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AVA AUTO TECH
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Posted: Sun May 11th, 2008 07:50 pm | 1st Post |
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Thinking of expanding my shop to repair motorcycles. I know of a great goldwing mechanic that would come and work with me. A worthwhile adventure or not.
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Tony---86 ASPENCADE--- PEARL-MARLIN BLUE--- HONEST EFFORT EQUALS RESULTS. LETS RIDE
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Ghost Rider 2
Very Active Member
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Posted: Sun May 11th, 2008 08:16 pm | 2nd Post |
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| There are a couple of young men in Bloomington, Ill. That just started a new motorcycle bussiness. There is a Honda,Suzuki,Yamaha,Kawasaki combind dealership here. A factory Harley shop and a independent Harley shop. They started last summer. They do all brands of bikes. In the winter they did snowmoble and a lot of off season repairs. I have been in there twice in the last week and they are busy. They sell tires and mount and balance, reasonable. They also do repairs on watercraft,. So that fits in pretty well with there bussiness. This small shop has treated me well. I have sent dozens of customers to them and will continue to do bussiness with them. They also have a motorcycle dyno. Something no one else in town has. By the way Twisted Motorsports is the name.
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1981 GL1100 Std with full vetter dailey driver
1996 GL1500 Aspy. weekend rider
2004 Honda Shadow Aero 750 wife (Better Half)
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exavid
Top Poster
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Posted: Sun May 11th, 2008 08:24 pm | 3rd Post |
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I'd think it would take a bit of market research to find out how many Goldwings you have in your area. Also you'd have to figure out which models you'd want to service and consider the price of getting a stock of basic parts, tires, brake pads, filters, lamp bulbs and other replacement items. It wouldn't be too satisfactory for customers to have to wait for parts to get their bike serviced on the common stuff. You wouldn't have to have a lot of anything depending on how fast you can get parts to refill your basic stock on hand. It's a little different than autmobile work since there are usually parts outlets that can get what you need pretty quickly. I think the main thing would be to root out the information about the number of 'Wings that might be in your area as potential customers. Bread and butter work on those would be tires, fluid changes, belts, brakes and batteries. It could pay off if there's enough of them but I think in a location like yours you might have to do more than just Goldwings to keep a bike mechanic busy.
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If you can't ride, fly or sail it, why bother?
Paul W. 1993 Aspencade 1982 Aspencade
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goldwinger
Guru
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Posted: Sun May 11th, 2008 09:37 pm | 4th Post |
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With the demise of all the independent bike shops in the GTA in the last few years I would imagine the need for a good wrench is high. Your locations is more convenient then some of the others in say Bolton, Sutton, Wasaga. I heard that when the Honda car dealers took over the selling of bikes (The ones that did) They are doing service to bikes secondary to their much more profitable car service. The other consideration is thanks to sites like this one allot of people who wouldn't dream of wrenching their own bikes are doing more of their own work. Now the other side to that is the business that may have been simple for you to repair before the home wrench got at it, it would be a lot more profitable for you to fix what the fixer had fixed, and then fix the original problem. Good Luck if you chose this route Tony. I would bring my baby to you for things I feel are beyond me. And not just cuz your shop is only 2 blocks from where I work.  But that don't hurt.
Chuck
Last edited on Sun May 11th, 2008 09:40 pm by goldwinger
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Chuck,
1997 SE
Green(The Intelligent colour)
and beautiful
Starting to warm up.
To all of the troops
and Vets,,, Thank you.
I will never forget.
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Kit Carson
GL1800 Guru
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Posted: Sun May 11th, 2008 10:05 pm | 5th Post |
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I am going to open a shop in a few years. Lots to consider for sure. The main thing is location, location is everything. No matter how good you are, they have to see you visible. Long term yes you will obtain loyal customers that will hunt you up no matter what.......but getting started location is everything.
Then is eye appeal.....nice building.......nice sign....some nice looking bikes sitting outside.......and the shop needs to be clean....I mean surgical clean...it just gives a good impression.
Also work on bikes even in the south is seasonal. So selling bikes...taking on the repair of other small engines will be a requirement in the off times also.
Watch working on old bikes......boy that statement will start a war......but as you are in business already...you know the pitfalls of dealing with the public and putting 2 grand into a bike worth 1800 dollars and spending another 300 dollars going to the magistrate and finally selling the bike.....and eating the labor cost.
I think in your case it would be a good supplement to your existing business.....will have to take on some other small engine repairs part of the year......till you get going, once it becomes known that you do do this type of work....many will set up engine overhauls or major work.......and they will wait for it........with time.......and reputation.....you will have plenty to do. Kit
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Most of the time, the cure for the Goldwing wobble is a set of Bridgestone Tires.
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nobbie
Very Active Member
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Posted: Tue May 13th, 2008 03:36 am | 6th Post |
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There's no one I would trust more with my bike than you Tony. All the best if you decide to go for it.
Kit has written what you probably already know.
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