Back in the late 1960s/early 1970s 50MPH was an exhilarating speed as badly as they rode and handled. I've owned moden day sleds that went in excess of 135MPH on a long lake run, handled like a dream compared to the old stuff. By '78, they had slide suspension, shocks on skiis, lower center of gravity, aluminum tunnels, more plastic and aluminum to reduce weight, more horsepower with liquid cooling. There were something like 258 snowmobile manufacturers over the years, down to about 20 in the early 1970s, now only 4.
That sounds like a lot of industries. Radio went from hundreds to 10s to a few dozen by the 60s, not counting the right-off-the-boat ones.
Same kind of business consolidation over time. Lots of acquisitions and bankruptcies. My favorite, Yamaha, may stop making sleds this year, I've heard they have plans to sub their manufacturing out to Arctic Cat. No more fine quality sleds made in Japan.
I remember reading once that Germany had during pre-war and war years over 2,000 motorcycle manufacturers/builders.
Wars against Germany were, in part, to stop Germany from dominating the market with cheap and reliable mechanical goods.
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