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Bad news for Kawasaki
Topic Started: Tue Apr 1, 2008 10:22 am (2,081 Views)
k650dsn

Ask anyone in the motorcycle biz and they will tell you times are
tough for motorcycle dealer and manufacturers.

"No one can afford to even blink right now," say Jim Wycoff of
Industry News and Report. But Kawasaki blinked big time last fall
and they didn't know it. While Kawasaki was busy introducing new
models bristling with technology, a clerk somewhere deep in the
bowels of Corporate made a simple but fatal error. They forgot to
renew the trademark registration of the most reputable Kawasaki
model of all time, the KLR650.

"It floated out there in never-never land for almost six weeks,"
reports Carla Rascon from the trademark office. "We sent out
reminders via certfied mail but no one responded." Kawasaki is
remaining silent on this matter as it has now escalated to a level
that has never before been seen in the powersport industry.

While Kawasaki slept, a marketing analyst at BMW was awake and
quickly snatched the KLR650 trademark for a paultry $4000.00
refiling fee. "I put it on my company credit card!" exclaimed Todd
Jeffers.

"We couldn't believe it" explained Terri Hancock of BMW. "Of course
we were going to grab it. The KLR has been a thorn in our side for
many years and now we own the trademark for it." BMW has no comment
on what they intend to do with the KLR650 trademark, but they have
already taken action.

In a letter leaked to us from Kawasaki USA, we have been able to
confirm that Kawasaki as been ordered to remove all new KLR650
models from their showrooms and cannot sell them until they have
been rebagded and all supporting literature changed.

"This is devastating. Especially since the new KLR650 model has
been so well received" reports Tom Elder of Feel Good Kawasaki in
Brownsville, Texas. "Kawasaki has told us to take our 650s off the
floor and wait for further direction. This is the best time of year
for my business and now I can't sell my best seller."

Our industry experts tell us that this is not going to be easy and
by no means quick to fix. The first action will most likely be
legal. Kawasaki will try to get it to an appeal level, but the fact
is, BMW holds the trademark so that us unlikely. Kawasaki must get
a rebadging plan in place whether it be done by all new body work or
decals, but it has to happen soon. But our experts tell us that
even a simple decal replacement could take months to execute. All
we know for sure is that unless some miracle happens, after today,
the venerable KLR650 will not be available for sale until sometime
next year.
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matteeanne

k650dsn
Tue Apr 1, 2008 10:22 am
Ask anyone in the motorcycle biz and they will tell you times are
tough for motorcycle dealer and manufacturers.

"No one can afford to even blink right now," say Jim Wycoff of
Industry News and Report. But Kawasaki blinked big time last fall
and they didn't know it. While Kawasaki was busy introducing new
models bristling with technology, a clerk somewhere deep in the
bowels of Corporate made a simple but fatal error. They forgot to
renew the trademark registration of the most reputable Kawasaki
model of all time, the KLR650.

"It floated out there in never-never land for almost six weeks,"
reports Carla Rascon from the trademark office. "We sent out
reminders via certfied mail but no one responded." Kawasaki is
remaining silent on this matter as it has now escalated to a level
that has never before been seen in the powersport industry.

While Kawasaki slept, a marketing analyst at BMW was awake and
quickly snatched the KLR650 trademark for a paultry $4000.00
refiling fee. "I put it on my company credit card!" exclaimed Todd
Jeffers.

"We couldn't believe it" explained Terri Hancock of BMW. "Of course
we were going to grab it. The KLR has been a thorn in our side for
many years and now we own the trademark for it." BMW has no comment
on what they intend to do with the KLR650 trademark, but they have
already taken action.

In a letter leaked to us from Kawasaki USA, we have been able to
confirm that Kawasaki as been ordered to remove all new KLR650
models from their showrooms and cannot sell them until they have
been rebagded and all supporting literature changed.

"This is devastating. Especially since the new KLR650 model has
been so well received" reports Tom Elder of Feel Good Kawasaki in
Brownsville, Texas. "Kawasaki has told us to take our 650s off the
floor and wait for further direction. This is the best time of year
for my business and now I can't sell my best seller."

Our industry experts tell us that this is not going to be easy and
by no means quick to fix. The first action will most likely be
legal. Kawasaki will try to get it to an appeal level, but the fact
is, BMW holds the trademark so that us unlikely. Kawasaki must get
a rebadging plan in place whether it be done by all new body work or
decals, but it has to happen soon. But our experts tell us that
even a simple decal replacement could take months to execute. All
we know for sure is that unless some miracle happens, after today,
the venerable KLR650 will not be available for sale until sometime
next year.
I was under the imression this was a hoax? :-/
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moabmc
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Was it the date of the original post that gave it away? :O
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kekahardr

Lawyers ruin everything. Surely Kawasaki ownes the copyright for KLR650 if not the trademark commn sense would say someone who has been using the trademark should own it without having to pay a fee, but common sense doesn't work in legalize.
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motorheads5

That is unreal
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wsmmwx

I am so glad this internet thing works and your article really helped me. Might take you up on that home advice you

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