Market reports – Christophe Decultot: we want to sell 30,000 motorcycles and scooters – Used HONDA

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Christophe Decultot: we want to sell 30,000 motorcycles and scooters

Market reports - Christophe Decultot: we want to sell 30,000 motorcycles and scooters - Used HONDA

With 26,225 registrations, Honda posted an increase of + 1.9% on the French motorcycle market. Christophe Decultot, General Manager Honda France, establishes for Site the 2011 assessment of the Japanese brand and reveals its 2012 objectives. Interview.

Site: What do you think of the general evolution of the French motorcycle market in 2011? ?
Christophe Decultot, General Manager Auto and Motorcycle, Honda France : The market for all brands of motorized two-wheelers over 50 cm3 has practically fallen by 30% in three years. This year, we are seeing a drop of around 7% in registrations in a context of a crisis that could last a few more years. However, the heavy-duty market is holding up well with a slight increase, while the 125 cm3 category has experienced a significant decline that can be explained in part by the implementation of the 7 hours of mandatory training at the start of the year 2011.

MNC: What is your assessment of your year in 125 and large cubes? ?
C. D. : Honda is progressing with more than 26,200 registrations and an increase in market share from 13.9% in 2010 to 15.1% in 2011. Despite the sharp slowdown in sales of 125 and in particular of 125 motorcycles in recent years, our market share jumped almost 3 points to 17.4% thanks to the very good results of the PCX. As we thought last year, the launch in 2011 of many new large displacement models well placed on the price plan (Hornet, CBR600F, SH300i, SW-T600) increased our sales by almost 8%.

MNC: Are you fully satisfied with the results of your bestsellers: PCX, Hornet 600 S-Wing, CBF125 and CB1000R ?
C. D. : The PCX and the Hornet are performing extremely well. These two models enjoy an excellent reputation and are located in very dynamic categories in France: 125 scooters and mid-capacity roadsters. Like all high-end 125 scooters, the S-wing has seen a notable drop in sales. Honda customers have probably turned to the PCX thanks to its very good performance and its very affordable price. As for the CBF125, its sales fell following the trend of the category but it remains the 2nd best selling 125 motorcycles.

MNC: Which models have you been disappointed with in sales and why ?
C. D. : Despite a very good reception from the motorcycle press and a well-placed price of € 3,990, the CBR250R does not manage to take off the market for 250 motorcycles. We are all the same satisfied to count this machine of alternative displacement to widen a little more our offer.

MNC: Immates are not everything: how would you qualify your balance sheet? ?
C. D. : Honda, like many other Japanese manufacturers, had a particularly painful year with the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March 2011. The floods that hit Thailand also disrupted Honda’s activities because we have factories and many suppliers on site. Despite this, Honda is a solid company which has been able to face these events even if the balance sheet will inevitably be less good than in previous years. Of course, it is necessary to put these problems into perspective with regard to the dramatic situation that has hit the Japanese and Thai peoples..

MNC: In your opinion, did your new products for 2011 (Crossrunner, Hornet, CBR600F, CBR125 and 250, SW-T600 and SH300i) succeed for their first year? ?
C. D. : Overall, the commercial results of our new products for 2011 are in line with our objectives. On the one hand, the Hornet exceeded the target we had set for it thanks to its very attractive introductory price given its reputation and its great dynamic qualities. And on the other hand we regret that the new CBR125R has made its appearance in a declining 125 motorcycle market and subjected to the new 7 hour training. But with nearly 1000 registered CBR125Rs, we quintupled our 2010 sales. This remains a positive result..

MNC: What was the pleasant surprise 2011 ?
C. D. : The good performance of the large-displacement market shows that the motorcycle is resisting the crisis fairly well. Certainly the "new stuff" effect plays a role and considering all the new machines to be launched in 2012, we can be optimistic for next year. On the passion side, we had a great time with the comeback of Honda in Moto GP and the beautiful triple crowning driver, constructor and team with Casey Stoner and Team Honda Repsol.

MNC: What was the worst ?
C. D. : As mentioned above, the dramatic climatic events and the Fukushima disaster of March 2011 hit Japan hard. These events were particularly painful for the Japanese people and we must pay tribute to the dignity and courage of this people in the face of such disasters. On the other hand, the disappearance of Marco Simoncelli is sad news for lovers of motorcycling sport. We have lost a talented and sympathetic pilot. In addition, Marco has always been a running animator with his aggressive style that many enthusiasts appreciate..

MNC: According to you, what was the highlight of 2011 in the world of two-wheelers? ?
C. D. : With a reduced formula in terms of exhibition area and time, the 2011 Paris show was very satisfactory with attendance of over 180,000 people and peak visits generating an impressive crowd in the aisles of Paris Expo. We have also seen that motorcycles still attract a young clientele and this is a good sign for the future..

