Friday, September 30, 2011

The Fiscal Zombie Apocalypse RETURNS!

More Distributors are in Zombie land....more on this next week. Blame the banks if you like since consumers are having to apply with up to five companies to get a scooter or a motorcycle financed these days.... more on this over the weekend.

Riding the Yamaha Morphous is like riding the Air Bike from Flash Gordon

Riding the Yamaha Morphous is like riding the Air Bike from Flash Gordon



Is it me or do you get the feeling your Flash Gordon on a Yamaha Morpheus? Not the crappy Sci-fi remake ( before they became Syfy or whatever they call themselves now ), but the only real Flash Gordon the Mike Hodges version with the Queen soundtrack.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA4_aqxpAFw



Below is the greatest Flying Scooter scene ever filmed in the history of mankind. If Sam Jones ( guy playing Flash I believe ) had to ride a scooter it would have been the Yamaha ) Bad Ass scene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnTHypbLlkE



250CC Scooter TV Spot for Malaguti

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOHlEePe4cQ


One of the final Malaguti TV Spots to run in Italy kind of shows what was wrong with the marketing and sales of the marque.

The management instead of focusing on the lucrative mid-level executive in Europe ( Think T-Max by Yamaha ) kept marketing a 200cc entry level sport scooter to teenagers. The videos show two teens in love putting their initials on a lock ( teens all over Italy do this to the detriment of chain fences everywhere )

Back in the day Malaguti had some very adult TV spots running at night for the Madison launch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBeqGc9wjdA


Even in the US marketing we tried to associate with Ducati, Ferrari, and Peroni at national events to steer the brand towards more adult riders. Even Playboy, Maxim, and GQ all featured Malaguti at one point giving it a more adult setting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGC5xseIgCQ


Somehow the 15 to 18 year old demographic stuck as the Malaguti targeted younger riders in Italy. This image would even cross oceans as both dealers and consumers saw it as a starter bike. More than one person has told me "my first bike was an F10 or an F12" before they went on to buy a Honda or a Ducati motorcycle.

It's a real shame, the brand still has a chance of coming back despite all the negativity out there, but more than likely will fade into the oblivion of made in China stickers like much the Italian shoe, textile, motorcycle, you name it industries. Italy is even importing cheaper forms of food according to the Economist magazine some of it from Asia meaning its not even worth it to farm the land in a country known for the quality of its food supply. Until the country get's it act together Malaguti won't be the last brand to fade.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3ntbTUNyyY



I was on South Beach this past weekend and I found one of the original 2002 units I imported 9 years ago and it was in great shape. We still have all the parts for it at http://www.mrp-speed.com and to tell you the truth its still in better shape than a new 50cc Asian bike that might be only a few months old.

Now for proper marketing look no further than Yamaha. Their ads, their promotions, and even the features have an adult in mind. Just take a look at what Yamaha did right in this video. They put a lot of thought in their vehicle sales almost as much as the development of the product itself. Not just a scooter, something better than most motorcycles. If anyone is to save a brand like Malaguti they need a plan that goes like something below with the features Italians wanted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOf7XyL_A_k


Parts are still available for the brand as well.
MRP sells Malaguti scooter parts. F-10, F-12, F-15, F-18, Grizzly, Ciak, Ciak 150cc, F-18 150cc, and the retro Yesterday 50cc http://www.mrp-speed.com

All the manuals for all the malaguti moto scooters plus part numbers are available on our website. Need to fix, repair, or buy parts for your malaguti moto scooter? We got the Malaguti Parts! Contact us today or buy from a local MRP DEALER

THE ONLY PLACE YOU CAN GET MALAGUTI PARTS IN NORTH AMERICA

How do I buy Malaguti Parts
Malaguti Grizzly RCX machines are powered by Franco Morini 2-stroke engines. Models available in 2006 include MALAGUTI GRIZZLY RCX10, RCX12 & SUPERMOTO. There is also a 49.3cc Quad. The scooter range includes the 50cc Yesterday, a very cute scoot indeed available 2000-2005 (and other years, most likely) and the 125/250/400cc Madison. The Madison 125 is powered by a Yamaha YP125 engine. Formerly sold in the USA the parts are still available from MRP. Martin Racing Performance has 12,000 items in stock including all the OEM Parts for Malaguti Scooters sold in North America. HOW DO YOU BUY THEM? SIMPLE GO ONLINE AND GET THE MANUAL, PART NUMBER, AND BUY ONLINE OR FROM A DEALER 


Manualshttp://www.martinracingdealer.com/WSWrapper.jsp?mypage=Manuals.htm


Stocking Dealer locator http://www.martinracingdealer.com/locator/index.php


MRP distributes OEM parts for TNG (CMSI) select models of CF Moto Daelim Motors Korea ( parts should appear on website by mid July) Malaguti of Italy (www.Malaguti.com) Keeway Southeast (Keeway Vento QJ Andretti Yamati models) CPI Taiwan Powersports Factory Brands PSF Diamo Cubik (matches OEM Vento part numbers) as well as QJ and ZNEN (who manufacture bikes for a variety of scooter importers) such as FlyScooters Lance BMS Qlink models that were ZNEN corresponding to matching TNG parts



