I just copied this from the Suzuki website

"Suzuki and Kawasaki Reach Agreement on Motorcycle Business


Suzuki Motor Corporation and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. today announced an agreement to form a strategic business relationship in the areas of product development, design, engineering, manufacturing of motorcycle and ATV products and purchasing components.

Based in the spirit of reciprocity, equality, and combining resources, the agreement is designed to make Suzuki's and Kawasaki's motorcycle business more profitable despite increasing globalization and intensifying competition.

Both companies will collaborate in the area of product development, OEM supply of the product, commonizing parts and components, and joint purchasing and manufacturing, so that the competitiveness and profitability of their motorcycle business can be improved. The first step will be to combine resources and create immediate synergy with the cruiser, scooter, motocross and ATV lines. Suzuki and Kawasaki will preserve autonomy in the area of marketing and sales, with each company using its own brand and sales network as before.

Both companies expect that this arrangement will help them respond to the variety of customer needs and to contribute to the healthy growth of the industry."





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JUST THINK HOW MUCH BETTER THE SUZUKIS WILL BE!!!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] JUST KIDDING, I HAVE ALWAYS LIKED SUZUKI TOO, THEY ARE AN UNDER DOG LIKE KAWIE. MAYBE TOGETHER THEY CAN BECOME "TOP DOGS"

 

I heard about that too. If they are doing joint product development and manufacturing, how different could the product lines be? Could this mean that they will share the same engines and frames but have different plastic? What's going to happen when their superbikes race? Are they going to compete with themselves?

At first I was excited at this news, but the more I think about it, the more I wonder if it really is a good thing.