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KTM Rumored to Buy Financially-Challenged Gas Gas

Boogie

Boogie

Husqvarna
Pro Class
Thoughts on this rumour???

What would KTM get out of Gasgas?

:popcorn:

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/ktm-rumored-to-buy-financially-challenged-gas-gas-92527.html

The latest rumor in the motorcycle industry sees Austrian maker KTM allegedly interested in buying Gas Gas, a Spanish bike manufacturer which has been not faring too well in the last year or so. At the beginning of February we reported once more on the financial troubles Spanish manufacturer Gas Gas was struggling with. Production had come to a halt, with some 500 workers remaining in standby and expecting CEO Yariv Gilat to find a way to solve the company’s lack of liquidities.
Silence fell over Gas Gas’ production line, as the company stopped manufacturing both bikes and spares, and even shutting off its R&D department temporarily. Gilat was trying to source some 24 million Euros ($27.4 million) to get things going, but so far the company is kept alive by governmental help, and we all know this can’t last forever. Gilat was confident that February might bring a deal with an investor.

Is KTM buying one more off-road bike company?
If the rumors turn out to be true, Gas Gas is the third European manufacturer of off-road motorcycles which arrives under the KTM umbrella, with the other two being Husaberg and Husqvarna. While most people feared that KTM will in fact kill Husqvarna to avoid cannibalizing its own products, CEO Stefan Pierer knew better.

Massive investments and smart positioning in the off-road market led to a stellar year for Husky, which sold around 50% more bikes in 2014 than it did in 2012, the last full year under BMW ownership. 2013 is left out of this comparison because it was a really tumultuous year with the company changing hands and all.

Past efforts to add more lucrative efficiency to Gas Gas saw a joint operation with Spanish maker Ossa, bringing the production in a single facility, but it looks like this was not enough. If KTM steps into the game, the future might look much brighter for Gas Gas, as they will also benefit from KTM’s dealer network integration and infusing their bikes with whatever there is to learn from the other three brands should also boost performance.

Anyway, until we get firm news from Gas Gas or even KTM, we’re still deep in rumor territory. Something tells us that accountants and lawyers in Mattighofen are rather busy these days. Or is it just the spring wind?
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He's a Juggernaut and heavy drinker ... This will be interesting to see how he fits these guys into what he's building ...

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This is getting hard to track but wasn't gas2x going to use the ITL Husky engines?
 
It’s only a rumour at this stage.
I just can’t see how KTM would benefit from a GG takeover. Surely GG doesn’t have better brand awareness than Husaberg did/has.

KTM interested in trials bikes? (hhmm)
Want to sticker slap another off-road bike? (doubtful)
Realised they made a huge mistake selling the Italian Husky Xlite engine and want that baby back? (probably :D )
 
Eliminating competition. That is all. 27 mil would be a small price to pay to scratch an entire competitive line off the map.
 
i can't imagine he would buy GG to eliminate competition. They are almost nothing...hell Husky was a "I can use that name and make money even though they're not" kind of thing. Even for the trials bikes it wouldn't make sense. The aquisition cost alone and he could easily go to his r and d department and have them make one...we all know if they wanted to they would be able to afford to take the top trials riders away from sherco, beta, and GG
 
They will do the same dance promoting the Spanish heritage, etc.... And stuff with KTM parts while cutting Italian sourcing for anything including that killer 340 x-light that is almost ready to roost.
 
Puke. Get the sticker machine ready. Its the new classic. So, they sell the rights to GG or for the 125 and x-lite, then buy the whole company back and toss it all in the trash. All this crap makes my head spin. "Welcome to our store Mr Customer, what color would you like your KTM?" Silly times for sure.
 
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G-G needs to hop into the basic transport market to kick the income up ie scooters, utvs type stuff for industry, industrial vehicles. all the race bike glory is hard to profit from. That Gilat guy is smart maybe he can leverage a deal to get startup (restart capital) and get things going again.
 
robertaccio said:
G-G needs to hop into the basic transport market to kick the income up ie scooters, utvs type stuff for industry, industrial vehicles. all the race bike glory is hard to profit from. That Gilat guy is smart maybe he can leverage a deal to get startup (restart capital) and get things going again.
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lhside.jpg
 
huskylove said:
New customers will have to buy....KTM...or....KTM.

See how that works? Nobody in their right mind would pay 10k for a ktm....unless the alternative was.....a 10k ktm.
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Fortunately the Japs seem to be finally awake to the formula of proper racebike style enduro bikes (New YZ250FX/WR range)
& maybe I can go back to them when KTM takes over Europe. :thinking:
 
Not here. I get a couple mx bikes at a honda dealer and thats it. Wr250R is way way way too heavy for what it is. Honda is asleep at the wheel. With every bike. They havent made anything noteworthy since....like....the grom.
 
The Spanish government can't support a failing company forever.
If SP can pay the bills it only makes sense to me. The EU (socialism) just hasn't worked out for them.

It is very very unfortunate loosing GG.
 
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