INTERNATIONAL SHARE PRICES

Market analysis with financial editor Roger Willis

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ex-Rob McElnea Yamaha OW01 750.

Neither bike, nor Clive Padgett himself, were available, owing to Cadwell commitments. The Oxford Products Ducati 888 which took James Hillier to third spot in 2019 was also missing. Oxford is headline sponsor of the Moto Rapido Ducati BSB team and its sharp-end rider Tommy Bridewell. All of Oxford’s efforts, as well as those of the chap who fettles the 888, were focused on Cadwell.

Saturday’s revised and crowded roster began with a Lightweight MGP race for 250cc two-stroke twins that was simply a remonikered version of the previous Classic TT format, and just as dysfunctional. Slashing its duration to only two laps actually elicited sighs of relief from both organisers and competitors. Since Dorna ditched stinkwheels from MotoGP, genuine new spares became as rare as rocking-horse droppings and horrendously expensive. Reliability is unachievable and the attrition rate ridiculous. It attracted 32 entrant machines, down from 60 in 2019. 24 of them survived qualifying to become starters. There were only 16 finishers. If the race had run to four laps, there would have been considerably fewer. TT superstar Michael Dunlop retired after one lap. DNFs also included talented French rider Lancelot Unissart. Barely a mile from the start line, his Honda RS250 seized and spat him off when he tipped into the first corner at Quarterbridge.

Next in line was the MGP Junior for Supertwins up to 700cc. Like Monday morning’s Senior MGP featuring 600 Supersport machines, it was essentially a modern support race for clubmen. Both provided some hotly-contested action and reasonable entertainment – and both ran to four laps.

However, Saturday’s concluding 500cc Classic Senior MGP had been cut to three laps, thereby scuttling the equalising factor for single-cylinder machines which could complete a four-lapper without pit stops. Apart from a pair of deeply suspicious Norton singles – a pushrod ES2 and DOHC Manx – which proved capable of lap speeds unimaginable in their theoretical eras by being short-stroked to buggery, that left a motley collection of quasi-classic replicas of various multi-cylinder configurations with heavily modernised engine internals, suspension, brakes and frames. Few of them would have been eligible under mainstream classic racing regulations.

Eight-valve Paton twins had been the bookies’ favourite until TT legend John McGuinness broke his version in practice and became a non-starter. Another DOHC eight-valve twin “replica”, marginally resembling an unlamented Yamaha TX500 made in the 1970s, took pride of place instead. Lee Johnston, the sole star-quality refugee who had bunked off from his duties at Cadwell Park in the British Supersport paddock, took the laurels without much difficulty astride this hitherto unseen beast of doubtful provenance.

Finally, the 2022 MGP staggered to a close on Monday afternoon with a full four laps of Classic Superbike racing. The result was a tedious top-five lockout for Kawasaki ZX-R750 machines. Rule-bending to let in bikes from as recently as the late 1990s was to no avail. Much-hyped Suzuki GSX-R750 SRAD steeds and a lonely Honda RC45 earned no plaudits.

In fact, plaudits weren’t applicable for the whole shambolic mess. If a revived Manx Grand Prix is to reach its centennial next year and continue into the future, all those involved will have to try much harder. Pub gossip on the Isle of Man suggests the whole thing was a covert ploy to kill it off anyway. 

A snapshot of share performance across key manufacturers and markets

claimed that a rebound in consumer spending and rising employment would sustain growth in coming months. But markets weren’t convinced.

The BSE’s Sensex 30 index dropped by 1.6% and every listed Indian manufacturer, with the sole exception of Royal Enfield parent Eicher, lost value. The biggest, Hero MotoCorp, took the hardest hit.

CHINA – POOR PROSPECTS

Although Chinese industrial output and domestic retail sales growth narrowly beat forecasts in August, according to Reuters, its chances of lifting economic prospects and avoiding a contraction are marginal for the rest of this year.

Against such gloomy prognostications, a recent rebound for stocks dissolved and market indices fell sharply. Ten of China’s eleven listed motorcycle producers were losers. www.britishdealernews.co.uk

Price Week Month

USA (dollar) Harley-Davidson 40.71 -0.9% -1.2% Polaris Industries 107.83 -4.4% -11.3% Textron 62.83 -4.6% -4.9% Ideanomics (Energica) 0.51 -5.6% -16.4% Niu Technologies 4.98 -7.6% -19%

Europe (euro) BMW Volkswagen Pierer Mobility Piaggio Group 74.39 +1.2% -1.9% 196.35 +6.2% +1.6% 62.70 +0.5% +2.5% 2.28 -4.6% -9.5%

India (rupee) Hero MotoCorp 2685.20 -5.4% -5.4% Bajaj Auto 3689.55 -4.1% -9.4% TVS Motor 1024.90 -2.7% +6.9% Eicher Motors 3549.00 +2.2% +3.6% Mahindra 1250.10 -3.9% +0.9% Share performance as of 16 September 2022

Japan (yen) Honda Yamaha Suzuki Kawasaki Price Week Month

3525 -4.2% -5.1% 2892 -0.6% N/A 4959 -0.4% +1.6% 2497 -4.4% -4.8%

China (yuan) Qianjiang Zongshen Sundiro CETC (Jialing) Lifan 24.88 -5.9% +1.7% 6.41 -9.6% -6.4% 2.44 -6.2% -3.6% 12.70 -4.6% -19.4% 5.14 +7.1% +0.2%

Loncin

5.10 -2.5% +3.9% Linhai 8.41 -6.0% -7.9% Guangzhou Auto 12.94 -7.4% -9.3% CFMoto 153.97 -8.9% +5.8% Xinri E-Vehicle 21.75 -5.7% -8%