn was the 99 champ, pastrana was a champ on them too , i had a couple of suzukis , and loved them , they handled soo well , only problem with them is gearboxes , and thats why i wont buy one now , even tho i think they are the best bike on the track since 08 , i ve been a honda man the last 8 years , and thats the only bike ill buy , really think they are the most reliable bikeout there , never had one problem with them ,
burn1986
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5/21/2012 12:27pm Edited Date/Time 5/21/2012 12:28pm
I think that since McGrath won so convincingly for so long, that when he didn't win in 97, that it was assumed that it was the bike. Same thing for Larocco to a point. Albertyn started out on Suzuki as did Pastrana.

Where as now, there is a new confidence for Suzuki, and the bike has a better image (than it did from 96-98)
Madmax31
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5/21/2012 12:29pm
It is surprising. I think they had a string of a few bad years and it's still haunting them. Nothing will turn under a zook. Great bikes and under rated.
jeffro503
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5/21/2012 12:31pm
Been a Honda guy for the last 10 years ( actually I didn't ride for 5.5yrs of that )......but with that being said , I rode a 2011 RMZ450 and simply loved it! It's one hell of a bike and when I step up to a newer bike next year....The Suzuki will be at the top of the list. Actually.....the way things sit right now....it'll be between the Suzuki and the kawasaki for me.

Ah shit....who am I kidding.....I want to test ride a 2012 Honda as well.
Predator
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5/21/2012 12:39pm
Predator wrote:
Yet nobody buys them... I RARELY EVER see a zook out at my local tracks. I've always wondered why that is... if the bike is sooo...
Yet nobody buys them... I RARELY EVER see a zook out at my local tracks. I've always wondered why that is... if the bike is sooo good then why don't people buy them?
Uncleof2 wrote:
There YELLOW Smile
LOL good point
Dsigner
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5/21/2012 12:42pm
MCR's come in Black. Wink
5/21/2012 1:21pm
Predator wrote:
Yet nobody buys them... I RARELY EVER see a zook out at my local tracks. I've always wondered why that is... if the bike is sooo...
Yet nobody buys them... I RARELY EVER see a zook out at my local tracks. I've always wondered why that is... if the bike is sooo good then why don't people buy them?
A lot of false-neutral issues as of late few years.

Though, Im not sure that is why most people dont buy one.


The color might have something to do with it. CocaCola is red for a reason.
sam111
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5/21/2012 1:44pm Edited Date/Time 5/21/2012 1:53pm
There was a similar thread to this a few weeks ago:
http://www.vitalmx.com/forums/Moto-Related,20/why-dont-suzukis-sell-wel…

I have ridden Suzuki's for 10 years and think they are great bikes. I haven't had any mechanical problems you wouldn't expect from a mx bike. I think it is BS when people say they are unreliable.
Suzuki's are actually pretty popular over here. They are considerably cheaper new than all the other brands though. Are you guys basing this poor sales reputation on any figures or is it just observation?
sam111
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5/21/2012 1:52pm
Suzuki has won more AMA 450 MX titles than any other brand in the last 10 years:

Suzuki: 4 ('05, '06, '09, '10)
Honda: 3 ('02, '03, '04)
Kawasaki: 2 ('08, '11)
Yamaha: 1 ('07)
KTM: 0

And is tied for SX titles with Yamaha:

Suzuki: 3 ('05, '06, '10)
Yamaha: 3 ('04, '08, '09)
Kawasaki 2 ('07, '11)
Honda: 2 ('02, '03)
KTM: 0

I guess this shows pro MX results do not necessarily translate to sales.

Over here, I don't think that many people follow the pro scene closely, and I don't think many peoples choice of bike would be influenced by pro results.
TeamGreen
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5/21/2012 3:45pm
Suzuki seems to be relearning the U.S. market...

They have, by far, the best financing/offers out there on ANY 2012; but, that wasn't the case for the last few years.
Hallzilla
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5/21/2012 4:22pm
Ish wrote:
I can't stand yellow.. If I found a black one for a good price I would ride/buy it.
.... and move to Lake Elsinore rockin my Metal Mulisha tank top.

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