Business – Marcel Seurat: “Confidence returns!” –

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Marcel Seurat: "Confidence returns!"

Business - Marcel Seurat: & quot; Confidence returns! & Quot; -

The importer of MV Agusta, Cagiva and Husqvarna in France, Marcel Seurat, has agreed to give Moto-Net his impressions on the motorcycle market in France and on the future of these brands..

The importer of MV Agusta, Cagiva and Husqvarna in France, SIMA boss Marcel Seurat, has agreed to give Moto-Net his impressions on the motorcycle market in France and on the future of these brands.. Interview.

Moto-Net: after all the recent rumors and uncertainties, how do you see the future of Cagiva ?
Marcel Seurat: MV Agusta and Cagiva are the same company. The past wasn’t always easy, but it’s started again. Production has resumed, we are there with motorcycles available. The future is assured and confidence is returning. For example, we are in the process of rebuilding our network and we have a lot of contacts. I am sure that at least 50% of the people who worked with us (Editor’s note: before the crisis experienced by the Cagiva group) will come back. They left us because they had to eat, we had nothing more to offer them! But now that we have new nice bikes, they know us and they will come back.

Moto-Net: is the motorcycle market favorable ?
Marcel Seurat: Do you remember 10 years ago, it was a real disaster, the market had collapsed. Well we were doing + 182% then! All this to say that if you have the right products, it works! Especially since we don’t sell thousands of them and our customers are the loyal type. Look at Husqvarna: most don’t compete! They don’t need the latest model, they could have waited for us and delayed their purchase.

Moto-Net: what’s new for MV Agusta ?
Marcel Seurat: we present the F4-1000 and the Brutale is available. It’s very simple, we have too many requests! Everything we can have is already sold !

Moto-Net: do you plan to enter the F4 1000 in competition? ?
Marcel Seurat: It is a decision that is the responsibility of the factory and today, no, it is not planned.

Moto-Net: could SIMA help private initiatives, for example in endurance racing ?
Marcel Seurat: These modern motorcycles are extremely complex. Only the factory can manufacture the special parts needed to run. I think at our level we couldn’t do anything serious.

Moto-Net: today you benefit from the novelty effect, but ultimately the image of a sportswoman does not go through competition ?
Marcel Seurat: no, I don’t think so. Other brands do not compete and are doing very well like BMW, Triumph or Harley-Davidson.

Moto-Net: they are not really sports !
Marcel Seurat: we do not really place ourselves in the sports niche. Rather, our clients are looking for something exceptional, exclusive and they are willing to pay for it. Please note, what has always struck me is that these are real bikers who generally have a long riding experience. It’s like the Harleys, they are often said to be show off bikes. Me, I live in Beaune next to the motorway, well what I see going the most are Harleys! I don’t know what the other bikes are doing! I would say motorcycle enthusiasts like the MV are successful guys who want to maintain the motorcycle rogue image. "thug with class"! Besides, I’m going to tell you a story: 30 years ago, I knew the director of Hermes perfumes well. We went for walks together, he had a Honda CB 750 Four. One day I saw him arrive with a Mammut Munch, not really an easy and horribly expensive machine! I ask him what he’s doing with something like that and he answers: "a few days ago I stopped at the traffic light with my Honda, a worker from my laboratory stopped next to me with the same one! Well, that pissed me off! At least with this one it won’t happen again ". You see, today like 30 years ago, there will always be enthusiasts for this kind of exclusive motorcycles.

Moto-Net: how Cagiva is positioned ?
Marcel Seurat: At the moment there are no big news, but it is a priority for the factory. We will have something really striking soon. In the small engines we continue with the same bases but we are considering a commitment in competition with the Mito. It’s the same for the 1000 Raptor, we would love to enter it in the Roadster Cup. He is missing a few horses, but we know how to find them.

Moto-Net: and the Navigator ?
Marcel Seurat: She was a bit forgotten, that’s for sure. It must be said that we were murdered by the competition at the time. It was not very elegant: the one who is dying, we at least let him die quietly! Still, it’s a great bike. We will strive to make it rediscover … And some will be surprised.

Moto-Net: do you believe in the return of a mono road ?
Marcel Seurat: It will certainly come back one day. Mono provides incomparable sensations. For 30 years that I have been in this business, I can tell you that the modes are cyclical: 1 cylinder, 2 cylinders, 3, 4 and even 6! and then we come back to 4, 3, 2 then 1! The same goes for the 2 stroke and the 4 stroke.

Moto-Net: except that the 2 stroke seems definitely out of play with the anti-pollution regulations.
Marcel Seurat: At the moment it is. Until the day when the engineers really look into the issue and find a solution. And there, everyone will want…

Benoît LACOSTE

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