HD and MV

Of course the biggest news in the motorcycle industry is the purchase of MV Agusta and Cagiva by Harley Davidson. There had been a lot of speculation for the past weeks and it finally happed late last week. The move comes as a bit of a shock (to me anyway). Yes Harley has been looking for growth in other world markets, and yes there have been word that MV was up for sale (rumor was Volkswagen was at one time interested). But the two brands seem to have little in common. Harley as the maker of "old school" classic American iron, and MV/Cagiva makers of flashy sexy Italian machinery. On the other hand each have some common traits; they both make high dollar "passionate" motorcycles. Both have loads of brand equity and loyal customers. The biggest question is how the two (or three or four if you count all the brands) fit together.

It seems like the obvious reason Harley wanted MV/Cagiva is for a foothold in Europe where the Italian company has most of its dealerships. Another likely reason for the buy could be Cagiva's smaller less expensive models. Hopefully MV will benefit from Harley's deep pockets, although if Buell is any sign, growth will be slow. I'd like to see a return to Harley's Aermarcchi days. In the 1970's Harley had a line up of Italian singles as entry level bikes. Bringing in MV/Cagiva could help complete the Harley's model line up.

I think it would be far more interesting if Harley had gone after a different company. ATK for example. ATK is a US based off road motorcycle maker. The company uses innovative designs and Rotax engines. It seems to me this brand would have been a perfect fit with Harley's cruiser line-up and Buell's sports bikes. Another company that would make a good fit is Arctic Cat. Arctic Cat makes Snowmobiles and ATV's and is also based in the US. Either of these companies would add a lot of volume to Harley's operations and build their dealer network. But it should be interesting where this new US-Italian company is headed.

Battle for Europe: BMW vs KTM

There seems to be a growing power struggle raging between BMW and KTM. In recent years BMW Motorrad has had its eyes set on growth. The Bavarian company has expanded their model line up significantly. In the past BMW had a multiple variations of their parallel twin and flat four models along with the Rotax single G series. Lately we've seen the new line of singles based on the 650 single and a purpose built 450cc enduro. There's the special line of HP bikes built off the 1200 motor. And last but not least the introduction of the highly anticipated S1000RR super bike. In addition to this there's rumor of a 675cc triple (ala Triumph 675). It would seem BMW wants to be more of a full line motorcycle company rather than a touring/adventure niche brand.

And right across the border in Austria KTM has been flourishing. The off road company has become Europe's second larges bike maker (behind BMW). Like BMW, KTM has been growing. Recently (in the US) KTM has moved outside their off road market and moved into the street bike game. First there was the supermotos, then the Super Duke, and now the RC8. KTM has proven they can build a fine street bike as their new models have been praised by critics.

With both of these companies striving for market share there's bound to be some comparisons. It seems that BMW is filling segments where KTM has strengths. The BMW GS has the KTM Adventure. BMW is pushing their enduro program to attract potential KTM buyer. Even the sports bikes are likely to face each other head to head in super bike races both in Europe and America. In addition to this BMW acquired Husqvarna motorcycles (KTM's closest competitor) and KTM has been working on a partnership with US power sports company Polaris. It looks as though both companies are no longer satisfied with being small time niche players.

Return of the V Max

Here it is, the long awaited next gen. V Max. Fans of the bike have been waiting decades for a new Max and after 23 long years of the first generation the second has finally arrived. And from the looks of things it's the same only more. Now I'm a fan of the original V Max. As a general rule I don't much care for Japanese cruisers (cruisers in general aren't exactly my bag) especially early examples. The V Max, on the other hand, is an entirely different animal. It definitely wasn't a pretty bike, even in it's day when most bikes were usually ugly. With it's strange bulges and tacky "V boost" intake the bike was like a cartoon. What the bike did do though, was perform. The original V Max was one of the fastest bikes in it's day. Not only was it fast but it was fast and a cruiser. You'd assume anything that goes this fast would be covered in plastic and the rider would have to curl up into the fetal position to ride, but not the V Max. The V Max was like a knock off Harley, that would knock off a Honda on the twisty back roads. This is why I like the bike despite it's over the top looks. Apparently many others like the bike (presumably for the same reason) because it has been around so long.

Yesterday we finally got to see what Yamaha has been working on all these years. Now following up a smash hit is never easy. Change it too much and the loyal fans will complain, too little and people will loose interest. From the pictures Yamaha released it looks as though they've kept the original recipe for the V Max, and amplified it by about 25%. Everything looks bigger and more bulky. The overall shape of the bike is strange with a low seat and a high tank. The bike retains it's goofy rear fender/seat combo, as well as the cheesy fuel tank cover, and now features a funky new muffler.

Personally I was hoping for a restyle that would clean up the V Max. Make it look more modern and tasteful. Yes this may have resulted in a more bland looking motorcycle. And in a world full of cookie cutter motorcycles the V Max stands out like "special" brownie. But the strange looks have alway made me forget about the Max. Sure it has a sorts of power and a bad ass stance, but what kind of bad ass has a swooshy silver intake? It looks like Yamaha is doing what Kawasaki is doing with their 20 year old models (KLR, Concours, Ninja 250) taking one different looking design and update it to another different looking design.

