The rise of “gig economy“, driven by the growth of delivery apps, is creating demands that, until then, would not be thought of in a traditional economy. Piggybacking on this, Byker, a startup launched in 2025, developed a digital motorcycle rental franchise model focused on serving mainly app couriers
With a lean structure and no physical stores, the company aims to connect investors to a market with strong expansion, without the need for an operational team or prior knowledge in the transport sector.
The market numbers justify the company’s bet. According to the Brazilian Rental Sector Yearbook 2026, released by the Brazilian Association of Car Rental Companies (ABLA), the fleet of motorcycles intended for rental jumped from 7,856 units in 2021 to 130,751 in 2026. This represents an accumulated increase of 1,564% in a period of five years.
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Identifying this bottleneck in the new economy, Geraldo Carneiro, an executive with more than 25 years of experience in cargo transport, joined forces with partners to structure the startup. Experience in the logistics sector revealed to the founders that, although the demand for motorcycles was growing rapidly, the supply of reliable rentals remained limited.
100% digital model
The business model designed by Byker works 100% digitally. All business management is carried out through a proprietary system called Smart Byker, which centralizes fleet control, financial flow monitoring, maintenance and infraction management in real time.
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“In practice, the franchisee buys the motorcycles, currently focusing on the Honda CG 160 model, and Byker takes over the entire operation, including, for example, documentation, contracts, tracking and management”, explains Laís Oliveira, the company’s Expansion Director.
The choice for automaker exclusivity follows a financial and demand logic. Around 70% of the startup’s end customers today are motorcycle couriers, and the same proportion of these professionals prefer the Japanese brand due to its durability and lower failure rate on a daily basis, according to the company.
For the franchisee, the main attraction of this choice is the low devaluation of the asset, which presents rates of drop in value of up to 5% per year, reducing investment risks.
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The franchise’s operating system also provides security automation, such as remote blocking of the vehicle in cases of default, ensuring more control over the operation.
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Initial contribution of R$ 79 thousand
From the investor’s perspective, the business allows entry in a scalable format. For a fleet of three motorcycles, the total investment, which includes motorcycles, fees and legalization, is R$79,185. A plan with ten motorcycles requires an investment of R$255,601, with the potential to generate a monthly result of more than R$10,000 for the franchisee, according to the company.
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| Scalable model | |||
| Number of motorcycles | Investment | Franchise fee | Monthly return |
| 3 | R$ 79.185 | R$ 7.500 | R$ 3.000 |
| 5 | R$ 129.089 | R$ 12.500 | R$ 5.000 |
| 10 | R$ 255.601 | R$ 25.000 | R$ 10.000 |
| 20 | R$ 511.202 | R$ 50.000 | R$ 20.000 |
A differentiator of the model is that 100% of the revenue goes directly into the investor’s account, who subsequently passes on royalties and marketing fees. The estimated period of return of capital (payback) varies between 14 and 19 months, depending on the scale of the operation.
Expansion
With the format validated and operations started in Rio de Janeiro, the startup is now planning an accelerated expansion across the country. Currently, the chain has three franchisees and 35 motorcycles on the streets, but the goal is to reach 30 franchisees and 300 vehicles in the capital of Rio de Janeiro by the end of the year and enter the São Paulo market, where it expects to initially have 100 to 150 motorcycles.
Currently, the company has already earned R$150,000, received a contribution of R$400,000 from an investor and plans to earn R$2 million in 2026.
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In the medium term, the ambition is to reach the mark of 1,000 motorcycles in Rio de Janeiro and 3,000 in operation in the São Paulo market by 2027.
“Our focus is not on having a beautiful store, it is on having a motorcycle running and generating revenue. We designed a lean model, with technology and predictability, to scale quickly and provide access to a market that never stops growing”, says founder Geraldo Carneiro.
