If you remember we
carried the news that a brother Italy’s
PM offered to save Moto Morini from extinction. He made a substantial monetary
offer including plans to revive the Morini plant and also plans for the workers
at the plant.
The offer was rejected by the plants union. Paolo Berlusconi
improved his offer by promising to make less people redundant. The union was
not interested. Paolo Berlusconi walked away and dashed hopes that the historical
brand was not ready for extinction.
Now all hopes of reviving look gloomy as
there is no other offer to save Moto Morini. If you have some spare cash of
about RM10 million in your pocket you can try and rescue Morini and be part of
motorcycling history.
Just to recall,
Berlusconi offered 2.5 million Euros ( RM 9.9 million).
Rumours from the US are strong
that MV may produce a small motorcycle very soon. This may be the reason for
opening an MV store in Korea
and soon to open in Kuala Lumpur.
Looking at the logic of it, it does not make much sense if stores are opened
when sales figures are not there to justify it. However with the planned small
motorcycle, a distribution network will be ready when the small MVs are ready.
Guess everyone will agree that to
enter the small bike market one has to produce cheap and sell cheap. With this in
mind could it be that the little MV will be built in Korea?
MV Augusta, currently
still owned by Harley, opened a store for MV only in Seoul
to mark inroad into Asia. The store operated
by Motoquad of South Koreas is lavish. Set in exclusive Seoul’s prestigious district, the store is a
5 storey building set with an innovative concept aptly named ‘Motorcycle &
Coffee’. On display are MV motorcycles, clothing and special parts with full
trained technicians available if needed.
MV
Augusta seemed determine to make its presence in Asia felt as it is said that
another store will be set up in Kuala Lumpur soon. Maybe it is linked with news
about a small MV.
Whether Paolo Berlusconi
can take
over
Moto Morini is still unsure. His offer has been rejected by Trade
Unions
representative despite Berlusconi’s plan to maintain some 20 workers
from
Morini and giving severance pay for 37 other workers and to also shift
manufacturing
a
Garelli model to Morini.
Berlusconi is expected to make a
new
proposal very soon.
I first heard of the Sachs MadAss in early 2001 when a 50cc version were
selling in Germany.
Some say it’s like a Honda Monkee of yesteryear but riding one will dismiss
this notion. In the region Singapore,
Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia ( branded as Minerva
MadAss 125) had the MadAss for sale as early as 2008. Never mind, at least we
can a chance to own one.
The MadAss is created
and designed by Sachs of Germany. For those who are not aware Sachs has been
producing motorcycles for over 100 years. Sachs is now manufactured in China after a
Chinese company FYM acquired the firms.
In Malaysia Mofaz just launched the Momos MadAss 125 with a very attractive
price of less then RM6000 ( please confirm with Mofaz if interested) The MadAss 125 is a
single cylinder 4 valve with about 11 horses. The engine is air-cooled and
arranged ala Honda Cubs, Monkee ect. Notice how the backbone of frame (which
also houses the fuel) is in line with the rear shocks and the swing arm. This
is not just a design exercise to make it look pretty but is designed such that
jolts at the rear wheel is transferred to the front suspension which is a
massive 43mm unit.
Stopping the bike are disc up front (260mm) and rear (215mm) with assistance
from the low profile tyres 90/90 front and 120/80 rear fitted to 16-inch cast
aluminum wheels. The bike is not a child or mini bike as the seat at 33.7 in
from the floor is comfortable for an adult. The fuel is carried in the frame
that can hold over a gallon.
Engine and transmission
Displacement: 124.00 ccm (7.57 cubic inches)
Engine type: Single cylinder
Stroke: 4
Fuel system: Carburettor
Valves per cylinder: 4
Fuel control: OHC
Starter: Electric & kick
Cooling system: Air
Gearbox: 4-speed
final drive: Chain
Physical measures
Dry weight: 100.0 kg
Overall length: 1,815 mm
Overall width: 720 mm
Italian
Prime Minister’s brother Paolo
Berlusconi has recently purchased Moto Morini
and it is now said that
he is after MV Agusta. It cost Berlusconi 2.5 Million
Euros ( about
9.9 million Malaysia Ringgits) to buy Moto Morini.
Everyone knows about Moto Morini’s financial
problems over
the past few years and in fact Moto Morini declared
itself bankrupt in
September 2009. According to Italian laws, the
declaration gave Moto Morini time
to find an investor and also allow them
to trade for six months
without having to attend to debts. Moto Morini took
this breathing
period to clear unsold stocks, build bike to meet outstanding
orders
and look for financial help.
