key business information for the UK motorcycle and scooter industry www.britishdealernews.co.uk Key business information for the UK motorcycle and scooter industry • September 2022 UK NEWNEWSDEALERSHIPTRADETALKINDIANEXPANSION New and used sales talkManufacturersHondaStaffordshiretoUSshutsDorestRecord-breakingdatamotorcycletestsMarketWatchbycap/hpidealershopbrandheadsSheffieldopensstock LS2 cuts the ribbon on new €12m European operations centre – Full story page 40 ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS WWW.LS2HELMETS.COM | 01670 856342 VECTOR II CERTIFIED ECE 22.06
Scan the QR code to join our Dealer network and receive a Welcome Hamper* First Response Finance Ltd, 5 Regan Way Chetwynd Business Park, Chilwell, Nottingham, NG9 6RZ. Authorised & Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England No 03560611. *Subject to the information provided, meeting our onboarding criteria. Absolutely amazing. Helped me as much as they could and got me my first ever bike. I would highly recommend. We could tell you all about how our customers have voted us as the UK’s number one motor finance lender, or that we were voted ‘Sub-prime Finance Provider of the Year’ for seven years by our dealer partners. But we don’t like to blow our own trumpet. Instead, we let our customers do the talking… August 2021
weekly yearly www.britishdealernews.co.uk 20 YEARS AT THE TOP Planner Inside! winterclearance HELMETS CLOTHING daily weekly monthly yearly www.britishdealernews.co.uk MOT under surveyNMDA TRIUMPH FLICKS THE SWITCH…PAYDIRT TOURING STORMUP Triumph TE-1 SWALLOWED UP!AmericanEuropean GREAT LATE SUMMER DEALS SEPTEMBER2022IN PARTS LINK WWW.BICKERS-ONLINE.CO.UK FUNNELTRAY&ANY 16 4L DEAL BUY ANY 10 SETSCOMPOUNDEXTRAFREESET CHARGE ONEBUY10 FREE FREE STOCK ROAD OFF-ROAD GREAT LATE SUMMER DEALS SEPTEMBER2022 MOTORCYCLE PARTS DECADESLINK WWW.BICKERS-ONLINE.CO.UK FUNNEL & DRIP TRAY ANY 16 4L BRAKEBUNDLEBUY ANY 10 SETS OF COMPOUND EXTRAFREESETOF CHARGESAME CHAINS GETONEBUY10 FREE FREE NEW ROAD £105FreePrintNewsletterWebsite£105designRecruitmentpackagesinclude e:adsales@dealernews.co.uk t:01237 422660 www.britishdealernews/jobsAvailable on Gold Silver andBronze recruitment packages Discount Voucher Contents the team September 2022 : Issue 254 Contents the business Copyright © Mayo Media Ltd: All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part by any electronic or mechanical means without express permission is strictly prohibited. Mayo Media Ltd can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by advertisers. Printed by S&G Print Group. the knowledge 48 Oct2022Issue 12 Nov Nov Issue 12 Oct Dec Issue 7 Nov advanced copy deadlines the news 62 ON THE MONEY Market analysis by Roger Willis 63 INTERNATIONAL SHARE PRICES A snapshot of global performance 64 NEW REGISTRATION DATA MCIA and Belgian statistics 66 REGISTRATIONS ANALYSIS By the NMDA , Glass’s Guide and BDN 68 USED BIKE DATA From Auto Trader, Glass’s Guide and MCN 70 MARKET WATCH Market report by cap hpi 40 LS2’S 15TH ANNIVERSARY Celebrated with expansion 44 BUSINESS BEAT Four-day week trials 46 INDIAN MOTORCYCLES Distinctive by design 48 MARKETING MATTERS The sponsorship genie 50 THE BUSINESS ESSENTIALS Staff motivation 52 PRODUCTS The latest retail profit opportunities 4 Indian’s dealer expansion continues 6 Hyde’s record-breaker 8 Staffordshire Honda opens 10 Frederick Howard Warr – 1929-2022 12 Moto Corsa bites the dust 13 Vines BMW endorses digital tools 14 Record breaking motorcycle test numbers 16 Manufacturers’ Trade Talk special 20 Inflation begins to bite 22 BDN JobScene – Dealer4Sale 24 On the Move – End of an era at Feridax 26 Automoto lolly store delights 28 International news – Asia to the rescue 32 Electric news – Ticking time bomb 34 Alternative power registration analysis 36 Off-road news – Husky’s 3D configurator HEAD OF CONTENT Andy Mayo: editorial@dealernews.co.uk FINANCIAL EDITOR Roger Willis: motobusiness@icloud.com PRODUCTS EDITOR/DESIGNER Colin Williams: design@dealernews.co.uk COMMERCIAL CONTENT MANAGER Maurice Knuckey: creative@dealernews.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS Roger Willis; Dan Sager; Alan Dowds; Rick Kemp; Adam Bernstein; Suzanne Potts; Brian Crichton ACCOUNTS MANAGER Mark Mayo: accounts@dealernews.co.uk ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE/AGENT Alison Payne: tel 07595 219093 Paul Baggott: tel 07831 adsales@dealernews.co.uk863837 CIRCULATION circulation@dealernews.co.uk TAIWAN AGENCY Albert Yang, Pro Media info@motopromedia.com;Co: tel +886 4 7264437 PUBLISHER Colin Mayo: editorial@dealernews.co.uk British Dealer News, 10 Daddon Court, Clovelly Road Industrial Estate, Bideford EX39 3FH JobScene voucherRecruitment Bickersdiscount£105Link Summer deals Bike It Cashbackvoucher ISSUETHISINSIDE 12
Indian’s continuesexpansionapace
LONG-STANDING MOT CENTRE and scooter service hub Honda Riders is closing its doors for good after 40 years in business. Set up by Cyril Luchman in 1979 in Peckham, the business was handed on to Cyril’s son William and daughter Natalie after he passed away in 2007. Sadly, William died in 2011 aged 53, and Natalie also passed away in 2017 aged just 40. Their sister, Marina, took on the business, but has decided to close the company from the beginning of September this year.
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Fresh from opening a new flagship store in London, American bike firm Indian Motorcycle has set up another new dealership, this time a bit further north near Sheffield. Opened by the team behind the Sheffield Motorcycle Centre (SMC), the new store welcomed more than 300 guests and customers to its official opening event, and will feature the full range of Indian bikes, clothing and accessories at its Chesterfieldbased“Thisshowroom.isanexciting time for Indian Motorcycle in the UK,” said national sales manager, Andy Simpson. “Our range of we’re able to bring experienced and respected partners into our dealer network to support key areas such as South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire. Operated by the hugely experienced SMC Bikes team, Indian Motorcycle Sheffield is not only great news for those keen to join the Indian Motorcycle family, but an important boost for existing owners as we strive to make their ownership experience both simpler and better.” SMC’s managing director, Frank Hayes, told us; “Motorcycles have been my passion from a very early age. Indian Motorcycle Sheffield is a very exciting new chapter for us and one that’s been a dream of mine for a long time now. We look forward to welcoming new and existing fans of the brand, while making friends for many years to come.” Indian Motorcycle Sheffield www.indianmotorcycle-sheffield.co.uk01142525400
We have a customergrowing base and we’re able to dealerpartnersandexperiencedbringrespectedintoournetwork
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closescentreservicescooterPeckham
Honda Riders was originally a Honda dealer, selling small capacity scooters and mopeds. The name was kept on even after the firm gave up its official franchise, with no complaints from the big H itself. Honda Riders was always a busy MOT hub and sales/service centre for the burgeoning delivery scooter trade, but its team of mechanics would work on anything except old British iron: ironic as famed Triumph designer and general manager Edward Turner’s blue plaque is only a stone’s throw away from the Godman Road workshops.
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Daytonas roar into Gaydon
6 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk newsBusiness
TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLEowning top brass at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire, have introduced a dedicated motorcycle exhibition for the first time in the museum’s 29-yearTriumphhistory.Daytonas are the theme, with 16 examples on display, from the 1967 Percy Tait 500 works racer twin, to the last made so far by Triumph of Hinckley, Leicestershire, in 2020.Thedisplay bikes have been supplied by Triumph and the world’s leading Triumph collector, Dick Shepherd, who fired up his 1966 Daytona 200-mile race Coope,ofcelebratingTriumphbywillOctober,displaydecibellaunchgiveMoto22017Elmore)(riderwinnerBuddyandaprototypetripletothepressahighfanfare.TheDaytonarunsuntilwhenitbesupersededageneralexhibition120yearsthemarque.MuseumMDJeffownerofthree
buildingsexhibitionincludingexpansion,moreandan onsiteEvenhotel.”though the museum has always had a sprinkling of motorcycles on display and has been hosting the Banbury Run since 2008, the Daytona exhibition is a significant step in embracing the British motorcycle industry. Coope and chairman of the museum board of trustees Kevin Timms, also a Hinckley Triumph owner, wouldn’t be drawn on future motorcycle content at Gaydon. However, the twinkle in their eyes suggests that the two-wheel element is now firmly on the British Motor Museum grid. The Daytona has played a major role in Hinckley Triumph’s remarkable sales success. Hinckley Triumph (launched Cologne 1990) sold its one-millionth motorcycle in 2021. Annual world sales now exceed 80,000 and Triumph has more than 750 dealers worldwide, including 48 in the UK.
Hinckley Triumphs, said: “This museum is the world’s focal point for British automotive heritage on two, three, four and more wheels, and we have major development plans for
British Motor Museum MD Jeff Coope with the 1967 Percy Tait works Triumph 500. Meriden factory Daytonas ran from 1967 to 1974, Hinckley Daytona production from 1991-2020 Triumph collector Dick Shepherd fires up the 1966 Daytona 200-mile race winner which inspired the Daytona Triumph series. Next to it, his 2017 Moto2 triple was also fired up. Triumph motorcycles is 120 years old this year – but there’s another notable Trumpet anniversary too. It’s fifty years since Norman Hyde drove his Roadrunner III sidecar outfit to 161.8mph at RAF Fairford, fast enough to give him the World Sidecar Land Speed Record, which he then held for more than 35 years. Hyde was a development engineer at the Meriden factory at the time, so was just the man to build a Triumph engine for the job. He started with a Trident motor, taking the capacity out to 831cc and bolting on a supercharger.Roadrunner III joined the National Motorcycle Museum’s collection in the 1980s, but was severely damaged in a catastrophic fire in 2003. Fortunately the aluminium bodywork, handmade by Don Woodward, was in storage at the time and survived. The bike itself was painstakingly restored by Don’s brother, John, and Roadrunner III is now back on permanent display in the museum. Norman Hyde will be making an appearance at the Museum on 24 September, 50 years to the day since he broke the record. The Triumph Owners’ Motor Cycle Club is organising a ridein, with a concours competition for member’s bikes judged by Hyde. He will give a talk about his death-defying high speed ride on three wheels, followed by a question and answer session and will also be signing original Triumph postcards, made to commemorate the achievement, to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK. www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk Anniversary exhibition for Hyde’s record breaker
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It was common knowledge in the industry that Honda wanted a foothold in the heart of Staffordshire to service the conurbation and Sheldon seized the opportunity by acquiring a 14,000sq.ft former Vauxhall showroom sitting on a threequarters of an acre site in the centre of Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Ricardo warns of “archaic” forecasting risks
World disruption caused by pandemic, war, global warming, threats of further conflicts, and inflation has knocked conventional business forecasting out of the park, says automotive specialist Ricardo. “Our long-term future cannot be extrapolated from past trends or cycles. Businesses must think the unthinkable,” says Derek Schlonsky, global president of Ricardo Strategic Consulting. “A business-as-usual approach now risks failure in the future,” he warns. “Many strategy consultancies like to believe that studies exploring what the industry will look like in 10-15 years are valuable for clients. This is an archaic position given the technological changes that have happened in the transportation space over the past decade.”
He adds that increasing regulation and legislation further complicates forming any clear picture of the future. Ricardo, founded in 1915 by Harry Ricardo, now covers 12 market sectors worldwide, including motorcycles, motorsport, automotive, rail and defence.
For proprietor Bob Sheldon, who last year celebrated thirty years in the trade and a twenty-year association with Triumph at his Staffordshire Triumph premises, 30 July signalled more than just an opening day for a second showroom five miles down the road, Suzanne Potts reports. Ex-coal miner Sheldon hasn’t been handed anything on a plate in business; he started out in the industry buying and selling bikes from his home back in the early 1990s. In 2001 when he took on the Triumph franchise he surely must have thought that was the pinnacle for BS Bikes, but a passion for motorcycles coupled with ambition and great pride in the city of Stoke-on-Trent later saw the Triumph franchise expand into 12,000sq.ft premises. The franchise generates in the region of 700 bike sales annually and has inspired Sheldon to develop the business further.
The gleaming new Staffordshire Honda showroom opened on schedule but, as with all major openings, it all came together in the last week before the doors opened. 702m2 of floor tiles, purchased from local tile manufacturer Johnson Tiles (one of the remaining original pottery firms in the city) were laid just in time and the team was getting more than a little hot under the collar when just 48 hours before the opening 43 gleaming new Hondas arrived to be de-crated in time for the opening. An insurance stipulation for roller shutter doors provided another headache, with the doors being completed only the day before the artics containing the bikes rocked up. Oxford Products is currently providing a range of clothing, helmets and accessories for the new showroom and the used section of the showroom is gaining stock all the time. A tiein with a local training provider is also high on the agenda.
HondaStaffordshireopens
8 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk
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A tired but enthusiastic Sheldon said: “We set a deadline for the opening, and we were determined to stick to it, all the major work is now done but now we move on to the details. Seven bikes were sold
Ricardo has worked closely alongside BMW on two-wheel development since 2008, including upgrades to the K1200 motor and the full development of engines for the K1600GT six-cylinder tourer and the C600 and C400 scooters.
The last Honda dealer in the area closed more than twenty years ago in nearby Fenton. As with many former car showrooms, the premises has ample parking as well as a glass-fronted showroom with a useful mezzanine level providing all the facilities necessary for a modern, spacious motorcycle showroom.
“In this business, if you don’t seize the initiative – somebody else will!” says Sheldon. The Potteries, as Stoke-onTrent is still known, is perhaps not currently renowned for being the centre of innovation and business since the demise of the coal and pottery industries that were at its heart until the 1970s. But nonetheless, it’s the home of leading online bookmaker Bet365 and the birthplace of billionaire philanthropist John Caudwell –not to mention Robbie Williams! Sheldon believes the city is special – “its people are salt of the earth and loyal,” he says, which for him means it is the only place he wants to do “Tobusiness.builda business in the Potteries means a great deal to me. The area gets a lot of bad press undeservedly, and if I can build a good business in this area then others can do it too, and it all helps give a more positive image of the city. Everything in our showrooms has been locally sourced as far as possible and we will continue to use local tradesmen and suppliers.”
In 2017 Ricardo announced the establishment of a specialist Ricardo Motorcycle division following the acquisition of Italian vehicle design specialists Exnovo/Motorcycle Engineering Italia.
Ruroc operations director Luke Ashley said, “This is a crucial development for the business in an extremely important market. The demand in the USA has been extraordinary, and that’s even with the obviously longer lead times for customers as we ship from the UK. Despite this, the USA accounts for a very large part of our overall market, so this has been a vital step for us and our very loyal customer base.” on the opening day, which was a really positive start. We have a small team of seven staff in place but will look to grow this number as the business establishes itself over the winter.”
UK-BASED HELMET MAKER RUROC IS ON THE MOVE IN THE UNITED States, with a massive new logistic centre opening in Anaheim, Los Angeles. North America is a vital sector for the firm, which also makes snowboard and ski helmets, accounting for 40% of global sales. And with a new clothing line on the way, upsizing the logistics in the US makes sense – customers will escape customs fees, returns are faster and easier, and there’s free delivery on orders more than $100 in the US.
Fortunately for both Sheldon and Bailey the two showrooms are only a few minutes’ drive from each other, thus enabling them to split their time and focus equally across both sites. The aim being to build the Staffordshire Honda arm of the business to be
TT star John McGuinness was there to meet and greet visitors at the opening event
“Honda arranged for TT legend John McGuinness to attend the opening day and that certainly helped bring in the crowds! The weather was great, and the site was packed and although we haven’t got specific numbers, we do know 485 portions of hog roast were sold so that gives us a fairSheldonidea!” has the assistance of right-hand man Steve Bailey who will take an overarching management role across both the Triumph and Honda sites.
locationenabling18-strongwithTriumph,Staffordshirewithcomparablethatofitsteam,eachtooperateindependentlytosupportacontinuedfocusoncustomer service and retention which has always been extremely important to WithSheldon. the opening of Staffordshire Honda behind him, Sheldon still has much to look forward to and his enthusiasm for the industry abounds.
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Ruroc expands its American operation
“We have the advances in electric technology from Triumph to look forward to as well as the eagerly anticipated off-road offering, and with Honda we can offer the breadth of models, including the commuter range which will bring a whole new customer base to us. We have always benefitted from a great working relationship with Triumph and I’m really looking forward to working with the team at Honda to establish a similar relationship and a strong foothold in the Potteries again for the brand.”
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Sheldon is planning a recruitment campaign in the autumn to expand the team further.
10 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk
In 1949 Fred became a founding member of the HarleyDavidson Riders Club of Great Britain. As well as cultivating an active riding and social scene for members the club also ran many rallies and gymkhanas. Several overseas trips took place, too, and a popular excursion was to travel to the continent by air with your motorcycle from Lydd airport to Le Touquet on an ex-wartime transporter.Bytheearly 1950s Fred had decided to specialise exclusively in the Harley brand. He knew that if the family business was to flourish, he would need to be able to sell both new and used Harleys. In rationed post-war Britain, government restrictions meant new motorcycle imports were not allowed. Nevertheless, Fred saved up for the boat fare and travelled to Milwaukee, USA, where he met with Harley founder’s son William H. Davidson. The relationship between manufacturer and dealer was reaffirmed, and after much lobbying of HM government and the US senate, Fred was finally granted a restricted import license. In 1956 the first new civilian Harley-Davidsons into the UK since before the war arrived at the Warr’s Kings Road dealership.
OBITUARY Frederick Howard Warr 1929-2022
Fred is survived by daughters Patricia and Theresa and two sons, John and Robert. Fred’s youngest son William was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident in 2003.
ROMNEY RETURN SOUTH-EAST CLASSIC BIKE FANS WILL BE flocking to Hamstreet near Ashford in Kent for the Romney Marsh Classic Motorcycle Bikejumble on 11 September. This huge allmotorcycle event attracts buyers and sellers from across England, and there will be stacks of outdoor stalls selling new and used spares, complete bikes and projects, and specialist parts and service providers. Owners looking to sell a bike can also enter it in the BikeMart section for no extra charge; the only rule is that it must be a runner. Gates open at 10am on Sunday 11 September; tickets cost £5 for adults and £4 for seniors (age 65 and over). Accompanied children under 16 get in for free. To book tickets or a stall, visit www.elk-promotions.co.uk To view the latest positions visit p22 britishdealernews.co.uk/jobs
By John Warr, managing director, Warr’s Harley-Davidson
Fred married Margaret Ann ‘Rita’ Humphries in 1955 at the Church of our Lady, Lisson Grove, Marylebone, and their first child Patricia was born in 1957. By 1960, Fred had become the official UK concessionaire for all things Harley-Davidson. 1960s London was in full swing, and the Harley dealership on the now fashionable Kings Road was the place to be. The American brand has always attracted a diverse clientele, and any Saturday afternoon at Warr’s would often see wannabees, rockers and rock stars alike chilling and talking bikes. Film makers too, keen for some Americana in their productions, would often hire Fred to populate their latest movie with Harleys. Fred stood in for many film riding roles, and in the cult classic Girl on a Motorcycle numerous shots showing Mick Jagger’s then-girlfriend Marianne Faithfull racing along on her Harley are actually Fred in tight white leathers and a long blonde wig! Fred was also a very accomplished rider and racer. He trialled and raced various Harleys throughout the 1950s and 1960s. In 1974 he won the prestigious RAC National Rally and later that decade twice took part in the infamous Circuit des Pyrenees in France. His chosen mount one year was a very non-racey police issue Harley Electra Glide, nicknamed by the astonished local French press “Le Dinosaur”. Fred rode the wheels off the bike, running out of brakes on the mad mountainous descents as the early disc brakes would overheat and fail to stop the beast. Nevertheless, using engine braking and his considerable riding skill, he bought the bike into a very creditable top ten finish. As well as being a promotor of all things Harley-Davidson Fred was known for his mechanical expertise and astonishing knowledge of the inner workings of the cult V-twin motors used by the brand. In the early 1970s Fred worked alongside the factory race team to prepare the winning Trans-Atlantic match race bikes for rider Cal Rayborn, often referred to as the world’s greatest road racer. In 1976 Fred was also involved in machine preparation for the famous jump over 13 London buses by Harley riding Evel Knievel at Wembley Stadium. In 1986, not long after his wife Rita passed away, Fred semiretired from the bike business.
MOTUL SIGNS CASTLE COMBE DEAL FRENCH LUBRICATION SPECIALISTS MOTUL has confirmed it will keep its sponsorship deal in place with Castle Combe for another year. Motul branding will increase trackside, on the podium and online, and the oil brand will become the official lubricant partner for Castle Combe Racing Club. “We are delighted that we are continuing with Castle Combe Circuit and Racing Club, as their official lubricant partners,” said Andy Wait, Motul’s UK and Ireland marketing manager. “The circuit offers us many opportunities which we are looking to make the most of. We will continue to look at helping the development of this popular race track and to expand the circuit’s reach and that of the Racing Club.”
HENRY’S MOTORBIKE SHOW LOVE HIM OR HATE HIM, AT LEAST HENRY COLE gets bikes on mainstream television. And with genuine legends like Allen Millyard featuring on The Motorbike Show, alongside plenty of sweet classic machinery, it’s always worth a look. The show is actually in its 11th series, with six onehour long episodes broadcasting on ITV4 from 7 September, on Wednesday evenings. “I can’t believe The Motorbike Show is in its 11th year –a privilege to present it and hopefully entertain a nationwide family of kindred spirits. Happy days!” says Henry. Happy days indeed.
Fred’s love of biking continued its hold, however and he later went on to ride the length of Britain for charity on a vintage 1916 Harley and also took part in the Mille Miglia endurance rally through Italy on a wartime WL750, painted khaki. By his mid 70s Fred had been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND), but his determined attitude saw him travel to China for radical treatments, which he insisted had curtailed the spread of the disease and allowed him many more years than the usual cruelly shortThoughprognosis.hisleathers had long been hung up he spent the latter years of his life re-kindling his earlier passion for building, restoring and supplying parts and much knowledge for vintage Harleys and their owners.
