| Author | Message | ||
     Buellgrrrl |
A couple times in the last few weeks I've found myself the only customer in a HD/Buell dealership. You can't make the payments on a multi million dollar store on such sparse floor traffic. Especially when much of that thin floor traffic just guzzles the free coffee and kicks a few tires before they shuffle back to the unemployment office. It's not rocket science that heavily leveraged Harley dealers can't live long on such lack of cash flow... Within the next year we may see more than half the dealerships go under, and HD itself may go belly up. With most of the dealers gone, and maybe Buell itself having been spun off in Harley's death throes, Buell would be rid of those parasites who add little value to the relationship between Buell and the customer: the dealers. Absent HD supervision, Buell is a pretty creative outfit- I suspect we'd soon see the service manuals and parts books back on the web for free download. Want to but a new Buell? Just log on and place your order and it'll probably be built within a couple days of receiving your deposit. A couple days later a truck with tail lift shows up in front of your house and delivers your new Buell, the driver familiarizing you with the bike and waiting while you take a short test drive to make sure all is OK. Need warranty repairs? DIY it with Buell providing the parts or take it to a qualified local shop with Buell footing the bill. All around, it's a good deal for everyone. The buyer saves thousands of dollars in dealer mark up and gets a custom built bike. Buell builds to order, with little capital tied up in inventory and unsold bikes. Whatcha think? | ||
| Jaimec |
That's great if you're mechanically inclined, and have the time, space and equipment to do you're own work... | ||
| Johntman |
you so crazy  (Message edited by johntman on October 02, 2008) | ||
| Cityxslicker |
I cant think of a single manufacturer that does that. And if you are building the bikes to be built by demand that you cant predict, cant allocate, you can expect to see a sharp increase in the cost of the unit. | ||
| Iamike |
I would go for that. In '99 I was thinking about ordering a custom Buell until I ran across mine at a dealership. On the mechanics part, there are lots of backyard mechanics out there that do quality work at a fraction of the cost of the HD shop. The guy that has helped me has just about as nice of a shop with 2 tables. I wouldn't be surprised if a few HD shops went under in this current climate. But her estimation looks quite high. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
So I take it that Buell is going to provide financing, parts, accessories, distribution, servicing and insurance? They're gonna need a bigger building. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
"Absent HD supervision, Buell is a pretty creative outfit-" yeah with Harley, Buell just barely produced the XB series and the 1125 series. Pathetic. | ||
| Rick_a |
 | ||
| Brumbear |
shakes head in comp;ete befuddelment | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Sometimes it's tough to tell the parasite from the host. | ||
| Jaimec |
Who would be INSANE enough to sell a motorcycle without a dealership network?? | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Never seen a Fischer out and about. You? How many SUCCESSFUL companies sell their motorcycles directly? | ||
| Sticks |
With all the killer bees and the planet warming Harley will surely go belly up, probably in a couple days. Sorry, I'm not trying to be mean but I'm not buying the notion half the HD dealerships will be closed in a year. Hell, more and more people are riding bikes in part because of the realities of our present economy. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I was in the local HD shop this week (once to buy oil and primary fluid, once to buy primary fluid when I power flushed the primary  , and once when I went in to pick up the drain plug o-rings I forgot twice before). It was full of people looking, buying bikes, buying parts, buying accessories, servicing bikes, etc. | ||
| Court |
