Major European motorcycle parts distributor Bihr has acquired Race FX to reinforce its position in the UK off-road market and accelerate the deployment of its product offering in Britain.

Bihr has announced the signing of an agreement with former owners, Samantha Irwin and Paul Irwin, to assume 100% ownership of leading B2B motorcycle parts and accessories distributor specialising in the off-road segment in the UK, Race FX.

The objective of the transaction is to firstly get better access to the UK Off-road distribution market and secondly, complement the position Bihr currently has through MotoDirect on the “Street” segment in the UK. In addition, Race FX will serve as the logistics platform to deploy Bihr’s motorcycle parts and accessories distribution activity in the UK.

“The fit of Race FX and Bihr together just made perfect sense”, said Paul Irwin former owner of Race FX.  “Race FX and Bihr have a number of brands in common (Race FX in the UK and Bihr on the Continent) and this transaction will allow us to get full access to both the off road and road distribution channels in the UK. This is great news for our customers and suppliers, and I am looking forward to a busy year ahead.”

“Welcoming Race FX into the Bihr group is a real opportunity for us to truly accelerate our deployment in the UK”, added Christophe Piron, CEO of Bihr. “Beyond the 34 brands currently distributed by Race FX and MotoDirect in the UK, the Brand & Product team of Bihr has worked very hard last year to secure the distribution of 150 additional brands in the UK.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Race FX”, said Terry Birtles, Country Manager of Bihr UK. “The expertise of the Blackburn-based company in Off-road Rider Gear and Parts & Accessories distribution is critical for us. In the coming weeks, we will leverage the Blackburn warehouse to progressively introduce the newly distributed products in UK.”

In terms of organisation, Paul Irwin has been appointed Off-Road Business Development Manager UK for Bihr. He will report to Terry Birtles.

 

 

ABOUT BIHR:

Bihr is the leading European distributor of rider gear and spare parts, accessories and tyres for motorcycles, quads/ATV and scooters. Founded in 1975, the company is present in over 14 countries. Our portfolio comprises about 230 brands and 200,000 items distributed through a network of 11,550 dealers.

This is made possible by 650 employees, including 74 in-house sales representatives and 35 customer service representatives. From the outset, the strength and foundation of this exceptional success has been based on comprehensive services and first-class logistics. With a total storage area of more than 44,350 m2 spread over 5 warehouses, Bihr can supply almost all dealers in Europe within 24 hours.

Bihr UK will operate under two commercial names: Race FX powered by Bihr & MotoDirect powered by Bihr.

 

ABOUT RACE FX:

Race FX Limited, established in 2003 and founded by Paul and Samantha Irwin, is one of the largest wholesale distributors to the off-road motorcycle industry in the UK. With over 30 years’ experience in the trade, our team have extensive combined knowledge that enables us to provide excellent product information and service to our customers. Our current product portfolio consists of 28 brands, most of which are exclusive to Race FX in the UK.

The company operates out of its own 30,000 square foot warehouse and offices in Blackburn and has been developed and grown over the years to allow us full control on every aspect of business in-house.

 

More information: www.bihr.eu