USA Gas Gas importer ?
- Thread starter REVERUP
- Start date
GMP
Active member
If your a true enthusiast and just want to have an exotic, you will regardless. Its the guy who is considering support, parts, and the ability to race it every week compared to the other brands that sales will be lost to.
There will always be a niche market. Question is, is a niche market in the US worth it for those involved?? We hope so.
I knew this thread would take off like a fire.
There will always be a niche market. Question is, is a niche market in the US worth it for those involved?? We hope so.
I knew this thread would take off like a fire.
Berkyboy
Site Sponsor
Dixie Sales and the "Inconvenient Truth"
Don't anybody panic. The GasGas name will continue in North America.
Dixie's decision to get out of dirt bikes is no surprise when you consider that they are partly owned by a "green company," Freeplay Energy.
Freeplay is a publically traded company that makes money selling "green" products, wind up flash lights and radios. I suspect they purchased part of Dixie to get at their distribution center in North America.
http://www.freeplayenergy.com/Articles/pressreleases/67.html
"On 18 May 2006, it was announced that Freeplay had agreed, subject inter alia to shareholder approval to acquire the entire issued share capital of Barrett Marketing Group Inc. (“BMGI”) and its wholly owned subsidiary Dixie Sales Company Inc. (“Dixie”)."
When I learned that Dixie was partially owned by Freeplay I suspected that eventually Dixie Sales would not continue to distribute dirtbikes in North America, especially when Freeplay's mission statement uses phrases like "carbon footprint" etc.
I suspect that once the North American import rights to Husaberg were wrestled away from Dixie by KTM it became an appropriate time for them to walk away from GasGas as well so they could spin their decision to reduce their "carbon footprint."
I'm certain
an announcement is forthcoming on GasGas's future North American distributer so hang in there.
As far as Freeplay goes, good ridence!! The only "green" their interested in is the color of money - not the color of GasGas.
Don't anybody panic. The GasGas name will continue in North America.
Dixie's decision to get out of dirt bikes is no surprise when you consider that they are partly owned by a "green company," Freeplay Energy.
Freeplay is a publically traded company that makes money selling "green" products, wind up flash lights and radios. I suspect they purchased part of Dixie to get at their distribution center in North America.
http://www.freeplayenergy.com/Articles/pressreleases/67.html
"On 18 May 2006, it was announced that Freeplay had agreed, subject inter alia to shareholder approval to acquire the entire issued share capital of Barrett Marketing Group Inc. (“BMGI”) and its wholly owned subsidiary Dixie Sales Company Inc. (“Dixie”)."
When I learned that Dixie was partially owned by Freeplay I suspected that eventually Dixie Sales would not continue to distribute dirtbikes in North America, especially when Freeplay's mission statement uses phrases like "carbon footprint" etc.
I suspect that once the North American import rights to Husaberg were wrestled away from Dixie by KTM it became an appropriate time for them to walk away from GasGas as well so they could spin their decision to reduce their "carbon footprint."
I'm certain
an announcement is forthcoming on GasGas's future North American distributer so hang in there.As far as Freeplay goes, good ridence!! The only "green" their interested in is the color of money - not the color of GasGas.
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If your a true enthusiast and just want to have an exotic, you will regardless. Its the guy who is considering support, parts, and the ability to race it every week compared to the other brands that sales will be lost to.
There will always be a niche market. Question is, is a niche market in the US worth it for those involved?? We hope so.
I knew this thread would take off like a fire.
I don't know if I'm a true enthusiast or not its just that I came from Honda. I also am just an advanced trail rider, I don't race so I don't really need that many parts etc. If I did I could def. understand the need for support etc. I'm going to pick up my second GG this next Saturday and I can't wait. I already have an older 250 and now I'm moving to the 300...yipppeee
Berkyboy
Site Sponsor
Now would be a good time to thank the people at Dixie Sales that most of us dealers worked with on a day to day basis.
Bob, Roy and Josee have all been great to work with and we at GoFasters will surley miss their promptness and professionalism.
Hopefully the decision "to go green," made by Freeplay, will not cost anybody a job.
Bob, Roy and Josee have all been great to work with and we at GoFasters will surley miss their promptness and professionalism.
Hopefully the decision "to go green," made by Freeplay, will not cost anybody a job.
SpeedyManiac
New member
Just to reiterate what Scott said, GasGas Pacific is great to deal with if things aren't going well down south.
