Business – The motorcycle industry defends its future in Europe –

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The motorcycle industry defends its future in Europe

Business - The motorcycle industry defends its future in Europe -

To secure the future of motorized two-wheelers, the Motorcycle Industry Lobby in Europe (ACEM) is committed to producing safer and cleaner motorcycles and scooters. Jacques Compagne, his secretary general, gave us a long video interview.

ACEM (Association of European Motorcycle Manufacturers), the lobbying body responsible for representing the interests of the motorcycle industry to the European Union, held its 5th annual conference in Brussels on Monday. With a particularly ambitious objective: "building the future of motorcycling"…

The two-wheeler market
motorized in Europe

  • The motorcycle and moped industry employs 200,000 people in Europe

  • The sector represents a turnover of 10 billion euros

  • With 490 million inhabitants, the European Union is the 3rd largest population in the world after China and India

  • In 2020, 80% of Europeans will live in urban areas

  • More than 2.7 million motorized two-wheelers were sold in 2007 in EU countries, a continuous increase of 22% over the period 2002-2007

  • 1 million 50 cc mopeds sold in 2007 (stable since 2002)

  • 1.7 million 125 cc and over

  • Six countries alone represent more than 80% of the European market: Italy (25%), France (19%), Spain (17%), Germany (11%), United Kingdom (6%) and Greece (3%) )

  • For 2016-2020, the rolling stock in Europe is estimated at 35 million motorized two-wheelers against 30 million in 2006, an increase of 13%

    • The British MEP Malcolm Harbor (conservative), Mattia Pellegrini, British MEP Malcolm Harbor (conservative), Mattia Pellegrini (see our video interview opposite) met in particular, in the presence of the president of ACEM and CEO of KTM Stefan Pierer (read). (member of the cabinet of Antonio Tajani, vice-president of the European Commission responsible for transport), Andy Mayo (responsible for motorcycle policy in London) and Pierre Kopp, professor of economics at the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne, author of a very interesting quantitative study on the benefits linked to the rise of motorized two-wheelers in intramural Paris (read).

    Euro5 auto / motorcycle parity in 2015

    Within ACEM, all 11 manufacturers represented (BMW, Harley-Davidson, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Peugeot, Piaggio, Suzuki, Triumph and Yamaha) have agreed on a certain number of measures to ensure the future of motorcycles in Europe, which necessarily involves "cleaner and safer motorcycles and scooters", underlines the organization.

    Because if the motorcycle and moped market in Europe has grown steadily over the past six years due to strong demand for individual mobility, especially in cities, today the indicators are turning orange (read our Monthly Report November and the two-wheeler is in the crosshairs of the authorities because of the number of accident victims…

    In terms of polluting emissions, ACEM therefore prefers to take the lead by committing to achieving Euro5 parity for motorcycles and cars from 2015, with a change in 2012 to Euro4 Moto and Euro3 Cyclo. In seven years, any new motorized two-wheeler of 125 cc and more will therefore emit exactly the same quantity of pollutants as a new automobile: "the change from Euro3 to Euro5 will help reduce polluting emissions from motorcycles by 50%", says ACEM. Which, given the inherently superior fluidity of two-wheelers, gives them a clear advantage in terms of environmental protection. !

    The return of the motorcycle technical control

    ACEM also renewed its commitments in favor of greater road safety, based in particular on the development of braking assistance systems: instead of 50% of the fleet in 2010, it is no less than three quarters of the two – motorized road wheels which will be equipped in 2015 with a "advanced braking system"(ABS, CBS, F-ABS, R-ABS, combined ABS, ABS-PBS, full BS, etc.). For obvious reasons of competition between research and development departments, manufacturers are indeed keen to maintain a wide range of diverse and varied braking systems without being limited to ABS: "ACEM is opposed to a legislative approach which would be to the detriment of the diversity of systems and could stop innovation", specify the manufacturers.

    The secretary general of ACEM, the French Jacques Compagne, has also confirmed to us that he is in favor of the establishment of a technical control (see our video interview opposite), even if it is not "not the miracle solution". The questions of economic profitability of such control will nevertheless remain to be settled, because even in full growth, the motorized two-wheeler sector is far from being able to compete with that of the automobile (read in particular and our).

    Respond to the crisis

    "The priority is to protect businesses and jobs from the worst effects of the current financial crisis", recalls Stefan Pierer, big boss of KTM and current president of ACEM:"the recovery plan proposed last week by the European Commission (read in particular, Editor’s note) is a positive signal, which should also concern the motorcycle industry. In the coming months, we will face a delicate period made up of challenges for the sector: in October (read) and november (read Site tonight!), the market has fallen significantly compared to last year. Nevertheless, I remain convinced that there will also be opportunities for the industry in the medium term, if support actions are carried out in favor of the sector at national and European level for the renewal of the fleet and the development of innovative products.".

    As for Jacques Compagne (see our video interview opposite), he reaffirmed that the ACEM builders were determined to "take up the challenge of improving mobility while reducing congestion, accidents and pollution, by working with the European legislator, the municipalities of large cities and citizens’ organizations".

    In terms of sales between January and September 2008, the motorized two-wheeler sector in Europe shows a decrease of -12% compared to the same period 2007. In October 2008, the decrease even drops to -20% compared to October 2007. It is therefore urgent to react, but at the end of the meeting there is no doubt: the manufacturers have well understood the difficulties that await the world of motorcycles and far from standing idly by and lamenting their fate. each in their own corner, they move at the highest level of the European decision-making chain !

    The models exhibited on the sidelines of this 5th annual ACEM conference show very well the work undertaken over the years: in addition to the Yamaha Tesseract, FC-Dii and Bobby already presented last year in Tokyo (read), Honda exhibited its 600CBR ABS (read), Piaggio presented its (well advanced) MP3 Hybrid project, BMW and Honda respectively equipped their K1300S and 1800 Goldwing with the advanced system of "dialogue" between different vehicles present at the same time on the road (developed in part of the Car2Car consortium, read), and KTM unveiled its first electric motorcycle: equipped with a 7.5 kW clutchless motor and a 200V Li-Ion battery offering a range of 45 to 60 minutes, the KTM E-Bike claims a top speed of 70 km / h in off-road configuration, for a total weight of 90 kg.

    To be continued: the monthly review of the French market in November. Stay connected !

    Eric MICHEL

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