Comments on: If Factories Stop Racing, What Do They Sell?

By: vic

vic — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 04:16:51 +0000

World Superbike will be the winner here. Maybe this will give some innovative new racing series a chance to start up too. Can an electric series be that far off.

By: rangeroger

rangeroger — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 02:40:45 +0000

Doesn’t Honda supply all the engines for IRL series cars? If so, their drop from F1 doesn’t mean a drop from formula racing.

By: Bjorn

Bjorn — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:48:17 +0000

I’m with Mark and Zach on this one. My understanding is that Honda are pulling the pin on the AMA series due to restrictive rules to be imposed by DMG in an effort to reduce the cost of competition. With Honda continuing in WSBK and other countries SBK championships, where the rules allow a more open slather and hence more expensive form of racing, it would seem to be a move based on dissatisfaction with the organising body rather than cost cutting. The “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.” form of promotion is far more effective in motorcycling than automotive sales because motorcycles are more emotive than cars. We as comsumers continue to demand the fastest, best handling motorcycles whether we require or are even capable of handling them. Untill that changes at the point of sale you can expect to see motorcycle maufacturers continue to pour money into their race teams.

By: John

John — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 05:02:00 +0000

look at suzuki. Their hayabusa sold better at the end of its run than the beginning.
No honda makes a boring race series even worse.

By: zach

zach — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 05:27:19 +0000

“I have a feeling that Honda’s departure from AMA Superbike may have a little more to do with the issues the factories have been having with Daytona Motorsports Group than the economy.”

I do believe commenter mark hit the nail on the head as far as Honda leaving nAMAscar motorcycle racing.