Another V-Twin? From France?!
ANOTHER V-TWIN? FROM FRANCE?!
WITH SO MANY NEW V-Twin-powered motorcycles bursting onto the scene this year, can any really be called a surprise? It can if it comes from France!
As previewed in the May, 1996, Roundup, a new company called Voxan plans to put France on the world motorcycle map. Though the bikes themselves aren't scheduled to be unveiled until the Paris Show in September, the marque officially broke cover with a press conference hosted by company boss Jacques Gardette during the recent French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard.
Though no actual motorcycles were displayed, photos of
the prototype six-speed V 1000 Roadster were distributed. With refreshingly unique styling by Sasha Lakic, who penned the avant-garde Bimota Mantra, the bike is said to be powered by a fuel-injected,
liquidcooled, dohc, 72degree V Twin that engine R&D house Sode mo has had
under development for the past three years. Said mill will be housed in a frame designed by noted GP chassis construc tor Alain Chevallier. The Roadster is the first of a series of five bikes that Voxan plans to launch in the next two years. These include three 1000cc machines-the Roadster neo-Monster, a sportier Cafe Racer and Scrambler street en duro-plus two models powered
by a larger, 1240cc ver sion of the same V-Twin engine-a Cruiser touring bike and Custom street rod. Production is sched uled to commence early in 1998 in a factory that has already been built in Issoire, in central France, with an eventual target
of selling 3000 bikes per annum by the year 2000. The compa ny's marketing plan calls for sales not only in the French home market, but also in Ger many, Britain, Holland, Italy, Spain, Japan and the U.S.
The French Voxan V1000 Roadster's crisp, flowing lines identify it as a next-generation Ducati Monster. Future plans call for sport, touring, dual-purpose and cruiser versions.
Gardette underlines that his company's break-even point is 1200 units per year (all accom panied by a three-year, unlimit ed-mileage warranty), a turn over that will be fattened up by sales of Voxan leisurewear and accessories, including specially designed Furygan leather gar ments and Shark helmets. A Voxan Owners Club will also be founded, to host special events catering to customers of the French marque. This is evidently a very seri ous commercial undertaking that is poised to add a new name to the list of high-profile, niche-market European motor cycle marques. Alan Cathcart
