Made in the UK: MMB visits Eskuta

Daniel Blackham visits Eskuta at its headquarters in Nuneaton

This piece first appeared in the July edition of BikeBiz magazine – get your free subscription here

You may not be familiar with the name Eskuta, but you have almost certainly seen them.

The brand has sold more than 7,000 bikes in the UK, all from its facility in Nuneaton.

Eskuta’s product portfolio is simple.

The SX-250 is an e-bike that captures the spirit of a motorcycle, but fits within all of the regulations of an electrically assisted pedal cycles (EAPC). So no licence requirements and no insurance needed for road use.

And the SX-800 is an electric motorcycle which does require insurance, road tax (free) and a CBT licence/ driving licence issued before February 2001.

But what opportunities does this brand present to retailers?

In short, plenty, especially the SX-250.

To understand where the brand is going, you have to look at where it has come from.

Founded by Ian O’Connor in 2014, Eskuta started trading one year later and hasn’t looked back.

“We started trading in 2015 and everyone looked at us and said ‘are you mad, what are these?’,” explains O’Connor.

“I was going out to motorcycle dealers and they were saying ‘well, where’s the engine?’ and then I was going to cycle dealers and they were going ‘well it’s got a motor, what’s that all about?’

“There’s me thinking ‘what have I done?’.”

Thankfully for O’Connor, this wasn’t the beginning of the end.

Although neither the bicycle or motorcycle dealer network had fully grasped the concept at the time, the delivery market did.

This has led to Eskuta partnering with Just Eat and Dominos, as well as a number of other companies, for last-mile deliveries in cities as well as other urban areas.

A benefit of working in the delivery market is real-world testing. Delivery drivers clock up thousands of miles a month, usually 365 days a year, and in all weather conditions.

Unlike many brands Eskuta doesn’t operate a seasonal model for its ranges.

Instead, it opts for a development-based programme and only launches new products when there is a reason to. It’s why the SX-250 has only seen four iterations, despite being in the market for nearly a decade.

“It’s continuously improving and I think that’s a great thing,” adds O’Connor.

“The first ones were good but they’re nothing like the machines you see us offering today.”

The SX-250 is described by Eskuta as “built and engineered like a motorcycle” and it’s hard to argue against that.

Apart from the drive system, which is powered by a 250w brushless rear hub motor and a 48v 26ah Lithium Ion battery, the rest of the Eskuta SX-250 is made of motorcycle grade materials.

LED lights and indicators, self-adjusting suspension, motorcycle-spec tyres and high performance disc brakes are just a few of the components which wouldn’t look out of place on a fully-fledged moped.

Continuing the trend from the automotive industry is the way the product is manufactured.

Each product arrives semi-knocked-down and is then hand built to order at Eskuta’s headquarters in Nuneaton. Every model that leaves the factory is delivered comes with a one-year or 8,000 mile warranty, as standard.

“That’s really important to us,” adds O’Connor.

“We control the entire process, from the design of the product, to the selection of components, down to the final assembly.”

At delivery, the product is ready-to-ride with no further assembly required by the dealership or consumer.

Partnerships with IBDs

Independent bike shops have always been seen as a key part to Eskuta’s strategy by O’Connor, as shown by approaching them in the early days.

Now the market has shifted towards this type of product, there are more opportunities than ever before for retailers willing to take the plunge.

“We offer something different,” says O’Connor.

“We attract a variety of consumers, from a slightly older customer where Eskuta works really well to a younger demographic that wants that motorcycle look.

“But what we can also do is open up a whole new piece of B2B business and that’s exciting.

“These are known for delivery and are market-leaders in the e-cargo space, so retailers can go to that local convenience store or other local company with a very robust product.”

Assisting O’Connor with bicycle market expansion is Paul Stewart who has more than three decades of industry experience.

A customer-focused nature was one of the many parts of the business which attracted him to join, especially the way it works with its retail partners.

“They get a white-glove treatment,” says Stewart.

“We arrange for dealers to get the key staff together so they get a tutorial as the bikes are delivered and to ensure they get a full understanding of the USPs. 

“I think being able to visualise that rather than look at a YouTube video is really important.

“Every bike being built and delivered to ride saves so much time for the dealer as well.”

As part of building a network of IBDs, Eskuta will be supporting retailers with demo bikes and encouraging consumers to visit these locations.

“It’s part of the package we have been putting together for IBDs,” explains Stewart.

“There will be a few bikes for the shop floor [if there is space] to sell from and then we will provide a demo bike which will be refreshed by us on a regular basis.”

There is also the chance to work with Eskuta as part of a dropship programme, if the desired model or colour isn’t in stock.

From the point of order, Eskuta offers the option to effectively take ownership of the customer with consistent updates on the product and then provides a white-glove delivery service from Eskuta’s trained delivery team.

“Most dealers are happy for us to do this,” says O’Connor.

“The customer has seen a bike in-store, they’ve had a test ride and decided to place an order. Right from when we get that order, we are working on behalf of the dealer but the service reflects on us as a brand as well so we make sure it’s the best it can be.”

“And on the rare occasion there is a problem, they don’t tend to go to the dealer, they tend to come to us.

“I think that’s great from a dealer’s perspective because, if there is an issue, a lot of the time the dealer won’t have known about it and it’s already been dealt with.”

So in a world where some brands are cutting back on warranty support, Eskuta is increasing theirs.

“We’re already getting feedback from those that have signed up that the service levels are really good and they are happy to deal with us,” says Stewart.

“For me, that’s the key. It’s all about a positive customer experience with a great product.”