Harley Davidson for the 21st Century

Last year Harley Davidson introduced their retro hooligan bike; the XR1200 to the European public. Funny thing is they only showed it to the Europeans. Yes Harley Davidson the one of the most American companies out there introduced a emotion evoking retro racer into a market that didn’t even have the original (the original being the XR750 dirt track machine) Naturally there were some confused and disappointed enthusiasts in the states. Not only Harley fans but those who normally think of Harleys as overweight, overpriced, bar hopers (and who could blame them for thinking that) were interested in this bike. What made this bike extra special was its focus on performance which unlike most motorcycles is not a common focus for Harley.

Now Harley is not known for making fast bikes, far from it. In the past Harleys were just as competitive as any other brand. The Sportser was one of the fastest bikes around. It was the fastest up until the Japanese came with their four cylinder superbikes. Like the once hot British bikes Harleys became slow and had to sell on nostalgia. Triumph a British bike maker was hit hard by the Japanese just like Harley. Unlike Harley they went under and came back as a modern company. Instead of relying on heritage (later they would cash in on it however) they relied on a modern competitive product. Triumph today has a diversified line up, yet every product they offer is 100% Triumph. I see no reason for Harley to not be able to make something different.

I think in today’s world of skyrocketing gas prices motorcycles are going to be receiving a lot more attention. Another factor to consider is the waning popularity of cruisers. The economy is weak and people are less likely to spend big bucks on a full dresser model. Harleys are now selling at or below their suggested retail price, a far cry from the days when a Harley could charge as they pleased. I think it’s time for Harley to diversify. It’s time to move outside of the cruiser market into the world of standards. I’ve often considered what would be a natural extension of the Harley brand. The V rod was a nice start, the new XR1200 is an even better step. A liquid cooled standard, something resembling the new XR would be a hoot. Harley could bring try to compete with the Gold Wing and Victory’s new Vision with a modern V Rod touring model. As for a sports bike I’ve always felt we could have had something great from the VR1000 project. So what if Harley has no sports bike experience that didn’t stop KTM from introducing the RC8. And yes Buell has sports bikes, but there’s no reason Buell and Harley can’t offer something that will get the blood boiling. Finally Harley could expand downward into the entry level market. This would be good for getting new customers to Harley and motorcycling in general. I predict the entry level market (under 600cc) will grow rapidly in the coming years as gas prices increase and the economy worsens. Harley offered an entry level offering in the past based on Italian bikes called Ameriachi. It would be cool to see what a modern version of one of these 250cc bikes would look like today, I think it could be an interesting niche. Whatever they do they really should look outside the cruiser market, but then again they’ve been around for over 100 years, so maybe they know something about surviving.

New Wave RWD

First Hyundai introduces their Genesis Coupe, then we hear about Toyota and Subaru cooking up a sporty car, now it seems the long rumored successor to the Nissan Silvia may be on its way. We are looking at what may be an exploding new category, small rear wheel drive coupes. The US market has been deprived of RWD cars for years, especially small and affordable ones. For as long as I can remember the only small RWD cars in the US that weren't sports cars (2 seats) have been BMW's, and to some extent Mercedes not exactly affordable. Sure there was the Miata and now GM's Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice. But those are roadsters, made for the wind in your hair experience.

Toyota's car will likely be a venture between themselves and their new interest Subaru. The car is likely to feature a Subaru boxer engine. So far we hear that both Toyota and Subaru will have their own versions, with Subaru fans hoping and praying for AWD. The Toyota version will be a modern day Carolla Levin, a Japanese cult classic. As with the Mustang/Camaro it wouldn't be right if one historic model got re-introduced with out a old rival showing up. We've been hearing about a new Nissan Silvia for years but now it seems more likely than ever. The new car would be based on a smaller version of the Z car chassis that seems to underpin every other Nissan product nowadays. This car will could fit nicely underneath the Z which has grown fat and ugly. Finally Hyundai comes form left field with their Genesis Coupe. We've known Hyundai wanted to be taken seriously as a maker of fine automobiles, so they created a RWD sedan to compete (on some level) with BMW and Mercedes. It seems that along with the sedan they made a coupe which will become a quasi Mustang competitor. So far the car looks pretty bad ass, which is something nobody would have expected from Hyundai, ever.

I'm traditionally not a fan of Japanese cars. But excited with the prospects of this small RWD trend. It's likely that the rising fuel prices have driven Americans away form SUV's and larger vehicles. So we will see sales grow in on the smaller side of the spectrum in every category. More over I'm excited about other companies jumping into the fray. GM already has their Kappa twins, and there upcoming Alpha small RWD car that will replace the Pontiac G6 and Cadillac BLS. Mazda has their Miata, RX8 and possibly a new RX7 on the way. But a lot of other manufactures don't seem to be jumping in. Whatever happens I say unlike SUV's their can't be too many entrants into this new category!

