Hamlins for new bike purchase?

I'd be lying if I didn't say the Corsa tempts me...

egschade wrote:

I also dig the new Special with the Arrow 2:1 exhaust

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2:1 exhaust.....are you sure?
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Oops. Should have checked the left-hand image. Still like the look

I think they look better with dual exhausts (All of mine, except the Norge, have dual)  [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Reading through these postings I have to wonder why MG doesn't have more dealers? And why do they loose them?

ff73148 wrote:Reading through these postings I have to wonder why MG doesn't have more dealers? And why do they loose them?

IMHO
The volume of sales makes a single marque dealership almost impossible.
Parts availability, or lack of, just pisses people off and they're pissed at the dealer.
Most Guzzi owners do their own minor service work / tires /accessories, taking the labor income away from the dealer.
Warrantee labor is paid off in parts credit - then when you need the parts their not in stock.
I think people like Hamlin make it because he has a long time reputation in the New England area, and he makes the time to be seen at Guzzi events.
I hear (second hand info ) the markup on Harleys was 30% while Guzzi (and Ducati) were around 15%

This is stuff I've heard or seen, so it's could be wrong (IMHO)

mogu83 wrote:

ff73148 wrote:Reading through these postings I have to wonder why MG doesn't have more dealers? And why do they loose them?

IMHO
The volume of sales makes a single marque dealership almost impossible.
Parts availability, or lack of, just pisses people off and they're pissed at the dealer.
Most Guzzi owners do their own minor service work / tires  /accessories, taking the labor income away from the dealer.
Warrantee labor is paid off in parts credit - then when you need the parts their not in stock.
I think people like Hamlin make it because he has a long time reputation in the New England area, and he makes the time to be seen at Guzzi events.
I hear (second hand info ) the markup on Harleys was 30% while Guzzi (and Ducati) were around 15%

This is stuff I've heard or seen, so it's could be wrong (IMHO)

I agree with some of those points. But dealers today don't carry just one marque. As far as availability of parts go, all brands have trouble get parts to dealers. The markup on HD is big. I worked at a HD dealer for a short time and the franchising fee they pay is large. Plus they paid great commission to the salespeople. The biggest money maker at a HD dealership is the F&I person who sells financing and back end products. Piaggio should take a lesson on how HD runs their dealers. Maybe then we would see more MG dealers.

ff73148 wrote:

mogu83 wrote:

ff73148 wrote:Reading through these postings I have to wonder why MG doesn't have more dealers? And why do they loose them?

IMHO
The volume of sales makes a single marque dealership almost impossible.
Parts availability, or lack of, just pisses people off and they're pissed at the dealer.
Most Guzzi owners do their own minor service work / tires  /accessories, taking the labor income away from the dealer.
Warrantee labor is paid off in parts credit - then when you need the parts their not in stock.
I think people like Hamlin make it because he has a long time reputation in the New England area, and he makes the time to be seen at Guzzi events.
I hear (second hand info ) the markup on Harleys was 30% while Guzzi (and Ducati) were around 15%

This is stuff I've heard or seen, so it's could be wrong (IMHO)

I agree with some of those points. But dealers today don't carry just one marque. As far as availability of parts go, all brands have trouble get parts to dealers. The markup on HD is big. I worked at a HD dealer for a short time and the franchising fee they pay is large. Plus they paid great commission to the salespeople. The biggest money maker at a HD dealership is the F&I person who sells financing and back end products. Piaggio should take a lesson on how HD runs their dealers. Maybe then we would see more MG dealers.

Counterpoints to the Counterpoints:

* But dealers today don't carry just one marque. - true - but when they are multi-brand and the sales and support difference between brands is stark, which one do you think they are gonna drop? And I'll go further and point out Piaggio NA might be part of the problem as they seem to be pushing PIAGGIO ONLY stores. It's "multi-brand" (Guzzi, Aprilia, Vespa, Piaggio). The jury is still out on this configuration but I wish them the best.

* As far as availability of parts go, all brands have trouble get parts to dealers. - yeah but sometimes Guzzi is legendary about it. And I refer back to the stupid warranty work is paid as parts credit as the worst part of it.

* The markup on HD is big. I worked at a HD dealer for a short time and the franchising fee they pay is large. Plus they paid great commission to the salespeople. The biggest money maker at a HD dealership is the F&I person who sells financing and back end products. Piaggio should take a lesson on how HD runs their dealers. Maybe then we would see more MG dealers. - I don't disagree, but I don't think Piaggio can hold the price point necessary for the markup. That's the real rub. Piaggio has been shooting themselves in the foot with leftovers at discounted prices or sweetheart pricing to a few US dealerships for decades. It tanks the value of leftover stock and hurts pricing across the whole line.

HAMLINS must be on solid ground.  I bought a new bike from them and they're still in business months after its first service.  With the two previous new Guzzis I bought, the dealers closed their doors a week after my first service.

Upstate Mark wrote:HAMLINS must be on solid ground.  I bought a new bike from them and they're still in business months after its first service.  With the two previous new Guzzis I bought, the dealers closed their doors a week after my first service.

As many say, 3rd time's a charm!

Upstate Mark wrote:HAMLINS must be on solid ground.  I bought a new bike from them and they're still in business months after its first service.  With the two previous new Guzzis I bought, the dealers closed their doors a week after my first service.

