A UNIQUE FRENCH MOTORCYCLE BRAND
THE GENESIS OF THE FRENCH MOTORCYCLE BRAND MIDUAL
In late 1992, Olivier Midy, a motorcycle and mechanics enthusiast, decided to build a French road motorcycle. Not realizing just how ambitious this venture was, he threw himself into the work, finding in it a way to honor the memory of Julien, his late younger brother. This marked the beginning of the journey for the French motorcycle brand Midual.
At the time, the three European brands on the market were producing large-displacement 4-stroke twin-cylinder engines. Each was structured around a strong engine identity. Olivier noticed the availability of a fourth architecture: the flat-twin in a road-going configuration. He decided to explore this for his French motorcycle. Very quickly, the design work began: sketches, preliminary drawings, and styling studies. François, his older brother, joined the project.
A very old architecture that had been abandoned for 80 years, was revived by Olivier thanks to a brilliant idea, which led to a first patent in 1995. Flat engines and their undeniable qualities found a simple and rational application in a motorcycle. This would be Midual’s first technical signature.
Many long years of work followed, culminating in the birth of the company that bears the French motorcycle brand Midual. Olivier’s wife, Lise, joined the team.
2007 saw the testing of a “perfect” engine prototype, self-financed by the company. This was truly the founding moment of Midual.
Moto Douglas, à l'architecture flat-twin, datant de 1932
MOTORCYCLES MADE IN FRANCE
Those early years convinced Olivier that building a production vehicle was beyond his means. A motorcycle enthusiast and also a lover of motorcycle mechanics, he couldn’t understand why these machines weren’t treated with the same spirit that drives haute horlogerie or the hypercar manufacturer Pagani, whom he admires.
So, he decided to dedicate himself to this endeavor and, in doing so, would create a new market niche: the high-end motorcycle.
It is a grand ambition to create a motorcycle comparable to a watch with a complication. The proof must lie in the product itself, by setting the bar very high. The Midual’s grand complication will therefore be a self-supporting, double-walled monocoque. Cast in a single piece, it was designed by Olivier between 2008 and 2011. On August 8, 2013, the first Midual finally hit the road (photo).
The official launch of the French motorcycle brand took place in August 2014. On the greens of Pebble Beach, California, the Midual was unveiled to the world during the famous international concours d’élégance. The French brand carved out a place for itself among the world’s most beautiful hypercars.
In July 2018, the company moved into its current facilities near Angers. Midual successfully began production and started marketing its high-end motorcycle models.
Backed by a motivated, high-performing team and capital funding to which its clients have largely contributed, Midual continues its development.
Moteur de la Midual au banc d'essai, en 2007
A PHILOSOPHY THAT REFLECTS THE BRAND
Behind this mechanical masterpiece stands one man: Olivier Midy. An engineer by training and a passionate enthusiast of cars and motorcycles, he founded the company in 1997 as a design office specializing in the development of automotive parts.
This lucrative, necessary, and essential business fueled a dream: to create a unique French motorcycle, beautiful, high-performing, and of impeccable quality.
Year after year, this dream was patiently turned into reality. Surrounded by a small team of engineers, and later by engineers and craftsmen, he devoted more than 200,000 hours to designing, drawing, perfecting, and enhancing the 1,450 parts that make up a Midual.
In-depth work of rare intensity, driven by an uncompromising commitment to quality—the hallmark of Midual.
Exposition de la Midual, lors du salon Pebble Beach, en 2014
MIDUAL, A VERY “HIGH-END” FRENCH MOTORCYCLE BRAND
Aesthetically, Olivier Midy draws inspiration from the French coachwork of the 1930s, for which he has immense admiration. The Midual captures the grace of those sleek lines, the classicism of their curves, and a certain mechanical sensuality. But beneath this apparent elegance, every detail is the result of enthusiastic and original technical research, combined with the precision of a master craftsman.
The ambition: for Midual not to be just another motorcycle brand. It must be a complete creation, the embodiment of high-end French industrial culture.
When it was unveiled at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2014, the Midual Type 1 sparked admiration and fascination. Enthusiasts and connoisseurs worldwide immediately recognized in this motorcycle the ultimate expression of mechanical luxury.
Zoom sur la Midual au sein de l'usine, à côté d'Angers
A TRUE CUSTOM-BUILT MOTORCYCLE
Each Midual Type 1 is produced in small series and made to order, according to the owner’s specifications. Polished, brushed, sandblasted, or painted finish; fine leather upholstery; nameplates engraved with the customer’s name: every Midual is unique.
This exclusivity is a matter of philosophy. A pioneer in exceptional motorcycles, Midual champions an approach to luxury based on patience, precision, and customization. Each model is a handcrafted creation, a mechanical work of art.
At this French manufacture, clients are welcomed by appointment to a showroom adjacent to the machining, polishing, and assembly workshops. Just a few meters away, the dream takes shape: before their eyes, a Midual is born from the hands of master mechanics, a testament to the passion and craftsmanship that forge its exclusivity.
Each motorcycle undergoes meticulous inspection throughout the assembly process, followed by bench testing and road testing before delivery.
Sourdine de l'embrayage polie de la Midual
THE SYMBOL OF FRENCH LUXURY
More than just a French motorcycle brand, Midual is a manifesto. It represents an independent French company that has chosen the most demanding path: that of creation, excellence, and bespoke craftsmanship.
The Midual is not simply a motorcycle, but an exceptional mechanical object, the result of a unique vision and know-how.
In their factory in Anjou, Olivier Midy and his team craft motorcycles every day that do more than just ride—they tell a story.
Olivier Midy, sur la Midual, lors du premier roulage le 8 Août 2013
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