Finding more than just generic parts that's what we do

I think most consumers are getting fed up with dealers that sold products from companies that closed. More than a few have some insane lawsuits going on that are making some of the Chinese importers nervous. Lemon Laws and Vehicles vary from state to state but there's a reason a lot of brands don't sell in Arizona or California two states with good consumer laws and hard to get distributor requirements. In California you have to get an FBI background check and that still doesn't prevent situations like the one we saw like Roketa a few years back. In Arizona a trip to the dealer for the same problem covered under warranty can fetch a consumer a new bike or their money back. Some states like Florida if its a lemon you might be stuck if its under 100cc's.

It's a difficult situation for all sides. Dealers barely have time to run a shop, but to have to track down parts it's even more difficult. I've been on both sides as a consumer I went to the car dealership this past week and the dealer couldn't find a part for a car less than 2 years old because the system only sells it as part of a bigger part. I end up having to explain the same situation to clients all the time.

Even here in Miami the capital of scooter distributors we've lost more than a few importers and distributors the last few years. United Motors closed, Italica Motors is now gone, American Scooters a PGO importer folded, and some companies like Zongshen are phasing out their US Scooter importation business. Just this week I went to warehouse to go visit one of our ATV parts suppliers and they had folded a few months back but I hadn't heard about.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4n0css5TQM

That's why I see what we do as a service. Today another person thanked us for helping them find a part. They were being sued. They finally sold a scooter that had sat on their showroom floor for three years due to the poor economy. They sold it, and immediately it went bad. The only company ( after calling every single possible competitor out there ) that had this part was MRP. We found it, we shipped it, and today the rider called off the suits. He had lawyered up and was demanding a quick resolution to the problem.

We sold Malaguti parts today back to the UK and Benelli part to Canada. Unbelievable, but it just goes to show how we help dealers everywhere.

There is a need for what we do. It's not glamorous. We might never see the boom of 2007 in scooter sales again, but dealers and consumers need parts. We got them. More parts than anyone else in the country for Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Italian, and Spanish scooters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26tC6tdYDOk


We spend our days counting parts for all the brands that have left the market. Even ADLY Scooters and ATVs which left and closed their US office a few years back they appointed Hammerhead as their scooter distributor, but we get daily calls for their ATVs. We have them! Nobody else is stocking them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbB50aXaG-Q


TO FIND OEM PARTS USE THE MANUALS:
Manuals
http://www.martinracingdealer.com/WSWrapper.jsp?mypage=Manuals.htm

MRP distributes OEM parts for TNG (CMSI) select models of CF Moto Daelim Motors Korea ( parts should appear on website by mid July) Malaguti of Italy (www.Malaguti.com) Keeway Southeast (Keeway Vento QJ Andretti Yamati models) CPI Taiwan Powersports Factory Brands PSF Diamo Cubik (matches OEM Vento part numbers) as well as QJ and ZNEN (who manufacture bikes for a variety of scooter importers) such as FlyScooters Lance BMS Qlink models that were ZNEN corresponding to matching TNG parts.

Every scooter is someone's first ride we help the dealers and consumers find those hard to find parts. Doesn't matter what brand it is we've been doing the Chinese scooter parts thing since 2004 so we can help you find the right part.

Since January 2009 MRP has expanded by acquiring the QJ -- Keeway Southeast distribution parts warehouse the Diamo USA / LS Motorsports / Italjet USA parts warehouse CPI -- TAIWAN Distribution and TNG Scooters.

The company has OEM parts for Malaguti scooters of Italy Benelli (acquired by QJ in 2006) the Italian brand now made in China and sold in the USA under the Andretti name MH Motorhispania of Spain RX Loncin Lifan Linhai Zongshen Wangye MS UTVs and CPI Taiwan. In addition the company distributes performance parts from Athena Malossi Turbo Kit Innova Vee Rubber Duro Bando Gates Powerlink Posh Maxxis Namura Scooter Ninja Slipstreamer and MRP.

