Dealers selling new biles - no connection to history

[kevdog3019]

I'm 50 and if I were selling any line of bike I would do some searching on the basic past.  If there was a bike paying homage to a former bike (i.e. V7 line), I would know what it draws on in the past.  This is me.  I go into a Guzzi dealership and mention my older bikes and they get a funny look on their faces like it's a different make.  They simply can't relate.  I think they could sell more bikes to those previous older Guzzi folks looking for something if they could talk their language to SOME degree.  How much time does this take to learn basic knowledge... very little.  At least show you SEEM to care because it IS more comforting.  I doubt they really understand the workings of their current bikes or even the difference between the V7 and V7II.  Why is that important... because there are upgrades and by mentioning them you can sell a bike easier.  By mentioning the past you can sell the present. 

[Turin]

I'd be grateful just to not have to listen to the old wives tale about the Guzzi V-twin originally powering a small 3 wheel Italian tank. 

[Stephen]

Last two times I stopped at the newest Guzzi Dealer in the DFW area, well north anyway, the two young sales men were willing they new nothing of Guzzi History, but were willing to listen to a short history lesson.
I'd rather have someone admit they new nothing than try to make it up.

[drums4money]

Longevity of the 40's & 50's models was of critical interest to me when I took home my 1200Sport.  It wasn't until the dealer was able to make a convincing correlation between a Falcone and the big Breva that I was able to make the purchase with my head rather than my heart.

[Arizona Wayne]

Since most salesmen know diddly squat about what they are selling, I'm thankful we have the internet to educate ourselves as best we can.    Didn't used to be that way.  If I get a salesman that does know what he's talking about, that's a +.   If I catch them faking it, I'm not impressed.

[Dave Swanson]

Longevity of the 40's & 50's models was of critical interest to me when I took home my 1200Sport.  It wasn't until the dealer was able to make a convincing correlation between a Falcone and the big Breva that I was able to make the purchase with my head rather than my heart.

That was a good one! 

[jbell]

It's my understanding that most dealers won't even work on bikes over 10 years old or so.  Why would they bother teaching their staff brand history?  Of the several dealerships I've been to the past few years trying to decide what bike to buy, only one bothered to ask my name and gave me a call back.  Personal service and customer relationships have simply changed these days of the Internet to, as has already been stated, "how much does it cost and do you have it in red?"  The old dealerships are gone and sales volume is the driving force along with t-shirts and apparel, for good or for bad.   It's simply the way it is.  Thankfully, these fora exist for the loyalists to gather and share information and lament the good old days.  Anybody want to meet at the mercantile and sit around the stove and discuss steel wheel tractors vs these new fangled ones with tires?  Didn't think so.  And yes, I know there is someone in this forum that could put up a good argument.   

[perk5560]

I agree with Swordds, Adventure Motorsports in Pensacola is a great dealership.  Todd the sales manager has a real interest in the MG both past and present and genuinely cares about the brand.  I bought my new 1400 from them a few months back and found it a very satisfying experience.

Dave

[rodekyll]

Not a bike shop, but the same sort of problem -- I went into a radio shack store (we still have one) to get a battery for a digital meter.  It had a hatch we had to open.  She found a screwdriver, we opened it, got the battery out, and I asked her to find the replacement because my eyes are too old to read the tiny numbers.  She squinted at it and asked "Is this for a hearing aid?"

[swordds]

I should be embarrassed to admit, when I bought my V7II Stone I knew nothing about MGs (to me an MG is still a British sports car) and the only other motorcycle I ever owned was a TU250X. I bought my V7II sight unseen based on comparisons of features and specifications (and not on motorcycle magazine subjective reviews). It wasn't until weeks after buying it that I went online to even ask why the silly V7II Stone name?  The name made no sense to me beyond the "V" part of it (I am still not sure I understand  the "Stone" part of it).  So I probably did everything wrong when it comes to buying a motorcycle, I drove 200 miles to a dealer I had never visited and bought a motorcycle I had never ridden or even seen other than in pictures after ordering it on the phone and sending a check in the mail. I hadn't even checked out the MG forums first (probably a good thing!). And still I ended up with my perfect bike from a great dealer. I guess it just shows, luck, happenstance, and coincidence can triumph over intelligence and thoughtful planning anytime.

[blackcat]

The long gone stand alone local Guzzi,Aprilia, Vespa dealer had a salesman that pointed to the oil cooler on the Norge and told a customer that the bike was water cooled. Normally I don't get involved in stupid conversations, but in this case I had to say something.

[Vagrant]

I find great humor in this thread. as a professional salesman and trainer for over 40 years I can assure you that at best 1 in 10 salesmen know even a tiny bit about what they sell. 2 in 100 actually know how to sell and what an open ended question is.
most discouraging is the latest US distributor personal are in the same boat. if any one of them knew any history of Guzzi they might just have the balls to call up the head honcho at the factory and ask them when they are going to get their S--t together! if you look at the forum today whether it is about loosing dealers because the factory doesn't handle warranty properly or list all current problems like quality control, poor breathers, electrical issues, transmission leaks on the clutch etc. you could back date the date on the post to 1972 or 1992 or 2004 and nothing would change.
no dealer support, Q.C. issues and sales will continue to suck. after all there are only so many dealers to set up. you need to see to it they are taken care of by the factory first.
And yes I did buy a new V7 Stone 2015 this spring. #11 of about 40 new bikes over the years.

