Suzuki and Kawasaki team up to beat the competition…..

TOKYO – Suzuki and Kawasaki, two brands
historians of Japanese motorcycles, have decided to put
together their forces to fight the competition, above all
foreign, increasingly strong on the Japanese market.

Suzuki Motor and Kawasaki Haevy Industries, respectively
third and fourth motorcycle manufacturer in Japan, after Honda e
Yamaha, announced today an alliance with the aim of
develop and manufacture new models jointly, although i
two partners will maintain distinct brands and distribution channels.

The objective of the alliance, which for the moment does not entail
exchanges of shares between two groups, is "to use the
complementarity between the resources of the two groups”, have
announced Suzuki and Kawasaki in a statement.

The two new allies
they therefore want to exploit all possible synergies for
production of motorcycles (also for motocross), high quality scooters
displacement and even 4×4 vehicles. The alliance will entail as well
the possibility for each of the two groups to produce pieces of
spare parts and components for the other partner.

Suzuki and Kawasaki, who in 2000 were able to count on the
14,6% and 3% market share in Japan, they must not
only face competition from the two Japanese rivals of
again, Honda and Yamaha (52,2% and 30,2% share respectively
market), but also that of foreign brands, increasingly
aggressive especially in the displacement range above
250 cc.

If we consider the data from last June, in this range
Ducati, which is experiencing a phase of great success in the country
Asian, saw 1.808 motorbikes registered, 53% more
compared to the same month last year.

BMW has registered a
increase of 28% (1.232 units) and Harley Davidson of 4,8%
(5.600)

Honda did not share the same trend (-13%,
10.200 units) and Kawasaki (-13,3%, 7.560). As for Yamaha
(+4,5%, 10.13 and Suzuki (+5,8%, 5.711) the positive trend is
at the launch of a new model late last year in
second.

Source:Handle