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Suzuki Motor USA has issued a statement to its U.S. dealers and employees elaborating on the reasons the company is planning to withdraw from MotoGP and reaffirming its commitment to selling motorcycles and ATVs in the United States.
After Team Suzuki ECSTAR was informed at the MotoGP round at Jerez nearly two weeks ago that this would be Suzuki's last season in MotoGP, a full week passed before Suzuki global headquarters issued an official confirmation of the decision. And even that statement was just a brief three paragraphs short on details about why the decision was made.
The statement sent yesterday to dealers and employees by Suzuki's U.S. operations, signed by Kerry Graeber, vice president for motorcycle and ATV sales and marketing, appears aimed at filling that information vacuum.
Probably the most important line to dealers and employees, who might be wondering if Suzuki would let its motorcycle business in the United States continue to shrink, was a statement that Suzuki Motor Corporation and Suzuki Motor USA "are committed to powersports and the U.S. market" for motorcycles, ATVs and scooters. It mentioned the recent introduction of the revised Hayabusa and GSX-S1000 and the new GSX-S1000GT+ and promised "several more new models in the near future."
The statement cast the decision to withdraw from MotoGP as a reallocation of resources. "The decision has been made in light of the changing market environment and is part of a strategy to allocate resources to ensure the health and vibrancy of Suzuki's overall business — particularly in areas of sustainability, carbon neutrality, and alternative fuel technologies. Like all companies, Suzuki is adjusting to a rapidly changing world."
That doesn't mean the company is in financial straits, the statement suggested. "Despite extreme challenges over the past two years related to the global pandemic, we have carefully managed our business, are in good financial health, and are poised for a return to growth."
Also, the statement said that pulling out of MotoGP does not mean the company will end its racing efforts in the United States in MotoAmerica road racing, Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross, and NHRA Pro Stock Drag Racing.
The decision to pull out of MotoGP, despite success on the track, led to a lot of speculation about Suzuki's future. That speculation only grew when no details were immediately released by Suzuki's global leadership, in part, perhaps, because it was a holiday week in Japan. My take is that Suzuki's U.S. team is trying to fill the information vacuum and maybe displace some of the more extreme speculation with its own perspective on the company's future trajectory.
