kz1000ST wrote:
Attila wrote:
Copying is easy, doing it well much less ...
Not always. The Japanese copied European designs and made them better. NSU vs. Honda for instance.
If reports are correct Benelli (Qianjiang) is going to utilize a MV authorized copy engine in a future bike. We will have to see how that flys.
Even the Italians of the De Tomaso Group in the 70s (Moto Guzzi - Benelli) copied the Japanese Honda Four but did it badly ... The copied motorcycles were uglier and broke often, if the Japanese copied something (few engines in reality) did it better than copies. Certainly they too produced motorcycles with major defects but they stopped producing them when they ascertained it and in any case filed (and still do) many new patents.
The vitality of the Japanese motor industry today is a tangible sign, it is not in question.
Also Yamaha 250 RD: