In the past, it was mainly used for commuting, but now it is more like a "big toy"
The industry "counter-attack" behind the regained popularity of motorcycles
Our reporter Li Guo
Cycling circles, clubs, weekend riding circles... One appointment in the group, motorcycle riding is arranged in minutes.
The once glamorous motorcycle industry once showed the image of "twilight".
Today, with the transformation and upgrading of motorcycle companies and the favor of young people for motorcycles, the industry has ushered in spring again.
According to statistics from the Motorcycle Branch of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, in 2021, my country's motorcycle production and sales will exceed 20 million units, reaching the highest level in recent years.
Not only the sales volume has risen, but there are many places across the country where motorcycle driving schools are "hard to find".
Young people are the main purchasing power
In early May, 30-year-old Sun Tao rode his beloved motorcycle from Xiamen, Fujian. After a long journey of nearly 1,500 kilometers, he finally arrived at his hometown in Chongqing before his mother's birthday on May 11.
Like Sun Tao, more and more young people like motorcycles.
Data shows that at this stage, more than half of motorcycle buyers are under the age of 40.
"Motorcycles represent a way of life and a culture." Chen Long, head of a well-known motorcycle club in China, said that some motorcycle friends love leisure travel, while others like sports.
"In short, motorcycles are no longer just a means of transportation for us."
The above words of Chen Long reflect the major changes in the consumption orientation of the motorcycle market in recent years.
Industry insiders predict that in the future, my country's motorcycle market may complete the transformation from "tool car market" to "toy car market".
In Chongqing, more than 2 million people have motorcycle licenses.
Insiders said that motorcycles have become a characteristic city card of Chongqing, and the spirit of forthright loyalty, bold exploration, climbing hills, and flexible handling of things represented by motorcycles is becoming a kind of "motorcycle culture", which is integrated into the urban spirit of Chongqing. It has become an important element in the development of cultural tourism in Chongqing.
Li Bin, executive vice president of the China Motorcycle Chamber of Commerce, said that my country's motorcycle protection, clothing, modification, and derived extended industries such as culture, tourism, and catering have developed rapidly and have grown exponentially, and the related output value has reached 100 billion yuan.
Included in the "pillar industry" category for the first time
Behind the pursuit of motorcycles by young people is the transformation and upgrading of an industry.
In 1979, Jialing Factory produced China's first civilian motorcycle CJ50.
Since then, Chongqing has gradually become an important town in the motorcycle industry, and major brands have risen one after another.
It once became the largest motorcycle production and export base in the country, accounting for more than 40% of the domestic market.
In the past 10 years, the motorcycle industry in Chongqing has entered a downturn.
Especially in 2018, Chongqing motorcycle production was only 3.89 million, only about one-third of the peak period.
Industry analysts believe that with the great changes in the international market and the "banning of motorcycles" in many places in China, the low-end volume of the industry is unsustainable.
In response, in early 2019, Chongqing included the motorcycle industry for the first time in the category of "pillar industries".
In May of that year, the city's "Special Action Plan for Promoting High-Quality Development of Manufacturing Industry (2019-2022)" clearly stated that in order to promote Chongqing motorcycle enterprises to seize domestic and foreign high-end and high-profit markets, accelerate the development and investment of 250cc. Medium and high-end motorcycle products such as cruise cars and racing cars with displacement and above.
From the perspective of industry insiders, Chongqing has identified the direction of industrial upgrading around promoting high-quality development and creating high-quality life, and spared no effort to support the industry.
This also caters to the high-end and personalized motorcycle consumption needs of young people.
Conform to the development trend of the industry
At the same time as the government supports, Chongqing motorcycle companies have also worked hard to practice their internal skills.
By building an intelligent network, Zongshen Motorcycle will engrave a serial number and barcode on each engine on the line, and each process will be checked by sensors, and all information of the product from online to packaging will be recorded.
Compared with the traditional automatic assembly line, Zongshen's improved production line reduces personnel by 70%, the automatic error correction and error prevention capability is increased by 10.6 times, the operation automation rate is increased by 10 times, and the per capita efficiency is simultaneously increased by 4 times.
"Intelligence has held the 'bull nose' of industrial upgrading." Li Yao, executive vice president of Zongshen Industry Group, told reporters that the implementation of intelligent transformation of motorcycle enterprises can not only improve production efficiency and greatly improve product quality, but also through the industrial Internet The "cloud and platform" approach has opened up data channels for production, packaging, after-sales and other links.
There are only sunset enterprises, but no sunset industries.
Industry insiders said that the development direction of Chongqing's motorcycle industry is to follow the general trend of motorcycles developing in the direction of new energy, high-end, and youthful coolness, introduce internal and external education, make up for shortcomings, and make good use of Chongqing's international channel construction and development. And deep cultivation of overseas markets and other favorable opportunities, to manufacture products that meet the trend of the market.
At present, Chongqing motorcycle companies are accelerating the research and development progress of large-displacement motorcycles and the speed of new products.