Products carried by MRP can be obtain exclusively at select Motorcycle Dealerships and Repair Shops in the USA. MRP is the one stop wholesale ONLY scooter buggy and ATV parts distributor. For a list of retailers visit www.mrp-speed.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCzvJfUDeCk

The one stop shop for all your scooter needs!
MRP parts, Scooter Parts, Racing Parts, Malossi, Polini, Dr Pulley, Scooter Ninja, Bando, Gates, Slipstreamer, Zuma 125, BW125, GY6, Chinese Scooter Parts, Scooter Accessories, Gas Scooter Parts, Electric Scooter Parts, Asian Scooter Parts, Parts for scooters, Parts 4 Scooters, Performance Scooter Parts, HP Scooter Parts, Stock Scooter Parts, Razor Scooter Parts, Honda Scooter Parts, Yamaha Scooter Parts, CFMOTO Parts, Jonway Parts, and more!Genuine SYM, Hyosung, TNG Scooter parts. Everyday we add more OEM scooter only parts to our website http://www.mrp-speed.com

Thursday, September 29, 2011

New QMB139 Flat Black Race Exhaust

GY6 50 Performance Crossover Exhaust from Naraku Looking for that two stroke racing style but have a four stroke well here you go two stroke style for GY6 50 Four Stroke. Please choose your look. The Naraku crossover GY6 50 exhaust will derstrict your stock exhaust plus get rid of that weight of the stock exhaust. FLAT BLACK NARAKU RACE QMB139 Race Exhaust RP-NK400.01 Item Nr.: NK400.01 EAN/UPC: 4250362417039 139QMB GY6 50cc Exhaust.
In stock now and available from your local MRP dealer.
http://www.martinracingdealer.com/SPD/rp-nk400-01--800048B8-1316127743.jsp

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Interesting Details in Piaggio Press Release


Some interesting hints on the future of European Scooter Production came out in the latest Piaggio press release.
Chief Executive Roberto Colaninno believes that Piaggio will have sales of 100,000 units in 2011, two years ahead of schedule. This is largely due to production from Vietnam and India, ( see the video I posted from my trip to Vietnam on the gigantic city factory they built over there )


On mature European markets, Piaggio unveiled further details on the relaunch of its classic Moto Guzzi motorbike brand, which one analyst had said was unclear.
"I only want to say we are satisfied with the sales we are doing (in Asia) that offset the fall in sales in Europe," Colaninno said at a news conference in northern Italy for the 90th anniversary of the Moto Guzzi brand.


In the first eight months of 2011, the company posted a 3.2 percent rise in worldwide sales to about 453,000 vehicles.



"In 2014, we think we will be 50 percent Europe and 50 percent Asia," he said, declining to give a sales forecast for the year.

Sales of Piaggio scooters in Asia soared to account for more than a third of the group's revenue last year, from 10 percent in 2003. 

After reading the release and my updates on production from Vespa the last few years I can honestly say expect to see more outsourcing of the Aprilia, Derbi, and Piaggio brands. It's too expensive to manufacture them in Italy and more than likely you will see more of this coming from the JV with ZONGSHEN.
Even in Taiwan a mature market they have relaunched the New Vespa boutique idea and are selling fewer than 1,000 pieces there at the time. Only time will tell what this means for the "made in Italy" brand.
The real question as an American is where does Piaggio see the US and Canadian markets? Especially after getting rid of the Canadian distributor and merging the operation with the US offices?
What about Derbi? What is going on with the factory in Spain and is the move to close the factory an indicator of where things are going in Europe?
Will we continue to see Gillera as a Europe only brand?
More questions than answers about the state of Italy, but at least we know there is growth in Asia.





Going the extra mile

It's not often that we solve matters that actually affect people's lives, but I want to tell you about one case in particular. We got this strange call looking for a part that we have, but have never sold. I asked Eduardo to run into the warehouse and take a picture of the item. It's a little hectic here at MRP when you add twenty parts a day and have a backlog of 7,000 pictures from all the companies that have gone bust, but if we get a request we will run and do it immediately. So don't be afraid to call and ask or email us. It was late and everyone wanted to get out of the office. Turns out we had the right part. So I get a call back and the client is happy after seeing it online and we had to urgently Fed Ex those parts out.

I stayed extra late at the office to make sure Fed Ex Express picked up this urgent package for a client who had been searching for months for a part. I had to be somewhere, but after hearing this story I made sure we didn't close until the package went out.

We don't have all the parts, but when we do its nice to know they have a great story behind them. If you need Linhai parts or parts for any distributor that's gone out of business please make sure to check with us.

I'm glad there are people like Gary Cowan who will push and try to make a difference.

The Scooter Maven





Joel,

Thank you so much for getting the Linhai shaft out today, you have no idea how much it means.  I have sent numerous parts requests to Linhai (I’m sure you are surprised that I received no response).  In fact, the only call or response I have received in past 30 days to my numerous emails was a phone call trying to get us to buy more units.  Although I like the product, I cannot give my customers that kind of product support….

After being turned down for assistance by Linhai Canada (over territory issues), we even attempted to have a Canadian dealer order the parts and send them over to us.  The dealer seemed to be in no hurry, so we contacted American Gear, many custom driveshaft builders, and several local fab shops to see if they could construct something.  In the meantime, as I explained to everyone involved on all sides of the border, the customer is running out of time and this UTV has been down for quite awhile.  It never crossed my mind that you would have this shaft !     