A couple times in the last few weeks I've found myself the only customer in a HD/Buell dealership. >>>>> - Most of us were out riding You can't make the payments on a multi million dollar store on such sparse floor traffic. >>>>> - Take a guess at how many HD dealers are behind in payments on their buildings. By the way, the number is not "zero", but in the event that happens, or a dealer fails to do ANYTHING prescribed by the dealer contract, HD will out them (we had one here less than a month ago) in a heart beat. The dealers have TONS (more than any other brand) of floor traffic and (good for dealers, bad for Buell) that floor traffic is snapping up things like $35,000 Harley-Davidsons. Please, just to help me understand, cite ONE (I'll settle for one) dealer who is behind in payments Especially when much of that thin floor traffic just guzzles the free coffee and kicks a few tires before they shuffle back to the unemployment office. >>>>> - Tell me what the average household income of a Harley-Davidson owner is? Want more fun, tell me what it is for a Mercedes-Benz owner. Surprise! It's not rocket science that heavily leveraged Harley dealers can't live long on such lack of cash flow... >>>>> - Tell me about this "leverage". It'd get tough to get leveraged considering that the dealer principle puts up something on the order of $1,000,000 and pledges tons of personal assets. I think you have the "lever" backwards. Within the next year we may see more than half the dealerships go under, and HD itself may go belly up. >>>>> - PROMISE - If "more than half the Harley-Davidson dealers go under in the next year, I will give you $1,000 cash in $100 bills. If Harley-Davidson goes under in the next year make it $10,000. CAVEAT - I need to see if even you believe what you say. IF . . . "less than half" the Harley-Davidson dealers go under the next year will you give me $500? Also, If Harley Davidson is still in business on October 3, 2009 will you give me $1,000? - Let me know. I'm eager to see where your values and integrity are. As soon as you agree, we'll have someone hold the money. By the way, I'm not selling the stock I got in 1986.  With most of the dealers gone, and maybe Buell itself having been spun off in Harley's death throes, Buell would be rid of those parasites who add little value to the relationship between Buell and the customer: the dealers. Absent HD supervision, Buell is a pretty creative outfit- >>>>> - Buell is the most creative real (over 100 bikes/yr) motorcycle manufacturer in business today and are under the "supervision" of one a global icon and one of the most successful American business sucees stories. It's not perfect, but neither is Aston-Martin being "supervised" by Ford or me being "supervised" by my boss I suspect we'd soon see the service manuals and parts books back on the web for free download. >>>>> - They have never been on line. Buell released 2 "Official" CDs. Can you tell me what they are? Want to but a new Buell? Just log on and place your order and it'll probably be built within a couple days of receiving your deposit. >>>>> - Like "word" problems . . . try this one. Cast Alloy wheels come from Adelaide, Australia. When an order is placed it takes 5 weeks for Castalloy to get the material, the paint, and schedule line time to build the wheel. When the wheel is complete it takes 90 days transit from Adelaide to East Troy (that includes customs delays) You can see that if you are introducing a new model at next years homecoming that you have to place the order soon. XB wheels come from China and are completely different. Let's assume, for the same of simplicity, that the build/transit times are the same. Now you are going to build 11,000 Buells with 2 (only 2 for this simple model) different wheels. QUESTION: How many of each wheel and each color would you order? A couple days later a truck with tail lift shows up in front of your house and delivers your new Buell, the driver familiarizing you with the bike and waiting while you take a short test drive to make sure all is OK. >>>>> - Illegal - Federal Law - ever wonder why no (with the exception of a Corvette in Bowling Green which is actually delivered by a dealer at the plant) there are no "factory delivery" of vehicles? Need warranty repairs? DIY it with Buell providing the parts or take it to a qualified local shop with Buell footing the bill. >>>>> - You'll need to get lots of laws changed, again at the federal level. Would you buy a used bike from a person who'd done all the warranty work? All around, it's a good deal for everyone. >>>>> - Name one person who benefits? The buyer saves thousands of dollars in dealer mark up and gets a custom built bike. >>>>> - The cost of the huge excess inventory alone would guarentee that the costs would go way up. Check the web or Orange County Choppers and let me know what the price of "Custom Made" motorcycles are . . eager to see how many thousands I can save. Buell builds to order, with little capital tied up in inventory and unsold bikes. .>>>>> - Buells current inventory system is cool enough that it's made the cover of trade magazines and attracted from from (you guessed it) Japan who have traveled here to study it. Buell has no unsold bikes. Wow . . . | ||
| 2008xb12scg |
I think Buellgrrl has an interesting idea. It won't work, but it's an interesting thought. Not to mention the fact that to sell a bike you need a sales person. Not everybody knows what they want untill a salesman tells them. Me I made her (the sales person) job very easy. Knew model, color, year and just got what I wanted. | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
