Great pics @dorset boy - those dates seem about right for the name change when Yamaha took full control over MBK:
From the Yamaha history homepage:
"Following a request by the French Industrial Reconstruction Committee, we increased our business interest in France in September 1984 by buying MBK Industrie, a motorcycle manufacturer in the northeastern town of Saint Quentin in the North of France. It had been created to help the restructuring of Motobécane, a failed motorcycle manufacturer. After a management crisis at Motobécane, MBK Industrie became a fully-owned Yamaha subsidiary.
To rebuild MBK in three months-time, Yamaha joined forces with MBK managers in 1987 to improve production systems, quality control, plant maintenance and facilities while coaching MBK Industrie from the sidelines to improve the factory culture. This was no easy task considering the cultural differences between the two companies."
Motobecane officially went bankrupt in 1981, propped up by many share holders (some private including Yamaha, some public) formed under MBK Industrie. Thought this was interesting from MBK, since it mentions other share holders and a capital injection.
So, I guess this means that if your Motobecane is post 1981, you actually have a Motobecane branded MBK.
EDIT: Actually, after looking in some company records it's much more complex date wise and long-winded. '82 to '84 looked like a very turbulent time to keep the company a float.
From the Yamaha history homepage:
"Following a request by the French Industrial Reconstruction Committee, we increased our business interest in France in September 1984 by buying MBK Industrie, a motorcycle manufacturer in the northeastern town of Saint Quentin in the North of France. It had been created to help the restructuring of Motobécane, a failed motorcycle manufacturer. After a management crisis at Motobécane, MBK Industrie became a fully-owned Yamaha subsidiary.
To rebuild MBK in three months-time, Yamaha joined forces with MBK managers in 1987 to improve production systems, quality control, plant maintenance and facilities while coaching MBK Industrie from the sidelines to improve the factory culture. This was no easy task considering the cultural differences between the two companies."
Motobecane officially went bankrupt in 1981, propped up by many share holders (some private including Yamaha, some public) formed under MBK Industrie. Thought this was interesting from MBK, since it mentions other share holders and a capital injection.
So, I guess this means that if your Motobecane is post 1981, you actually have a Motobecane branded MBK.
EDIT: Actually, after looking in some company records it's much more complex date wise and long-winded. '82 to '84 looked like a very turbulent time to keep the company a float.
Last edited:
