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In the Jimmy D thread someone mentioned questioning if JGR was truly capable of developing a championship contending bike (relevant to the thread due to PulpMX Show last night saying Jimmy D may be headed to JGR for a 250 SX ride)
From a support and resources aspect, can someone remind me what the true significance is of an official partnership between JGR and Factory Suzuki? I've gone back and re-read the press releases about the announcement, but it seems like the big take away is the increased focus on building an amateur program (RM Army) similar to Kawi's Team Green and KTM's Orange Brigade. Not really seeing or hearing anything about increased communication or sharing of resources between Suzuki Japan and the JGR squad (is that supposed to be a given?)
I know JGR is already very well equipped as far as in-house capabilities and resources go, but has their been any comments about how the JGR/Suzuki factory effort and the synergies that come along with it will actually result in "building a better mousetrap", not just a better amateur support program?
From a support and resources aspect, can someone remind me what the true significance is of an official partnership between JGR and Factory Suzuki? I've gone back and re-read the press releases about the announcement, but it seems like the big take away is the increased focus on building an amateur program (RM Army) similar to Kawi's Team Green and KTM's Orange Brigade. Not really seeing or hearing anything about increased communication or sharing of resources between Suzuki Japan and the JGR squad (is that supposed to be a given?)
I know JGR is already very well equipped as far as in-house capabilities and resources go, but has their been any comments about how the JGR/Suzuki factory effort and the synergies that come along with it will actually result in "building a better mousetrap", not just a better amateur support program?
But I question whether they have the resources and, more importantly, the time to make a competitive package out of THAT bike (rmz250), which has little recent race development and a fairly technologically-disadvantaged baseline.
The RMZ is a good bike, and with the right rider, is a winner....Ken Roczen....but, the 2017 was the last year for that chassis and now JGR has to work with an unproven set up.
We will see.
I liked Bogle on the RMZ last year and am looking forward to his running near the front in 2018.
The Shop
I’ve owned Suzukis and I don’t have anything against them but on a corporate level, they’ve proven time and again that dirt bikes are very very low on their list of priorities. Didn’t McGrath touch on this in his book, about how when he switched to Suzuki in 1997, the factory shop was empty. There was nothing going. Then you take the Kawa-Zuki partnership, which is not a sign of corporate health or “robustness”. Then they drop their amateur program. Then they run the same (overweight) 450 for 9 year. NINE YEARS. Finally they come out with an all new bike that turns out to be not that different and not much better.
What can the factory possibly offer JGR other than a bike allotment? This whole “partnership” business is smoke and mirrors in my opinion. JGR wanted a switch and there weren’t many options. Suzuki needed someone with deep pockets to do their development for them. That’s how I see it. It's a win for Suzuki and as for JGR...well, less so.
And it has seen little race testing in recent years to figure out how to reliably get more out of it.
They do have an all new bike coming however, and it is my hope that the brand can acquire a presence in the national circuit again.
Locally they do not seem to be doing to badly.
"What can the factory possibly offer JGR other than a bike allotment?"
$$$$$$$. That's what.
The RMZ 250 engine is so far off the other bikes, JGR will have to do a lot to get it even close to the YZF, SXF, FC, KXF and new CRF(rumors indicate that it's a way better engine than the old gen).
So they wont have to throw away anything they developed.
Btw they actually put in the same engine package as they used in 2017 for the 2018 450 bikes.
More motor has always been the winner.
But the best riders are the ones who are the least willing to accept what they see as a sub-par bike.
AND.... All those who are dropping "Roczen won" takes are completely forgoing the growing pains therein, and what he chose to do right after he won.
Significance = paycheck though
Pit Row
Might not happen in the first few rounds but im sure jgr have enough resources to get enough out of the bike that it won't be what stops any of there guys finishing where they usually would.
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