W is in his early 40’s, has a wife and several sons.  He was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease about 8 months ago with a prognosis of 12 months.  Helluva good guy, says he’s doing his best to teach his sons everything a father should inside 12 months.  This UTV is the only way for him to get around outdoors, and all the man wants is to get outside and enjoy the little bit of Michigan summer that’s left by taking his boys hunting.  He has been planning this for several months and it means the absolute world to him since it will be his last chance. 

We even offered him our personal machines, but he uses a crutch to brake and don’t want to damage our stuff.  Honestly, he’s such a good soul that I wouldn’t care if he destroyed anything that belonged to me while enjoying time with his kids.  At the end of day, I will have many more years with my kids.  Can you imagine being a man that knows he won’t?  It’s nice to know that at least one other company in this industry is concerned about the end user, and we greatly appreciate your quick assistance in seeing this through.  His family knows the runaround we have been receiving, and they will be moved beyond words.  So again, thank you for helping us make it happen.     

Gary Cowan

Visit our website at:

Monday, September 19, 2011

The only company in the US with correct Franco Morini TGB Hyosung parts

Ok, we get calls for the two different versions of the Xpeed Scooter by United Motors.
The first version is the same as the Vento and CPI the second post 2006 version is the same as the Hyosung SF50R. 

MRP is the only company in the USA that has both sets of OEM parts and racing parts for both models. PERIOD. Nobody else stocks these. Those that claim they do sell incorrect parts all the time. The truth is you can only use Hyosung parts on the Xpeed made in Korea.

Call us with the OEM part number or look it up in the links below.


HYOSUNG PRIMA 50R Franco Morini enigne: Hyosung SF50R SAME ENGINE AS THE TGB 50cc Lineup. plus MRP has racing Hyosung clutches, variators, sliders, exhausts, CDIs something NO OTHER DISTRIBUTOR HAS IN STOCK.
Use this manual for the OEM NUMBERS
http://www.martinracingdealer.com/REPAIR%20MANUALS/UM/12.01.10/2006%20Xpeed%2050R.pdf

Xpeed 50cc B08 CPI Oiliver 50cc and more! Same as Diamo Xtreeme 50cc Vento 50cc
MINARELLI JOG 12mm PISTON PIN Wangye  2 Stroke 1PE40QMB Minarelli 
http://www.martinracingdealer.com/REPAIR%20MANUALS/X-PEED50%20JOG%20Minarelli%20Engine%2012mm.pdf


Click here for Parts for the United Motors Xpeed 50R scooter. This scooter features 50cc 2-stroke 1PE40QMB Minarelli based engine.

Kymco once again number one in Taiwan Sales

Scooter Sales in Taiwan may reach about 650,000 units in 2011, up approximately 25% from 2010. This is domestic sales and production only according to Quincy Lang and the Taiwanese Economic Report.

Once again Kymco leads the pack, see my previous report on sales in Germany and Italy. Kwang Yang Motor Co., Ltd. took 41.4% share (selling 25,246 units) in August and 171,153 units (40.0% share) in the first eight months, a 52.8% YoY shipment growth.

Sanyang Industry Co., Ltd. (SYM) fell to No. 3 in August by selling 16,061 units, or 26.3% market share. Yamaha Motor Taiwan Co. (Yamaha brand) took a 26.4% market share by selling 16,089 units in August (21,982 units in July), and sold 119,371 new PTWs in Taiwan in the first eight months, up 13.5% YoY for 27.9% share. 



Several brands do not sell in Taiwan or sell such few numbers that they make up the 21,375 units on the chart. Local assemblers include HARTFORD Scooters, PGO Scooters ( badged genuine in the USA ), CPI, ETON. There are few other foreign OEMs in the sale charts including several Chinese imports, Vespa, and Honda Japan.


Some companies are now export only or have pulled out of the scooter market such as Keen Perception Industries KPI, and TGB which is for export only. Those brands do not appear in the 21,375 count.


New PTW Sales in Taiwan (January-Aug. 2011)
MakerAug. VolumeMarket
Share
 Jan.-Aug.
Volume
Market ShareYoY
KYMCO25,24641.4%171,15340.0%52.8%
SYM16,06126.3%115,99027.1%38.0%
Yamaha Taiwan16,08926.4%119,37127.9%13.5%
Others3,5945.9%21,3755.0%--
Total60,990100.0%427,889100.0%36.2%
Source: MOTC

Friday, September 16, 2011

Benelli turned 100 this week

Happy Birthday to Benelli a once made in Italy brand which is now like any global brand mostly Chinese made.
Next weekend Moto Guzzi now part of Piaggio Group turns 90 years old.

Piaggio founded in 1884
Malaguti and Moto Morini both 1930 now both on the edge of not coming back as brand.

