Could there be a hidden agenda?
By John Dickinson on 9th Aug 07
...the two-stroke is making a significant, almost spectacular comeback. Riders can demonstrably afford to run and maintain their strokers and are voting with their wallets...
AN FIM delegation sallied forth to Japan last weekin order to meet representatives of the Japanese motorcyclemanufacturers to discuss several topics of interest which, from mycarefully considered studies of the ensuing press release, can bededuced as being the continued pusuit of outlawing the two-strokeengine from competition use.
There were a few topics which I took to bered-herrings in the itinerary such as ''the presence of women inmotorcycling''. Why on earth would the FIM need to pack half a dozendelegates half way round the world in order to ask top brass from theJapanese motorcycle manufacturers about their views on ''the presenceof women in motorcycling''? Women are more than welcome to participatein all forms of motorcycle sport - and they do. How does this affectthe Japanese manufacturers?
It is actually a very interesting point that theFIM have gone to visit the Japanese manufacturers first with theirimportant list. They say that they will then schedule meetings anddiscuss the same points with the European manufacturers. Surely, in theinterests of fair play, if you have a list of items to discuss withmotorcycle manufacturers you talk to ALL of them at the same time.
Otherwise certain people are going to suspect ahidden agenda. Like when the FIM finally get round to discussing thesesame items with the European manufacturers (because I don't think anyother parts of the world are involved) they will already have theirheads stuffed-full with what the Japanese want. I have spoken toseveral representatives of the European manufacturers and I can sayfirst hand that they were none of them impressed with the way the FIMhave thus favoured the Japanese.
One thing that we all know is that Honda islooking at an all four-stroke future. We know because they have toldthe world that they are to cease manufacturing two-stroke engines.
To which I say, fine, good luck with that. You arethe world's largest, most influential manufacturer and I respect yourdecision. However, this does not mean that everyone shares your visionof four-stroke heaven. Small companies like Gas Gas or Sherco or evenlarger ones like KTM certainly don't share Honda's view.
The FIM tried to push an all-four-stroke futureonto the World Trials Championship several years back. They had to back(very quietly, on tip-toe) out of this because the small trialsmanufacturers simply could not comply. Nor can they now. If you bannedtwo-strokes in trials right now you would effectively say goodbye tothe Euro manufacturers (not counting Montesa as they are effectivelyHonda of course). Yes, they produce four-stroke models. No, they couldnot survive off them alone.
The trials manufacturers have actually got theirtwo-strokes to pass the stringent Euro 3 laws and thus should be ableto continue until at least 2012. And make no bones about this, theyneed the two-strokes in order to survive.
So why is the FIM still pursuing the four-stroke only goal?
The answer is simple and was spelt out by noneother than KTM's master engineer Harald Bartol who, in an interviewlast week stated, ''The four-stroke thing is a political decision.''
From a pure bums-on-saddles point of view, if weare looking at a four-stroke only future then all the current signs arethat off-road sport will decline. This is a simple matter of financeand cost. The bottom line is it costs considerably more to firstlypurchase and secondly run a four-stroke competition machine. Sure, manyof us are more than willing to accept this. But equally, there are alsomany for whom the extra cost represents the last straw.
You only have to check-out the currently expandingEnduro and hare and hound scene in Britain to see how the two-stroke ismaking a significant, almost spectacular comeback. Riders candemonstrably afford to run and maintain their strokers and are votingwith their wallets
So while I am more than willing to accept that theFIM delegates mean well, I can't accept that they are thinking of JoeBloggs who ultimately pays for their worldly jaunts yet who simplywants, within his limited funds (no FIM expense account for instance)to simply carry on riding his bike.
It is one thing nodding enthusiastically to thepolitical ideals of a Japanese executive, who will have his own agenda,while seated in the boardroom of a glass palace, before boarding yourpaid-for flight home, while at the same time considering the positionof a 19 year-old welding apprentice who wants to ride his bike withinhis budget on Sunday.