Business report Bihr: the humble champion!
Anyone who pays close attention has it Bhr have certainly seen the logo pass by. On signs along the track during an MXGP, on the 114 Motorsport Honda in the MX2 or in the MotoGP, for example. Compared to a mega sponsor such as Monster Energy, Bihr's visibility and brand awareness are small, yet it is a large company.
After all, this wholesaler is the European market leader in the field of motorcycle accessories and equipment. Developed to make it this far Bhr itself to excel in service and logistics. We went to investigate the French Bartenheim, literally a stone's throw from the Swiss border.
You have warehouses in all sizes and then you have the main depot of Bihr. There will not be more factories in the motorcycle sector. Bihr feeds no less than 157.000 references from 300 different brands and serves its customers, motorcycle dealers, very quickly. Thanks to sophisticated logistics and extensive automation, Bihr delivers within 10 hours in 24 countries.
At European level, Bihr is twice as large as its nearest competitor Parts Europe. In France, number two follows at a very distant distance as Bihr is no less than five times larger. These are staggering figures in which the off-road segment surprisingly plays a significant role. About 30% of orders go to motocross or enduro customers! Not coincidentally, because Bihr has been synonymous with competition from its inception.
Good for almost nothing!
The name Bihr may sound a bit strange, but it is not an acronym. Founder Cyrille Bihr was bitten by the motor bug since childhood. When his father had an unfortunate fall with the family ariel 500 -with six-year-old Cyrille on the back- the motorcycle was exchanged for a car at the Bihr home. Fortunately, little Bihr was unharmed and in the meantime he was infected by his passion for motorcycles. Unlike his brother who was four years older, Cyrille was not exactly a brat. By his own admission, he was good for almost nothing.
Desperate, his parents sought relief from a psychologist who discovered that their son had a talent for mechanics. An apprenticeship contract with the Swiss importer of Montesa offered a way out. Cyrille tinkers with dirt bikes and learns the ropes as a mechanic. In his spare time he also cross-country skis himself and a few years later, he expanded his technical horizons when he switched to the importer of wiseco for Switzerland. There Bihr mainly works on road racing motorcycles, more specifically Suzukis for climbing races (ed. hill racing). Cyrille does not stay there for long. His employer soon advises him to start his own business “Either I have to fire you or I have to pay you more than my chief mechanic, which you already know everything!”
From garage to racing specialist and motorcycle salesman
No sooner said than done. At 20th – it is now February 1975 – Cyrille Bihr begins from the old garage in Gegenheim Cycle and Moto Bihr where he mainly repairs bicycles and mopeds... Because there is no place to put motorcycles! A private building will follow after six months. Bihr's excellent reputation as a motorcycle mechanic and tuner does the rest. His ex-boss suggests him to Wiseco pistons to be distributed for France, Cyrille will discuss this. Not only did Wiseco's distribution boom after its start in 1977, engine sales were also going well.
First as a Suzuki dealer in 1980 and then as a Yamaha dealer in 1985. In 1986 he invested in the new Free Bike, a Yamaha dealer in Mulhouse. Free Bike would later make history by winning the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans, but both the motorcycle sales and distribution activities of Wiseco, Mikuni and some other brands are going faster and faster. Bihr therefore decides to focus on importing racing equipment and sells the Yamaha dealerships. The company itself has now been renamed Bihr Racing.
Our two favorite Bihr catalogues! You can use the off road (parts) here consult, click here for the off road Rider Gear catalogue.
Stormy growth
Anyone who follows the motorcycle sector is familiar with the cyclical process of distributors who pick up new brands, grow larger themselves and then disappear or are taken over. Only the exceptions are here to stay and grow into permanent values that will last for decades. In that respect, it is remarkable how Bihr's growth has been very organic and gradual. Little by little, the number of brands was expanded. The arrival of Yoshimura in 1995 was an important milestone and that was Motorex in 2000 for sure. The number of representatives increases and Bihr grows from a small player into a strong underdog in France.
