Is the US Rotax Motor worth $500 more?

[Chuck McCue]

Exchange rate?? I guess if you type it in bold print multiple times some people will believe it. Fact is that anyone can purchase a RM form England for under $1500 (conservative retail) delivered with all shipping charges included.
Facts are facts, if in doubt check it out your self. The info is easily found with todays internet.

CM

[ August 06, 2001: Message edited by: Chuck McCue ]

[Stephen Buckley]

Okay, here's what I get out of this.

1)We can buy (import) a RM from anywhere we wish (for cheaper), however we probably can only use the engine for recreational use or club racing.

2) If we want to race in the RMC, we must use a sealed motor purchased from an SSC authorized American dealer (per Rotax provisional rules).

I don't see a problem here. HOWEVER.....

If the IKF, WKA, SKUSA or whomever accepts this package as a national class, are they going to require seals? If so, where will the seals come from? Can you see where this is going?? If the organisations are going to require "factory" seals, then we're all screwed. This whole thing can be solved by some kind of non-RMC compliant seal. I just don't want any business invoking their wants, needs or requirements into my right to race. I think we call that "monkey business".

S

[Dave Stevens]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bill Wright:
The price differential is easy, folks.....

IT'S CALLED THE EXCHANGE RATE!!

---

How do you figure? I'd like to hear your reasoning and see your math. If anything, with such a strong dollar, we should be paying less than the other countries. The engines are manufactured outside the US (Austria, to my knowledge) by Bombardier LTD, and imported into the US by SSC.

Perhaps SSC has legit reasons to charge the extra 25%, such as increased overhead, etc. My guess is that it covers the cost of the US RMS. So potentially, if you are running a Rotax recreationally, or in non RMC events, you could be (and probably are) subsidising the US RMC program. I don't know for certain. What I do know is that is not the fluctuations in the currency market that account for the price differences.

If the currency rates fluctuated by 25% the currency markets would crash. The valuation of the dollar does not move that fast, nor that drastic. Typically, it's only in a couple of percent, or fractions of a percent.

For example, the Euro, over the life of the currency against the dollar, has been devalued by about 13%, compared to the US dollar.

I think the price dispartiy has made a mark at SSC. On the US RMC Web site (http://www.rmchallenge.com) Tom White (tom@rmaxchallenge.com) mentions this in his recent newsletter, dated August 1st. He specifically requests that regional race directors report out of region engines. While SSC does not have to let out of region engines participate in RMC events, I would caution them against a campaign to attempt to prohibit US citizens from importing Rotax engines from other countries. This would most likely be a violation of US Federal Trade Law. They don't have to let you run at their events, but they can't stop you from importing the engines for your own use.

I'm still considering purchasing a Rotax (bought the chassis last week), but the guys at the karting school thought I might be able to go right into shifter, and bypass the Rotax route. The RMC seems like a good idea, but with what I've been finding out over the last couple of weeks, I wonder if it's really for me after all.

Dave

[Chad Stapleton]

Mike,
That extra $150 could buy you two sets of tyres at my local kart shop !!
Course, you would have to get to Sydney !!
Ha !.... Couldn't resist it.. sorry.

[Greg Keresi]

For those looking for a 125cc water cooled for a bargain...minus electric start..take a look here..less than half the price of the Max..
http://www.horstmanclutches.com/mir/fh125.html



[ August 06, 2001: Message edited by: Greg Keresi ]

[Oscar Aguilera]

So it costs $500 more. I don't see any other motor package that offers what the Rotax Max Challenge does. Even if you chose not to run the challenge the position of competeing in a spec class locally should be worth the $500 US or imnport your own. In the shifter forum everybody griped about the costs of PMT racing and now this.

IMO it is worth the $500 for the following reasons.

1. The Series it offers

2. The fact that it is a spec class

3. The pleasure of getting close to a direct drive kart and yet still giving the new guy a little clutch to make things easier on the learning curve.

4. There is No Other kart Manuf or motor Manuf supporting karting here in the US more than Rotax/Bombardier.
By support I mean that the motor is inexpensive to operate and the rules are cut dry.

5. It offers any chassis manuf the chance to showcase how their chassis is best.

6. It offers the new guy a place to start in karting and not be necesssarily in a shifter but drive a 125.

7. Nikasil water cooled-need I say more.

8. Even the chassis manuf must designate a Rotax chassis to prevent daddy big bucks with multiple models of chassis to show up and test for the day which model is best.

Bad points Rotax falls into the "everybody will complain about something no matter how good it is. You can't please everyone.

[Mike Young]

Tha's okay Chad, my post was actually a set-up so that someone would make the same sort of reply you did and then I would have them buy my tires and ship them to me in the states! Just let me know where to send the check to

[Mike Young]

Also Oscar, not to start an argument but other than the RMC that is only available to US spec motors, all of the things on your list are available for an imported Rotax...for $500 less.

[Chad Stapleton]

And Oscar, Rotax do all of this in the UK, Europe, Australia etc, for at least $500 less !
The point is , in the US you are paying more for the same product / support / race package . - Why ?? - because the marketing guys have advised them that your "market" will pay those prices !
Anyway, the Biland 4-stroke is going to make the Max look like a bargain !!

