| Author | Message | ||
     Snackbar64 |
Forget about if its financially possible. I'd like to know if a person with an interest in bikes could open their own stand alone Buell dealership. Would Harley allow one to sell Buells and their merchandise only? What would be the setbacks or stumbling blocks one would encounter? | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
Absolutely not. Unless it's an authorized HD dealership, its not going to happen. And then you'd have to sell Harley bikes and gear. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
"and you would have to sell Harley Bikes and Gear" Not sure if that is totally accurate. If I recall correctly, one of our sponsors, Seminole Buell, is a stand alone Buell shop with no Harley stuff. The catch is, that the shop is owned by an authorized Harley dealer nearby. | ||
| Lonexb |
gentleman_jon is correct. brian | ||
| Hughlysses |
OK, but could you open a Harley Davidson/BUELL shop where the only Harleys were two 3 year old Sportsters in the back, you never had any Harley T-shirts, accessories, or gear, and you steered every potential Harley customer away from those "poser" bikes in back to the real Buell motorcycles up front?  | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Put them on a traveling big trailer and go on a road trip, do demos and sell right off the truck, No Flooring or building costs! Keep just that gang that is excited about Buell on the staff. Run into towns that dont have a brand presence, through some huge road/band/race parties and outsell the box stores. But then what do I know ... BTW if it happens, I expect a call from corporate to man that big truck  | ||
| Snackbar64 |
A taste of their own medicine huh! | ||
| Court |
It's a contract. Being a Harley-Davidson DEALER (like in you commit to buy vehicles, take the annual P&A package and so forth) is a condition precedent to applying to be a Buell dealer. There have been several twists, including the one Seminole is doing now. They are the 5th dealer to try this. Eager to see how it works. Attitude makes more difference than segregating the bikes. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
I wish a dealer like Hal's would do that, build a Buell "building" next door to their current shop. | ||
| Bud |
The only BUELL ( no HD ) shop in the Netherlands, stopped with his Buell dealership, and moved on with Triumph and Motoguzzi the volume was to little to brake even with all the investments that had to be made, ( new digitech ect.. ) it's really a shame.. he did win a pegasus award a fuw year back | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Appleton HD in Clarksville has a Buell "building". It's the semi-airconditioned former hair salon located behind the dealership. They were stocked to the hilts with Buells. They didn't even bother to turn the lights on for me when I bought mine. The price was cheap though and the sales guy was nice. I don't really care as much that there is completely separate building as much as having good sales and service folks dedicated to the brand. If Buells were in their own building, every ricer on the planet would stop in and want to look at them. Who wants to see a Buell in every garage? I prefer our clique! | ||
| Josh_cox |
You have to be an H-D dealership to be a Buell dealership. What Seminole is doing is setting up a SRL, I'm sure you've seen H-D dealers with a second store that only sold clothing and trinkets. It is the same idea. We did it for a few years with a shop we called the Buell Holeshot Performance. It proved to be more profitable for us to invest that same money in our current dealership including a larger Buell only area. I do think about having a stand alone once again... I hope the dirt bikes are a hit! Maybe they could help justify it. Josh | ||
| Svo1023 |
well here at seminole buell...if we were just buell alone it would be really tough....we do sell some pre-owned h-d...pre-owned metric bikes...the gear we carry is to cater to the sportbike riders...i.e. no chaps!! not even a t-shirt....we are doing whatever it takes to be successful... mike p.s. we are a big dog dealer now....what a contrast huh? | ||
| Sloppy |
There used to be a full Buell only shop in Modesto, CA -- the owner was an HD dealer, but the shop didn't sell any HD's at this store. This is definitely's Buell's selling problem. When you go to a bike shop you see many different makes but they're for a similar customer base. I don't think anyone interested in a Dyna, King, or Softie has ANY interest in a Buell. Buells would be much better off if sold alongside similar standard and sport bikes. Then once Buells win some races, they can be put with the race-replica bikes. I hope Corporate recognizes this problem soon, as it is a key obstacle to Buell's success. | ||
| Court |
SRL = Secondary Retail Location. Sometimes referred to as an ARO (alternate retail outlet). Like Josh says, these require a proposal to be submitted and approved. They have traditionally been the deals like say the shirt shop in the Milwaukee Airport and the places you see in malls. Heck the Harley-Davidson store near 57th here in New York City is a SRL. | ||
| Paint_shaker |
Sloppy, My interest in a "softie" led to my interest in tuber. I still ride and appreciate them both. | ||
| Ironhead1977 |
Aprilia,Moto Guzzi and Buell what a good combo for a dealer.They compliment each other well. | ||
| Js_buell |
I have seen a buell only shop before but it's been incorporated to the harley shop now it was calle4s Deeley's house of Buell and was in a separate building from Trev Deeley's H-D but now it in the same building and it's only called Trev Deeley H-D and Buell. | ||
