yamaha WSBK shocker

[Agemax]

yamaha are pulling out of world superbike racing at the end of the year, blaming it on the worlds economic climate.

[JEEPRUSTY]

http://www.indiainfoline.com/Markets/News/India-Yamaha-sales-up-28-percent-YoY/5210932188

Maybe they are just not willing to invest in a saturated market segment?

[Joe Nardy]

Maybe they see how well Checa and the 'Non-Factory' Ducati are doing this year. Also, with the 2012 MotoGP rules changes the MotoGP grid will probably be expanding while the WSBK grid probably wasn't going to grow. Like Ducati, Yamaha probably sees more return on investment in MotoGP. Hopefully the factory support will enable competitive privateer teams. WSBK is great racing with a much more level playing field than MotoGP.

Thanks,
Joe

[TheCafeKid]

Maybe they see how well Checa and the 'Non-Factory' Ducati are doing this year. Also, with the 2012 MotoGP rules changes the MotoGP grid will probably be expanding while the WSBK grid probably wasn't going to grow. Like Ducati, Yamaha probably sees more return on investment in MotoGP. Hopefully the factory support will enable competitive privateer teams. WSBK is great racing with a much more level playing field than MotoGP.

Thanks,
Joe

Not surprising really. I suspect with the one bike rules change next year, and privateer teams being competitive, we may see a slew of factory teams withdraw from SBK. I'm sure they'll continue to support their privateer teams but it's not economically sensible to continue to fund factory teams in a circuit that is based largely on what already available. The GP is the future to these guys as far as learning and designing and testing new ideas. Which bums me out that, combined with their currently slumping and aging lineup, it sounds as though Suzuki may be pulling out of the GP.

[English Bulldog]

Has to suck for Laverty and Melandri, they are great riders, possibly on opposite ends of their careers but still now they are looking for rides for 2012

Both have won this year, Spies won it all a couple of years ago

[trippivot]

yamaha has a long history. They have changed the M/C game a time or two with revolutionary technology.

The Japanese philosophy is for different MFG. to rotate in popularity levels where they take a turn in the spotlight and a turn in the closet. They'll be back someday with technology they designed or a copy of someone else's.

I'm not current on the latest WSBK news but losing Yamaha isn't as big of a deal as who gets put in their place.