Business – CSIAM takes stock of the motorcycle world in France –

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The CSIAM takes stock of the motorcycle world in France

Business - CSIAM takes stock of the motorcycle world in France -

The International Automobile and Motorcycle Union Chamber (CSIAM) is now organizing meetings to share its analysis of the motorcycle market. Site attended the premiere: training, market, ZAPA, equipment, technical control, etc..

This is a great first: the International Chamber of Automotive and Motorcycle Syndicates (CSIAM), which federates and represents the interests of the French subsidiaries of foreign automobile manufacturers, gave the press its point of view on the development on Friday. of the motorbike and scooter market in France (read our).

Thierry Archambault, Deputy Chairman of the CSIAM, begins the meeting – modeled on what has already been done in the car and heavy goods vehicle branches for several years – by recalling the main figures for the sector at the start of 2012.

"The total 2/3 wheel motor market (excluding quadricycles) recorded 56,711 total registrations at the end of April 2012, a decrease of 7.8% compared to the same period for 2011", observes the head of the union chamber.

7 hour training hurts

"The CSIAM notes a relative stability in registrations on motorcycles and scooters over 125 cc (+ 0.08%), a sustained decline in 125 cc motorcycles and scooters (-19.4%), only partially offset by a 25.6% increase in three-wheelers over the same period", continues Thierry Archambault.

According to CSIAM, "the drop in sales of 125ccs continues to be explained in large part by the constraint of 7 hours of compulsory training implemented since January 1, 2011 and whose full effect did not occur on market figures until spring 2011".

Thank you CSIAM !

Created in September 1921 by a few concerned automobile importers, they wrote in their preamble, of "create and strengthen ties of solidarity and good fellowship between French importers", the CSIAM now has the exclusive purpose of"the study and defense of the rights, as well as the material and moral interests, collective and individual, of its members".

More specifically, the CSIAM is responsible for organizing the statistical data from the Auxiliary Automobile Associations (AAA) from the prefectures.

In the assembly, it was noted that a three-hour training had been introduced long before and that it did not seem to impact sales as badly. "Indeed, because this "old" training was not retroactive! And that’s all the difference", observes the CSIAM.

"The demand was poorly controlled", rebounds Eric de Seynes, president of the motorcycle branch of CSIAM and president of Yamaha Motor France (YMF):"some customers were forced to go back to Paris to take the training when others, in the south in particular, were victims of a real surge in prices with prices ranging from 350 to 400 euros".

"Even today, there are regions where it is difficult to pass the training. But for many customers, the purchase of a 125 is an impulse purchase that responds to the desire to return to the motorcycle.", continues the boss of YMF … Sales in the 125cc sector would therefore have fallen as a result.

Overall, the results are slightly below the manufacturers’ expectations, "which announced at the start of the year an annual market down by around 5% at most", recalls Thierry Archambault.

In addition, the CSIAM underlines that the weather was not favorable, in February and April especially, while it is a "very important factor for the analysis of the new home market at the start of the year".

Encouraging signs

"These disappointing figures should not mark the mature, solid and very responsive nature of the French market, which remains one of the most dynamic in Europe when the second-hand market is included in the analysis.", retains Thierry Archambault.

"The peak of August 2008 represents the record for motorcycles in France in terms of sales of new and used vehicles", develops Eric de Seynes."After three years of crisis, the total market has fallen by only 5% ", exposes the double president, estimating the current number of the transactions at approximately 900,000 over 12 smoothed months (50 cc, 125, cc, large engines and MP3 combined).

"At the same time, we can see that the number of motorcycle licenses issued has increased in recent years, which is encouraging.", assure us the persons in charge of the CSIAM (for information, 108,264 A licenses and 4,212 A1 licenses were issued in 2010, that is respectively -1% and + 10% compared to 2009). However, other subjects are well less cheerful…

This is the case, for example, of ZAPA (Priority action zones for air, reading), "a poorly put together text on which the manufacturers and the CSIAM unfortunately have no levers because very few or no valid interlocutors", indicates the delegate president of the CSIAM.

Jean-Claude Hogrel, president of the two-wheeler branch of the National Council of Automobile Professionals (CNPA, read our), confirms: "people on the ground are lost, starting with mayors, as regulations differ between test cities !"

"France is behind on this subject, especially compared to Germany, Sweden, but also Italy and Spain.", warns the CSIAM:"in these countries, motorized two-wheelers are allowed"and it makes perfect sense:"why ban access to city centers to small vehicles that consume less than 2 l / 100 km for some ?"

Current issues…

Some will note that for manufacturers, replacing the "old" rolling stock by vehicles meeting the latest anti-pollution standards could represent an extraordinary windfall. "Maybe, but only in the short term !", ahead of Eric de Seynes.

"Old two-wheelers would lose value, the network and dealers would suffer too much", continues Reinhold Zens, president of KTM France, present at this meeting alongside his colleagues from BMW, Ducati, Honda and Triumph in particular..

In the same line, "the issue of new licenses, the changing and complex regulations of license A certainly do not help the profession … In the car, a single license gives access to all cars, it’s all the same simpler !", observes Gregoire Billette, Secretary General of the National Federation of Cycle and Motorcycle Trade and Repair (FNCRM).

From the realm of the hypothetical this time – the doubt hangs over the more as the government is changing! -, new regulations in terms of equipment could modify the characteristics of the motorcycle market in France…

"Discussions have been initiated on the need to make the wearing of certain protections or equipment compulsory.", recalls Thierry Archambault, referring to the work of the interministerial delegate for road safety, Jean-Luc Nevache (read).

95% of the motorcycle market in France

The representativeness of the CSIAM is reflected in particular in the market shares of the imported brands. In 2011, 43.8% of the French market for passenger cars, 32.2% of that of light commercial vehicles, 69.6% of industrial vehicles, 88.9% of buses and coaches … and 94.4% of motorcycles and 67.5% of mopeds !

Are members of the CSIAM: Aprilia, BMW, BRP, Can Am, Derbi, Ducati, Gilera, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, KTM, Kymco, Moto Guzzi, MV Augusta, Piaggio, Suzuki, Sym, Triumph, Vespa and Yamaha. Peugeot is represented for its part by the National Chamber of Bicycle and Motorcycle Union (CSNM).

"We have to see what type of new rules could be applied, under what conditions, to what population: 125 cc, large engines, all ?…", briefly states the delegate president of the CSIAM, who preferred to take the lead.

"The members of CSIAM are builders by statute, but we have created an informal group bringing together several equipment manufacturers to discuss this increasingly topical subject.", informs us Thierry Archambault.

Depending on the progress of the file, this initiative could lead to a real structure. After all, there is strength in unity. It was together, for example, that the manufacturers succeeded in obtaining the return of the equivalence of the B / 125 cc license in 1996.

Finally, the question of technical control was of course unearthed during this first meeting. "There are two reading levels on this subject"Says the Deputy President of CSIAM."Regarding the text alone, it is very clear: the technical control concerns the moped, period.".

… and fresh files

Note from time to time that, contrary to what the Road Safety and Traffic Delegation (DSCR) puts forward, "the business plan is not viable", estimates the CSIAM. According to it, only the adoption of a" plan B "would make it possible to apply the bill.

"Since this text is essentially aimed at checking the clamping of cyclos, a conformity check (and not "technical", nuance, Editor’s note!) would suffice. This could be carried out where maintenance and overhauls of vehicles are carried out.", proposes the CSIAM.

"From a more militant point of view this time, some consider that it is a corner pushed towards the "motorcycle technical control" and are worried about it.", explains our host … But let them be reassured:"it is not topical and we do not want to wake up this file". Hush, so…

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