Interesting comment indeed, so let me ask: What kind of 2 wheeled vehicle would you buy these days instead ?
In my case I would like to buy a small displacement Scooter type vehicle to ride around town, with racks/bags/boxes to hold things like groceries. Something like a Honda Ruckus but bigger, with enough power to keep up with traffic and the occasional jaunt on the highway. I want more utilitarian rather than style, something rugged/manly/powerful that I can use as a workhorse for my daily needs with room to take my small dog too.
A 2 wheeled Jeep so to speak.
Motocross and Supermotard bikes are the big thing now from my understanding. Even Ducati have recently gotten into the market.
You were right the first time. Ford was bailed out, too. The distinction is that GM and Chrysler were bailed out through TARP (Toxic Asset Relief Program). Ford was bailed out with DOE grants and loans, including bridging financing through the DOE. Ford claimed they were never bailed out. They were sued and stopped making the claim publicly, but I suspect they never stopped paying influencers. Ford had half the pension obligations of GM. That's what saved Ford and sank GM.
I didn't know that, thanks for the info.
In my opinion, the bailout was more than political theater. Prior to the GFC, American car companies targeted higher SAAR and sales. Used cars were cheap--practically litter back then. The Obama admin created a program to crush used cars, and they required the US manufacturers to develop hybrids and EV's. SAAR today is lower than in 1986.....when the US population was 100M fewer people. We burn 2m fewer barrels per day than 20 years ago. The target of the car industry is to suppress oil consumption. If fewer people have cars, it just helps reduce oil consumption even more.
It's partly why we are where we are today. Companies are in the red because they've had to fund EV development. The COVID (and some time after) boom was the golden goose in that regard, as it has allowed them to inflate prices of cars dramatically. My friend bought an F150 hybrid in 2021. That same truck is now $20k more in 2025.
Car companies have also moved to the profit based model, over the volume based model. Which is why many common low end sedans (Think Ford Fiesta, Ford Fusion) have been eliminated from the US market.
It's unclear if KTM will be bailed out, but there are no global macroeconomic forces in play. That doesn't mean Austria won't make a move, but KTM's new heading is not immediately obvious. Even less clear if KTM will continue in MotoGP, if they are bailed out. Unless disposable incomes rise in the developed world (possible), it just seems like KTM would be bailout after bailout. I don't see them usurping a Japanese manufacturer in any major market, nor can I imagine them dethroning Ducati, especially with MV Agusta gone. We'll see.
I can't see how they can continue in MotoGP. They don't have the money themselves to do it, and if they get bailed out by the government, I can't see retaining the racing program would go down well.
I dont see disposable incomes rising anytime soon with the COL crisis personally. Disposable income in the US has had a 47% raise in the USA in the last 25 years which is roughly in line with US hourly earnings. In that time:
Housing has increased over 100%
Food has increaces nearly 100%
Hospital services have gone up 250%
Childcare has gone up 140%
If anything, disposable income is going DOWN. The Ford Mustang, for years the best selling sportscar, recorded it's first decline in sales last year even, even falling behind the electric Mustang. Some of this is likely because a base GT V8 is $50k, with the convertible being $60k. The market is starting to correct somewhat because people can't, or won't pay that much.
Saturated market: Why buy a new bike when you could buy a used one at a fraction of the cost? Not much has really changed in the last 20 years in sport bikes, and they loose their value so fast. Its hard to justify a new bike over one that is a couple years older for half the price, and usually tastefully modded.
Market saturation is the key thing here. And Arguably, sports bike are a somewhat niche market.
