±±¾©Èü³µpk10

Triumph, the 101-year-old Great British motorcycle marque, is on a mission. It has hired Corporate Edge to refine its global brand identity and catch up with bigger manufacturers such as BMW, Ducati and fellow centurion Harley-Davidson.

Triumph epitomised the British motorcycle industry's golden age in the 50s and 60s when film stars such as Steve McQueen, Marlon Brando and Clint Eastwood rode it.

But it lost its glamour when it failed to respond to high-performance Japanese models, eventually falling into receivership in 1983.

Building entrepreneur and present owner John Bloor rescued it from the brink, sinking £80m into the business and triggering its resurgence.

Aside from a blaze at its Leicestershire factory, which froze production for four months during its centenary last year, Triumph has risen from the ashes to be a force to be reckoned with once again.

It now has a line of 12 premium models, including classic names such as Bonneville, Thunderbird and Tiger, distributed worldwide. Annual sales are 33,000 compared with a nadir of 2000 in 1991, although still short of its late-60s peak of 50,000. Exports account for 80% of its sales, with the US leading the way.

But compared with its Japanese rivals, Triumph is a midget. Although the US is its leading market, only one in 20 bikes sold there is a Triumph.

The company's challenges have moved on from when motorbike sales were at their peak. Rather than teens and 20-somethings, buyers now tend to be aged 35 to 55.

While its advertising is currently limited to trade press ads created in-house, Triumph keeps targeting new consumers. This year it launched the Daytona 600 racing bike, exploiting the brand publicity and high-performance cachet generated by motorsport.

So what must Triumph do to ensure its future success? We asked Mercier Gray founder and biker veteran Robert Gray, who rides a Red Bull Ducati 996 as well as a CCM, and Nigel Ragg, marketing director at Mark Warner Holidays, who spends much of his leisure time on a BMW 61.

VITAL SIGNS
Vehicle registrations
                          2002              2001              2000
                    Total    Share     Total   Share     Total    Share
Honda               24,872     20.3    25,285    20.4    23,324     19.1
Yamaha              18,895     15.5    18,336    14.8    21,110     17.3
Suzuki              18,144     14.8    17,363    14.0    19,671     16.1
Harley-Davidson/
Buell                 4106      3.4      3459     2.8      3156      2.6
Triumph               3796      3.1      4742     3.8      3904      3.2
Source: Motor Cycle Industry Association of Great Britain

DIAGNOSIS ROBERT GRAY

Motorcycling is cool. It's no longer associated with greasy, hairy-arsed Hells Angels. Triumph is not cool. It's a niche brand, relying on heritage and retro styling to achieve sales. It mainly appeals to born-again bikers who want a bike because it reminds them of their youth, but is safe and comfy - a bit like a nice pair of slippers.

Ironically, Triumph sells better in the US than in the UK and Europe.

Its positioning is similar to Harley-Davidson in the US, where the brand is huge because people buy the bikes out of national patriotism, and don't care that they don't accelerate, stop or go around corners very well. And, of course, the Yanks love British brands.

Triumph produces bikes for every sector, but none are the best in their category. That's a big mistake when in Europe, where speed and performance are major selling points, hence the mass-market being dominated by Japanese sports bikes from Honda and Suzuki. If it's mass-market sales that Triumph is after, it needs to beat its Japanese counterparts, not Harley-Davidson.

And most importantly, it needs to make it cool.

NIGEL RAGG

The old, classic Triumph of the 60s evokes thoughts of deep-throated, throbbing engines, warm oil, dirty hands, anxiety, thrills, power, noise and freedom - where do the euphemisms stop?

The new Triumph, a beautiful bike, is leathers, bike boots, sleek helmets, stylish, but undistinguished lines and Japanese technology - a motorbike of elegant conformity. The new Triumph is a modern day classic, but can it compete with the Harley-Davidson?

Harley is a motorbike of difference, of individuality, non-conformity, a bike you always dreamed of, but never dared or could afford to buy. It is a rebel's bike, spliffs, Easy Rider, Hells Angels, naughty - conjuring up images of long-distance journeys into the setting sun, with no responsibilities and dreams of eternal youth.

A totally unique style - cool.

Thus, to compete, Triumph needs a motorbike that returns to its roots and invokes similar freedoms - the thought of long rides with no helmet and no specialist bike clothes. That would sell a Triumph to me. At the moment it's a nice bike to look at, but not individual enough for my bag.

TREATMENT

- Reduce number of segments it is involved in and reinvest in manufacturing to develop bikes that are class leaders in these segments.

- Play on the heritage values in the US, but focus on cutting-edge technology and performance in Europe.

- Get into World Superbike racing and win, then transfer this pedigree to road products - it worked pretty well for Ducati.

- Target 40- to 60-year-olds.

- Capture a sense of youth and an era of no responsibilities.

- Create a cool, individual and distinctive feel. This is a unique product with a unique audience.

- Move away from the image of Japanese bikes ridden by leather-clad fanatics to focus on individualism.

- Create a bike that captures all of the above.