7 replies to this topic

[Andy]

Just come back from the Milan Show (Ryanair, Manchester – Bergamo, £32 return, inc taxes, a real bargain) where virtually every manufacturer of bikes, parts, clothing and accessories displayed their wares. The show is MASSIVE, if you think the NEC is a big exhibition centre, then Milan’s show centre dwarfs it by a factor of at least 10!

Whilst our party of six concentrated primarily on road bikes, inevitably I took the opportunity to look at trials machinery displayed by Gas Gas, Beta, Sherco, Ossa, Montesa/Honda and Jotagas.

The first five named machines are all familiar so it was the Jotagas that caught my eye and whilst first details about the new bike backed by seven times world champion Jordi Tarres appeared nine months ago, and actual pictures of the machine have appeared in the press and on the internet recently, to look at it in the cold light of day was fascinating.

Of course, we’ve no idea whether the machine will be good, bad or indifferent but it definitely looks the part. It may even have been an engine shell with no internals as the gear lever was able to rotate without connecting anything, but it is not my intention to be negative as anybody who can design and manufacture a new machine from scratch deserves praise.

Comments on TC back in February were disparaging, referring to the bike being an updated Beta frame/Gas Gas engine copy, but any new design is likely to look similar (Ossa apart) simply because it’s a trials bike and that is what it is!

Steve Saunders has been announced as the UK importer and according to his website, machines could arrive as early as next month for demonstration and testing purposes before production gets into full swing in the New Year.

As I have said, I was really impressed with the innovative appearance and the quality of finish, which, if replicated in production should give no cause for concern.

However, let me put a scenario to you.

This new bike is a Jotagas. It looks the business and let’s assume it is the business. So, how many machines will sell in the UK (and worldwide) when there are five other well established marques on sale, in what has to be said is a very small market?

Let me now put another scenario to you.

Imagine removing the Jotagas badge, replacing it with a Repsol Honda sticker.

Now ask the same questions. I can already hear the responses; “at long last, Honda have come up with a two stroke; yeah, that looks the part; so Honda have joined the trials game again etc, etc”.

Quite simply, a badge can make all the difference in the world.

When I first saw the bike in the flesh on Friday, it’s how I imagined a new Montesa/Honda would look, which is what prompted this column. It’s not a Montesa of course and I’m not suggesting there is any connection, but it will be fascinating to see how Jotagas is received on the world trials market.

We should wish them well.

[Old trials fanatic]

It's a funny thing badges and public perception. Remember seeing a t.v. programme ages ago and people were invited to look at and sit in a brand new car not as yet available to buy. Just about everybody thought the car was really nice and well made and most said they would definately buy one. Then the presenters removed the masking tape from the badges. Oh my god it's a Skoda !!! all of a sudden hardly anybody wanted to buy it even though they enthused after the car earlier. Just goes to show how biased people can be. However it's a funny thing but the Skoda marque is now viewed in a much better light all these years later which is fair enough as it's mostly VW underneath but it does go to show how important having the "right" badge can be.

[bilc0]

Old trials fanatic, on 14 November 2011 - 11:14 AM, said:

VW underneath

And when your scoda, seat goes into the garage for servicing/repairs you realise it was'nt such a bargain after all, had a seat van which had all the vw running gear.
where they managed to keep the price down was cut down on the quality of the interior plastics/seats etc etc, when it comes to servicing/repairs it was no cheaper to run than if it was a fullbred VW.

[chewy]

All true and understandable; it works in reverse also ..eg you can get comparitive..read competitive road insurance on say a Beta rev3 but a Beta Evo is a grey import. In this modern world everything has to fit into a "pidgeon hole" wether it be conceptual , or computer.. I suppose the fun is trying to use this to ones advantage.

[Rosey]

Yep stick a Honda badge on it (or any of the other bikes) and it'd be another £1000 more expensive.

They may be then better built though (or is this just a distant memory now), but maybe not as all the trials bike bits seem to be the same nowadays!

Edited by Rosey, 16 November 2011 - 01:25 PM.

[jimmyl]

Rosey, on 16 November 2011 - 01:17 PM, said:

Yep stick a Honda badge on it (or any of the other bikes) and it'd be another £1000 more expensive.

They may be then better built though (or is this just a distant memory now), but maybe not as all the trials bike bits seem to be the same nowadays!

The std/common bits tend to be the reliable bits. The bespoke parts are what tend to makes the difference ie air boxes, swing arms and if not the bespoke parts then maybe the exact specification of the std parts.

ie DID rims, showa suspension etc on Mont/Honda. Cheaper brand/spec on others?

[chewy]

Is this because only Honda in the trials world seem to have any quality control in place before the product reaches the customer?

[Dadof2]

Where has Rappers gone???