If Feld or MX Sports were to allow 80s style works bikes again.....

5/14/2018 9:18pm
to an existing class or to an additional class ( personally i'd love any 2t works class regardless if it was 125, 250 or 350ish) that's treated and billed as an equal to the existing classes and not as a side show like the 125 dream class or WMX classes how did you think the OEMs would support it?

Do you think the OEMs would simply ignore it until it stands the test of time and then only support it litely using the Yamaha production based works model or do you think any of them would go all in and build 80s Honda style works bikes particularly if it looks like the class is going to be permanent, unchanged and is very popular with fans.?

Would the Japanese handle it differently then KTM/Husky?

Could KTM & Husky use it to take an even further bite out of the Japanese's market share by building true showcase works bikes and, if so, would that force the other OEM's hands to any degree?

Yes Im aware it will probably never ever happen just wondering what your thoughts are and what effects you think a hypothetical scenario like this would have on any of the questions ive posed or any others you can imagine happening to the existing status quo.

Discuss?

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GuyB
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5/14/2018 9:44pm
I had a conversation with the racing director of one of the brands a while back, and he suggested that part of the reason bikes cost so much these days is because they have to race production bikes. They have to give consumers the same thing that they go racing with.

On the other hand, I think if they had to build works bikes, it’d be a lot more expensive for them. I also think you’d have an even bigger gap between the haves and have-nots, but more than likely you’d still have the same group of guys winning. Just by a larger margin.
Sully
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5/14/2018 10:02pm
Aren't the GP and Japanese Nationals bikes all full blown works machines?
5/14/2018 10:16pm
Sully wrote:
Aren't the GP and Japanese Nationals bikes all full blown works machines?
They're free to be that way under the rules, but they're not full-on works prototypes like in the glory days. As someone said above, production bikes are expensive because they're designed closer to a works standard to begin with.

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kkawboy14
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5/15/2018 2:02am
I really don’t think there would be much difference between the haves and have nots that exist already in moto!
kb228
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5/15/2018 3:23am
GuyB wrote:
I had a conversation with the racing director of one of the brands a while back, and he suggested that part of the reason bikes cost...
I had a conversation with the racing director of one of the brands a while back, and he suggested that part of the reason bikes cost so much these days is because they have to race production bikes. They have to give consumers the same thing that they go racing with.

On the other hand, I think if they had to build works bikes, it’d be a lot more expensive for them. I also think you’d have an even bigger gap between the haves and have-nots, but more than likely you’d still have the same group of guys winning. Just by a larger margin.
Building full works bikes for racing is why kawasaki pulled out of motogp. Its too expensive. World superbike is like supercross where they race production bikes. According to kawi its much cheaper.
#434
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5/15/2018 4:00am
GuyB wrote:
I had a conversation with the racing director of one of the brands a while back, and he suggested that part of the reason bikes cost...
I had a conversation with the racing director of one of the brands a while back, and he suggested that part of the reason bikes cost so much these days is because they have to race production bikes. They have to give consumers the same thing that they go racing with.

On the other hand, I think if they had to build works bikes, it’d be a lot more expensive for them. I also think you’d have an even bigger gap between the haves and have-nots, but more than likely you’d still have the same group of guys winning. Just by a larger margin.
kb228 wrote:
Building full works bikes for racing is why kawasaki pulled out of motogp. Its too expensive. World superbike is like supercross where they race production bikes...
Building full works bikes for racing is why kawasaki pulled out of motogp. Its too expensive. World superbike is like supercross where they race production bikes. According to kawi its much cheaper.
Yepp, it's cheaper for Kawi. However, the bad part about it is that no one gives a damn about WSB.
Part of the great appeal of MotoGP is the exotic machinery. You can look at it, but you can just dream about riding or even touching one. The bikes are so rare that more people have been to space than riding one of the MotoGP-Bikes.
Bearuno
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5/15/2018 4:14am Edited Date/Time 5/15/2018 4:25am
Kawasaki are the Big Spenders in WSBK in the last few years. By far, from the many things I've read.

Though, Ducàti and their various sponsors has probably spent a (fair) few Hundred Million Euros on their WSBK efforts over the decades.

The ROI on WSBK seems to be , for Kawi, pretty bloody good. And hell, even with rules that have taken so many hundreds (what was it 2000rpm?) of RPM from them this year, they still are the Dominate force - though , of course, their 2 Factory riders are major factors in their dominance.

Pretty logical - it's (a fair bit) cheaper than MotoGP, and you avoid the unrelenting ridicule that your brand is subjected too when you don't do well in MotoGP. Kawi were one of the pre-eminent whipping boys of the press during the years they were in the MotoGP class.
#434
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5/15/2018 6:16am Edited Date/Time 5/15/2018 6:17am
TV viewership for the WSBK is roughly 10% of MotoGP.. so I don't know about the ROI.
Kawi should take a look at Suzuki. It's possible to be successful in MotoGP without spending as much as HRC.
And we would have another beautiful works bike to drool over and not just hopped up street bike.
TymeMoto
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5/15/2018 8:07pm
GuyB wrote:
I had a conversation with the racing director of one of the brands a while back, and he suggested that part of the reason bikes cost...
I had a conversation with the racing director of one of the brands a while back, and he suggested that part of the reason bikes cost so much these days is because they have to race production bikes. They have to give consumers the same thing that they go racing with.

On the other hand, I think if they had to build works bikes, it’d be a lot more expensive for them. I also think you’d have an even bigger gap between the haves and have-nots, but more than likely you’d still have the same group of guys winning. Just by a larger margin.
This is a great perspective and something that I never would have thought of. My interpretation is that the consumer is benefitting more than anyone. Think about it—because of this rule we now have access to the most technologically advanced bikes ever made.

However, as a result of these constant technological updates, the production cost is increased. So on one hand the consumer now has access to higher level equipment, but on the other hand we have to pay a premium for it.

Makes me wonder if we’d still see these short production cycles if works bikes were still part of the sport. Something tells me we wouldn’t see KTM updating the plastics and body work on their bikes every 2 years or so. Even Kawi is wrapping up the 3rd and final year of the current generation 450 before a new model in 2019.

Thanks for sharing.
Gravel
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5/15/2018 8:27pm
GuyB wrote:
I had a conversation with the racing director of one of the brands a while back, and he suggested that part of the reason bikes cost...
I had a conversation with the racing director of one of the brands a while back, and he suggested that part of the reason bikes cost so much these days is because they have to race production bikes. They have to give consumers the same thing that they go racing with.

On the other hand, I think if they had to build works bikes, it’d be a lot more expensive for them. I also think you’d have an even bigger gap between the haves and have-nots, but more than likely you’d still have the same group of guys winning. Just by a larger margin.
This sounds like the works bike ban did exactly what it was supposed to..

The AMA got one right!!

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