VOL. 55 ISSUE 48 DECEMBER 4, 2018 P23
GENUINE SCOOTERS ANNOUNCES ITS
FIRST MOTORCYCLE
G
enuine Scooters has announced its
entrance into the motorcycle arena
with the release of the G400C motorcycle.
The scooter company hopes its 397cc motorcycle will prove afford-
able and fun to ride for first-time buyers. The $4599 G400C weighs
353 pounds, provides 26 horsepower, promises fuel economy of 70
mpg and reaches a top speed of 80 mph. For more information, visit
www.genuinescooters.com. CN
TEAM TEN KATE DECLARES
BANKRUPTCY
T
he Dutch-based Ten Kate racing team that
previously ran Honda's WorldSBK program from
2004 to 2018 has declared bankruptcy following
the manufacturer's withdrawal.
Honda will instead form a three-way partnership
between Althea Racing, Moriwaki and HRC for
riders Leon Camier and Ryuichi Kiyonari, one that
will see Honda back in WorldSBK as a full factory
operation for the first time since Colin Edwards'
title-winning year of 2002.
The news leaves Ten Kate out in the cold, with
the Dutch concern filing for bankruptcy and closing
the doors of the privately run organization, although
the team's dealership will continue—the largest
Honda dealer in Northern Europe.
Ten Kate has won 10 world championships with
Honda machinery in World SBK and WorldSSP
competition.
"This sad situation is the direct result of very late
notification given to Ten Kate Racing that Honda
wished to end its association with the Dutch firm,"
said an extensive statement released by the Ten
Kate racing team. "Honda stated that it wished
instead to continue its activities with two other
companies who would assume responsibility for
the company's technical and logistics requirements
in the World Superbike championship. This notifi-
cation was given to the management of Ten Kate
Racing on October 30, 2018 with
no earlier indication or further
explanation."
Current WorldSBK Champion
and former Ten Kate WorldSSP
and WorldSBK rider Jonathan Rea
has expressed his disappointment
at the news.
"I think that the HRC decision is
good for WorldSBK but I'm disap-
pointed for Ten Kate," Rea said to
MCN. "I feel really bad for the team because when
Honda undervalued WorldSBK and didn't support
the championship it was Ten Kate that stepped up.
They sourced engine development with Cosworth
and developed their electronics strategies and in-
vested a lot in swingarm and chassis developments.
That's hard for the team to accept because when
HRC decide to play, suddenly Ten Kate gets left
aside. When I was there I was always keen to say
it was a private team. I spent a lot of time there and
the team has a soft spot in my heart." CN
2007 was a great
year for Ten Kate
Honda, taking
the WorldSBK
and WorldSSP
titles with James
Toseland and
Kenan Sofuoglu.
Now it appears
it's the end of the
line for Ten Kate
Racing.
American scooter company
Genuine Motorcycle has
introduced its first full-size
motorcycle—the G400C, a 397cc,
fuel-injected entry-level street
bike, with a $4599 MSRP.
