Anyone here IN the Motorcycle Business?

Chuck Graves is still looking for a chassis guy. Just sayin'.

 

The dealership I was at was hurting in sales. We would just open the dealer cost book to the customer and tell them " what I pay, you pay. " and hope you sell it before the rebate would expire. It was bought out by another dealer. He made it 1 year before closing the doors.

We would crank out some work in the shop too. I would average about 5k in billable labor each month myself. But the sale of new bikes killed it. Plus people buying parts from the net, hard to keep the lights on.

 

I had a friend who worked as a tech in a franchised dealership who claimed the techs were not paid for their work on a bike until the customer paid the bill.

Anyone hear of this policy before?

 

that owner was a dick. would have walked out of the job interview.

 

As others have mentioned, turning what you love into a job will make you HATE it.

I grew up having so much passion for motorcycles it was just insane. It's sit around looking at cycle magazines all day. I'd go to the shops and just droooool over them.

When I got married (19yo) and in college, I started working at dealerships. I'd say what I enjoyed most was working the parts counter. I thought I wanted to work on bikes... then I started doing it. God what a horrible, horrible thing! I'd rather flip burgers, and that's the truth.

60k? No way, no effing way. LOL

 

Isn't the OP's specialty carburetors?

 

Wondered when that was coming.

 

So very true. I have been very lucky to work for two very good owners who know how to treat employees right. My current boss here in Daytona and my boss Bo Bobbitt at Cycle Specialty in Fayetteville, GA. Both understand if you treat employees right then they will make you some money and in turn they are happy and making money themselves.

I have been in this business my whole life and I have been very successful at it, first as a parts man then as a tech and then in sales and management, but I was taught by my boss here in Daytona in the late 70's how to sell at retail so the store survives and then I can make a good living too. Its much harder these days but we still do very good.

 

Its very hard to make any money in the powersports industry. It definately takes a lot of time and sacrifice to get there. I know very few people who stepped into the powersports industry from somewhere else and made money right away.

Edit: That being said, we are looking for an E-Commerce Developer and a Data Base Manager and we pay really well. <Thumbsup>

 

Retail sales of any sort of new vehicle will never be a way to make money. Look at car dealerships - they only sell new cars for two reasons, to get service customers and to get trade ins they can sell on the used car lot. The bonuses you earn from the manufacturers for volume are just a little padding.

You can make money on bikes but it'll be on the back side. Buying and selling used bikes, servicing bikes, and parting out crashed bikes are the only ways to reliably profit. You'll never make money selling aftermarket parts, gear, or new stuff because there's too much competition from the internet.

 

http://www.bemotorsports.netI started my business back in 2003 after getting laid off within two years of working for companies. I started this business just to see if I could make ends meet and now 12 years later I have a KTM dealership, purchased my building, bought an Thor Outlaw RV and still roadrace, MX, and do harescrambles/Enduros. I Love It!! Yes at times it gets old but then again I like working with customers even though they can be a big pain in the ass. For many years I was a sole prop. and now I moved into LLC status to cover my ass in case something happens. Can you make $60k or more per year, yes, I sure have and continue to do so. Providing I treat my customers good, and continue to race myself so I can keep on shaking hands with people from others states which helps out a lot. Most of my customers that by KTM's from me drive to MD from my surrounding states which is really cool. Keep in mind everybody's location/market is different and what might sell here might not sell where you are. Also I try to keep my overhead low as possible which means I do a lot of the wrenching in the shop as I can along with sales. It's a lot of work but if your good with multi tasking you should be able to handle this.