[QCS]

Multiple reports over the internet. I hope it is a hoax, but who knows...

Suzuki to quit MotoGP World Championship at the end of this season?

Suzuki, which won the world championship with Joan Mir in 2020, looks set to leave MotoGP at the end of this season.

www.crash.net

Suzuki set to quit MotoGP at the end of 2022

Suzuki is set to quit MotoGP at the end of the 2022 season just seven years after it returned to the premier class, Motorsport.com has learned.

us.motorsport.com

Suzuki to exit MotoGP at the end of 2022 - The Race

Suzuki will walk away from MotoGP at the end of the 2022 season, The Race's sources in the paddock can confirm.

the-race.com

 

[fredaroony]

I'd be very surprised if that was true but time will tell!

 

[gts455]

It's confirmed. Team meeting was held at Jerez and everyone was informed.....pretty crazy. Hope this isn't a sign of the future with the current economy, world conflict, and move towards electric vehicles.

 

[Cb750r]

**** me, Suzuki has been on hard times for a while, now I’m hearing from dealers lots of bike shortages from Japanese suppliers (all suppliers really) due to chip shortages… I know they haven’t has the money to develop a lot of new models, but firing their designers and hiring someone with a new eye would help them more than new engines would. They haven’t made anything appealing in ages.

 

[QCS]

Sign of the times, I guess, with issues lingering due to the pandemic. Will be very sad to see this leading manufacturer leave MotoGP due to budgetary reasons. Just a couple of years ago there was talk of a Suzuki satellite team. They are also not present in World SBK.

 

[QCS]

I am following "The Race" podcast on a regular basis. They are really connected with the paddock. You can listen to their take on the news here:

Podcast: The fallout from shock Suzuki MotoGP decision - The Race

Suzuki's shock decision to withdraw from MotoGP, and the likely repercussions of it, are discussed on this The Race MotoGP Podcast special.

the-race.com

 

[gts455]

I know there have previously been talks of trying to merge motogp and WSBK as the costs are becoming too great for manufacturers to run both and the "race on Sunday, sell on Monday" ethos doesnt really ring true anymore. Wonder if there is any possibility of that happening, especially as we go electric.

 

[QCS]

MotoGP was always about prototypes. It's the F1 of motorcycles. Trickle down technology for sure, but no direct relationship to sales. It's about the manufacturer's racing DNA, more than anything else. You can see it in the budgets.

 

[gts455]

Yeah, that is true but is there a point where the costs of participating are not worth it. I guess that's the way the Suzuki shareholders feel about it.

 

[QCS]

The podcast claims that Suzuki board members never had love for racing, and specifically to the costs associated with racing.

If you look at the only major series that Suzuki participates in and led for many years, AMA Superbike, the Suzuki team was not factory backed (as far as I am aware). They are not racing World SBK as well.

Very sad, especially for a company that invented the racebike for the street category, with the original GSX-750R. I guess that times and positions change.

 

[Cb750r]

Problem is I think we’ve reached the zenith of road racing engine development. No one can realistically tap into a super bikes potential on the street. It’s why I’m here on a 120hp Duke. It’s way more relevant to real road riding scenarios than a 1000cc repliracer.
Shitty thing is if they put a GSXR1000 motor in a nice looking naked bike they could funnel a lot of sales away from the ugly MT10 on the budget big boy naked bikes.

 

[QCS]

Shitty thing is if they put a GSXR1000 motor in a nice looking naked bike they could funnel a lot of sales away from the ugly MT10 on the budget big boy naked bikes.

It seems like they do...

2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+ First Ride Review

Cycle World hits the road aboard the 2022 GSX-S1000GT+ to test the long-haul capabilities of Suzuki’s newest sport-tourer.

www.cycleworld.com

Only thing is that the are using the bulletproof 2005 engine and not anything newer.

 

[Stef890R]

Sad news, while the 2002 Suzuki is a well-balanced and very capable bike.
On another hand, it looks like they have lost interest in (gas-powered) bikes in general as they have not produced something new for ages.

 

[desmonator]

The Suzuki company appear to have some huge fines heading their way due to doing a VW with their diesel car engines giving dodgy emission test results.
The bike section could go under to save the cars.

In other news, reports of RNF being close to signing with Aprillia to run a satellite team and dumping Yamaha.
Wonder if Rins is interested in going to factory Aprillia?

 

[Cb750r]

It seems like they do...

2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+ First Ride Review

Cycle World hits the road aboard the 2022 GSX-S1000GT+ to test the long-haul capabilities of Suzuki’s newest sport-tourer.

www.cycleworld.com

Only thing is that the are using the bulletproof 2005 engine and not anything newer.

sport touring bike… the biggest loser in the motorcycle segment due to the boom of adv…. Another swing and a miss in my mind.

