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Ducati offers to buy Aprilia

18K views 60 replies 22 participants last post by  Holy_Kaw  
#1 ·
Hmmm, this could be an interesting development for both companies. It might help solve the financial woes that Italian motorcycle companies have always faced and would also bring some fresh thinking to both groups as well.
 
#6 ·
Yeah, but the V11 series is too nice to give up. I'd keep the Aprilia line as scooters and run Moto Guzzi as the V11 and California series.

That way Texas Pacific has Ducati full on sport bikes, Monster "hooligan" bikes, V11 Cafe` bikes and California cruisers and (more or less) sport tourers.

Purty durn good mix, I think<
 
#8 ·
You wouldn't happen to have read any reviews of the F4 1000, have you? Of course, I'm still in love with the F4 SPR and it's 750 engine which is still more than I can handle. Of course it's beautiful, but all I have heard about the F4 1000 indicate that it's pretty freakin' amazing overall. Have you heard/read anything?
 
#9 ·
In the latest Sportrider Magazine the reviews of the MV 1000 S puts it on par if not better than the current crop of Japanese hyper-bikes. A "race kit" is being developed that will allow that engine to be over 200hp! I guess they are racing in Superbike in 2005 if I remember. I'm looking at a new high end "buy one last bike" with some stock comes due next year (yes stock that isn't under water) and the MV is on my list..
 
#11 ·
Political B U L L S H I T

Dear MO:

I thoroughly enjoyed MO and several of its writers' until lately now that:

by captainwhoopass (Conservatives theREALAmericans@BushCheney2004.com)

has made it into a political campaign blitz and for that matter any MOron making it into a political election forum. If this is going to be allowed then please take the balance of my membership and buy what little beer you can to be shared amongst the MO Staff, because this is f#%ked. Either that or I start my own campaign using MO and posting every little tidbit of utter nonsense possible so that I can springboard my vote for Alfred E. Newman.

All joking aside...if MO doesn't do something about CaptainDumbsh#t, then I headed elsewhere to enjoy what I came to MO for--motorcycling.
 
#15 ·
This deal sucks. I don't know why fans of Italian bikes - or any motorcyclists, for that matter - would be happy to see Ducati buy out a competitor and kill off all those great bikes.



It's also illogical. Is Aprilia that much of a threat to Ducati in its present financial straights? Or does Ducati want the Moto Guzzi and Laverda names so badly that it will take on the excess (and useless) Aprilia assets?



I'd say that this is yet another case of Italian passion overriding business sense, but it's Texas Pacific Group. Weird.



And yet no motorcycle company is grabbing the goldmine-at-a-firesale-price Indian. Double weird.
 
#17 ·
When has the Italian bike industry NOT been in financial turmoil? Anyone with just a tad more observational powers than a stale turnip knows the answer: never!

Easiest prediction of the week: Italian motorcycle industry financial turmoils to continue as far as the eye can see; Italian bike industry continues to make the most interesting equipment out there; Italian bike industry continues to have difficulty keeping the spare parts pipeline adequately supplied, etc, etc.

Same story, different year.

There have been almost as many ownership configurations of Italian motorcycle companies as there have been Italian "governments" in the last 50 or so yrs.

Don't sweat this stuff: enjoy it!
 
#19 ·
Indian (in its lattest iteration) was just a Harley clone manufacturer. They had no market to sell to, other than RUB's who where allready spending 25large on Alen Ness bikes. All Indian has is a marketing name, untill someone with balls comes in and sets it up as a unique brand again, it will be at best a harley clone company
 
#21 ·
Re: Political B U L L S H I T

Funny. I can't recall any complaints from you about Kook turning this website into a political forum. He's the one who always starts these things. Why don't you go after him? Huh?
 
#23 ·
>All Indian has is a marketing

>name



A hugely valuable one.



>untill someone with balls comes in

>and sets it up as a unique brand

>again



Exactly.



Ducati has the resources, and they have engineers who know something about V-twins. And for the cretins to whom such a thing would be important, it wouldn't be Ducati owning Indian, it would be Texas Pacific Group.
 
#26 ·
To all those that think that the Ducati/Aprilia sucks, YOUR HIGH. Simply, Aprilia was and is a scooter builder. The motors in the street bikes are supplied by Rotax. The MotoGP effort is a failure. Ducati will not ax any sportbike that Aprilia produces. What they will do is modify the existing motor and build it in Ducati's house. The under 100cc scooter market in Europe blew up when helmet laws were introduced. That's where Aprilia made it's cash. If Duc takes over and helps design big cc scooters (150-500 cc) Aprilia will be back in the game. All Ducati has to do is stop the GP effort to stop the bleeding. Duc wanted Guzzi, anyway, so why not throw in Laverda and (lead brand) Aprilia. Banks will go for it and Duc has the funding. Anyone that thinks this is bad is simply not a good businessman. Aprilia will live right along side with Ducati. Guzzi will get better quality control and Laverda will start shipping bad ass litre class twins again. It all looks good to me.