~ Auto Buzz ~: CW INTERVIEW: Yan Haimei, CEO of Benelli Big News: The Benelli boss says the marque will return to the US before the end of 2015.

The Benelli make deserves respect for this simple reason: It is one of the five motorcycle makes that have celebrated a 100th anniversary. Benelli was founded in Pesaro, Italy, in 1911 by the six Benelli brothers. Benelli was very active and successful, in sport and world markets that included the US. Then, when the family found it more profitable to concentrate on their celebrated shotguns, the motorcycle factory in downtown Pesaro slowly lost competitiveness. The real decline started in 1972, when the factory was sold to Alejandro deTomaso, who led Benelli (and Moto Guzzi) to the cliff with his arrogant incompetence in the motorcycle domain. From then on, there was a sequence of rescue attempts by passionate local tycoons. The dance went on until 2005, when the most prestigious Chinese motorcycle Group, Qjian Jiang, acquired the Pesaro factory. For a time, not much was heard of Benelli. Then a new CEO came on the scene with great determination, renewing the technical staff and cleaning the table of all the tentative projects that had been floating there for years with no real perspective of success. Yan Haimei was appointed CEO of Benelli Q.J. in 2007. Since then, Benelli has made strides based on renewed engineering excellence and strong financial solidity. Haimei, who is known as Klara at Benelli, has a very sharp knowledge of today’s world motorcycle market. She also knows the great tradition of the Benelli make. Connecting the two realities possibly is her hardest task.

What is Benelli’s main focus? “As part of the Qjian Jiang Group, Benelli Q.J. needs to be focused on the booming Far East, Southeast Asia and South American markets. There, motorcycles still are intended as utility vehicles and accessibility, reliability and durability are primary issues. The BN302 was conceived in that perspective, but also with a perceived quality that will establish an outstanding value for money that will attract also the European markets. We believe the time has come that people will feel the desire to change from scooters to a nice, lively, practical, ultra-reliable bike like the BN302. Our production potential made it possible to offer the BN302 at a price competitive to that of 125cc scooters. “In our main factory, in Wenling, we manufacture more that 1,500,000 vehicles a year. Here at Benelli, we were over 40,000 units last year. There is no substitute for productivity to be really competitive in any market. The BN302 is not a sophisticated bike. It is a highly spirited bike, with great, solid quality in every detail, but it’s not sophisticated by any means. We did not use any special alloy steel for the frame, we just over-engineered the whole project, to make sure that the BN302 will be able to stand the rigors of many Far East markets. “In China, we do not have easy access to high-strength steel alloys, so we over-engineer to make a very solid, high-quality bike here as in our China factory. This makes for a slightly heavier bike, but its super durable and at a very competitive price. And low price makes the BN302 very attractive also in Europe.” Would Benelli consider making a lighter “western” version to get the best out of the BN302’s very good engine? “No, we must remain focused on our major markets. Niche markets have to wait.”

Benelli Q.J. is having success with its electric bicycles. Are you considering an electric scooter? “The electric bicycles are receiving a very positive response and we will further enlarge that production; we are leaders in that domain. But an electric scooter is not in our short-term plans. A scooter is a heavier vehicle, needs a bigger battery, and that means higher costs that would kill competitiveness.” In your plans is there a future for three-cylinder models? “Absolutely. Our technical staff is working on them to update them and make them competitive again. They are slowly but steadily improving and will be back in style. But we still believe middle displacement is the most promising segment, and we focus on that. Benelli is our super R&D Department, but I want to make it fully independent from Q.J. in financial terms. To date, Q.J. is still investing in Benelli. This is not going to happen tomorrow, but we are investing in new technologies and automation to further increase the competitiveness of Q.J. and of Benelli with it.” What about the US market? In the old days, Benelli was very active in America through Cosmopolitan Motors. Is there a possibility for a return to the American scene? “I am pleased to confirm that we are about to re-establish Benelli in the US market. This will happen prior to the end of 2015. Returning to a market as competitive and selective as the American one will require that we further refine and increase our efforts, adding more personalized models and looking back to our history. Motorcyclists are conservative people, here and in America.”