Yamaha out of WSBK in 2012

[Mother Goose]

:(

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/World-Superbikes/2011/July/aug0111-yamaha-pulls-out-of-wsb/

[green_zx7r]

Daaaaaaaang..... :down:

[salsashark]

I wonder if, reading between the lines, they're going the Ducati route and ending the Factory team but are still going to support teams on the WSBK grid...

[bennice]

Wow...that's a surprise with Melandri and Laverty doing so well.
Maybe it has something to do with the 1 bike + 1 rolling chassis rule being implemented next year, but you'd think that would help keep costs down. I'm sure there will be a privateer team still riding the R1 though, and they haven't pulled out of MotoGP either.

[Tylar]

:down:

[JustSomeDude]

:(

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/World-Superbikes/2011/July/aug0111-yamaha-pulls-out-of-wsb/

I think the first comment summed it up nicely...


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:wtf:

[grim]

I think the first comment summed it up nicely...



:wtf:

ummmmm :wtf: was that quote???

[tecknojoe]

fuck that

[Cap'n Crunch]

This sucks...

[spideyrdr]

Manufacturers must think "win on Sunday / sell on Monday" no longer applies. Or that racing around the world doesn't help improve brand awareness and sell units.

It's a disappointing announcement. You would think IF the economies are going to turn around that this is the worst time to say "we'll sit out racing our production-based bikes - it's just not paying off".

Maybe EBR will fill the void? Eh? Ehhhh?

[OUTLAWD]

they have to focus on building spies a kick ass bike for next season ;)

[cptschlongenheimer]

Maybe EBR will fill the void? Eh? Ehhhh?

his new super bike is getting phenomenal reviews...
;)

[Sean]

Sad to hear. Hope it's a temporary change.

[ian22]

I just saw this on road racing world....first Kawasaki (out of motogp), now Yamaha...oh and Ducati kind of. Anyway, I'm wondering if an effort will be made to make WSBK more like AMA superbike - so its more affordable for all of the teams. Its almost like GP racing the way it is now...loosely based on a production bike. It'd be a shame to not have such amazing bikes racing but with the economy the way it is, maybe its the only way to keep SBK alive for now.
Lame to have nearly stock bikes racing....but they are pretty impressive from the factory these days anyway? (self-deception)

[Xtremjeepn]

Manufacturers must think "win on Sunday / sell on Monday" no longer applies. Or that racing around the world doesn't help improve brand awareness and sell units.



I'm sure it was simply a cost benefit analysis. They looked at the total money being spent and decided if they redirected that money to other marketing activities that it would help the overall brand.

"Sportbike" sales are probably decreasing as an overall percentage of the companies sales. So a decrease in spending targeted to that market is probably appropriate.

[bennice]

Rumor has it Suzuki may quit too, not that they has a huge presence.

Does this mean they both will be out of Supersport class too? Didn't Yamaha just resume fielding bikes in this class this year??

[birchyboy]

Manufacturers must think "win on Sunday / sell on Monday" no longer applies.

I don't think it does apply any more. I haven't seen a dealer open on Mondays in a long time :)

[ian22]

This really sucks....but, I am in suspense to see what'll happen. I imagine the big factory teams will be gone - replaced with privateer efforts.

[longrider]

I see racing becoming all privateer, the factory involvement being similar to Ducati in selling kit parts to teams but no true factory teams. This is just a reflection of the state of the industry, the only market segments that are up this year over last are dual sports and scooters and we are only talking about single digit percentages after shrinking 40 -50% over the past 3 years. These are national numbers.

On the sportbike scene, there is a growing consensus that the 'racebike with lights' concept has really been pushed too far. While track day addicts and racers love it the truth is that less than 10% of sportbikes get sold to those riders. For the other 90% the bikes have just gotten too radical for a daily rider. Where I am going with this is that they are hurting sales beyond the overall state of the industry by building bikes a very small percentage of riders can truly utilize.