Portland guzzi parts

[swooshdave]

11 hours ago, Gmc28 said:

But the whole thing about the shop showing as permanently closed is the real bummer.  We’ll see...

Dave, i meant to try and hit one of the local goose club meetings this summer, but summer is of course busy for probably all of us, and certainly thats true on my end with the fire season, so never found time.  Will do so hopefully at some point. Plus they seem to always meet on the east side, quite a ways from my cozy (far) west side location

Google doesn't check, it relies on users to update. They were closed a year ago and no one updated Google.

Just how far out west are you? If you say Aloha I'm not going to feel sorry for you. 

[swooshdave]

It looks like Rick will be shutting down the shop at some point. I'll get an exact date when I can.

[Gmc28]

Thx for the parts check docc.  That’s what i found too this morning.

dave - i’m Just down the road from you... north plains.  The MG shop there near PDX didn’t answer or return my calls for several weeks, when i left messages for the parts people.  Then the google thing just came up as well, so figured it was curtains.  But if they’re still open, trying to deliver all those V85’s they say they sold before they call it quits, maybe i’ll get my $15 part yet.

[Admin Jaap]

On 12/28/2019 at 10:40 PM, footgoose said:

Exactly. The best BMW dealer we had here in Indy, was forced (more or less) out of business by BMW not allowing them to sell any other make from the same room. They could not expand. The next dealer here to get BMW also sold Triumph, Polaris, Indian. They had to build a separate building to accommodate BMW. They closed this year. Now 3 surrounding states have the closest dealer, none in Indiana... guess they showed us! In 2002-3 There was a MG dealer in Tipton Indiana. Besides Guzzi they sold Ural, Trek bicycle, Carhartt clothing, and Red Wing shoes. That's diversified! They still failed.

Same here, one of the best selling BMW dealers (over 30 years!) in the country also sells all four Japanese brands. BMW forced them to either build a separate showroom or give them all available window space. They refused and it escalated quickly. They still sell and repair BMWs, but they are not an official dealer anymore. And they don't care, the margin on new bikes is ridiculously low, even on Beemers.

[gstallons]

It seems as if the higher-ups are determine to hit an iceberg no matter how successful they have been . Intelligence rules over wisdom !

[LowRyter]

Similar deal with BMW happened here in OKC about 15 years ago.  The local shop, Maxey's Cycles, is a longtime dealer.  He sold Honda, Yamaha and BMW since the '60s.  Then BMW wanted the boutique stand-alone dealership and Maxey let it go even though Maxey owned several building right next to each other.  A new boutique dealer was set up by some out of towners, then after a year they were allowed to expand for Ducati and later Triumph.  Actually that shop went broke after 5 years, there were all kinds of rumors about some nefarious stuff.   So a year or so later, one of the shop guys from a dealer in Dallas took over all three franchises at the same location but after the place  was closed for months.

I guess the advantage with expensive bikes is that they appeal to well-healed baby boomers, just about the last refuge of the market now.  They  are required to keep all the sales space separate like seperate show rooms under one roof.  Basically, it's like any other multibrand shop, it's just the bikes are more expensive.  I don't know how they finance the inventory there.  I've had my Ducati serviced there to keep the warranty up (I purchased the bike in Dallas).  I'll likely go for an extended warranty.   My brother purchase his 6 cyl Beemer from them too- that's another kettle of fish but he loves the bike.

 

[Tomchri]

They must all have gone to the same schooool. Old buddy sold and serviced new Triumph's for 36 years, I say he IS the most knowledgeable guy up here when it comes to English bikes. Same demand,,, relocate and a zillion $ glass building. We have a saying for that ,,, oh well. 

Cheers tom.

[Gmc28]

i've read, but don't know, that its as you all say, that the only way to make money in the biz is through parts and service, since the margin on the machines is low.  thats how it was decades ago when i spent a little time in "recreational retail", and is what i read is the case now.  but with the new machines depreciating so fast the group of buyers  gets smaller and smaller.  its just those who have the cash to get what they want, when they want it.  nothing wrong with that, as our recreational past-times aren't usually intended to be profitable, but its a smaller group that can afford to do that. 

if thats all the case, then i guess the $120/hr shop rate starts to make sense, at least from a shop owners perspective.  but as a customer, i find it crazy to pay that shop rate, especially when here where i work the shop rate for a multi-layered (with inspectors and signficant shop infrastructure/equipment/tooling/experience) turbine aircraft A&P (mechanic) is down around $90/hr.  I enjoy the winter time wrenching on my machines, but if i didn't it would definitely effect my buying decision process.  In fairness to my local Duc shop, they generally do good work, and much as i whine about the price, them doing good work and standing behind it makes it just palatable enough for when i bring them a machine for some work now and then (i've mostly done my own "desmo service" on the older and/or air cooled machines, but the newer water cooled desmo-quattro's are a real pain...so i pay for the valve work, and since they're in there to get at the valves, its not that much more to add on the few other things that are now readily accessible). 

All that is to say that you'd think a little shop could stay in biz charging a lower shop rate, since the dealer retail rate is so high.  maybe they sell some used bikes on the side to both make a little money and to draw in the tire-kickers (so they then end up buying something smaller but with a decent margin).  but i don't know of many (any?) smaller shops that are around or successful.  Seemed like LT in Florida had a huge Duc following, but i don't know if he makes good enough money or not with that whole enterprise.

For the older machines, its these great groups that help make them affordable and fun!  sure is easier and more enjoyable working on the V11 (or the air cooled ducs) than it is that damn Multi Enduro.... takes way too long just to remove all the poorly designed body work.  italian, but with an evil modern twist :->

[docc]

I just paid Toyota $135US to log on to my vehicle and defeat a remote feature that I had paid them #135US to activate. "Cost of ownership", I thought.

If it were a motorcycle , I would be throwing a hissy-fit!