The head of Harley-Davidson brand in Russia and CIS Anton Prokhorov: people who want to ride a motorcycle HD, will never disappear

Anton Prokhorov, head of the Harley-Davidson brand in Russia and
CIS, especially for car.ru gave a great interview.

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Brand
Harley-Davidson has already become a name
common. It’s like a Jeep, but a two-wheeled. And what for you personally
Harley-Davidson?

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– Harley-Davidson is really not just a brand of motorcycles. It
an icon is a symbol for many generations. He remains relevant
although it is tradition, and I’m sure he will be as relevant tomorrow.
Of course, to develop a brand to create success stories on the “sixth
part of the land” it is very honorable for me. The longer I work in this
the company, the more I talk to owners of a Harley-Davidson than
the more I ride with them, the more I feel a part of this
legend and get it.

– If you try to compile a portrait of happy
the owner of Harley-Davidson, how is it coming out? Still just
at the thought of “Harley” appears before the eyes as brutal
the man with a beard and a leather jacket!

Yes, I very often hear it. And do not get tired to repeat that
it’s a stereotype! Our clients are different. One of the values that
promotes Harley-Davidson is the freedom and liberty in a completely
different aspects, in different senses of the word. Buying a motorcycle HD
you don’t have to get so here is a typical “stereotyped”
biker, if you don’t want. Our motorcycles are becoming different people
ages, men or women, with diverse interests.
Some of them like club motodvizheniya, and someone like
travel around the world alone. Someone travels far and many, and
some people prefer urban prohveti. No need to become someone
whatever it is, be yourself – this is freedom!

– What’s new in model range over the past
months of the current year? Does it make sense to wait any
a new addition to the “family” Harley-Davidson (it is relative to the RF)
until the end of 2017?

– Harley-Davidson each year presents new trends in your
lineup, and it happens usually just at the end of the summer. But
this year is special! First, we recently introduced a new
family Softail 2018 is the range of our midsize
cruisers. New Softail has replaced the family of Dyna and Softail
in the past years. We have combined the best of these two families. We
we put our new engine Milwaukee-Eight. In addition, this
the family introduced many technical innovations that were not
the company informed. And 2017 – pre-anniversary, because in 2018 the company
Harley-Davidson celebrates 115 years! In this regard, traditionally, we
produced a full range of anniversary motorcycles – 115th Anniversary
and by and large, this collector’s items. Such models
appear every 5 years a limited edition, they are original
colors, special decoration and unique serial number. It
unique motorcycles, they are already causing increased interest.
So we did everything we could to the end of 2017 to bring
these models for our Russian buyers. Waiting for them at the dealership
centers at the beginning of December and the first happy owners
get a good gift for the new year.

– What is the state of the market for new motorcycles in Russia and
the position of Harley-Davidson? In the first 9 months
Harley-Davidson is in the top 5, but the dynamics
negative after all.

– All right. First and foremost, we observe the statistics of market
heavy motorcycles (over 600 CC). Unfortunately, this market
also not in the best shape, but it is a more gradual decline: minus 1.1
percent compared to the same period in 2016 (up
the first 9 months). In the market of heavy Harley-Davidson motorcycles
consistently holding the second position. We are particularly heavy
was the third quarter, after the season ended and the demand for
motorcycles are naturally lower than our expectations. The
at least, we believe the year for myself fairly successful: we were able
to repeat the result of last year and gradually increased its share of the
market. So to summarize: Yes, the year is difficult, and the market difficult,
but now is the time, that’s all. We expect that the decline will not be
eternal, and prepared to return to growth in the next couple of years.

– In the summer of 2016
Harley-Davidson seriously
revised pricing policy. And not upwards. What is the
was associated and whether to wait for the repetition of such a step? In the short
and medium term, for example.

– Indeed, despite the release of a new model year,
absolute terms there was a slight decline in retail prices for
a number of models. But it’s not price reduction the brand Harley-Davidson. On
really it had nothing to do with the fact that our government
multistage gradually reduces import duty on motor vehicles.
Over the last 5-6 years this figure has decreased from 20 to 10 percent. And
being honest with consumers, we corrected our prices
taking into account this factor. So are we going to do in the future.

– Assume a purely hypothetical situation: you
determine the model range of the brand. What kind of motorcycles do not
enough Harley-Davidson? If
of course, not enough.

