SWM starts production, appoints UK distributor

HQB Sport and Leisure of Quarley Andover, Hampshire, has been appointed UK distributor for the revitalised Italian marque SWM.

The factory has given HQB a target of 170 sales for July-December, followed by 500 next year. SWM plans to build 2500 bikes this year, 8000 next year and to bring production up to 15,000 units a year within four years. 

The SWM range of single-cylinder enduro, motard and classic style street models made its debut at the Milan Show in November 2014. Present for the assembly line launch were UK importer Richard Johnson of HQB and the heads of the Italian-Chinese enterprise, Ampelio Macchi, formerly with Cagiva, Husqvarna and Aprilia, and Gong Daxing, president of Shineray Group, China, which makes motorcycles, cars, agricultural products and generators.

Macchi and Gong (pictured right) shook hands as the first bike, an RS 650 R enduro model rolled off the production line on 8 July. Further models releases to come are the SM 650 R motard in August, followed by three more models in September and two in October, including the road-biased Gran Milano 440 (below).

SWM strategy is to first target Europe, followed by Australia, South America, Asia and North America. Shineray’s export network, started 13 years ago, will be key to this expansion. 

HQB took on the Chinese-made French Mash brand of retro-style motorcycles last year and started dealer recruitment at January’s Motorcycle Trade EXPO show at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire. HQB currently has 30 dealers and so has an established two-wheel network through which to retail SWM. HQB also has a network of quad dealers, having started in the quad business 19 years ago.