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Boris Savitsky: Kawasaki sales close in on 1,500 in 2011

Boris Savitsky, the General Director of Fudzi Motors — an exclusive importer of Kawasaki motorcycles — has kindly agreed to fill Motonews.ru in on how the Japanese brand is doing in Russia.

How many Kawasaki motorcycles were sold last year, in 2011?
In 2011, Kawasaki sales closed in on the level of 1,500 bikes, which is, objectively speaking, an excellent result. It is particularly important that we reached the cherished goal – 25% of the road bike segment. That’s a new one for us. As for bikes for active recreation, quads, jet skis and motocross bikes, we’re on track to achieve significant progress in 2012.

How did 2011 sales compare to those of 2010?
We were able to boost sales, and for several reasons: continuous upgrades to the existing model range, competitive retail prices, an extensive dealership network, a good supply throughout the motorcycle racing season and expedited delivery of motorcycle equipment and components. It also should be noted that Kawasaki Heavy Industries, unlike other motorcycle producers in the land of the rising sun, didn’t suspend deliveries to its distributors after the disastrous earthquake of March 2011. The growing consumer confidence in our brand worldwide was another contributing factor.

What do you expect to see in 2012?
We expect this season to be successful, and we plan to increase sales to 2,000 across the board. The plans are certainly ambitious, but we feel strong enough to reach this goal.

How many Kawasaki dealers are there in Russia?
At this point, there are 43 official Kawasaki dealerships operating in Russia, and the number of our partners in Russia's regions will likely reach 50 by 2013.

What are the top three cities with the highest Kawasaki sales after Moscow?
St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Kazan.

Do you hold any promo events? What measures do you take to boost sales?
Our company has launched a special project called Kawasaki-Finance. It’s a range of crediting and insurance programs designed specifically to allow our potential customers to buy a Kawasaki as soon as possible without any risks of getting scammed by unscrupulous brokers. Apart from this package, we regularly offer special discounts on certain models in order to bolster customer activity and step up interest in our equipment.

Which Kawasaki models enjoy the highest demand in Russia?
Beginner road bikes with a modest engine size, the quarter-liter class, including the Ninja 250 and KLX 250. Those are really the bestsellers. If we take other contenders for the top three places, the ER class bikes (the naked ER6 N and the classic ER6 F) and the off-road enduro Versys 650 are close on their heels. 


Do you let your potential buyers test drive your bikes? If so, when is the next one?
We understand the importance of test drives for drawing potential clients and we encourage dealers to maintain test drive fleets on their premises in any way we can. There are two reasons why we offer special conditions for motorcycle riding schools to try out and buy Kawasaki bikes. First, it’s natural for a person who was only recently a student to want the same model of a motorcycle on which he learned to ride. Second, the Kawasaki sports line features several models that are perfect for a beginning biker. We also pay special attention to test drives in Moscow: we intend to run test drives of almost all road models during the entire 2012 motorcycling season in Moscow on a day-to-day basis. 


Do you yourself ride a motorcycle or a scooter?
I don’t, not at this point. But the more I look at the new Kawasaki W800 Black Edition (this year’s new arrival, incidentally), the more I want to revive my motorcycle days…

What do you think a motorcycle will be like in 10-15 years? ))
Even more universal than now, more rider-friendly, more technological. And, without a doubt, it will be offered in Lime Green.

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