Has Honda lost its edge?

Honda's the world's largest most influential motorcycle maker. And it has been that way for many years. Honda has lead the industry coming out with revolution after revolution. First there was the CB750, then the CBX, the Interceptor, the Gold Wing, the RC30, the Valkyrie, the RC51 and so on. But the last few years have been different. It seems we've been getting fewer new models form the big H, at least in the US. And what we do get offered seems bland and devoid personality. Don't get me wrong Honda makes a fine machine, about as good as they get. But today a lot of companies make fine machines, its not enough anymore. You need new and exciting products.

Case in point; for the 2008 model year Honda has one new model, the CBR1000RR (pictured above). In contrast Ducati, a much much much smaller company stormed the industry with several new models. I understand it takes a lot of effort to produce a new sportsbike, but the other Japanese companies didn't seem to have any trouble creating a new one plus other models.

Finally there's the confusing move from their Ohio plant. Honda recently decided to cease motorcycle production in their Ohio manufacturing plants. Production (of cruisers and Gold Wings I believe) will be sent back to Japan, while the American plants will be used for Honda automobiles. What makes this strange is the falling value of the dollar makes domestic production relatively cheap. Plus cruisers will no longer have a "made in USA" appeal to them, which can be important to cruiser buyers.

So what's the cause of this slow down. Could it be Honda has grown too large and is not as nimble as they were in the past? Perhaps they have grown overly cautious and do not want to take any gambles. I'm not entirely sure, but I hope we see a change soon.

An Automotive World War

Look out. There's another earth shattering grunge match afoot. I just finished writing about the spectacular competition in the sports bike world, now I want to visit the sports car world. As just about every automotive enthusiast knows, Nissan has recently introduced the biggest thing to happen to performance cars since... I don't even know, but something huge. That thing happens to be the Nissan GT-R. Ever since rumors of incredible Nurburgring lap times hit the net the car has been a legend in its own time. People either love it or you hate it, but (based on tests so far) everybody should respect it. The car seems to be legitimately amazing at all things fast. Nobody can quite figure out how such a heavy car underpowered car (relatively) can easily beat lighter more powerful cars. Like the sports bike rivalries I couldn't wait, and still can't, for an epic show down between the GT-R and the established players. Some tests abroad have been conducted, but they're quite what I was hoping for. The Porsche 911 Turbo, Corvette Z06, Dodge Viper, Ferrari 430, and Lamborghini Gallarado are on my comparison wish list. So far though it seems these cars aren't going to cut it. Sure you could upgrade. There's the Porsche 911 GT2, Dodge Viper ACR, Ferrari 430 Scuderia, and the upcoming Lamborghini Gallarado LP560 all basically racer versions of the previously mentioned vehicles. But keep in mind there is a new and improved GT-R on the way too, the V-Spec. And while I'd absolutely love a test with any and all of these souped up sports cars there's on that is more exciting than all of them.

The Corvette ZR1, the final production version of the mythical "blue devil", is supposed to be the best sports car for the money since the Corvette Z06. That was until Nissan came out with their GT-R. Suddenly a storm begins to brew. A battle royal is about to erupt between Nissan and Chevrolet over the best bang for the buck title. Funny thing is these cars will probably wind up beating everything regardless of price. This then becomes a battle for the overall fastest, absolute supremacy, two cars enter one car leaves. On paper these cars are nothing alike. The Corvette is a two seater front engined rear drive with a supercharged V8 and about 637hp. The GT-R V-Spec is a four seater front engined all wheel drive with a twin turbo V6 and speculative 530hp. Now the ZR1 will have more power, a lot more power. And it will probably weigh less too. But the secret to the GT-R's success is traction, ridiculous traction. Something the Corvette will likely struggle with. So far the reported GT-R's lap times have have put it ahead of the estimated ZR1 times, as well as just about everything else. The ZR1 has been unofficially clocked at much slower times, but General Motors has publicly sated that the ZR1 will post numbers in the 7:20's, right where the GT-R can be found. Whether you like Nissan or Chevrolet, Japanese cars or American, or if you like any other type of vehicles you have to realize this is going to be one hell of a showdown.

If there ever was a sports car world war this would likely be one. You can find participants form the USA (Corvette, Viper, Ford GT) Japan (GT-R, upcoming LF-A and NSX) Germany (911 turbo, 911 gt2, upcoming R8 v10) Italy (430, Gallarado) UK (Aston Martin DBS-a bit of a stretch) and probably more. This gets me wondering were there any past world sports car wars? There was the first, or maybe second, wave of Japanese sports cars in the 90's. Cars like the NSX, GT3000, and Supra were challenging cars like the Viper, 911, TR12, and once again Corvette ZR1. In the 50's and 60's you had Aston Martin vs. Jaguar vs. Ferrari vs. Mercedes. I'm sure there are many other examples which is why I think cars are so fun. They come from such different back grounds yet they end up so closely matched. Its amazing to read about these beautiful machines going head to head. To me it doesn't matter so much who the winner is, rather how good the fight is.