– We have a very wide range, and I think it
everyone can find something to taste. HD never
stayed in the development of their product line, and each year
we offer new motorcycles, precisely because the monitored
trends, tastes, preferences of our customers. Every year some
patterns appear other models disappear. This is all happening
“always just enough”. As I said above, recently
we introduced a new line of Softail 2018, and we think it is
what long awaited fans of the brand. But to dwell on this
we are not going! Next year there will be other innovations. And through
two years in three. Every time we imagine something
a new one as soon as there is a feeling that something is expected of us or
something is missing from your computer. But it would be on the way out – about this today
nobody knows!

– I think you’ll agree: motorcycles
Harley-Davidson has always been perceived as
something expensive and premium. Today you have the honor
still, that is to say, top-end cruisers, or tendency
changing?

– Another stereotype for me
often have to say. People really perceive
motorcycles HD as something incredibly expensive and very premium. Yes
our large, heavy, visible motorcycles (usually tourist)
very “stereotypical” tally with the bearded biker
tattoos we talked about above. But the fact is that far
not everyone knows HOW wide our range! Take the family
Street, for example. This is a relatively small motorcycles, it is
available financial. Street Rod 2018, the city’s “easy”
motorcycle aimed at the younger generation. Top cruisers
of course, the bestsellers, but also other families interested buyers.
In fact, besides the wide range of a wide price range, we
developed and proposed financial programs, making all
motorcycles HD even more affordable. For example, until the end of December
some models are valid for 0% installment. This today can’t
to offer no motobrend.

– Electric cars, it seems, soon “suffocate” models with internal combustion engines
finally, and here is the world of Moto is starting to go the same way. And
whether it is by the producers, and motorcyclists?

– The 21st century has not been canceled, it would be foolish to argue with progress.
with trends, with fashion. But the electric vehicle
the sense in which it is presented on the market,
different from what I see on motorine. After all, what is valued and
in the end people are buying electric car? The length of the path without
recharge, efficiency, features, chassis
characteristics etc., so we’re talking about utilitarian
the standard things that form the notion of a “good car”,
including electric. But the bike people purchase not to
same as a car. Buy it for fun, for an
stop for a unique experience “for two
wheels.” Buying a motorcycle man looking for the drive, the emotions, and not
standard features. I will be interesting to see
in what way will the development of electric motorcycles on.
Can developers keep these emotions and dynamics, not
lubricated sensation for which buy a motorcycle?

And about the dealer network. What are its growth rates in
Russia Harley-Davidson? What cities/regions mark would like
to extend its presence in the near future?

– We now have 18 dealers in 14 cities of Russia and CIS countries
(city of Alma-ATA and Minsk). On average, we open at 2 dealer
center a year, trying to encompass primarily cities.
We relate the growth potential of the dealer network with the capacity and pace
development of motorino, so we’re not sure that we will be able
to maintain this rate of opening dealerships indefinitely. In
the same time there is still a large city with great potential, which
we know that there are interested in our brand people. In
such regions we want and plan to bring motorcycles HD.

– What are the main difficulties faced by
your company in selecting partners in the regions?

– It’s hard to be a pioneer. In many cities, on
which we aim and to which we come, no
authorized dealers or point of sales of motorcycles in principle, and
the sheer number of riders is small. In such places we’re not looking for
just partners but real enthusiasts! Those who believe, who
brave enough to come with us on a non-existent market
and start to create it from scratch. Our partners must be ready
believe with us in the motorbikes business, in his great prospects in Russia. And
the main thing to believe that HD as one of the leaders in this market, it is
a good investment and the right business move. Fortunately, almost
each region that we’re targeting, we are able to find such
people, although not always quickly. With them we move in close
partnership, developing brand Harley-Davidson

– Your vision of the potential owner of the motorcycle
Harley-Davidson in the year 2030, in the context of the rampant automation and
de-identification of the product.

– I confidently declare that people who want to ride motorcycles
HD will never disappear. In the 19th century there was a convenient self-propelled
vehicles – cars, but people also still ride on horseback!
They do it for fun, not because it’s faster. Or,
for example, with the widespread development of e-books, paper
instances will always be valued, because they are dear to us, “the ones”
sensations: the sound of turning pages, the smell of paper and
etc. Here and on motorcycles, first on motorcycles HD, people
will travel in 2030 and later. Will be making this for
pleasure, and only secondarily to use the bike as
vehicle, fast or convenient. And depersonalization at all
will not affect Harley-Davidson, this concept is simply contrary to fact
our brand. So even if you invent a teleport or “flying
boots” will be people who will buy a Harley-Davidson and
have fun on the road. Because it is just
like!

Anton Prokhorov, head of the Harley-Davidson brand in Russia and CIS
especially for car.ru

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