| Author | Message | ||
     Mikej |
captured/quoted from a side discussion in a parts for sale post/thread: "(look at Appleton's decision to drop Buell for example)" Was this announced someplace that Appleton was dropping the Buell line? (I probably just missed it.) Who else? | ||
| Badlionsfan |
Hmmmmm, do we now know "the rest of the story" as to why Andy left? | ||
| No_rice |
hmmm. andy left, but i am not sure that was the reason. he never said anything like that. first ive heard of it. i find it hard to believe, but i usually tend top believe where it came from so ya got me on that one. well, we ARE NOT. | ||
| Josh_ |
Just talked to Jay in parts (who's finally hooking me up with an 1125R service manual) who said they are in a decision making process and need to decide if they will continue to carry Buell by the end of July. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Has the whole world gone retarded? | ||
| Mikej |
So it sounds as if the decision hasn't been made yet then. | ||
| Americanmadexb |
wow, shocking! | ||
| Mikej |
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/21/ 371893.html?1215529345 | ||
| Badlionsfan |
Court said it, and he's the most connected non Buell employee out there. Sad to see it, as Appleton Buell bailed me out a few times down here in Ohio. Liberty in NJ gets all my business now, except for oil and that kind of stuff that the local dealership actually stocks. | ||
| Jaimec |
Andy DID say he wasn't going to be replaced. Now we know why. | ||
| Chrisrogers3 |
Well in talking to a few different people Buell just does not put out a large enough volume of motorcycles to get dealers really interested. The other thing is the profit margin for Buells has to be extremely thin, and then dealerships discount them more because their competition dropped the price and so they have to otherwise they wont move. Seriously look at the components of Buells and then look at their prices. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out that no one is making a killing off of selling Buells. Harley Davidson sales are about $55 for every $1 dollar in Buell sales. Of course this figure I am sure accounts for clothing and parts as well but it is still a disturbing number to Buell owners. I truly hope that Appleton Harley doesnt stop selling Buell because that means the next closest dealer (which is 2 hours away) is Hals and honestly I was not impressed with their clothing section when I was just there over homecoming. | ||
| Darthane |
I missed out on Hal's AND Uke's this year. >.< Honestly I totally forgot Uke's was even there until I went past it on the way home. ...are they still a Buell dealer? | ||
| Mikej |
"the next closest dealer" There is also Suburban Motors in Thiensville. Just head down hwy 57 instead of I-45. Not sure what their clothing selection is like since I just buy parts and lube there. Milwaukee H-D and West Bend H-D dropped out of the Buell line some time back. Not sure what House does these days. Don't know if Sheboygan ever did carry Buells. Don't know about Fond du Lac H-D. Is there a shop in Manitowoc? Does Beaver Dam carry Buells? Any farther and your out to Madison and Sauk City and then down to Uke's if you go south instead of west. That's about it for my easy reach, Suburban and Hal's. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
"There is also Suburban Motors in Thiensville. Just head down hwy 57 instead of I-45. Not sure what their clothing selection is like since I just buy parts and lube there." Its excellent. They have shirts that no other local dealer has yet. And because they aren't "known", they have a decent selection of parts on hand. AND...10% off the top.  (Message edited by buellinachinashop on July 08, 2008) | ||
| Hughlysses |
Wow, that sucks about Appleton. Is it really THAT hard to sell Buells, parts, and accessories? Obviously Andy and before him Dave have done an outstanding job, but did the dealership look at their efforts and just say "Ahh, it's not worth the trouble."? I guess we can hope the other sponsoring dealers will take up their slack or someone else will step up to the plate. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
has anybody called Appleton to even check if this is true or is it all hearsay? | ||
| Damnut |
As close to the horse's mouth as you can get I guess. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show .cgi?tpc=21&post=1190651#POST1190651 | ||
| Mikej |
Posted earlier above:
I'm guessing, but if you're a current or past customer it might be good to contact them with your offer of continuing business if they continue to carry the brand. (Message edited by mikej on July 08, 2008) | ||
| Rick_a |
I recently went to the only Buell dealer near my mother's home in Western NY and they pretty much still had the entire performance parts and accessories catalog for carb'd tubers in stock. I was in heaven, but unfortunately am broke! | ||
| Cityxslicker |
