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Should Kawasaki USA restructure its team? Is it time to replace Dan Fahie, who bluntly dismissed the possibility of Sexton’s crash being caused by a mechanical issue and placed the blame squarely on the rider? And should Fahie be replaced after answering the question, “Will Sexton race outdoors?” with the rather evasive response, “I cannot confirm nor deny that”?
I've also my idea about the leading if engine builders think it is OK to throw riders under the bus... Also this aged like milk...
So how will they fix it?
Kawi seem to have their head in the sand saying it’s not their problem.
I get they have “tried everything” and “worked very hard” to get their riders happy but are obviously limited somewhere.
I would just wager a guess like any corporate company, people will just blame other departments, the USA management will likely say they can only work with what Japan allows and suggests etc, and the blame gets passed on.
Do I think they need major changes? Absolutely!
Do I think anything will change? No.
It’s currently Ktms feeder program.
Is the sky blue?
If it’s run like a real company whoever that dino guy is has been 86’ed . No matter what you think, as an employee to call out another employee in public on record to that extent is egregious.
And yes, to your question, if I’m KHI Japan I’m cleaning house wholesale and instituting an entirely new working environment and mentality at Kaw USA.
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Dean Gibson is still their engine tech guy. No changes…
I don’t condone how he handled it. But never have I seen a pro rider try not to qualify for a race…. That’s a level of frustration that the team members have probably never experienced before.
Should but won’t
Duh
It's insane that Fahie and Bruce Stjernstrom hasn't been letgo. Insane. Especially Fahie, the fact that he publically made it seem like Sexton made a mistake when the bike cut out on him mid air is disgusting.
And there isn't a single championship winning level rider that will sign for this team the coming 5+ years.
I am sure the top guys at Kawasaki USA are nice people, but Dan F. needs to be fired or reassigned. I love Kawasaki but this is embarrassing. They should clean house and try again.
i think the lack of questioning of the test rider is interesting.
If by restructure you mean fire everyone 250 and 450... then yes, you would be correct... it's a chit show over there, 250 and 450... even worse than a chit show, it's a mega super duper never seen this chit before chit show..
i don't feel like it extends to their AM program.. as they still seem to do a good job producing talent... that ultimately gets signed and used by other brands because there is no path to their 250 team, let alone 450....
If they were going to replace or reassign Fahie they would have done it before Chase left in an attempt to keep him. Fahie is staying but it sounds like Oscar is going to get a larger role. Shuffling the deck chairs on the titanic type stuff.
Fuck up, move up. That’s how bloated companies operate.
It's called failing upwards.
Peter Principal
Be careful what you guys wish for- they could make it worse than it is...
They can’t turn up at A1 with the same people with different hats on and hope to be taken seriously. Nothing about Kawasaki in their current guise will attract an elite talent to work with them. That extends to Europe where they are throwing A LOT of money around and still riders are not interested.
In the US, Fahie is a walking PR disaster, he very rarely talks with the media, and when he does he comes across as defensive, confrontational and rarely seems to have his riders’ back.
Kawi as a team seem years behind the rest of the paddock, stuck in their ways, making token efforts to give the impression that they’re flexible but in reality they are not.
If they don’t make serious changes then they have no chance of turning it around
lets be honest, cant get worse than this. They hit rock bottom
Pit Row
Team Kawi: “hold my beer…..”
I don't know who it is where in the world that is restricting Kawi USA from developing the bike how their riders want, but whoever that is needs to go. You have to first and foremost make your riders happy. Sometimes that means trying shit for the hell of it. They may be right on some things, but obviously they are missing on something. And something important...
Due to reputation and team vibe, I think it may be a smart move to just clean house. I just have to think it goes all the way to Japan at this point. If it didn't, those japanese guys would be jumping up and down for change just like everyone else. Looks like the toxicity runs from the top.
The way people on here are acting about people in a small industry's job is insane. This isn't the livelihood of people making millions like major sports leagues, it's dudes making a regular salary who have given more to this sport than most anyone on Vital.
Sports teams by the way are subsidized by the tax dollars of their local fans, thus they have a right to demand jobs. There is a big difference between the two worlds.
They have to. They don't have a choice at this point. It's a three alarm house fire now.
I dunno, when was last time Suzuki USA overhauled, added newest tech and released a brand new 450 in the USA market? Something more than BNG for what 14 years? Not even a standard E Start? I'd say that outright abandoning is worse than Kawi not replacing team management soon enough for some people around here?
Apples to oranges
for all we know, the Prime Directive from Japan may be making dealers happy with an easy to sell bike to the masses. Limit the number of bikes produced each year and give big incentives at year end to clear out remaining inventory. KTM had big trouble due to overproducing units that flooded dealers and they couldn't sell them all. Riders come and go, but the dealers still have to sell the bikes- even if they're not in the top 3-4 of units sold.
??
You inbreds are so lost with Suzuki. It was a new bike in 2018.
Even with that it won the sx title in 2026.
Meanwhile kawis eating shit sandwiches on stage in front of everyone 2 years running.
Is changing parts really trying everything tho? You can’t make a flawed chassis work by simply changing parts. They need a good chassis tech, and until they hire one they will continue to be a shit team.
They won’t hire one as long they have a road racer and a drunk jet ski guy running the show.
Time to give the team to Pro Circuit. It has worked for Yamaha a couple times. It can’t get worse.
Suzuki doesn’t OWE us an electric start or an updated bike.
They’ve basically haven’t been doing a ‘bad’ job,
They’ve basically said “there’s our product, buy it if you want it, if you don’t..🤷♀️
We’ll let you know when we’re ready to get serious about motocross again.”
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