Posts
2023
Joined
9/18/2008
Location
Dallas, NC
US
Edited Date/Time
1/25/2012 2:21pm
I heard form an industry insider today that the American affiliate of one of the Big 4 will be filling for bankruptcy during the first quarter of 2010. This is terrible news if it comes to fruition.
Hope not!
The Shop
Suzuki went through a time when their bikes weren't that great... on the pro level or stock out of the box. The quality wasn't there, and the performance wasn't there. Now, you have your bike buying market filled with Vet riders who won't buy a Suzuki because they sucked back then, and you have the new generation of guys who won't buy the bikes because they were told how bad they sucked while growing up, so therefore, they think they still suck.
Now that Suzuki has their stuff figured out, and they offer a good bike, it'll take time, but they can regain the image needed to attract new buyers. It's a funny world.
I say look at KTM. They had a bad rap for so long, that even though they make a pretty damn good bike now, most won't even give them a thought when purchasing a new ride. It's improving, but it takes time.
Honda can have a bad bike here and there, and can afford to not win races because they have a legacy that gets passed on that is the opposite of KTM and Suzuki... Grandpa told Daddy Honda is the best, and Sonny believes that till he quits riding and passes it along to his Sonny.
Cars are the same way. How many families do you know that the whole family, generation after generation drive either Chevy or Ford and the other one sucks?
Done making shit up that I think makes sense. Peace!
i think what 448 said is quite true, honda has an almost masterful legacy, and suzuki has a bad rep. but i wouldnt worry too much about the bankruptcy, look at chevy, dodge, donald trump, etc.. doesnt mean theyre going away, just clearing some bills
Self centered moment - Damn, I just picked up a '78 RM250. I hope I can still get what few OEM parts are available.
Ok back to the subject. Would their car sales have an impact on this decision, or is the auto and motorcycle biz separate?
Here in the Carolinas Suzukis used to fill the starting lines.....from Gastonia Suzuki. I stopped in last week and was talking to the owner. He said that since his nephews stopped racing a couple years ago...they had stopped going to the tracks and since then his MX sales have pretty much stopped.
Pit Row
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-motorcycle-sales24-2009oct24,0,71…
Seriously, this is really bad news. I hope it doesn't happen.
This whole 08 RM-Z450 turd thing bringing down the ship cracks me up. Their GSX-Rs and Boulevards have been great and sold tons. They may be slow now but they did great. Right now Suzuki has the lowest warehouse inventory than anyone and from what I have heard and seen is that they are doing the best job of tightening the belt.
But this is all just my opinion.
I agree, hope its a false rumor.
But even if Zuke files for bankruptcy protection, that doesn't mean they're going out of business. They'll just do a Ch. 11 deal and customers will never know the difference. And who knows, maybe it's not even Suzuki - maybe it's Honda. Just because you sell lots of bikes doesn't mean you're making lots of money. Like the salesman who made a deal to sell products below cost said, "Don't worry, we'll make up for it in volume."
But then again, maybe they are selling the shit out of pianos right now.
(AFP) – Oct 26, 2009
TOKYO — Yamaha Motor President Takashi Kajikawa announced his resignation on Monday, with the Japanese motorcycle maker suffering massive losses, officials said.
Yamaha Chairman Tsuneji Togami, 63, will replace Kajikawa on November 1, while the chairman post will be vacant for now, Yamaha said in a statement. Kajikawa will stay at the company as a board director.
In August Yamaha said its net loss in 2009 would swell to 182 billion yen (1.98 billion dollars), more than four times bigger than previously expected, because of sluggish sales and a strong yen.
OT: see you at Merwin this weekend?
Post a reply to: Uh-Oh