Josep Talavera, from Mundimoto: “We want to be the Amazon of motorcycles”

Just a few steps away from the bustling Passeig de la Verneda, in the La Verneda neighborhood, and minutes from the Ronda Litoral, a large warehouse on Binefar street has recently opened its shutters to house the largest second-hand motorcycle sales company in all of Europe.

Remember its name: Mundimoto; the business that has grown exponentially since its inception, just 3 years ago. Today, they have positioned themselves in the automotive market as the ideal solution for those who want to sell or buy a motorcycle quickly and comfortably, taking advantage of the benefits that technology offers.

Today we want to know what has been your recipe for success and that's why we decided to talk with the entrepreneur Josep Talavera, CEO of Mundimoto.

Josep, how was Mundimoto born?

La idea nace porque Alberto Fossas, mi socio y también fundador, se dedicaba a la compraventa de motos como hobby. Las adquiría, las acondicionaba y las revendía a particulares. Nosotros somos amigos desde siempre y un día, charlando, dijimos de repente: ¿Por qué no profesionalizamos esta afición? ¡Y míranos! Hemos pasado de tener una tienda de 100m2 en Mataró a instalarnos recientemente en una nave de casi 20.000m2, propiedad de Núñez i Navarro.

Since we started this business, we have moved three times. Shortly after settling into each of the spaces, we realized they were not big enough to meet our needs. Precisely, the warm reception from customers has allowed us to expand our team, and we have grown from 4 to 200 employees and hope to become many more. We are still coming to terms with it, to be honest.

What is the reason for such rapid growth?

Regarding the facilities and conveniences we offer. Within 24 hours, we will pick up the motorcycle you want to sell, from anywhere in Spain, without any inconvenience. We take care of the name change, getting it ready, and passing the vehicle inspection if needed. The user only needs to worry about receiving the money, which we always advance beforehand.

Once the purchase is completed, Mundimoto takes care of conditioning the motorcycle and, to ensure that all defects have been addressed, the team checks over 80 aspects of the bike before starting it up, prioritizing safety. Once the perfect operation of the motorcycle is guaranteed, Mundimoto also takes care of its sale, from the Binefar warehouse.

If you, as an interested driver, want to buy a motorcycle, you will receive advice and enough material to know the condition of your future vehicle without even having to move. On many occasions, the entire purchase process is done digitally. In fact, 70% of purchases are online and, currently, we deliver around 70 motorcycles daily throughout Spain through our internal distribution network.

You have grown up in a particularly complex and uncertain time for many businesses…

This period has been, paradoxically, a strength for us. Autonomy and independence in the mobility sector have been highly valued by users over the past few years. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we tend to avoid crowds in the subway and on buses, and prefer to travel alone or with our trusted circle.

The environment, legislation, and urban planning shape the way we move, and over these past years, we have witnessed how the mobility sector has transformed like never before.

What does the motorcycle contribute, in a scenario like the one you describe?

Firstly, the motorcycle resolves the mistrust that comes with moving by subway or train during peak hours, for instance, to avoid crowds.

Moreover, due to the complexity of driving around the city, the traffic congestion, and the difficulties in finding parking unless it's through private parking lots or regulated parking areas, riding a motorcycle makes a lot of sense in a big city like Barcelona. It also allows you to optimize your travel time.

On the other hand, having a motorcycle implies certain economic savings; it is less expensive than cars, they are cheaper to maintain and we also tend to park on the street more easily and quickly, even for free.

These reasons have undoubtedly propelled the use of motorcycles. In fact, as of today, Barcelona is the city with the most motorcycles in all of Europe. There is a strong motorcycle culture here, also fostered by our climate, which allows us to ride motorcycles in winter without excessive inconvenience for the riders. The temperature is pleasant almost all year round, which makes people opt for this type of transport, regardless of the season.

It's true that motorcycle purchases have increased considerably over the last few years as a result of the environment, but what changes do we expect in the mobility sector in the future?

Firstly, the future will take the shape of bicycles and combustion or electric motorcycles; undoubtedly. With two-wheeled vehicles, we save ourselves many of the problems we mentioned by offering us comfort, hygiene, and independence, etc.; in addition to optimizing our time and reducing economic costs.

To see a hopeful future, however, we must put all our efforts into improving the environment. The demands arising from environmental issues, as well as the advantages offered by electric vehicles, will encourage Barcelona to have more public chargers on its streets and more battery swaps around the city in the coming years.

For our part, by joining the sustainable change and maintaining our quality standards, we will be increasingly closer to our goal which, in reality, is to become 'the Amazon of motorcycles'. We want you to think of us not only when you need a motorcycle, but also insurance, financing, an accessory...

Seeing the workload at Mundimoto gives the impression that you are already close. How do you plan to achieve it?

In the near future, we will begin our international expansion, mainly in Italy, Poland, and the Netherlands, as they are the European countries with the largest motorcycle parks, and our international sales already account for 15% of total sales.

Here, the fact of locating our ship on Binefar street, in a space of almost 20,000 m2 from the Núñez i Navarro group, has made our path much easier. The size of the space allows us to grow; it has enough room to accommodate our volume of activity. And most importantly: the flexibility of the rental contract gives us the possibility to rent the floors of the building progressively, as we grow. We currently occupy the first two floors of this building, but we want to expand the space as we grow.

How is location a decisive factor in the success of a business like yours?

Location in this case is a key factor. We couldn't continuously move motorcycles in and out of the warehouse as we do here, in the middle of Aragón street, for example. Consider that right now, this warehouse holds the largest stock of second-hand motorcycles in Europe; we have more than 1,000 motorcycles for sale. This space makes our work more efficient and is also convenient for the user, who can be here from the center of Barcelona in 15 minutes, and upon arrival, finds a wide and unobstructed access on a quiet street in La Verneda.

Inside the ship, having so much space has allowed us to create hybrid workplaces, inspired by Nordic cultures. Having open spaces promotes fluid communication among the team, encourages them to interact and to cultivate good relationships, which is what we aim for. Keep in mind that the entire Mundimoto team is very young and are motorcycle enthusiasts. With this layout of the spaces, we encourage a friendly and productive work environment.

The open layout, which allows us to share spaces, creates unity and also makes history. Promoting a culture of commitment in our workplace has allowed us to grow exponentially in a very short time. We feel very satisfied.

Without a doubt, anticipating the upcoming changes and knowing how to adapt to them, as well as a strong commitment to transformation, have been key aspects that have allowed Mundimoto to respond to the needs of an increasingly changing and demanding environment in the mobility sector. A revolution that comes on wheels and still has a long way to go. From Núñez i Navarro, we will accompany them on their long journey. Will you join us?