Market reports – Patrick Marchal: the hypersport market has suffered a lot in recent years – KAWASAKI occasions

Posted on by admin

Patrick Marchal: the hypersport market has suffered a lot in recent years

Market reports - Patrick Marchal: the hypersport market has suffered a lot in recent years - KAWASAKI occasions

Interviewed by Site, the sales director of Kawasaki Motors France (+ 21% and two machines in the top 3 of the +125) analyzes the French two-wheeler market and takes stock of its 2007 strategy. With in particular two French in MotoGP !

A top seller besides 125cc, the Z750 held up to the Fazer despite a lack of supply at the end of the year. At its side, the ER-6 are the preferred alternative of the French to the four-cylinder roadsters, making it the third best-selling motorcycle in France..

Good results that Patrick Marchal underlines during his annual review with Site, but which also do not obscure the insufficient results of the brand’s hypersport models and the lack of a 125 cc range..

Site: What do you think of the general evolution of the two-wheeler market in 2006? ?
Patrick Marchal, Sales and Marketing Director of Kawasaki Motors France: Confirmation of the trend observed for several years now, namely a continuous rise in power of two-wheelers. This is only very logical if we consider that today this type of vehicle has become an essential component of the overall transport offer, mainly in urban areas. Taking this into account, it is therefore normal to note the great dynamism of the 125 market, but the good performance of the over 125 market is also very satisfactory. Kawasaki, even more involved than its competitors in this niche, can obviously only be congratulated..

Site: What is your assessment of your year? ?
P. M. : A result that we can generally qualify as very satisfactory, since the commercial objectives of the beginning of the year have been achieved. We classify two machines, the Z750 and the ER-6, among the three machines of more than 125 most sold in France. And in a very competitive context, we have managed to escape the infernal spiral of promotions and thus preserve the quality of the activity of our network..

Site: Are you fully satisfied with the results of your Z750, ER-6 and Z1000 ?
P. M. : For the Z750, best seller in France for the second year in a row, the only regret is not having been able to have enough machines at the end of the year to meet demand. Otherwise, what more could you ask for than to have once again won the market place. The ER-6, too, has managed to enter the market with fanfare, achieving a commercial score thanks to its dynamic qualities and its price that no other twin has managed to achieve in recent years. For the Z1000, the decline observed compared to the first years of its marketing is all in all normal, but we can consider that at the end of a rather brilliant course, it will have well prepared the ground for the arrival of the new version in 2007.

Site: Which models have you been disappointed with in sales and what was the cause ?
P. M. : Unfortunately, this does not only concern Kawasaki, but it is obvious that the hypersports market has suffered a lot in recent years. The Ninja, 10R and 6R, did not escape this heavy trend despite the excellent results they were able to obtain during tests carried out by the press..

Site: The 125 cc are booming and your virtual absence in this sector represents a big shortfall … Are you going to tackle this profitable market soon? ?
P. M. : This is not topical, at least in the short term.

Site: Did your Versys, ZZR 1400 and ZX-10R "fulfill their contract" for their first year ?
P. M. : For the Versys, launched in November, it is still too early to tell, but its commercial start is rather higher than our expectations. For the other two machines, it must be admitted that the current times are no longer so favorable to them. These two models, given their real qualities, would undoubtedly have signed more flattering scores five years ago or, better, ten years ago. Nevertheless, there will always be a clientele of enthusiasts and fans for whom this type of motorcycles will remain unmatched..

Site: What was the good surprise 2006 ?
P. M. : It is not strictly speaking a surprise, but the announcement and the presentation of the seven new Kawasaki models 2007 at the Intermot show in Cologne really had something to give a total morale for the year to come to the various players of the brand…

Site: What was the worst ?
P. M. : To be honest, I don’t really see any …,

Site: How were your new 2007 products (Z750, Z1000, ZX-6R, GTR 1400) received by your network and by all bikers ?
P. M. : Without exception, it can be said extremely favorably. The style and technology that characterize these novelties immediately wowed journalists, our dealers and even many of our customers who have already expressed their impatience to see them arrive in store..

Site: In 2007, what will be your objectives in terms of sales but also of network, image and communication? ?
P. M. : Sustainably strengthen Kawasaki’s presence on the French market for more than 125 cars by expanding our product offering, and therefore increasing volumes and market share, but of course also preserving the best possible working conditions for our network. And I will add that one does not go without the other.

Site: What is the share of Internet in your activity ?
P. M. : An increasing share, just like the increasingly important place that this medium takes in modern society. Kawasaki France has therefore decided to be an "active player" in the Internet galaxy and that from the start. A great effort has been made for more than a year now to make our site more lively and user-friendly than ever and to make it stick as well as possible to the brand’s news. The site visitation rates, clearly on the rise, are there to prove that our customers have been sensitive to it..

Site: What will be your major events in 2007 ?
P. M. : Sportingly, I will of course mention MotoGP with the two official Kawasaki riders OJ and Randy, a completely exceptional situation therefore for France. But also endurance, cross country with in particular Christophe Pourcel and all the other specialties where we will be involved. I would be remiss if I had forgotten the Kawasaki ER-6 Cup, a promotion formula of which it will be the second edition in 2007, as well as the K Days, precursors of advanced training and driving courses since 1992 and which will continue unabated. On the network and customer side, the renewal of the network animation days but also that of the Super Challenge Team Green All-Terrain in August in Saint-Jean-d’Angely. We will also intensify the actions carried out in bridge with our partners, Kawasaki Financement and Kawasaki Asssurance.

Site: In conclusion, which maxim would best illustrate your 2006 balance sheet ?
P. M. : "Let the good times roll", or somehow"Let’s enjoy the good times". It seems to me, in the end, not to stick to the current situation so badly. !

Interview by Matthieu BRETILLE

Related articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *