Market reports – Antoine Coulon (Kawasaki): the competition with Yamaha was intense – Used KAWASAKI

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Antoine Coulon (Kawasaki): the competition with Yamaha was intense

Market reports - Antoine Coulon (Kawasaki): the competition with Yamaha was intense - Used KAWASAKI

With 11,705 registrations, Kawasaki posted a decline of -2.2% on the French motorcycle market. Antoine Coulon, Marketing Director of Kawasaki France, establishes for Site the 2014 report of the Japanese brand and reveals its objectives for 2015..

Site: What do you think of the general evolution of the French motorcycle market in 2014? ?
Antoine Coulon, Marketing and Press Director of Kawasaki France: For the first time in several years, the market is on the rise (read our, Editor’s note) and this is the best news we have had in 2014. It is important that as many of us as possible defend the bike and its practice.

"Yamaha won the ER-6 Vs MT-07 match and Kawasaki the Z800 Vs MT-09 match"

MNC: What is your assessment of your brand? ?
A. C .: We are generally satisfied with our results. There were two interesting duels this year, with on the one hand and on the other. The competition was intense and in the end Yamaha won the first match and Kawasaki the second! In the scratch classification (all models combined), the Z800 and Er-6 also climbed the de France in 2014.

MNC: Which models have performed particularly well this year ?
A. C .: The three novelties of the 2014 season have each found their place on the market. The is a solid leader in the 1000 cc roadster segment. Its angry driving character and its radical design were very popular. The situation is also excellent for the which has been very popular with French bikers. Finally, the successful arrival on the market and customer satisfaction is very good with this new product..

MNC: Who are those who have stayed behind? Why ?
A. C .: The Versys and achieved modest volumes with just over 200 sales each. The style was not unanimous. We have taken these remarks into account and we are back in 2015 with two machines which have made great progress in both substance and form. The new design, in line with the Z1000SX, is very attractive. We have already received a lot of positive feedback from our dealers and customers.

MNC: The French 100 horsepower law will end in 2016. Do you expect sales of powerful motorcycles to fall in 2015? ?
A. C .: It is possible that the market will shrink slightly in the segment of the most powerful motorcycles. We look forward to the outcome of ongoing discussions with the administration on the 2015/2016 transition..

"We are now going to open the site of the online image of concessions"

MNC: How has your dealer network evolved this year ?
A. C .: Our distribution network is mature. We have a good network of the national territory and we do not wish to have more dealers. No revolution therefore from a quantitative point of view, on the other hand we wish to continue to develop the qualitative aspect. We are thus in the process of finalizing the deployment of our new graphic charter. These new standards include both the exterior appearance of dealerships, showrooms and workshops. We are now going to open the "site" of the "online" image of the concessions. Our dealers are now aware that success will come through these efforts. These are necessary investments that ensure the medium and long term sustainability of the points of sale.

MNC: Did your new products for 2014 reach their commercial objectives? ?
A. C .: Yes, the three 2014 launches achieved their goals. We are satisfied with the performance of our three new products.

MNC: What was the pleasant surprise of your 2014? And the less good ?
A. C .: A good surprise was for us to see that one of our direct competitors chose the same technical solutions as us for its new Trail 1000. Namely a cycle part extrapolated from a sports roadster and a 4-cylinder in-line engine! Among the bad news, we were saddened by the. We are very fond of design and we wish to pay tribute to this great man.

MNC: In your opinion, what was the highlight of 2014 in the world of two-wheelers? ?
A. C .: There is something a little bit magical about it. Everyone who had the chance to experience this event at Paul Ricard was a little nostalgic. We will of course be lined up at the start of the Bol d’Or 2015 with victory as our goal. !

"The H2R perfectly embodies the DNA of Kawasaki: performance, sportiness, design, sensations …"

MNC: What are your good resolutions for the year 2015 ?
A. C .: We are competitors and enthusiasts at the same time. We are therefore going to give the best of ourselves in all areas! 2015 is symbolically an important year for us. In fact, we are going to market the most powerful and fastest production motorcycle in motorcycle history. Our engineers had "carte blanche" to design the absolute dream bike, the bike of all superlatives. In terms of acceleration and sensations, the pilot will experience absolutely unique things (output of 326 hp per liter with Ram Air). Emotionally, this is a very strong motorcycle. The extreme design lives up to its incredible spec sheet. Each detail has been the subject of very specific care. This motorcycle perfectly embodies Kawasaki’s DNA: performance, sportiness, design, sensations … This motorcycle will be very exclusive and will further strengthen our already very strong image. Of course we will also be launching accessible motorcycles and the year will be rich with the arrival of the news, and .

"The Versys 650 and 1000 made great progress in both substance and form in 2015"

MNC: What are your major events in 2015 ?
X. C .: 2015 will be marked by the big one. We will be at Le Vigeant on June 18 and 19 (rolling format) and July 29 and 30 in Dijon (internship format). We will also be at our dealerships for around twenty dates from March to October as part of the Kawasaki Tour (Road Show). We will end the year with a strong presence at the Paris Motor Show. It’s a unique opportunity to meet our French fans and present them our latest projects..

On the competition side, the programs will be very extensive with always a significant presence in. The 24 hour races are a very interesting "laboratory" and allow to demonstrate the real quality / reliability of the machines. In Mondial Supersport, we will also be very well represented with the Frenchman joining the Intermoto / Kawasaki team. Finally to finish with speed, we will have a very good team in. After having finished runner-up in, champion in and runner-up in, we set out again in search of the title. . To finish with the cross, Ryan Villopoto will defend the green colors in MXGP. It is the first time that an American pilot at the top of his form and his performances comes to challenge the European pilots. The season is going to be exciting !

MNC: To conclude, what Kawasaki ordered from Santa Claus this year ?
A. C .: A Pirelli 2015 calendar, fuel that remains at a competitive price and summer weather from March !

Interview by Matthieu BRETILLE

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