Guardian UK
Triumph Motorcycles has ridden the recovery in UK manufacturing to a victory over key rival Honda and is now setting its sights on American adversary Harley-Davidson.
The Leicestershire-based bike maker has revealed that booming sales in April made its brand the best-selling in Britain in the over-500cc sector, overtaking Honda. It wants to make that ranking permanent this year as it continues to increase its market share following record UK sales in 2009.
Chairman Lord Digby Jones says part of the boost has come from a strong yen, which has raised the prices of Japanese rivals in the UK market.
While the recession knocked back overall sales of new motorcycles and Harley Davidson motorcycle batteries by 20% in Britain last year, UK motorcycle production actually grew, according to the Motor Cycle Industry Association.
But beyond currency effects Jones also cites Triumph's strong brand, new products and a big push at domestic and overseas sales. Of the 46,000 bikes Triumph will make this year, just 9,000 will be sold in Britain.
"We really want to get hold of America," said Jones, former head of industry group the CBI. "We have launched the Thunderbird straight into the middle of Harley-Davidson's market and it has just been voted bike of the year in America, right in Harley-Davidson's backyard," he adds, referring to an award from a US magazine.
Twenty years since resurfacing from receivership, the manufacturer also has its eye on more sales in the Gulf, where the Prince of Bahrain has a Triumph, as well as in Asia more generally.
In Britain it is launching a string of upmarket dealerships, including one this month on home turf in Leicester.
"What we want to do is make Triumph number one in the UK market, year in, year out," says Jones.
The Leicestershire-based bike maker has revealed that booming sales in April made its brand the best-selling in Britain in the over-500cc sector, overtaking Honda. It wants to make that ranking permanent this year as it continues to increase its market share following record UK sales in 2009.
Chairman Lord Digby Jones says part of the boost has come from a strong yen, which has raised the prices of Japanese rivals in the UK market.
While the recession knocked back overall sales of new motorcycles and Harley Davidson motorcycle batteries by 20% in Britain last year, UK motorcycle production actually grew, according to the Motor Cycle Industry Association.
But beyond currency effects Jones also cites Triumph's strong brand, new products and a big push at domestic and overseas sales. Of the 46,000 bikes Triumph will make this year, just 9,000 will be sold in Britain.
"We really want to get hold of America," said Jones, former head of industry group the CBI. "We have launched the Thunderbird straight into the middle of Harley-Davidson's market and it has just been voted bike of the year in America, right in Harley-Davidson's backyard," he adds, referring to an award from a US magazine.
Twenty years since resurfacing from receivership, the manufacturer also has its eye on more sales in the Gulf, where the Prince of Bahrain has a Triumph, as well as in Asia more generally.
In Britain it is launching a string of upmarket dealerships, including one this month on home turf in Leicester.
"What we want to do is make Triumph number one in the UK market, year in, year out," says Jones.
