Patrick Torsell wrote:Oh, and you are right about some of the KATV changes. But your comparisons re:cashflow are like comparing GM ($148 2008) and Maserati ($1.2B 2008), and saying that GM makes a better car because the company is older and makes more money
By the way, BeachTech did not acquire Kassbohrer. Kassbohrer All Terrain Vehicles went independent. BeachTech was a brand INTRODUCED by KATV. KATV may not be family owned anymore, but it has been the Kassbohrer/Pisten Bully brand since day one. And regardless of the changes you mentioned at Kassbohrer, I applaud them for maintaining consistency and brand continuity. You may not think it is important, but in business, developing and maintaining a brand is huge in terms of customer perception and relation.
If the Bomb lineage is SO much better, then why does PB have 60% of the market share???
I can see that you bleed yellow. You can have your opinion. Did you read the original question? It asked our opinions. In my opinion, regardless of your attempt to change my mind, I still think PB is a better cat, and I trust the company. That's my opinion. Yours is clear. You're not going to change mine, and likewise. Let's get some other opinions and quit the history lessons.
OK...GM vs. Maserati....I'm not even sure what the point is that you're trying to make there? My point was Bombardier himself created a company 100 times larger and 100 times more inovative in half the life span of KB himself. As for GM vs. Maserati....I'll take a vette over a maserati any day thanks. I have NEVER...EVER had a mechanical failure with a GM product that left me stranded...or even one that required a roadside repair. Maserati....something goes wrong with one of those....no one can figure out how to fix the damn thing and you're 6 months waiting on a part when you do figure out what the heck is wrong.
Beachtech DID aquire PB. If it were not for Beach tech money....PB would simply have ceased to exist in 1994 and gone the way of LMC.
KB sells more units simply because they're CHEAPER. Up to 25% cheaper in some cases....and we all know no one in this business has any money to spend.
We had 2 brand new PB's / 2 old PB's.....and 4 old BR's last year. By mid season....neither of the old PB's were serviceable....and the new ones literally took turns spilling their blood on the trail leaving 1 down every single night. Like GM...I have NEVER EVER had a Bombi leave me stranded anywhere. I've never had one spill it's blood. I've had a lot of little nuisance problems due to things being overdesigned...I'll readily admit that....but ...I do see them as the GM of the mountain...People bitch about them for reasons that are beyond my understanding as they simply just get the job done. In Canada, they are bought because you KNOW you can get a part quickly if needed (48 hours max). PB you can be left waiting for weeks.
As to the pic of your 1969 PB. A. It's a picture FROM 1970....my point was show me a 1969 or even 70's era cat still being used today and B. 1969 was not a model year as all they built in 69 were some incomplete prototypes by their own admission. http://www.pistenbully.com/fileadmin/co ... 909_en.pdf