I have a question...

[GAWildKat]

How do y'all feel the natural and economic crisis in Japan will affect the bike market in the the coming weeks and months?

[mini-muffin]

Well if it's already built probably not too bad for whatever they'll ship. If you're talking what hasn't been made yet probably pretty much a wait and see. It's not just the manufacturer's but the places that make the parts. It'll be cars and electronics as well. Should be interesting to see what happens.

 

Margaret

[Yammer Dan]

I got some answers but not to that one!! It will be interesting!!

[Reddog170]

Should help drive the prices up! They are in sad shape right now. The other thing is that I wonder how it will effect the world economy as a result. Shaun

[royalstar09]

Speculators are already doing what they do. Free trade has its downfalls, wait n watch

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Not sure about the world market....but why in the HELL did they name a nuclear plant after 'Shima'...and then cuss him/her out?

 

Fukushima! Aint nice at all...guess I'd be boiling mad at that too!

 

 

Well the only good thing about all this is that it lured the bored US news media away from that idiot Charlie Sheen.

 

 

 

[saddlebum]

All you people guessing at silly answers when yuo all know the truth but are afraid to face it:shock3:

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Another excuse for the oil companys to raise prices

[Squeeze]

A Friend of mine is workingas a higher-up in Supply Chain Management for the Kion Group (Fork Lifts and such) here in Germany. He told me yesterday, the World Economics will take a huge hit sooner or later.

 

That's because, for instance, the World Market is already really short in mid and big sized Capacitors and when you deeper into that, it comes out that the Foil which is needed for those is in Shortage. Guess what, this Foil is also made in Japan. There are only so much Plants in the World and they couldn't fill the Needs of the World before the Disaster, neither they will after that.

 

Same goes for such banal Things as Plastic Wire Connectors, Atmel Controllers and a number of other Things one wouldn't think of until the Ware House is empty. And they ARE empty already ...

Edited March 15, 2011 by Squeeze

[MiCarl]

It's important to remember that while the devastation is huge it isn't the whole country. Apparently the quake did relatively little damage but the resulting Tsunami did lots of damage along the shore in the North East. Anything more than 50 feet or so above sea level wouldn't have been damaged by the Tsunami.

 

I haven't seen any reports talking about damage to manufacturing capacity. It's quite possible that there wasn't a lot of damage to manufacturing plants.

 

I also haven't heard any reports about shipping capacity. Any ports in the area or along rivers near the North East coast are probably severely damaged. Repair to the ports and near shore transportation infrastructure supporting them will take years. If there weren't a lot of major ports in the area the shipping can probably be moved to unaffected regions. It'd be inconvenient and cost some money but probably not be crippling.

 

It's quite clear that three or more nuclear power plants have been destroyed. This is a lot of electrical generating capacity that will take years (decades?) to replace. Unless they had a lot of extra capacity (which I doubt) this is likely to be their major economic problem.

[Flyinfool]

On the news last night they were talking about rolling blackout due to insufficient power with those nuke plants down.

[Condor]

It's a supply and demand thing when it comes to prices. Luxury items will start falling, and everyday 'needs' will rise to the point that they are no longer affordable and will stabilize. Most of the things we import are coming from China, Korea, and Taiwan. I haven't seen a thing about any damage to the China mainland, and it's a lot closer than the west coast of the US. Australia and the South Pacific should have been effected also, but again no mention in the media. One thing that will happen is when a need get in short supply, and prices inflate, competition will jump on the band wagon. The economy is like the sea with the ebb and flow of the tide. When a void developes, the sea will fill it. I'm not a big believer in the media and their 'Sky is Falling' sensationalism. Japan has suffered a huge hit by mother nature, but they are a resiliant people and they will survive. Look what happened after Heroshima and Nagasaki.... My

[elmicko]

Look what happened after Heroshima and Nagasaki.... My

 

Good point. They are a resilient people. The last time they got nuked they came back and took over the auto and electronics industries. Afraid to see what they'll take over this time.