What if CZ and Maico built dirt bikes again?
Today's motocross is broadly a battle between motorcycle manufacturers from Japan and Austria, but it seems that there will be more competition in the coming years. With the arrival of Fantic and Beta, the Italians are putting their noses to the window again.
The big four from Japan were global lords for many years. They occasionally received a blow from brands such as KTM, but until just before the turn of the century, the Japanese engineers continued to call the shots at the highest level. However, everything would change when four-stroke technology became popular. Husqvarna, KTM, Husaberg but also Yamaha went to the drawing board to refine the technology so that it became a winning concept in the Motocross World Championship.
Now the roles were almost reversed and it was mainly KTM that took the lead. The other brands such as Yamaha and Honda were still able to win titles, but the majority of them went to KTM. Since the turn of the century, KTM has won 27 titles and they did so with their own brand. In the meantime, Husqvarna was also taken over and showcased as the group's premium brand. And recently the Spanish brand GasGas joined the ranks to act as a budget brand. This is the principle that the Volkswagen Group applies to their four brands VW, Seat, Skoda and Audi.
Husqvarna and GasGas are brands that use existing parts from the KTM warehouse. Small nuances are made, but they can be counted on the fingers of one hand. It is a smart and above all commercial move by the Austrians to appeal to the widest possible audience. GasGas is also a response to the lower price that the Japanese ask for their machines. In other words, KTM has only used the Husqvarna and GasGas brand names to execute their business plan.
What if KTM were to put Maico back on the market in this way as a kind of “vorsprung durch technik” version of the brand? A machine that would be placed just above the premium brand Husqvarna and would be even closer to the factory bikes from Herlings and Cairoli. Maico would fit perfectly into that picture because the German brand had it perfectly together for a while until the government shot itself in the foot several times. And what if CZ was marketed by KTM as a budget two-stroke brand just below GasGas? CZ could be the perfect dirt bike for around 6000 euros to help young motocross riders who have outgrown the 85cc class with a budget-friendly but reliable two-stroke bike. The former brand from the Czech Republic would fit perfectly into that picture as a pioneer of two-stroke technology.
But apart from the commercial aspect, motocross is also a sport from the heart and that is why we gave this title to the text. We may not see anything from Maico and CZ anymore, but there is a brand that proves that anything is possible provided the heart is deeply rooted in the sport. We are talking about Beta, which almost out of nowhere suddenly starts acting at the highest level again. On June 13, the starting gate falls in Orlyonok with two Betas in the firing line, driven by Jeremy Van Horebeek and Jimmy Clochet. Beta has proven in recent years that it knows how to build enduro and trials motorcycles.
It is no easy feat to turn a solid enduro into a powerful dirt bike, but if you have a heart for the sport and technology, it should be possible. Beta has our deepest respect for the work they deliver and thus brighten up the rider park with new blood and new colors. We have nothing against the KTMs of this world, but motocross could use some new blood. CZ and Maico have been dead for years but where there is a will, there is a way. Long live CZ and Maico and add Gilera, BSA, Montesa, Bultaco and Aprilia. Please complete this list as desired. And who is calling Stefan Pierer?
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