At least we can celebrate Benelli a company who survived several downturns and is in its latest phase with QJ ownership (owners of Generic, Keeway Group, and Benelli Motorcycles)

 The motorcycles are still mostly made in Italy, but the scooters come 100% from China. If you need QJ parts and Benelli parts MRP has them http://www.mrp-speed.com




Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Where to get Hyosung and United Motors Parts

Where to get Hyosung and United Motors Parts


I got a few emails about the last post on Hyosung getting out of the US Scooter Market. As of right now the factory in Korea I have confirmed has stopped all production of the scooters.


So yes, MRP we got the parts.  Manuals
http://www.martinracingdealer.com/WSWrapper.jsp?mypage=Manuals.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4Uk__NG2Fo

How to find United Motors Parts.

Are you looking for parts for United Motors of America? Then MRP has the solution for you! http://www.mrp-speed.com 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY_seaQGr04

HYOSUNG
Founded in South Korea in 1978, Hyosung was established as a joint venture with Suzuki, which relationship continued well over 25 years. With research and development facilities currently in Hamamatsu, Japan, Hyosung vehicles have quickly become synonymous with performance and dependability. Currently available in 80 markets worldwide, Hyosung has become a global manufacturer of quality "driven" motorcycles, scooters and ATVs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN1pQMJvH3Q


Do you need to find parts for a United Motors dirtbike, scooter, atv, or motorcycle? Need Chongqing HuanSong Industries UTV parts? Hyosung S&T Motors Scooter parts? How about an LS Motorsports Precision or Diamo? CFMOTO? TNG? Linhai? Malaguti Italy? Does your local shop not know what these names mean? Are you looking for parts for scooters and having a hard time? Well then visit one of our dealers and have them give us a call. We are the only scooter parts distributor in the USA that is solely dealer direct and we are happy to send any potential online inquiries to stocking stores. So any consumers looking for Daelim parts will have to go to a store with an MRP account or have their store buy from another dealer that has an account with us. We also sell top name scooter brands like SN, Duro, Innova, Kenda, Bridgestone, Gates, Powerlink, We have partsforscooters for hard to find brands like United Motors -- Hyosung Scooters! Twist N Go Scooters! ATK Motors AKM, PFS, Andretti Benelli and much much more! Keeway Malaguti Linhai Loncin Huanson UTVs Qiangjiang Motorcycles Linhai Zongseh Lingyuen CF MOTO Loncin Lifan and more! Dealer locatorhttp://www.martinracingdealer.com/locator/index.php MRP distributes OEM parts for TNG (CMSI), select models of CF Moto, Daelim Motors Korea ( parts should appear on website by mid July) Malaguti of Italy (www.Malaguti.com) Keeway Southeast (Keeway, Vento, QJ, Andretti, Yamati models), CPI Taiwan, Powersports Factory Brands PSF, Diamo, Cubik (matches OEM Vento part numbers), as well as QJ and ZNEN (who manufacture bikes for a variety of scooter importers) such as FlyScooters, Lance, BMS, Qlink models that were ZNEN corresponding to matching TNG parts. http://www.mrp-speed.com





Is Italy finally taking the Malaguti bankruptcy seriously?

Is Italy finally taking the Malaguti bankruptcy seriously?


Sometimes I read this stuff and I get my hopes up. Then I call my friends in Italy and its the same old story.

For those of you following the blog or the articles on Motorcycle USA regarding the failure of the Italian government, Malaguti, and the Unions to come to an agreement on how to save this prestigious firm it seems the press in Italy has finally woken up. http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/7/9852/Motorcycle-Article/Italys-Malaguti-Scooters-on-the-Brink.aspx

This week alone several articles have hit the press online. The protests are starting up again. It's a comedy and you can't even make this stuff up because it could only happen in Italy where people go on vacation in August and forget that they won't have a job in October. "Ok guys let's go to the beach and when we come back in September we will start the protests again!" its exactly what happened. At least the Greeks would be burning something and setting a bus stop on fire, but in Italy they are a little more civilized as the Chinese motorcycle industry slowly destroys whats left of Italian production.

Right now according to the economist magazine September 10th edition there are 44 million people unemployed in the Western Economies (OECD) this would be equal to Spain's population. In America we have close 14 million people and who knows how many undocumented unemployed workers right now. The only thing we see happening in Europe and in America is talk of tax rebates, stimulus dollars, and more projects to hire on a massive scale. I think what Europe and America needs is a boost in the arm much like the car industry received back when the financial crisis started. We have over 15 idle factories in Europe in the motorcycle sector that are under capacity right now or on the verge of closing. Including Derbi Spain which is about to close. The most famous of all of these is the Malaguti factory. The last remaining independent family owned operation who is tired of loosing money and is trying to close on purpose. Why would an entrepreneur do such a thing? Because in Europe the laws will drain you dry in order to keep people employed. While their competitors in China get better kickbacks for keeping people employed Malaguti has been unable to compete with the rising tide of less expensive Asian imports. Nonetheless there is a solid argument for reasons they should be saved.

