Aside from large-scale tyre manufacturers and other important importers in Germany, Mefo Sport GmbH is one of the best-known independent dealers in tyres and other equipment for motorcycles and quad bikes. The Bavarian company has become an integral part of the motorcycle racing scene through having high standards of quality and service, plus dealers, who are prepared to listen. For more than 40 years, the company has distributed products from its headquarters at Röthlein near Schweinfurt to dealers all over Germany. Moreover, Mefo mousse and Mefo Sport motorbike tyres are exported all over the world. Mefo Sport GmbH has been involved with the ADAC MX Masters since 2010, and the vast majority of the national and international motorcycle elite now use equipment from this very experienced two-wheel accessory supplier.
Hello Joachim, Mefo Sport GmbH has supported the ADAC MX Masters as a series partner for seven years now. What form does your involvement actually take?
We have a service van and trailer set up for mounting tyres and equipment. We also have our products on display and can offer advice. Riders can come to us at any time and be looked after. We also bring along our Mefo mousse and can install it correctly at the track whenever riders ask. The mousse is a rubber ring mounted in the tyre to give more speed and better damping properties. In this way, we can guarantee that every competitor in the ADAC MX Masters can perform to the best of his ability at every meeting.
What do you find most interesting about the race series?
The ADAC MX Masters is one of the best platforms for informing riders about our products and giving them advice. We can reach out to both national and international riders at meetings, but our focus is increasingly on newcomers, as the juniors are still developing their riding style, and we can actively support them. The Masters is really geared up to the sport, has a team in charge, who are full of common sense and are professionals through and through. I think that’s great.
You also sponsor a couple of your own teams. Who are they this year and why?
We actually work with a large number of teams, including for example, STC Racing, AB Racing, Cofain Racing, Monster Energy Kawasaki Elf Team Pfeil, Becker Mowik Racing, Kini KTM Junior Racing, TTW off-road, HTS team by Mefo Sport, Garin MX, Thermotec Racing KTM, Diga Procross, stielergruppe.mx Johannes Bikes Suzuki, Castrol Power 1 Suzuki Moto Base, Team Neustrelitz, Pro Sport Alliance Racing and, of course, our very own Mefo Sport Racing team. All these outfits receive our products before races and can install the Mefo Mousse themselves. Others come to us in the service tent to have it fitted both before and during the races. This cooperation with so many teams obviously ensures that we have an on-going presence at race series like the ADAC MX Masters, from which we can only benefit.
What qualities does a good motocross rider need to have in your opinion?
They need strength, fitness and focus. All motocross riders must also be motivated and be suited to the rigours of the sport.
Can you tell us a bit more about your company? What exactly does Mefo Sport GmbH do?
Mefo Sport GmbH supplies both wholesalers and retailers with motorcycle tyres, inner-tubes, mousse, clothing and motorcycle parts. We’ve also made a name for ourselves with our own brand in recent years and produce Mefo mousse in-house in our own factory.
What makes your products so good?
Our products are of a very high quality. We offer top-class service and have built up our expertise and an excellent dealer network over many years. Our Mefo mousse is particularly durable and can last up to ten hours. I think that speaks for itself. We also distribute mainly products from reliable manufacturers who have the same eye for quality as ourselves, including, for example, products made by Acerbis, Ariete, Mechanix and Q-One to mention just a few.
Have you introduced any new products to your range for 2017?
Yes, we’ve launched a new generation of Mefo mousse called ‘groove’ mousse which has grooves around the sides of the rubber ring to improve performance and ensure an even longer service life.
You are one of the best-known tyre wholesalers in Germany. How did you achieve that status?
Back in 1977, we were already involved in developing and marketing top-quality motorcycle tyres for Barum (now Mitas), which quickly made our name in Germany in the off-road sector. Aside from the big tyre manufacturers, we have the largest range of brands and can fit practically any size of tyre and brand with our Mefo mousse. That’s how we’ve managed to achieve our present status, through long-term cooperation with our motorcycle dealers.
How did you yourself come to be involved in the sport?
My father has always been a keen motorbike rider, and I got the bug from him. He’s now 74 but still active in motocross, racing sidecars, which I think is totally amazing. I started out riding solo on an 80cc machine but also competed semi-professionally in motocross sidecar races for 15 years. So you could say, I turned my hobby into my job.