Motori Minarelli sold to Fantic
As part of what it says is a strategy to " reinforce a cooperation with Fantic Motor ", Yamaha Motor Europe is " transferring all issued shares " in its Bologna based Motori Minarelli engine manufacturing subsidiary to Fantic Motor ( Dosson di Casier , Treviso ). Yamaha began consultations with the European Works Council ( EWC ) in October . Founded by Mario Agrati in 1968 and manufacturer of the legendary Caballero line , Yamaha says that " Fantic has been a long-time business partner of Motori Minarelli . " This transfer of issued shares is aimed at further strengthening the ties between Yamaha Motor and Fantic , and based on the consultation process with the EWC , the relevant contracts and paperwork for conducting the transfer to Fantic is scheduled to be complete within the year ". Motori Minarelli is said to produce 80,000 motorcycle engines of 50 to 400 cm3 annually , and supplies engines to MBK Industrie S . A . S . ( France ) - Yamaha ’ s European motorcycle manufacturing subsidiary - and to other motorcycle manufacturers in Europe , including Fantic since 1970 . The company traces its origins back to 1951 ( established as F . B . M . - Fabbrica Bolognese Motocicli - by Vittorio Minarelli and Franco Morini ) as a full bike ( scooter / moped ) manufacturer . The two partners split in 1956 with
Vittorio starting F . B . Minarelli , changing the name to Motori Minarelli in 1967 . In the 1970s average production ran to 200,000 twowheeler and 50,000 agricultural engines . Their greatest race successes came between 1978 and 1981 when Motori Minarelli won four 125 cc manufacturer titles and two rider world championship titles . Having started making 50 cc engines in the early 1990s , the company was selling to the likes of MBK , Yamaha Motor Espana , Aprilia , Malaguti , Beta , Rieju and others and saw production peak at 700,000 units in 1998 when it employed some 500 people . The four-stroke 125 cc scooter engine
Fantic Caballero
which was added to the production of two-stroke engines had doubled its manufacturing footprint by the end of the 1990s , becoming wholly owned by Yamaha by 2002 .
For its second quarter in 2020 ( the three months to September 30 ) Suzuki announced that net sales in its motorcycle division decreased by 37.4bn yen ( -29.6 %) to 89.1bn yen year-on-year , with an operating loss of 3.6bn yen due to the decrease in sales during the April-June large motorcycle sales season , and the impact of a decrease in sales of small motorcycles in markets such as India and the ASEAN zone .
Motorcycle unit sales in Europe were up by + 17.4 % at 13,000 units for the quarter , but down by 12.1 % for the six months from April to September inclusive at 23,000 units . North American unit sales were + 36.5 % for the quarter at 12,000 units and + 49.6 % for the six months YTD at 31,000 units . Total global motorcycle and ATV unit sales were -5.3 % for the quarter at 401,000 units and -23.2 % for the six
Among model range updates for 2021 , Suzuki has added a new V-Strom 1050XT Tour Edition with increased luggage capacity . A comprehensive suite of electronics includes two modes of lean-angle sensitive ABS , a three-mode traction control system ( that can be switched off ), three engine power modes , cruise control , hill hold assist and slope and load dependent linked brakes that optimise brake pressure to maintain control when braking downhill , or when equipped with luggage or a pillion . months YTD at 675,000 units . Asian unit sales were -9.6 % for the quarter ( 314,000 units ) and -28.5 % for the six-month period ( 514,000 units ). Meanwhile , better news for Suzuki on the racetrack . When 23-year old Spaniard Joan Mir won the MotoGP title for the first time by finishing seventh in the penultimate race of the season in Valencia , he became the first Suzuki rider to win the championship since American Kenny Roberts Jr . in 2000 . In the United States Suzuki has announced a restructuring of its operations and the end of a Race Team partnership . Suzuki Motor of America
Joan Mir - the first Suzuki rider to win Motorcycle Racing ' s premier class since Kenny
Roberts Jr in 2000 .
is to reorganise its Motorcycle / ATV and Marine divisions into two separate companies , with the Motorcycle / ATV business co-located at Brea , California with the parent company head office . Meanwhile , Suzuki has concluded its partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing . " The combined efforts of Suzuki and JGRMX were able to deliver solid results and raise the level of performance of each of the team ' s riders . " Together , Suzuki and JGRMX demonstrated the potential of the Suzuki RM-Z250 and RM-Z450 motocross machines over several successful racing seasons ".
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