Several articles appears online this week most of them repeating the same information without mentioning the deals or possible investors by name ( it just goes to show there is no investigative reporting anymore in the motorcycle industry unless its paid by a behind the scenes advertiser )

http://parma.repubblica.it/dettaglio-news/16:41/4032049
http://www.viaemilianet.it/notizia.php?id=8461
http://www.omnimoto.it/magazine/7847/malaguti-moto-sta-per-chiudere-licenziamento-per-160-dipendenti-fiom-regione-emilia-romagna


What all these magazines fail to mention is how I brought several qualified investors to the table only to be ignored by the Malaguti family, Regione Emilia Romaga Graziano Prantoni who by all means is incompetent. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doToyGMEFjs



One group of investors had a net worth of over $30million and asked for majority shares and for the Malaguti family to make concessions in production. Nobody budged. It's better to destroy the Italian economy, fire everyone, than to let US investors come in and take over. I suspect the real reason again is that Malaguti will continue much like Benelli and Garelli as a Chinese brand. Once the employees are fired they will go back to importing ensuring that all future production will not truly be Italian which is what made Malaguti special in the first place.





The situation in the Italian motorcycle industry is as bad as the US mortgage crisis in my opinion. Banks would rather demolish a brand new house or foreclose on it than to budge and refinance certain buyers. 


Why refinance when you can write it off as a loss? Why not reduce the value of the property and get some income instead of none? Malaguti has its back to the wall. The requirements of the Italian Unions and the employee costs are so high they cannot compete. Forget bad management, old designs, etc... the biggest factor in this is the cost of production. 







ITALY IS TOO EXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE ANYTHING OTHER THAN HIGH END GOODS. 








50cc scooters are no longer high end goods. You can buy them in China for $300 less than the cost of materials thanks to the Chinese governments kick backs. The Italian solution to this has been allowing more and more of the industry to outsource to China. As one member of the EICMA told me "If the motorcycle part is designed in Italy, the packaging is made in Italy, the company is Italian you can produce the part in Taiwan, assemble in Italy and it will say made in Italy."


Hence why that Polini clutch that reads made in Italy, is made at the same factory in Taiwan as the MRP one in a different box. Italy right now is a joke and our country is in the same boat. Don't believe me check out this video from Taiwan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F7WuGgqV3w





The truth is ANCMA and EICMA all have a stake in this. Our own MIC could do more and tell our Administration what needs to be done for US builders. We can't all live off Harley Davidson and a few companies like Polaris. The truth is more parts get outsourced every single day. Have you checked your Harley Lately, there's parts on it made in China by ZONGSHEN. 









Yes, the same ZONGSHEN parts MRP has and the same bikes found in PEP BOYS. Have you looked at your ARCTIC CAT ATV? That 250cc is made by KYMCO TAIWAN. It's a great engine and we love Kymco, but more and more of our industry is getting sent abroad to the point where we the United States of America will end up like Italy. 






The Obama Administration can continue giving the rich tax breaks and discounts but it wont get people to invest more in the USA if I can go to China and open a factory for a third of the cost. To revitalize the US Motorcycle Industry give us incentives to produce and assemble in the USA not a tax break. Give motorcycle companies cash to manufacture and hire. Same in Italy. Do you want Malaguti to stay in business? Give them the cash to hire, eliminate the high taxes and allow foreign investors to take majority shares. Bring in fresh management.





The Motorcycle Industry press won't call it how it is, but there are fewer real OEMs out there. I hate to be one for calling for barriers to trade, but the same way we didn't allow GM, Ford, and Chevy to fail maybe Italy should take a closer look at what is left of the scooter industry. Last I checked Piaggio Group - owners of (Vespa, Gillera, Derbi, Aprilia, Piaggio) were closing plants in Spain and firing people in Italy to build more factories in China, Vietnam, and India. If you check online all the new Piaggios entering the USA are not even made in Italy anymore the two basic models are Zongshen, some of the Aprilia scooters are made by Jincheng. The funny thing is this all makes sense if you were the board or an investor in Piaggio Group. So its up the people of Italy to rise up and demand that they keep these jobs and they keep Malaguti open. So far I'm not holding my breath, most people just got back from the beach and are just getting back to the picket line.


It's a slippery slope when it comes to letting your production get outsourced.


The Scooter Maven



Hyosung officially stops building scooters

Someone asked us what is up with Hyosung Scooters?

The official line is EPA. They have withdrawn from the North American scooter market. Technically speaking no new scooters have been built since 2010 so I guess there are no 2010 and 2011 Scooters on the market.

Now obviously that makes parts even harder to find, but never fear MRP is here. We can help you with all your Hyosung or United Motors (made by Hyosung needs)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY_seaQGr04


http://youtu.be/pBri0gwSC8U

For repair manuals on Hyosung scooters and to look up schematics use the PDF Files in the link below

http://www.martinracingdealer.com/WSWrapper.jsp?mypage=Manuals.htm

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

lightning strike destroys phone and ruins lunch

Lightning strike destroys phones and ruins lunch!

