48 MOTORCYCLETRADER
oil diminishes. The rich families that own
the current resources will all move to
France, and what’s left of the population
will fight each other for land and will
be increasingly resentful of the wealth
of the West. In our lifetime we may see
shepherds herding sheep through the
foyers of completely dead luxury hotels.
Wealth inequality in the world will drive
political and social instability, controlling
and limiting what bikes will be available,
where they’re manufactured, how they’ll
be distributed and how they’ll be powered.
China and India could save the day, as
Thailand is at the moment, in that the
bikes it produces will be attractive rides
and will be relatively inexpensive due to
their mass production and the accessibility
of their ‘old-school’ technology.
Where does that leave the current
importers of bikes into Australia and
New Zealand? They have to be
increasingly smart about what bikes
they commit to and be globally
conscious of where trends are going.
Local conditions are also important.
The distance range of electric bikes
YAMAHA
SEAN GOLDHAWK
Yamaha Australia
motorcycle
marketing manager
What local conditions
influence what bikes are
distributed in Australia/NZ
Dirt –lots of it. The ability to ride
in state forests with a registered
bike means Australia is just about
the only market for WRFs globally –
traditionally Australia’s most popular
motorcycle.
Long distances, particularly
between fuel stops, means fuel
capacity and consumption is often an
important factor for our customers.
Big distances and a sparse population
also means our scooter market is not
as strong as it is in Europe or Asia.
What do you see as the long-term
global influences on what kind of
bikes we’re likely to see here in
the future?
The environment is the big one. Fossil
fuels are heading south and zero-
emission power is here to replace
the combustion engine. Safety is
another factor that will become
increasingly relevant with
auto drive and anti-collision
technology arriving soon. As
the population ages and grows,
the focus will be on personal mobility
devices that won’t be recognisable as
motorcycles.How much influence does your input
have in what your parent company
decides for its model range?
A surprisingly large influence –
especially off-road. We are in a
fortunate position to have ex-MXGP
rider Josh Coppins and long-term
YMA employee Peter Payne involved
in product development for both the
YZ and WRF range. The factory looks
to AUS/NZ as a leader in the off-road
space and we punch well above our
weight in this respect. The WRF is
designed specifically for Australia,
the Tenere 700 was developed withAustralia in mind and we have 655cc
LAMS versions of the MT-07 engine
developed for Australia only.How is your brand planning for a
very different world in 2030?
Leading into 2030, Yamaha is focusing
on robotics to address social issues and
transform mobility. Future society will
continue to demand the excitement
that comes from mobility, and
Yamaha is developing new methodsof transport based on human motion
designed to rev your heart. We call this
art for human possibilities.
More specifically, Yamaha is
developing autopilot systems, anti-
collision functions and manoeuvring
technologies aimed at increasing
safety and enhancing lives.What will be your best-selling
bike in 2030?
An electric-powered enduro bike.