| Freezerburn |
I do have to say that the treatment one receives at Trev Deeley is really top notch with getting the respect that the bike deserves. It was too bad they couldn't keep the separate House of Buell open. You would never hear any anti-Buell sentiment there. The Trev Deeley attitude towards all bikes is pretty positive - just visit the Trev Deeley motorcycle museum if you ever come to Vancouver. | ||
| Buellshyter |
Seeing as HD has already cheapened their trademark by attaching it to beef-jerky, safety glasses and work gloves, I don't see what the big deal would be to let multi-brand dealerships sell Buells in markets not already served by HD dealers. | ||
| Buellere |
I for one agree, The bad dealer experience has led me to place the xb I just bought for sale. the dealer that I have bought four bikes from in the past is so much better Im buying a fifth and wont have to deal with H-D anymore. Ive had my buell for 2 mths and cant stand the dealership already. | ||
| Coyote5797 |
We may never see a "Buell Only" shop but as long as the sales people respect the customers it should be irrelevent. When I drove to Joplin, MO to pick up my CityX because the Kansas City Buell dealer didn't want my money. ( A long drive. I took it slow though 3 1/2 hours) I was treated like I was King Top Dog! Josh Cox and the folks at Cycle Connection are great. They may not be Buell only, but if they continue to do business they way they have with me I will make the drive again for my next bike! | ||
| Daves |
wish they'd let me have a Buell only dealership. | ||
| Percyco |
I really hate going to Honda dealerships shopping for a new motocross bike. There are always 4 wheelers, watercraft,scooters and those chrome plated streetbikes like the Vtx sitting around. If only Honda motocross bikes had a store of their own. Then maybe they would sell better and James "Bubba" Stewart might want to ride one !  | ||
| Seattlexb |
I don't think we need buell only dealers. There are a lot of huge cycle shops that carry many different brands and their dirt bikes, jet skis, street bikes, gear, accessories, etc. Many people like these types of places because they can go to one shop and buy what they want. What I would like to see is a buell only section, much like they have an hd clothes or parts section. This would include sales people that specialize in buells and don't sell the hd's, just like they have people that sell parts and clothes but don't sell hds. I would also like to see at least one buell only mechanic and a buell parts dept. that actually stocks SOME parts. Its really annoying to wait 3 weeks for something like a clutch control. In the more populated areas, you really only need one dealer to specialize in buells. The buell enthusiasts will drive to that dealer usually. There's three dealers around where I live. It doensn't really matter which one I go to. The problem is that a lot of hd dealers sell buells because they have to rather than because they care to. I think all we really want is for the dealer to embrace the buell brand rather than treat it as an afterthought. | ||
| Bmonty72 |
I understand Topeka Harley Davidson also owns an H-D dealership in Lawrence, KS. I've seen the Buells in the Lawrence store, but they did not have any last time I was in Topeka. The owner of those dealerships also own a KTM shop in Topeka and a dealership in KCK that sells KTM, Ducati, MV Augusta, and Husky bikes. I would LOVE to see Buells being sold and serviced right next to Ducatis. | ||
| Ducxl |
I don't think we need(nor do i want) stand alone Buell dealers.Why??? Because my dealer(Precision H-D/Buell) has a top notch staff and EQUAL floor space between both marques.And OLD pristine Buells' in storage. Plenty of Buells' on display.Even the tilted bike display.And NOW a LARGE assortment of clothing/Buell leathers.I'm proud of them.Just wish they had my friend Erik who works at another dealer far away,but who rides/w me often.. | ||
| Firebolteric_ma |
Yup...Precision definately out powers Sheldons in the Buell department BY A TON!!! AND they are EAGER to make you happy and they SHOW it...Not just SPEAK it... Erik is fighting a battle at sheldons, and I wish him luck in this dept. But I feel they are loosing the war for Buell support! I have seen NO changes in Buell support from them in years. But they do have a nice set of amber heel guards for there Buell display...They Been there for years.... *** I would LOVE to see a Buell ONLY shop!*** That would be a good step in the right direction. Would be nice to be able and go there and actually get the right part and maybe...Just maybe it will even be ON THE SHELF!??!!?!?! That would be scarry!!!! | ||
| Damnut |
Yup...Precision definately out powers Sheldons in the Buell department BY A TON!!! AND they are EAGER to make you happy and they SHOW it...Not just SPEAK it... Who are you and what have you done with Eric?????? | ||
| Firebolteric_ma |
I still do not like dealerships!!!! That will never change.. That you all know, and why!!!  But in the last couple times I have needed something I took the plunge and went to precision before ordering from somewhere like Al's as I needed it that day....They actually had the crap ON THE SHELF!!!! Imagine MY responce....  They have come a long way since my "OTHER" dealings w/ them... All I can Say is GOOD ON THEM for stepping up to the plate and showing some support for the Buells.. | ||
| Ducxl |
But they do have a nice set of amber heel guards for there Buell display...They Been there for years.... Funny when you pointed them out to me  |
