Bad news, good news more good news...........NGC

[jbell]

Bad news, the two guys that own the local BMW shop sold it to a big multi-line dealership and retired.  Good for them, because they worked hard and ran a great shop for the past 25 years and they deserve it.  Good news for me, I can shop online now and save 20-30% and have parts and tires delivered to my door instead of having to make two 30 mile round trips to the shop, one to order and one to pick up.  Life goes on, Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.

[Idontwantapickle]

Snort!

[canuguzzi]

Who needs dealers anyway? :beat_horse

[Murray]

having to make two 30 mile round trips to the shop, one to order and one to pick up. 

You or they have never heard of the phone?

[Abbienormal]

Who needs dealers anyway? :beat_horse

You, me and most other riders. If you take away the dealers you shrink the market. Don't think so? Ask a lot of people why thet are not interested in a Guzzi. I am sort of lucky in that my closest 2 dealers are ONLY 1 hour 20 minutes away and I have another just 2 hours away. Of course one of those I do not patronize one of them due to a person who I think is the owner telling untruths.  Now if i want an Indian, a brand on the market just over a year,  I have to drive a mile for one and I have 4 within an hour and a half. Guess which brand has sold more this year nationwide.
I am also slanted in my view having spent 20 years working at a dealership back when the Honda franchise agreement stated no other dealer could be within a 7 mile radius of your shop. Last I knew that had been upped to 11 miles but that was over 20 years ago.

[Lannis]

You or they have never heard of the phone?

Bent a blade on my commercial Husqvarna mower on Monday, standard 21" blade for model IZ 6123.   I needed it Wednesday, leaving town Friday, didn't want to pay for overnight shipping.  Blade was $13.95 from Jack's Small Engines, my "goto" outfit for such parts, and it was $9.00 for two-day shipping.

So, against my better judgment, CALLED the Husqvarna shop to get one.  Not only did they not have one, they told me that I'd have to bring the old one in so they could match it up, EVEN THOUGH I had the model and serial number from the mower.   So I brought it in ... they ordered it, said it would be in Tuesday after lunch.    I was in town anyway on Tuesday, and to save a trip, went by there; it "Hadn't Come In Yet".   Ten to one the silly sods forgot to order it.    I go in on Wednesday afternoon and they've got it.   $23.50.

So how stupid is that?   They haven't got the part, takes two days to order it, and then it's more expensive INCLUDING TWO DAY SHIPPING than the part from Jack's.   And I stop by the shop THREE TIMES (one COULD have been a phone call, I suppose, the other two had to be physical visits).

Never, ever again.   I said that same thing last month when I was railing against B&M stores that haven't figured out that they are absolute dinosaurs UNLESS they can provide value and service that the Internet can't provide.   That means knowing their product better than I do, stocking common wear parts (that's what retail MEANS), and making things as convenient as possible for the customer (NOT "Can't you see I'm trying to run a business here?  Go Away!"). 

When these people go out of business, they and everyone else will blame the Internet and the Economy. But it's their own stupidity and lack of any clue as to how to run a business in the year 2015.   They SHOULD get pruned off the tree.  

And any bike shop that does the same thing should go the same road .....

Lannis

[Penderic]

But did they have good coffee?  ;) Free donuts?

...like real motorcycle shops?  :D

[canuguzzi]

You, me and most other riders. If you take away the dealers you shrink the market. Don't think so? Ask a lot of people why thet are not interested in a Guzzi. I am sort of lucky in that my closest 2 dealers are ONLY 1 hour 20 minutes away and I have another just 2 hours away. Of course one of those I do not patronize one of them due to a person who I think is the owner telling untruths.  Now if i want an Indian, a brand on the market just over a year,  I have to drive a mile for one and I have 4 within an hour and a half. Guess which brand has sold more this year nationwide.
I am also slanted in my view having spent 20 years working at a dealership back when the Honda franchise agreement stated no other dealer could be within a 7 mile radius of your shop. Last I knew that had been upped to 11 miles but that was over 20 years ago.

I was being sarcastic. :o Of course we need dealers and I've often commented on that. IMHO it is hypocritical to buy all your accessories and such on-line and then expect dealer support only when you have a rare service need.

There is a reason why there aren't many MG dealers around, in most cases, who in their right mind would want to sell MG when the chances are you'll never see the MG rider except for a warranty claim and after that they buy everything on-line?

It takes experience to be a good motorcycle tech and that means having bikes to work on. Good service and parts departments attract buyers of motorcycles. What is a common complaint here? Lack of dealer support. What else is common? You shouldn't have a MG if you aren't fixing it and servicing it yourself.

Support has to work both ways or it ceases to exist.

[Lannis]

I was being sarcastic. :o Of course we need dealers and I've often commented on that. IMHO it is hypocritical to buy all your accessories and such on-line and then expect dealer support only when you have a rare service need.

........

Support has to work both ways or it ceases to exist.

All true.   I don't have a local MG dealer, but when I buy motorcycle-related stuff (chain lube, injector oil, helmets, tires) I buy it at our local Honda/Aprilia dealer.   They're a great old-guard motorcycle shop with real mechanics, who either have everything in stock or get it the next day.   They've pulled my butt out of the fire a couple times when I've needed help at the last minute before a ride, and they charge so little for service ($15 to dismount, mount and spin-balance a tire, $16 to true up a bent disk), that I'm starting to add a little tip for the mechanic to the bill .....

