As of 2025, Vertigo Motors is owned by Josep Serra “Xiu” and Marc Colomer, with majority investment from a Chinese motorcycle manufacturer.
Here’s the straightforward answer people search for: who owns vertigo trials bikes? The brand’s founder, Manel Jané, stepped away in late 2024. In January 2025, Vertigo Motors confirmed a new ownership team: engineer Josep Serra “Xiu” and former world champion Marc Colomer. Reports alongside that statement note fresh capital from a Chinese motorcycle group that now holds the majority stake. The pair runs the European operation and product direction while the investor brings manufacturing scale and funding.
Who Owns Vertigo Trials Bikes? Updated Facts And Context
The current owners are Xiu and Colomer. They lead the brand day to day, from product plans to team structure. The backer is a Chinese manufacturer with a controlling position. Public statements so far don’t name the manufacturer; the release focuses on the leadership handover. That’s why you’ll see the two names front and center in official messages, and the investor described at a high level.
Vertigo Trials Bikes Ownership By Year And Backing
To give you quick clarity, this timeline shows how ownership and leadership have shifted since the brand launched. It also flags what each stage meant for riders and dealers.
| Year | Owner / Lead | What Changed For Riders |
|---|---|---|
| 2014–2016 | Founder: Manel Jané | Launch of Vertigo Motors; focus on fuel-injected two-stroke trials platforms. |
| 2017–2019 | Jané | Race development with elite riders; wider dealer network grows in Europe and beyond. |
| 2020–2022 | Jané | Refined chassis and mapping updates; limited editions expand choice for competitive riders. |
| 2023 | Jané | Team roster changes; continued top-line R&D in trials components and setup. |
| Late 2024 | Transition period | Founder steps away for personal reasons; brand readies a new stage. |
| Jan 2025 | New owners: Xiu & Marc Colomer | Leadership confirmed; strategy refresh with added capital from a Chinese manufacturer. |
| 2025 onward | Xiu & Colomer (operational) + Chinese majority investor | Focus on trials core, product range expansion, and stronger global distribution. |
Brand Owner Versus Local Importer
One recurring mix-up: the brand owner isn’t the same as your country’s distributor. For example, the UK importing business is run independently at the country level. A local company may own its own entity and still sell motorcycles made by the global brand. That’s standard in powersports—factory ownership sits with the manufacturer, while national sales and events are handled by importers or subsidiaries.
How The New Owners Shape Vertigo
Engineering Direction Under Xiu
Xiu is one of the best-known trials engineers of the last two decades. Expect careful work on fuel delivery, clutch feel, and weight distribution—areas that matter when you’re threading sections or lifting the front wheel over a root at walking pace. He has a long track record of clean packaging and smooth low-rpm response, so riders should see updates that keep the bike composed on sidehills and slick rocks.
Rider-Led Decisions With Colomer
Colomer brings a champion’s eye for setup. His background points to steady improvements in traction, mapping options you can trust on a wet day, and reliable starting on cold mornings. He’s known for small details that shave time between sections and reduce fatigue across a whole day on the pegs.
What This Means If You’re Buying
Models And The Core Platform
Vertigo’s range centers on fuel-injected two-stroke trials bikes. The platform’s appeal is clear: crisp throttle, strong bottom-end, and a slim feel around the knees. Each model year typically brings weight nudges, revised linkages, and map tweaks. The new leadership can lean on that base while growing production with investor funding.
Parts, Warranty, And Dealer Coverage
Ownership changes often raise two questions—parts flow and warranty support. With an investor focused on scaling, the goal is steady parts availability and clear coverage terms through official dealers. If your dealer stocks common wear items (filters, pads, levers, plastics) and can order specialty parts quickly, you’re set for the season.
Resale And Long-Term Value
Trials bikes hold value when the factory maintains parts supply and keeps geometry consistent year to year. The Xiu-Colomer era points toward continuity: modernized details without tossing out what makes the bikes easy to ride. That helps owners sell used bikes with a clear spec story.
