Jotagas are a tiny company, making a huge effort, just like TM, Ossa, Sherco, Beta etc. Some slightly less tiny than the other.
Without a doubt, the death of Ahola absolutely devastated the company. It was a few weeks after his crash - complications related to his surgery. I note now, that 'MK' - the Finnish developer of the Enduro side seems to have no mention of his name now on their site - just the retention of his initials. I think he and Mika were quite close - it has, one would assume, really effected MK.
Who's making what parts and assemblies - doesn't matter. All small European manufacturers source from a wide variety of suppliers - for major parts, not just suspension, brakes etc. Well, the big ones do too - as is the case with the Japanese factories. I'd take any assertion that any party had / is doing the majority of development / production, with a very large grain of salt. Especially Bimota - a company that has gone belly up many, many, many times. There's Quite a risk there...... hopefully, a well calculated one, by Jordi Tarres and Co. But, there will be a 'collaboration' / 'collaborations, without doubt.
There is enormous untapped production / supplier capability in Spain now, with the shutdown of Honda , Yamaha and Derbi production. The Spanish government, are very keen on retaining / regaining the production capabilities, and jobs lost. Sherco, for example, are in the process of moving even more of their production of bikes (prev 30% France based / 70% Spain based, I've read) and Ossa, Gas Gas / Reiju (sp?) are in some sort of collaboration - reputably we will see a Gas Gas engined variant of the Ossa Enduro, whilst Ossa concentrate on the Trials and Explorer production - a small company struggling to keep up with production needs for it's 1st model(s). As the base engine is already in production, I'm pretty sure the reversed sloper Ossa will make an appearance. Meanwhile - do a collaboration, and bring in another income stream.
The showing of the MK300 as a Bimota, at last years EICMA, was a very clever bit of publicity / marketing - a 'new' Bimota Always gets Massive press - having the MK on Jotagas' stand, would have diminished both the Enduro bikes, And, importantly, the Trials bikes exposure, greatly. Clever way to do it.
With the tragedy of MA's death, and the huge demands placed on Jotagas with just meeting the demand for their Trials Bikes (it's a 'relative' demand - it's all about company size and production capabilities), It's not hard to see the delay in the Enduro bike.
I very much hope we see the MKs in the time frame that the OZ distributor has given Jeram.
The sooner we see ALL of the mooted New 2 strokes, the better. BM / Husky, Ossa, Gas Gas, Jotagas, TM, Fantic, Sherco, Beta and others - are the ones that I want to see make money, and sales, that the majority of the Japanese companies have 'left behind'. KTM has had a market left to them - as a reasonably sized producer, for far to long. And the profits from that 'market', have largely driven their 4t / Road Bike, and self indulgent, car production. Let 'non 2 stroke' producing companies wallow in the deepening mire of producing bikes that more and more people are wanting to turn away from. Now, unlike some of the more 'slatheringly rabid' people here, I have no real problem with 4ts - just a Very Real problem with the 'shaping of race rules, and the Market', by the "all 4t, all the time" company (ies).
*** Good 'Spying', Jeram - I'm buggered if I could find them on Jotagas' site - you sure you haven't trawled the various Spanish sites? Ratbag! - I've been regularly checking French and Spanish sites for more news and pics of the 'new' 2ts. ***