They've been in business 45 years and I'll bet they'll be there as long as they want to be ....

Lannis

[canuguzzi]

Those are inexpensive rates Lannis. Out here, we see typical shop rates of $108 per hour or more. Comes with the territory when a 2 bedroom apartment goes for over $4000 a month! I can only imagine what the space rent is for a shop.

I think we're lucky here that the major shop is within 35 miles and another about an hour and a half away. Both do good business and welcome MG riders for service. We also have some service only places that do good work so long as you don't go in with something you FUBAR'd and then expect a miracle before noon time.

What I've found is that if I ask for a discount I get it and the prices are very close to what you pay on-line. When it comes to making a trip to the dealer to get stuff, heck, it is a ride and that is why I bought the damn thing ;D and besides, once in a while I like to visit the other country.

[Yukonica]

Perspective is subjective. I buy online from a few sources but I am particular about why I shop there. For everyday common service elements; I contact the shop I bought my bike from.  I'll buy everything I can from Gord because I want to see him in business over the long run. His is specialty retail service. Gord is 2400km south of me. We've never shook hands yet I trust him.
Fifteen years ago I closed down a 116 year old specialty outdoor store because I could see consumer laissez-faire exploding across the world wide web. I knew I couldn't compete with populous cooperatives that are given tax breaks because they are 'not for profit' regardless of their owning and renovating prime buildings in city centres. Nor could I compete with mega chains who would buy into a product line with numbers so large it allowed them to retail marginally above my wholesale. The culture was stacked against the service oriented specialty shops (ValleyMoto is probably feeling this) and it made no sense to die a slow death fitting boots so a punter could order the correct size from a chain and save $20. We've built too much prestige and adoration into the concept of currency. People pride themselves on gaining the best numerical price without seeing the whole picture. The guying going down because he can't compete is your neighbour. He's the guy who coaches little league, buys his fuel from another neighbour, tries to pay his obligations, and was available to help you when your mechanical toy went for a turd. When they are all gone your only recourse is a faceless corporate monopoly.
We have deified money ... and that is wrong. My view: support your local businesses as much as you can afford. They may not offer the lowest price but they're more likely to know your name and be willing to bat an extra end on your behalf.

[jbell]

You or they have never heard of the phone?

Murray, unfortunately, I'd have to look at the parts diagram with the parts person to be sure I got the right parts.  If I did that on my own and simply read them the part numbers, then it'd be on me if the parts were wrong.  On two occasions I did try to order parts over the phone and they never called me back.  If it wasn't for years of past great treatment by the owners I would have left them long ago. 

Yes, I do value dealerships and will support one that IMO deserves it.  I've had two unpleasant experiences with the new dealer and feel no obligation to support them.

[normzone]

(whine) I called a local Guzzi/Ducati dealer on India Street and asked what they'd want to synch my throttle bodies and set the TPS. The guy who answered the phone said "not too much" and turned to ask his coworker how much shop time to charge. I heard a mumbled conversation, and he came back to ask again what year Guzzi I had. I told him, and he replied "We don't work on enough of those to make it worth buying the tool".

I'll never call them for anything again. They were all happy to sell me a new bike when I was looking, but I can only imagine the support.

[groundhog105]

What shop is that so I can use them when I travel up north.

Those are inexpensive rates Lannis. Out here, we see typical shop rates of $108 per hour or more. Comes with the territory when a 2 bedroom apartment goes for over $4000 a month! I can only imagine what the space rent is for a shop.

I think we're lucky here that the major shop is within 35 miles and another about an hour and a half away. Both do good business and welcome MG riders for service. We also have some service only places that do good work so long as you don't go in with something you FUBAR'd and then expect a miracle before noon time.

What I've found is that if I ask for a discount I get it and the prices are very close to what you pay on-line. When it comes to making a trip to the dealer to get stuff, heck, it is a ride and that is why I bought the damn thing ;D and besides, once in a while I like to visit the other country.

[groundhog105]

(whine) I called a local Guzzi/Ducati dealer on India Street and asked what they'd want to synch my throttle bodies and set the TPS. The guy who answered the phone said "not too much" and turned to ask his coworker how much shop time to charge. I heard a mumbled conversation, and he came back to ask again what year Guzzi I had. I told him, and he replied "We don't work on enough of those to make it worth buying the tool".

I'll never call them for anything again. They were all happy to sell me a new bike when I was looking, but I can only imagine the support.

Hey Norm
     Try Escondido BMW, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi.  They are a much friendlier shop.

[canuguzzi]

What shop is that so I can use them when I travel up north.

Munroe Motors in SF, Elk Grove Power Sports in Sacramento (EG Powersports)

EG sold me the Norge and it ran excellent. They set it up right. First service done at Munroe and from there it went on a 2500 mile+ ride without even a hiccup, they have a good Guzzi tech on board. Ran sterling smooth as all get out. I asked how the initial service appeared to have gone and the TBs were spot on.

More recently they did the rear oil seal (warranty) and had me in/out pronto. They serviced my 1200 Triumph Trophy with equally quick but good service and when it bounced a coil and I limped in too it in and checked and then replaced the coil but then also swapped my countershaft sprocket (I went up to a 21 tooth) , rear sprocket and hung a new chain while i waited.

Lots of places to eat around there. They also sell Norton, Triumph and Ducati.