More HD stores closing
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 57
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The MoCo has to share a lot of the blame here. The old mom and pop Harley dealers had weathered every storm in earlier years. Then Harley forced them to open the new look-a-like franchise style stores or close their doors and we all know what happened with that. Service took a back seat to pushing product and many salesmen decided they were doing the customer a favor allowing them to walk into the store. The Harley stores that make it through the next four years will be learning the importance of the repeat business, parts, and service sales. They will also learn that a parts department that takes care of the local independent mechanics is another necessity. The MoCo has been dumb as dirt to discourage independent shops from buying factory parts because there has never been a way to guarantee the local dealer all the local repair business. If they did, the price of service would skyrocket and people would buy another brand. I would enjoy a return to some of the good old days when shops could display their work shop and parts selection instead of the latest T-shirts and leather ladies wear. The trend we have seen in the last 15 or so years of Harley dealerships looking like an In-n-Out Biker Barn will be recognized as what it was, a fad. Hopefully the business will get back to its roots with this recession.
6th Gear
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Prestige HD of Rockland county, NY closing doors on 2/1/10 Mothership HD wants them to expand with bigger store, Owners said current economic situation doesn't allow so HD is Pulling the plug on the store. Its a small shop with 20 new bikes going out a yr in this slow economy but they have great people working there. 5 miles from my house, when I need gloves or shirts or whatever I stop in to justs say hello and spend a few hundred to a thousand on any given wk. guess I will save some money since I won't be riding 40 minutes to the nearest dealer just to say Hi how are you ( whats your name again)
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,244
Likes: 4
From: WA
I can remember the "old" days of the small shops of the 70's. They were there and they were trying to make a profit....But remember the days of smaller shop there were far less people riding them....the police and the outlaws were HD's mainstay. Enter the later 80's and every swinging dick had to own a harley and the face of the dearlership changed. When the face of the dearlership changed so did its customer base, instead of the cops and outlaws it is lawers and IT staff et al. Why bitch now about China parts? They have been using them for quite a long time. Like any big busniess isnt it HD's job to make a profit? You are starting to sound like Union folk now.....they have been bitching about that for a long time
Club Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 145,895
Likes: 821
From: 40 miles Northeast of Indy..
our local metric dealer just closed the doors.i knew a few of the guys that worked there and now there out of a job.i believe it was due to the really bad costumer servise.from the sales people to the acutal service.its to bad cause now every one in the area has to travel 50 miles for the next closest dealer.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,035
Likes: 8
From: Western Canada
That's a beautiful ride you have there. Can yo post a more of a 90 degree shot, I'd love to see the blue a little more.
Tim
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,886
Likes: 3
I think you hit the nail on the head! I don't understand Dealers being so different. Do they think we don't shop around and talk about our experiences on the internet. I have two Stores within 30 miles of me, they are owned by the same Man, but completely different in Customer service, even prices! I bought my 09 150 miles away. The 08 UC I just bought was in Florida.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,886
Likes: 3
Let's all say it together...
It's the ECONOMY...
As others have mentioned any business selling recreatonal vehicles is hurting now, it isn't just H-D...
The local Kaw dealer went out of business here a few months ago...
Another guy, for some reason, recently opened a new shop selling Suzuki and Polaris
and when I stopped in to look around he said he didn't know WTF he was thinking and doesn't know how long he'll be able to keep the doors open...
It's the ECONOMY...
As others have mentioned any business selling recreatonal vehicles is hurting now, it isn't just H-D...
The local Kaw dealer went out of business here a few months ago...
Another guy, for some reason, recently opened a new shop selling Suzuki and Polaris
and when I stopped in to look around he said he didn't know WTF he was thinking and doesn't know how long he'll be able to keep the doors open...
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Banned
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,719
Likes: 1
I just spent the last 20 minutes reading thru all the responses to this month old thread, just to come to one of my own responses. My old age must be affecting my memory. Used to be able to recall things I read years ago...
Anyway, I wonder if Harley knew something about the impending economic disaster which has fallen upon us lately, when they introduced their touring line? Think they figured we would need a comfortable ride to get more chrome?
Anyway, I wonder if Harley knew something about the impending economic disaster which has fallen upon us lately, when they introduced their touring line? Think they figured we would need a comfortable ride to get more chrome?
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 33
From: Illinois
Harley's numbers are down, but I think these days, the good dealers will become stronger. HD whines that their sales are down, but I'm here to tell ya that at the dealer I work at, our numbers were up 11% in 2009 over 2008.
We looked yesterday- last year at this time, we had 121 new bikes on the floor. Today we have 43. Now HD IS making less bikes, but we are selling pretty well lately (MSRP). I can see us running out of bikes early here this year. HD would rather make less bikes to sell at MSRP than see their dealers discounting motorcycles. There's a certain amount of profit that HAS to be made on each sale (a different dollar amount for each dealer) to pay the overhead and survive. Dealers who drastically discount motorcycles either do it because they can't sell bikes very well (poor Service, Parts, Motorclothes, or even Sales Depts.) or are just too close geographically to the next dealer. When the dealers who discount heavily run out of bikes when spring comes, they'll be struggling to pay their bills.
We looked yesterday- last year at this time, we had 121 new bikes on the floor. Today we have 43. Now HD IS making less bikes, but we are selling pretty well lately (MSRP). I can see us running out of bikes early here this year. HD would rather make less bikes to sell at MSRP than see their dealers discounting motorcycles. There's a certain amount of profit that HAS to be made on each sale (a different dollar amount for each dealer) to pay the overhead and survive. Dealers who drastically discount motorcycles either do it because they can't sell bikes very well (poor Service, Parts, Motorclothes, or even Sales Depts.) or are just too close geographically to the next dealer. When the dealers who discount heavily run out of bikes when spring comes, they'll be struggling to pay their bills.