Just announced that they have dumped the MV Augusta brand and it is now fully independent looking for new backers
I will look down the back of the sofa.
KTM owned 50.1% of MV, I do hope MV survive this, (I hope KTM & co survive too!), they are building some lovely bikes, unfortunately, none that I can afford!
Is that not the precise problem with brands like MV, the original F4's were a thing of beaty, but it was all they had, back when (almost) everyone bought the 750 / 1000cc superbikes of the day (or the 600s if they could not afford the WSB replica) they did OK.
Now the Jap stuff has entered the same arena with the 1000cc bikes being pretty hot as standard and SP versions for those who have to have a more expensive bike than almost everyone else, and not forgetting @14 years ago those tosspots had the option of a BMW badge on their 1000cc superbike to make themselves feel superior, where did that leave MV???
Not sure about the rest of the world, but the UK has an ageing biking population, not to mention abysmal roads and an anti-bike government, and now a recession and lowest consumar confidence since Hitler pushed our forces back to Dunkirk, so not many buyers for any bikes - just look at the dealers all going pop.
So how does KTM "ditch" MV, surely they have to flog their 50% stake to do that, which means people have to buy it, not fully aware of how trading stocks works, but I'd imagine KTM need to find someone to buy most of that 50%, don't think you can just take that amount of shares and flog it to a broker in one go, can you?
I'd assume as they try and ditch the shares rapidly the prices drops just as rapidly, and then the quid I just found down the back of my sofa would buy me a good percentage stake of MV?
I am also guessing that MV need cash too, so its not just about buying the KTM stake, you still need someone to lend a failing company a chucnk of money, or talk the suckers they already owe a load of money to into handing them more.
I suspect this is the death of MV (again!) and it may be resurected with debts washed away in the near future, or maybe not this time???