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11/17/2014
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GB
Edited Date/Time
11/19/2020 3:53pm
Something I’ve thought about for about as long as Suzuki kept their last bikes going without update, but with the recent news of JGR having to close it’s doors as Suzuki couldn’t offer them an acceptable amount to go racing, along with the loss of long time Suzuki people such as RC and the firing of their R&D dept etc I don’t think it could be more relevant..
Have any of the other Japanese manufacturers considered taking on the Suzuki, as per KTM with Husky and now GasGas? (Yellow plastics on a.....)
To me, KTM’s model clearly works and will continue to work. Could another OEM jump on this band wagon?
No way saying the Suzuki is a bad bike by any means, but the bikes aren’t even being featured in shootouts anymore so the only press they’re getting is from Goonrider886 joking about their lack of e-start on this forum.
With their Moto GP success, they must want to win, but this doesn’t appear to trickle down to our sport. I’m looking at like, there’s a shortage of bikes, they have a factory sitting there making surplus bikes, why not see if a deal can be made to get them back on their feet, or if they can even sell their Motocross side of industry off and have the brand represented on a different bike?
Suzuki will get good representation, the other OEM will get another factory manufacturing bikes. Seams like a win-win, no?
Have any of the other Japanese manufacturers considered taking on the Suzuki, as per KTM with Husky and now GasGas? (Yellow plastics on a.....)
To me, KTM’s model clearly works and will continue to work. Could another OEM jump on this band wagon?
No way saying the Suzuki is a bad bike by any means, but the bikes aren’t even being featured in shootouts anymore so the only press they’re getting is from Goonrider886 joking about their lack of e-start on this forum.
With their Moto GP success, they must want to win, but this doesn’t appear to trickle down to our sport. I’m looking at like, there’s a shortage of bikes, they have a factory sitting there making surplus bikes, why not see if a deal can be made to get them back on their feet, or if they can even sell their Motocross side of industry off and have the brand represented on a different bike?
Suzuki will get good representation, the other OEM will get another factory manufacturing bikes. Seams like a win-win, no?
Prepare for Vital's wrath! The fury of criticism shall soon be unleashed.
Suzuki American R&D stopped development of MX bikes in the U.S. not in Japan. All that means is there is no group of people under the guise of Suzuki going to MX tracks in the U.S. to test MX bikes. That's all it ever ment.
RC leaving as a catalyst? After DeCoster left in 2010 their MX effort has been less and less ever since
The multi-billion dollar net worth corporation is going to sell off it's motorcycle market share and branding to competitors? LOL. KTM bought majority shares of Husqvarna and Gas Gas to be able to do what they're doing with those brands. Do you really think Suzuki is going to sell 51% of it's stock to KTM? Well it's not possible because Suzuki Motor Corporation is billions more valuable than KTM. According to business insider KTM's market cap is 1.4B and Suzuki's is 24.09B. You do the math.
Suzuki probably doesn't want to reinvest into the sport because even though they've had a good bike and good race results stupid rumors like this get peddled around and for whatever reason the brand has a stigma with in the sport. Honestly if I were them I'd pull back too, it's not like there's much money to be made here relative to other endeavors they could pursue.
Where do you people come up with this shit?
The Shop
i like the idea of a yellow ktm especially two strokes...but there is only fluo yellow plastics made by polisport and rtech
Plus, I imagine Suzuki is using most or all of its capacity for its own products right now. They recently built an all-new factory in Japan to pick up some slack. I don't see them farming any of it out.
As for the 2004 deal, Suzuki and Kawasaki entered a partnership to fill each other's missing spots. Suzuki didn't have a 65cc or 100cc motocross bike, and Kawasaki didn't have a 400cc sport ATV or dual sport. So, we ended up with RM65s, RM100s, KFX400s and KLX400s. They put yellow plastic on the KXes and green on the LT and DR-Z models. Both companies jointly developed the KXF and RM-Z250 initial models.
To summarise I suggested that maybe another Japanese OEM should consider looking in to that ‘S’ logo and replicating the KTM business model.
Hence the RM 100 (KX 100) I put in my post from when Kawi/ Suzuki paired up before.
My ultimate points were - would you be more inclined to buy an RMZ as it stands. Or a Yellow, let’s say Kawasaki for the point of this argument?
With regards to the comments about Suzuki being a multi million pound organisation, the fact they’re laying people off doesn’t mean anything - it clearly does.
So, why not get some Kawi’s on a Suzuki production line, get a race winning bike (not saying the current RM isn’t), a bike that will sell and make money off the royalties of the badge?
Kawi get more bikes on the show room floor - using Suzuki’s production lines/ distribution network and I’m sure Suzuki would get more money overall..