The expansion from Bihr to the off road market certainly played a role in that. But Bihr also has a good sense of the changing needs of the market. The company is moving from tuning products and accessories aimed at competition to a more general product offering. For example, the addition Racing disappeared from the name in 2004. A number of rules are also laid down to manage the growth of new product categories. No supplier may account for more than 10% of the total purchase and no customer may 'weigh' more than 5% of the total sale. It is a matter of being able to continue sailing a healthy, independent course.
From engine parts to equipment
Our own culture and knowledge of the challenges faced by motorcycle dealers appear to be the perfect breeding ground for providing tailor-made service. Fast and correct delivery, with exceptional attention to service and to the needs of each specific market. That is the Bihr formula in a nutshell. Although in practice there is a lot involved.
The purely technical products have been expanded with motorcycle equipment in recent years. For example, Bihr collaborates with, among others Just1, Bell, Oakley, Leatt, Ufo and this summer it will become a well-known American clothing brand Answer Racing launched. Not every brand can be sold by Bihr in the 12 countries in which it is present. A problem that is specific to the role of every distributor, but one that once again shows how complex the simple act of sending parcels can be.
After all, getting the right product from the motorcycle store in the fastest and most affordable way is far from simple. That right product can range from sealing rings to sticker sets, plastic, tires, helmets or a very heavy one Bike lift. At Bihr they are quite proud of their qualities in logistics mastery. The tour of Bartenheim's ultra-modern warehouse shows why.
Factory level distribution!
At full speed, up to 6.000 shipments depart from Bihr's warehouses per day. In addition to the enormous warehouse in France, the group also has distribution centers in Spain (Murcia), Sweden (Gothenburg) and smaller, regional warehouses. In total, Bihr states 374 people employ, of which approximately 200 in France. In addition to manpower, they also rely on brain power to get all packages neatly and quickly into place. Where and when products arrive, how and where they are stored, how they are packaged, how and when they are shipped... Everything has been thought about, everything is measured, monitored, analyzed and constantly refined.
The result is an astonishing 24-hour service for the 16.400 customers. An order from a dealer that arrives before 16:30 PM will be delivered within 24 hours. We didn't hear about that because that time when our test rider Yente needed a new visor for his Bell helmet, we weren't sure. Completely unnecessary, as it turned out, and now we understand all the more why they were so sure of their case at Bihr!
You can safely call this knowledge about logistics the beating heart of Bihr. Yet the gigantic machine would not run without all the support services. Such as the purchasing department that makes agreements with suppliers, the marketing and communication - they take care of the more than 20 local catalogs and the extensive website - the complaints department and the IT. We quickly go through the various departments located in the head office. Here and there there are posters that refer to events or Bihr riders. Almost as evident is the fact that almost everyone actively rides their motorcycle or feels perfectly at home in the motorcycle world.
The Belgian touch
At a time when e-commerce has become an indispensable part of business life, it is striking how much attention Bihr pays to personal contact and personal service. No fewer than eight local representatives serve Belgium and the Netherlands, for example. In this way, Bihr remains involved in the ins and outs of their customers on a daily basis. Due to the gigantic stock of 5.450.000 parts and the lightning-fast delivery time, smaller motorcycle shops no longer have to invest in large stocks. Yet it is not only the dealer that is important, Bihr also enjoys sharing her passion for motorcycling and motorsports with end customers. In this way, Bihr, together with its suppliers, wants to make brands and products known to the riders themselves. Whether on the MXGP in Lommel is, on it Brussels Motor Show, a track Day or the French one SX Tour, there is a good chance that you will come across Bihr there one way or another.
This visibility has only increased in recent years. Internally, Bihr has undergone an enormous transformation. The Belgian Alcopa group of Moorkens family is known, among other things, as an importer of Hyundai, Suzuki, SYM en Benelli but has increasingly focused on parts over the past 10 years. In this regard, the group made several acquisitions of importers in the field of parts and equipment, including Bihr via Alcopa subsidiary Moteo. As the crown jewel within this plan, it was therefore logical to bring all similar companies under one structure called Bihr. The head office is located in Kontich.