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Fred Warr, the London businessman and lifelong biker responsible for the post-war re-birth of the iconic Harley-Davidson brand in the UK, and often referred to as the father of the Harly-Davidson scene in Britain, passed away peacefully at home on 11 August and will be laid to rest in a private family ceremony.Frederick Howard Warr (Fred) was born in Fulham, London, on 3 January 1929. The youngest of three children, his father Captain Frederick James and wife Margaret ran a motorcycle dealership and general vehicle repair shop on London’s Kings Road. Fred left school aged 14. His first job was as a messenger boy at Harrod’s. In 1947 he joined the Royal Air Force. By then, he was an avid motorcyclist and had already developed what would become a lifelong passion for Harley-Davidson. His father had been an official Harley dealer since the 1920s, and Fred had clearly inherited his enthusiasm for the American-built V-twins. By the late 1940s Fred was working with his father at Kings Road, repairing and selling exmilitary WL750 Harleys, which at the time were being sold off at government auctions. Fred would buy in bulk and then ‘civilianise’ the bikes with colourful paint jobs to attract a buying public looking for anything other than wartime khaki. Due to post-war trade restrictions, new HarleyDavidsons were not available.
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Moto Corsa bites the dust Dorset dealership Moto Corsa, which had the Aprilia, KTM, MV Agusta, Moto Guzzi and Royal Enfield franchises, has shut down. The company, headquartered in Gillingham, with a service centre in nearby Ashmore, entered a voluntary liquidation process on 2 August. Dorothy Brown of Bournemouth-based insolvency practitioner Even Keel Solutions was appointed as liquidator. Outstanding creditors should call her at Even Keel on 01202 237337.Originally founded in 2004 by Mike Russell de Clifford, Moto Corsa was taken over in 2018 by existing investor Chedington Court Estate, an extensive hospitality and outdoor activities venue in Dorset, owned by the Guy family. Russell de Clifford stayed on as managing director. Presumably, Chedington
MotofromfurthertonowGuyKatherineGeoffreyprincipalsandhavedecidedterminatelossestheirCorsainvolvement.Accordingtoatrade source familiar with the dealership, Moto Corsa had been struggling for some time. It faced multiple problems from the local council, which refused permission to open on Sundays and bank holidays or to increase customer parking provision – both seen as essential for such large premises.
The Oxford chief is raising money for SpecialEffect, a charity which helps physically disabled people to use adaptive technology for communication and leisure, bringing about much-needed independence.
squeezedasincreasesdemandWarrantyfinances
IN 2019 OXFORD PRODUCTS managing director Andrew Hammond ran the Oxford Half Marathon, after which he said he’d “struggle to run any further”! So, for 2022 the Oxprod head honcho has boldly signed up to run double the distance at the 2022 London Marathon, which is set to take place on 2 October. Hammond told BDN: “My heart leapt at the chance, whilst it took my head a while to catch up. “I was lucky enough to find out I had been accepted in the spring and have been running more and more since, until the full-on marathon training plan kicked in mid-June alongside a little bout of Covid-19. I’ve really got into my stride since, and have completed a weekly half marathon distance in training over each of the last five weeks. “In week seven of my training plan, whilst in Portugal, I was out on a training run when I passed Gareth Southgate, who was running fast in the opposite direction!”
Dorset Motorcycles 01747 811196
There were also difficulties with Moto Corsa’s fairly remote showroom location on the area,bigborders.Dorset/Somerset/WiltshireruralSomedistancefrompopulationcentresintheitwasunlikelytoattract either sufficient footfall or the attention of other major franchises.However, a new entity Dorset Motorcycles, trading under Moto Corsa branding from the Ashmore site, announced it was open for business on 4 August – but not responsible for any deposits or money owed to the previous Moto Corsa operation. The re-monikered outlet says it has retained some of the original staff, with full workshop facilities already open and a retail area in the planning.
12 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk newsBusiness
“They do a fantastic job, changing the lives of so many people. So please give generously by visiting my JustGiving page at tinyurl. com/3m8bx56b,” added Hammond.
Oxford boss goes on the run
“What this means is that dealers should pay more attention to their warranty proposition as we enter the second half of 2022, ensuring that they have the right products and infrastructure in place to satisfy what is likely to be a growing customer need as the cost of living continues to rise.”
IT’S HARD TO THINK OF AN area in business which isn’t being negatively affected by the massive inflation hikes and financial squeezes of recent months, but extended warranties on used machinery probably wouldn’t be the first thing you’d think of. However, the RAC reckons that when cash is tight, people want the peace of mind of extended warranty coverage on their used cars and bikes, avoiding the potential of a massive economic hit from any unexpected failure or breakdown.SeanKent of Assurant, the RAC’s warranty partner, said, “In periods of financial difficulty, we often see demand increase for longer and more comprehensive dealer warranties over and above the standard cover provided. This may sound counter-intuitive, but it actually makes perfect sense – at times when people do not have lump sums to spend on repairs, they can see the value in warranty cover more easily.
Existing customers with older bikes also received messages about available new bikes which were similar to their current ride.
SEPTEMBER 2022 13
In total, 872 customers were identified as credible targets for Bike Alerts, and after receiving at least one automated email, 59 converted to a sale. That means a conversion rate of 6.8%, significantly higher than the 4.7% conversion rate for per click. Over a seven-month period, 88,879 Facebook and Instagram users were exposed to specific adverts, and 12,045 keep the expanding prospect list engaged,” said Monique Limerick, marketing manager at Vines Group. “Investing in
he digital revolution has had a massive impact on the relationship between dealerships and customers. And Guildford-based Vines BMW Motorrad reckons its customer management software, from digital experts Marketing Delivery, has had a massive impact this year, directly leading to nearly 60 more bike sales in just seven months.
In total, 872 customers were identified as credible targets for Bike Alerts ... 59 converted to a sale
www.britishdealernews.co.uk
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newsBusiness
Bike BMWboostsalertVinessales
Vines utilised the Voicebox and Bike Alert software packages available from Marketing Delivery to boost know about a potentially suitable alternative bike which was immediately available.
“It’s great news, the increase in female riders particularly. It may not sound like much, but compared to a couple of decades ago, it looks like real progress. Anything which breaks down barriers is a good thing,” said BMF chair Jim Freeman.
testRecord-breakingnumbers
record-breaking number of motorcycle tests were taken at UK test centres between 2021 and 2022, according to the most recent Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) figures. A total of 67,511 took the Module 2 motorcycle test between April 2021 and March 2022, which the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) reports is an increase of more than 2000 over the previous record, which was set ten years ago. Of the 67,511 tests taken, 48,583 were passed, meaning a success rate of 72%. In comparison, fewer than 50% of those who took practical car driving tests passed. As the BMF says, this recordbreaking period for motorcycle tests is partly down to testing centres having to get through the backlogs created during Covid lockdowns, when test centres were open only to essential workers.
INCREASING MINORITY
14 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk newsBusiness
“We see Rev’It! as the perfect partner,” said Aldo De Agnoi, founder of Vircos. “That is why a merger between the two companies has been agreed. We are sure this decision will be proven to be the right choice.” “Vircos has been a loyal and trusted partner over the years,” said Rev’It! MD Ivan Vos. “Securing a bright future for the company for many years to come is important for both Rev’It! and Vircos. In this new configuration, the strength of the Rev’It! brand and the skills and expertise of the Vircos team will complement one another.”
Rev’It! takes on leathersItalian DUTCH KIT MAKER REV’IT! HAS announced the purchase of the Italian custom leather specialist Vircos. The two companies have had a partnership since 2007, focusing on race and track protective gear, but have now merged. The deal should help Rev’It! expand its expertise from the textile and touring kit sphere into more sporty protection –particularly custom-made suits, which Vircos has specialised in for more than 30 years.
A e:adsales@dealernews.co.uk t:01237 422660 www.britishdealernews/jobs£105 Discount Voucher £105 weekly | monthly yearly FREE THISINSIDEISSUE £105 Discount Voucher £105 Available on Gold Silver andBronze recruitment packages daily weekly monthly yearly
The DVSA data also shows that women are still a minority within the motorcycling community, with the test statistics split between genders. Men took 60,745 Module 1 tests between April 2021 and March 2022, and 76.4% passed. However, just 6600 women took a Module 1 test, with a lower 57.1% pass rate. For Module 2, the split was 62,364 tests with 44,929 passes (a 72% success rate) for the men, and 5133 tests with 3643 passes (a 71% success rate) for women. This means that women make up 9.8% of those who took a Module 1 test and 7.6% of the people who took a Module 2 test.
EXPECT NEW RELEASES FROM OUR MARKET LEADING BRANDS To sign up please contact our sales team on: 01773 864420 or email sales@moto-direct.com
For the first six months from January to June 2022, if you look at all our registrations, we are at an eight-year high
Manufacturer’s
Andy Mineyko Honda Phoney war on the retail front line?
“The economic situation in the UK is far from ideal, as everybody knows. Currently, we are seeing no immediate effect on demand, and the market remains buoyant. However, rising costs, higher interest rates – particularly on consumer finance – and lower disposable income are all factors that could act to slow the market.” Strong demand is great news in many ways, of course. But it brings its own problems too. On a basic level, it’s impossible for dealers to Much has changed since Alan Dowds last spoke to the supply side of the business about this season’s prospects. So what does the winter hold for dealers as they and their manufacturers go into what looks like being an extremely difficult six months?
16 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk newsBusiness
Since we last looked at how the motorcycle importers and manufacturers were performing, a war has broken out in Europe after Russia invaded Ukraine. It’s a massive human tragedy for the people in the battle zone. And the knock-on affects of the conflict have spread far and wide outside Ukraine and the Black Sea region, affecting energy and food supplies globally, bumping up inflation and even inflaming tense situations like the standoff between the USA, China and Taiwan. At the moment, though, there’s a bit of a ‘phoney war’ going on in the UK bike industry.
Andy Mineyko, business planning manager at Honda UK, reckons that there’s a difference between some media perceptions and the situation on the ground.
“There’s a real gulf between emotion and fact at the moment. I’m getting a lot of calls from first six months from January to June 2022, if you look at all our registrations, we are at an eightyear high. Our market share is 20.8% for the first six months, and that is the highest since 2019, when it was 21.1%. The other thing is that if you go back eight years, we had something like 80 dealers. Now there are fewer: and dealers are selling 33% more bikes thanAccordingthen.” to Will Rigg, MD at Mutt Motorcycles, the small-bore sector is also strong. “We started the year with our strongest ever order book by miles. Demand was huge, and fulfilling that has beenAnddifficult.”Howard Dale, general manager at Kawasaki Motors UK, is in a similar situation.
Metaphorically, of course – the travails of the UK motorcycle industry pale into insignificance in comparison with real conflict. But rather like in Ukraine at the turn of this year, and as in the UK in late 1939 and early 1940, there’s a sense of a battle that’s not quite begun. The newspapers are full of stories about rampant inflation – heading north of 10% for the first time in decades. Energy bills for consumers look set to reach never-before-seen levels. Even basic foodstuffs are becoming unaffordable for many. At a higher level, the Bank of England is raising interest rates. Recession and even depression are just around the corner, it seems. Meanwhile, motorbike importers report strong demand for machinery. Firms like Ducati are still posting record sales figures. And dealers are selling motorbikes as soon as they hit the showroom floor and cannot keep anything in stock. Part of that is down to continuing supply problems, which we’ll examine in a moment. But it certainly seems like aremotorcyclistsUKstillbuying bikes. “We’re not seeing any negative impact so far,” said Paul de Lusignan, motorcycle director at Suzuki GB. “We’re not seeing cancelled orders or people not coming through dealership doors or talking to us about buying new bikes. That’s all still happening, so we’re all holding our breath and hoping that will continue.”
Honda UK resorted to sending dealers display bikes which they were banned from selling, just so there was something to look at in showrooms. “We put in place a display stock programme,” said Andy Mineyko.” We sent out seven bikes to each dealer, a mix of models, and they couldn’t register them till September; they had to keep them on display.”
“That’s as much about talking to the dealers as reading the market figures because that’s the important thing; understanding the demand and what the customers are saying. You never get it 100% right, but we must be very careful to ensure that we can try and understand what’s going on out there.”
Howard Dale says much the same thing. “We are watching many economic indicators closely. Whilst largely outside of our control, we, both as a company and as an industry, need to be ready to act accordingly if demand starts to ebb. But for the short term, we remain optimistic.” The reasons for the current stock shortages are now familiar. Problems with supply of semiconductors and other components, continuing Covid-19 lockdowns across global supply and production chains (especially in China), scarce raw materials and delays with logistics. Will Rigg at Mutt Motorcycles even points to China’s sabre-rattling over the Taiwan Strait as an issue for ECU and silicon chip supply woes. One issue which seems to be declining in importance for many is Brexit. Firms like Royal Enfield and Suzuki, which don’t have any European production and ship directly from outside the EU, haven’t had to change too much. And the likes of Yamaha and Honda, who do have European production facilities, have got their ducks in a row with the paperwork and admin We started the year with our strongest ever order book by miles. Demand was huge, and fulfilling that has been difficult Will Rigg Mutt Motorcycles
distributorOur is strong on stocking anyway. We have good acrossavailabilityeverything George CheesemanRoyal Enfield All the rider needs Same Dispatch!Day Full tracking, timeslots and regular YamahaTriumphSuzukiPiaggioMuttKTMKawasakiMotorcyclesHusqvarnaHondaGasGasSTOCKISTGENUINELARGESTEUROPE’Supdates!!!PARTSMotorcyclesGroup Easy to use Online parts catalogue spares@fowlers.co.ukfowlersparts.co.uk or to speak to an expert, call… +44 (0)117 977 0466
SEPTEMBER 2022 17 newsBusinesshold bikes in stock, for customers to test ride – or even look at.
Kelley also pinpoints another worry: at what point will the high demand start to decline, perhaps landing companies with large stocks of unsold bikes as they overshoot that demand? “We’re right on the cusp. Until now, there has been big demand for products because of the global pandemic and shortages. We are currently monitoring to ensure that we understand where that switch point is. Because, of course, our dealers are frustrated they can’t get enough stock, but they are at least telling us they are very profitable with what they sell: it’s good profitable business. But we are constantly reviewing on a regular basis what we order: you have to be really careful that you don’t misread the market because of the demand right now.
Suzuki GB has set up an internal programme to re-assign stock so that if one dealer needs an unfaired GSX-S1000, say, and another dealer has one in stock, SGB will pay both dealers to cover the costs of moving that bike around, so the customer is happy. At Yamaha, they’ve been able to help dealers by offering substitute products: especially with scooters. “We are managing to get a few more XMax 125s,” said Adam Kelley, general manager at Yamaha UK. “In the normal environment, an XMax customer is very different from an NMax 125 customer because they are totally different scooters. But given the current demand and the desperate need there is out there for the product, we’ve managed to get a few hundred units more on things like XMax.”
Not everyone is having stock problems.
“We actually re-homologated a lot of bikes to get to be able to use different [ECU] chipsets,” said Will Rigg of Mutt Motorcycles. “And that kept us going in the early part of the year without too manyRisingproblems.”costs,continued short supply, difficulties with logistics – are we set to see price rises in the sector, in the same way as with many other consumer goods and essentials? It seems likely from the people we’ve spoken with. “Rising costs of materials, energy, production, labour and shipping leave us with little option other than to reflect these extra costs in our retail pricing,” said Howard Dale. “However, as you would expect, we are doing all we can to keep the increase as low as possible.” “It’s a fact of life,” said Paul de Lusignan. “You are seeing it on the weekly shop when you fill your car or bike, you see it in every aspect of life, and we are not immune to that. We are inevitably going to see price rises, though we will do our best to contain what we can and keep them
18 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk newsBusiness
Adam Kelley again: “One thing that’s different from the 2008 economic downturn, what Yamaha suffered from most back then was pulling back on R&D. But during the pandemic, we’ve continued to push and develop new products and look at new markets, and that hasn’t stopped. So I’m pleased to say that does mean we’ve got continued new models and updates to models to make sure that we keep things fresh. We’ve got some exciting stuff coming for 2023.”
“We haven’t announced anything yet,” said George Cheeseman. “But I think every manufacturer is under pressure from rising costs, inflation and also rises in material costs, so I think it’s a likely outcome. We aim to keep it as small as possible and allow profitability to continue.” It would be easy to be despondent at the moment then. But it’s important to say that no one we spoke to was particularly gloomy about prospects for motorcycling. On the one hand, economic downturns do favour motorcycles in some ways: cheaper transport and lower running costs. There’s also a sense that many committed bikers will stick with two wheels to the bitter end as one of their last remaining pleasures to hang on to. “There are those motorcyclists where it’s such a passion for them that the one thing they will keep going is a motorcycle,” said Adam Kelley. “Because it means so much to them, especially after the last couple of years, where we’ve seen that life can be pretty short. You only have one life, and you want to live it.”
Several firms also mentioned that they had stuck with R&D throughout Covid-19, and that would mean new, exciting, advanced machinery coming on sale soon too.
Factories are also diversifying their supply chains, adapting to the uncertainties by building in backup sources of materials and components, sourcing from more local firms, and even paying more to support struggling suppliers. George Cheeseman again; “What Royal Enfield has done now is to have two suppliers for every part. We found during Covid that, for example, on Meteor ABS, if one [supplier] goes down, you’re struggling, so the factory did a phenomenal job to ensure supply, and there’s a contingency plan on every part. The factory is also known to pay well to support suppliers across India. Much of that stuff is now sourced in India.”
Royal Enfield has been one of the great success stories of the past few years, with its 650 twins and 350 singles selling in huge numbers. George Cheeseman, the UK country manager, claims that the Indian firm has a strong supply across its ranges. “Our distributor is strong on stocking anyway. We have good availability across everything. It’s improving, too: if it’s not in stock at the distributor or dealer, we can take an order, make it next month, then get it on the water: you’re not more than eight weeks away from us being able to supply a bike. Factory availability is good, and the capacity to produce 100,000 bikes is what its built for.”
We
Everyone we spoke to was open to working with new partners and launching new retail outlets.
“Our model range is continuing to grow this year,” said George Cheeseman. “We’ll see several new models this year at the MilanOneshow.”other positive aspect is growing dealer networks.
wethoughtoinevitablyaregoingseepricerises,wewilldoourbesttocontainwhatcanandkeepthemgradual
“At Honda, we’ve got more models being launched,” said Andy Mineyko. “And we know other manufacturers have more models being launched. Honda is still investing in R&D for new models over the coming years. Next year we’ve got some exciting new models, proper fun stuff which will be good for the brand and the customer.”
Paul de Lusignan Suzuki
now needed. Delivery times have extended, but the disasters of the early days have calmed down. As Howard Dale points out, the extra costs of Brexit are now ‘baked in’ to UK supply chains. “Supply is more predictable, although regular shipments from our Central European warehouse can take longer to arrive due to customs procedures. One thing that hasn’t changed is the costs incurred at the point of entry of goods into the UK. That is very clearly here to stay, whether that be duty (dependent on rules of origin), admin costs or the costs involved with undertaking the same procedure for any parts that need to be returned.”
Indeed, Will Rigg at UK bike maker Mutt Motorcycles is expanding in some very unexpected places in the Far East. “There’s lots of good news,” he told us. “We have four new territories launching, including China. We have new flagship stores opening globally, one in Jakarta and one in Bali. We also have two new completely new bikes coming; a liquid-cooled 125 and a 250.” So Mutt Motorcycles is taking components and raw materials We still have a few open points and will be looking to fill those with new partners once product supply has improved
“Ultimately,gradual.”yes, we have to increase prices accordingly where prices are going up to us,” said Adam Kelley. “Inflation is a serious challenge at the moment, but we are trying to minimise that as much as we can.”
Howard Dale Kawasaki
SEPTEMBER 2022 19
The Guardian’s man offers some explanations, which we might take on board too. Firstly, unemployment is low, and vacancies are high: people have jobs and aren’t too worried about finding another one if they lose theirs. Also, many people who were lucky enough to keep working during Covid still have some savings built up, which can now be spent on holidays and the like. That’s about the limit of the good news, though. The original ‘Phoney War’ ended in 1940 when Hitler invaded Norway, and the crap really started to hit the fan. Will the current, rather benign, situation in the bike trade end as abruptly, with massive stagflation, depression, high unemployment and Zimbabwestyle inflation rates acting as a sort of economic Blitzkrieg? We’re all crossing our fingers and hoping not…
During the pandemic, we’ve continued to push and develop new products and look at new markets, and that hasn’t stopped Adam KelleyYamaha Suzuki UK is looking to drive growth and increase sales of its comprehensive range of Motorcycles and Scooters through an expanded dealer network in key territories across the UK.
www.britishdealernews.co.uk from the Far East and sending them back: almost like selling sand to the Arabs… “Yes, to start distributing in China, we have a handful of big franchisees with major brands signed up as dedicated solus dealers, which is amazing. And the Japanese side goes from strength to strength.”
We are already enjoying growing market share, high customer satisfaction and excellent retention while our existing Suzuki dealerships are making good profit from our franchise. However, an expanding range of products arriving in the coming months creates genuine opportunities for those who share our passion for motorcycles and putting customers first –and that’s where you come in. If you can commit a dedicated showroom display area, a bright enthusiastic dealer team and create something special for Suzuki customers in your area – then we’d like to talk! A Suzuki franchise gives you and your customers access to some of the most exciting motorcycles in the market today, such as the Hayabusa and the incredible new GSX-S1000GT, plus our new range of 125cc machines that are sure to be a hit.
Is Mutt a bit of a premium brand in China then, despite most of its components coming from there – a bit like an Apple iPhone? “Yeah, we present everything as a lifestyle choice, and our approach to the Far East is the same. I did that a long time ago with premium fashion brands.”Atamore prosaic level, all the big Japanese brands are looking at UK network growth or filling in some geographical gaps. “Three new dealers have come on board with us in recent times, in Edinburgh, Gloucester and Yeovil,” said Howard Dale. “All of whom are exciting ventures, and we look forward to a long and productive partnership. We still have a few open points and will be looking to fill those with new partners once product supply has“There’simproved.”always opportunities as the network grows,” said George Cheeseman. “Our biggest thing is making sure the brand is accessible. It’s not about having lots and lots of dealers for the sake of it; it’s about keeping profitability. London is still key for us, a big one there. We had Lloyd Cooper come on board in Watford, Central Bikes in Shepherds Bush, Hartgate Motorcycles in Mitcham, and recently Bacon’s in Ilford, but we still have gaps: if anyone is interested, please reach out.” So, how long will the war remain a phoney one? As we went to press, The Guardian’s economics editor Larry Elliott borrowed another WW2 idiom, talking about UK consumers’ “keeping calm and carrying on”. Elliott pointed out that retail sales were higher in July than in June. Airports are packed with holidaymakers, and house prices are still climbing: doesn’t anyone know there’s an economic war on?
