Re: old design was oilheads-digest V1 #47

[Steve Makohin <wateredg@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 1/6/04 12:11 PM, rennsport@xxxxxxxxx rennsport@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

>On Tuesday, Jan 6, 2004, at 11:27 US/Eastern, Louis F. Pechon, Jr. 
>wrote:
>
>> Robert
>> Have you considered the fact a motorcycle is a pure pleasure item?
>
>Non-sequitur. But to answer your question, it is not about what I think 
>is a pleasure item. If BMW wants to remain at 2%  of the US market 
>fine, but, do not expect the motorcycle buying public to flock in 
>droves for overpriced underpowered bikes.
>
>He asked a question and I answered with a question that is no less 
>valid.

Hey Robert, have you actually read anything by BMW as to which decisions 
they made, and why? It sounds to me like you're speculating that BMW is 
doing the "wrong things" because they have not attained the objectives 
*you* would have liked them to.

Exceptionally few manufacturers (of anything) set a _reasonably_ 
realistic objective of "market domination" (yeah, I know you didn't claim 
that BMW was doing that). Not a lot of manufacturers set a  _reasonably_ 
realistic objective of attaining a large market share when they don't 
already have one (yeah, I know you didn't claim that BMW was doing that 
either). Many manufacturers simply look at the bottom line, and set an 
objective to grow the business at a "reasonable" (or sometimes 
"aggressive") rate.

Ducati, for example, has a market share that is smaller than BMW 
Motorrad's, and they have no plans to surpass BMW in sales. Apple 
Computer Inc., has a diminutive market share of around 3% (and 
declining), though they continue to sell enough merchandise to remain 
profitable and chuckle in the face of the "Apple Is Dead" crowd (who have 
been saying that since around 1986 or so).

So far, I have not seen any information that indicates BMW Motorrad has 
set out to _significantly_ increase their market share. If you have 
access to such information, please share it with us because I am eager to 
learn of it, as I am sure are others on this list, as well as the "other" 
list. Cheers.

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