ALL GUZZI'S Saturday 10-6 Marsh Motorcycle

[Guest GuzziLee]

This saturday could be the last time you see Marsh Moto Guzzi and the end of an era.

Come wish Al well and show support. This is also an MGNOC meet. The weather looks great and he always has food

 

Marsh Motorcycle, 36 North Road, Rt. 140, East Windsor, CT. 860-623-7795.

 

For anyone going near the Berkshires we are leaving:

the Mobil in Great Barrington on Rt7 South next to STAPLES at 10 am get to Marsh right before noon.

Mass Rt#57 is a great spirited ride.

 

The Freddy Marsh Link:

http://www.mgnoc.com/article_fred_marsh..._100_years.html

[leafman60]

Did Marsh go out of business ??? Its ironic, as long as they held on, now that Guzzi is starting to offer some product, they fold. I guess Al decided to throw in the towel. I visited there many times.

[leafman60]

Yes ??? No ???

[Ryland3210]

Yes ??? No ???

 

I was at the final sale and the farewell party. All indications were that the business was closing. Service techs had moved on, and word was that the next tenant would not be a motorcycle dealer. That's all I know.

[Guest bird]

I was there two, it was really sad....many bikes/heads showed up to hear Marsh tell the news, tears in his eyes, an end of an era...he stated that there were some talks of another buyer/motorcycle sales but havent heard anything since. As far as I know they are still open....a couple days a week for sales. No mechanics, apparently a falling out sent them packing.

[waspp]

I was there two, it was really sad....many bikes/heads showed up to hear Marsh tell the news, tears in his eyes, an end of an era...he stated that there were some talks of another buyer/motorcycle sales but havent heard anything since. As far as I know they are still open....a couple days a week for sales. No mechanics, apparently a falling out sent them packing.

 

I was there as well, it was great day for sure! He probably will stay open untill most of the bikes and parts are gone. i have the feeling the property is worth a lot of loot and doubt nothing short of a mega dealership would be able to set up shop in that location. I believe some of the tech guys moved on to branchville maybe?

[Ryland3210]

I have had some work done at Branchville since then. Near as I could tell, their tech has been there a while, and commutes all the way from Clifton, New Jersey! I think it is unlikely he was one of the techs at Marsh.

 

I got the impression that Marsh's techs leaving had precipitated the sale. My guess is that the business level was insufficient to make the payroll on time occasionally. He had said there were two suitors for the business, but it would not surprise me that they passed on it, and it wasn't clear if they did buy the business, that it would stay in that facility. In that case, all they would be buying would be the inventory and customer list, especially since the techs had already left. I have seen this pattern many times in the manufacturing industry. The businesses that managed to grow by innovation or diversification were sold to a competitor or financial investor at a good valuation. Those that didn't, eventually were sold at auction for liquidation value. I judge Marsh to be dedicated to the extreme to his Moto Guzzi line, and reaching an age where the risk taking inherent in diversifying the product line to sustain growth was no longer attractive. Nothing wrong with that, especially with valuable real estate as a cushion.

 

Marsh was a good salesman even under those circumstances, and I sympathized with his pain in feeling the end of an era. He was offering discounts. I told him what the Internet price was. He stood his ground, and I happily paid far more than the Internet price for a brake lever he had in stock. He even charged me sales tax, even though I have tax exempt status for that type of purchase. Whether he will send the sales tax to the state, I'll never know. That's up to his conscience.

[Guest GuzziLee]

Hey guys what a day for a ride it was though .

Interesting as all the flag waving I have been doing for Marsh over the years didn't matter, I went back to Al to buy the remaining black 2006 Breva 1100 for nestalgia I guess. He would not Freekin Budge on price, cash in hand, I was totally un impressed. I could see paying a little more for the last bike...but then I came to my senses! Got one a year newer shipped to Mass, bottom line $2,500.00 + less. Had to do it.

Just got off the phone with Branchville Motors and was excited to learn they have an AXONE and very good sounding techs. Plus their good Guzzi people. This is good because Canton Cycles are Bone Heads and should not even be a Guzzi dealer.

Guzzi weather soon