[Mike Young]

It seems as though we get stuck paying the higher prices here in the U.S. no matter what. Just for an example, I was looking at a Sparco karting suit that sells for $349 here in the U.S. but I could buy it from England for a mere $192.00 plus half price shipping. The suit obviously doesn't cost the manufacturer more to make so who is raking in the dough on this one? Kart shop loyalty or not, the jolly folks in England got my money. The extra $150 almost paid for the new tires I just bought.

[Dave Stevens]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Oscar Aguilera:
So it costs $500 more. I don't see any other motor package that offers what the Rotax Max Challenge does.

---

That's assuming that everyone that buys a Rotax will run the RMC. Of the five people I've met (in person) that own Rotaxes, none of them run the RMC, and only two of them run club races. Several here on this site are in the same boat.

There are many positive things about the program and package, but the assumption that everyone will want to run and subsidize the series is a bit much for some. It'll be interesting to see how the Paul Tracy deal fits into the whole SSC/Rotax picture.

Dave

[Oscar Aguilera]

Even if you can buy a motor at $500 less and do not run the Rotax MC it is a great set up or people wouldn't buy it and not run the RMC.

As soon as the lines of motor purchases are closed completely from outside the US or as soon as they are unable to control them the price will adjust out the difference.

If you want to run the Rotax series buy the right motor.

The question was it the US rotax worth $500 more? Answer No. If you can buy it cheaper why not. Is a Tommy H shirt worth $90 at Saks 5th ave. if you can buy the same shirt for $30 elsewhere? No.

If you want to run the RMC is the extra $500 worth it? Yes

Rotax will either lower or raise it's price I'll predict in the near future to have the same price cross the board.

As far as a karting product being bought outside a shop that offers advise to the consumer. I think $500 is worth it. It shows that you are supporting the guy that helps you. So do you have to? NO Not everybody gets on the Internet and price shops. Not everybody can import a motor to their door either. Not everybody minds going to the local shop seeing the product and buying it right there even if it cost $500 more.

I'll help anyone and always do. I do prioritise my efforts to the people that buy stuff from us, and that usually consumes all of my time at the track. Not everybody out there will go the extra distance I do to help out people no matter where they buy there stuff.

So is $500 worth it to you? Should be the question not is the motor worth $500 extra dollars. The $500 should be worth it to help the series progress. Just as the PMT helps karting and then it grows at the local level, The RMC will help attract people and they can choose at what level they will compete.

If you are a true car buff and go to buy a new car, you may be in the market for the Honda Civic but this guy always checks out the Acura NSX. People will check out th RMC and see it as the top of their karts series championship and not neccesarily enter any races in that series. Their purchase will help the series. Does that make a rats difference to you?

Question? Did anybody on this post and thread buy there Rotax Max without seeing the kart first hand and maybe even test driving it? Show me one person that heard about it on the internet and bought it out right without having seen the kart. If you can I garauntee this person was not concerned about $500.

All the first Rotax Karts here that are allowed their own class is not an accident. SSC put there $ on the line to grow the class and have this offered in your area. By means of sponsoring the class or fielding enough rental karts to have ample calss size. No body is subsidsing the field of rental karts. After the class grows the price will adjust it self.

You guys make me explain myself too much
When are we going to get the free internet phones so I don't have to type?

PS Want to save $500? MY rotax is for sale. CRG Maximo with the mychron mini $4700 no tax you ship. Has about 20 hrs on it and I will get a new piston put in and resealed for you.

[ August 07, 2001: Message edited by: Oscar Aguilera ]

[Doug Welch]

Just a quick comment about exchange rates. Right now the US dollar is very strong againest most curancies(sp) in the world(and has been for several years). That makes it cheaper to buy overseas produts and more expensive to sell our products over there. Based on exchange rates alone, it should be cheaper to buy a Rotax here than elsewhere. I can buy a $200,000 machine tool for less money in the US than I can buy it in Japan (where it is made) because of the exchange rate. If that is not the case for Rotax, something else is going on. I leave it to you guys to figure that one out.

I see the exchange rate first hand every day. I have to compete againest it in business, I buy with it and I have traveled over both ponds and enjoyed the fruits of it. By the way, Paris is a bargin right now.



Doug

[Marc Miller]

Just curious...

If I was SSC and had imported 30-50 of these things at a time... how much would it cost for duty, freight, insurance, warehousing and redistribution per unit.... I doubt $500... but i would imagine it would cost something right?

MM

[bird]

If the US RMC is not taking enough money from entry fees and sponsors (inc Rotax) to cover it's costs then it should increase one or the other, not tax (in effect) everyone who buys an engine. I don't think normal karting businesses should run with stupidly small margins and I don't think series' should either.

If they tried this little scheme on us juniors in the UK then it would pay the entry fees (£800) for everyone in Champions of the Future and their tyres (£150) as well! (assuming about 200 engines sold, 40 competing in CoF and a further £350 markup on current prices) Not that they would, they'd just tell us we should pay inflated prices for the good of the sport.