That makes them rare as Hen's teeth in terms of US Moto Guzzi dealers.

Here's just a smattering of the big ones and local ones that have come and gone:

Moto International - gone (former #1 in US)
Speakers - gone (former #1 in US)
MPH - gone (former top 3 in US)
Fast by Ferracci - gone (Eraldo loved Guzzi to the point that he had a personal Jackal)
West Chester MG - gone (was ironically on the same road as MotoPlex is now)
Europa Macchina - not gone, but out of Guzzi and motorcycle business
DB Cycles (wasn't that up your way) - gone
Blackman's - back after 10-15 year hiatus - holding my breath

You missed my 2 closures: Eurosport in Coopersburg, PA and Riverside Motorsports in Syracuse, NY. Other closed I frequented were in Oriskiney Falls, NY (Utica Area) and Williamsville, NY (Buffalo Area).

Upstate Mark wrote:You missed my 2 closures: Eurosport in Coopersburg, PA  and Riverside Motorsports in  Syracuse, NY.  Other closed I frequented were in Oriskiney Falls, NY  (Utica Area) and Williamsville, NY (Buffalo Area).

Oh Yeah, I forgot Eurosport, which was actually part of a 2 location dealership (other one in Boyertown) which started in a third location (south of Boyertown close to us when we lived in Caln twnp Chester County). That first location is the first place Jenn ever rode (and fell in love with) a Ducati.

The Coopersburg shop is the only place that ever serviced the belts/shims on her Duc. Hmmm, come to think of it, we're really due for that again this season.

...and the short lived Wide World Powersports in Wayne, NJ where I bought my V7 III (which I think became Motoplex in West Chester, PA.

I talked to a sales guy I know at Cross Country Powersports last week. He said they only sell Vespa but Piaggio is arm twisting dealers to carry all their brands, and that MG is the proverbial red-head orphan step child at most dealerships (CCP doesn't want to sell/support MG or Aprilia). He said if they were forced to carry all the brands they'd drop Vespa instead.

egschade wrote:...and the short lived Wide World Powersports in Wayne, NJ where I bought my V7 III (which I think became Motoplex in West Chester, PA.

I talked to a sales guy I know at Cross Country Powersports last week. He said they only sell Vespa but Piaggio is arm twisting dealers to carry all their brands, and that MG is the proverbial red-head orphan step child at most dealerships (CCP doesn't want to sell/support MG or Aprilia). He said if they were forced to carry all the brands they'd drop Vespa instead.

The owner of Wide World Powersports in Wayne is in fact the owners of Motoplex in West Chester, PA ( which was previously know as West Chester MG).
Cross Country won't carry MG because of the price point. It would interfere with their Triumph business.

Upstate Mark wrote:You missed my 2 closures: Eurosport in Coopersburg, PA  and Riverside Motorsports in  Syracuse, NY.  Other closed I frequented were in Oriskiney Falls, NY  (Utica Area) and Williamsville, NY (Buffalo Area).

One of the main reasons Eurosport in Coopersburg closed was because Ducati opened Mongomeryville Cycle and they stole his head tech guy. The owner was pissed at Ducati and closed. He had a great shop.

ff73148 wrote:

Upstate Mark wrote:You missed my 2 closures: Eurosport in Coopersburg, PA  and Riverside Motorsports in  Syracuse, NY.  Other closed I frequented were in Oriskiney Falls, NY  (Utica Area) and Williamsville, NY (Buffalo Area).

One of the main reasons Eurosport in Coopersburg closed was because Ducati opened Mongomeryville Cycle and they stole his head tech guy. The owner was pissed at Ducati and closed. He had a great shop.

That sucks, but it's good to know as I said, it's time for another major service. His tech guy was fantastic.

Maybe I'll load up Jenn's Duc and take it there this season.

Upstate Mark wrote:You missed my 2 closures: Eurosport in Coopersburg, PA  and Riverside Motorsports in  Syracuse, NY.  Other closed I frequented were in Oriskiney Falls, NY  (Utica Area) and Williamsville, NY (Buffalo Area).

Umm, maybe you shouldn’t frequent Hamlin’s anymore. I need that place…

Prior to making a deal, I warned Jim Hamlin of my track record. He said "Bring it on" or something to that effect. He's already made it well past the time tipping point for closures inspired by me so we should all be safe.

I like the Special Edition also, but not a fan of the sound of that Arrow Exhaust.......so it would be an expensive take off and replacement with a pair of Agostini pipes anyway. I would still consider it if Jim Hamlin would buy the Arrows back from me. I am pretty sure he is not allowed to sell a bike with no pipes or with non approved "racing" pipes. My buddy Steve traded his Special Edition in at BMG.....he was supposed to offer it to me before he traded it in with 3,000 miles on it. His was loaded up with every dohickey, Givi rack and bags, a skidplate, bar end mirrors, diff levers, etc. He trades in his new bikes every 6 to 12 months or so.......Changebikeitis.... and always after he has bought every conceivable option. I can probably buy that one for $8k from BMG but it bugs me that Steve owned it....I don't want the handmedown....unless it is cheap! Plus, I LOVE that Corsa!