Ever have one of those days? So far its turning into two for us here at MRP. I was having a good week, I met Pitbull the singer at a bar over the weekend, saw a great movie. Started off the week with a great meeting and BAM lightning struck yesterday destroying our electric supply for the rest of the day. I was about to take a bite out of my sandwich when everything went dark.

It ruined lunch for everyoneat MRP and basically we couldn't work until the evening. Now today we found out we have power, internet, but no phones. It will be another few hours before the phones are back up.

I know considering all the bad weather related things happening across America this is nothing, but I wanted to inform our customers because some of them don't read the mass emails we put out. We had some great export orders and this week, they are going out. I want you to know we are here it's just the weather has basically made our lives impossible.




You can email us at Info @ mrp-speed.com we are all here. PLUS we are giving free shipping
to all our clients that place orders yesterday and today to make up for the lack of phone communication.

Things happen. I just hate getting emails from people that start " I tried to call the office why won't you guys answer!" not avoiding anyone, just that Thor made a mistake and sent a bolt to the wrong street. Orders are going out, life will go back to normal soon we hope.

The sandwich was still great and all the online orders went out so what more can we ask for? EMAIL US.



Thursday, September 8, 2011

Motorcycle Sales down for 2011 in the USA, but scooter still a bright spot

The last MIC report from the reporting companies showed Scooters were still up for 2011 which is good news from many, but for the third year in a row the overall industry is down. - 4.6 % from 2010 which was a horrible year, maybe not as bad as 2009 but still crappy for anyone in the business.

Seems like besides KTM, a few good UTV dealers out there this might be another year where the business just settles out. The good news scooter sales are going to be up 20% over 2010.  There were 3992 scooter registrations from Vespa, Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki compared to 3775 in 2010 in the month of June. So let's see what happens.

New Kymco Four Stroke Derestriction Speed Kits in Stock



For those of you with a VENTO, DIAMO, Yamati, RX8, BO8, CPI Oliver or Aragon we have the MRP destriction kit in stock. Includes the Header, Spacer, Exhaust gasket. Dr Pulley Rollers and Main Jet.

Get these from your local MRP dealer today!

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Replacement Sliders JCosta TK Variators Silverwing CF Moto


Replacement Sliders JCosta TK Variators for several maxi variators: Silverwing CF Moto Kymco and others all use these sizes. We have them in stock at http://www.mrp-speed.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy9iUcHlNpA


How does the JCosta / TK Variator work watch this video:

SMART making electric bicycles a reality

So this week Smart (Daimler AG) revealed it's new electric bicycle concept which now is going into production. I mentioned the scooter in an earlier blog and now the EV bike will actually be coming to the USA which is great news for all the EV bike stores out there. Having major brands like Honda, Smart, Mini Cooper all looking at getting into EV scooters and bicycles will create more consumer demand in the US where it's been creeping down as gas prices have gone down.

In my opinion having both EV and Gas scooters is probably the kick in the butt the US scooter industry needs to make up for the limited recovery of 2011. Will this bring fortune to the US EV scooter business next year? Only time will tell.....

Smart E-Bike
Smart notes that in its home market of Germany alone, the market for e-bikes rose nearly threefold from 70,000 in 2007 to 200,000 units in 2010. Across Europe as a whole, the market has shot up from 200,000 in 2007 to 500,000 in 2009 and 700,000 in 2010. Those are some compelling numbers, so little wonder Daimler is getting on board.

Created in collaboration with electric bicycle specialists Grace, the Smart e-bike packs a 250-watt electric motor juiced by a 400 Wh lithium-ion battery that can provide a selectable level of boost to the rider's pedaling. Disc brakes front and rear do the stopping power, recharging the battery from the regenerative braking system. The battery can provide up to 100 kilometers (62 miles) of cruising depending on how much power is dialed in, and can even charge a mobile phone through the integrated USB socket.

The smallest Smart yet will be launched in Europe and North America early next year, after being unveiled at the Eurobike show in Friedrichshafen and the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.


URBAN ELECTRIC MOBILITY FROM SMART - NOW ALSO ON TWO WHEELS

Stuttgart. The smart ebike is going into series production. With this step smart as a pioneer of local emission-free electric mobility is expanding its e-product portfolio. A near-series version of the smart ebike will be on display at the "Eurobike" show in Friedrichshafen (31 August - 3 September 2011) and at the Frankfurt Motor Show (13 - 25 September 2011). The smart ebike is being developed and built in cooperation with the renowned e-bike manufacturer GRACE, based near Berlin. The ebike will be launched in the first half of 2012 and will initially be marketed by dealers in Europe (including the UK) and North America.

smart CEO Dr. Annette Winkler says "The smart ebike is a true smart – but on two wheels. It is an extremely well designed bicycle that is sure to draw admiring glances in the city – it's also really practical and easy to ride. Anyone can zip through town on it with or without exerting themselves – depending on their fitness level and as their mood takes them. And it's even easier to find a parking space than with the smart fortwo."