Ifmark.hallam@suzuki.co.ukyoushareourvision,driveandambitionandwanttopartnerwithanestablished,globalmanufacturerwhosupportsitsdealernetworkwithoutonerousfranchisestandardsandpromisesabitoffunalongtheway,pleasesenddetailsthroughtoNEWFRANCHISEOPPORTUNITIESJOINTHESUZUKIUKDEALERNETWORKTODAY!
20 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk newsBusiness
UKCA CONFORMITY SIMPLIFIED And on the subject of consumer spending, those in the retail supply chain will be aware of the relatively new rules on product marking post-Brexit that demonstrate product conformity; CE marks were replaced by UKCA marks on 1 January 2021 with a provision to allow the old CE marks to be used until 1 January 2023 in many cases. However, to ease the burden on firms, the government announced changes at the end of June to make it simpler to apply new product conformity markings for mostTheproducts.new measures include reducing re-testing costs so that any conformity assessment activities undertaken by EU bodies before the end of 2022 means that UKCA marking can be used next year. Further, the need to re-test existing imported stock will be removed – so long as it was manufactured and imported into the UK by the end of 2022, goods will be deemed to have met UKCA requirements. In another change, the government will continue to allow spares onto the UK market if they comply with the same requirements that were in place at the time the original products or systems were placed on the market. And to make it less expensive and easier for businesses to continue to supply goods to the UK, current labelling rules will be extended to allow important information and UKCA markings to be added to products by applying a sticky label or an accompanying document. There is still bureaucracy built into the product marking process but these changes will be welcomed by those that have to abide by the rules.
The last time inflation was this high was 1990, when it reached 9.5%. Before that we have to go futher back to 1979-1981 when inflation was 13.4%, 18% and 11.9% respectively. But even those eye watering rates weren’t a patch on the 36.5% recorded in 1800, 25.2% in 1917 and 24.2% in 1975. As a result, UK retail sales are falling at a rate last seen at the start of the pandemic according to a survey from accounting giant KPMG and the British Retail Consortium. The annual drop of 1% is the third monthly fall in a row. Households are feeling the pinch and having to make defined choices over how they spend. Granted the Jubilee weekend gave food sales a shot in the arm, and fashion has been helped by the hot summer and weddings, but as the survey found, it’s not beenButenough.whileconsumer spending is falling, new data from Barclaycard indicated that household bills are mounting. In June, spending on utilities was up 40% and spending on petrol and diesel rose by about 25%. Spending on household goods fell 5.1% in June, compared with May and home improvements and furniture fell 7.4% and 2.7% respectively. Very simply, consumers are having to make tough choices and, in some cases, are either cutting spending or switching to different brands as they seek out value. Could this be a prelude to a recession? Only time will tell.
topressuresInflationarybeginbiteharder
The last andwaswhentohaveBeforereached1990,thisinflationtimewashighwaswhenit9.5%.thatwetogoback1979-1981inflation13.4%,18%11.9%
t shouldn’t be a surprise, given the headlines over the last nine months or so, that inflationary pressures are beginning to bite. Currently 9.4%, it’s stinging some to the point that they’re having to choose between “heating and eating”.
CONQUERCONDITIONS.JUSTRIDE.ALL dunlopmotorcycle.co.uk @DunlopMotoUK @DunlopMoto @DunlopMotoUK
No matter the road, whatever the weather –Dunlop Mutant has your back. The world’s first crossover tyre boasts hypersport-level handling, grip as close as possible to racing wets, and some of the best touring durability in the Dunlop range. Mutant’s technology gives you the confidence to just ride and conquer all conditions.
01237 422660 | adsales@dealernews.co.ukDISCOUNTwww.britishdealernews.co.uk/jobsVOUCHER£105£105 daily weekly monthly yearly Cannot be used in conjunction with any other British Dealer News product or offer RecruitmentWebsiteNewsletterPrintFreedesignpackagesinclude e:adsales@dealernews.co.uk t:01237 422660 www.britishdealernews/jobs Available on Gold Silver and Bronze recruitment packages Discount VoucherFREE inside this issue e:adsales@dealernews.co.uk t:01237 422660 22 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk JobScene/Dealer4sale REQUIREDPERSONSALES At Honda dealership in Ruislip Manor, West London Experience essential Contact by email only 69-71accountsbr@hgbmotorcycles.co.ukParkWay,RuislipManor,MiddlesexHA48NS GardX Moto are looking for two: New Business Development Managers - Moto, to support our ambitious growth plans. Your Role To seek new dealer opportunities and support, maintain and develop long term relationships within the motorcycle dealer network. These exciting new roles are to cover the north and south of the UK. We would love to meet ambitious motorcycle industry professionals who can: • Create, develop, and drive long term profitable dealer relationships • Assist dealers in maximising the profit potential of the GardX Moto products and services • Help drive GardX Moto’s strategic goals and growth plans • Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the motorcycle market and trends Your Background • Previous experience of working within Motorcycle Industry is essential • Experience of sales, account management and relationship building • Proven track record in generating and increasing revenue with clients and closing deals A complete support package including full training, car, phone and laptop will be provided as part of this exciting opportunity. For more information on this exciting job role then please further get in touch with us via hello@gardxmoto.co.uk To apply for this role, please email your CV and covering letter to recruitment@gardx.co.uk. WE’REBENEFITSHIRING. Tuesday through Saturday working week | 22 days holiday rising with service, plus bankholidays | Employee Assistance Programme | Generous Staff discounts | Ongoing support with LINDTraining and Development | Manufacturer Training | The opportunity to work in a great environment with great people | Being a part of the LIND Family | Opportunity to grow with our business. TO VIEW THE FULL JOB DESCRIPTION AND APPLY FOR ANY OF THESE POSITIONS, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITElind.co.uklind.co.uk/careers Positions in the following dealerships: Harley-Davidson Newmarket | Harley-Davidson Reading Lind Triumph North London | Lind Motorrad Norwich HEAD OF BUSINESS LIND MOTORRAD WELWYN GARDEN CITY £51,250 BASIC + £10,000 BONUS, UNCAPPED MOTORCYCLE TECHNICIANS OTE £25,000 - £33,000, DEPENDENT ON EXPERIENCE We have a very rare and exciting opportunity for a Head of Business to lead our team at LIND Motorrad Welwyn Garden City. We are seeking an experienced manager who is driven and enthusiastic, with absolute focus on team development and business performance. An individual who has a proven track record in senior automotive management who is looking to further their career to take this thriving BMW dealership to the next level. The ideal candidate will fully understand BMW operations and take pride in their ability to develop our team, sales and profit opportunities, whilst simultaneously delivering exceptional levels of professionalism and above all, an outstanding customer experience.
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GOODRIDGE HAS PROMOTED MIKE TOZER WHO IS now the company’s new performance and motorsport productReportingmanager.toGoodridge’s UK head of performance and motorsport, Wayne Rodgers, Tozer has taken up his position in the company’s Exeter headquarters, one of eleven company facilities spread across Europe, North America and Asia. Rodgers said: “The addition of a product manager role for the performance and motorsport sector of the business will aid the brand in maintaining its current range while also ensuring Goodridge remains the market leader in aftermarket fluid transfer systems. Mike has worked in the company for more than 20 years and has a vast knowledge of our product range and how it competes successfully on a global basis with our competition.”
24 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk newsBusiness
Feridaxat Describing the retirement of a long-standing industry figure as the “end of an era” might seem like a cliché, but in this case its true! After almost three decades at Feridax, well respected sales director Steve Clifford is retiring. Filling his notinconsiderable boots will be Stuart Swaby, who moves over from Fox Racing, where he was the UK country director. Swaby will lead the internal sales and account management team, which services more than 1200 motorcycle dealers across the UK from the
MCE’s director of tech solutions, Adam Parker said: “Technology is our future at MCE and I’m excited to be working with more and more supertalented people every day. Jessica, Ellie and Chris with all their experience will provide excellent feedback in our project teams.”
There’s growth in the marketing team as well. Jonno Cook and Shobhit Munot join as marketing executives, tasked with the expansion of current campaigns as well as development of new areas.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: W: www.weiseclothing.com E:£139.99info@weiseclothing.comRRP COLOUR: BLACK, BLUE SIZE: 30 - 42, WOMEN’S 08 - 22 Stylish design and effective protection in CruiseRidgemotion.towninclassicstyle
Syntol Swampy
reputationacompanyjoinpleasureHalesowen.headquartersFeridaxin“It’sanabsolutetoFeridax,awithlong-standingof delivering excellence to the motorcycle industry,” said Swaby. “I’m looking forward to working with Anna and the team as we embark on several exciting projects, including the diversification of the Spada brand and our entry into the world of cycling.”Feridax MD Anna Taylor said: “We are pleased to have Stuart on board during these exciting times. The business has recently invested in expanding the existing warehouse facility, which has added a further 5000sq.ft.”
yntol Lubricants has appointed Mike “Swampy” Fernandez as UK motorcycle sales manager. Fernandez brings more than two decades of motorcycle industry retail and distribution experience to the Cheshire-based lubricant manufacturer. Swampy commented: “I am delighted to join this exciting business and look forward to actively growing our retail and distribution networks. I believe our range of performance lubricants and ancillaries present an attractive opportunity for profit.”Contact 07976 533487 or mike.fernandez@syntollubricants.com Goodridge long-termerrewards
End of an era
MCE marketingsolutionsexpandsInsurancetechandteams
WITH ONLINE AND DIGITAL MORE IMPORTANT than ever, MCE Insurance has announced four new roles within its technical solutions team. Jo Wellington has joined as a second tech solutions manager and will apply her experience from previous roles at MCE. Jessica Condon, Ellie Height, and Chris Lewis have all joined as technical business analysts. The tech solutions team has been the biggest growth area at MCE over the last five years, delivering the company’s technology and digital initiatives and objectives. It aims to become a digital-first, friction-free, self-serve broker where customers can manage their insurance cover themselves and be free from call centres.
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MCE’s director of commercial, Hallam Knapp, said: “It’s great to welcome Jonno and Shobhit on board. MCE has always prided itself on excellent marketing campaigns, and I know these two with their knowledge and enthusiasm will mark the dawn of a new era for the team.”
Feridax welcomes Stuart Swaby
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Prospects look rosier because the market for lightweight classics is growing as the ageing classic bike generation looks to smaller bikes to manhandle, ride and workTheon.market is further bolstered by buyers who regard Italian lightweights as works of art, perfect for home display in conservatories and front rooms.
And within a year another daunting major hurdle had to be faced when Brexit rules came into force, making trading in Europe a bureaucratic nightmare and pushing up all costs.
Classic Italian motorcycle specialist Automoto Classics Kettering, Northamptonshire, was stopped in its tracks when Covid lockdown hit in March 2020, writes Brian Crichton The previous year, Fabio Grandolfo had made six trips to Italy in a flatbed truck for stock. Almost 100% of his and partner Carla DiFazio’s classic Italian motorcycle inventory is sourced in Italy. Suddenly his home country was out of bounds. Who knew what lay ahead? They had to tread water while Covid panic spread.
While Automoto can source most Italian classic bikes they presently specialise in the smaller machines.
The business has a working Carla DiFazio and Fabio Grandolfo, partners in business and in life
26 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk newsBusiness
“They have 340 bikes in stock at the moment,” says Grandolfo, who came to England ten years ago. “I buy from all over Italy, many of them private sales,” he adds reeling off a list of towns and cities including Rome, Milan and Naples. “And I’m looking forward to attending a major Italian auction in October,” he adds. Italy may be a land of lightweight motorcycles but teasing them out isn’t as easy as you might think, says Fabio who initially trained as a hairdresser, doing bike mechanics part-time. At the time of this interview, Automoto had 23 bikes in stock. The previous best was 40, and Automoto wants to bolster stock to this level as a minimum to be able to cope with seasonal surges. Current stock (retail price range £2700-£13,000) throws up some obscure marque names including Rumi, BM, Malanca, Bianchi, Motobi, Milani, Maserati, Atala, and Mi-Val as well as the more familiar Gilera, MV, Laverda, Benelli, Fantic and Ducati.Walking into the current unit – viewing by appointment until bigger premises can be located – is like walking into a sweetshop. Adding to the flavour is the fact that when Signore Rossi pops his head round the corner the conversation instantly switches to Italian you find yourself drifting over the Alps and across the Dolomites. Just one Cornetto and an MV Automotoplease. imported some classic cars when the business started as Seagrave Classics in 2016, but now the concentration is on motorcycles and Ape threewheelers, plus some Fiat 500s. Nearly 50 Fiats have been sold so far. All the Italian delights on two, three and four wheels!
The market for lightweight classics is growing as the ageing classic bike generation looks to smaller bikes to manhandle, ride and work on Fabio Grandolfo likes smallpaint.bodyworkdoingandHehasaanteroom at his former lollipop store unit
Automoto lolly store
Thankfully a passion for Italian motorcycles, fluency in the Italian language, and familiarity with Italian customs (both types) and new ways of doing business have surmounted those hurdles. Today Automoto, a niche bike business, is confident of better prospects and is now looking for bigger premises. In April the business moved from lock-ups at long-established FEM Motors, run by Carla’s father Joe DiFazio, to a former lollipop store at Rossi’s Ice Creams in the Northamptonshire town.
“We now want to expand,” says Grandolfo (43). “Bigger premises with a coffee bar and café. I am impressed by the Bike Shed and would like to follow theirPassionatelead.” about Italian bikes, especially Ducati and MV, Grandolfo has access to ten Italian collections and dealer sources including Ruote Da Sogno, a leading Italian car and bike dealer with a reputed stock value of £200m.
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Automoto, currently an online business, may have a long way to go before it’s on Dolce Vita Street, but it’s doing its best to spread the word on Italian cameo art on wheels and has built a client base in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and America as well as the UK and Ireland. Automoto Classics Ltd 01536 www.automotoclassics.co.uk235798 delights
Mobile bar based on 1959 150cc Ape AC2. Yours for £14,500
AUTOMOTO TIMELINE
SEPTEMBER 2022 27www.britishdealernews.co.uk
1992 Fabio Grandolfo starts riding road bikes, age 18. Trains as a hairdresser, and then later as a part-time mechanic 2012 Moves to England 2016 Starts Seagrave Classics with Carla DiFazio at FEM Motors, Kettering, Northamptonshire, selling Italian motorcycles and classic cars 2018 Changes business name to Automoto Classics Ltd 2019 Makes six trips to Italy for stock 2022 Moves to current premises. Transport partner: Hartsmere Logistics relationship with a chroming plant in Italy, plus a workshop for repairs and restoration. One current project is to restore a 125 Ferrari two-stroke from an absolute wreck. Two-wheel Ferraris have nothing to do with the cars, by the way. Maserati, however, does; Maserati motorcycles was run by members of the Maserati family. Not a lot of people know that.
The headcount across other emerging regions, with Latin America to the fore, rose by 14.5% to 419,000. Sales based on bikes from Honda’s Manaus manufacturing hub in Brazil increased by 9.4% to 275,000. Developed-world figures were less satisfactory. European sales declined by 25% to 81,000.
28 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk newsInternational International news
The trio of Japanese bike manufacturers still bean-counting on the basis of traditional fiscal years beginning in April also share three common denominators. Reporting firstquarter results to the end of June, they have clearly all benefited by focusing on resurgent high-volume Asian markets. Their North American sales recovery has been a welcome surprise. And they are maintaining or even extending optimistic annual forecasts
With financial editor Roger Willis HONDA: EMERGING PROFITS Blasting off the line with vigour, Honda produced an excellent first-quarter performance. However, the small print pointed to Asia and other emerging markets as largely responsible for thisHonda’ssuccess. global motorcycle business revenue put on an impressive 30.5% to £4.18bn. Associated operating profit grew by 21.3% to £605m – but operating margin fell to 14.5% from 15.6%. Total sales volume during the period was 9.6% up to 4.251 million powered twowheelers.Asian sales led the charge, rising by 10.5% to 3.585 million. And at the heart of this advance was an extraordinary bounceback in India, the world’s largest PTW market. Sales by Honda’s wholly-owned Indian subsidiary HMSI more than doubled, 102.6% up to 995,000.
Some big countries in Asia were impacted harder by ongoing semiconductor supply shortages, though. Shipments from Indonesian joint-venture affiliate Astra Honda dropped by 22.1% to 684,000, Vietnam was 9.9% down to 532,000 and Thailand lost a more marginal 0.7% at 334,000.
Asia to the rescue
Honda’s global motorcycle business revenue put on an impressive 30.5% to £4.18bn. Associated operating profit grew by 21.3% to £605m – but operating margin fell to 14.5% from 15.6%
Honda’s Japanese domestic sales shrank by 5.1% to 56,000. But North America added 8.9% to 110,000.However, Honda is maintaining forecasts despite the microchip famine, and says it will strive to exceed them by utilising alternative parts and deleting certainCurrently,models.for the full year to March 2023, total sales volume is predicted to grow by 9% to 18.56 million. Asia should be 9.2% higher at 15.93 million and other emerging markets 9% better off on 1.57 million. Europe is projected to finish 12%
SUZUKI: NEW ASPIRATION Suzuki Motor Corporation’s motorcycle business blossomed in Q1. Again, a resurgence in Asian sales was largely responsible. Total revenue soared by 50.1% to £534.5m. Operating profit stacked on 87.4% at £51.5m. Global sales volume rose by 30.4% to 472,000 motorcycles, scooters and ATVs. Asia accounted for 383,000 of them, a 36.3% increase. Associated revenue from Asian countries improved by 53.5% to £242.3m. Most notable contributor was India, where volume recovered by 75.8% to 167,000. China added 5.4% to 120,000. The Philippines and Pakistan also received honourable mentions, respectively 27.3% up to 48,000 and 34.9% higher to 10,000. Developed-world markets were less attractive. The exception was North America, where revenue more than doubled to £92.1m and sales volume grew by 11.7% to 11,000. European turnover did improve significantly, 29.6% up to £70.5m. But volume fell by 9.3% to just 9000. Better large model mix featuring the new GSXS1000GT and ongoing Hayabusa revival was flagged as useful in both cases. Japanese domestic performance was lamentable. Sales volume declined by 19.5% to 13,000 and revenue virtually flatlined, a mere 1% up to £37.9m. Suzuki’s full-year forecast remains unchanged. The motorcycle business plans to make 1.721 million machines, a 3.5% reduction, and sell 1.787 million, a 9% increase. Asian sales are expected to rise by 10.5% to 1.463 million. Most ambitiously, it anticipates a 34.6% increase in European sales to 38,000. A rather obtuse reference to introducing Indian-manufactured models to Europe may have some bearing on this aspiration. Yen-sterling currency translation at forex rates applicable on 5 August
Just like its Japanese “big four” compatriots, the motorcycle division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries is banking on boosts from almost every major global market except Europe for postpandemic prosperity. But it struggled with rising raw material costs and worldwide logistics problems, affecting profitability in the first quarter, and is now responding with higher prices.
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Yen-sterling currency translation at forex rates applicable on 10 August KAWASAKI: MIXED MESSAGES
www.britishdealernews.co.uk up to 355,000. North America will more-or-less hold station on 440,000. Japan is set to put on 8.6% to 265,000. In sharp contrast to all this qualified optimism, Honda’s Q1 car business results were even more dire than usual. Although its monumental automotive turnover rose by 3.4% to £14.417bn, associated operating profit plunged – 45.9% down to a mere £237m. Operating margin deteriorated from an already very poor 3.1% to just 1.6%.
SEPTEMBER 2022 29
Overall divisional revenue in Q1 grew by 11.1% to £783m. But turnover from wholesale motorcycle shipments into developed countries was 1.1% down to £287m and associated volume fell by 10.9% to 49,000 bikes. Within that, North America (the USA and Canada) was 18.2% up to 26,000, while European shipments plummeted by 47.6% to just 11,000. Kawasaki’s domestic Japanese market increased by 33.3% to 8000. Australia shrank by a similar percentage to 2000. Conversely, revenue from emerging motorcycle markets, predominantly in South-East Asia, rose by 16.4% to £158m. Volume put on 18% to 72,000 bikes. The Philippines and Indonesia were biggest recipients, together achieving a 35.7% increase to 57,000. Global sales of utility vehicles, quadbikes and personal watercraft were 20.8% up to £195m and general-purpose petrol engines added 21.3% to £143m. However, despite help from a depreciating yen exchange rate, manufacturing input price inflation and supply-chain issues resulted in a 13.6% Q1 operating profit decline to £80m. Operating margin sank from 13.1% in the same period last year to 10.2%. On a brighter note, Kawasaki says demand remains strong in key markets and it is confident of being able to meet targets with enhanced supply at reduced costs in subsequent quarters. Annual forecasts have therefore been revised upwards. 12-monthly projected revenue for the division has been raised from £3.106bn to £3.229bn. Operating profit should now reach £279m, instead of £266m. Yen-sterling currency translation at forex rates applicable on 15 August
In a currently stressful worldwide economic climate, some leading motorcycle manufacturers reporting results that span the first half of 2022 did much better than others. But they are all aware of unpredictable challenges ahead. BDN financial editor
DUCATI: GLASS HALF FULL A challenging environment, due to semiconductor and other component shortages plus rising raw materials costs, led to reduced production and sales at Ducati. But premium pricing successfully propped up turnover and profit. Revenue in the period grew by 5.4% to £455m, an all-time record. Operating profit was 15.3% up to £57m, with an operating margin increase to 12.6% from 11.5%. However, half-yearly production was 3.1% down to 35,835 motorcycles. Retail sales fell by 3.6% to 33,265 across the full six months and had worsened, moving into peak-season Q2, on an 8.8% decline to 19,798. Diavel, Monster and Streetfighter models in the naked segment topped the overall pile, 4.8% higher to 11,115 bikes sold. But dualsport, spanning DesertX, Hypermotard and Multistrada products, was assuredly more lucrative. Sales volume rose by 5% to 10,709. Some 8301 of these were Multistrada V4 outright best-sellers for the brand. But Ducati’s Scrambler sub-brand took a spanking, 28.4% down to 4989. Sports tackle, comprising Supersport and Panigale machines, also sank into negativity, 4.3% lower at 6452.
