Two Stroke Motocross

Two Stroke Motocross Forum => Non-Moto => Topic started by: j.k on March 15, 2012, 12:59:42 PM

Title: Suzuki�s situation
Post by: j.k on March 15, 2012, 12:59:42 PM: Alright. Petteri Silv�n is a five-time World Enduro Champion. He runs the company along with his friend Janne Suominen here in Finland. Suominen is multiple of Finnish enduro champion. Their company is close to where I live, so i have good chance to chat with them easily. They were riding many season with Suzuki 2stroke and 4stroke, and 2011 they start to ride Beta 4stroke bikes. They sell now Beta and Suzuki and building bikes better for enduro. This year Suominen ride again with Suzuki RM 250 2stroke in Finnish enduro championship. Bike looks very cool when they put some aftermarkets parts on it, and do some mods on it. DID rims, Talon hubs, �hlins suspension, Magura liguid clutch, and cut plastic side panels smaller, V-force reeds, HGS pipe, etc.

I was visiting at their shop last week and started to chat with Janne about two-stroke Suzuki. Last autumn, Finnish importer at the time was a few 250 and 4 125 at stock. At the moment all have been sold to the importer's warehouse. He told me that he heard the factory don't produce two-stroke anymore, and european warehouses maybe can find a few bike.

I do not understand the logic of big business. If there is demand why don't they sell what buyers will buy. I know what the reason is,(their F bikes) but still i just dont get it. If Suzuki would continue to produce two-strokes i believe that they would sell them all. If they were smart businessmen, they update their 125 and 250. Would not even have to do a lot, maybe new style and little smaller plastics, new stickers and little engine tuning. That�s it. Suspension is good, frame and handling are awesome. At the moment KTM produce and development their 2-stroke bikes. They sell all the bikes, even if all teams ride fourstrokes.Why Suzuki dont do the same? The business world is weird.
Title: Suzuki�s situation
Post by: eprovenzano on March 15, 2012, 01:24:18 PM: The one thing we need to remember about KTM is their total sales are a small % to that of Suzuki, Honda, Kawi, and Yami. All of the big 4 produce and promote street bikes. The next time you go into a shop, count the number of street bikes, and the dirt bikes. It?s usually a two to one ratio. Those of us who also ride the street, buy lot of add-ons for our bikes. I know of a few people who have almost as much in accessories as they paid for the bike. Many street bike riders prefer to let the stealer work on their bikes. It?s all about $$$$.

Yes KTM is developing 2 strokes. KTM had always been looking for the niche in the market where they can shine. Look at the displacement choices, both 2 and 4 stroke. Pick your strokes, pick the CC's. The 300 has a cult following, but no Jap MFG'er made one... KTM has a 125, and a 150 (144) Other smaller MFG'ers have followed KTM's lead in the 2 stroke engine size because they know they can sell the bikes. KTM also have big bore off road 4 strokes, and adventure bikes up to 900cc. All this is great for us the consumer, but in comparison to total bike sales, they big 4 are the big 4 for a reason.
Title: Suzuki�s situation
Post by: SachsGS on March 15, 2012, 03:15:29 PM: Suzuki's R & D budget for the offroad bikes probably only allows funds for 4T development.The Euros can make money on much smaller quantities hence continued refinement of 2T TM's for example.
Title: Suzuki�s situation
Post by: j.k on March 15, 2012, 04:24:50 PM: Very good answers. I look wiki about sales, Suzuki 2,902,000 units (Motorcycles) (2010). Like eprovenzano says money comes street bikes and parts, and other Suzuki stuff. But still stupid guy like me, dont get why dont keep making something that sell Nowdays trend in industry is, if something dont make ENOUGH profit it can be shut down. Like some paper mills here in finland. One mill shut down because it didn't make enough profit. It made ??a profit every year but the shareholders' view, not enough I just think if suzuki had same situation at the moment.
Title: Suzuki�s situation
Post by: TMKIWI on March 16, 2012, 04:39:45 AM: It is the Japanese loss.
Part of the reason the Euro manufactors market share has increased in the dirt bike market is they make 2 strokes.
But some of the Euro manufactors don't make road bikes. So their R & D is in offroad.
I would kill for a new Gas Gas 300R. Best looking bike on the market I reackon.
Plus they go like stink and are reliable with better standard equipment than a Japper.
My money is going to Europe not Japan.
Maybe if all of us bought European bikes we would all be happy and one day the Japanese might look at the sales figures and decide they are loosing to many sales.

Basically fuck the Japs. Buy a Euro 2 stroke and keep the smoker alive. The Japanese will either start building smokers again or will not get our money.
I think it is best if we stop moaning about the Japs and support the companies that build what we want.
Pretty simple really.
Title: Suzuki�s situation
Post by: SachsGS on March 16, 2012, 11:21:35 PM: Probably 90% of Suzuki's bike sales are tiddler bikes at their Indian subsidiary.
Title: Suzuki�s situation
Post by: eprovenzano on March 18, 2012, 06:18:56 PM: Over the weekend a friend (yes he rides a fopper) asked me to be on a lookout for a cheap smoker. Last year he took a ride on my KTM, and now really misses the fun of a two-stroke.

I was just talking to a co-worker that used to race quads both MX and drag. He said (without my prodding) that he believes within 4 years all MFG's will be making 2 strokes again and dumping the 4 strokes. He see's too many kids and young adults giving up the sport because its just too expensive to maintain the foppers.

I think times are a changin.... its just going to take longer than we would like. The grass roots are going to change before the professionals will, but I feel the tide is turning back to the smoking section.