Country-Level Operations And Examples
Riders in different regions will see different faces at events—importers, demo leaders, and team managers. That’s normal in trials. A UK importer may be a well-known rider who runs training days and has a direct line into the factory. In Spain, the factory team often fronts new components. In the U.S., the importer builds the dealer list and handles warranty filings. All roll up to the same manufacturer ownership and factory support.
Proof Points You Can Verify
The ownership shift was announced publicly in January 2025. The confirmation names Xiu and Colomer as owners and notes the Chinese majority investment. You’ll also find the brand stating its founding in 2014 with headquarters in Palau-solità i Plegamans (Barcelona), which matches the company’s Spanish roots. That blend—Spanish design and leadership, plus outside capital—fits a pattern seen across the powersports market.
Why The Name Of The Investor Isn’t Public Yet
You might ask why the investor isn’t spelled out in every release. Deals sometimes close with staged communications: first, leadership; next, product and market plans; finally, deeper corporate detail. Until the brand publishes the investor’s name on its own channels, the safest, most accurate phrasing is “a Chinese motorcycle manufacturer with a majority stake.” That keeps the facts tight and avoids guessing.
Who Owns Vertigo Trials Bikes? In Daily Terms
In daily terms, who owns vertigo trials bikes? The factory rights and trademarks sit with Vertigo Motors under Xiu and Colomer, supported by a majority investor from China. Country importers handle sales, events, and after-sales work. If you’re chatting with a local shop, you’re talking to the importer’s team, not a separate manufacturer.
How This Affects Setup, Spares, And Riding Plans
Setup
Expect steady evolution: clutch bite point you can tune easily, throttle maps that feel consistent from warm-up to section five, and steering that stays neutral in tight turns. The new leadership has deep experience with those touchpoints.
Spares
Fuel-injected two-strokes demand clean filters and a healthy electrical system. Keep a spare plug, handlebar switch, and filter oil ready. Fast-moving items will remain simple to source through official dealers; specialty parts should remain orderable with standard lead times.
Riding Plans
If you’re eyeing a club season or the SSDT, plan as usual. Build your spares kit, choose tires based on your terrain, and book service early before big events. The ownership change doesn’t change the basics: a well-prepped bike and a fresh rear tire do more for your scorecard than any headline.
Table: Brand Ownership Versus Importing Entities
Use this quick reference to keep brand ownership separate from importer ownership in your country.
| Entity | Who Owns It | Role In Your Buying Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Vertigo Motors (Spain) | Xiu & Marc Colomer + Chinese majority investor | Holds the brand, designs the bikes, sets factory specs, builds units. |
| National Importer (e.g., UK) | Local company or rider-run business | Brings bikes into the country, supports dealers, handles warranty. |
| Dealer | Local dealership | Sells bikes, keeps common parts, performs service and setup. |
| Race Team | Factory or importer | Product feedback, event presence, rider training days. |
| Owner | You | Maintenance habits and setup choices keep the bike sharp. |
Linked Sources You Can Check
Vertigo’s founding year and location are listed on the brand’s site. The change in ownership was posted publicly in mid-January 2025, with the brand naming Xiu and Colomer as the new owners. Trade outlets covered the same announcement and added context on the incoming investor and planned product lines. These links open in a new tab so you can cross-check details while you read.
Bottom Line For Riders
The brand’s ownership sits with Xiu and Colomer, backed by a Chinese majority investor. The factory remains in Spain, the bikes keep their trials focus, and local importers continue to be your contact for purchases, service, and events. If you’re deciding on a bike, base the choice on fit, support from your nearest dealer, and how the controls feel in a section—not on rumors around a handover that the company already confirmed.
P.S. If you want to dig deeper, see the brand’s company pages and the official statement coverage. The announcement also appeared on Vertigo’s social feed; you can cross-check wording there.