TooFastTim
New member
Jeez, first Hyde products then Leatt Brace and now Freeplay. Good thing they're not many South Africans left to emmigrate.
If you don't understand: Freeplay was originally a South African company.
From Wikipedia:
The Clockwork Radio
"While watching the BBC documentary Tomorrow's World in April 1994, corporate accountant Christopher Staines first realized the potential of an innovative idea from British inventor, Trevor Baylis. The Clockwork Radio, as the device was first known, was proposed as a means of providing better communication and education in undeveloped areas of Africa, which could lead to an effective measure in stopping the rampant spread of AIDS. Traditional radio, although widespread, relied on an electrical supply or the availability of disposable batteries - both of which were in short supply across the continent. Staines and his business partner, South African Rory Stear, immediately realized that the potential for self-sufficient electronics could go much further than radio and Africa.[2] In 1995, they started BayGen Power Industries in Cape Town, South Africa, which would be renamed in 1999.[3] Starting with a grant from the British Government to develop the Clockwork Radio idea, subsequent investors have included Liberty Life[4], Gordon and Anita Roddick (of The Body Shop International PLC),[5] The General Electric Pension Trust,[6] South African Capital Growth Fund, and Worldspace Inc.[7]"
If you don't understand: Freeplay was originally a South African company.
From Wikipedia:
The Clockwork Radio
"While watching the BBC documentary Tomorrow's World in April 1994, corporate accountant Christopher Staines first realized the potential of an innovative idea from British inventor, Trevor Baylis. The Clockwork Radio, as the device was first known, was proposed as a means of providing better communication and education in undeveloped areas of Africa, which could lead to an effective measure in stopping the rampant spread of AIDS. Traditional radio, although widespread, relied on an electrical supply or the availability of disposable batteries - both of which were in short supply across the continent. Staines and his business partner, South African Rory Stear, immediately realized that the potential for self-sufficient electronics could go much further than radio and Africa.[2] In 1995, they started BayGen Power Industries in Cape Town, South Africa, which would be renamed in 1999.[3] Starting with a grant from the British Government to develop the Clockwork Radio idea, subsequent investors have included Liberty Life[4], Gordon and Anita Roddick (of The Body Shop International PLC),[5] The General Electric Pension Trust,[6] South African Capital Growth Fund, and Worldspace Inc.[7]"
tm_enduro
New member
As frustrating as it might be, the BMG/Dixie bomb was just dropped, and it takes time to pull things together. I too have been surprised that we have not seen any discussion, and the dealer only forum shows 0 (zero) posts. Even an organised distributor like KTM is still struggling to layout the particulars of being importer again.
That's the number of posts that are visible to you. GasGas Dealers are added to a group that can post and see all the info related to this forum. The "dealer only" forum is active.
jeff
webmaster
Berkyboy
Site Sponsor
In this case no news is probably good news.
We've been in contact with GasGas Spain and it sounds like they are at least a couple of things in the works.
We're very frustrated as well but I can assure you that a few more steps need to come together before any annoucement is made.
As far as the dealers corner goes they are ongoing postings they just don't show up on the forum home page.
We are looking for more dealers to participate in the discussion so if you are one and haven't signed up please do so.
We've been in contact with GasGas Spain and it sounds like they are at least a couple of things in the works.
We're very frustrated as well but I can assure you that a few more steps need to come together before any annoucement is made.
As far as the dealers corner goes they are ongoing postings they just don't show up on the forum home page.
We are looking for more dealers to participate in the discussion so if you are one and haven't signed up please do so.
Berkyboy
Site Sponsor
I have been in touch with many sources and it appears something is in the works. I'm connecting a lot of dots but we should have some news shortly.
If I had to guess it seems that Dixie Sales and GasGas (Spain) are negotiating who broke the US GasGas importing contract and neither one of them is backing down so our September 1 deadline has passed.
I know they both watch this forum and I wish they'd quit messing around with the "legalese" and make some type of announcement.
We had 3 calls today on "when the '08s are coming" and it blows that I can't tell them with any certainty when we'll see the first bikes.
Very frustrating
If I had to guess it seems that Dixie Sales and GasGas (Spain) are negotiating who broke the US GasGas importing contract and neither one of them is backing down so our September 1 deadline has passed.
I know they both watch this forum and I wish they'd quit messing around with the "legalese" and make some type of announcement.
We had 3 calls today on "when the '08s are coming" and it blows that I can't tell them with any certainty when we'll see the first bikes.
Very frustrating
