36 Moto Guzzi’s on the showroom floor!

[willowstreetguzziguy]

While working in West Chester, PA last week, I decided to pay a visit the Moto Guzzi, Aprilla, Vespa dealer, Wide World West Chester on my lunch break.  What a showroom! I counted 36 new Moto Guzzi’s on the floor. Lots of V85TT’s, and large amount of V7’s. Saw a Griso, new Eldorado’s and even two vintage Eldorados too. And Guzzi accessories. Nicely setup showroom and friendly people. Here are some pictures...

[sdcr]

They have a pretty large showroom. Nice that they interspersed some vintage Guzzi’s, with the modern.

[Dirk_S]

I had to stop here a couple years ago to top up on some oil. Guys there were nice. If I remember correctly, this dealership used to sell Indians?

[willowstreetguzziguy]

I had to stop here a couple years ago to top up on some oil. Guys there were nice. If I remember correctly, this dealership used to sell Indians?

Yes, you are correct they were there in 2018. When I stopped by in 2019, the Indians were gone and the Moto Guzzi’s  were in their place but not to the extent and nice set up that they are today.

[kingoffleece]

They dropped some serious coin on those MG displays.

[Kev m]

Holy crap have they gone all in on the Guzzi merch and displays.

I seriously hope it's working out for them.

Hmm, might have to stop by post holiday and pick up some merch.

[sdcr]

WillowstreetGuzzigu y,

In your photo 10 (counting horizontally, L to R), looks like some type of Electric bike. Is that a Moto Guzzi. Or Piagio product?

[grebmrof]

I don't think I have EVER seen so many Guzzis on a showroom floor, ever.  Good luck to them.  From Indian to Guzzi?  They have a lot of faith.

[JJ]

WOW!!  That must be one of the largest Moto Guzzi inventories in the USA!!

[Dirk_S]

From Indian to Guzzi?  They have a lot of faith.

They have a lot of something, but I bet big profits ain't one. It does help that they're in a more yuppie area of the state. Here's hoping they can turn 'em over.

Don't get me wrong, I still prefer a Goose over an Indian despite the specs (anti-water-cooling and don’t like heavy bikes), but Indian's stock is rising, and we've yet to see any significant news out of Mandello. Meanwhile, everyone else is marketing at least one or two new models.

[Joliet Jim]

Love those red eldos

[Amboguzzi]

I bought my Eldorado from them in June.
Very personable and good people across the board.
Scott

[Motormike]

Looks like they could invest a little more in a better street sign. 

[bad Chad]

I see a new 17 Roamer on the floor, someone ought to pick it up, they are rapidly disappearing from sales floors.  Actually, I'd recomend any of the v9s, they are really good bikes.

[cliffrod]

Looks like they could invest a little more in a better street sign.

Pretty sure that's a matter of area-wide building codes, restrictions and zoning, not their desires.  Around there, a big sign is simply not an option.

[slopokes]

Almost bought a v85 from them when they were in Jersey...but they moved to pa. Before they came in. If anybody stops in tell joe Klein I said hello... a few pics from jersey..

[Kev m]

Take a look at Google-maps.

It's a pretty industrial area with not heavy traffic flow. The street ends on a more main road.

I don't think it's code as a Kia dealer up the block has a huge sign.

But Wide World appears to be a tennant sharing the building with a number of other businesses and the signage may be land lord dependent.

At least they are the front of the building facing the road.

[radguzzi]

They have a pretty large showroom. Nice that they interspersed some vintage Guzzi’s, with the modern.

What a nice layout, display and Guzzi history on the walls... just wow.  Hope they do well.

rad__

[twowheeladdict]

Take a look at Google-maps.

It's a pretty industrial area with not heavy traffic flow. The street ends on a more main road.

I don't think it's code as a Kia dealer up the block has a huge sign.

But Wide World appears to be a tennant sharing the building with a number of other businesses and the signage may be land lord dependent.

At least they are the front of the building facing the road.

I'm not into marketing strategy, but I do wonder what percentage of motorcycle buyers are just driving down the road and say to themselves.  "Oh, there is a motorcycle dealership, I think I will stop in." and then come away with a brand new motorcycle. 

It may be more than I know of, but I don't go into a dealership looking to buy without a plan and numbers already figured out. 

I guess there could be a percentage of people who impulse buy a motorcycle.  I am definitely not one of them. 

[twowheeladdict]

I'm only about 25 minutes from their shop and have purchased two new V7's from them in the past two years, a Milano (gone) and my present Special.Good guys to deal with. My Special was reduced to $7190 near the start of this pandemic ... had to have it. Great bike, and perfectly compliments my RE Continental GT 650.

Nice looking bikes.  Did you put red springs on the special to go with the tank stripe and red covers?

[cliffrod]

Whatever the reason for limited exterior signage, it seems unlikely that the owners simply forgot or decided against doing as much on the outside to promote their business as they did in the inside.  Wayne PA is (where my inlaws live) just a few miles away from West Chester.  It's pretty easy for an out-of-towner like me to drive right by businesses of all types in that area because all they wil have is a space on the business park sign and maybe lettering on the front door.   There are limits to what is allowed.  Even large businesses don't have the same huge signage, on the ground or up in the air, seen in other areas of the country.