Euro-sterling currency translation at forex rates applicable on 3 August
BMW: BOXER KNOCKABOUT Business got steadily more difficult for BMW Motorrad. And the company doesn’t expect a recovery any time soon. Revenue for the full six months was a slim 2.6% up to £1.393bn. But operating profit declined by 17.3% to £197m and operating margin fell from 17.5% to 14.1%. Net profit was 12.6% down. Global half-yearly retail sales volume dropped marginally by 0.1% to 107,555 motorcycles and maxiscooters. April-June numbers, when the seasonal shift should have indicated a strengthening performance, turned more consistently negative instead. Q2 retail bike deliveries to customers worldwide had retreated by 7.5% to 60,152. BMW Motorrad assiduously avoids providing sales data for individual markets in its quarterly statements. However, from MCIA sources we know UK headcount in Q2 was much worse – 31.4% down to 2172. As for the money, Q2 revenue fell by 0.5% to £723m. Operating profit sank by 14.8% to £106m and net profit was 12.5% in arrears at BMW£88m.Group fielded plenty of valid excuses in the results statement, admitting that it had assumed the supply situation for semiconductor components would ease during the second half of 2022. However, availability is now no longer expected to improve appreciably over the remainder of the year, engendering an impact on production and sales. The group also anticipates higher raw materials and energy costs in the second half, the latter due to reduced gas supplies, cranking up output prices. And it says rising inflation and interest rates worldwide are likely to influence consumer spending behaviour in the coming months. A significant slowdown in global economic activity and reduced IMF growth projections also get mentions, with the corporate finger pointing straight at the war in Ukraine and intensification of supply-chain problems.
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Roger Willis surveys a mixture of optimism and pessimism
When the going tough…gets
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digit percentage scooter growth globally. Good performances were noted in Indonesia, Vietnam, China, India, the Americas and Italy.
Piaggio claimed ongoing European scooter market leadership with a 22.5% share and 31% of North American scooter sales. It said the Vespa brand was principal driver of double-
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Dollar-sterling currency translation at forex rates applicable on 28 July PIAGGIO: SOLID PROGRESS
Globally, Europe accounted for 57% of all Ducati sales, growing from 55% in the first half of last year. Italy claimed the biggest volumetric slice of that on 6028 bikes. Germany followed with 3745 and the French bought 2647. North America shifted 12%, declining from 14%, and worth 5239 bikes exiting showroom doors. China rose from 6% to 7%, equating to 2411. The remaining 24% was unattributed. Euro-sterling currency translation at forex rates applicable on 29 July HARLEY-DAVIDSON: AGAINST ALL ODDS Beating gloomy Wall Street analysts’ estimates for the six months of 2022 to date and Q2 in particular, Harley-Davidson’s results were welcomed by investors – pushing its share price almost 8% higher on their release date. The company got away with increasing prices in the face of strong domestic demand, even though it was struggling to satisfy orders due to supply-chain woes. And, significantly, Harley supremo Jochen Zeitz stood by his upbeat full-year forecast. Nevertheless, total six-monthly revenue virtually flatlined, rising by just 0.3% to £2.443bn. The contribution from motorcycles and related products was pretty static too, a mere 0.2% up to £2.116bn. Both turnover and operating profit from that direction, the latter falling by 4.5%, had been adversely impacted by a two-week production halt during May, that slashed wholesale bike shipments by 15% in Q2. The disruption had been caused by regulatory compliance issues at a component supplier. Profits from the HDFS consumer credit and dealer inventory funding arm also declined, 19.2% down to £141.8m. This was attributed to an increased allowance for lending default losses. Overall operating profit was 9.5% lower at £467.1m and net profit fell by 5.8% to £361.2m.
Ebullient as ever, Harley-Davidson chairman, chief executive and president Zeitz commented: “Reaffirming our guidance for the year, despite the production suspension, demonstrates the effectiveness of our strategy and the power of our brand. With the suspension behind us, we are fully focused on mitigating impacts of the volume loss with the ambition to deliver on our goals.”
Despite its chairman and chief executive Roberto Colaninno complaining about “the current difficulties in procuring electronic components”, Piaggio Group posted firm turnover, bike sales volume and profitability advances. Overall revenue grew by 16.8% to an all-time record of £882.6m. Within that, income from powered two-wheelers plus associated spares and accessories was 15.1% up to £733.8m. Total operating profit was 6.7% higher at £71.9m. But operating margin dropped from 8.8% to 8.1%. Net profit rose by 3.9% to £37.9m – Piaggio’s best first-half performance since 2008. Net debt was reduced by 1.1% to £333.1m, versus the position 12months earlier. Global sales volume prospered by 11.8% to 271,600 scooters and motorcycles. Asia-Pacific markets put on 27%. North and South America were 26.3% up. The EMEA grouping, primarily Europe, added 7%. However, volume in India suffered a 7.4% decline – although associated revenue improved by 11.2%.
Shipments to dealers worldwide over the six months in question were 7.6% down to 103,011 bikes. Within that, US domestic share sank by a harsher 15.7% to 64,276. Hardest-hit model segment was Touring, where showrooms received 16.9% fewer machines, amounting to 47,770. Cruiser were nearly as bad, 14.4% down to 30,450. Conversely, Harley plants in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania shipped 13% more Sportster and Street models, adding up to 16,212. Adventure, filled by the groundbreaking Pan America 1250, made the most significant advance by more than doubling its numbers – up 111.9% to 8579. Global retail sales dropped by 12.7% to 95,604. US domestic numbers shrank by 19.1% to 61,228. Canada copped a more minor retreat of 5.4% to 4962 bikes ridden away from dealers. The EMEA region, dominated by Europe, fell by a marginal 1% to 15,041 – despite having been boosted by sharply reduced EU and UK import tariffs. On a brighter note, Asia-Pacific countries grew by 8.4% to 12,773 and Latin America added 1.8% to 1600.
Turning vague about motorcycles as usual, because numbers are relatively small, the company asserted volume growth of “around 30%”. Moto Guzzi had “a very strong first half” thanks to V7 and V85TT retro models. Aprilia was also “extremely positive”, led by new Tuareg and established RS 660cc products. Euro-sterling currency translation at forex rates applicable on 1 August YAMAHA: GOOD, BAD AND UGLY Yamaha’s motorcycle business held up remarkably well. But an erratic model mix meant increased turnover was sullied by reduced profitability. Total revenue climbed by 16.7% to £3.716bn. However, global wholesale volume flatlined, 0.3% down to 2.306 million bikes. And patchy numbers, especially in developed-world markets where higher-yield model mix and cost of sales are crucial, resulted in an operating profit decline of 2.2% to £221.3m. European unit sales fell by 6.9% to 108,000 machines. North America did better, rising by 5.9% to 36,000. The Japanese domestic market was 5.9% down to 48,000. Asia retreated marginally by 1% to 1.826 million, against muscular revenue growth of 14.4% to £2.206bn. Various other markets taken together – including Latin America, Australia and New Zealand – added 8.7% to 288,000. Yamaha’s Land Mobility division, for which motorcycles are the key gravy train, had a more torrid time. While divisional revenue was 15.6% up at £4.219bn, operating profit sank by 18.1% to £224.9m – all bar £3.6m coming from bikes. The culprit was its loss-making recreational offroad vehicle business. More proof of the “two wheels good, four wheels bad” axiom? For parent Yamaha Motor as a whole, halfyearly revenue was 16.2% up to £6.55bn and operating profit 6.2% down to £627.7m. Biggest single contributor at operating level was the Marine Products division, stacking on 12.6% to £304.7m with less than half of Land Mobility’s turnover. Net profit dropped by 10.8% to £508.5m. Yen-sterling currency translation at forex rates applicable on 10 August
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The UK motorcycle industry is united against government plans for internal combustion engine phase-out. The MCIA, MAG and NMC all have concerns about the imminent end to new petrolpowered two-wheelers
UK government plans to end the sale of all new petrol, and diesel-powered vehicles are continuing apace.
And the Motorcycle Action Group was uncompromising in its response. MAG chair Neil Liversidge said: “MAG totally opposes the proposed ban on the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), whether it be from 2035, the originally mooted 2040, or any other date. MAG likewise opposes any policy that leads to increased fuel costs or the reduced availability of fuels for ICEVs.”
The National Motorcyclists Council, a lobbying group with extensive communication links to the government and much of the UK transport policy establishment, goes even further, calling the plan a mistake. “The government is making a mistake by trying to force the pace of motorcycle decarbonisation and must not ignore the voice of motorcyclists as proposals are developed,” is part of the NMC’s statement on the consultation.
The MCIA wants more time for the 125cc+ phase-out. It agrees that electrifying lowcost, low-powered urban mobility machinery like 50cc-equivalent mopeds is plausible at
timeTickingbomb
BRITISH ELECTRIC MOTORCYLE BRAND MAEVING has secured £1m in funding towards the launch of its latest product. Maeving’s RM1 model, which was unveiled in June, is UK-designed, manufactured locally and aimed at urban commuters. It combines what the brand describes as “heritage styling” with everyday practicalities. These include a removable lightweight battery chargeable from any domestic socket outlet and the choice of a second battery doubling range to 80Fundingmiles.
There are a series of complaints about the plans which, on the face of it, seem to be a straight carry-over from the plans for cars, despite serious differences in the potential for electrification. It’s relatively straightforward to accommodate a £10k, 500kg battery pack the size of two or three very large suitcases inside the structure of a family car. With current technology, doing the same job on a £10k middleweight performance motorcycle is essentially impossible.
The Department for Transport announced its consultation on outlawing new petrol motorcycles and scooters over the summer holidays, with a closing date of 21 September for submissions on the policy. That policy currently means no more new mopeds or 125cc bikes by 2030 at the latest and the phasing out of all new petrol motorcycles and other L-class vehicles by 2035. It’s fair to say that the response has been fairly negative across the UK bike industry. At one end is the normally rather considered MCIA, which despite claiming to be “fully supportive of the government’s net zero ambitions, for example through the L-Category Action Plan,” now says it is “disappointed with the announcement to phase out all new non-zero emission motorcycles by 2035.”
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from MEIF Maven Debt Finance will support the business in its early stages of growth by providing working capital and allow Maeving to invest in recruitment of marketing and engineering talent. Maeving was introduced to Maven by Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub planning and inward investment advisor Chris Lawes, who has been supporting it through signposting and introductions within the local area. Lawes and CWLEP also provided help with Maeving’s successfull application to Coventry City Council for a £49,800 investment fund grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme, partfunded by the European Regional Development Fund. Obviously grateful for such financial assistance, Maeving joint chief executive Will Stirrup said: “We are thrilled to have received this support at such an important time. The investment will allow us to scale our business quickly, getting more people onto electric vehicles.” Maven investment director Richard Blount added: “This is a fantastic opportunity to support the team at Maeving. We look forward to being a part of their growth journey instylishproducingproductsthatchallengethefutureoftransport.”
Imposing specific technologies means limiting choice and therefore creating a constraint on innovation. Automotive manufacturers (and the aviation industry) are making significant investments in developing synthetic fuels, which have the potential to allow ICE technology to continue while being part of the move towards decarbonisation.
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Other technologies such as hydrogen-powered vehicles are also part of the development of new technologies.”
“The government has not considered the complexities of the L-category sector in terms of what is and isn’t feasible when it comes to phasing out the other key segments of the market. We put forward a compelling case in our Journey to a Brighter Destination document for the continued support of largecapacity leisure motorcycling and why it needs to be treated as such in the consultation. Its minimal emissions, low mileage, important contributions to the economy, sport, tourism and mental health benefits are all reasons why a fairer, progressive and more bespoke approach is needed to phase out new non-zero emission motorcycles.”
The NMC outlined a variety of concerns with the proposals. Its executive director Craig CareyClinch said: “The government’s ambitions in this area are clearly running ahead of what may be reasonable to deliver. Successful transition in any field requires those affected to be content with changes proposed. In the case of zero emission motorcycles, particularly in the premium market segments, current product availability, price point, the current state of electric bike technology and rider acceptability, suggests that much more will need to happen before a reasonable target date for full zero emission new production can be established.
www.britishdealernews.co.uk the moment and is content with the 2030 cut-off for those. But it’s against banning 125cc bikes in 2030, as well as the 2035 date for largerTonymachines.Campbell, MCIA chief executive, said: “We recognise our environmental contribution will increase as other transport modes phase out and so support the decision to phase out L1 vehicles by 2030. However, we do not support the decision to include L3e-A1 [125cc bikes], which, even with an ICE powertrain, are significantly more environmentally efficient than some electric cars.
“The NMC is also disappointed that the government sees alternative fuels as only a stepping stone to full electrification. The move towards net zero is a matter which is too technologically detailed to restrict it to battery electrification only.
Registration
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34 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk BEST MODELSSELLING2022 YTD newsElectric Registrations data Alternate power rolling year Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jun Jul 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 2020/21 2021/22
he UK’s entire new electric PTW market fell very slightly faster than overall registrations in July, 11.6% lower at 649 units. But total market share for the month rose marginally to 5.9%. However, the volumetrically leading up-to-11kW sector, broadly comparable with up-to-125cc ICE mobility products, took another spanking. Numbers sank by 19.6% for a second successive month in July, this time accounting for 550 units. Electric share versus up-to-125cc petrol-powered kit dropped from 12.1% to 9.5% year-on-year. All the same, taking and holding approximately a tenth of the mobility market is perhaps notable. Over-11kW machines – encapsulating the 1115kW, 15-35kW and over-35kW sectors – achieved only small quantities but increased by 12% to 28 units in total. A further 71 units of unknown power output stood against a tally of 25 such unidentified strangers in July last year. For the seven months of 2022 to date, the upto-11kW sector has now grown by 26.3% to 3772 units. Over-11kw offerings are still an abiding disappointment, though. YTD taken together, they have risen by 79.6% to 194 e-steeds. The 11-15kW sector barely existed until this year’s arrival of the BMW CE 04. It now accounts for 84 machines YTD; most, if not quite all, BMW products. About half of those were dealer demonstrators. Proper, middleweight-equivalent motorcycles in the 15-35kW sector declined by 43.3% to just 17 units. Over-35kW was 29.2% up at 93 units – only 21 additional bikes in seven months! Hardly a success story. statistics supplied tel 02476 www.mcia.co.uk408000; powered two-wheeler registrations July 2022
1. Vmoto Super Soco CPX 554 2. Emax LB1 - VS2 300 3. Sur-Ron Light Bee 208 4. Yadea G5L 200 5. Vmoto Super Soco TC Max 195 2022 / 2021 Registrations by style MOPEDS 2022Jul 2021Jul Change M/CYCLES 2022Jul 2021Jul Change Adventure 0 00.0%Adventure 4 9-55.6% Competition 87 4977.6%Competition 14 875.0% EPAC 3 1200.0%Modern Classic 21 00.0% Naked 25 46-45.7%Naked 825451.9% Scooter 202264-23.5%Road Sport 6 520.0% Unspecified 2 1100.0% Scooter 187296-36.8% Unspecified 1 10.0% TOTAL 319361-11.6% TOTAL 315373-15.5% TRICYCLES 2022Jul 2021Jul Change REGISTRATIONSALTERNATIVETOTALPOWER 2021Jul 2020Jul Change Other L-Cat 14 3366.7% 649737-11.9% Scooter 1 00.0% TOTAL 15 3400.0 2022 / 2021 Registrations by power band Year to date Highest registering model by power band RegsJulPOWER BAND 2022Jul 2021Jul % Change 2022Jul 2021Jul % Change Under 1kW 249166.7%11045144.4% Keeway E-ZI Mini20 1-4kW 447653-31.5%3216283913.3%Vmoto Super Soco CPX44 4-11kW 7922259.1%446103333.0%Scutum Seat Mo 12528 11-15kW 73133.3%8461300.0% BMW CE 047 15-35kW 47-42.9%1730-43.3%Zero Motorcycles FXE ZF7.23 Over 35kW 171513.3%937229.2% Zero Motorcycles SR/S ZF15.6 5 Unknown 7125184.0%2732585.8% REGISTRATIONSTOTAL 649734-11.6%4239335326.4% GREAT SAMPLESCREDITSTAFFPOINTMARGINSOFSALETRAININGAVAILABLEAVAILABLE OVER NATIONWIDESTORES300+ Find out more at ua-distribution.com or call 01854611188
by the MCIA;
newsOff-road
Two new youth models for Can-Am The 2023 Can-Am ATV range has added two new Renegade fuel-injected youth models, while the full-size Outlander and Renegade have been updated with a new look and feel, with improved rider comfort across both product lines.
Husqvarna goes 3D
The Traxter MAX and Traxter PRO DPS models are now available in the XU package offering more protection and functionality than before.
HJC camo lid Oxford Products now has stock of the HJC CS-MX II. A competitively priced off-road helmet with an Advanced Polycarbonate Composite shell for light weight, CAD technology has been utilised throughout the design process to provide superior fit and comfort. A large eye port provides maximum visibility goggleimprovedandfit.The ACS Advanced heatbackallowsVentilationChannellingsystemfullfront-to-airflowtoflushandhumidityupand out. The Nylex interior is removable and washable. SRP is www.oxprod.com£99.99.
Off-road news
36 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk
OFF-ROADTheUK’STOPSELLINGRACEWEAR www.wulfsport.com01900873456
Once a bespoke spec has been finalised, the customer can choose to save it for future tinkering, or they can share it to their local dealer to kick of the buying process.Thefirst model to feature on the new platform is the FC450, with other motocross models scheduled to be added in the near future. The two-stroke TC250 is slated to be the next onto the platform. Husqvarna say this is an additional way to give dedicated motocross riders the machines they need to outperform the competition.
With correspondent Rick Kemp
For 2023, selected models of the Outlander and Renegade have been equipped with new technology such as an industry-first intelligent engine braking (IED) system and LED headlights. The IED system allows riders to adjust engine braking at the push of a button, with three pre-configured engine braking settings offered.
Husqvarna Motorcycles has announced the launch of a 3D configurator alongside the introduction of its new motocross range. The configurator claims to offer a unique design and functionality experience, allowing potential purchasers to specify and style a motocross machine to their individual requirements and to view the photorealistic model from any angle in a choice of Ascenarios.collaboration with tech firms Unreal Engine and Google led to the creation of the live-streaming, 3D configurator. Potential owners can now experiment with an almost infinite combination of options and technical accessories to create their own individual competitionCustomersmachine.canchoose from more than 150 items from the Husqvarna technical accessories range in the online configurator, which the manufacturer says will “help to form an additional line of communication between riders and dealers, from even before the customer commits to buy, right up to the point of motorcycle delivery.”
24MX HAS JUST COMPLETED ITS sponsorship of the ISDE for the second year, this time in Le Puy-enVelay,WithFrance.closeto six hundred riders from six continents competing in this year’s 6-Days, and 75% of the entry making up the one hundred and fifty amateur club teams, 24MX had the opportunity of directly engaging with its core audience.Thisiswhat FIM marketing and digital director Fabio Muner had to say. “Retaining official sponsors is very much part of our long-term strategy for the ISDE. Like other brands and companies that have extended their relationship with this unique event, 24MX has seen a direct benefit from being part of the 6-Days and being in front of some of their most important customers, the amateur racers who count on their extensive online services all year round. It will be great to have 24MX inside the ISDE paddock again.” Recognising and rewarding the achievement of every rider that crosses the finish line after six tough days in the saddle, 24MX again presented all the finishers with a trophy and a range of dedicated activations on the website.
The Renegade 110 EFI and Renegade XXC 110 EFI youth ATVs feature fuel-injected four-stroke engines, push-button electric starting and parental safety controls such as the ability to govern the top speed of the vehicle.
The SSVs aren’t left out either. The Maverick DS Turbo RR package now comes equipped with a sport roof and four-point retractable harnesses.
off-road
The 2023 Traxters also receive a suite of upgrades.
sponsorISDEOnline
ANDREA VER0NA #M0T0REX #RACEPR0VEN 2022 ENDURO1 WORLD CHAMPION 142 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
First UK visit for Supercross
newsOff-road
A statement issued by the team said that the director of Newcastle Diamonds “wishes to pass on his utmost apologies and considers that he did everything he possibly could to keep speedway alive at Newcastle”. It added that “dwindling crowd levels well below breakeven left him little choice but to cease trading”.
Diamonds fold
Adam Bailey is bringing Supercross to the UK
NEWCASTLE DIAMONDS SPEEDWAY TEAM HAS CEASED trading after reduced crowds led to financial losses. The team was run by Newcastle Diamonds Limited and took part in the Championship League, from the Newcastle Greyhound Stadium. To avoid further losses, activities have ceased and the team will no longer participate in any events.
But
auctionupcollectionSpeedwayfor
Parties that are owed money by the company will be contracted soon, including season ticket holders. Greg Whitehead from Northpoint Insolvency Practitioners has been appointed to assist with liquidation.
SX Global, a Queensland-based firm with financial backing from an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, stepped in, won the rights, and is now aiming for a longterm investment in the series, taking arena-based Supercross to a new live global audience.
HAVING BEEN ON DISPLAY AT the Haynes Motor Museum for a quarter of a century, the Forshaw Speedway Collection will be kickstarting Bonhams’ autumn sale at Stafford. The collection represents 60 years of speedway history from its beginnings in the 1920s. Led by an exemplary pre-war American duo of a Crocker and an Indian, estimates are £100,000150,000 and £90,000-130,000, respectively.Thecollection also includes European solo-style motorcycles, representing marques such as BSA, Douglas, Norton and Rudge. They are offered with associated memorabilia, including six engines and an extensive selection of race jackets. The collection has an estimate of more than £500,000. All the motorcycles and memorabilia were amassed by the late enthusiast and engineer Richard Forshaw, whose father, Captain Ivan Forshaw, was a former motorcycle racer before founding the family’s respected Aston Martin specialist business in Dorset. Richard was also, in his own words, “a former, if undistinguished, speedway rider with a passion for collecting the machinery of the sport”. The collection is being offered by Richard’s children. A family spokesperson said: “It has been an honour being custodians of our father’s collection. It represents a lifetime of enthusiasm and hard work searching for such rarities, and we hope they will find new and appreciative homes where they will be cherished in the same way that he cherished them.”
Adam Bailey, the motorsports MD at SX Global told us: “This is the first time that any event of this nature has been to the UK, and the first time a rider lineup of this calibre has been outside the US. It’s going to be exciting! Eli Tomac is going to be the favourite but there will also be a lot of amazing riders from around the world.”
38 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk
The high-octane arena motocross discipline of FIM-approved Supercross racing has been a purely American spectacle – up till now. Because a new Australian-based firm has won the rights to run a new World Supercross race series, and is taking the sport on the road, with the first round kicking off at the Principality Stadium in the centre of Cardiff on 8 October. The event has already grabbed some headline names, including Eli Tomac and Ken Roczen, with local interest from Brit racers Max Anstie and DeanTheWilson.inaugural 2022 season looks to be a two-round affair, with a second event to be held in Melbourne in November –though the organisers are also aiming to run a third event in Southeast Asia as we went to press.The background to this year’s events is intriguing: the American-based owners of the FIM Supercross rights handed them back voluntarily in 2020 at the height of the Covid crisis, apparently on the basis that no one else would want them.
Bonhams is at Stafford for its traditional Autumn sale at The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics show on 15 and 16 October.
to administration offices and design studios, where the firm’s European design staff create helmet graphics and designs to support the factory development functions. A slick showroom area rounds off the HQ area, with all the latest helmets and clothing on display. Refreshments follow, and a chat with CEO Guiseppe Porcu and co-owner Paul Liao, then it’s back to the hotel where we have the first new products presentation. LS2 looks to be well on top with the helmet side of its New 2023 products launched to LS2’s global distribution network
YEARS
BDN was invited to LS2’s 15th anniversary celebrations to visit the new European operations centre, see the new products on offer from the firm for 2022/23, and hear the plans for the future from the UK, European and global management teams.
