According to Trago2Wheels Division Manager Trevor Goodman, the company’s initial encounter with Italian manufacturer SWM Motorcycles, was as a result of Trago recognising the long-established brand as offering growth opportunities for both parties, Trago2Wheels having been trading for some 9 years and now seeking a partner wishing to re-establish itself in the UK market. Negotiations duly commenced in 2021 with initial stock arriving mid-season last year.
Are motorcycles an unusual commodity for Trago, a general retailer in the vanguard of the discount sector to be offering? Trevor says no more unusual than many of the 200,000 other products in the business’s uniquely broad inventory which in the words of the company’s founder Mike Robertson, range from ‘diamonds to dustbins’, not altogether surprising as the business started in salvage and from which it has grown in the last 55 years to become something of a West Country institution, attracting over 2 million visitors a year to its Four stores in Devon and Cornwall and now its huge new premises in Merthyr Tydfil.
‘Central to the business’s success is its focus on family shopping for literally ‘whatever you want’, a slogan that Trago bangs out at every opportunity with the accompaniment of popular rockers Status Quo. We have three guiding principles no matter what the product or its category, price, choice, destination and, unbeatable prices with almost old-fashioned hardware store choice aside, it is our destinations that set us apart from other bricks and mortar retailers and the bit of theatre our fun parks and idyllic settings bring to shopping. I will admit our present Chairman Bruce has something of a penchant for ‘bikes but when launching Trago2Business he was clear of its mission and which remains today to offer affordable machines to get folk onto two wheels without excessive cost. We started with 50cc and 125s, and now having found our feet, are offering mid-capacity machines to both existing customers wishing to trade up as well as many others. As I see it, one of the great virtues of having bikes on offer in popular retail rather than solus ‘bike dealerships is that it opens up a whole new audience while at the same time destigmatising a legitimate mobility option, irrespective of whether sustainable transport or as a hobby. With so much talk about ‘born agains’, it’s great to see youngsters booking our free ‘Get Started’ taster sessions, the fledgling riders and parents alike leaving with big smiles on their faces. Let’s see more of it, the industry desperately needs more new riders coming onboard’.
Family succession took place in 1986 when Mike Robertson handed over the reins to his son Bruce. By the time Mike passed on in 2001 the annual company turnover was in excess of £100 million, thanks in no small part to almost 1,000 employees. So what’s the secret? According to Goodman, “Make no mistake, our customers know that every product, from the cheapest fishing hook to the most expensive branded merchandise, is offered at a price which will be substantially less than can be found elsewhere. That’s our pledge, and our Bounce Back deal resonates with customers as well our suppliers, Voge, Keeway, Bluroc and Herald all being brands that offer top value in themselves.”
Trago2 Wheel has the financial backing of the long-established parent company, Trago Mills, which is no bad thing when trying to build a new business, a fact it appears is not lost on customers which Goodman is sure is a huge asset ‘We’re not going anywhere soon and will be here to help whenever it’s needed’. And if importing has become a slightly different deal post Brexit and not everyone is set up to deal with the extra work involved, it is everyday bread and butter for Trago as a routine part of its mainstream business. SWM were particularly keen to find a dependable replacement for its previous UK importer, which went into liquidation owing its trade customers over £1.4 million and it seems Trago has those credentials and a lot more too.
For those unfamiliar with the Trago brand, think your biggest local multiple retailer but larger with restaurants, leisure activities and a touch of almost undefinable idiosynchronisity – as Bruce Robertson likes to put it ‘A bazaar run by bizarre people’. The first T2W outlet opened in 2013 at the Newton Abbot branch where small capacity machines were offered plus the entire starter package including free taster sessions, training to advanced level, clothing and accessories, as well as workshop and MOT facilities. Customers purchasing a bike or scooter got a spend-in-store voucher equivalent to 10 percent of the retail price and which remains central to the business’s core proposition. The initiative was extended to the Merthyr store on Swansea Road where it nestles between sporting goods and DIY, right in the heart of the 200k sqft megastore, with a fully equipped service bay adjacent. The Welsh unit will be offering MOT facilities later this season.
SWM are certainly not new as they have been building bikes in Italy since 1971, names such as the Silver Vase resonating with older riders of a more classically-orientated persuasion. They are now a state of the art globally-based manufacturer and state “The creative soul of the SWM range comes to life a the heart of its innovate Design Centre, where the dedication of the technicians is the lifeblood that fuels the relentless exploration of the new styling concepts. Using the state-of-the-art tools, both hardware and software, the team shapes unique designs by taking care of every step of the process.
State-of-the-art systems such as CAD/CAE/CAM, 3D printers, CNC machines, and dedicated areas for frame preparation, welding, and torsional testing allow designers and engineers to start from a pencil sketch and turn it into a work of art on two wheels. This exciting journey of motorcycle production continues with meticulous assembly, testing and road testing.
The result? An exclusive design that stands out for its clarity, fluidity and functionality, fully reflecting the Italian passion for motorcycles. Inspired by the brand’s deep tradition and the models that made it famous in the past through original styling solutions, SWM motorcycles embody timeless elegance”.
Retail prices range from £3,699 for the SM125R road bike up to the full Enduro RS500R at £7,699. The good news for dealers is that SWM Motorcycles are back and the full range is available now.