Hyosung + ATK

[sombo]

Found this bit of info out on a local forums here in Florida. Seems that S&L motors (Hyosung) and ATK are teaming up to share tech, costs, supplies and other things. The only downside I see is the idea of using the Harley dealership network to help sell them. Here's the articles explaining more:

Partnership between ATK and Hyosung....

Harley Davidson dealership network to be used......

[bob706]

interesting

[Snake]

Somehow I don't think the bikes will sell very well among die-hard Harley owners.

[karlosdajackal]

I don't see the link to KTM?

[Alex]

ATK <> KTM; I changed the original post.

[TonyKZ1]

I've heard of Hyosung and we even have a dealer an hour or two away. But what is an ATK, never heard of them. Or is it some HD dealer network or something?
Tony

[karlosdajackal]

Interesting,
One of the last times Harley was struggling was because they had no small displacement bikes and that's what the competition was selling.

So they go and get rid of Buell same engine size issue, which was made in America with all those associated costs. Hyosung make cheap parts in Taiwan, ship them to America ATK build it and call it an "American Motorcycle". ATK probably can tool up there assembly line from dirt bikes to street bikes very easily. So Hyosung sell a lot of parts to ATK, ATK sell a lot of bikes and HD obviously get some kind of cut out of the dealer network. HD also don't have to brand anything and risk there brand as they seem to think the brand is what will save them.

Basically it looks like to cut costs they killed Buell and outsourced the building of "bikes HD can sell to people who don't want a HD" to Hyosung and ATK. I would no be surprised if the resulting street bike used Hyosungs V-twin based on old (but decent) Suzuki technology. We know HD love there v-twins. Can't see ATK's singles being used as they are built in America and will cost more than a foreign built V-twin. Style will probably not be as sporty as hyosungs GT250, probably more like a naked bike or a standard so that the path to "upgrade" to a HD is clear.

I can see how this is good for all 3 companies. Hyosung probably being the biggest winners of the lot. (bike sales, part sales and a dealer network and all in time for christmas). ATK get to sell the "American" version of the same bike to those who fear buying a High-O-Sung. HD take a cut and get people starting out on a bike thats more likely to lead them to buying an HD. Same way you see people moving from ninja 250's to zx6 or zx10, the 250 is the basic DNA bike for Kawasaki.

Can't say I'm terrible excited about the prospective bike though. I'd rather have a KTM RC4 with a 450cc single in a sexy 250GP chassis, HD+Hyosung+ATK are gong to have a hard time competing with this if its released.

[Greg_E]

The squids will still never go in a HD dealership so they wouldn't be getting much from the dealer network. A good handful of shops will probably refuse to sell these bikes, some because they were doing very well with Buell sales, and some because they couldn't manage to sell a single Buell in a year and will do no better with these new out of country bikes.

[backinthesaddleagain]

ATK made (makes?) some interesting dirtbikes. Kind of like Buell in thinking outside the box. I think they actuall had the rear brake on the c/s sprocket at one time, had rear shock without a linkage mounted to side of swingarm. I believe the founder was Horst Leitner something or other who had an inovative rear suspension for mountain bikes known as the Horst link.

[backinthesaddleagain]

ATK 4 stroke dirbike from the 80s, again like Buell some thinking outside the box. Note single shock on left, mounted directly to swingarm (no linkage to grease after a day in the dirt), and right side of the bike has a small disk brake next to the front sprocket. He was all about reducing the distance between the c/s sprocket and the swingarm pivot - doing so causes the chain to not tigthen and loosen so much as the suspension goes up and down. Oddly enough he didn't use a link on his motorcycles but did on his mountain bikes - just read that he sold that patent to Specialized.

[Nny]

Well, what I am reading makes sence. A HD dealer can have a license to sell HD and have their logo on the store front and still maintain a license to sell other brands without having HD directly involed. I would imagine that it is similar to the Kawasaki dealer close to me where they also sell Ducati's and Yamaha's. No direct affiliation..just a dealer having a license to sell more than one brand.

The Harley dealer close to me also sells Triumphs. I have heard honda and Harley being under the same roof in other states.

Again, no affiliation, just a dealer have the licenses to sell.

[backinthesaddleagain]

I remember in the 80s a HD / Yamaha dealer. HD dealer in RI also adding Triumph (supposedly).

[nate-bama]

Originally Posted by backinthesaddleagain

ATK 4 stroke dirbike from the 80s, again like Buell some thinking outside the box. Note single shock on left, mounted directly to swingarm (no linkage to grease after a day in the dirt), and right side of the bike has a small disk brake next to the front sprocket. He was all about reducing the distance between the c/s sprocket and the swingarm pivot - doing so causes the chain to not tigthen and loosen so much as the suspension goes up and down. Oddly enough he didn't use a link on his motorcycles but did on his mountain bikes - just read that he sold that patent to Specialized.

Rotax engines rock..that's a neat bike..from the 80's you say?

[backinthesaddleagain]

Yeah, I think they mid 80s (86 or so).
I guess they still make them though they look more mainstream except for the high quality ohlins front and rear suspension.

[sombo]

Yah, sorry, my bad about saying KTM instead of ATK. Made the post late at night when tired and just put in the wrong letters.

As for HD in all this. HD is having nothing to do with deal and stand to gain nothing from it at all. Just like others have said, it's just the dealerships which are privately owned and licensed that would gain from this venture. I do believe they would be better off looking at something more along the lines of Kawasaki or Suzuki dealerships.