WITHCELEBRATEDEXPANSION
40 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk Anniversary15thLS2
I
Alan Dowds reports
t’s a quadruple celebration for LS2 Helmets in 2022. First, this year sees the 15th anniversary of the Chinese brand, which was originally set up in 2007. The firm has also opened an enormous new European headquarters and logistics centre in Barcelona. It’s expanding massively into clothing and apparel as well as helmets, with a new textiles factory in China. And it is, of course, the first time that it’s been able to hold one of its huge global meetings for the whole LS2 team, from China and other parts of the Far East and Asia, to the United States, South America and Europe, since the pandemic started in 2019.
The first priority of the event was to visit the new premises, based just outside Barcelona in Terrassa, a busy suburb to the north. The firm is expanding, and the new warehouse can now hold an amazing 180,000 helmets, and 50,000 jackets, in a modern 16,000m2 logistics setup. The high-end office and showroom space take up another 3000m2 over three floors, and there are two shifts of warehouse workers, servicing the firm’s direct B2B delivery customers – more than 7000 stores across Europe – as well as supporting the five main European distributors in the UK, France, Italy, Germany and (of course) Spain. The numbers are impressive here too: LS2 is sold in 115 countries, with 96 distributors in total. And there were 50 of them attending the event, with a total of more than 200 staff at the Diagonal Mar Hilton hotel in Barcelona. Based at the Santa Margarida II industrial estate, the new premises are impressive, decked out in the firm’s trademark bright red paint scheme, with the LS2 logo picked out in white. We’re keen to see inside as LS2 have invested more than €12m in this latest expansion, but before we do, there’s an official opening ceremony, carried out by Paul Liao, one of the three brothers who own LS2 and the parent company MHR. Liao cuts a ribbon with a large pair of gold scissors, assisted by LS2’s European CEO Guiseppe Porcu and other senior country managers, and with a big cheer, the new LS2 HQ is open for business… We’re led through a row of loading bays, standing ready for HGVs to reverse into, and inside the pristine, freshly-built interior are enormous 15m high rows of pallet racking, with massive fork lifts picking their way through the maze of helmet boxes. The place is actually remarkably tidy, considering the staff have only just finished moving in from the previous premises, at Castella del Valles near Terrassa. They had one week to move the 140,000 helmets and other kit in stock and set up the logistics and software systems at the new location, all while keeping disruption to the day-to-day operations to a minimum. Away from the vital logistics functions, the other 3000m2 of the building are dedicated
NEW HELMETS
The last couple of years has been tough for many firms – though motorcycling did escape some of the worst affects of the Covid-19 pandemic. And Porcu reckons that LS2’s global nature helped out here too. “We should say that since May 2020, we never stopped completely. This is the good point of being distributed in 115 countries – some were closed, some were not. And when some were still closed, some were reopening. I still remember 2020 in Germany, all the shops opening. I was in the office myself – we never stopped receiving containers –and I said okay let’s see what happens. Then, when we restarted, the market was really positive, and we were ready with plenty of helmets in the warehouse. We were lucky. I remember in April, speaking to people in Germany, people were going into shops and buying helmets. People were looking for something to get out of the house, no more cars, no more buses, no more Metro. Then we had the first week of May: France and Italy opened and it was the same. I still remember 18 May when Spain, the last country, opened up. We had the best month in our history in July 2020, we shipped 94,000 helmets in one month. We had to move to three shifts, so 24 hours there were people preparing orders, It was crazy.”
What about developments at the production centre in China? “In China, they started in a much smaller building, half an hour drive away, then they moved to the area where they are now: Gonghe Town in Jiangmen Province. They had a lot of space, so they’ve started building more departments, taking on more people, now there are 1800 staff at the top of the season, all in helmet manufacturing.”
Paul Liao, co-owner of LS2 (second from right), helps cut the ribbon at the firms new HQ
Production methods were simple at the start – and working for large European brands helped the firm develop and grow. “It was the very easy way, with one mould! At that time, at the end of the 1990s, in Asia the reference for helmets was not China, it was Taiwan. And they learned quickly, and they kept trying hard. The big step was when they started working with some European brands. They taught them some things, and Arthur responded and tried to upgrade, to improve.
What about the move into bike clothing?
“Apparel is different, it will be in a new building, ready at the end of September. It’s the same story for garments, we started working for other brands, and step by step we said okay let’s focus on our own “Garmentsbrand.isabig expansion. It will grow, of course, we plan to do the same as we did with helmets. Not leathers in the short term, just textiles. Boots and gloves are not in-house at the moment, but they will be, we’re just taking the first steps.” business – but there’s more to come from the firm, with a massive push on clothing coming up. The LS2 bosses really see themselves as a growing mainstream player in the bike riding kit sector. And though it’s early steps for the brand – they have no leather options at the moment for example – the range of 2023 kit they showed off was compact in breadth and impressive in detail.
Porcu then filled us in with a brief history of the LS2 firm and brand itself, and the three brothers who started it up: Arthur, Paul and Stephan Liao. “The three brothers, they started making helmets in China in 1990, so a long time ago! Two years ago, we tried to celebrate 30 years of production [Covid prevented this]. They started, of course, only for the domestic market.
It was Arthur’s first business – he started seeing scooters and small motorcycles and thought there could be something interesting.”
And then around 2007 he said, ‘we are a family, why don’t we make our own brand?’ It was a big investment, and the first factory in China to do this.
SEPTEMBER 2022 41
GIUSEPPE PORCU CEO INTERVIEW
As with all helmet manufacturers, LS2 has a lot of work to do to keep up with the forthcoming ECE 22.06 regulations and all new shells are being made to meet the first new helmet standards introduced in 20 years. Luckily for its customers though, LS2 had plenty of new helmets on show in Barcelona, from the new Advant flip-front helmet through the Vector II sport touring helmet to the Drifter and X-Force off-road designs. The Advant is perhaps the most interesting for UK buyers, bringing the LS2 package of high-tech construction, advanced design and good value to the modular or flip-front sector. The firm’s got previous here, of course: its Valiant flip-front helmet was a big hit, and the Advant aims to build on that. The base design features a unique 180° rotating chin bar, auto visor lift mechanism, internal sun visor, metal micro-adjust buckle and supplied Pinlock, starting from £249 with the firm’s Kinetic Polymer Alloy (KPA) construction. Giuseppe Porcu with LS2’s UK country manager Paul Haskins (right)
BDN SAT DOWN WITH LS2’S ITALIAN CEO, Giuseppe Porcu, to discuss the history of LS2, where the brand has come from, how it coped with Covid-19, and what the future has in store? We started out by speaking about his own journey to LS2 – how did the 52-year-old Tuscan end up in Barcelona?
“I started with helmets, I was at Vemar in 1995, a long time ago! Then I moved to Givi in 2005, then in 2009 I had a phone call telling me about LS2. I already knew the firm, I had travelled in Asia, and then, of course, I said okay, they were just starting. 2008 was their first catalogue, then in 2009 I joined LS2, and here we are.”
www.britishdealernews.co.uk Anniversary15thLS2
A positive story from the Covid disaster then. And now, LS2 is opening a new European HQ and showed us a film of a new garment factory being built at its base in China. Porcu took us through the changes in Barcelona and the next steps for the firm globally. “In 2007 we started in Terrassa, with 1500 square metres, five workers in the warehouse, and a small office. Now we are here with 35 employees – 15 in the warehouse –and two shifts, but the plan is to have at least 1012 employees more by the end of the year. We’ve found that the more helmets we have the more we ship, and the more our dealers order. We have a very good B2B service, and if dealers see a product is available then the orders come in.”
“I think it’s like the story of many European helmet brands, that started in the 60s and 70s, they started with foreign brands and then made their own. Most of the Italian brands were built like this.”
Advant X-Force PAUL HASKINS UK
www.britishdealernews.co.uk Anniversary15thLS2
Next up in the range is the Advant-X, which uses LS2’s High-Performance Fibreglass Composite (HPFC) shell and a KPA chin bar. The Advant-X also has a different shell shape, with a more organic form at the rear, better system and tool-free visor swaps. There’s an internal flipdown sunvisor, Pinlock insert included in the box, and a metal micrometric buckle fastening. Add in an emergency cheek pad removal system, extensive venting, and a very light 1450g weight, and the Vector II looks like a very strong selling option, especially with the expected RRP of £180-£200. Want even more performance? There’s a full carbon version, again with six shells, weighing in at 1300g, on the way, with RRP to be confirmed.LS2hasalways been strong in the off-road sector, and the two new 22.06 designs look set to underline that. First up is the Drifter, which is a jet-style openface lid, ideal for trials or urban work, but which also includes a removable chin guard/mask section and detachable peak for full customisation. It has a KPA shell and should retail at under £100.
mouldingssticklevels.andshell,size–forheretouringhelmetsfor£329£249Advant.atjustfirm.onfullthefibrewhichtop-endventing.performanceaerodynamicandextensiveFinally,there’stheAdvant-XCarbon,notonlyusescarbonfortheshellbutalsoforchin-bar,makingittheonlycarbonconvertiblehelmetthemarket,accordingtotheThecarbonlidweighsinat1550g,withtheAdvant-X1600gand1650gforthebaseRRPsaretemptingtoo:forthestandardmodel,fortheXandaround£399thecarbonconstruction.Nextonthelistofnew22.06istheVectorIIsportlid,andtheheadlineisanamazingsixshellsizestheeightfitments(XS-4XL)meaningalmosteveryhelmethasitsownbespokeoutergivingtheoptimumsizeweightfortheprotectionThat’sunusual:mostfirmswithfourorfewerouteracrossthesizeranges.ThestandardmodelusesLS2’s
LS2 KICKED OFF ITS 2023 clothing range launch with the new Rambla Evo (a fitting name in the home of the La Rambla tourist street). It’s a sharp-looking urban jacket, with a removable hood, breathable waterproof membrane, closable zipped vents and a removable thermal liner for perfect temperature control. The outer polyester spandex shell features reflective strips, subtle colourways and multi-adjustable cuffs, waist and hem. Available in men’s and ladies’ sizes from XS-5XL, it also boasts LS2’s own ‘slow bounce’ CE-approved armour in elbows and shoulders, plus a pocket for an optional LS2 back protector. Next up is the Scout touring jacket, with all-season capabilities, a 600D fabric outer shell, removable waterproof breathable membrane, removable thermal liner, and extensive ventilation areas. There are stretch panels and extensive adjustments on collars, cuffs, arms and waist. LS2 designers of the Velcro neck adjuster on the collar itself rather than the flap part – helping prevent damage to your helmet strap from a harsh grippy Velcro section waving around. The Sepang jacket looks set to be a massive seller for LS2 dealers too. The entry-level design has a 600 denier polyester outer shell with waterproof breathable membrane, removable thermal liner and LS2’s soft bounce CE armour in elbows and shoulders, with a back protector pocket. The price is to be confirmed, but expect it to be super value. Finally, at the top end of the range is the new Titanium jacket, which is LS2’s first garment with a laminated breathable waterproof 150d polyester material for the shell. It’s a four-season design, with removable thermal jacket inner and extensive venting, CE protectors in elbows and shoulders, and a range of subtle colourways with neat high-viz
Rambla EvoScout SepangTitanium CONTACT LS2
NEW
The X-Force is a high-end full-face carbon fibre dirt helmet, packed with features. There’s a double D-ring strap, extensive venting, adjustable peak, four shell sizes and a fully removable/washable liner. Prices are TBC on the X-Force. The LS2 folk also released a totally new product: the Aura goggles. The firm has invested in special moulding manufacturing kit to produce its own doubleinjection moulded frame, with polycarbonate lenses and closed venting foam surround. There’s a removable nose guard, 50mm strap with silicone gripper strips and full adjustability, held on wide outrigger mounts on each side. LS2 has also incorporated a new two-pin tear-off setup, and a world first on goggles: an internal Pinlock insert, to prevent fogging. Available in six colours, and in a special Pro package that includes an iridium-coated lens and laminated tear-off kit. sales director:
07932 725119 INDEPENDENT AGENTS DAVE PRIDDLE South West & South Wales: 07900 682775 JON RUSSELL London & South East: 07582 512581 LEE BELL Midlands & North Wales: 07582 178996 PETER CAMPBELL North East, North West & Scotland: 07966 431388 STEVE FORSTER Northern & Southern Ireland: +353 876 486863 TRADE HOTLINE 01670 856342
CLOTHING
“WHATABOUTERY” What very few people seem to be talking about is the impact on those employees who are already working a four-day week for, well, four days’ pay. What about them? These
FOUR-DAY WEEKS –A TRIAL FOR SOME?
BeatBusiness Business Beat
Evidence from Europe suggests similar trials were hugely successful, reduced stress, improved morale and boosted productivity over a sustained period. The environmental benefits have been well-documented, too, with marked decreases in the participating countries’ carbon footprints. Workers only have to turn up for four days of hard graft, whilst still – and here is the thing we’re all excited about – getting paid for five days’ work. And the employers see an increase in productivity. But if a four-day week, which has been shown in studies across the world to lead to an increase in morale, production, and general brilliance among the globe’s workers, is put in place, what are the downsides? Are there any obstacles? Everyone’s a winner, surely?
A four-day week sounds like utopia. However, it presents employers and employees with problems to manage T here has been much in the press about a four-day week trial, which is running in the UK this summer. The trial comes amid growing interest from businesses around the world in the potential benefits of giving workers an extra day off. The pilot programme will be run in conjunction with Cambridge and Oxford academics alongside Boston College, the UK 4 Day Week Campaign and the thinktank Autonomy. It is being overseen by 4 Day Week Global, a campaign group. It is arguably not revolutionary, as these things have been discussed and tried before. This time however, it feels more serious.
Written in association with Kate Watson
with Adam Bernstein www.abfeatures.com BeatBusinessCloud-based Dealer Management System DeepBlue CloudDMS Web deepbluesystems.com Phone 020 8541 4131 Email sales@deepbluesystems.com
CHALLENGES AHEAD There are certainly challenges, but this is what trials are for. And it may well be that even where employers are having to foot the bill for an increase in pay for those who currently work part-time, the boost in productivity is sufficient to cover any associated costs, with interest. Now that would be a revolution for all.
Kate Watson is an employment lawyer and senior associate at VWV.
Employers are going to need to treat their parttime employees fairly and no less favourably than their ‘full-time’ staff. If their full-time staff are now working four days a week and being paid for five days, this will, of course, have a knockon impact on their existing part-time staff
JUSTIFICATION TEST The test for whether discrimination has taken place means understanding whether the less favourable treatment is justifiable on objective grounds. What this means, essentially, is whether a reasonable person would take the view that they have been disadvantaged in some way. When that fourday-a-week (part-time) staff member looks around and sees their colleagues suddenly working the same hours as them for 20% more pay, this is very likely to feel like a disadvantage. And less favourable treatment cannot be offset by more favourable treatment of a different kind. If, for example, XYZ Ltd decided to offer its existing parttimers a free lunch and an extra day’s holiday, to make them feel better, this is not going to offset the disadvantage suffered in the pay packet. The short answer is employers are going to need to treat their part-time employees fairly and no less favourably than their ‘full-time’ staff. If their full-time staff are now working four days a week and being paid for five days, this will, of course, have a knock-on impact on their existing part-time staff. This is unlikely to be surprising, but it seems that very few business leaders are talking about this as the UK moves towards its trial of a shorter working-week.
The trial is due to last six months and these questions will arise in virtually all businesses taking part. They will need to be answered and the realities of the cost and management impact must be fully analysed.
people are called ‘part-time workers.’ We are familiar with them and have been working with them for some time. They receive 80% of their full-time colleagues’ salaries, precisely because they spend 20% less time at work. Some may work even fewer hours. Where does this all leave them and their employers? Some employers may be far more heavily affected by this aspect of the trial than others. Those with a high proportion of part-time staff may, quite naturally, have a lot of questions.
The Part-Time Workers’ Regulations govern the treatment of part-time staff, and under Regulation 5, a part-time worker has the right not to be treated less favourably than the employer treats a comparable full-time worker either as regards the terms of their contract, or by being subjected to any other detrimental act, or deliberate failure to act, by theirThisemployer.applieswhere the reason for the less favourable treatment is the fact that they work part-time. If for example, a part-time worker is overlooked for promotion, but the employer can show that the reason was because of performance concerns, this would not amount to less favourable treatment on the ground of part-time status.
IT COULD GET EXPENSIVE This regime will affect different employers very differently. Some may not feel the impact at all, whilst others may find it impossible to adopt on cost grounds, particularly where they have a higher-than-average number of part-time workers. Perhaps there will need to be radical overhauls of an employer’s IT systems, or increased staffing to cover those ‘lost’ fifth days. Perhaps they can cover their working hours by putting their staff on varied rotas, so they work different days every week. It could get complex and expensive. Some employers, particularly in public services such as schools, cannot simply allow staff to go home for a day without putting in place a replacement staff member, or more inventively timetabling their employees’ time.
Employers with a high proportion of parttime staff may feel alarmed or discouraged about this trial, or from considering adopting its principles in future. They may be thinking of reducing their part-timers’ hours still further, in line with the reduction seen by the full-time staff. Or they may be concerned that the cost of increasing their current part-time employees’ salaries to match (albeit with any remaining pro-rating applied) those full-timers now entitled to work fewer hours for the same pay, will outweigh the benefits they may see and so they give it no further thought. And what then? Other companies, keen to be seen as the market-leaders or keen to attract the best staff, may drive the changes forward, leaving those employers with higher parttime worker costs struggling to recruit.
“To make new businesses really strong and viable, dealers need to be good at upselling all the add-ons. The sign-up process is quite simple, although you’ve got the usual hoops to jump through with regard to floor plan providers. Potential new dealers often ask us ‘Well, how many would we sell?’ You can look at market share and statistics all you like but because it’s a brand that’s growing, we simply let them have the bikes and then we ask them the question later on – the bikes are good enough to sell themselves.
“If you look at Germany and France these markets sell about 2000 bikes a year. Our best year so far was 2021, when we sold 800. The simple reason why we are selling fewer bikes is that we have fewer dealers, but we’re working on that. Their dealer networks are more extensive – there are 40 dealers in Germany and 35 in France. We now have 20, including three that opened in the last six months.
You could say that Indian Motorcycle UK is on a roll – new dealers, new models and new markets.
Andy Simpson, national sales manager with Claire D’Auria, marketing manager
The company was finally rescued by London-based private equity firm Stellican, which purchased the Indian Motorcycle assets and established an Indian Motorcycle manufacturing facility in King’s Mountain, North Carolina. Stellican sold on Indian Motorcycle, as private equity companies do, to Polaris Industries in 2011, which created the company we know today. Manufacturing takes place at facilities in Spirit Lake, Iowa and at its off-road vehicle manufacturing facility at Opole in Poland. The national sales manager for Indian Motorcycle UK is Andy Simpson, who’s been with the company for nearly four years. Prior to that, he was with the Ducati importer for Australia and New Zealand for seven years, looking after sales and dealer development, having previously spent a decade with Ducati UK. Simpson is ideally placed to fill in the back
models started arriving in late 2014 and 2015. At that time a number of Victory dealers [Victory was also owned by Polaris] transitioned to become Indian dealers. Over the intervening years the business has developed –and not just the bikes but also the accessories, the apparel and the lifestyle aspects.
I’d like to be in the position that anyone thinking about a cruiser, or a big tourer, will have us on that shopping list
“While it’s not solely about converting H-D customers, Harley riders usually find that our bikes are an eye-opener in terms of the experience and the quality. We had an event recently where we featured a Chieftain and when people took it off the side stand, they couldn’t believe how light it was. Also, not everyone is aware of the brand heritage, as Indian is a relatively new brand to them, so they have no preconceptions about the performance or the quality.”
Rick Kemp visited the Coleshill Indian headquarters to meet the team and find out more
MotorcycleIndian
CLEAR CONCISE LAYOUT ALL THE MAJOR DATES INCLUDED A MUST ON DEALERS’ WALLS NATIONWIDE LARGE DISTRIBUTEDFORMATIN THE 2022 DECEMBER ISSUE OF BDN WALL PLANNER The trade’s favourite wallpaper 2023
“Thestory.new
Distinctive by design
Perhaps overshadowed in this country by that other American V-twin motorcycle manufacturer, Indian can, however, lay claim to being the first, with the original company launching in 1897. Okay, there were a few decades when nothing much happened followed by corporate turmoil. The brand received an unexpected boost in 2005 when the film The World’s Fastest Indian, starring Anthony Hopkins, became a box-office success.
brands. The self-promotion aspect has been enhanced by the recent range expansion, with Indian now offering eight models with 20 variants, not to mention the colour options.
Everyone who buys an Indian gets registered as an Indian Motorcycle Rider, which means that they get included in dealer communications regarding events and offers. Some owners become brand ambassadors, enthusing about their particular machine to owners of other
Corporate identity is also part of D’Auria’s brief which, she says, is a bit of a doddle when compared to the automotive industry.
MotorcycleIndian
“I’d like to be in the position that anyone thinking about a cruiser, or a big tourer, will have us on that shopping list – they don’t just go for the default habitual purchase. Brand awareness has to be top of our priorities at the moment. We need to be exhibiting alongside other brands, so potential customers can see the quality and how different we are.”
Building a range is important for any motorcycle brand and each Indian model is targeted at a slightly different customer. Take the FTR. It’s aimed at the younger customer, but it appeals to BMW, Harley and Japanese brand riders too. The age demographic for UK owners is similar to that of Germany and France at 45-55 but the UK is stronger in the below 30 and above 70 age range. “You can’t buy back the years, but you can still buy the experience” as they say. For the younger customer it’s just a cool bike that’s not too intimidating. It sits in its own slot, you won’t find it in a magazine group test with other brands. Another thing that Indian has going for it is the fact that it’s not a Harley, so its bikes can be ridden without the rider being instantly identified as an ‘outlaw biker’. The Scout appeals across the board: male, female, older or younger, anyone who wants a bike that’s nice and low and easy to handle –and it accounts for 40% of UK sales. There have been some supply issues. Typically, 10-15% of the stock is heavyweights, the big tourers, which come directly from the States while everything else comes from the Opole plant in Poland, although all the engines are produced in the States and shipped to Poland.Inthe UK there are some 3000 Indian bikes, which gives them a certain rarity value and so boosts their used prices, another strong point for potential dealers. Building brand awareness is high on the list for Indian Motorcycle UK. Sure the name has been around for over a century, but not over here. Simpson wants to retain brand exclusivity which, in turn, contributes to dealer productivity. Yes, Indian wants more dealers in certain open areas but not at any cost, so the maximum number would be around 25-30 nationwide.
