QJMOTOR Australia expects its first motorcycles to reach showrooms in October.
QJMOTOR Australia expects to have its first motorcycles on Australian showroom floors in October, with applications now open for dealers as the Chinese motorcycle manufacturer builds its national retail network.
Regional development managers are currently presenting the QJMOTOR opportunity to prospective dealers around the country, with the company saying it has used the lead-up to launch to establish the sales, parts, warranty and logistics infrastructure required to support the brand locally.
“We’ve had the opportunity to build this operation from the ground up, and that means getting the right people, systems and support in place before the first bike is sold,” said QJMOTOR Australia Managing Director Clint Davis.
“Riders get the ownership experience they expect, and dealers can back the brand with confidence.”
The Australian QJMOTOR line-up will span Sport, Roadster, Adventure and Cruiser categories and will include both LAMS-approved motorcycles and full-power models.
Although final Australian specifications, model availability and pricing are yet to be confirmed, QJMOTOR has already identified several motorcycles expected to form key parts of its local range.
Among the LAMS models are the SRV 600 V2 V-Twin Cruiser and SRT 450 RX Adventure platform, while the unrestricted line-up is set to include the SRK 800 RR Supersport, SRK 800 Roadster and SRT 900 SX Adventure platform.
QJMOTOR Australia Regional Development Manager Dean Kurz said the learner-approved segment remains an important part of the Australian market and believes buyers increasingly expect smaller-capacity motorcycles to offer more than basic specifications.
“LAMS has been one of the most stable parts of the Australian market for years, and right now it’s showing genuine signs of growth,” said Kurz. “Riders aren’t settling for a stripped-back learner bike any more. They expect smaller capacity to come properly equipped and sharply priced, and that’s exactly the brief QJMOTOR is built to.”
Fellow Regional Development Manager Dave Valquez said Australian riders increasingly research motorcycles online before setting foot inside a dealership, making it important for QJMOTOR to offer models capable of making buyers’ initial shopping lists.
“Riders know what appeals to them, whether that’s the look of a bike or the kind of riding they want to do, and by the time they walk into a dealership they’ve done the research online and have a fair idea of what they’re after,” said Valquez.
“Our job is to earn a place on that shortlist. We’ve got a range that covers the categories Australians want to ride, with the specification, equipment, pricing and support that riders are looking for.”
THREE-YEAR WARRANTY
QJMOTOR Australia is also putting considerable emphasis on aftersales support, with local operations covering spare parts, accessories, workshop technical assistance and warranty claims.
Every new QJMOTOR motorcycle sold in Australia will be covered by a three-year, unlimited-kilometre factory warranty from first registration, with warranty claims able to be handled through any authorised QJMOTOR dealer.
“Meeting Australian riders’ expectations means a three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty,” said QJMOTOR Australia Technical and Warranty Manager David Walker.
“Riders can buy with confidence and ride with peace of mind, knowing their dealer has them covered.”
The company says its dealer ordering and warranty systems have been developed to provide greater visibility of both claims and parts availability.
Warranty claims will be ticketed and tracked from the time they are raised, while dealers will be able to access stock information intended to minimise backorders and provide more accurate delivery estimates when a part is unavailable.
QJMOTOR Australia Parts, Accessories and Clothing Manager Steve Wall said communication around parts availability would be an important component of the ownership experience.
“Nothing frustrates a rider more than chasing their dealer for an update on a part,” said Wall. “The answer is having the right stock available to begin with and ordering smartly so that parts land sooner. Where something is genuinely on backorder, the dealer can provide an accurate ETA and if that date moves closer or further, the dealer is notified.”
NATIONAL SUPPORT NETWORK
Dealer development is being handled by Kurz and Valquez, who QJMOTOR Australia says bring decades of motorcycle-industry and dealer-development experience.
The aftersales operation is headed by Walker on the technical and warranty side and Wall for parts, accessories and clothing, while Adrian Row is responsible for logistics coordination.
The company is also establishing significant warehousing capability ahead of the arrival of its first motorcycles.
Motorcycles will be stored at a 10,900-square-metre facility in Sydney, while an 8,200-square-metre Melbourne warehouse will handle parts and accessories.
According to QJMOTOR Australia, the Melbourne operation will use automated guided vehicles for order picking, while additional third-party warehousing in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth will broaden distribution coverage around the country.
Dealer orders will feed directly into the dispatch system, with QJMOTOR claiming its automated picking process can move motorcycles and parts through the warehouse at around five times the efficiency of manual picking.
GEELY BACKING
QJMOTOR also points to the scale of its international parent organisation as part of its pitch to Australian dealers and riders.
The motorcycle company is backed by Geely Holding Group, which also owns automotive brands Volvo, Polestar and Lotus.
QJMOTOR says Geely’s Eastern Smart Manufacturing Park in Wenling produces more than one million vehicles annually using digitally monitored quality-control systems.
The motorcycle brand also has an international racing presence, competing in the FIM Supersport World Championship and Moto2.
QJMOTOR’s racing activities have helped raise the company’s international profile in recent years, while the Australian operation will now seek to establish the brand in a highly competitive local motorcycle market through its combination of LAMS, road, sports, cruiser and adventure models.
DEALER APPOINTMENTS TO COME
Dealer applications are now open to established motorcycle retailers in both metropolitan and regional areas, with Kurz and Valquez conducting presentations throughout September.
Riders can also register their interest in upcoming QJMOTOR models through the company’s Australian website, with updates to be provided as dealerships are appointed.
QJMOTOR Australia says the local model range will progressively expand after launch.
The final Australian model line-up and pricing will be announced closer to the brand’s showroom debut, with the first bikes currently expected to reach dealers during October.
