MILAN (Reuters) - Italian motorcycle maker Ducati (DMH.MI: Quote, Profile, Research) offered to buy a majority stake in struggling rival Aprilia on Wednesday, the first interested group to declare itself formally.
Ducati did not say how much it had bid for the maker of Aprilia, Moto Guzzi and Laverda bikes.
Ducati's shares bumped lower on news it had made an offer but by 1530 GMT (11:30 EDT) they had recovered slightly to 1.15 euros, down 1.6 percent on the day.
Various groups have been linked to a possible bid for Aprilia, which last year made a net loss of 43.1 million euros and needed to secure a credit line in May in order to meet an interest payment on a 100 million euro bond.
Iconic scooter maker Piaggio said its board would meet on July 13 to decide whether to bid for Aprilia.
Earlier this year, Piaggio owner Roberto Colaninno said he would be interested in buying Aprilia but on condition that creditors, banks and workers agreed on a rescue plan.
Colaninno's IMMSI (IMSI.MI: Quote, Profile, Research) group is already working to drag Piaggio, the maker of Italy's famous Vespa scooter, to profit.
Canada's Bombardier (BBBd.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) has also been floated as a possible suitor for Aprilia.
Ducati said its bid was "based on our desire to create a big Italian two-wheel group" and that it would protect each brand's identity and production plants while sharing more technology and development costs.
"Together, these companies will have huge strength on foreign markets and important economies of scale in our sales and distribution networks and purchasing and administrative structures," Ducati Chief Executive Federico Minoli said.
Check out what might happen with the 450cc bike class =)
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