Aprilia - Say it aint so!

[seruzawa]

The Japanese use their cruiser sales to underwrite the sportbike lines as well I'd betcha. If the cruiser sales ever tank then expect to see the racing efforts reduced, sportbike prices rise and far fewer sportbike redesigns.

[SRMark]

I had a couple more years of saving to do for my Tuono. Will the Brutale be around when I have the cash together? Anybody know financially how sound MV is? There go my hopes for a Laverda Jota revival. BTW, how are U.S. scooter sales doing now that gas is the price of milk?

[anrajala]

Why would anyone get upset about a demise of a brand name? If a particularly good model gets axed (say, Valkyrie) that’s bad news – or would be if there wasn’t a large second hand market where they are still available. Keen on brands? Go buy a Gucci handbag.



- cruiz-euro

[longride]

Joey Bagadoghnuts would love that ST4! If I sold the ZX9, I might just pick up that ST from ya. In the meantime, I'm amusing myself with V-Boost and bad handling. At least I have a Ducati dealer 3 blocks from my house for parts.

[Buzglyd]

I asked that question of my local MV dealer prior to plunking down for the Brutale. He said since Proton infused a ton of cash, their relationship with MV Agusta has never been better.



Fuel usage is at an all time high in CA right now and we're not even into the heavy driving season. I see more H2s on the road every day.



The Brutale only gets 25 mpg so it's hardly better than an SUV.

[nomad76]

Is this a real surprise? Beggio was spending money he didn't have faster than the U.S. government! With R&D, acquisitions, a run at Moto GP (when they should have focused on their competitve superbike) and a host of other frivolous practices, the well was sure to run dry sooner rather than later.



R.I.P., Beggio-owned Aprilia ...

[acecycleins]

rotax sells Aprilia their motors. anyone with cash can get one. even hd.

[acitrezza]

According to the Italian magazine Motocliclismo (see http://www.motociclismo.it/edisport/...6?OpenDocument for those who read my mother tongue), 650 employees (+ 260 in Mandello) are in "cassa integrazione (a purely Italian custom: Workers at home at some fraction of their salary paid by the Government), Beggio has already resigned, while, as hinted in several posts above, the Aprilia group is likely to be split: Ducati would like to acquire Moto Guzzi (at a discount wrt their 2000 offer, when they were outbid by Beggio), Rotax-Bombardier are interested in the motorcycle sector, Piaggio (perhaps, who knows?) in the scooter sector (as they already provide some 4-stroke engines for scooters) , while the BMW people seem interested only in the production of the 2006 650 in Noale, but not on any acquisition of capital assetts. That's what I could find out in the Italian press.

[Buzglyd]

I think you meant that post for KP.

[gceaves]

Aprilia's future uncertain as bond coupon date draws near (Aprilia, tempi stretti per cercare liquidita)



Il Sole 24 Ore - Italy; Apr 27, 2004







The plight of Aprilia, the troubled Italian producer of motor scooters and motorcycles, was raised with the Italian government yesterday by trade union FIM-CISL, which requested a ministerial roundtable on the problem. Trade union representative Michele Zanocco said yesterday that the company is highly exposed but is not in a desperate position, with 220m euros of debt as compared with a 580m-euro turnover. The group has a well-known brand and operates in a market that is growing by 16 to 17 per cent per year, he said.



Production has stopped at Aprilia's plants because of lack of funds to pay suppliers, and the group is due to repay a 7.5m-euro coupon on a 100m-euro bond on May 3, but risks default due to its poor liquidity. The group has asked a group of seven banks to re-open a 14m-euro credit line which was recently closed, and to provide an additional 30m-euro bridge loan. The banks have given little response so far, but they are expected to hold talks with the company tomorrow. Rival Italian motor scooter group Piaggio has expressed interest in Aprilia after its chief executive, Ivano Beggio, said he would be willing to take on new partners, but Piaggio would like to first see a business plan. Meanwhile, motorcycle maker Ducati has expressed interest in buying Aprilia's motorcycle subsidiary Moto Guzzi, but the timescale of such plans will not resolve the Aprilia's present cash crisis.



Original article by C. Pas.



Abstracted from Il Sole 24 Ore