Before Aldi and Lidl made their presence felt on our High Streets, there was one German name that featured in almost every British town – Hein Gericke. Now there’s another Teutonic brand looking to win the hearts of British bikers, as Louis Moto sets its sights on the UK.
For motorcyclists of a certain age, the very name Gericke brings back fond memories. Founded in the 1970s by a biker named, of course, Hein Gericke, the company sold motorcycle clothing and accessories through High Street shops across Europe. Hein Gericke was huge across the UK, with its own brand clothing, called Pro Sports, particularly well regarded for offering good quality at reasonable prices.
Throughout the 1990s Gericke was omnipresent in British motorcycling, but like so many bricks and mortar stores it was hit badly by the dot com boom. In 2012, with 49 stores in its portfolio, the company went into administration and with it a chapter in British motorcycling ended.
But now, a decade on, another German clothing brand has eyes on the British market, albeit online, and despite the trading challenges caused by Britain’s departure from the European Union, Hamburg based Louis Moto is gearing up for major assault on the UK market – reassuringly agreeing to pay the VAT and cover any custom charges incurred on orders from sent to our islands.
And while there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of them, Louis Moto is a huge organisation which has been around for decades. They started out as a small motorcycle shop in 1938 and now have 85 traditional stores in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
They sell around 55,000 products from over 500 brands, including five of its own labels: Detlev Louis Motorcycle Gear, Vanucci, Rekurv, Fastway and Nishua.
Detlev Louis is named after the company founder and is Louis Moto’s retro brand, while the Italian designed Vanucci products incorporate everything from sports leathers to adventure style textiles. Rekurv takes in the urban sport vibe, while Fastway is the value for money mainstream offering. Nishua is Louis Moto’s helmet brand, utilising carbon fibre in their construction.
Speaking of the company’s focus on the British market, Louis Moto marketing boss Torsten Petz, considers that it remains one of the world’s spiritual homes of motorcycling. He said: “The UK market has always been important in the world of motorcycling, with a rich history of iconic manufacturers, brands and world-renowned motorcycle racers.
“The motorcycle industry in the UK has also been fuelled by a passionate community of riders for decades, which is only growing in the wake of the global pandemic. At Louis Moto, we are excited by the prospect of engaging with this community and attracting new, UK-based motorcyclists who can enjoy and benefit from our products.”
Wanna give them a try? Pop ‘Louis Moto’ in your search engine and find out more about their wares.
