General > In General...
Your input with cycle shops
serafin:
As someone said earlier I prefer a dealer that will stock the common parts. Bearings, seals, gaskets, o-rings ect... If you have the part on hand your customer will buy it. It seems that most dealers wont stock any inventory as that costs money.
Serafin
KXcam22:
In 36+ years of dealing with bike shops, one of MY biggest attractions to a dealer is their willingness to be friendly, happy to BS a bit, willing to accept the bike you ride even if it's not the latest, and give small deals on parts and accessories. I find that when my dealer is always giving me 10-15% off without asking it really keeps me coming back. In the offseason the deals get better as they try to clear out stock and are willing to make less profit. This is sometimes personel based and not the philosophy of the dealer, as I just found out.
My favorite Kawasaki guy recently moved to the local Yamaha shop. Suddenly I can't get the time of day at the Kawasaki shop since they know I am buying bikes for a family of 4 so will unlikely be plunking down $10k on a new 450. The fact that I'm an ardent 500 rider makes them roll their eyes, shake their heads and whisper. Now at the yamaha shop I get coffee, great deals and friendly acceptance. Guess where I'm buying all my stuff now. If I had the $10K it would be hard to stay green
Hope this helps. Good luck on the shop. Cam.
kx666:
--- Quote from: KXcam22 on October 16, 2006, 10:54:17 AM ---In 36+ years of dealing with bike shops, one of MY biggest attractions to a dealer is their willingness to be friendly, happy to BS a bit, willing to accept the bike you ride even if it's not the latest, and give small deals on parts and accessories. I find that when my dealer is always giving me 10-15% off without asking it really keeps me coming back. In the offseason the deals get better as they try to clear out stock and are willing to make less profit. This is sometimes personel based and not the philosophy of the dealer, as I just found out.
My favorite Kawasaki guy recently moved to the local Yamaha shop. Suddenly I can't get the time of day at the Kawasaki shop since they know I am buying bikes for a family of 4 so will unlikely be plunking down $10k on a new 450. The fact that I'm an ardent 500 rider makes them roll their eyes, shake their heads and whisper. Now at the yamaha shop I get coffee, great deals and friendly acceptance. Guess where I'm buying all my stuff now. If I had the $10K it would be hard to stay green
Hope this helps. Good luck on the shop. Cam.
--- End quote ---
that right ther is why i am starting a shop. i have many of my old customers give me the address and phone # so i can let them know when i open. i know there is no $$ in the motorcycle buisness, but my goal is to open many small shops and make enough to cover my hobby...let wify pay for everything else :wink: (she is in medical school)
gowen:
--- Quote from: KXcam22 on October 16, 2006, 10:54:17 AM ---In 36+ years of dealing with bike shops, one of MY biggest attractions to a dealer is their willingness to be friendly, happy to BS a bit, willing to accept the bike you ride even if it's not the latest, and give small deals on parts and accessories. I find that when my dealer is always giving me 10-15% off without asking it really keeps me coming back. In the offseason the deals get better as they try to clear out stock and are willing to make less profit. This is sometimes personel based and not the philosophy of the dealer, as I just found out.
My favorite Kawasaki guy recently moved to the local Yamaha shop. Suddenly I can't get the time of day at the Kawasaki shop since they know I am buying bikes for a family of 4 so will unlikely be plunking down $10k on a new 450. The fact that I'm an ardent 500 rider makes them roll their eyes, shake their heads and whisper. Now at the yamaha shop I get coffee, great deals and friendly acceptance. Guess where I'm buying all my stuff now. If I had the $10K it would be hard to stay green
Hope this helps. Good luck on the shop. Cam.
--- End quote ---
Cam, it sounds like your dealership is just like mine. I was dealing ALL my Kawasaki parts through our local Honda shop because the mechanics would come out and shoot the crap and the parts guy always would sit around and talk about bikes and had the coffie hot. I always ordered my parts through Parts Unlimited through the Honda shop or through Dennis Kirk. The fact that I could go sit down, have a cup of coffie and talk Motorcycles was huge to me. He ended up moving to a Yamaha shop, and guess what. That is why I have 4 Yamaha's now. He unfortunately moved to another state as of last month, so I'm sol.. I just do phone ordering mostly now for parts. :( Sometimes go back to the Yamaha shop for small parts.
kx666:
I greatly apprecate everyones input. it is a good feeling that i am on the right track.
here is the "hard" part, the name i have for the shop is "STEX Cycle"...the little lady named is and i can not do any better. lets here what you think. (do not worry you cannt afend me)
(and also a little insider information i hate parts unlimited and avoid them when ever possible do to poor customer service and they are working on a complete monoply to kill all small and medium shops)
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