With the Senate squashing the Detroit bailout loan last night, tougher economic times are surely ahead for us, not only in the States, but also abroad. Last week Honda announced that it was pulling out of Formula1 racing because of the extraordinary costs and tight fiscal situations. Could the same happen in MotoGP? Find out after the jump.
If proposed legislation goes through, European motorcycles are about to double in price because of increased tariffs. The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is already fighting the proposed tariff by writing to the Office of the U.S. trade Representative.
The proposed tariff would place a 100% duty on more than 100 European goods, including smaller capacity motorcycles with an engine size in the 51cc-250cc and 251cc-500cc range. This act comes in response to the European Union’s ban on American beef treated with growth hormones.
While this won’t affect larger displacement bikes like the Ducati Monster 1100, KTM RC8, or Aprilia RSV4, it will adversely affect almost all European dirt bikes and scooters. Like Vespas weren’t overpriced already.
These photos are not for the feint of heart. We can only hope this is the only Ducati 1098 Tri-Color that finds its final hours on a bed of tacky blue tarps. Rest In Peace dear Soldier of Machismo.
Source: MotoXMoto & MotoBlog.it
Jeremy Burgess, the man beind behind great riders like Wayne Gardner, Mick Doohan, and Valentino Rossi has voiced his opinion about the one tire manufacturer rule for next year’s MotoGP season…just a little bit more loudly than before. Read more after the jump.
Honda Motorcycle’s COO, Tatsuhiro Oyama is forecasting that there will be worldwide industry drop in bike sales as the credit fiasco finally rears its ugly head in motorcycling. Like the car industry, the motorcycle industry helps move product by offering financing options and extending credit to the purchasers of their bikes. Typically these credit liabilities are flipped to third-party creditors, who handle the debt from there (all unbeknownst to us the consumer), but with the state of economy and the meltdown of the credit industry, many of these creditors are either no long amongst the living, or not taking on any more debt.
Oyama was credited as saying, “There’s been a bit of a lag, but credit is being squeezed. I think if we have flat sales next (business) year we’d be lucky,” adding that forecasts for this year might need adjusting too.
This news leaves companies like GMAC, and in this case Honda, in a lurch. Unable to swiftly exchange the credit liability, they have to be more cautious on who they extend money too. This means more credit refusals, and higher interest rates, which in turn means more people who can’t afford a motorcycle purchase.
At the end of the day, it is Honda and the other manufacturers (except perhaps Ducati) who are left holding the bag with excess product sitting on the showroom floor come December.
There is some good news. Oyama went on to say that the motorcycle business as a whole was holding up better than the car side. So no government bail outs…yet.
Source: visordown
Everyone knows that the Ducati Desmosedici is the closest us mortal men will get to riding a true GP bike, and everyone knows they were produced in limited numbers. Because of this even the social elite had a hard time getting their hands on them since they ran out so quickly. So how does such a limited edition bike all of a sudden find a way to be un-sold-out all of a sudden?
According to Michael Lock, CEO of Ducati North America:
“We are fortunate to offer a few units to those interested individuals who were closed out of the initial ordering process…as the global run of 1500 bikes comes to an end we are notifying interested parties that we have secured inventory to deliver in the coming months, but only if they act quickly.”
I have a couple theories on this:
1) Bologna has switched to the base-8 counting system, and undercounted how many bikes they produced.
2) A box of Desmo’s fell-off the boat on their way to America, and until now were thought lost at sea.
3) The economy
4) El Niño
5) Ducati of North America saw that they under-priced the Desmosedici, and thus sold it at a price far-below what the market was willing to bare, and as any good micro-economics professor would suggest is bumping up supply to meet the demand curve for peak efficiency.
Regardless of what answer you choose, the news is this…if you missed your chance to buy a Desmosedici in the United Stats, Canada, or Mexico, here is your second chance.
Source: visordown
The correct answer is #4. El Niño (Spanish for: The Nino) is in fact the cause of mysterious bike productions, the current economy, and French-Canadians.
Carmelo Ezpeleta (Owner of Dorna Sports, which owns and runs MotoGP), has announced that the premiere motorcycle class of racing will take a cue from the Formula1 racebook, and limit the electronics that can be used while racing a GP motorcycle. This decision comes on the heels of the single tire move made by Dorna in an effort to make GP racing more exciting and evenly matched.
Traction control for example has been of great concern, and to see why it only takes a brief glance at the latest reviews of the Ducati 1198S Superbike. Critiques of MotoGP have said that allowing such devices let’s less qualified racers into the premiere sport, and that the use of technology can make up where there would otherwise be a gap in rider skill.
Not surprisingly, some of the biggest names ever in the sport have shown signs of support for the rule change. It is unclear what exactly will happen in the future, but Ezpeleta has said that there must be further discussion of the topic, and that no change will occur for the 2009 season, yet looking at where other premiere class sports of gone, the road ahead looks more or less certain.
Source: moto.caradisiac
SkyNet may kill all of mankind, but it won’t take away our GP racing.
The 2008 season is barely out of our memories, and the news for 2009 begins. You’ve gotta love this sport!
List updated: 11/20/2008
Michael Schumacher, Formula 1 Demi-God Michael Schumacher, is rumored to have been offered an open invitation to race a factory backed Honda CBR1000RR in the World Superbike Championship. Schumie has been testing bikes a lot lately. Taking corners for both Honda and Ducati, and while he has adimantly denied any interest of taking on motorcycle racing (all evidence to the contrary), he does seem to be skilled on the -2 wheels machines.
Despite the shooting down of racing speculation, Schumacher is still set on racing in the German Championship. HRC’s Carlo Fiorani was quoted as saying, “For the moment he has not asked us to race in the 2009 world championship…but if he wants to, there is a way for him (to do it). All he has to do is ask us.”
Source: AutoSport via AutoBlog
Time will tell on this one folks.
We don’t care if it’s because of changing tastes and trends, or if the naked/standard motorcycle is the industry’s attempt to tempt drivers away from their 4-wheeled cages, but these are the hot bikes of 2009. While this Abarth Assetto Corse FZ1 is merely just a show bike to help commemorate 100 years of Fiat sport-tuning, it’s choosing comes days after the release of the Ducati Streetfighter debut (and new Monster style launch), as well as KTM’s Super Duke R recoloring, just to name a few. Pictures and more after the jump.
The 2009 Super Duke R is unchanged from the 2008 model, but you wouldn’t know it the way we’ve been talking about it on A&R. What can we say? We’re smitten.
KTM isn’t making it easy when they keep releasing shots of the bike in new colors. Today’s color is white, as in white hot. 130 ponies. 75 foot pounds of torque. The 999cc Super Duke has the spotlight, at least until the Ducati Streetfighter shows up.
You’ll run out of color eventually KTM. Until then, you have our attention.