Text & photo: Ole-Andreas Isdahl
The day could hardly have been better for the Speed team, which is led by the two motorcycle enthusiasts Terje Bredal and Thor Liverød. On Saturday, the Speed team drew a line under BMW and launched its new portfolio consisting of Yamaha, Kawasaki and Husqvarna. Three brands that complement each other well and that people in the region clearly appreciate. The Speed team has done a great job with the new portfolio, which really looks good in the newly refurbished store at Skolmar. This is a highly experienced team with a high level of technical expertise and a large customer network. In terms of merchandising, they also stand out and have managed to establish a particularly good environment around the activity in the store, which customers obviously appreciate. On Saturday, between 250 and 300 people found their way to the launch of Speed 2.0 and there is no doubt that every single employee contributes to creating a social framework around the store that helps customers experience Speed as a part of themselves. “You can sell sand in the Sahara and it hardly matters which brands you serve. No one was hanging their head here, the team has restored the will to fight and the laughter is loose. The customers notice that.
Mayor Bjørn Ole Gleditsch had made the trip to preside over the official opening of Speed 2.0 and it was greatly appreciated. The mayor praised the Speed team for the way they handled the transition with the loss of BMW, and emphasized that it is precisely such companies with the will to fight and the ability to travel new motivation and will Sandefjord municipality wants and not least needs.
Customers are obviously loyal and seem to follow Speed
It’s scary to lose a brand like BMW, and the adjustment was probably the hardest for the Speed team when they learned in 2024 that they had suddenly and unexpectedly lost the dealer rights to BMW after 25 years. Speed sold and followed up customers in virtually the whole of Norway and was probably one of the first companies to sell and ship motorcycles online. But as the saying goes, “he who gives up is a shit”. Through a good collaboration with Yamaha, Speed established a new portfolio where Husqvarna and Kawasaki were also let in the doors at Skolmar and today customers got to see how good it was. These brands build positively on each other and make it even more interesting and exciting to go and look at new or used motorcycles.
Husqvarna now has a delightful portfolio with the 901 Norden series, the 801 Svartpilen and Vitpilen, the 401 series in the A2 segment, not to mention the 701 that serves the ramp in the gravel and motard world. Really cheeky and cool machines that make your blood boil with excitement, all as one.
The Sold sign was displayed on many of the bikes in the store on Saturday, and Daniel Henriksen is one of many customers who have sold their BMW and bought one of the new brands. In this case a Husqvarna 901 Norden Expedition. Daniel sat on the bike for most of the day, clearly waiting for spring with renewed interest and love.
Speed’s customers are clearly loyal and point out that Speed was actually a Kawasaki dealer in the 1970s, so this is actually nothing new. Customers seem to like a new and greater variety in the portfolio and many praise the Speed team for their ability to see and care for their customers. Customers really appreciate the social activities and express that they feel part of the Speed family. This is how you produce customer loyalty.
Like many of his customers, Tore Westum has grown up with Speed and is more than clear that he follows Speed, not brands, and he is not alone in this. The Rue family from Kongsberg, with brothers Espen and Thomas and son Ulrik, have great confidence in Speed and, as Yamaha and Husqvarna customers, are very happy that this happened.
So we can state with a reasonably high degree of certainty that Speed customers appear to be firmly rooted in the Speed culture and that they clearly still want to be part of it. The environment, professionalism and interest in the customer are thus rewarded with loyalty and the customer in turn uses consumer power to influence the market. An effect that should never be underestimated.
A festive day with a new and exciting portfolio – delicious cakes and new models =0)
“Speed 2.0 is looking very good with its new portfolio, which now includes around 30 different models. With this, Speed 2.0 will certainly not become any less central and important as a player in the Norwegian dealer network, so this is actually only positive for the entire industry, which actually needs change and transformation. It’s clear that customers really appreciate both the portfolio and the Speed culture, and they showed it with a great turnout on Saturday.
The opening party was therefore an important confirmation that Speed is back in a very exciting 2.0 version. And we can only say that the team has done a great job of becoming an even better version of itself. Speed will probably still be one of the largest and most important players in the industry and with this portfolio they will only be positive and complementary with a portfolio that does not trample on other retailers in the region. That’s positive, also for the customers. As owners, Terje and Lise Bredal are now expanding into the periphery of Speed and have also started up MC Touring Norway and the Adventure School, which are also enjoying great interest and success, again based on expertise and people who know what they are doing. With Kyrre Hagen at the helm, the Adventure School has really got off to a flying start, with hundreds of people turning up to learn more.
It clearly takes more than a bullet to stop the team, which is obviously still in good spirits and with renewed energy. As I’ve said before, anyone who gives up is an asshole; knowledge, expertise and experience combined with a motivated interest in the customer are enough to make customers believe in Speed 2.0. Then they’ll obviously come back, again and again.