Some of the new models are specifically aimed at the European market as a result of factory personnel coming over the water from the States to France to ride the roads and get a feel for the market. There is now a design team based permanently in Geneva. Going the other way, Indian has adopted some American habits for the UK market such as contesting the Flat Track Racing Association Championship with the introduction of its FTR Championship Edition. The FTR model in particular looks and feels more European with its Brembo brakes, Akrapovič exhaust, Metzeler Sportec tyres and a full complement of sophisticated electronics including touchscreen display, three-ride modes, wheelie control with rear lift mitigation, stability control, traction control and cornering ABS.
Most of the design and engineering refinement is thanks to Polaris and the result is a heritage brand that looks the part without seeming ‘agricultural’ and, as a result, has the capability of creating its own market. Indian Motorcycle UK, Unit 11, Forge Mills Park, Station Road, Coleshill, Warwickshire B46 1JH 01675 www.indianmotorcycle.co.uk437240
Getting customers through the door is down to marketing and that’s the responsibility of Claire D’Auria. She has come from the automotive sector, working at dealership level with sales managers. Motorcycling is in her blood on her father’s side, and after passing her bike test she hasn’t really looked back. D’Auria is developing the social media side. “The dealers are mainly responsible for creating the riders’ groups and organising events, but the online presence creates the glue. Every owner gets an Indian Motorcycle Passport, and they are encouraged to visit dealers around the country, where they get a special stamp –this forms the Indian Motorcycle Rally.”
DEALER OPEN POINTS 1. Surrey/West Sussex 2. North Hampshire 3. North Yorkshire 4. Newcastle 5. Hertfordshire 6. Staffordshire 7. East Riding 8. Lincolnshire 132 5 6 7 8 4 GET YOUR BRAND IN FRONT OF THE TRADE 365 DAYS A YEAR Book Today... t: 01237 422660 e: adsales@dealernews.co.uk Prices from £85.00
INVEST IN A GOAT Valentino Rossi is widely regarded as the Greatest Of All Time (other GOATS are available) and having the name of your business displayed prominently on his leathers/helmet/ bike would undoubtedly get you noticed, but is that enough to satisfy the genie? Will people see your logo and suddenly rush out and start spending money with you?
DAN SAGER FOUNDED THE FAB-BIKER PR AGENCY IN 1996 AND currently represents many well-known businesses and brands in the motorcycle industry. In a new series exclusive to BDN, Dan asks us to use our imagination to solve common marketing challenges. fab-biker.co.uk
Successful sponsorship will bring new customers to your door, but to be effective you need to negotiate more than just a sticker!
heroestocouldyourmassivecouldopportunity.incredibleNotonlyyougeneratepublicityforbusiness,youalsogainaccessyoursporting
www.britishdealernews.co.uk to howyou promoteand sell yourproductsservicesor
Imagine that you uncover a dusty old oil can while rummaging around in the storeroom. Thinking it might be valuable, you give it a quick wipe with a damp cloth, and, to your amazement, a genie appears in a puff of smoke. After thanking you for releasing it from its tin prison, the genie grants you the means to sponsor anyone you want, but there’s a catch. In order for your wish to be fulfilled, you must reveal to the genie what you expect in return for your investment and explain how it will benefit your business. What an incredible opportunity. Not only could you generate massive publicity for your business, you could also gain access to your sporting heroes. It’s a win-win, providing you can justify your choice to the genie of the oil can.
CHARITY WORKS
MattersMarketing MATTERS MARKETING Expert advice
PITCH PERFECT Motorcycle racing is not the only sport. You could reach a much wider audience by sponsoring more mainstream athletes or teams. At the time of writing, Manchester City are leading the Premier League, with an average match attendance of 50,000+, and that’s before we consider television viewers. What else could you demand in return for your backing besides your name on their kit? How would you make a connection between elitefootballersprofessionalandthethingsyousell?Youcanseewhya sports clothing brand or retailer might want to get involved, but it’s going to be tricky convincing the demanding genie that you’re getting value for money.
GENIESPONSORSHIP
Maybe regularly mentioning your company in social media posts to his legions of fans or offer VIP hospitality at race meetings to your best customers.
Lots of businesses, big and small, donate to charities. Sometimes because it’s a cause close to the director’s heart or because they want to be seen to be ‘giving something back’ so customers believe they are shopping with an ethical brand. What could the charity do to repay your generosity? Clearly, you’d expect them to feature your logo on all their promotional material, but they could also create content (videos, social media posts) showing people the things that your support enabled them to do. Better still, they could thank your customers for supporting your business which, in turn, supports their good work. Everyone’s a winner.Ifyou aren’t lucky enough to stumble across a magic oil can, you can still think about what you expect in return for any sponsorship deal. A sticker on a bike doesn’t sound like it would impress a genie.
improve
Sponsorship doesn’t have to be sporty, of course. There are celebrity endorsements to be bought, and you could even sponsor events, such as shows or festivals. Or you could use your unlimited budget to do something really good and support a charity.
THE
What an
NEXT MONTH We start a brand-new series, looking at ways to make your marketing budget go further when times get tough.
Think about things that Valentino could do that directly benefit you, such as making personal appearances at your showrooms or starring in a series of promotional videos.
McAMS is the leading motorcycle accident management company McAMS is a trading name of Direct Accident Management Limited which is part of the Anexo Group PLC and is a company registered in England and Wales. Company No.: 03259554. Direct Accident Management Limited is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 836071). Telephone calls may be recorded for training and quality purposes.. 25 years' experience Repair work stays with you Fast Nationwidepaymentnetwork of over 1000 motorcycle businesses & training schools Helping your customers get back on the road Warranty that delivers... When it comes to quality our Safe & Sound Warranty package delivers unrivalled cover and peace of mind for your customers. Open it up and you’ll discover a service you can trust, one that delivers you unmatched opportunities to attract more business and grow your margins. Service you can trust, quality you can rely on. T: 01844 293810 E: sales@wmsgroup.co.uk W: wmsgroup.co.uk Motorcycle Warranty Cover Complete peace of mind - With WMS Specialist Roadside Recovery included with the warranty Unlike other providers - We have no limitation on mileage. We have a dedicated motorcycle team to support you Keeping you mobile - Through a fast and efficient claims process to get you back on the road quickly
Employers often wish that staff would go just that little bit further, both for the business and the customer. With the right motivation they will
The latest news and views in the world of business
CATALYST A Constellation Software Company 0116 230 1500 | sales@catalyst-uk.com | www.catalyst-uk.com
The Business
EMPLOY THE RIGHT STAFF
DELEGATE Managers manage, and others do. That’s the whole point of having staff. That said, no one likes to have their boss looking, watching everything that they’re doing. Assuming staff have been employed correctly, managers ought to able to delegate tasks and assume that they’ve been done correctly. It’s all about
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t’s true – motivation cannot be imposed; it has to come from within. But it’s also true that firms can create structures that bring out the best in people. The ideal is a workplace that does well financially, which is also fun to be a part of, where staff willingly work hard and push themselves further. And any SME that gets this right has a good chance of staying the course – after all, people buy people, and a strong service ethic gets noticed by customers. BUT HOW? Offer work that is important and useful. No one wants to go to work to waste their time; everyone wants to feel that they’re achieving and doing something useful.
EssentialsBusiness
Managers of businesses, no matter how small, must help staff feel that their work has a sense of purpose. Managers need to see to it that every task is seen as necessary. If a task cannot be excised but is dull and offers little satisfaction, it either needs reworking or spreading around so that everyone – including managers – takes some of the pain.
I
There’s the apocryphal story that involved President Kennedy’s visit to NASA in 1962. The story suggests that Kennedy saw a cleaner carrying a broom. Interrupting his tour, Kennedy walked over to the man and said, “Hi, I’m Jack Kennedy. What are you doing?” “Well, Mr President,” the janitor responded, “I’m helping put a man on the moon.” The point is any job can have purpose – it just needs to be found and communicated.
Employment law is very prescriptive about the recruitment process and what employers can and cannot do. However, there’s nothing to stop a firm seeking out, on a non-discriminatory basis, high achievers who are self-starting, selfmotivated whose enthusiasm will rub off and raise the morale of the others. By extension, the law allows employers, through a fair process, to remove those who underperform or who aren’t team players. If they’re not working for the business, they need to leave before they irreparably infect other employees. Good legal advice is essential though.
Ten ways to motivate your staff
thosemanagersSuccessfularethattake the time to understand their employees and what makes them tick
DON’T BE STINGY
Finding replacement staff is costly and time consuming – doubly so if it means retraining someone to replace the lost knowledge.
All-in-one Business Management Soſtware for Motorcycle Dealers CATALYST A Constellation Software Company0116 230 1500 | sales@catalyst-uk.com | www.catalyst-uk.com Complete Business Solution. Easy to Use
Essentials
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TEAM BUILD Staff need to work as a team rather than as individuals vying for attention. Birthdays, weddings, personal events should be celebrated with cakes, a drink or whatever is appropriate. Of course, retail doesn’t really ever stop, but even so, it’s about making a point – ideally during the working day rather than in private time – showing that managers care while giving staff an opportunity to bond.
Pay is fundamental as we all have aspirations and bills to pay – a pertinent point given today’s inflation. But while pay isn’t critical for all, it’s most certainly a de-motivator if staff feel that they’re underpaid and overtasked. Retail doesn’t generally operate on anything other than thin margins, but firms still need to show that they pay fairly and in line with the market. If there is scope, and the work warrants it, firms should do what they can to reward employees with increases or bonuses. If they don’t, employees will seek opportunities elsewhere – and given the Big Quit this is a very real prospect.
KEEP IT SIMPLE Rules are necessary for the proper operation of any organisation as well as society. However, they are meant to be interpreted and broken if necessary to serve a higher purpose. Employees should be given broad rules to operate by but allowed to find ways of doing things to the benefit of the customer and the business. In other words, staff shouldn’t be burdened with minor rules, regulations, and detail; it’s odds on they’ll end up (accidentally) breaking them and if nothing else, it’s demoralising.
EssentialsBusiness
trust – managers should dole out duties and only intervene if there’s a problem.
RESPECT Regardless of religious views, there are tracts within the Bible from which we could all learn. Take Matthew 7:12 – “Whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them…” In other words, we should treat others the way we want to be treated ourselves. Staff don’t react well if they’re shouted at, insulted, demeaned, accused, or suffer sarcastic comments hurled at them. Managers that treat staff this way find two certainties – staff will treat managers as hostile and will look to leave at the earliest opportunity; and firms could end up at an Employment Tribunal fighting an expensive claim.
with Adam Bernstein www.abfeatures.com
BE PERSONAL Successful managers are those that take the time to understand their employees and what makes them tick. They learn about their desires, aims and families and this means that not only will they (hopefully) start to care about them, they will have a clue as to what can be done to retain them.
LEAD FROM THE FRONT Lastly, a very simple point. Managers should show staff that whatever they’re doing, no matter how well the business is doing, that they’re in the thick of it with them. Managers need to lead from the front and take their turn with the worst of the jobs.
TO FINISH Motivating staff isn’t hard. It just needs a caring attitude and some thought. Those that get it right reap the rewards of what they sow while others fall by the wayside.
RECOGNISE GOOD WORK We work for a number of reasons, economic – we need money to exist, social – we crave interaction with others, and reward – we like a sense of belonging and public acknowledgement of good work. Any good manager worth their salt will note good work and ensure that everyone or, if the firm is big enough, up the chain – knows of the effort that an individual has expended on behalf of the business. Done properly this will percolate throughout the business.
For a staff member who has been working late, a handwritten letter, acknowledging their efforts, sent to their home with a voucher for a night out with their partner will go down well… especially if it’s for something that they value.
Givi trolley mount 4
The latest products for your showroom ProductsnewsProduct
Knox Honister TOPPING KNOX’S ARMOURED SHIRT range is the recently-launched Honister. Made from a newly-designed mesh fabric, the Honister has been developed for warmweather riding and provides AAA-rated, CE approved protection. Knox’s own Level-2 Micro-Lock Compact low-profile impact protectors are fitted at the shoulders, elbows and back, and are said to be 60% lighter as well as thinner and more supple. It comes in sizes S-5XL only in black for an SRP of £379.99. 01900Knox; sales@planet-knox.com825825;
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HJC i40 Panadi 5 HJC’S SEMI-JET I40 MODEL HAS BEEN TREATED TO A NEW GRAPHIC finish. The Panadi has a polycarbonate shell and a moisture-wicking, antibacterial SilverCool interior lining, with sculpted grooves to allow glasses to be worn while riding, and pockets to accept a pair of Bluetooth speakers. There’s a drop-down smoke tint sun visor and the main visor comes Pinlockready. The new Panadi graphic version comes in three colourways – black/ white/yellow, black/white/orange and black/pink in sizes XS-2XL for an SRP of £129.99. Oxford Products; 01993 862300; info@oxprod.com
Kappa Stryker KAPPA HAS EXTENDED ITS STRYKER RANGE OF SOFT LUGGAGE WITH three additional items – a cylinder bag, a saddle bag and a cargo bag. All three are made from high-frequency welded tarpaulin PVC and are waterproof and wear resistant. The cylinder bag has a 30 litre capacity and can be attached to the saddle or rear rack with two supplied straps. SRP is £36.95. The saddle bag can carry 40 litres and has a handle and carry strap for use off the bike. SRP is £60.95. Last, and least in terms of capacity, is the 15 litre cargo bag which can be mounted on a rack or on top of a rigid side case using four supplied straps. It has a rear mesh pocket, reflective logos and a reinforced interior lining to support the structure of the bag. SRP is £51.95. Hoco Parts UK; 01484 641073; info@hocoparts.co.uk
A GREAT IDEA FOR THE TRAVELLING biker. Whether you are jetting off for a weekend away, or just need to carry stuff to the office after a two-wheeled commute, the new Givi E206 makes it easier as it turns any Monokey rigid top box or side case into a wheeled luggage trolley. The lightweight device folds down to a compact 39cm long for carrying, and then extends out to 100cm to allow a comfortable gait when pulling it along behind. It’s made from extruded aluminium and stress-resistant plastic, with replaceable steel bearings fitted in the wheels. SRP is £59.99. Givi UK; 01327 info@givi.co.uk706220;
A NEW MODULAR HELMET WHICH HAS BEEN HOMOLOGATED TO BE ROAD legal in both the open and closed positions, the AGV Tourmodular has a lightweight shell made from a combination of carbon, aramid and glass fibre. Its aerodynamic shape is a result of AGV’s MotoGP experience and it also promises to exceed current safety standards. The visor opening is an ultra-wide 190 degrees for improved peripheral vision, and the 4mm-thick visor comes equipped with a Pinlock 120 antifog insert backed up by a drop-down sun visor. Inside, the lining is made from a combination of Ritmo and Shalimar sweatabsorbing fabrics along with a synthetic leather edging. The shell has been designed to accept the Insyde integrated DMC (Dynamic Mesh Communication system – or intercom in layman’s language) which has been developed in conjunction with specialist firm Cardo and allows up to 15 riders to chat from up to 6km away. It comes in sizes from XS to XXL in a range of solid colours from £449.99 or in graphic options for £529.95. The AGV Insyde comms system is an extra £289.99.
AGV Tourmodular
PYRAMID PLASTICS has launched new auxiliary light guards for Triumph1200Tigermodels to protect against stone strikes. Made from 3D-printed PA12 nylon they come in a matt black finish for an SRP of £35. Pyramid Plastics; 01427
sales@pyramid-plastics.co.uk677990;
DNA info@dnafilters.comFilters; YSS Classic MX shocks 34 IF YOU NEED TO UPGRADE A CLASSIC twin-shock motocross bike to more high-tech suspension then YSS has an answer. The firm’s new VMX range combines vintage looks with modern technology suitable for more than 70 different 1970s and 80s MX models including Honda, KTM, Maico and Suzuki. The VMX range comes in three versions: the RX gas shocks have rebound and preload adjustment; the RC has external reservoirs and adjustable preload; and the RZ tops the range by combining external gas reservoirs with adjustable rebound, compression and preload. Larsson UK;01536 info@larsson.uk.com265633; Tiger guards 4
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MotoDirect;01773 864420;sales@moto-direct.com
DNA filter DNA NOW HAS A WASHABLE PERFORMANCE AIR filter to fit 2022 Royal Enfield Classic 350 models. The Stage 2 kit replaces the OE filter and intake snorkel and promises improved airflow and better induction noise. The filter features four layers of cotton fibres to give a filtration efficiency of 98% and is said to give a isandhassetup.withairflowimprovement99.5%incomparedthefactoryThefilteranSRPof€90theStage2kit€35.
SHORT CUTS
Parts Europe; 0049 6501 9695 sales@partseurope.eu1035;
SRP
54 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk newsProduct
Oxford Products; 01993 862300; info@oxprod.com Weise Ridge 6 THE NEW AA-RATED PROTECTIVE Ridge jeans from Weise are made from 11.5oz stretch denim with double- or triple-stitched seams, making them well suited to warmer days in the saddle. The lining is aramid fibre with CE-approved armour at the knees and hips. They come in a choice of black or blue, in men’s sizes 30-42in waist in short and regular leg lengths, and ladies’ sizes 8-22 for an SRP of £139.99. The Key Collection; 01179 sales@thekeycollection.co.uk719200;
BMW special edition R18s 5 BMW MANAGED TO SHIFT 238 EXAMPLES OF ITS GARGANTUAN R18 RETRO CRUISER IN 2021, AND WOULD like to increase that number for 2022. To that end, the Bavarian manufacturer has given the R18 a candy-coloured twist to whet the appetites of potential customers. The First Edition Limited colour schemes are limited to just 40 machines (10 of each colour) in the 1970s-style metallic shades of Sunset Orange, Verde Ermes, Marina Bay Blue and Purple Silk. BMW Motorrad UK; 0800 777155 CAFÉ RACER VOL.2 A FOLLOW UP TO HIS BOOK CHRONICLING THE rise of the café racer culture of the 1950s, author Michael Cowton’s Café Racer Vol.2 continues to explore the history of one of the most influential cultural movements in motorcycling. The new book brings the café racer story up to date, looking at the retro boom and the backstreet mechanics, engineers and enthusiasts who are putting the cool in modern two-wheel culture. is £8.99. Media; 01507 529529 info@mortons.co.uk HELMET HOLDER A SIMPLE YET EFFECTIVE WAY TO STOP A helmet rolling around while you are trying to clean it or do some maintenance, Bike It’s Helmet Donut is made from soft polyurethane embossed with the company’s logo. It measures 220 x 195mm, making it large enough to accommodate any style of lid. SRP is £19.99. Bike It; 02380 tradesales@bikeit.co.uk658700;
Oxford chair IF YOU ARE A FAN OF TAKING YOUR MOTORBIKE ON CAMPING TRIPS, then you are probably also fed up with having to sit on the floor once you are pitched up and ready to relax. So Oxford Products has leapt to the rescue and has designed a compact folding camping chair that will provide a low-slung but comfy perch for the evening. The Camping Chair is made from 600D polyester mesh fabric on an aluminium frame and weighs just 900g. It comes with a zip-up storage bag to make it easy to carry on the bike for an SRP of £49.99.
EBIKE CATALOGUE FOR DEALERS WHO LIKE TO DABBLE IN A BIT OF pedal-powered action in their showrooms, Parts Europe has released a catalogue covering a huge range of eMTB parts, accessories and rider gear. It covers hard parts (many with crossover potential with motocross machinery), clothing and footwear, and accessories from a wide range of familiar and new brands. Available free online, or as a printed copy.
Mortons
Mivv for Harley4 HARLEY-DAVIDSON’S RELATIVELY RECENT MOVE INTO THE adventure bike sector has seen a flurry of activity from aftermarket accessory manufacturers keen to adorn the Pan America 1250 with profit-producing parts. Latest contender is Italian exhaust manufacturer Mivv, which has optimised the hexagonal forms of its Speed Edge silencer to suit the maxienduro lines of the big Harley. Available in black stainless steel or titanium, both with a carbon-fibre end cap, the Speed Edge is a straight swap for the stock silencer but saves 1.4kg (or 1.6kg for the titanium version) and adds a couple of extra horsepower for good measure. The black stainless version is €780 and the titanium version is €810. Moto GB Distribution; 01706 leovincegb@gmail.com212102; F-series frame covers A POPULAR CHOICE FOR BMW’S ubiquitous R1200 GS and GS Adventure models, Wunderlich’s frame covers, which fill in the side opening on the rear frame, are now available for the slightly smaller F750 GS, F850 GS and F850 GS Adventure models. The covers are said to reduce the amount of dust and dirt thrown up by the rear wheel that reaches the legs of the rider and passenger. They are made from 3mm thermoplastic material and have been moulded for a precise fit and include an opening to access the seat lock. The covers also come with a pair of integrated drybags which are tailor made to fit and can be attached using included quick release fasteners. The bags are made from Cordura with a waterproof laminate and water-resistant zippers, and have a capacity of 2 litres per side. SRP for an entire set of two covers and two bags is €239. sales@wunderlich.de+49Wunderlich;26413082-703;
Exploring new trails is always exciting 60% on-road and 40% adventureoff-roadtyre for large adventuredisplacementbikes BIRCH
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mitas-moto.com @mitasmoto CHRIS
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A LIGHTWEIGHT SNEAKER STYLE MOTORCYCLE BOOT, THE SHADOW IS made in Italy from locally-sourced materials, in this case a combination of canvas and oiled leather for the uppers and anti-slip rubber for the sole with
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New Suzuki scooters
Suzuki
SUZUKI HAS ANNOUNCED TWO NEW SCOOTERS TO GO ON SALE FROM OCTOBER – THE ADDRESS 125 AND Avensis 125. The Address features a new 124cc Eco Performance engine which promises up to 148mpg along with nippy acceleration. Other features include an LED headlight, analogue speedo and digital display, plus underseat storage and a front storage pocket with a USB socket for charging personal electronics.
