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Interview with Fred Jourden from Blitz Motorcycles

Posted by Mark on February 14No Comments
interview with blitz fred jourden

Blitz Motorcycles was founded in 2010 and is run by Fred Jourden and Hugo Jezegabel. Fred and Hugo build some amazing and original motorcycles with a little bit of french charm. Take a look at some of them on the blog or check Blitz website.

Since the first article about Blitz bike – Harley Davidson 883 Sportster, I’ve been frequently visiting their website checking for something new to write about. So, after a few more great bikes, skillfully customized by Fred and Hugo I decided to get in touch with the guys and ask them several questions about the work they do and also how they came up with the idea to start a bike building business. The story you’re going to read, was kindly told by Fred Jourden.

“Here are a few lines about Blitz Motorcycles:
9 years ago, as I still was the head of European marketing for an online based company, I decided to take my first degree in mechanics in night courses.

Fred and Hugo at Blitz

The reason why is that I was already riding a vintage motorcycle at the time: BMW R60/2 from 1961.
It was my first bike, I still own it and ride it. But I thought I would have to either have it serviced or service it myself quite often because it was old. The truth is, since I own it, I never had to service it at all 🙂 Anyway, the fact is that during 10 months, I was going back to school after hours (from 6.00 pm to 9.00 pm, from Monday to Friday).
The year after I passed this degree, I met Hugo (through his cousin who is a friend of mine). He was working himself on vintage vespas in the workshop where we are still are based in today. In exchange for welcoming me with him, I offered to teach him what I had just been taught. He accepted it. We became friends. And we started customizing bikes for ourselves, then for our friends, then for our friends’ friends, and so on… All for free. All after hours (at night and on the weekend).
3 years ago, after 6 years of working for free, while keeping our regular jobs (Hugo was still a landscape designer and I was head of online Marketing), we decided to try to live off our passion and we created Blitz Motorcycles.”

I also asked Fred a dozen of questions.

When was the first time you rode a motorcycle. What was it?
I got my driving license when I was 27, 13 years ago. My first motorcycle was (and still is) a BMW R60/2 from 1961.

Why and how did you get into the bike building business?
Hugo and I thought that after 6 years of working after hours for free, it was time to try to live off this passion. We started Blitz on February 24th 2011.

What bike/bikes do you ride?
I own 20 machines in total (including 3 “Honda dax” which I rebuilt / customized myself). All of them have been customized/ rebuilt by me. I mostly ride the BMW R100/7 “Green Hornet” and the Yamaha 500 SR “Bobber”.

Is there a modern motorcycle you would like to own as it is?
As we speak, no modern bikes is appealing enough for me to ride it.

Blitz Motorcycles interview

What is your thought on the future of motorcycle ideas and concepts? Will riders want something different in 10-15 years? What inspires you?
I cannot read the future. What I think, though, is that the future of motorcycles will have to take into account all the “lifestyle” coming along. And this lifestyle is the exact opposite of the image that motorcycle industry has built so far: power, high speed. We’re talking here about “life experience”, “cruising”, “uniqueness”. Pleasure does not have to connected to high speed only. The thrill can also come with the feeling of the sun in your face, the smell of the forest while you’re riding on a secondary road at 90 km/h only.

Name 3 best places you have visited on your bike.

The Isle of Skye (Scotland)
The desert of Bardenas (Spain)
France (in its totality).

Thanks, Fred! I wish you and Hugo all the best and hope to see more bikes built by you guys on the streets in the future.

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