Suzuki had two special guests attending its recent annual dealer conference and awards event last month. Suzuki Motor Corporation’s executive general manager for motorcycle operations, Takashi Ise, and his colleague, Akira Kyuji, division manager for motorcycle marketing, made the long trip from Japan to the Belfry Hotel and Resort in Sutton Coldfield.
The firm says attendance by the senior management team gave Suzuki’s dealer network an insight into the future of its European and global strategies, with a focus on pricing and increased market share, as well as updates on new model arrivals in 2026 and beyond. It also allowed dealers to share their thoughts and feedback directly with factory representatives. In addition, Suzuki GB’s senior management team presented a UK-market perspective.
Afterwards, the traditional black-tie dinner was held, and the firm’s annual awards were presented, including a total of 170 years’ worth of long-service awards. Suzuki GB’s regional account managers were responsible for nominating Suzuki Specialists in their area for recognition, based on the levels of dedication and commitment of individual members of the network.
Suzuki GB’s head of motorcycles, Jonathan Martin, said: “Every year it is great to get together with our dealers to discuss plans, objectives, and strategies for the year ahead, but also to reflect on a job well done and reward the excellence we have within our network. Last year, our dealer conference was more of an open forum and discussion, which proved incredibly valuable for us, as it gave us clear insight into what was working well for our dealerships, what was working less well, and the particular areas they felt needed increased focus and attention. This year, our conference objectives were to demonstrate what we learned from last year’s event, how we’ve acted on it, and to continue delivering what our dealership partners need in 2026.
“As well as the focus on business activity, it is always an incredible privilege to host the annual awards ceremony, especially when it comes to acknowledging those who have worked with Suzuki for half a century or more and rewarding those who really excel in areas from customer service and insurance to sales and aftersales. This year, it was also great to hand over the inaugural Serious Fun award, which the team at Powerslide fully deserve for their commitment to racing with the GSX-8R last season, and we’re excited to see them contest a British championship in 2026.
“We have made a special effort to reward several individuals within the network. Our Suzuki Specialists all live and breathe the brand, but we have elected to acknowledge those who went above and beyond last year.
“And, of course, it was brilliant for our dealership partners to be able to engage directly with senior members from the factory, who made a special effort to fly from Japan specifically to join us at this event. For our dealers, it was a chance to share with them their experiences on the very front lines of dealing with customers, providing their valuable feedback, and also to hear from the team in Japan on the future direction of the brand.”
SUZUKI 2025 DEALER AWARD WINNERS
Partnership awards
60 Years of Partnership: Single Tracker Motorcycles (Crewe)
50 Years of Partnership: St. Neots Motorcycles
50 Years of Partnership: B&B Motorcycles (Lincoln)
10 Years of Partnership: R&C Motorcycles (Bury St. Edmunds)
Dealership award winners
Dealer of the Year: Haslemere Motorcycles (Hampshire)
Sales Dealer of the Year: Cupar Motorcycles
Aftersales Dealer of the Year: St. Neots Motorcycles
Customer Experience Dealer of the Year: Castledine Motorcycles (Leicester)
Serious Fun Award Contribution to Racing: Powerslide Motorcycles (Derby)
Suzuki Insurance Services Dealer of the Year: Cupar Motorcycles
Suzuki Financial Services Dealer of the Year: Powerslide Motorcycles (Derby)
Suzuki Specialist awards
Suzuki Specialist of the Year: Midlands – Mark Andrews (Sutton Motorcycles)
Suzuki Specialist of the Year: North – Greg Darling (MCS Scotland)
Suzuki Specialist of the Year: South – Luke Pirie (Frasers of Gloucester)