For
his money Berlusconi got the Morini factory, equipment,
all the
intellectual rights to the bikes and all
designs past and present. Berlusconi
is the current owner of another
Italian brand Garelli. If Berlusconi eventually
buys MV Agusta, it
will make him a significant player in the world
motorcycle
market.
What’s in
a name you may say. Yeah, if it your name and mine of course
there's not much value to it, even when we are alive. Some names however
keep on pulling the crowds even after the owner of the name is long
dead.
Marlon Brando is one such name. Triumph
Motorcycles has just sign a lucrative deal with the estates of Marlon
Brando for the use of the stars name for a replica leather jacket.
The original jacket was
worn by Brando in the movie The Wild One. In the movie Brandon rode a
Triumph
motorcycle.
Ossa, the once famous Spanish
motorcycle brand is
back. Given up for dead, not many alive will believe that the name will
make a comeback. Well they actually do and has launched their first bike
a Trial model TR 280i.
1,250 units will be made this year, with 250 units going to the
Spanish and Portuguese market. Next year, they are preparing to pick up
the pace, and produce some 3,000 units. A new enduro model is in the
pipeline. Maybe we can see one at the EICMA this year .
Remember we carried a news that India’s Bajaj
motorcycle company was
ready to take the controlling share in KTM?
Well, unfortunately it was not going to be realized. KTM’s
shareholder CROSS Industries has declared that it was not going to give
its share. Maybe Bajaj will just have to wait.
Rumours that Bajaj is to takeover KTM
of Austria is set to be realised. Bajaj has been offered to take over
90% stake in KTM..
However Bajaj has yet to finalised
the offer. Bajaj is said to take up 51% state initially and when the
final takeover will materialised is yet to be announced.
Earlier we carried the news that
Harley Davidson will be
closing the Buell plant. Now we hear that liquidation sales of all
parts and equipment at the plant will be held on 28th January
2010. Since production began 26 years ago Buell had produced 130,000
motorcycles. Fans will be sad to see it all go. If you want a piece of
history then you need to head to the US and make a bidding for anything
youfancy like
tool, equipment,
engines, mudguards , tanks, computers and special testing equipment. In
fact they are just too many to list.
The liquidation sale starts January 28th at the Buell Factory at
2815 Buell Dr, East Troy, WI. It is open to the public everyday
until everything is sold. Hours of operation are 10am till 7pm Monday
thru Saturday and 12noon to 5pm on Sunday.
Buyers may view photos and
inventory online at www.LiquidAssetPartners.com.
The six founding members of ASEAN impose zero
tariffs on 7,881 goods traded amongst themselves recently which may be
a sign of better economic prospects both producers and consumers.
The elimination of tariffs by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines,Singapore and Thailand means a step closer to an integrated
ASEAN economy. The other ASEAN members will impose zero tariffs in 2015.
Zero tariffs means products can be imported/exported amongst
themselves at no cost. Whether it will mean a free flow of goods and also
whether we will see cheaper bike prices are yet to be seen.
Can you guess how
many
motorcycles are produced yearly in India? EIGHT MILLION yes
8,000,000
motorcycles a year. But the motorcycles are not the super bike
types
as first choice amongst Indians are economical, long lasting and
price.
Without surprise Honda launched the
Honda
Twister which has an
attractive
look but yet gives up to 164 miles per gallon or about 70km
per
litre.
The
Twister is a 110 cc
motorcycle churning out 9
hp and
is priced at Rp 42,000/- or about RM3100/-. This new bike has a
six
sopke cast wheel and a bikini fairing and its design is years away
from
the Rajdoot and Enfields which India’s motorcycling public is so
used
to. The gear box has a 4 speed transmission.
With
such a low power I am sure aftermarket suppliers will be rushing to
market upgrades for the bike.
Wonder
if Honda will introduce this model
into Malaysia. Reminds me of the
Honda S90 days.
Qianjiang
Motors Puts Another $26
Million Into The Italian Brand
Qianjiang
Motors from
China , which in 2005 acquired Benelli, is now investing
another US $26
million into Benelli.
Haimei Yan who
is Qianjang Motors general
manager was reported as
saying that they are in Benelli for sure even
though it is no turning a
profit just yet.
The cash
infusion will mean Benelli can now continue their R & D
on new and future products.