THE SUZUKI GSX-S1000GT sports tourer is the brand’s bestselling model so far this year. Based on this success, Skidmarx has developed a taller screen to make long distance rides more comfortable. Made from 3mm cast acrylic, the new screen is 47cm tall and has a “flip” at the top to deflect wind blast over the rider’s head. The screen is a direct replacement for the original and is available in clear and a choice of four tints for an SRP of £69.95, or in a choice of eight colours for £75.95. Skidmarx UK; 01305 sales@skidmarx.co.uk780808;
The Avensis uses the same motor as the Address, giving it the same performance and economy, but wrapped in sportierPricesbodywork.forthepair will be confirmed closer to their arrival in showrooms. Suzuki; mark.hallam@suzuki.co.uk; www.bikes.suzuki.co.uk
Tiger Fenda
ANOTHER MONTH, ANOTHER EXTENDA FENDA ARRIVES FROM Pyramid Plastics. This one is designed to fit the Triumph Tiger 900, and is Stylmartin Shadow
Forcite MK1S SMART HELMETS HAVE BEEN ON THE CUSP OF BECOMING THE latest things for the past decade, but so far none have managed to break into the big time sales-wise. Australian manufacturer Forcite is hoping to change that with its new MK1S lid, which has now launched in the UK. Described as “next-gen” technology, the MK1S integrates the camera, audio and rider-alert system into a sleek carbon fibre shell with an LED display projected onto the inside of the visor. The alert system flags up theOnlyinsert,acapacity.onresolutionandfeaturesThephonespeakersHarmanwhilecameraall-essentialconditionsdirections,navigationtrafficandthespeedwarnings,the40mmKardoncanrelaycallsandmusic.front-mountedcameraawideanglelens1080P(high-definition)torecordtherideaMicroSDcardofupto1TBOtherfeaturesincludePinlockMaxVision120anti-fogandadrop-downsunvisor.availableincarbonfibrefinish,SRPis£990.
Forcite www.forcitehelmets.comHelmets;
newsProduct screen
DialDim™ Lighting Controller One Switch, Two Circuits, Infinite Control DialDim™ is an intuitive and convenient solution for your customers to control their auxiliary Denali® lights. Easily control 2 sets of auxiliary lights individually – simply double click to switch between the 2 circuits, the LED halo ring will change from blue to green to let you know you’re now controlling your second set of lights DialDim™ allows smart sequencing with other bike functions, like automatically strobing your lights when sounding your horn, and many more. Easy Control The switch functions are easy to remember, but they are also printed on the back of the controller housing (just in case you forget). Light Set One: Single click ON --> Press & Hold OFF Light Set Two: Double Click ON --> Press & Hold OFF Switch Between Circuits: Double Click Distributed by givimoto.com C30 B32 BOLD B360 N2 MONOLOCKATTITUDERANGEURBAN®SYSTEM GO DIRECTLY TO THE WEBSITECommuting with a scooter or motorcycle every day, also means having usable space for our personal items without too much bulk. The MONOLOCK® range of top cases offer the perfect solution, for truly practical and comfortable urban mobility.
Battery tester GS
To increase luggage carrying capacity
ITS YSP117 battery conductance tester, with a new name and a new look. The GYT117 provides a simple method of testing 6V and 12V lead acid batteries up to 25Ah capacity, taking less than 10 seconds to check voltage and conductance. SRP is £810.38. GS Yuasa; 01793 info@gs-yuasa.uk833555; Know More & Purchase Smarter with MBG Motorcycle Buyers' Guide (MBG) will bring you the up-to-date information from more than 100 suppliers from Taiwan & China. Check our website for more information: www.motopromedia.com or contact us to get a free copy of MBG PRO MEDIA COMPANY LIMITED 貿易風國際有限公 司 How to reach us: BUYERS’ GUIDE MOTORCYCLE www.motopromedia.com Tel: +886-4-726 4437 Fax: +886-4-728 4657 www.motopromedia.compromedia9@hamicloud.netinfo@motopromedia.com Be sure to mention MBG when contacting manufacturers for more information.
protectors,
is a choice of two stainless steel rear racks designed to take Zega aluminium panniers. Touratech; +49 7728
58 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk newsProduct
Touratech Norden 54
info@touratech.de
TOURATECH HAS APPLIED A collection of accessories to a Husqvarna Norden 901 to show off its new range of kit to dress up the adventure machine. The off-road biased bike has been treated to upgraded suspension with the Extreme rear shock and matching cartridge kit for the front forks providing better performance when heavily loaded. To guard against impact damage if the bike goes down, Touratech has engine bars covering the fairing and tank, a headlight guard, hand plus various for at-risk sensors and switches. there 9279-0; Zard on the Sled ITALIAN EXHAUST MANUFACTURER ZARD HAS RELEASED A VERSION of its Zuma end can to fit the Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled. The Zuma comes in racing or Euro 5 homologated versions for track and road use, with Zard claiming a weight saving of almost 5kg compared to the OE fitment. It comes in a choice of black ceramic coated or polished finishes, with a matching or contrasting end cap. Prices start from £741 for the race version, and from £923 for the Euro 5 version. Performance Parts; 01327 enquiries@performanceparts-ltd.com706139; YUASA HAS UPDATED
guards
Malossi VR One THE VR ONE IS A REED-VALVE CRANKCASE TO SUIT VARIOUS VESPA 200cc models from 1978 onwards. To improve performance, the transfer ports are aligned to match Malossi cylinder kits and the reed valve manifold is suitable for carbs up to 30mm. Securing bolts have been upgraded to M8 Allen-headed in reinforced mountings. It comes complete with mounting rubbers, cylinder studs, bolts, drain plugs, manifold, crank bearings and oil seals for an SRP of £750. VE (UK); 01159 sales@ve-uk.com462991;
SEPTEMBER 2022 59www.britishdealernews.co.uk LATEST NEWS DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX FOR FREE! Simply email to register: circulation@dealernews.co.uk E-BiKE LED LAMP R&DMANUFACTURETESTSERVICE https: // www.mycarr.com TRADE CLASSIFIEDS ACCESSORIES NEED HAND?A Advert designs from as little as £25 t: 01237 422660 www.britishdealernews.co.uk DAILY WEEKLY MONTHLY YEARLY newsProduct Extra wheel for Harleys 5 SOMETIMES BIG JUST ISN’T BIG ENOUGH, SO FOR HARLEY-DAVIDSON owners who want to maximise the passenger capacity of their Hog, Watsonian Squire has paired an Electra Glide Ultra Classic with its GP700 sidecar. The GP700 has a wide bench seat and screen to protect the passenger, along with a lockable storage area. It comes in black gel coat as standard, but can be custom painted to match the bike, and there is a choice of 10in cast alloy or 16in spoked wheel to finish it off. Prices for the GP700 start from £6895 and the kit to bolt it to an Electra Glide is £575. Watsonian Squire;01386 700907;www.watsonian-squire.com
Sprint filter 4 SPRINT HAS TAKEN THE experience garnered from its time supplying filters for Ducati Panigale racers in WSBK and WSS championships and has applied it to its filters for Ducati Monster 1200, 821 and 796 models. The new R61 kit is a straight fit, requiring no hardware modifications or ECU upgrades, and it combines a polyester fibre filtration medium with a carbon fibre bellmouth for improved airflow and an extra kick of power. SRP is £478. Sprint Filters; +371.661.40.779; contact@sprintfilter.net
60 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk BATTERIES / CHARGERS COLLECTION / DELIVERY DESIGN / IT / WEB NEED HAND?A Advert designs from as little as £25 t: 01237 422660 www.britishdealernews.co.uk DAILY WEEKLY MONTHLY YEARLY THE IGNITION REPAIR SPECIALIST • Ignition and generator stator repairs for Road, Off-Road & Quads • Regulators supplied Fast, Friendly service • Rewound to heavier duty Tel: 01279 731 www.westcountrywindings.co.uk172 Unit 6 & 7 Kingstons Farm, Matching Green, Harlow, Essex, CM17 0RB New heights in dealer DeepBlue CloudDMS DeepBlue For an onsite or online demo call: 020 8541 4131 First month FREE at: deepbluesystems.com Sales invoicing Workshop scheduling Stock control Automated invoice email Automated MOT reminders PDF Printing Purchase order management Contact management SMS Texting Double entry accounting Point of sale Number plate and postcode lookups LATEST NEWS DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX FOR FREE! Simply email to register: circulation@dealernews.co.uk AUCTIONS For more info visit fleetauctiongroup.com Motorcycle Auctions Every 3rd Thursday of every month @11.00am To enter a bike or open a buying account please call 01530 833535 S T R I C T L Y T R A D E O N L Y The Fleet Auction Group Professional Vehicle Auctions For Professional Vehicle Buyers British Dealer News has launched a new service in response to requests from dealers for a dedicated slot to advertise businesses for sale. LOOKING TO SELL UP OR RETIRE? Call Alison on 01237 422660 or adsales@dealernews.co.uk NEWSERVICE TRADE CLASSIFIEDS £80 adsales@dealernews.co.uk advertise from as little as Classifieds
SEPTEMBER 2022 61www.britishdealernews.co.uk OFF-ROAD SUSPENSIONWORKSHOPOFF-ROADHARDPARTS AND SPARES ACERBIS U.K. Ltd - TEL 0044 (0) 1582 491076 ukinfo@acerbis.it - www.acerbisb2b.co.uk ACERBIS U.K. Ltd - TEL 0044 (0) 1582 491076 ukinfo@acerbis.it - www.acerbisb2b.co.ukACERBIS U.K. Ltd - TEL 0044 (0) 1582 491076 ukinfo@acerbis.it - www.acerbisb2b.co.ukACERBIS U.K. Ltd - TEL 0044 (0) 1582 491076 ukinfo@acerbis.it - www.acerbisb2b.co.ukACERBIS U.K. Ltd - TEL 0044 (0) 1582 491076 ukinfo@acerbis.it - www.acerbisb2b.co.uk ACERBIS U.K. Ltd - TEL 0044 (0) 1582 491076 ukinfo@acerbis.it - www.acerbisb2b.co.ukACERBIS U.K. Ltd - TEL 0044 (0) 1582 491076 ukinfo@acerbis.it - www.acerbisb2b.co.ukACERBIS U.K. Ltd - TEL 0044 (0) 1582 491076 ukinfo@acerbis.it - www.acerbisb2b.co.ukACERBIS U.K. Ltd - TEL 0044 (0) 1582 491076 ukinfo@acerbis.it - www.acerbisb2b.co.uk ACERBIS U.K. Ltd - TEL 0044 (0) 1582 491076 ukinfo@acerbis.it - www.acerbisb2b.co.ukACERBIS U.K. Ltd - TEL 0044 (0) 1582 491076 ukinfo@acerbis.it - 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www.acerbisb2b.co.uk ACERBIS U.K. Ltd - TEL 0044 (0) 1582 491076 ukinfo@acerbis.it - www.acerbisb2b.co.uk NEED HAND?A Advert designs from as little as £25 t: 01237 422660 www.britishdealernews.co.uk DAILY WEEKLY MONTHLY | YEARLY OFFERDEALERRETAIL Contact Alison on 01237 422660 or adsales@dealernews.co.uk 50% TEL: 016973 43240 FAX: 016973 43245 e: harglo-performance@hotmail.com t: 01970 627282 www.harglo-performance.com PEUGEOTKYMCO CLASSIFIED LINEAGE WANTED: Remainder stock & spares always wanted. Nick Avery, NSA Motorcycles Ltd, Tel: 07907 826910 LATEST NEWS DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX FOR FREE! Simply email to register: circulation@dealernews.co.uk Classifieds
62 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk MoneytheOn
The UK wasn’t alone in the inflationary mire with July’s 10.1% annualised increase, its highest rate for 40 years.
JAPAN – THREE OUT OF FOUR AIN’T BAD
Motorcycle aftermarket brands in France have been an amazingly complex money-go-round fuelled by private equity since the 20th century’s final decade. Where to start? Once upon a time in 1993, the venerable Bering bike apparel brand’s parent Holding Trophy was bought out by PE firm TCR Capital. With more TCR finance, Holding Trophy later acquired the Segura apparel and Bagster luggage brands, respectively in 2004 and 2006, but was left teetering on the brink of bankruptcy by October 2011. In parallel, French motorcycle helmet brand Shark sold a 15% stake in its business to PE firm Naxicap Partners in the early 2000s, to finance a new factory in Portugal. Naxicap sold that stake on to another PE firm, Atria Capital Partners, in 2005. Eventually, in March 2011, PE firm Perceva Capital acquired Shark in its entirety. And in November that year, Perceva also bought the insolvent Holding Trophy operation, to form the
INDIA – CALM BEFORE SALES STORM During the run-up towards the Indian autumnal festival season, concluding with the peak-sales frenzy of Diwali, Mumbai investors tend to slumber. The Bombay Stock Exchange Sensex 30 index virtually flatlined over the past week, on a marginal gain of just 0.3%.
PDG was established by Torqx in September 2017, when it acquired Netherlands-based trade distributor Hoco Parts from British bike industry veteran David O’Neill and his colleagues. Another Dutch motorcycle parts distributor, Motoria, was snapped up by PDG two months later. Hoco Parts subsequently extended its reach to dealers throughout the Benelux countries andPDGDenmark.thenwent shopping in Belgium. In July 2018 Torqx funded the purchase of bike battery and transmission supplier DC AFAM and added Belgian parts operation Rhino Trading in October 2019. Simultaneously, back in Holland, the world’s largest vintage motorcycle parts specialist Consolidated Motor Spares joined PDG too. Focus then shifted to the UK, where PDG bought regional trade distributors Rob Hunter and Bradbury Bros just a month later. They were rolled together as Bradbury Hunter and re-named as Hoco Parts UK in June 2020. A Hoco Parts Online UK website was also launched, replicating B2B tech system delivery to Hoco Parts dealers across Europe. More business acquisitions were pursued to enlarge the Hoco Parts UK platform. British Putoline lube and accessories supplier Neo Distribution was swallowed five months later. Lincolnshire-based parts and accessories distributor B&C Express became yet another asset in November 2021. Meanwhile, earlier last year, PDG parent Torqx had done a deal with fellow Dutch PE firm Nedvest Capital to take Motorcycle Storehouse – a leading European specialist supplying custom parts, accessories and apparel into the Harley-Davidson firmament – off its hands.
Renewed confidence in US equities market growth didn’t even last a week, after it transpired that the past month’s recovery had been primarily driven by hedge funds unwinding bearish bets designed to profit from decline, rather than any fresh appetite for investment risk. A bright start for US stock indices staggered erratically and then faded away. The blue-chip S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average finished on respective 1.2% and 0.2% weekly losses. S&P’s MidCap 400 fell further by 1.4%.
traders in both these leading industrial nations ran for cover and market indices sank. Frankfurt’s Xetra Dax lost 1.8% and the FTSE MIB in Milan dropped by 1.9%. All four motorcycle-related European listings fell in value, led by maximum misfortune for BMW.
On the InternationalMoneyShare
Prices
Eurozone inflation had also risen, from 8.6% in June to 8.9% in July, pushing up yields on Germany’s ten-year Bund and Italy’s equivalent. And the former is now officially teetering on the brink of Unsurprisingly,recession.equities
THE DUTCH FACTOR Powersports Distribution Group (PDG), behind which sits Dutch PE firm Torqx Capital Partners, is a typical work in progress.
FIK group. Naxicap Partners reappeared on the scene in 2015, to buy out FIK and remoniker it as 2 Ride Holding (2RH). An additional Cairn bicycle helmet brand was tacked on. Naxicap cashed in its 2RH chips three years later, selling to much bigger French PE firm Eurazeo PME, a listed public company with £19.4bn-worth of assets under management. Eurazeo fronted the inevitable “undisclosed sum” to acquire Italian helmet manufacturer Nolan Group in 2019. Its 2RH brand roll-call is now thus – Shark, Nolan, Grex and X-Lite motorcycle helmets, plus Cairn, Bering, Segura and Bagster.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index repeated the previous week’s 1.3% gain. Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki continued to bask in investor approval for quarterly corporate results, largely displaying the efficacy of their Asian operations. Although Team Green’s motorcycle division deserved a share of their glory, less enthralling sectors of the Kawasaki Heavy Industries conglomerate spoilt any biker party.
Harley-Davidson shares began with some leaps of faith, rising by 1.8% on Monday and a firmer 3.6% on Tuesday. But Wednesday warned of worse to come, the price retreating by 1%. Thursday’s 1.3% bounce-back proved to be temporary, followed in short order by a 2.5% decline on Friday as markets went thoroughly sour.
USA – SHORT LIFE FOR OPTIMISM
ONLINE AND ON TARGET Hybrid aftermarket retailing figures large in the privateequity zone too. Notable player here has been London-based PE firm Equistone Partners Europe. Its first move into this arena in January 2015 was to acquire the Polo Motorrad und Sportswear retail chain, comprising 80 bricks-andmortar stores in Germany and seven in Switzerland. However, Equistone’s underlying interest was development of an already major Polo online presence targeting both countries. To achieve this, it bought the highly-rated and purely online UK parts, apparel
FRENCH LESSONS
EUROPE – SPREADING PRESSURE
Very much a 21st century phenomenon, private equity (PE) firms have been gobbling up extensive swathes of the developed-world motorcycle industry aftermarket. Their modus operandi is to buy-out, consolidate and internationalise often fairly small and long-established companies into grouped portfolios of power and profitability – brands, wholesale distribution channels and retail opportunists –sometimes mixed and matched. PE firms borrow money to buy and load the debt onto their victims’ books, exhorting them to earn their way out of this burden and maximise value at pace. They then either sell on to a bigger PE presence with greater resources, float the end result off through a public equity offer or establish a long-term returns generator for capital-providing backers. Whatever the choice, there are plumptious management fees, tax-efficient profit shares and highly lucrative exit largesse along the way.
THE YANKS ARE COMING Our cover-story splash on last month’s issue of BDN featured an acquisition of undoubtedly the premier European aftermarket trade channel Bihr, another odyssey of
THE NEXT IN LINE? Masters of the American PE universe are bound to be hunting fresh targets in our two-wheeled niche. Some of them are probably eyeing the juicy prospect of LeMans Corporation on home turf. LeMans is the cheerfullyproprietorindependentofthedevelopedworld’slargestpowersportsaftermarketempire.ItcomprisesPartsUnlimited,PartsCanadaand Parts Europe, armed with its own headline Drag Specialties brand and a host of others, servicing more than 20,000 prime dealerships. They are supplied from five vast warehouses in the US, two in Canada and one in Germany.LeMans supremo Fred Fox, who founded the business in his basement during 1967, stood down as the company’s chairman last July, upon reaching the ripe old age of 85 years. Instead, he adopted a “chairman emeritus” title. His younger brother Jeff Fox retired from the role of LeMans chief executive in 2007 and died in 2018, aged 62. Full family control has aged out. Current chief executive is company veteran Mike Collins. Another veteran, Bruce Schumacher, sits in the key director of purchasing saddle. Both were instrumental in the most recent Parts Europe expansion. Paul Langley, regarded as a safe pair of hands after serving in successive leadership positions at US bike industry titans Vance & Hines, Dynojet and S&S Cycle, has been appointed executive chairman. It’s a given that PE investors bearing gifts will eventually come knocking on LeMans’ palatial door. I sincerely hope that Fred Fox, as long as he’s not pushing up daisies, will slam it in their faces.
SEPTEMBER 2022 63www.britishdealernews.co.uk MoneytheOnMarket analysis with financial editor Roger Willis A snapshot of share performance across key manufacturers and markets Contact 01237 422660 or adsales@dealernews.co.uk Share performance as of 19 August 2022 Price Week Month Japan (yen) Honda 3713 +4.4% +7.1% Yamaha 2892 +3.5% +11.7 % Suzuki 4882 +1.2% +10.4% Kawasaki 2624 -0.9% +1.5% China (yuan) Qianjiang 24.46 +7.8% +32. 5% Zongshen 6.85 -0.4% +0.6% Sundiro 2.53 +3.3% +7.2 % CETC (Jialing) 15.75 +11.8% +31.0% Lifan 5.13 -0.6% -0.6% Loncin 4.91 -0.4% +0.6% Linhai 9.13 +2.8% +3.3% Guang-zhou Auto 14.26 -4.3% -6.7% CFMoto 145.48 +0.6% +13.8% Xinri E-Vehicle 23.64 +28.7% +12.3% China (HK dollar) Jianshe 5.40 -3.7 % +8.4% Price Week Month USA (dollar) Harley-Davidson 41.20 +3.1% +19.0% Polaris In-dustries 121.54 +1.1% +6.5% Textron 66.05 -3.0% +3.5% Ideanom-ics (Energica) 0.61 -14.1% -12. 9% Europe (euro) BMW 75.81 -3.5% -1.7 % Volkswagen 193.35 -2. 1% +1.5% Pierer Mo-bility 61.20 -2. 4% -3.0% Piaggio Group 2.52 -1.9% +4.1% India (rupee) Hero Mo-toCorp 2838.65 +2.8% -1.1% Bajaj Auto 4074. 55 +0.9% +0.5% TVS Motor 958.75 +0.7% +8.2% Eicher Motors 3424.10 +6.7% +8.8% Mahindra 1239.40 -1.6% +4.9% Most indigenous bike manufacturer share prices haven’t been far off that trend for a fortnight.
firm Genstar Capital in the autumn of 2021. Genstar’s asset portfolio is currently valued at a coolLocal£29bn.interest for BDN readers was provided by the fact that two of Bihr’s component companies now destined for US parenthood were British buy-outs. Off-road specialist Race FX was one. The other was trade distributor Motodirect. Its wholly owned RST and Wolf apparel brands were included in the deal. They will be joining another UKbased business already in the Arrowhead fold, leading hard parts purveyor Hi-Level. This had been snaffled more than eight years ago by Arrowhead, with funding from its erstwhile PE string-pullers Riverside and Investcorp.
Sportsbikeshop’s in-house budget brands – Dexter helmets and DXR apparel – have become ubiquitous across all their websites. And, although still mainly championing online sales, it has created a modest chain of bricks-and-mortar UK stores to showcase product ranges. In addition to Motoblouz’s original Gallic platform, D3T has established Motoblouz España in Barcelona as a similar e-commerce entity addressing the Spanish aftermarket. And a motoblouz.it website is also up and running to do the same in PEaincidentally,Equistone,Italy.isn’tpodium-sitterasfirmsgo.It“only” has around £7.4bn in assets managed, with funding from backers in the Middle East, Asia, Europe and North America. That latter destination is where all the really fat PE wallets live, because US institutional investors have a huge appetite for stumping up the necessary debt. So we’ll go there next.