MNC: What conclusions do you draw from this Show what improvements would you bring to the 2013 edition? ?
C. D. : As far as we are concerned, we are very satisfied with the 2011 edition. First of all, we benefited from a very good location near the main entrance which allowed for good visibility of the brand. The layout of the stand was appreciated by our visitors as it was large and ventilated enough to move easily and see the machines in good condition. On the other hand, beyond the exhibition of motorcycles and scooters, this show is an opportunity to discuss with our customers and we were able to collect the first impressions concerning the new Honda 2012 models. Despite the delicate economic situation, we are optimistic for the coming year.

MNC: How were your new 2012 products (Crosstourer, Fireblade, NC700 S and X, Integra, Vision 110 in particular) received by your network and by all bikers? ?
C. D. : We met our entire network during the Paris Motorcycle Show. We have again presented many new products this year, ranging from the Vision 50 to the luxurious GoldWing, and the network is satisfied with Honda’s dynamism given the current economic situation. The Motorcycle Show allowed us to collect the impressions of the bikers who came to detail our motorcycles and more particularly our new products. The first trends are very positive and we hope to see Honda’s market share continue to grow in 2012. See you in a year !

MNC: In 2012, what will be your objectives ?
C. D. : With 2012 full of new products, we want to sell 30,000 motorcycles and scooters. The new NC700 S / X and Integra come at the right time in a difficult economic environment. These new machines offered at very attractive prices (from € 5,490 to € 8,490) offer practicality and economy on a daily basis thanks to their new 700 twin-cylinder engine which is characterized by very limited fuel consumption (around 3.7 liters per 100 km). . A new generation of double-clutch transmission is fitted to the Integra as standard and the NC700s will be able to benefit from it in the second quarter of 2012 as an option. With the ABS combination braking system available as an option on the NC700S and standard on the NC700X and Integra, Honda proves that technology does not have to be expensive.

On the other hand, the arrival of the Crosstourer equipped with the 1200cc V4 will allow us to meet growing demand in the road trail category. As with the NC700s, the Crosstourer will be available with the manual gearbox or the dual-clutch transmission, the software of which has been revised for 2012 with improved gear management. Offered at € 13,990 (+ € 1,000 for the double clutch) with combined ABS braking and traction control, the Crosstourer takes over from the Varadero 1000 from mid-February..

Our network policy is to maintain the number of dealers in 2012. Our program to launch new models should help generate sufficient business volume and we will support our network in terms of technical and commercial training. We will continue to help our dealers to set up new standards for the layout and management of their point of sale.

The recognized quality and reliability of Honda products are essential qualities, but we want to go further in supporting our customers by expanding our service offering. First of all, we are in the process of launching the "Honda Restart" label which aims to emphasize the quality of our used machines, by offering customers complete and systematic coverage in terms of warranty. and assistance. We also offer our customers a warranty extension of 12 or 24 months in order to ensure better monitoring of the maintenance of the machines sold. This offer has the particularity of being transferable and therefore reassuring our customers for the resale of their motorcycle or scooter.

We are also continuing our digital development with the opening of a Tweeter account following the remarkable launch of the Honda Moto France Facebook account, which has more than 30,000 fans who are very attentive to the brand‘s news..

MNC: What will be your major events in 2012 ?
C. D. : For 2012, we are offering our customers four Honda Days dates in the second quarter during which they can benefit from on-circuit driving training. These Honda Days will be the occasion to discover the new Fireblade which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Regarding partnerships with driving schools, a new driving school joins Honda in addition to ACO, Trajectoire GP for the track and Merel Off Road for off-road. We can now count on Fisrt on Track for on-track driving courses with renowned instructors, since Sebastien Charpentier and Jean-Michel Bayle are there. Regarding safety, we now count the Beltoise driving school among our partners. This school aims to respond to companies wishing to train their staff to drive a motorized two-wheeler and to prevent the risks associated with daily traffic..

This year again, we are offering Moto GP enthusiasts the opportunity to experience the French Grand Prix at Le Mans in the beautiful Honda grandstand located opposite the Dunlop chicane..

As for the French competition, we support the Tecmas and Daffix teams in the French SBK and SSP championship. We can count on talented drivers with Mathieu Ginès at Tecmas and Hugo Marchand at Daffix to put the Fireblade in the first places. It is in the French Supermoto Championship that Sylvain Bidart and Germain Vincenot of Team Luc1 will defend the Honda colors on CRF450 and 250R. The goal is to win the title again this year, building on the experience and track record of the Team. We will be represented by Team HDI in the French Motocross Championship with Cedric Soubeyras and Milko Potisek, who will also take part in the World Championship. We also find Mickaël Pichon who is ready to do some races with Team HDI in the French MX championship. It is this team that we will meet again at the start of the Enduropale du Touquet in early February.

Finally, we are supporting the National Motos, FMA, Sud Ouest and BPM teams for the Magny-Cours and Le Mans endurance races and we are considering several opportunities for the Dark Dog Moto Tour 2012..

MNC: In conclusion, which maxim would best illustrate your 2011 balance sheet? ?
C. D. : This quote from Andre Maurois illustrates the spirit of Honda, which moves forward with conviction in the face of all challenges: "Be confident, the world belongs to those who set out to conquer it with certainty and good humor".

Interview by Matthieu BRETILLE

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