Kawasaki + Suzuki = ?????

[XRpredator]

Looks like the big 4 are going to become the big 3! Read on . . .

(from <gasp!> MXA online)

The President of Kawasaki dropped a bombshell on the motorcycle world when he said in a December 12, 2001, interview that Kawasaki and Suzuki may merge their motorcycle operations with the intent of forming a completely different brand of motorcycle.

It's extremely likely that we'll set up a joint venture,'' said Kawasaki’s Masamoto Tazaki. Kawasaki and Suzuki are trying as hard as they can to eliminate the divisions in our companies and compete against Honda and Yamaha as the Kawasaki-Suzuki group.''

Back in August, Kawasaki and Suzuki announced an alliance that would have combined their R&D, production lines and parts procurement for ***s, off-road bikes, motocrossers and scooters.

When MXA wrote a story about the Kawasaki/Suzuki merger plans in the December 2001 issue (titled "Is There a Kawasuki In Your Future?"), Kawasaki USA Vice President of Marketing Bob Moffit sent us a letter saying, "I'd like to be sure that you and your readers are correctly appraised of the situation regarding the recently announced alliance between Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., and Suzuki Motor Corp. While rumors of all sorts are being floated, they are just that--rumors. Kawasaki and Suzuki have NOT merged the two companies into one entity."

Now it appears as though Kawasaki Heavy Industries management had not correctly appraised Kawasaki USA management. According to Kawasaki President Tazaki. "The future agreement would combine both Suzuki's and Kawasaki's motorcycle businesses as a separate, but jointly held, company," said Tazaki. "Suzuki would separate its motorcycle division from its car business and spin it off and we could spin our motorcycle business off and join the two businesses together.''

According to Tazaki, this new company would unveil a new motorcycle under a new brand name in three years. "It won't be a Kawasaki, it won't be a Suzuki, it will be a third brand.''

Kawasaki Heavy Industries other business are ship building, rail road cars, heavy equipment, robotic manufacturing equipment and aircraft components for Boeing. Suzuki's other business is automobiles.

Wow! A totally new third brand! Very interesting!

 

[mxracer724]

Yes that is very interesting:think

 

[mxracer724]

One thing though, I would have to say it is going from the big 5 to the big 4 not the big 4 to the big 3 because KTM is really moving forward. There bikes are becoming really awsome.

 

[taraker]

Originally posted by XRpredator
"It won't be a Kawasaki, it won't be a Suzuki, it will be a third brand.''
and
Wow! A totally new third brand! Very interesting!

I've said before but I'll go ahead & repeat it again, you think Cannondale knows something here?:eek:

 

[Maru16]

well if its a third new brand, what're they gonna call it?:think

 

[padrutt199]

they will call it a kawazuki.my dad has a old suzuki 250 frame with a kawasaki 750 triple engine in it and that is what he calls it

 

[jake949]

A few years ago one guy owned all big four franchises in our area. Well kawi took there franchise from him, and sold it to another shop. So now we have one shop with kawi and one with susuki, honda, and yamaha.
I wonder who will get the new franchise? the guy with the skud francise or the guy with the Kawi franchise? the guy with the Kawi franchise has only had it for a short while.
I think this is really going to stir up the local shops, do we give each party a Kawiscud franchise?

 

[jfisher304]

Well, let's see.. ....ok we can take the zuki suspension and the kawi motor, and have..........a slow bike with headshake. ok, maybe a kawi frame and zuki motor......fast bike that won't turn. Sonds like one brand will just get eliminated either way....... Whatever it is, we will wait five years for it and it will STILL be a two stroke. (or a heavy four stroke play bike :uh: )

 

[MX265]

Originally posted by jfisher304
Well, let's see.. ....ok we can take the zuki suspension and the kawi motor, and have..........a slow bike with headshake. ok, maybe a kawi frame and zuki motor......fast bike that won't turn. Sonds like one brand will just get eliminated either way....... Whatever it is, we will wait five years for it and it will STILL be a two stroke. (or a heavy four stroke play bike :uh: )

jfisher304,

Being a Kawie owner, I should be PO'd at your comments, but man that was funny as all heck! :) Thanks for the perspective.

You know, this Zuk - Kawie thing could be real good or real bad. I like my tight, tall, hard turning beast of a KX. The RM's did not feel to good overall to me. I could never get comfortable. Maybe when the combine, they might take on a better overall package together by bringing in the best of both bikes as opposed to the worst. If it is the other way around, no other choice but to go red. (Doh, I don't beleive I said that!) We'll see. Hopefully it'll be a good change.

Andy

 

[Bill Hibbs]

You'll see different frames, different motors, with the same suspension,brakes, bars,hubs, etc.

The 4-wheelers will be the same since they're all the same anyway. :p They will come in a ugly Yellowish Green color though.

 

[yz250-effer]

It is going to be the color of baby doo doo . . .

and be called:

Kiwi - Saki. A fruity, less filling, light bodied motorcycle.

Or Kuzuki, Sukaki, Suzusaki? Just kidding of course, I sure it will be a whole different name, and some good should come out of it, I am sure. ( As long as they build an MX thumper!)

 

[ktm033]

MX Racer, great point about KTM! The D14 HS races I went to this year had more KTM's than any other single brand. I thought I heard that KTM actually sold more dirt bikes this past year than Suzuki.......New World Order??

 

[Boodac]

Kawisuki

Im just curious whats gonna happen to the spare parts for the older bikes. I would think that there gonna become harder and more expensive to come by.

 

[Calcaneus]

How's This ? Sakahoki !

 

[Larsey]

Whatever the name MXA is sure not to like it!

 

[nephron]

One of the FMF ads shows a pea (or pee:confused: )-green colored zook. Looks like a cross b/t yellow & kawi green. Or am I seeing things?:think