Suzuki are clearly struggling in our sport - Covid, bla, bla, bla.. but as said above Roger left, then this, then this, then this..
It’s not a new thing.
Suzuki just aren’t invested in the sport like they used to be, so what do they do?
As you saw, I put the yellow kx 100 in my post - wrongfully assuming people would understand.
Would it not be better for everyone to just make yellow hondas/ kawis/ Yamaha’s and be done with it?
The title of the post? Lmao
Nor would I have suggested another Japanese manufacturer replicating KTMs methods.
Or featured a Yellow Kawasaki in the post!!!
Suzuki make a lot more than motorcycles. No way In hell would they sell their motorcycle division to a rival 🤣
Pit Row
For the 17 450r they pulled in new management, new test riders, hired Ken Roczen etc etc
In their own press release they said the 21 450r was going to be the lightest in class. I guess they themselves consider the Austrian bikes in a different class because they’re still 10lbs heavier than the ktms. They are the lightest Japanese bikes tho now.
Anyway to say that the Japanese are allowing ktm to crush it seems to be completely fake news.
Honda has gone after them, and still hasn’t gotten it done.
I’m saying, why aren’t the Japanese jumping on the KTM business model and buying out the struggling brands, slapping their logo on the existing product and taking up more of the market?
Honda could throw a simple mail Suzuki’s way like- you guys are struggling, want to make a deal?
You say it’s crazy but, look at the car industry. We’ve got BMW powered Supras, Subaru powered Toyotas.. All effectively competitors, but you got to do what’s in your best interest.
With Suzuki right now, would you agree that they’d be in a better place if the bikes were Yellow Kawasaki’s or Hondas....?
And no, it’s not 2004. But as said above, there’s a lack of bikes right now. Suzuki’s clearly not getting the sales they want, why can’t another OEM utilise their lines to make better bikes and slap a Suzuki badge on it?
The motocross market isn't sufficient for such an endeavor. Motocross sales are not booming, there is a shortage of the intended yearly production due to the pandemic and a good temporary uptick in sales from the quarantine. The factories only want to produce what they project they can sell in a model year. Over-producing creates a surplus that brings the price down and cuts into the next model year sales.
OEMs don't manufacture as many 600cc sport bikes and don't put a lot of money in to R&D because there is a limited demand for anymore.
Look at Harley Davidson's financial troubles for an example. Their main market was 45 to 65 year old white middle class men with enough disposable income to support the high price. Their market (according to them)is dying off at a rapid rate. They've been scrambling trying to repackage their outdated product to appeal to a new markets. There also trying to produce electric bikes and small displacement lower cost transportation bikes. Their big bikes don't sell like they used to and they need other products to fill the void. HD is not trendy anymore. Young people don't want them to any great extent.
Why do you think KTM married into India? To produce small cheap motorcycles.
The motocross market isn't sufficient for such an endeavor. Motocross sales are not booming, there is a shortage of the intended yearly production due to the pandemic and a good temporary uptick in sales from the quarantine. The factories only want to produce what they project they can sell in a model year. Over-producing creates a surplus that brings the price down and cuts into the next model year sales.
OEMs don't manufacture as many 600cc sport bikes and don't put a lot of money in to R&D because there is a limited demand for anymore.
Look at Harley Davidson's financial troubles for an example. Their main market was 45 to 65 year old white middle class men with enough disposable income to support the high price. Their market (according to them)is dying off at a rapid rate. They've been scrambling trying to repackage their outdated product to appeal to a new markets. There also trying to produce electric bikes and small displacement lower cost transportation bikes. Their big bikes don't sell like they used to and they need other products to fill the void. HD is not trendy anymore. Young people don't want them to any great extent.
Why do you think KTM married into India? To produce small cheap motorcycles.
Don't conflate Suzuki's "lack of develpment" and failure to win recent MX races as a sign that the business itself is hurting. They, like virtually every other brand that produces anything fun, are sold out of everything. If anything they are struggling to meet the 30% increase in Y-O-Y demand. MX bikes simply may not be a part of their plan for future success.
Not many people think the suzuki mx bikes are good enough and don't buy them. Suzuki won't make a better bike because they don't sell enough. Its a sad loop and regardless of all the arguments in here, I can't see it changing.
I do still have a suzuki hat that I wore this week to celebrate their moto GP title.
A Moto gp bike is a bit different to a mass produced dirt bike, don’t you think?
That’s not the logic at all any way.
My point above regarding car manufacturers utilising other manufacturers vehicles and putting a new badge on is the easiest way to describe it, as evidently people can’t get comprehend anything more.
It’s basically what KTM have done and I’m saying that the Japanese should take note and Suzuki is probably the 1 brand another OEM could could take on- Suzuki get a competitive bike that sells, the other OEM get their production/ distribution etc
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