CHINA – ECONOMIC GROWTH STALLED Latest Chinese government economic data has shown seriously belowtarget recovery. Year-on-year retail sales growth in July was just 2.7%, against a forecast 5%. Industrial production was 3.8% higher, under a predicted 4.6% improvement. In an attempt to stimulate activity, China’s central bank cut its medium-term lending rate by a miserly 0.1%. Chinese equities investors were unimpressed. Shanghai’s SSE Composite all-share index closed 0.6% down by Friday. The blue-chip CSI 300 fell by 1%. Almost half of biker listings were losers –although there were some substantial winners, most notably Sunra parent Xinri E-Vehicle. and accessories retailer Sportsbikeshop in October that year, to weaponise Polo with a far superior e-commerce platform. A further acquisition followed in 2016, when Equistone took over leading French online bike aftermarket retailer D3T Distribution, primarily trading under the Motoblouz banner from a warehouse near Lille in the north of France. Crossover growth between these three companies has since been substantial, under an overall Polo Motorrad management umbrella.
vassal–ArrowheadandAlcopapowerhousebeendetailsintoconsolidation.PE-provokedWithoutgoingtoomanyofthesordidagain,theBihrgrouphadbuiltupintoadistributionbyBelgianPEfirmoverthepast12yearssoldtoUSaftermarketgiantEngineeredProductswhichhaditselfbecomeaofAmericanbig-leaguePE
64 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk registrationsNew New scooter and motorcycle registrations for July 2022 UK registrations Registration statistics supplied by the MCIA; tel 02476 408000; www.mcia.co.uk International registrations Highest registering ICE model by capacity Jul registrations2022 Lexmoto Echo Plus 50 39 Honda PCX 125 389 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 180 Yamaha MT-07 ABS 111 BMW R1250GS Adventure 120 2022 / 2021 Registrations by Engine Band (inc Electric) Year to Date ENGINE BAND Jul 2022Jul 2021 % Change Jul 2022Jul 2021 % Change 0 - 50cc 10751149-6.4%6671578915.2% 51 - 125cc 39504525-12.7%24370241930.7% 126 - 650cc 230522870.8%156231326417.8% 651 - 1000cc 19912504-20.5%15353144306.4% over 1000cc 16961972-14.0%12963128660.8% TOTAL REGISTRATIONS1101712437-11.4%74980705426.3% 2022 / 2021 Registrations by style Year to date Highestmodelregisteringbystyle Jul registrations2022MOPEDS Jul 2022Jul 2021 Change Jul 2022Jul 2021 % Change Moped Naked 59 81-27.2%383390-1.8% Rieju MRT50 11 Moped Other 133 7284.7%66142057.4% Sur-Ron Light Bee 40 Moped Scooters 552620-11.0%335431725.7% Lexmoto Echo Plus 50 39 TOTAL MOPEDS 744773-3.8%4398398210.4% MOTORCYCLES Adventure 18061988-9.2%139691254611.3% Honda CRF300L 127 Competition 520560-7.1%3829338713.0% KTM 300 EXC 29 Custom 860941-8.6%518247519.1%Royal Enfield Meteor 350 180 Modern Classic 119411791.3%7646670914.0% Royal Enfield Classic 350 145 Naked 22702593-12.5%1473115284-3.6% Honda CBF125M 172 Road Sport 8731066-18.1%6151533715.3% Suzuki GSX-S1000T 89 Scooter 23422983-21.5%16546162941.5% Honda PCX 125 389 Touring 29422630.1%1922158121.6% Honda NT1100 62 Unspecified 22 214.8% 67 73-8.2% TOTAL MOTORCYCLES 1018111557-11.9%70043659626.2% TRICYCLES Other 61 5217.3%205284-27.8%BRP Can-Am Spyder RT Ltd 9 Scooter 31 55-43.6%3343146.4% Piaggio MP3 300 Sport 21 TOTAL TRICYCLES 92107-14.0%539598-9.9% TOTAL REGISTRATIONS1101712437-11.4%74980705426.3%Region2015201620172018201920202021 Brussels 1984224519422175208018711738 Antwerp 3272360135614090409537773757 Limburg 1961201317121959177121142124 East Flanders 3112378128453216335632933224 Flemish Brabant 2711274426072756286928192689 West Flanders 2269262021312456233123602355 Walloon Brabant 1153125811251175122813321189 Hainaut 2525276724782668273531503171 Liège 2278254422322392267029883045 Luxembourg 635711610684628749774 Namur 1022122310041133116713541356 Total 22922255072224724704249302580725422 TOP 20 BRANDS 2021 distributionRegional of new motorcycle sales 2021 Brand Sales MarketShare BMW 346613.6% Honda 329813.0% Yamaha 2848 11.2% Kawasaki 1961 7.7% Piaggio 17576.9% KTM 15156.0% Triumph BRPHusqvarnaSuzukiRoyalKymcoCFMotoSymDucatiHarley-Davidson105711594.6%4.2%7022.8%6712.6%6192.4%6192.4%Enfield4641.8%4281.7%4101.6%3771.5%Benelli3271.3%Bullit3111.2%MotoGuzzi2781.1%Zontes2300.9%Brand Total MarketShare Honda 88,386 17.9% Yamaha 58,782 11.9% BMW 57,692 11.7% Piaggio 44,770 9.1% Suzuki 37,352 KTMSymKawasakiHarley-Davidson30,6156.2%7.6%28,5185.8%14,0082.8%13,2692.7%Triumph12,5702.5% 2011 VS 2021 BY CAPACITY <126cc <126cc 126-250 126-250 251-500 251-500501-750 501-750 751-1000 751-1000 >1000 >1000 2011 2021 NEW MOTORCYCLE SALES BY REGION
For registration statistics for alternative power two-wheelers, see page 34 www.britishdealernews.co.uk registrationsNew Rolling Year Comparison Registration statistics supplied by the MCIA; tel 02476 408000; www.mcia.co.uk Top Ten Manufacturers Rolling Year Comparison Run of sales success ends THE LATEST STATISTICS FROM Belgian automotive and cycle association Febiac cover 2021 and show that the market for PTWs fell by 1.5% to 25,422 – the first reduction in annual registrations sinceGeographical2017. registration data show that PTWs are more popular in the northern regions, with a roughly 60:40 split which matches the population distribution across the country.Interms of the types of machinery finding favour, over the past decade the proportion of smaller (sub250cc) machines sold in Belgium has reduced from 48.4% of the market to just 27.9%. The over-750cc sector of the market has increased by more than 12% over the same period, presumably much to the joy of dealerships across the country as more big-ticket bikes roll out of showrooms.Mostpopular brand is big-bike specialist BMW, followed by the usual roster of Japanese and European marques, along with Harley and Sym, filling the rest of the top 10. The Belgian registration system means that Febiac also keeps track of used motorcycle sales; Honda tops that list with 16.8% of the used market, followed by Yamaha (13.9%) and BMW (10.7%). 2021 motorcycle registration data from Belgium and Luxembourg 0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000 18000 Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul 2020/21 2021/22 July 2021 1. Honda 2021 2. Yamaha 1642 3. Triumph 968 4. BMW 701 5. Lexmoto 664 6. Kawasaki 651 7. KTM 647 8. Royal Enfield 477 9. Ducati 345 10. Piaggio 303 July 2022 1. Honda ............... 1804 (-10.7%) 2. Yamaha .............. 1083 (-34.0%) 3. Triumph .............. 713 (-26.3%) 4. BMW ................ 608 (-13.3%) 5. KTM ................. 608 (-6.0%) 6. Royal Enfield 581 (21.8%) 7. Lexmoto 533 (-3.8%) 8. Kawasaki 382 (-41.3%) 9. Ducati 324 (-6.1%) 10. Suzuki 287 (n/a) Helping you deliver experience.customerunbeatablean MotoRate gives your customers confidence in the buying process with an APR that’s personalised to their credit rating. Find out more visit motoratedealer.motonovofinance.com/
Data published by the Motor Cycle Industry Association (MCIA) showed that registrations in July declined by 11.4% compared to last year. July was the third consecutive month where registrations have fallen short when compared with their equivalent month in 2021. However, on a more positive note, year-to-date registrations remain 6.4% ahead of last year. Feedback from dealers suggests that strong demand continued through July, although some dealers reported a slight slowdown recently. While the cost-ofliving crisis is having a negative effect on consumer confidence, it is not yet the major factor affecting the motorcycle market. Instead, poor supply of machinery remains the biggest hindrance to sales. Demand for scooters and smaller capacity machines continues to be strong. With inflation and the cost of living expected to increase again later in the year, demand is likely to rise further as some people look for a cheaper mode of transport.
A THIRD CONSECUTIVE MONTH of new bike registrations declining by double-digit percentages underlined the raw fact that money is now increasingly too tight to mention for many aspiring to higher-value discretionary purchases, BDN financial editor Roger Willis reports PR spin from the MCIA, such as its latest headline claim that “the first seven months of 2022 are now tracking at a positive 6.3% up” simply won’t wash anymore. Annualised consumer price inflation heading for at least 13% and remorselessly rising domestic energy costs will almost certainly see year-to-date PTW market data written in red ink by the time the MCIA releases the figures for September, or possibly even earlier.
Widespread shortages of desirable products in dealer showrooms, owing to global supply-chain constraints, aren’t helping either. Manufacturers freely admit that the stocking situation isn’t going to be resolved in the second half of this year. For the record, overall July numbers were 11.4% down to 11,017 machines plated. Motorcycles were 8.6% lower at 7839. Scooters plunged by 21.5% to 2342. Mopeds went backwards by 3.8% to 744 and trikes dropped by 14% to 92. Over-650cc motorcycles geared to moneyed leisure/enthusiast markets – and representing the prime source of cashflow for dealers – took the hardest hit, falling by 17.6% to 3687 machines. Up-to-125cc mobility and delivery fleet products retreated by 11.4% to Sitting5025. in between, the 126650cc sector spanning higher-end
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66 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk registrationsNew
Supply issues continue to affect sales
Cost-of-riding crisis kicks in as registrationsJulyplummet
July
Paul LeisureMcDonaldVehicles Editor BDN analysis of the MCIA 2022 registration statistics
NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE DEALERS ASSOCIATION
mobility to A2 entry-level or lowend leisure remained marginally positive by 0.8% on 2305. Significantly, a combined total of 325 budget-priced Royal Enfield Meteor and Classic 350cc products took a dominant 14.1% sector share, improving from an 11.4% share in the previous month. Royal Enfield was also the unique star of the MCIA’s top-ten chart of major brands, adding 21.8% to 581 bikes in sixth spot. All the rest were losers. Honda led the field on 1804 but was 10.7% down. Yamaha executed a 34% dive to 1083. Triumph sank by 26.3% to 713. BMW Motorrad dealers registered 608 machines, 13.3% fewer than in July last year. KTM completed the top five 6% in arrears, also on 608. Lexmoto ignominiously failed to follow Royal Enfield’s stellar performance, plunging by 19.7% to 533 – even though its wares sit in the cheap seats too. Then Kawasaki incurred a horrendous 41.3% loss to 382 in eighth place. In the back row, Ducati dropped by 6.1% to 324 and Suzuki crept in with 287. In the aforementioned year to date, total registrations stood at 74,980, just 6.3% or 4438 units ahead. At the end of June, YTD numbers had been 10.1% or 5858 higher. During May, after the rot first set in, YTD was 19% or 8198 up. “
registrationsNew
“With the 2030 deadline for new ICE sales on the horizon, it is positive to see that there has been a sharp increase in registrations of electric two wheelers. For the 11-15kW powerband, the July 2022 YTD figures are significantly higher than 2021’s YTD figures.
“In line with government plans to ban the sale of ICE PTWs, we have seen more brands enter the market for electric motorbikes. BMW is a surprising addition to the EV market, with seven registrations for the 1115kW power bracket.
Encouraging shift towards electric Royal sectormoresector,mid-capacitydominatedEnfieldthewiththan14%share
SEPTEMBER 2022 67www.britishdealernews.co.uk
“Registrations of scooters in July 2022 decreased sharply to 2925, a decline of 20%. However, the YTD registrations are recorded at 20,234, up by 2.3% compared with 2021, which was 19,780. For non-scooter mopeds and motorcycles, July 2022 saw figures of 8092, a decrease of 7.8% compared to July 2021’s 8779 registrations. There is a more positive outlook for YTD figures – an increase of 7.8% to 54,746 compared to 2021’s 50,762.
“Despite a challenging year, the latest figures from the MCIA are encouraging. Although figures are down compared to July 2021, there has been a growth in YTD figures. As the industry shifts towards electric, it’s encouraging to see that electric powered two-wheelers are making strong progress.”
July has been disappointing for the industry,motorcyclewithfigures well below last year. However, registrations year-to-date have increased significantly. This is a positive result as the industry faces unprecedented challenges. Supply chains remain a consistent issue whilst the cost-of-living crisis is set to impact figures further,” said Symon Cook, head of NMDA, commenting on the latest MCIA new registration figures.
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OUTLOOK This year has been the hottest and driest since the legendary summer of 1976, with vast swathes of the country experiencing recordbreaking temperatures and minimal rainfall. These perfect riding conditions mean bikers have been out in their droves. Taking this into account, and with stock remaining at a premium, Glass’s expects market prices to remain strong across all segments in the coming weeks. The Triumph America was a popular choice with buyers
PAUL EDMONDSON Product lead, Auto Trader Bikes
The America was the most popular of three cruiser models to make the top ten – the larger capacity Honda Rebel 1100 and the behemoth Suzuki Intruder 1800 also proving popular in the
bikesduringmotorcycleregionallooksunshine.summerIfweatusedsalesJuly,haveshifted fastest in the West Midlands, with an average time on site of 14 days, with Wales in a very close second place with a 16-day average. The slowest selling region was the North East, where the median time to find a buyer was 28 days.From a perspective,pricingthe average price of a used bike in July was 8% higher than the same month last year, equating to an monetary increase of £546 over the 12 months. Nearly new bikes are certainly holding their value, with 31% of those advertised on Auto Trader Bikes priced within just 5% of the equivalent brand-new bike.
SALES AND DEMAND FOR PREowned scooters and motorcycles remain largely buoyant but, as with the new market, there are tentative signs that trade is quietening a little. Although most dealers now report having reasonable stock levels for the time of year, they could ideally do with more if they want the opportunity to make up for the shortfall in sales of new bikes caused by ongoing stock constraints.Demandcontinues to be strong across all segments, and much like the new bike market, smaller capacity machines and scooters in particular are in very high demand.
databikeUsed Used bike data What’s hot and what’s not in the used-motorcycle world PAUL McDONALD Leisure vehicle editor, Glass’s The fastest selling bikes on Auto Trader Average days advertised before sale DEMAND REMAINS STRONG FOR UTILITY MACHINES BIKES SELLING FASTEST IN WEST MIDLANDS 1. Royal Enfield Meteor 8.5 2. Suzuki Bandit 600 10 3. Triumph America 11 4. BMW F900XR 11.5 5. Honda CBR650R 12 6. Suzuki Intruder 1800 12 7. Ducati Streetfighter V4S 12.5 8. Honda CMX1100 Rebel 12.5 9. BMW G650 12.5 10. Triumph Tiger 900 13 11. Suzuki GSR750 13 12. Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 13.5 13. Kawasaki Z800 14 14. Honda NSS350 Forza 14.5 15. Honda NC750 15 16. Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX 15 17. Triumph Trident 15 18. Honda NT650V Deauville 15 19. Yamaha Tenere 700 15 20. KTM 390 Duke 15.5 21. Triumph Thunderbird 1600 15.5 22. Honda CB650R 16 23. KTM 1290 Super Duke GT 16 24. Suzuki GSX-S1000 16 25. Suzuki Burgman 650 16 26. Yamaha MT-07 16.5 27. Yamaha XVS650 17 28. Triumph Thruxton 1200 R 17 29. BMW R1250GS Adventure 17 30. Kawasaki ER-6F 17 The increasetoyear,monththanwasbikepriceaverageofausedinJuly8%higherthesamelastequatinganmonetaryof£546This month we look at the fastest-selling used bike models above 125cc during the period 1 May to 18 Aug 2022, and it’s encouraging to see such a wide variety of bike styles and ages that make up the topTopping30. the fastest selling model chart is a trio of middleweight machinery. Royal Enfield’s Meteor middleweight heads the list, closely followed by Suzuki’s Bandit 600, produced from 1995 to 2005, and the Triumph America, a cruiser version of the Bonneville which was available from 2002-2015.
As with the new market, there are tentative signs that trade quieteningisa little
databikeUsed MCN Reviews Percentage of views by type Percentage of views by type Bikes for Sale Most viewed models Most viewed brands Top 5 Bike Reviews by type Adventure Custom Naked Scooter Sport/Tour Supersport Touring Classic Retro Trail Adventure Custom Naked Scooter Sport/Tour Supersport Touring Trail Retro Other Naked Sports Adventure Sport 1. 2021 Triumph Trident 660 2. 2016 Suzuki SV650 3. 2017 KTM 390 Duke 4. 2019 Honda CB650R 5. 2014 BMW R NineT 1. 2022 Norton V4 SV 2. 2020 Aprilia RS660 3. 2019 Honda CBR650R 4. 2022 Yamaha R7 5. Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade 1. 2022 CF Moto 800MT Touring 2. 2014 Honda NC750X 3. 2020 BMW F900XR 4. 2022 Triumph Tiger 660 Sport 5. 2020 Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro 1. Honda 16.4% 2. Yamaha 11.0% 3. Triumph 10.4% 4. Kawasaki__________9.2% 5. BMW 8.1% 6. Suzuki 7.8% 7. BSA______________4.8% 8. Ducati 4.7% 9. KTM 3.4% 10. Aprilia 2.7% 1. Honda NC750X 2. Honda CB500X 3. Honda GL1800 Goldwing 4. Harley-Davidson Fat Boy 5. Kawasaki Z900RS 6. Yamaha R1 7. Enfield Interceptor 650 8. BMW S1000RR 9 BMW R1250GS 10. Kawasaki ZZR1400 ADVENTURE BIKES TOP THE HONOURS IN JULY OVER THE PAST MONTH SOME INTERESTING trends have been emerging on the MCN website. While naked bikes are the most popular reviews and bikes for sale, adventure bikes have overtaken sports bikes again in reviews, while sportier models drop to fourth position in bikes for sale, behind custom bikes. The most popular of the adventure bikes is the new CF Moto 800MT Touring, followed by the perennially popular Honda NC750X and BMW’s F900XR. Norton tops the most popular sports bike reviews with the V4 SV, followed by the Aprilia RS660 and Honda’s CBR650R. Triumph’s Trident 660 is the top naked bike reviews, followed by the legend that is Suzuki’s SV650 and the KTM 390 Duke. The Yamaha R1 has dropped right out of the top three most-viewed bikes for sale, making way for the Honda Gold Wing to take third position behind the Japanese firm’s NC750X and CB500X pairing.
GARETH EVANS Online editor, MCN
To finish up on comparisons, as will probably be the norm for the rest of the year, we again look back to pre-Covid 2019. The outlook for headline total registrations isn’t that bad, with a significant monthly rise of 11.1% from July 2019 to July 2022 and a 5599 unit (8.1%) increase in the year-to-date figures. Again, a slight cause for concern is the reduction in numbers for the two larger engine bands and consequences that follow as far as profitability goes, as the larger capacity bands tend to also be the large-ticket ones.
Watch will by now have worked out a repeating pattern seen over the last year – massively lower entries throughout the auction system. In the later months of the year, historically, it has been more likely that dealers will start to clear the decks of unwanted stock via auction, but as good quality retail units remain in short supply, part-exchanges usually traded or auctioned are being retained for retail. There are still a few machines appearing at auctions, mainly from dealers who have a stock time limit and do not sell directly to traders, but we are coming to the time when machines taken in part exchange at higher summer prices can start to outlive their welcome in slower sales months. That point has not yet been reached, and, generally, high sold penetrations are continuing to be achieved with prices not suggesting any adverse movements are required. Noticeably, at a recent auction was a slight decline in the sold percentage rate, and although prices remained similar, the stock that didn’t sell was at the lower quality end of the market and needed some work to get it ready for retail.
THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE CHANGE IN THE used market, with what has become the pattern we have seen over a period stretching back several years, with stock difficult to find. Typically at or around this time of year we would see the thoughts of dealers turn to easing back on stock levels and prices paid in the pre-winter preparations for lower retail activity. Not so this time, as lower than desirable stock levels are being topped up where possible. In this latest research period, dealers mentioned more than once that dealer groups are chasing bikes in large numbers and this pushes prices higher. Groups tracking larger quantities of used bikes to fill bigger showroom areas is nothing new in the industry. At the moment, though there are a couple of dealer groups expanding rapidly, so, therefore, accelerating their buying rather than spreading purchases over a longer period of time. Once inventory levels are close to optimum, stocking then becomes a position of maintenance or replacing sold units as necessary. At the moment, towards the end of the summer season, the quest for used machines is not as desperate as it was six months ago. However, it is still there, and feedback is not pointing to any weakening of prices – some are even pointing to further increases. Over the next few weeks, it will become clearer if there has been unsold new stock that will attract schemes to help them out of the door and as a result possibly lower used values, but little of this is currently having that particular knock-on effect.
NEW USEDSALESMARKET
70 SEPTEMBER 2022 www.britishdealernews.co.uk Market Watch Trade & industry report with cap/hpi motorcycle editor Alan ElsworthWatchMarket AUCTION SUMMARYMARKET OVERVIEW
Another interest rate increase, cost of living increases, GDP dropping and uncertainty on fuel bills – all have been much talked about in the press and are not giving much confidence in the economy. The last time there was a global economic slowdown, the motorcycle industry didn’t immediately follow other automotive sectors into the doldrums, and at the moment, there are still positives, at least in the short term, as some lack of product and continued retail activity keeps supply and demand in the correct ratio to keep prices strong.July’s registration figures are the latest released by the MCIA, with the headline registrations number down 11.4% from 12,437 to 11,017 on the same month in 2021. However, the big picture of what’s happening will become more apparent as time progresses, and year-todate 2022 sales are still up by 4438 (6.3%) for the first seven months. UK car registration numbers are similar for their monthly comparison at -11.5%, but the first seven months of the year see figures dropping by 9%. As we enter into the last third of the year, the problems dealers face have changed little over the previous month. The result is a slightly negative trade vibe around at the moment, which is added to with UK GDP dropping an estimated 0.1% in Q2 2022, although it is still estimated to be 0.6% up from the prepandemic Q4 2019 figure. THE HIGHS AND LOWS THROUGH the year are not what could be classed as normal seasonality due to lockdowns. A couple of sectors that have not had a good month are the two biggest ones as far as market share is concerned. Naked bikes have been the king of the castle for a few years and still account for just over a fifth of total registrations, but their numbers reduced by 12.5% compared to July 2021. The predominantly commuter-orientated non-moped scooter class, with a 23% market share in July, was the biggest loser, with registrations down 21.5% compared to the same month of 2021. Over the year, the market share in all the categories remains very consistent.Thetype, style and size of bike that will attract a PCP deal will most likely be the larger capacity machines. And engine size charts might just tell a bigger story. July still saw sub-125cc take a 45.7% share of newly registered bikes, a bigger slice of the market than seen for the year so far, which stands at 41.4%, in itself marginally down from the 42.5% seen in 2021.
FREQUENT VISITORS TO MARKET
The only positive petrol band in July was 126-650cc, the largest growth band for the year, which will attract some PCP business. This leads to the suggestion that price could be a factor in purchasing larger bikes and possibly signals that the over-650cc market is succumbing to economic pressures, or it could just be the usual pre-winter slowdown! The consequence of lower large bike sales has positives and negatives: used values could remain high, and demand keeps residuals high and less risky long-term.
REMEMBER
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