New (sort of) Guzzi Dealer in San Luis Obispo, CA

[Lex]

We seems to have a Moto Guzzi shop in San Luis Obispo. The Vespa shop at 1144 Higuera (805-541-2575) has three Guzzis (a Norge, a Griso 8V and a 1200 Sport) on the floor. They have no parts department, zip, nada, nothing. I stopped by yesterday after work to order a side stand switch for my 2001 Sport. They seem to be really nice but they do not have a single part on hand, everything must be ordered. They didn't seem to know much about how to find parts in Guzzi's on line parts system. They took my name and number told me they'd call when they found the part. To be fair it was just before closing time so part of the reason they said that was that they were busy putting bikes away. They also have no signage that I could see. I'm really pleased to have a shop closer then the (nearly as small, minimum parts and no bikes on the floor) shop 100 miles away that was our "local dealer" but if they keep running the business this way it doesn't seem like much of an improvement over dealing with my 'ol buddies at MG Cycle.

 

I really hope the lack of parts and expertise is just because they are starting up and things will get better but it was not an encouraging first visit. Has anybody else see a new Guzzi shop that seemed so unprepared to do business? Is Guzzi NA so desperate for dealers they will allow a place the literally doesn't have a parts department (unless you count a computer with internet access as a parts department, that is all they have) be a dealership?

 

Lex

[Skeeve]

We seems to have a Moto Guzzi shop in San Luis Obispo. The Vespa shop at 1144 Higuera (805-541-2575) has three Guzzis (a Norge, a Griso 8V and a 1200 Sport) on the floor. They have no parts department, zip, nada, nothing. I stopped by yesterday after work to order a side stand switch for my 2001 Sport. They seem to be really nice but they do not have a single part on hand, everything must be ordered. They didn't seem to know much about how to find parts in Guzzi's on line parts system. They took my name and number told me they'd call when they found the part. To be fair it was just before closing time so part of the reason they said that was that they were busy putting bikes away. They also have no signage that I could see. I'm really pleased to have a shop closer then the (nearly as small, minimum parts and no bikes on the floor) shop 100 miles away that was our "local dealer" but if they keep running the business this way it doesn't seem like much of an improvement over dealing with my 'ol buddies at MG Cycle.

 

I really hope the lack of parts and expertise is just because they are starting up and things will get better but it was not an encouraging first visit. Has anybody else see a new Guzzi shop that seemed so unprepared to do business? Is Guzzi NA so desperate for dealers they will allow a place the literally doesn't have a parts department (unless you count a computer with internet access as a parts department, that is all they have) be a dealership?

 

Lex

 

There is no MGNA anymore: it's all Piaggio.

 

Piaggio's re-entry to the U.S. market in 2001(iirc) was based upon the "boutique model" as pioneered by Harley-Davidson and then BMW; since at that time, Piaggio didn't have any pre-existing dealerships to convert to boutiques, it was easier going for them to set up all their new Vespa outlets on that business model [vs. H-D & BMW having to force their old-guard dealerships into converting or yanking their franchise.]

 

No boutique has significant parts inventory beyond the soft-goods and big ticket bolt-on accs. like top-trunks, etc. - that's all part of the model. H-D and BMW dealerships don't fit this model exactly, because most of them actually do have parts depts., if only to support their own mechs.

 

But yes, Vespa boutiques do not have to have any parts, just sufficient floorspace to showcase the entire line of Vespas and the branded accessories [like the Vespa sweater, the chrome parcel rack, etc.] Doesn't mean that you won't get good service from them [that's going to depend upon the personnel at a particular location], just that you can't expect them to be a real dealership. They're a boutique, that's all they are, and that's all that Piaggio expects them to be.

 

The Vespa boutique here in Newport Beach are nice folks tho', I should go by & check in w/ them. I haven't been in since June of last year when I got a 256kb mp3 player for test riding one of the MP3s during their promotion when they first hit the market... Neat bikes, glad they finally brought the 400 & Fuoco over, altho' the prices are too high for their displacement [you can buy a liter bike for what they want for the 500], but they're unique beasts so I guess they're priced accordingly. [sigh]

 

I'll have to let you know when I'm up in SLO to try & meet up! I love that town, and of course, hwy 1 thru Big Sur is just a day-trip away...

[Lex]

Skeeve,

 

Thanks for the info. A slip of the fingers on the "Guzzi NA" thing, I guess just habit. Anyway, it seems sorta sad the Piaggio is working so hard to build "boutiques" instead of motorcycle shops. Yet another case of style over substance.

 

Lex