Kawasaki and Suzuki unite for motorcycle production
Faced with the weakening of Japanese manufacturers on the world market, Suzuki and Kawasaki, respectively 3rd and 4th worldwide, have just concluded a strategic agreement aimed at the design of motorcycles in common.
To face an increasingly competitive global motorcycle market, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd and Suzuki Motor Corporation announced yesterday in Tokyo the signing of a "strategic agreement for the development, design, engineering and manufacture of motorcycles and ATVs, as well as the purchase of spare parts".
According to the terms of the statement released yesterday in Tokyo, this agreement is "based on a spirit of reciprocity and equality. It aims to defend the wish of each party to contribute to greater profitability – even as globalization increases and competition intensifies in the motorcycle industry – through the complementarization of the resources of each and of mutual collaboration". Kawasaki and Suzuki have promised to collaborate in particular"in product development, the pooling of product platforms, parts and components, as well as as part of their purchasing and manufacturing policy, so as to improve the competitiveness and profitability of their activity".
In the immediate future, the two parties will concentrate their efforts on customs, large displacement scooters, motocross and ATV. On the other hand, they retain their autonomy in the area of marketing and sales, each of them continuing to use its own distribution networks. The global motorcycle market for its part is still very buoyant, but faced with the success of esteem of European and American manufacturers among the public, the four Japanese giants (in order of importance Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki) saw their shares are reduced on the European market from 80 to 50%. A still comfortable place, but for how long ?
Eric MICHEL
Related articles
-
Comparison test Kawasaki Z900, Suzuki GSX-S750 and Yamaha MT-09: Election of the best Japanese maxi-mid-size roadster In 2017, Kawasaki further…
-
Earthquake in Japan: first consequences for the motorcycle industry The earthquake of March 11, 2011 in Japan will not be without consequences on the…
-
Business – Suzuki stops production of the Bandit 1250 N – A look in the retro
Suzuki stops production of the Bandit 1250 N Bad news for fans of large torquey and accessible roadsters: Suzuki is stopping the production of the famous…
-
Harley-Davidson Suspends Production of LiveWire Electric Motorcycles Over Charging Problem Back to school difficult for Harley-Davidson, which relied on…
-
News from Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha
News from Honda , Kawasaki , Suzuki and Yamaha Faster with ABS A little more power and less weight? the new 1000s from Suzuki and Yamaha follow this old…
-
The motorcycles competing in the new Honda Africa Twin 1100 Le Journal moto du Net takes this week the handlebars of the new CRF1100L Africa Twin 2020…
-
Business – Suzuki stops production of the Bandit 1250 N – Three months of stock in dealership
Suzuki stops production of the Bandit 1250 N Bad news for fans of large torquey and accessible roadsters: Suzuki is stopping the production of the famous…
-
Honda NC700S challenges Kawasaki ER-6n and Suzuki Gladius In 2012, Honda intends to shake up the basic motorcycle segment with its economical roadster,…
-
Business – EBR motorcycles expected for October in France – Used BUELL
EBR motorcycles expected for October in France A few days ago, EBR proudly unveiled its next model derived from its sporty 1190 RX: the 1190 SX…
-
Business – the CEO of Kawasaki Motors Europe takes stock – KAWASAKI occasions
Kawasaki Motors Europe CEO takes stock Six days after the terrible earthquake, the Managing Director of Kawasaki Motos Europe makes an initial…