[perk5560]

I really have to agree with Vagrant on this one as far as quality control goes.  I don't believe I have any issues with the quality of the components on the bike but rather the assembly or lack of that I have a problem with.  After riding the bike 700 miles from dealership to my home and upon closer scrutiny of the bike, I've found a missing clamp a missing exterior gas tank gasket, a missing drain hose and a drain hose that was there but not hooked up.

Even with this said, I have to say I LOVE the bike, the way it looks, handles and performs and would not sell it or trade it for anything else out there.

Dave

[Kev m]

i thought they were selling on heritage these days? Oh I forget the latest V9 offerings, the heritage models, are a little light on Guzzi heritage.

This actually brings up a good point.

Retro/Classic styled bikes sell on A PERCEPTION of heritage.

The heritage doesn't have to be "real" (whatever that would mean, as in a direct, unbroken, mechanical lineage).

The heritage has to look/feel "classic'.

VERY few people ACTUALLY want an old bike.

I think the majority of buyers who choose a retro/classic simply want designs that remind us of the archetype of a classic motorcycle.

Harley, Triumph, Indian, and Guzzi all make serious bread and butter with this.

Ducati and BMW make something out of doing this in a more perceptively modern way.

JAPanInc. generally has a tougher time with it and my guess it's because their customers put an even higher priority on other attributes (appliance like performance/reliability and low cost over character/feel/fit/finish).

With that said, knowledge of ACTUAL heritage is mostly unnecessary for the average dealer staff, AND models like the V9 who don't directly draw from heritage may still benefit from the perception of it.

[jbell]

I should be embarrassed to admit, when I bought my V7II Stone I knew nothing about MGs (to me an MG is still a British sports car) and the only other motorcycle I ever owned was a TU250X. I bought my V7II sight unseen based on comparisons of features and specifications (and not on motorcycle magazine subjective reviews). It wasn't until weeks after buying it that I went online to even ask why the silly V7II Stone name?  The name made no sense to me beyond the "V" part of it (I am still not sure I understand  the "Stone" part of it).  So I probably did everything wrong when it comes to buying a motorcycle, I drove 200 miles to a dealer I had never visited and bought a motorcycle I had never ridden or even seen other than in pictures after ordering it on the phone and sending a check in the mail. I hadn't even checked out the MG forums first (probably a good thing!). And still I ended up with my perfect bike from a great dealer. I guess it just shows, luck, happenstance, and coincidence can triumph over intelligence and thoughtful planning anytime.

Swordds, that's called Karma.  Obviously you did something of extreme goodness in a previous life.  Congratulations.

[canuguzzi]

I really have to agree with Vagrant on this one as far as quality control goes.  I don't believe I have any issues with the quality of the components on the bike but rather the assembly or lack of that I have a problem with.  After riding the bike 700 miles from dealership to my home and upon closer scrutiny of the bike, I've found a missing clamp a missing exterior gas tank gasket, a missing drain hose and a drain hose that was there but not hooked up.

Even with this said, I have to say I LOVE the bike, the way it looks, handles and performs and would not sell it or trade it for anything else out there.

Dave

Good points.

Thing is, no one really takes the time or wants to tell anyone about missing or loose bolts, substandard assembly and so on. People might run to a forum and say something but how many communicate it to the people who can actually do something about it?

Would you change anything if the people buying it never complained and just drank the koolaid with a big grin?

[bad Chad]

We are talking about an Italian motorcycle manufacture here!  About everything coming out of the factory is much more likely do be right, than it was in decades past.   But if you asked them produce like the Germans, then I'm afraid, if they could pull it off, the charm that makes Guzzi, Guzzi would most certainly be left in the parts bin...

Give me a Guzzi that might need a little grease, you can have your Uber cycles!

[Jerryd]

I find great humor in this thread. as a professional salesman and trainer for over 40 years I can assure you that at best 1 in 10 salesmen know even a tiny bit about what they sell. 2 in 100 actually know how to sell and what an open ended question is.

I find that hard to believe. In our business which is a high technology field, a sales person like that would never get hired and if by mistake they did, they wouldn't last long.

[Vagrant]

I find that hard to believe. In our business which is a high technology field, a sales person like that would never get hired and if by mistake they did, they wouldn't last long.

I bought a new Cadillac a few years ago. the only thing the sales guy knew is it had a Bose radio.
the Ford truck sales guy only knew that he could stick his USB stick in and have his own music.
the multi line bike dealers sales knew absolutely nothing. I asked him if he ever read any of the bike mags. and he said he was too busy raising 3 kids on his own. hope he isn't on commission!
I could go on forever with these pathetic stories.

[canuck750]

With that said, knowledge of ACTUAL heritage is mostly unnecessary for the average dealer staff, AND models like the V9 who don't directly draw from heritage may still benefit from the perception of it.

I completely agree that a salesman does not need to know the 'history' of the manufacturer's products that he is peddling, as most purchasers are not aware of the lineage behind the new models on the salesroom floor. However when a salesperson does know the history, the background, good and bad of a marques then he/she is no longer a salesman but an enthusiast.

I think that most people who wander off the beaten path to purchase a Moto Guzzi are not your average Joe public motor bike owner and would appreciate that the people representing the brand are as passionate about Moto Guzzi as the buyer. I have no problem with Japanese bikes, and continue to own several, great appliances each and every one, and the Japanese have their own history to be proud of as well. But I feel Moto Guzzi is something special, operating out of the same picturesque lake side factory and such an amazing history of competition.

I find it disappointing and unfortunate that the sales people I have met selling the brand appear to have little to no interest in learning about the manufacturer.