Sweet 'n Sour News

[Jamie]

Triumph will reportedly move the assembly of its vertical twins, the Bonnie, Thruxton, Scrambler, etc, to its new plant in Chonburi, Thailand, some time next year. Forward- looking, growth-oriented entrepreneurship, no doubt.

Sweet ought to be the cost savings compared to a UK manufacturing base (and a strong British currency).

But sour, at least in my view, is the harbinger, i.e. some inevitable dilution of the "made in the UK" brand identity.

Jamie

 

[vonbonds]

Jamie,

I thought Triumph was going to move some of the manufacturing to Thailand but all bikes would still be assembled in England. Of course I could be wrong .

 

[wilbur-t]

The global economy at work.

 

[Sidecar Flip]

Triumph will reportedly move the assembly of its vertical twins, the Bonnie, Thruxton, Scrambler, etc, to its new plant in Chonburi, Thailand, some time next year. Forward- looking, growth-oriented entrepreneurship, no doubt.

Sweet ought to be the cost savings compared to a UK manufacturing base (and a strong British currency).

But sour, at least in my view, is the harbinger, i.e. some inevitable dilution of the "made in the UK" brand identity.

Jamie

There is a big stink on the Triumph Bonneville Forums about that and it's one of the reasons I bought a Rocket rather than another Bonnie.

Folks on the other forums are calling them "Thaiumph's"

I don't know about the global economy thing, Great Britain, Germany, Japan and a few other countries have very similar economies whereas Thailand, Taiwan ROC., China, Korea and Pacific Rim countries have economies that aren't even close to the former countries. When you are paying 50 cents a day for labor and then selling the product in the civilized, unionized world, well, that's the Wal-Mart philosophy. That's why I avoid Wal-Mart. It's about profits, but if the people that are buying the product can't afford the product anymore because of job loss or loosing their job to an offshore competitor then tell me where any advantage lies. After all, motorcycles are a luxury item, not a necessity,

These companies that are practicing vacating the civilized world for a third world hovel, better wake up and smell the roses before those roses fall from the stem leaving just thorns.

Just for kicks and giggles................. The bear claw, gasoline tank, side covers, head pipe and swing arm are at present being made in Thailand. I heard that Triumph will do actual assembly of the vertical twins over there starting next year. I've lost quite a bit of respect for Bloor and the Marque.

 

[Jamie]

Let's face it ("fice ut" in English English?), Sidecar Flip: Thailand is not Thy Land

Jamie

 

[Sidecar Flip]

Jamie:

That about covers it.

 

[Pig9r]

Actually you will all be surprised how much of our Rockets is already produced there. The factory is really high tech and they are building another there too (see news section). I came across a website a while back that was set up by one of the quality engineers there that went into great detail about what is made there and the set up. I posted most in the FAQ Triumph Factory Resources section before his site went down.

http://www.r3owners.net/showthread.php?t=146

(see second and third posts in the above thread)

 

[Sidecar Flip]

Piggr:

It was discussed and digested at great length and depth over on Delphi about the Thailand factory(s) and the apparent move to produce the twins there. If you distill down the comments and feelings of the twin buyers (like me), Folks who buy Scramblers, T100's, Thruxtons and Bonneville Standards have bought them in the past for their heritage and because, like the Meriden bikes, the Hinkley bikes are made in England. Thailand bikes aren't English bikes and I suspect it will effect the sales of those models but to what degree I don't know.

Personally, I have my last T100 and, if at some point in time Bloor decides to build all the bikes in Thailand or some other third world hovel, I'll disseminate myself from the marque altogether and probably buy an Italian bike. Italian bikes are like Italian women, high maintenance and fast.

My problem lies not in the production of the bikes themselves in Thailand, but the overall economy of Thailand. I have no problem buying goods and services from countries with economies that are like or similar to our economy but I have a big problem with goods or services that come from third world economies, especially when some businessman like Bloor is taking advantage of cheap, sweatshop labor and then selling the product in the industrialized sector at premium prices and pocketing the profits.

Until this juncture, I've had the utmost respect for Bloor and his resurrection of Triumph. He's starting to remind me of King Lear.

 

[Manic_Mechanic]

Mama Mia

1. Piggr:

Italian bikes are like Italian women, high maintenance and fast.

.

Maybe so but:

1. Italian bikes don't have all that excessive facial hair.
2. Italian women usually have bigger headlights.
3. Itialian bikes need gas.
4. Italian woman need peroxide.

Add to this list as you see fit..................

 

[Hondax]

If Thailand can put out a quality parts sales will be unaffected.
As far as sweat shops go, we had them when we started out in our industrial revolution and we worked out of it. But it took decades didn't it.
Just like the workers in sweat shops here long ago, they needed the jobs and appreciated them even though the conditions were terrible and people lost limbs and the like.
Thai people need the work as well or else they wouldn't bother working in the sweat shops. By refusing their products you keep the Thai people in rags and out of work. A bad job that pays squat and sucks eggs is STILL better than no job for the third world poor. Sweat shops are the lowest rung of the evolution of the industrial complex. We all go thru it.

Retort, rebuttal, or rebuke anyone?