Not Suzuki or Busa but interesting

[Lurch]

Saw this this morning and found it interesting. Thought maybe some others would also.
Harley is laying off like never before, but is doing this.

FRIDAY, July 11, 2008, 7:03 a.m.
By Journal Sentinel staff

Harley agrees to buy Italian cycle maker
Harley-Davidson Inc. (HOG) said today it has agreed to purchase Italian motorcycle maker MV Agusta Group for $109 million, expanding its presence in Europe.

The acquisition of privately held MV Agusta is expected to close in several weeks. Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson said it expects to finance the transaction primarily through euro-denominated debt.

MV Agusta Group has two families of motorcycles: a line of premium, high-performance sport motorcycles sold under the MV Agusta brand; and a line of lightweight motorcycles sold under the Cagiva brand. The company sells its products through about 500 dealers worldwide, the vast majority of them in Europe. In 2007, MVAG shipped 5,819 motorcycles. During 2008 MVAG has significantly slowed production due to financial difficulties, Harley said in announcing the deal.

Harley-Davidson plans to continue to operate MV Agusta Group from its headquarters in Varese, Italy. MV Agusta Group Chairman Claudio Castiglioni will continue as chairman and will play a major role in product development. The terms of the acquisition include a contingency payment to Castiglioni in 2016, if certain financial targets are met. The Castiglioni family owns 95% of MVAG shares.

Harley-Davidson said the acquisition is intended primarily to expand its presence and footprint in Europe. Retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles have grown at a double-digit rate in Europe in each of the last three years, as the company has increased its strategic focus on global markets.

 

[DaCol.]

Well, there goes MV Agusta down the tube

. Just so some on here will know, an MV Agusta buyer DOES not want a Harley or be associated with a Harley. Same as a Ducati  

buyer. I would expect a sell again within two years

 

[runeight]

Well, there goes MV Agusta down the tube

. Just so some on here will know, an MV Agusta buyer DOES not want a Harley or be associated with a Harley. Same as a Ducati  

buyer. I would expect a sell again within two years

Completely agree.

r8

 

[WWJD]

BAHHAHAHAHAHHA! My buddy has an MV. I GOTTA send him a link to this

 

[CTA_Busa_LE]

I'm sure Hardley will do them well. Give them a couple years and they will be even more overpriced, run half as fast and handle half as well..........but some will think they sure sound great!!

 

[SpeedAdict]

Sounds to me like a strategic move on Harleys part to buy there way into the high performance sport bike world. If you remember Harley tried to make a sport bike at around 30,000 and it failed miserably in all lines of testing. This move however would help them smash there way into this ever growing market. What does harley care if they sell MV in two years because they will have all there engineering data off this purchase. The statement "Harley-Davidson plans to continue to operate MV Agusta Group from its headquarters in Varese, Italy" gives me hope that they are not trying to ruin a perfectly good overpriced bike. It will be intersting to see what harley cranks out in 5 years.

 

[tbonebusa]

This is awesome!!!! I have been seriously considering an MV, but I held off because I was really bummed that I couldn't get MV logo dew rags, bucket helmets, dog dishes, billiard balls, kid's pajamas, neon bar signs, or stainless steel coffe mugs. Now, thanks to the incredible Harley marketing team, I can be assured that all thes fine items and more will soon be available anywhere HD/MV's are sold!!! Yeah!!!


Seriously though....what a shame a really cool, niche brand will soon be globalized/bastardized by the "Motor Company".........ugh.

 

[Revvv]

Well, there go any of my hopes of purchasing an MV.

What a way to destroy a great bike, allow HD to take over.


For the first time in MV history, they will leak oil.

 

[Projekt]

 

[Disturbed1]

Link...

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article....&Page=1

 

[theemrrdkill]

hmmm .......an Italian BowlingBall ... it could happen.

 

[GSXcite]

This is awesome!!!! I have been seriously considering an MV, but I held off because I was really bummed that I couldn't get MV logo dew rags, bucket helmets, dog dishes, billiard balls, kid's pajamas, neon bar signs, or stainless steel coffe mugs. Now, thanks to the incredible Harley marketing team, I can be assured that all thes fine items and more will soon be available anywhere HD/MV's are sold!!! Yeah!!!


Seriously though....what a shame a really cool, niche brand will soon be globalized/bastardized by the "Motor Company".........ugh.

 

[kreator]

Sounds to me like a strategic move on Harleys part to buy there way into the high performance sport bike world.  If you remember Harley tried to make a sport bike at around 30,000 and it failed miserably in all lines of testing.  This move however would help them smash there way into this ever growing market.  What does harley care if they sell MV in two years because they will have all there engineering data off this purchase.  The statement "Harley-Davidson plans to continue to operate MV Agusta Group from its headquarters in Varese, Italy" gives me hope that they are not trying to ruin a perfectly good overpriced bike. It will be intersting to see what harley cranks out in 5 years.

What model are you talking about?

 

[roadthing]

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Aw man, that really sucks and blows! Harley can barely manage their current business interests.

I can only imagine what Willie G. will do to destroy the genuine style that MV Agustas possess. It's a sad day in the motorcycle world. That is just so damned wrong.

On the other hand, now we can get MV Agusta branded beef jerky!

 

[skotty]

I figured a company like MV Augusta that has some bikes that sell at this price tag...



would be worth more than $109 Milion

 

[Lurch]

I thought 109 million was also cheap. even with 70 million in debt

 

[SpeedAdict]

Sounds to me like a strategic move on Harleys part to buy there way into the high performance sport bike world.  If you remember Harley tried to make a sport bike at around 30,000 and it failed miserably in all lines of testing.  This move however would help them smash there way into this ever growing market.  What does harley care if they sell MV in two years because they will have all there engineering data off this purchase.  The statement "Harley-Davidson plans to continue to operate MV Agusta Group from its headquarters in Varese, Italy" gives me hope that they are not trying to ruin a perfectly good overpriced bike. It will be intersting to see what harley cranks out in 5 years.

What model are you talking about?

Harley put out the protype for this company Roehr I don't remember where I read the testing review but the gyst of it was in performance catagories on a scale of 1 to 10 it would have gotten a negative one. It was built like a harley not a sportbike. Here is a link to the original announcment stating they were going to use a harley powerplant. I will try to track down the bike review.

 

[CrashBomb]

At least now MV riders will be able to buy poorly plated low grade bolts with the MV Agusta logo stamped into them by the Chinese for $12.95 per 4-pack.

 

[roadthing]

I can't let this one go. One word: Aermacchi.

 

[Lurch]

I can't let this one go. One word: Aermacchi.

That's what I was waiting for. It took long enough to bring that up.