Heesen YachtTalk Specials, Season 4, Episode 1

The first episode in Season 4 of Heesen’s YachtTalk follows the exciting collaboration between Heesen and its brand partner, Eysing. Located down the road from the Dutch shipyard in North Brabant, Eysing was founded by four young entrepreneurs in 2014 when they decided to bring back one of the most iconic motorcycle brands in Dutch history. To learn more about the concept, Heesen sat down with Eysing’s head of sales, Stijn Smit.

Back to the Future
Eysing is a Dutch company born out of a passion for automotive design, says Stijn Smit. “Our original identity was inspired by the legendary brand Eysink, which was founded by a true automotive pioneer. His son, Dick Eysink Jr., made a legendary motorcycle called the Alpine Hunter, which he built out of scrap metal, raced in the 1931 International Six Days trial in the Italian Alps, and won.”

Alongside the surprise racing victory, Eysink placed the Netherlands on the motorcycle map by producing the first fuel-based engines. Today, Eysing is reinvigorating the brand’s heritage with a sustainable twist by producing fully electric mopeds. The two brands are differentiated by a subtle name change; the original ‘k’ now replaced with a ‘g’ to separate the past from the future.

The Eysing motto – ‘Inspired by heritage, designed for the future’ – is built upon a shared passion for automotive design and music. Eysing’s automotive designer fell in love with the story of the Alpine Hunter and looked to recreate it.

“Our primary interest was to build something that we could ride ourselves and truly love,” says Smit. “The commercial aspect came after.”

Eysing became a business venture in late 2018 when the decision was made to display one of the Pioneer prototype e-mopeds at the Masters Expo. More than 100 Pioneer models were pre-sold off the back of the exhibition, and Eysing ‘the brand’ was born. “We stopped our studies and fully committed ourselves to the company,” says Smit.

In-house
The Eysing production line is a turnkey solution, whereby all models are built by hand in-house. The mopeds’ distinctive framework has become a calling card of the brand.

“Normally you would expect the engine to be positioned in the centre of the frame, but we use electronics and wanted to keep the design clean, so the engine is located in the rear wheel,” says Smit.

The unique tank that sits atop the A-frame is hand-crafted in Holland and welded together from two pieces. Whereas Eysink’s tank held diesel fuel, the Eysing tank lifts to reveal a neat storage solution for the removable battery pack.

The round retro rear lights also add another layer of individuality. “If you see an Eysing in the dark, you know instantly that it’s an Eysing,” says Smit.

Heesen & Eysing
The tailormade Heesen X Eysing Pioneer enjoys slim, elegant lines, a sporty finesse and is branded in Heesen colours. When the e-mopeds were first unveiled on Heesen’s stand at the Monaco Yacht Show 2022, Eysing’s social media channels “exploded,” says Smit, who adds: “I think Heesen and Eysing have similar ways of working. We both have one focus, and that’s the client.”

For Heesen, the moped’s electric propulsion dovetails nicely with its own hybrid propulsion offering. When included on board a yacht, it’s the perfect mode of transport for guests to go ashore and enjoy the city, says Heesen marketing director, Mark van Heffen.

“At Heesen Yachts we strongly believe that yachting is all about experiencing life, exploring the world and enjoying design. Our partnership with Eysing perfectly represents that. Eysing is an iconic, dynamic brand, and despite its youth has an element of heritage.”

Looking forward
In 2022, Eysing was contacted by landmark automotive design studio, Pininfarina. Founded by Battista ‘Pinin’ Farina in 1930, it is best known for its long-term partnership with Ferrari.

“They approached us to see if we were open to collaborating on a reinterpretation of our Pioneer model,” says Smit. “We were, and the result is the Eysing PF40, which opens a new segment in luxury two wheelers. Together with Pininfarina, we are planning an international roll out and making our childhood dreams come true.”

You can watch this episode here.