Yamaha Motor worried about demand in developed World
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Yamaha Motor President Kajikawa to be demoted due to poor business
What you're failing to dissect is what percentage of those woes came from the motorcycle manufacturing aspect of Yamaha's business interests.
More importantly, what do the numbers look like for their motorcycle business when taken individually. Yamaha makes much more than just road going motorcycles and hence the posted losses you list are not solely due to their motorcycle business.
More succinctly, this page actually address my point. Which is, Yamaha's consolidated sales have declined and the drop in sales figures in their other industries has been greater than the drop in motorcycles sales (which, by the way, have not declined in Asia).
Going a little further, 2009 Sales Stats are available here and as you can see sales are down across the board (i.e., on and off road) and across all manufactures (European and Japanese).
It's interesting to look at the numbers, but you've obviously biased your interpretation to suit your jab at Yamaha and by extension Rossi.
More succinctly, this page actually address my point. Which is, Yamaha's consolidated sales have declined and the drop in sales figures in their other industries has been greater than the drop in motorcycles sales (which, by the way, have not declined in Asia).
Asia doesn't buy superbikes so if sales increased in Asia (as you claim), then they were scoots and basically pieces of shit. Therefore, the superbike sales would account for even MORE of the cratering of the company. Way to point out the Rossi-effect isn't working. I read the same release as you and saw marine sales cratered and power equipment sales cratered. But a 27% decrease in motorcycle sales in the US is quite massive to their bottom line. And then the bikes they DID sell fukd them on the exchange rate when they tried to repatriate the Yen. It's an epic failure all the way around. The Yen drop shouldn't be even stated in the release had they hedged their Yen/$ exposure properly.
What were their sales increases the year Rossi switched and won. What about Honda's when Nicky made Rossi choke on a bone in Valencia? Did that make CBR sales go through the roof? MotoGP riders have very little to do with sales and you know it.
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Originally Posted by mrgrn
why don'y you do yourself a favor and put me on ignore
I have to agree with Jamie on this one. he might do wonders for t-shirts/posters/helmets etc. etc. I would think that WSBK would influence buyers more than GP. I still wouldn't say that they sale bikes because of wins. Hell go ask ten gixxer riders who Kevin Schwants is and I bet two would know who he is. most sport bike riders are fickle. they buy bikes on spec sheets. I hear all the time things like; why buy a 600 anything when you can buy a busa?
in short bragging rights and street cred sell more than race victories, and what Rossi brings to the table is massive sponsorship dollars.
I think racing at the top level is all about branding! You win, you create a brand name that is recognizeable, that people appreciate. Of course no one is expecting the R1 to be anything like the M1, but what it tells you is that when push comes to shove, Yamaha know what it takes to make a sportbike.
A good analogy is of MV Agusta... a strong bike, with no notable racing presence. Hasn't worked for them at all. What do you think their sales would have been had the competed and won at WSBK?
And outside of the basic engine design and architecture, everyone knows your street legal R1 is a long ways away from the bike that Ben rode... but I don't think it matters. I think it is about creating an image in the head of the customer of the brand, that he wants to own, because he can relate to success (or at least wants to!).
I think it is about creating an image in the head of the customer of the brand, that he wants to own, because he can relate to success (or at least wants to!).
Yep, one of the most successful years EVER for Yamaha and I highly doubt they sniff the sales of Gixxers etc etc. Hell, Honda probably just sold more 2008 CBR 1000's at firesale prices in the past 2 mos than Yamaha will sell R1's all next year. You can think the above is true, but the sales will prove otherwise.
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Originally Posted by mrgrn
why don'y you do yourself a favor and put me on ignore
Asia doesn't buy superbikes so if sales increased in Asia (as you claim), then they were scoots and basically pieces of shit. Therefore, the superbike sales would account for even MORE of the cratering of the company. Way to point out the Rossi-effect isn't working. I read the same release as you and saw marine sales cratered and power equipment sales cratered. But a 27% decrease in motorcycle sales in the US is quite massive to their bottom line.
You apparently didn't read it closely. I did not say Asia sales increased, I said that they didn't decrease like other markets did. A point clearly stated in the Yamaha release.
Racing obviously offers the manufactures an appreciable ROI or they wouldn't do it.
For the figures regarding Honda sales in '06 or Hayden's 848 edition, I don't have the 06 figures but the Hayden 848 bikes all sold. Evidently, having a well marketed and prominent brand figurehead - by way of a recognizable rider personality- can pay dividends.
I also wanted to disagree with your biased manipulation of the numbers to go on another anti Rossi crusade.
Don't know about Yamaha's problems elsewhere but they're now the biggest sellers in the UK. It was always Honda but everyone wants R1/R6. Also there are loads painted in Rossi colours so the image seems to work.
Ummm, NO ONE can buy anything close to the bike Rossi rides? The "crossplane crank" gimmick can be skewed as "Moto-GP inspired" but I'd say Spies dominating a production-based series did more for those sales than Rossi did.
Jami I would normally agree with you but on this one, you'd be surprised on the amount of ppl who just want to own the same brand as Rossi, Stoner or Pedrosa rides.....seriously. Call them posers if you like but they're out there.
Hell, I cant even begin to tell you on how many ppl up in Canada had GP replica paint jobs, etc... on their trackday bikes, maybe not so much here in the US but elsewhere some take that (GP) replica stuff seriously and will find any way to make a tie to their own bikes.....paint aside.
Don't know about Yamaha's problems elsewhere but they're now the biggest sellers in the UK. It was always Honda but everyone wants R1/R6. Also there are loads painted in Rossi colours so the image seems to work.
Yamaha is the biggest seller in Italy now also, having finally outsold Honda. Sportsbikes are clinically dead down here but Yamaha is selling plenty of scooters and 600s. I won't even mention the fact that the only 125 bike sold in any number is their YZF-R125... so I agree on the fact that the image seems to be working.
Mind though that demand for new bikes has tanked all over the world (except China, perhaps) and sportsbikes, once the manufacturers premium way of making money, are rapidly going out of fashion in Europe with the notable exception of the UK and more and more restrictive legislation for new riders mean the average rider is getting considerably older by the year: youths prefer keeping their mopeds until they are 18 and buy a car right away, then wait until they are 21 to buy a big bike they do not know how to use. Also consider that the once florid Japanese market has been on a downward slope ever since the mid '90s.
Finally we have no idea as "foreign demons" how keiretsu work: what we may consider a very succesful company may be deemed a failure by their standards.
Way to point out the Rossi-effect isn't working.
I read the same release as you and saw marine sales cratered and power equipment sales cratered. But a 27% decrease in motorcycle sales in the US is quite massive to their bottom line. And then the bikes they DID sell fukd them on the exchange rate when they tried to repatriate the Yen. It's an epic failure all the way around. The Yen drop shouldn't be even stated in the release had they hedged their Yen/$ exposure properly.
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