Why such love for the dealers? Y'll suffering from "Stockhome syndrome" or something? Some of you seem to defend the current dealer system like battered wives defend their abusers. I've bought three new VWs from three different dealers and I don't consider any of them to be my "friend" or "buddy". We were natural advesaries involved in a business transaction. Reality is, with rare exception, a dealer is a business that gets between me and the motorcycle I want. They add almost no value to the transaction- drop ship the bike to me and I can do the PDI and wash it quite well myself- while adding thousands of dollars to the price we pay. The numerous complaints on this list about Buell dealers are ample evidence that most dealers aren't giving us much in return for their juicy dealer markup. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
"We were natural advesaries involved in a business transaction." That's how my roomate explained the two hookers the cops caught him with. | ||
| Mr2shim |
Someone needs to lay off the Cocaína. | ||
| Ryker77 |
I see what buellgrl is getting at. I would rather bypass all dealers. By a motorcycle, car, gun, razorblades, toothpaste etc etc straight from the best deal. Dealerships have powerbills, land lease, overhead etc etc all built into the price of the bike,car,gun,razorblade... Just like those who shop at discount stores like Wal-Mart and Sams club. Looking for the best deal and willing to forgo customer service during or after the sale. | ||
| Beachbuell |
I can do the PDI and wash it quite well myself. In order for your new Buell to covered under the factory warranty the PDI must be performed by a Buell technician at a Buell dealership. Do you even know what the PDI process is? If so I assume you own an HD digital technician laptop?  | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Why such love for the dealers? 'Cause my dealer is the bad ass turbo ninja of dealerships. I wouldn't dream of bypassing them. I look for reasons to give them business. I have to confess that I bought my oil from the local HD only shop because they are 5 miles from my house. My dealer is 25 miles. I don't think they'll mind. | ||
| Hexangler |
If your into Fly Fishing, you can buy your rods directly from me. Guess what. I don't get much business (yet). | ||
| Cityxslicker |
I throw down this gauntlet it seems once a year. I havent lost yet, though usually it is with the Harley customer that so knows it all. "I can build it less than X, why should I pay that price for your bike....?" So heres the deal, build it yourself. With comparable equipment, technology, parts and accessories the way you want it, I will see you when it is completed; And you get it registered by the state by successfully passing their MSO certification, and get proper EPA requirements met (ask Jesse James about missing that one) And come see me with the bike when you are done. If your bike is less than ours, I owe you a steak dinner at the place of your choice, If our bike is less money at show room floor prices (not sale prices) you owe me. In five years, 9 people have tried it, I have yet to loose, rest assured I am well fed. When building your bike, dont forget to count your labor at the cost say that you get paid for your normal job. Keep a track of your hours, shipping, purchases, tax, licensing, registration. | ||
| Crusty |
 (Message edited by crusty on October 03, 2008) | ||
| M1combat |
"Within the next year we may see more than half the dealerships go under, and HD itself may go belly up. " Umm... Ummmm.... LOL | ||
| Slaughter |
Snort... snicker... So there I was yesterday, thinking that maybe pizza really was the best choice for lunch but I really wanted a beer to go with it...so decided to just eat my tuna salad sandwich that I brought to the fridge. After work, we all went for a ride, weather was nice, good group. Loaned my DRZ and my extra Shoei to an out-of-town buddy so he could tag along. Had fun. Speaking of that, work is getting busy again but that might be just heading into 4th quarter since there are no new wars on the horizon.
Hope to have my rebuild done in 2 weeks. What was the question? (Message edited by slaughter on October 03, 2008) | ||
| Slaughter |
OK, I lied; I never brought in my tuna sandwich. I actually settled for leftover salad, lunchmeat and some yogurt. Tuna salad sandwich just reads better. Poetic license. Pizza and beer woulda been better anyways. | ||
| Slaughter |
... ok now, what WAS the question? | ||
| Sticks |
Cityxslicker, does that work on chicks? I mean for getting dates. You probably change it up a bit for variety, but brilliant! |
