Market reports – First half of 2013: Harley-Davidson’s market report – Used HARLEY-DAVIDSON

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First half of 2013: Harley-Davidson’s market report

Market reports - First half of 2013: Harley-Davidson's market report - Used HARLEY-DAVIDSON

Harley-Davidson has just completed the first half of 2013 with a decline of -8.1% and has a total of 4,525 registrations. The marketing and communications director of the American brand, Xavier Crepet, gives his impressions to Site and its readers. Balance sheet.

Site: To what do you attribute the drop in the motorcycle market in France in the first half of 2013 ?
Xavier Crepet (Harley-Davidson France Marketing and Communication Director): The motorcycle market is above all a consumer market made up for the majority of individuals. However, since the beginning of the year, this population has been particularly affected by a succession of bad news both economically, socially and fiscal: plans for layoffs or voluntary departures, regular and sharp rise in unemployment, loss of power. purchase, increase in taxes, reduction or elimination of benefits, repeated calls from the government to tighten the belt … In June, the publication of the French household confidence index at its all-time low could not not really to be felt as a surprise, but as a logical consequence of what we have been going through for several months. Under these conditions, it is extremely difficult to mobilize consumers to purchase products which do not appear to be essential, and which are often associated with the leisure-pleasure tandem. To this, you add at the beginning of the year for the motorcycle market, a change in legislation at the level of the license, as well as a weather forecast to make a Scotsman depress for more than six months, you have there all the ingredients for a bear market.

"It is extremely difficult to mobilize consumers to purchase products that do not appear to be essential"

MNC: For you, what is the highlight of this first half of the year? ?
X. C .: May the Harley-Davidson brand succeed in moving more than 100,000 bikers to Rome to celebrate with them and all the fans the 110 years of the brand, and to offer several thousand of them a blessing from the Pope, which no brand had managed to do so until now. This unique experience will remain anchored for a moment in the memories..

MNC: Regarding your activity, what is your assessment of your first six months of 2013? ?
X. C .: In a global market at -17.4%, and a market "+ 625 cc" at -13%, our drop of -8% may seem like relative good news, reported once again to the difficult context that we have been experiencing since. the beginning of the year. It is difficult to say which of the two factors between the economic crisis and the weather crisis was the most penalizing for our business. The start of the year was particularly difficult with deliveries at -27% over the first two months, but which were anticipated on our part. Then, month after month, the bar gradually improved with two fine performances in April and May, higher than the 2012 achievements. It should be noted that the performance has been achieved without launching new volume products since the start of year, but on the contrary, of a limited series Dyna Street Bob Special Edition to 70 copies for France at a price of 14,590 €, and of the new Softail Breakout at 20,590 €, the allowances of which were all sold in the first half of the year.

"In these difficult times, our values ​​have never found such echo with our customers"

MNC: In general, how does the second semester look? ?
X. C .: From an economic, social and fiscal point of view, we do not see any improvement in the situation, just like in the motorcycle market. In this context, Harley-Davidson will present a second wave of new products at the end of August / beginning of September, after the one at the beginning of the year, which will animate our news and our dealer network until the end of the year. This moment is generally, and this year in particular, eagerly awaited by the brand, its network and its customers, to find balm in the heart and continue to make dream all those who have a penchant for HD and want to make their dreams come true. escape and freedom.

MNC: What are your tools to face this difficult period ?
X. C .: We do not have a miracle toolbox, but a brand that over the past 110 years has gradually established itself as a brand symbol of freedom, escape, self-expression and freedom from systems. In these difficult times, these values ​​have never found such an echo with our customers who come in increasing numbers to our events: the Eurofestival of Grimaud last May saw a record attendance with 13 000 bikers on the paid site, and our current event "Morzine Harley Days", from July 11th to 14th, has also set off to break an attendance record. Alongside this community of enthusiasts, it is also fundamental to stress the importance of good product news with attractive designs, as well as a dynamic network close to its customers..

Interview by Matthieu BRETILLE

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