A man for others

If you’re a writer interviewing the senior vice president of the oldest motorcycle distribution company in the Philippines, you’ll be expecting your interviewee to act like an SVP and talk only about his product or probably about himself. But Manuel Gaspar E. Albos, Jr., SVP for Marketing of Norkis-Yamaha, is not your typical SVP. He’s a down-to-earth industry guy who knows his numbers and genuinely cares for the entire motorcycle industry.

Mr. Albos, or Boy as he is known to his friends in and out of the industry, oversees the marketing of Yamaha motorcycles nationwide and also runs Norkis-Yamaha’s motocross racing team in partnership with Shell. The team’s efforts netted rider Ernie Leongson this year’s national titles in the Expert Open class and the Expert 125 class. An active man, Boy goes trail riding on his Yamaha XT 225 and occasionally organizes off-road riding with celebrities and industry partners when his schedule allows it.

One thing Mr. Albos is very passionate about is the development of the solo market, the segment of the motorcycle industry that caters to individual riders. He believes that because of the perennial traffic problem in the metropolis, people will eventually gravitate towards riding to work instead of driving. He cites shorter travel time, fuel and cost efficiency and the ability to squeeze through traffic as the benefits of motorcycling. But for the market to actually buy motorcycles, he believes that several changes need to be made in the industry, in traffic safety and road courtesy and in the attitude of the riders themselves.

"We need to educate the market about motorcycles" Boy points out. "In the Philippines, we have a different attitude towards motorcycles than our neighbors in China or Thailand. If you look at our history, it shows that we started our mass transportation with four wheeled carts and carriages, then progressed to the trambia, and then to the bus, jeepneys, then finally to cars. If you look at China or Thailand, people started commuting on bicycles, then moved up to motorcycles, and ultimately to cars and trucks. Thus, they have a different perspective about riding than we do. Even their traffic laws and infrastructure recognize the importance of individual riders.

We need to educate drivers and riders alike about road courtesy and safety before riding can really flourish here in our country. It should start when we get our driver’s license with the LTO giving all applicants a seminar or a test on road courtesy towards smaller vehicles. For example, drivers of 4-wheeled vehicles should practice road courtesy towards 2-wheeled vehicles, while motorcyclists should practice courtesy towards bicyclists. Eventually, the courtesy should extend to pedestrians since we all share the road with them.

Motorcyclists should also try to earn the respect of other drivers by wearing the proper attire while riding. Riders who wear helmets, jackets, gloves, long pants and riding boots or shoes are better respected on the road than those wearing dirty clothes, shorts and slippers. It also helps when you keep your motorcycle clean and well maintained because dilapidated and smoke-belching bikes get no respect at all and may even be downright dangerous. I would like to see all riders get the same respect that is afforded to riders of Harleys and Ducatis."

When asked about unfair competition from cheaper unbranded imports, Boy’s reply was one of unexpectedly acceptance. "While some of my colleagues in the industry complain about the proliferation of cheap Chinese-made motorcycles in the market, I welcome these and recognize their role in the growing solo riders segment. If you study the sales figures, you’ll note that most of the buyers of these cheap motorcycles are first time riders and were attracted to the brand because of the low price. I look at these riders as future opportunities because as they improve their riding skills, they will gravitate towards more established brands like Yamaha. On the other hand, I hope that the distributors of these Chinese bikes will ensure the integrity and the safety of their products because once the owners of these bikes meet an accident caused by their bikes, the industry looses a customer. It is the whole industry that suffers when one player makes a mistake."

"However," Boy adds, " if the first timer enjoys his riding experience on his cheap bike without serious incidents, he’ll be a positive testimony among his friends and even convince them to try motorcycling as an safe and cost-effective alternative mode of transportation. I believe that if we can remove fear of riding from the mind of consumers and instill necessity, motorcycling will be a viable means of mobility.

He advises first time buyers to get the opinion of an experienced rider or a motorcycle expert before plunking down his hard-earned cash for a new bike. The buyer should also look at the after-market support for that brand, the spare parts availability and the manufacturer’s integrity (make sure he’s not a fly-by-night operator). Finally, the buyer should ask referrals from established motorcycle mechanics. If everything checks out well, the rider is on his way to enjoying his motorcycle.

Boy stated that Norkis-Yamaha recognizes that acquisition cost is a hindrance to motorcycle ownership for many Filipinos and presented some of Norkis-Yamaha’s programs towards affordability. He cited the Norkis Flexible Financing Plan with Real Estate Security (RES) as one of the plans his company offers for easy, no down or low down payment purchases of motorbikes with flexible low monthly amortization. He stated that 90% of Yamaha buyers get their bikes through financing, while 10% pay cash. It was interesting to note that majority of the financing buyers in Metro Manila use their motorcycles for business such as messengers, deliveries and tricycles, while only a handful actually use their bikes as their primary means of transportation. He vowed that he would work to change the perception in the metropolis that solo models are only for messengers, deliveries and tricycles.

But he stated that only way he could do that is if everybody in the industry chipped in.

"I call on the entire motorcycle industry to work together so we can develop and expand the solo riders market. Only through responsible manufacturers and responsible dealers can we attain customer satisfaction. By working together, not only can we assure the survival and growth of the local motorcycle industry, but we can likewise be assured that profitability from this growth will follow our efforts." Unifying words from a man who works in a divided industry.