Quote:
| Originally Posted by antonye |
Either it was an excuse to cover lack of sales, or it was perhaps an additional contributory factor, but the shipment was actually eagerly anticipated by the Berliners because it carried the much vaunted new 'Euro' design bikes. It was hoped that the 'swinging' new look would reinvigorate sales. The squared off styling and square headlights were instantly loathed by the Berliners who had excitedly clambered aboard the ship to inspect their 'salvation'. Without seeking further opinion from any quarter they refused point blank to offload a single bike, ordering the ship to sail out of port. Once on the high seas, it seems the red mist dissipated sufficiently to let some reason shine through and that is when they phoned Bill Hannah in Liverpool a renowned wheeler dealer who shipped the AMC brand to the USA for the Berliner brothers to import. They basically told him that if he wanted any further US imports of AMC to happen, he would have to take the - by UK market standards - tidal wave of Euro-styled Ducatis heading his way. By all accounts, three years later Bill Hannah was still trying to sell, by now, 3 year-old bikes as brand new and it was here he was thrown a lifeline by M&R Walker.