Power-assisted mobility on two wheels is in. According to the association of the two-wheeler industry (ZIV) sales figures in Germany alone rose from 70,000 in 2007 to 200,000 in 2010. In 2018 the ZIV predicts that e-bikes will make up 15 percent of all bicycle sales in Germany.

Sales are also booming across Europe as a whole. In 2007 approximately 200,000 people opted for an electric bicycle and according to the ZIV by 2009 this figure had already risen to 500,000. In 2010 around 700,000 e-bikes were sold throughout Europe – up 40 percent compared with the previous year.

With an unconventional design in line with the style of the brand, functions appropriate for city use and high technology standards that are demonstrated by the extremely efficient and high-performance drive package among other features, the smart ebike has an exceptional position.

Annette Winkler says "We at smart have been gathering experience of electric drives and the mobility needs of city dwellers around the world for years. The smart ebike is the logical product of this experience and compliments the smart fortwo extremely well. We listened to what people wanted from the perfect city bike and then came up with some clever solutions such as the integrated USB port for smartphones and energy recuperation during braking."

The smart ebike is a really high-tech product and will arrive in the UK in 2012. Pricing is still to be confirmed.

Distinctive design with the characteristic smart signature

The smart ebike created by the smart designers boasts a clear design idiom and an independent appearance. It clearly breaks with conventional bicycle design with attractive integration of the components of the electric drive. The main components such as the frame, battery housing, handlebars, lights or mudguards have been designed and developed specifically for smart.

The two-material and two-colour concept is also typically smart. The plastic battery housing forms a striking contrast to the aluminium frame of the smart ebike and the dynamic look is rounded off by 26 inch wheels, the headlamp and rear light which features LED technology.

Efficient and powerful electric drive

smart's high technological standards are highlighted in the extremely efficient and high-performance drive package. As a pedelec (Pedal Electric Cycle) the smart ebike is strictly speaking a hybrid vehicle: the electric motor – a maintenance-free and brushless rear-wheel hub motor from BionX – switches on as soon as the rider starts pedalling as with a normal bicycle. Muscle power is transmitted to the rear wheel via a durable and quiet belt drive. An integrated three-speed gear hub provides for comfortable gear changing.

The strengths of the ebike include its agile performance: the rider of the smart ebike decides how much power he wants the 250 watt electric motor to deliver to support his muscle power by pressing a button on the handlebar. There is a choice of four power levels with the fourth and highest level providing maximum pushing power.

Depending on the power level selected and the manner of cycling a battery charge can last for more than 62 miles. With more than 400 Wh the lithium-ion battery is one of the most powerful batteries in the competitive environment. It has been attractively integrated on the smart ebike and is housed on the lower bar in the frame triangle under a plastic housing. The portable battery can be charged either at a normal socket or whilst riding with the latter offering advantages in terms of cost and the environment. The wheel hub motor becomes as a generator when the rider brakes. The braking energy is recuperated and converted into electrical energy and stored in the smart ebike's lithium-ion battery.

High-quality components guarantee dynamic, safe and fun cycling. For example, MT4 disc brakes from Magura are fitted at the front and rear. The fully integrated brakes interrupt the power supply to the motor during braking, stop its propulsion power and reverse the polarity so that it becomes a generator for recuperation of braking energy.

The smart ebike also features state-of-the-art infotainment: a USB interface is a standard feature and enables various mobile end devices to be connected with the help of a versatile cradle. There are even plans to develop a special app for the iPhone which would allow smart ebike riders to use their iPhone as an information centre, for example to call up information on the charging status and range.

Simple operation and highly functional

Straightforward operation, a low weight, excellent ergonomics and a practical stowage space concept all contribute to making the smart ebike fun to ride. As a pedelec the smart ebike combines the comfort of a motorised two-wheeler with the easy handling of a bicycle. In EU countries neither a driving licence nor a licence plate are required as the electric motor of a pedelec only assists propulsion up to a speed of 15 mph. This is also a clear advantage in terms of safety.

Charge management is just as simple: the battery can either be charged right on the ebike or it can be easily removed for charging at an indoor socket and then reinserted.

Thanks to different variants for the handlebars and seatpost the smart ebike can be adjusted to fit riders of different heights – a simple and efficient solution that is typically smart. A rear rack and further stowage options will be offered, for example, trendy and highly functional bags in the smart design tailored to the rack system are currently being developed.

Expert partner from the two-wheeler industry

smart is developing and producing the new smart ebike in close cooperation with the e-bike manufacturer GRACE based near Berlin. Three years ago marketing specialist Michael Hecken and mountain bike legend Karl-Heinz Nicolai got together to produce particularly innovative and high quality e-bikes. The smart ebike is therefore "Made in Germany" and will be produced in premium quality.