You just have to be motivated, excited and maybe a bit tetched to do it. Harleys are easy, everyone the world over knows that name. Buell is new to alot of people, their friends have never heard of them, they are not quite sure what to think of them, and most of them are not endorsed. Get them on a demo (and I have seen it time and time again) and they are hooked. They may not buy a Buell that day, but every other bike they look at, now has to be as fun, light weight, easy to work on, cost effective and evil through the twisties. I loose very few customers to other brands after that, I may loose them do to financing, or availability of a particular bike (we do have a wait list for certain bikes) But I will get them on Buell eventually. Its contagious, its infectious, and the gang that get it, get it like a drug. the rest, well .... I got mine  Locally they are 12% of my customers. Nationally, I think the number is closer to the 3%. But my stats are all outta whack, 1/3 of my customers are women. Nationally I think that number is like 13% . Some get it, some dont, but everybody walking into the store sees the Buells out front, prominant and ready to ride. Come see us on your way out west | ||
| Ratbuell |
July seems to be a magic date. We're losing a dealership in the DC area on July 31, Ft Washington, MD is dropping the brand. I'll have to talk with my GM about picking up their excess inventory.... | ||
| Ironhead1977 |
What Buell needs is a ringer. 250 horses,16000 rpm, $18,000, and call it Mr. Mcnasty. Squids from all over will have to have one. | ||
| Ferris_von_bueller |
Fort Washington in Maryland is no longer selling Buells as of the end of this month. Dealers continue to drop like flies but at least we aren't as bad off as the Brazilians. Apparently, there is only one dealer in all of the country. | ||
| Buelldawg |
I talked to Andy on his last day at Appleton, and there are more people that want to drop the brand than those that want to keep them. Sad but true. Dawg | ||
| Jlnance |
I'm guessing, but if you're a current or past customer it might be good to contact them with your offer of continuing business if they continue to carry the brand. Or perhaps not... Appleton has always been the parts place. I've bought a lot of stuff from both Andy and Dave. I have enjoyed the fact that the different dealers here on Badweb are not too cut throat with each other, and there has never been anyone who has tried to edge out Appleton. But now is a golden opportunity for someone to step up to the plate. If Appleton drops Buell, any one of the other sponsors on this board can decide to fill that niche. Surely someone wants to. Two years ago my local dealer didn't have one piece of Buell clothing. Now they have an entire wall, they hosted an Inside Pass trackday, and they are a Badweb sponsor. Not everything is doom and gloom in the dealership world. I'm going to call them tomorrow and encourage them to fill this void. | ||
| Americanmadexb |
I missed out on Hal's AND Uke's this year. >.< Honestly I totally forgot Uke's was even there until I went past it on the way home. ...are they still a Buell dealer? yes they are.. stopped there on Sunday..(yes Sunday, they sell parts, but no bikes)! to find Brett's X1 a left foot peg which broke on him on the way to Road America.. I thought there Buell selection of clothing was good compared to the rest(bikes were a differnt story)... i even bought a shirt which i havent seen anywhere else! They look like the kind of Dealer that would be kind to Buells because next door was there sister store that sold KTM, Can Ams, and others i cant think of right now!! One of the best dealers ive been to... ohh, Brett didnt get a peg though, they didnt have any.....GO FIGURE!!! | ||
| Cyclonedon |
"I missed out on Hal's AND Uke's this year. >.< Honestly I totally forgot Uke's was even there until I went past it on the way home. ...are they still a Buell dealer?" YES! both Hal's and Ukes are still very good Buell dealers! Both Bud and Keith were at homecoming activities. Did you see Keith's 1125R with the patriotic paint scheme? He was at the factory on Thursday and again at Road America on Saturday. His bike lead the parade lap lap at Road America. We're very lucky to have two excellent Buell dealers in this area. | ||
| Mbsween |
Man, this sucks. Dave then Andy have helped me out for years. Like Jim said, golden opportunity for a good shop. I wish Andy well wherever he ends up | ||
| Irideabuell |
On this note I am saddened that Seminole Buell Shop closed here in Orlando two months ago. They moved everything out as their lease was up and relocated back to the mother HD store. I can still see the same people, but the atmosphere is not the same - and it's a hell of a lot farther to drive. They claim they are looking for new space to reopen, but I have my doubts..... | ||
| Court |
I suspect sweeping change is in order for the Buell dealer network. |