VT has similar signage restrictions, ever since billboards were outlawed around 1970.  There are limits on overall height of installation as well as physical dimension of stand-alone signage.  Both places are a lot different than the Wild West of flashing signs that's normal here in SC or TN.

[s1120]

Looks like they could invest a little more in a better street sign.

I was thinking the same... I was looking at that sign picture looking for a sign for a Guzzi dealer, and still dont see one...  Noting from the outside tells me they are selling them in any way.. Im glad to hear of a nice dealer out there really giving a go at it though. Seems they really want to invest the effort into it, and that wins for all of us.

[Kev m]

As I understand it the owner has a long and storied history and is quite the enthusiast.

He was once the owner of the Manhattan Ducati franchise.

He opened an Indian dealer in north Jersey.

He expanded into Piaggio products as a lower cost option and to offer more product at the north Jersey location.

He opened Wide World West Chester as a second Indian/Piaggio dealership.

He lost his financial backers and had to give up both the north Jersey location AND the Indian franchise, then filled WWWC with Piaggio products.

And here we are.

We did give him a shot two years ago when we were in the market for another new Guzzi but he was asking full boat MSRP, plus $500+ in transportation and set-up fees (I forget maybe he even said $500 trans and $500 set-up). He was so much higher (and I mean thousands higher on a friggin' V7) than competition that we didn't even bother making an offer.

Considering how many other PA/NJ dealers have opened/closed in the relatively short decade and a half I've been riding Guzzis I am genuinely surprised he's still around. But I'm equally pleased and must get over there and spend at least some token amount of cash.

Hope he thrives.

[Lannis]

  Both places are a lot different than the Wild West of flashing signs that's normal here in SC or TN.

And Vive la Difference, too.  Is there anyone on the East Coast that didn't get enough of "Pedro Says ...." on the  billion "South of the Border" signs, or anyone who didn't get a bit tired of the "Ruby Falls" or "Rock City" billboards every mile of highway? 

I agree that a big sign on a heavily traveled highway won't help any Moto Guzzi dealer much.   I mean, look at Joe Eish's place.   Riding out there, your biggest fear was that you'd fall off the edge of the earth before you got there, and then had to herd the waterfowl out of the path to get to the shop .... !

Lannis

[jwinwi]

Good on him for going all in! Wishing him well.

[cliffrod]

And Vive la Difference, too.  Is there anyone on the East Coast that didn't get enough of "Pedro Says ...." on the  billion "South of the Border" signs, or anyone who didn't get a bit tired of the "Ruby Falls" or "Rock City" billboards every mile of highway? 

I agree that a big sign on a heavily traveled highway won't help any Moto Guzzi dealer much.   I mean, look at Joe Eish's place.   Riding out there, your biggest fear was that you'd fall off the edge of the earth before you got there, and then had to herd the waterfowl out of the path to get to the shop .... !

Lannis

Great minds..    Not sure what other southeast or east coast entities have more effectively burned their branding into the culture like South the Border or Rock City.   SOTB was in my mind when I was posting earlier.  I drove over to Lumberton a few wks ago to pick up a free unisaw.  I hadn't travelled that NC/SC border stretch of I-95 since the late 70's when I was a kid.  I couldn't believe how much South of the Border has grown.  What a monstrosity.  It looked pretty desolate, though.

Can't knock Rock City or Ruby Falls, though- at least not out loud.... My wife and I honeymooned there with a jar of moonshine and some moonpies.   Rock City was decorated for Christmas and pretty hokey, but Ruby Falls was actually worth seeing.  We lived in TN for years, but never realized Ruby Falls is a real waterfall at the end of a limestone cavern.  It was well worth the trip, as long as you don't bang you head on the ceiling.

At least there's a Guzzi shop I can go visit when I'm sequestered at the inlaws.

[willowstreetguzziguy]

WillowstreetGuzziguy,

In your photo 10 (counting horizontally, L to R), looks like some type of Electric bike. Is that a Moto Guzzi. Or Piagio product?

Yes I believe the are from Piaggio. You could call them to ask

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Looks like they could invest a little more in a better street sign.

YES, my thought exactly, if they’re allowed!

[twowheeladdict]

And Vive la Difference, too.  Is there anyone on the East Coast that didn't get enough of "Pedro Says ...." on the  billion "South of the Border" signs, or anyone who didn't get a bit tired of the "Ruby Falls" or "Rock City" billboards every mile of highway? 

I agree that a big sign on a heavily traveled highway won't help any Moto Guzzi dealer much.   I mean, look at Joe Eish's place.   Riding out there, your biggest fear was that you'd fall off the edge of the earth before you got there, and then had to herd the waterfowl out of the path to get to the shop .... !

Lannis

I finally went to Rock City and Ruby Falls, and was actually pleasantly surprised.  The signs worked in reverse for me and made me have no desire to visit so it took 30 years to finally get around to it because visiters wanted to go. 

[twowheeladdict]

Looks like they could invest a little more in a better street sign.

I was out in California for work and not only were the signs hidden but the buildings were hidden behind shrubs.  The GPS would get me to the location, but not into the parking lot.  Many U-turns on that trip, which by the way are illegal. 

So glad I live in Tennessee.