International and local
Also the CEO of Bihr, Alex Gelbcke, is a Belgian. Alex held various top positions at car suspension manufacturer Monroe. In terms of turnover and number of employees, Gelbcke now heads a much smaller structure than what he was used to at Monroe. However, the dynamics of the motorcycle sector and a personal bond as an active motorcyclist make Bihr a good match. “The culture you encounter in the motorcycle world also appeals to me enormously. Motards, racers, crossers or endurists are easy-going, no fuss and not too much blah blah. You also notice this during contacts in the motorcycle sector itself.” said the Bihr big boss.
Also the former Belgian top cross rider Jaimy Scevenels (ex-Parts Europe) has been working for Bihr for some time. Jaimy is now Brand & Product Director, of course in off-road. “I was very closely involved in the integration of the various European companies that eventually came together with Bihr under one name. That transformation in itself is very fascinating because you talk about so many different countries, languages and processes. This internal collaboration is now running perfectly. Especially the way in which Bihr thinks and acts at the same time large and yet agile, very internationally and yet locally, is really impressive!”
Powering your passion
Despite the decisive and professional approach, you cannot ignore the fact that Bihr really shares the passion for the motorcycle with its customers. Literally even. Several times a year, the managers and even the director ride together with the customers, on the track, enduro or on the quad. Bihr likes to see itself as the driving force behind the success of its customers. Hence the slogan 'Powering your passion'. However, we see the same philosophy reflected in the company's sponsorship policy. Offering riders, teams and organizations the opportunity to improve themselves, but Bihr does not always have to be in the foreground. If a collaboration is entered into, it is generally for the long term.
“Just look at Johann Zarco or Livia Lancelot, both riders we have supported for a very long time,” says marketing manager Laurent Hermann. “We know that a sporting career has ups and downs, but we remain loyal and that is a win-win for all parties in the long term.”
Also commercial director Thierry Millet has a heart for the sport and motocross in particular. I ask him during dinner in the afternoon whether he thought it was a shame that the scheme around Benoit Paturel and his Black machine had such a short life. Bihr was clearly visible on that motorcycle.
“That's actually not a bad thing at all,” smiles Millet. “I've known Benoit since he was a little boy. The most important thing was that we could help him. Paturel is a fantastic pilot and a great guy. That's not possible if there are no opportunities for a young talent like him, just when he has to go to the MXGP? If we deployed him when no one else was there and as a result he found a team, that gives me just as much pleasure! Then it doesn't matter whether he rode one race or ten races on 'our bike'. We will never set up our own team, that is not our ambition. If we can make our brands known to the public through sponsorship, our mission has been successful. We also did that with the 'Black Machine'Almost all technical parts you saw came from Bihr suppliers. A team that rides with a complete engine made up of parts from our brands, that would be cool.”
Thierry's statement is both striking and modest. Or is it inherent to Bihr's corporate culture? Anyone who knows their role and takes them to heart with passion, perhaps that is the secret behind the success of any strong team.
Tekst: Tom Jacobs
Photos: Bihr, 114 Motorsports, Tech3, Mediacross
Also to read
VIDEO: Qualy Highlights MXGP Portugal 2024
During the fifth Grand Prix of the season, Liam Everts (MX2) and Tim Gajser (MXGP) will start from pole positions. The current World Cup leaders had a difficult match because Kay de Wolf…Gajser narrowly takes pole ahead of Herlings, Prado P7
Tim Gajser took pole position during the fifth race of the FIM MXGP World Championship. The Honda rider (photo) wins the qualifying race ahead of Jeffrey Herlings and Romain Febvre. Brian Bogers and…Everts takes pole in Agueda ahead of Elzinga
The fifth “RAM Qualifying Race” of the season was won by Liam Everts. The Belgian rider wins pole for the Portuguese Grand Prix by a wide margin. Rick…Valk the best mud master in Agueda
Under very wet conditions, Cas Valk won the first round of the third race of the European 250cc Championship. The KTM rider managed to…
Your reactions