Triumphrat

mdgore · 07-17-2007

http://www.forbes.com/business/feeds...fx3915536.html

They are also looking at Ducati.............

Clint · 07-17-2007

Finally, some competition for Royal Enfield!

Diego · 07-17-2007

Probably about as likely to happen as the last time such a rumor went around, too.

Tbirdnz · 07-17-2007

Quote
The Indian company has been looking for an acquisition to help boost its engineering and product development expertise in order to crank out cruisers and higher displacement bikes in the 200cc-plus range. Unquote

So what are they putting out now, lawnmowers ? I'm looking forward to a 200cc cruiser !

Indian companies traditionally don't further develop their acquisitions, they were still producing the same Fiat 1000's and Cambridge saloons for nearly 40 years and of course the good old 'Royal Enfield'.

Can't see Triumph selling, they're on a roll.

welshrob · 07-17-2007

Everything`s for sale if the price is right. Bajaj is one of the world`s biggest manufacturers of two wheelers but one of their main products is the Chetak, based on an early 1970`s vespa 150cc scooter, mostly sold on the home and asian markets. It`s hardly cutting edge so it`s quite plausible that they are looking to buy themselves a ready made high tec m/cycle company.

markbvt · 07-17-2007

There was a thread about this in one of the other forums as well, and I'll repeat here what I said there: Just because this Indian company is interested in buying Triumph doesn't mean that John Bloor has any interest in selling. From what I've heard, he's turned down lucrative offers in the past.

--mark

HiDesert · 07-17-2007

I found two aspects of this article interesting, both of them from these paragraphs:

"Ducati is a 95.4 mln eur company and all its products are in the 700cc-plus range with the brand having a formidable reputation in the MotoGP series.
Triumph is a 165.0 mln stg company and has cruisers, urban sports bikes and other lifestyle products in its range including apparel and accessories."

1. Triumph is quite a bit bigger than Ducati in terms of sales (assuming stg is Pounds Sterling). That's impressive, considering how much younger the current company is.

2. This reporter didn't do much actual research. The second sentence sounds like it was cut and pasted straight from a press release. Serious research there!

It reminds me of a news article that once said the Browning Hipower pistol was valued for it's high power. Gee, I thought the caliber had a little more to do with it than the name...

Of course, I value New Mexico for it's hidesert!

Scrambler900 · 07-17-2007

Last year's rumor was that BMW would acquire Triumph. Hasn't happened yet. But anyone is better than Harley-Davidson owning them. Just think - Speed Triple cat collars, Scrambler baby shower gift sets, Truxton "low riders", Bonne tee shirts with Bugs Bunny faces, and Rockets with skull paint jobs and ape hanger handle bars. And all bike prices would rise to at least US $17,000 each. Yikes!

DaveB · 07-18-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by welshrob

Everything`s for sale if the price is right.

So true. Let's just hope it's not too true in this case.

I am now utterly depressed and my day is ruined

.

Triumph, do not do this!

DaveB.

ruscook · 07-18-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveB

So true. Let's just hope it's not too true in this case.

I am now utterly depressed and my day is ruined

.

Triumph, do not do this!

DaveB.

I don't think it will.

Just my 2c worth:
Yes Ducati has it's italian heritage but just as important is the distinctiveness of its sportsbike stable.

Triumph is younger, and therefore more dependent on the links to it's British heritage than just it's stable of bikes. Although the "classic" bikes may survive I think it would be harder for the marque to have the newer models retain the branding if the company was no longer British.
Russ