 

[bikemoto]

sport touring bike… the biggest loser in the motorcycle segment due to the boom of adv…. Another swing and a miss in my mind.

Not really. Suzuki already have that market covered.

The venerable 25 year old DR650 is the most popular adventure bike here and in many similar places - although it’s just been legislated into history due to lack of ABS. (Note Kawasaki recently released a next-gen KLR650 to include ABS, which is a fairly similar but much more heavy road-oriented bike so nowhere near as popular.)

The V-Strom and wee-strom cover the adventure tourer side of things. Again, very popular bikes due to price, and these they’ve bothered to update every few years.

As to the adventure boom…we may have hit “peak adventure”. There are reports of significant demand from riders returning to the true sport-touring segment after dabbling in adventure.

 

[barbagris]

Some disjointed thoughts. From an aging member of motorcycling. And to be clear I do nut understand "urban living". I hate cites, and even towns.

I don't follow Racing. And realistically (today) it's about franchise as much as racing. Heritage is ALL about the past.
A lot of new riders just do not care. I understand that many many who might have bought a city scooter like a Honda Cub now go for the Electric stand up pavement scooters. No tax, no insurance, no need.

I am told there is a resurgence here of M/C folk wishing to carry a passenger. Usually partner/spouse - but also children. Comfort and stability are gaining a premium. Not performance. And in the last 90 days - more and more - ECONOMY.

I believe expectations now vary HUGELY depending on region. I think ADVENTURE will hold on where there is scope to ride "forever" offroad. But no so much where space is more at a premium.
But note how many of the new adv's are basically an "upright" tarmac sports tourer. They're not really Sports Tourer - they're what in my day was called a good all rounder.

I live in a country where M/C sports are very popular historically - but over all speed limits are being reduced - this makes (ime) a sports bike just plain uncomfy.
Offroad - MX is still strong (though not road legal). Trials are now basically electric - because electric Trials bikes are simply better.
ADV's here are more a bad road (and they can be very bad) bike. But the big ADV's are just too big.
The road behind my house is the bikers road to the hills. The type of bikes we see is changing. Less "x" or "Y" type - more generic "bike". The Chinese bike pricing almost certainly helps this.

Notably there is no visual future for new businesses. In some countries - a new Internal Combustion engined vehicle will not be available in 8 years time by law. Nobody yet knows what this means - will it be electric, will it be "H"?. This can go 2 ways. In 8 years time the price of used IC engines will spike - or they'll drop like a stone. But it means not many are committing to single purpose machines unless they are just too old/rich to care. And this means targeting sales is s serious challenge.

Battery tech has recently surged. I mean this month. reported 250% increase in capacity, efficiency and ten fold charging rates. These should be "about" in 2025 - it will make a difference. And mfrs are sitting up and noticing. 2 yeras R&D in lectric or two yeras R&D in IC.

But this has a knock on for suppliers of fuel. If we go electric (and I believe this is probable for very urban areas) - then there will be no need for urban residents to make fuel stops. This is depending on region as high as 90% of the national population. Fuel stations will die off. If you can run out of fuel then my guess is you'll "risk fueled adventure" less. You can charge from the sun for free.

I am 62 (coming up on 63) - The IC engine cutoff date is 2035 (as is most of the EU - which as a combined market is not small) in 2035 I will be 76. So what I buy NOW will almost certainly be my last bike. I'll get one I like.

 

[QCS]

Great writeup, barbagris. Thanks for this.

The future is hard to tell. There are precursors, but things may still change.

What the economy does in the coming years will have a huge bearing on the future of two-wheeled travel. Motorcycles are still cheaper to purchase, maintain and commute on. In many places around the world they are still the must achievable means of motorized transportation and allow populations to expand their possibilities. For us rich, fat kids they are recreational in nature. But most of the world is not like us.

The small gas engines on two wheels will last longer than their siblings on four wheels. They are just not-as-bad for the environment and have slightly better prognosis. Or at least, so I hope.

Enjoy it while it lasts!

 

[rubberband]

The Suzuki company appear to have some huge fines heading their way due to doing a VW with their diesel car engines giving dodgy emission test results.
The bike section could go under to save the cars.

In other news, reports of RNF being close to signing with Aprillia to run a satellite team and dumping Yamaha.
Wonder if Rins is interested in going to factory Aprillia?

IDK how the latest edition of dieselgate is going to play out for them. They bought engines from Stellantis and the software from Marelli so it's hard to know how much responsibility will fall on Suzuki.

 

[desmonator]

Suzuki will probably cop something because their name is on the vehicles.
Is Marelli the same company as Magnetti Marelli who supply ECUs to MotoGP and Moto2?