Sp Suzuki Is Quitting The Motorcycle Business In Thailand?

[BigBikeBKK]

David posted this article on the GT Rider site: http://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/sp-suzuki-pulling-out-t8277.html

BANGKOK, July 16 (Reuters) - Shares in SP Suzuki SPSU.BK, a Thai distributor of Suzuki motorcycles, surged 50 percent when trade resumed on Friday afternoon after the company clarified its delisting plan and a tender offer for its stock at a premium. At 0840 GMT, SP Suzuki shares were up 50.5 percent at 15.80 baht, while the main Thai index .SETI was 1.1 percent higher.

Major shareholder SP International will launch a tender to buy the shares it does not already own at 16.20 baht, 54 percent higher than the latest close on July 12 at 10.50 baht.

The tender will be made after SP Suzuki sells an 18.78 percent stake in joint venture Thai Suzuki Motor to Japan's Suzuki Moter Corp (7269.T) for 804.8 million baht ($25 million) including a dividend, expected to be completed by the end of October 2010.

Suzuki Motor, which owns 52.06 percent of Thai Suzuki, wanted to buy all the shares in Thai Suzuki because the Japanese firm planned to operate motorcycles retail sales in Thailand by itself, the Thai firm said.

Loss-making SP Suzuki attributed the delisting to its plan to quit the motorcycle business, where competition is intense, the statement said.

SP Suzuki, which also cancelled distribution and dealership agreements with Thai Suzuki, made a net loss of 9 million baht in the first quarter of 2010.

Suzuki has about 4 percent of the motorcycle market in Thailand, while Honda Motor Co (7267.T) has 67 percent and Yamaha Motor Co (7272.T) 27 percent, according to industry data. ($1=32.22

Comment from David: perhaps this explains why no Suzuki big bikes are yet available through SP Suzuki, which was the Thailand Suzuki distributor for 40 years. Lets hope that it also means Thai Suzuki Motor, that is taking over start bringing in big bikes.

[katabeachbum]

They have the best small auto sccots,Gelato and Skydrive, but unable to sell them.

Lets hope the new owners are able to do a better job, and give us some big bikes

[skybluestu]

Would be lovely to have the DRZ400SM available here!

[BigBikeBKK]

Would be lovely to have the DRZ400SM available here!

Quite a few DRZ400's floating about. Some legal, most not. Red Baron's got a clean looking 2005 right now WITH book and plate:

225,000฿

And an '04 but I don't see a plate:

245,000฿

Ride On!

Tony

Edited July 20, 2010 by BigBikeBKK

[skybluestu]

Cheers Tony, I saw another one recently too, a beautiful 2009 bike going for 150,000 which then got lowered to 135,000!!! It was on a Thai site so couldn't understand the description but at that price I'm guessing it had no plate/green book.

http://www.dtrackerthailand.com/board/index.php?PHPSESSID=4db2e59efb9bc09076b35ad39c5b4fba&topic=18332.0

[Bobr]

Suzuki has always seemed to be their own worst enemy. Selling a motorcycle called the "Smash" was just not very smart in Thailand or anywhere else. In my home country (America) they tried selling a jeep type vehicle called the Samuri which would roll over the first time you swerved or went around a corner too hard. Then they tried to sue an American Consumer reporting magazine in a US Court for reporting about the problem. That might work here, but not in the USA, particularly in the 1980's. The irony about the Samuri was that General Motors were distributing Suzuki cars under the Chevrolet brand at the time, and they refused to touch the Samuri because of it's roll-over problem, but Suzuki went ahead and sold it there anyway.

Edited July 20, 2010 by Bobr

[Richard-BKK]

The Suzuki Samuri with the was first imported in 1985 into the USA and sold exclusively in Puerto Rico. The first official imported Suzuki Samuri for the USA mainland did not happen before 1988. And the suspension for the American mainland model was adjusted for better road use.

The original Suzuki Samuri, 1985 model, was not intended for intensive road use. It's target market was being the cheapest 4x4 people in Puerto Rico could buy, and despite what we can read in a previous posting the Suzuki Samuri was one of the most successful Japanese cars in the USA in around the beginnings of the '90s. The success of the Suzuki Samuri sparked the opening of the Thai factory and shiploads of Samuri's where exported to the USA....

Edited July 20, 2010 by Richard-BKK

[CMX]

Could this local-ownership change have anything to do the puzzling unavailability of the new 125cc Hayate F-1??

Might it be associated with one "pure" Suzuki dealer being only willing to mumble about it a week or 10 days ago, while another made non-specific jokes about arrival times?

Models line do not always match up in different countries, but is there anything to suggest that Suzuki makes bikes of lower quality than Honda or Yamaha? (or Quack, for that matter?)

Edited July 20, 2010 by CMX

[katabeachbum]

is there anything to suggest that Suzuki makes bikes of lower quality than Honda or Yamaha? (or Quack, for that matter?)

No

Great quality, spec on par or above, great auto and powerful engine

[HDRIDER]

2005 185.000 with green book

[BigBikeBKK]

2005 185.000 with green book

I'm quite interested- are you the seller?

[JonnyF]

is there anything to suggest that Suzuki makes bikes of lower quality than Honda or Yamaha? (or Quack, for that matter?)

No

Great quality, spec on par or above, great auto and powerful engine

Absolutely, not really talking about the autos here but having heard all the rumours about the Suzuki gearboxes being sub-standard etc, I owned 2 RM125's and a RM250 and they were both totally reliable and handled fantastic.

I bought a gsxr600 k5 recently and the reliability will be proved over time and will be largely dependant on the previous owners maintenance - but the chassis is fantastic, absolutely planted in corners and smooth as hel_l. I think Suzukis are a nice balance, they have the Jap reliability but they've got that little bit of something about them that's hard to define - not on a par with say a Ducati or a Triumph but as close to that as a modern Jap bike can get. I'd love it if they started a decent operation here selling the complete range.

[HDRIDER]

2005 185.000 with green book

I'm quite interested- are you the seller?

Hi

Yes i am, it need a new battery and a tidy up, runs great and done around 12.000km not using it anymore beeing sitting for around 7 months now

[BigBikeBKK]

2005 185.000 with green book

I'm quite interested- are you the seller?

Hi

Yes i am, it need a new battery and a tidy up, runs great and done around 12.000km not using it anymore beeing sitting for around 7 months now

Cheers! PM sent. Ride On! Tony

[HDRIDER]

2005 185.000 with green book

I'm quite interested- are you the seller?

Hi

Yes i am, it need a new battery and a tidy up, runs great and done around 12.000km not using it anymore beeing sitting for around 7 months now

Cheers! PM sent. Ride On! Tony

Hi

PM sent

[BSJ]

I've had quite a few Suzie big bikes and they were all good. Now the factory is taking over things can only get better!