I guess you can think of it that way, but to me, a "real" Motobecane or a "real" anything depends on continuity. If the bikes were built by MBK, then they would have the continuity of MBK being a direct successor to the Motobecane company. The current Bates bikes or current Hetchins bikes lack the continuity of personnel or organization, but replicate the traditional construction about as closely as can reasonably be done with currently available materials. They have continuity of design. Motobecanes and Merciers are not, to my knowledge, built by any person or company with any connection to the original French company, nor do their design and construction have anything in common with those of the 60's and 70's. I have two Le Champions, a team Champion, and a Grand Record, all made in France in the 70's. I am impressed with them. I am not impressed with the current bikes which bear the Motobecane name, nor those which bear the Mercier name. To buy one would be, for me, to become one of the gullible people easily manipulated by a popular culture in which spin, image and advertising have become all-important, and quality, substance and tradition of no value. No thank you, I consider the use of the Motobecane and Mercier names on these products dishonest and obscene. Just my opinion.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Houston, TX
<classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Sent: Sunday, October 20, 2002 6:17 PM Subject: Re: [CR]RE: Taiwan Motobecanes et al
> First let me state that I was never really impressed with Motobecanes
> of any time period, and yes I have owned a few. With that said there
> is nothing wrong with using the name even if there not produced in
> France. No one says a Ford produced outside of the US isn't a Ford,
> and the same holds true here. Next I'd like to add that I think the
> higher end Motobecane's are built in Portland, Oregon at the Kenisis
> factory in way NW, not in Taiwan. From what I understand they were
> always a mass produced bike and there was never a Mr. Motobecane
> building then one at a time in a little shed out back. Sorry I just
> don't see any real problems here, Motobecane is just moving with the
> time as a company who was started to make money and hopefully still
> does. Ask yourselves the question would you rather see them moving
> with the times or just another bike company gone under?
>
> Let me finish with a story about my co-worker Jeff. About 2 months ago
> my co-worker Jeff stops me ion the hall and asks me what I know about
> bikes and where he could get a good one. I gave him the whole story
> about look for a shop that you like the best then look at the bikes.
> He said he had a Le Champion that he's had since the 70s and it just
> wasn't doing it for him on his daily 22 mile commute. He felt it was
> time to get a new bike. So I gave him some things to look for and web
> links and sent him on his way. A couple weeks later Jeff tells me to
> come down to his lab. I head down to his lab and Jeff's standing there
> with a grin on his face and 2002 Le Champion. He started to go on
> about how he found out that Motobecane was still in business and
> decided to drive 100 miles to the only dealer in LA and get one. Jeff
> just didn't feel right about throwing away all the history he had on
> his old bike, he saw buying the new one a carrying on a 30 year
> tradition. Maybe the only thing "truly" Motobecane on the bike is the
> decals and headbadge (yep, the bike still has a real headbadge) but
> that's good enough for Jeff.
> enjoy,
> Brandon"monkeyman"Ives
>
> PS: I did ride it around the quad a bit and it was as nice as any
> other Motobecane I've ridden.
>
> On Sunday, October 20, 2002, at 03:04 PM, Jerry & Liz Moos wrote:
> > Dale and I were just discussing that offlist. Perhaps he is trying to
> > appeal to aging Baby Boomers who associate some mystique with the
> > names, but
> > really don't know much about the bikes themselves. That does seem a
> > limited
> > market though. In the case of Motobecane, I suppose he could
> > advertise it
> > as "Winner of the Tour de France" since the marque did win at least
> > one TdF
> > (with Luis Ocana, although one of the bikes he actually used was a
> > Motobecane-badged titanium Speedwell). Not sure if Mercier ever won a
> > TdF.
> > Poulidor finished second and third numerous times on Mercier, but that
> > doesn't make good advertising copy, at least not in the US.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Jerry Moos
> > Houston, TX
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Kurt Sperry" <kurtsperry@netscape.net>
> > To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> > Sent: Sunday, October 20, 2002 4:26 PM
> > Subject: [CR]RE: Taiwan Motobecanes et al
> >
> >
> > Could someone explain the logic of purchasing the rights to a venerable
> > cycling brand like Motobecane and then having cheesy TIGged frames
> > labeled
> > with a French brand? Is anyone who might even possibly remember and be
> > impressed by the name going to be fooled by a Moto decal on the
> > downtube?
> > Don't "get it."
> >
> > Kurt (my gas ain't inert) Sperry
> > B'ham WA
> >
> >> From: "Jerry & Liz Moos" <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>
> >> To: "Paul C. Brodek" <pcb@skyweb.net>,
> >> <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>, <OROBOYZ@aol.com>
> >> Subject: Re: [CR]Mercier vs Mercian
> >> Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 11:29:47 -0500
> >>
> >> I saw a few of these at a shop here in Houston. They are indeed
> >> TIG-welded
> >> in Taiwan, very similar to the current Motobecanes. Is Mike Spratt
> >> the same
> >> guy who owns the Motobecane name? Was it he who headed up the infamous
> >> World Cycles in the early 90's?
> >>
> >> Regards,
> >>
> >> Jerry Moos
> >> Houston, TX
> >
> > http://fineartscrimshaw.com
> >
> >
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