Car-motorcycle cohabitation in Compiègne

About a hundred kilometers north of Paris, Saint-Merri Autos can be seen by travelers arriving in Compiègne from the Arsy toll, on the A1 motorway..

About a hundred kilometers north of Paris, Saint-Merri Autos can be seen by travelers arriving in Compiègne from the Arsy toll, on the A1 motorway.. The huge showcase of the town of Jaux (Oise) betrays the presence of a few motorcycles in the middle of this concession rather oriented towards four wheels.

SPECIAL FILE Bmw

Assisted by two mechanics, Patrick Berlinson displays the title of "head of the motorcycle department". Professional to the tips of his nails, in this position for eight years and having already worked in the past in a Japanese dealership, this man shows his difference compared to his counterparts in series 3, 5 or 7..

Never a tie

"If you take an auto salesman to sell motorcycles, he will never succeed", says Patrick straight away."It’s not the same environment! I never wear a tie, unlike them. And if by chance I have to put one on, my clients, like my colleagues, give me room and tell me that I have passed on four wheels !"

Claiming around sixty new annual sales, including "50% on 1200 RT and 1200 GS"Patrick is a keen observer of the two-wheeled and four-wheeled cohabitation, with possible transfers of clients from one to the other."10 to 15% of my clients have come by motorbike by car. Motorcycles are quite another area, more in the hobby. This guy who comes to us is rather nicer than the average auto customer. It could be someone who has a car paid for by his company but whose motorcycle is his own. They often choose the lease buy option and ride big models. Often they may have ridden motorcycles at a younger age but still have an image of BMW motorcycles of the "model for administrations with or without fairings" genre. When he discovers the current range, the customer is surprised by their sportiness and performance. For example, a K 1200 R amazes them".

The car brakes old bikers

Are these types of clients young? "Yes, a few, big wheelers, but we must admit that the average price is € 14,000, so a certain financial base is essential … That said, we have everything: from factory workers to liberal framework. This may change with the F 800 ST which should be close to 10,000 €"(read).

Patrick admits, however, that the presence of the car "slows down" old bikers: "they often tell themselves that you shouldn’t know anything about a motorcycle! While I was trained in this profession and I can say that I would not do anything else! The hardest part is getting them into the store. Then we can talk"…

CONTINUED FROM OUR SPECIAL BMW FILE

File produced by Pierre SYLVESTRE

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