Benelli Cafe 550
Haimei
Yan hinted that a 600cc
in-line four supersport bike maybe in the
pipeline. With this Benelli
can hope to turn a profit within 2 years.
Yan
regard the Italian way of doing business as the main obstacle to
Benelli’s
growth and development.
Though Bajaj is not much
known
here it is however a
motorcycle producers to
be
reckoned with. Bajaj manufactured about 2 million two wheelers in
2008. This is by no mean small. Whilst
total figures has been increasing
scooter sales is dismal thus Bajaj
is reported to be planning to drop
scooter manufacture by March next
year.
Bajaj scooters as most Hindi movie
fan will
recognize are the Vespa look alike. However with
sophistication Bajaj
began producing more modern designs. With
improved economic standing of
the average Indian, themasses has move
from scooters to motorcycles and
small cars.
Bajaj
will now concentrate on
motorcycle manufacture
such as
the Honda Hero, Pulsar and Discover models. Plan to produce
Kawasaki
Ninja 250is also on the table.
Bajaj
by the way has a considerable share in
the Austrian
motorcycle manufacturer
KTM.
Bajaj bought into KTM in 2007 with 15% share but by February 2009
this
was increased to 31.7 %.
KTM and Bajaj are said to be
working to
develop a water-cooled4 stroke 125 and 250 engines
Harley
Davidson has
been
in the business of making motorcycles for a very long time and they
have
been through ups and downs in their profits and losses. They have
been
through it all thus its no surprise to read about their latest
move.
With profits diving
Harley
Davidson is,
a) Planning to stop its Buell
range of motorcycles. The lower
then expected figures apparently
made Harley decide to stop the range.
b) Planning to sell off its MV
Agusta unit. It was July 2008
when
Harley-Davidson bought
MV Agusta for
$109 million in a bid to lift
its presence in Europe and enter the
popular performance bike segment.
Anyone with more than a hundred
million US$ can call Harley
to make their offer. Malaysia can just
gawk with our mouth open because
just a while ago MV Agusta was sold
by Proton for a mere ONE EURO.
Italian
motorcycle manufacturer
Moto Morini has gone into voluntary liquidation
after failing to pay
staffs and suppliers.
Voluntary liquidation is normally done prior to
its assets gets
broken up and sold. It can also trigger a rush to
buy
the
firm.
The news
shocked many as Morini has to date sold 15% more bikes then
it did
for the full year in 2008. It is said that work on new models is
still
ongoing.
It will be a sad day if Morini is to
disappear from motorcycling as
it is one of the older motorcycling
company in existence today.
Motorcycle journalist
Alan Cathcart set two FIM world records in the1,000 cc
normally-aspirated Twin-cylinder unstreamlined class on a
street-legal
Triumph. The Thruxton. set a mark of 152.678 mph
(244.2848 km/h) on the flying mile and 152.770 mph (244.432 km/h) on the
flying kilometer two-way runs. Cathcart also set an unofficial one-way
speed record of 153.150 mph (245.04 km/h) on the Thruxton.
Cathcart then went on to set another two more FIM world records
in the 1000 cc forced induction twin cylinder unstreamlined class on
a Bonneville. In the flying mile he recorded 165.405 mph (264.648 km/h)
and 165.672 mph (265.075 km/h) for the flying kilometer. The Bonneville
recorded 171.624 mph (274.598 km/h)
Mention Vespas and the first thing that comes to
most
peoples’ mind is a2-stroke 150 cc scooter. It has been like this for so
long that competitors too dare not try other capacity options. Thus 150
cc is quite a standard capacity for most scooters.
Now Vespa has decided to come out of the cocoon.
They
have introduced theGTS300 – a 278 cc scooter ,
Said to be the biggest and fastest Vespa in history. Vespa
describes the Super as the fastest and most technologically
advanced Vespa ever.
Biz
I first heard of the Sachs MadAss in early 2001 when a 50cc version were
selling in Germany.
Some say it’s like a Honda Monkee of yesteryear but riding one will dismiss
this notion. In the region Singapore,
Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia ( branded as Minerva
MadAss 125) had the MadAss for sale as early as 2008. Never mind, at least we
can a chance to own one. 
Displacement: 124.00 ccm (7.57 cubic inches)
Qianjiang
Motors from
China , which in 2005 acquired Benelli, is now investing
another US $26
million into Benelli.
Though Bajaj is not much
known
here it is however a
