www.CVOHARLEY.com
CVO Social => In The News => Topic started by: muddypaws on April 08, 2020, 07:53:14 AM
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https://ride-ct.com/pandemic-claims-hudson-valley-harley-davidson/?fbclid=IwAR3UbLXWUSLn6EpEEJ77KFjGECcZ_39tWWjgXEC1J1GDaIx7l44tuhO43LE
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Keeping their original store open & closing this other one. With HD declining sales & this economy it's a good guess that a lot of the "extra" dealer locations will be shut down. Figure some of this would have happened anyway when you consider HD sales vs # of dealerships.
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Given what is ahead for the motorcycle industry, a culling of dealerships is needed.
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Sad!
A great dealership and a wonderful family. They have always been very very supportive of first responders and the community at large. Both stores are very well run and have a helping attitude. Hudson County Harley will definitely be missed. Rest assured I for one will continue to patronize Bergen County Harley Davidson. They are absolutely the best, and no I am not affiliated with them in anyway.
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Makes me think they were already in trouble if a two week shut down finished them off.
Sent from my boring Droid phone.
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The motorcycle industry in whole is in trouble.. I would bet the ones in financial trouble before the virus will never return... Very sad..
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Makes me think they were already in trouble if a two week shut down finished them off.
Sent from my boring Droid phone.
I thought the same...probably struggling before COVID 19. I suspect we’ll see a lot of dealer contraction...surprised we haven’t seen more.
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Lake Erie Harley in Avon OHIO has closed.
Sign of the times
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This is a foreseeable situation, considering the direction the industry (and especially H-D) has been moving over the past decade or so. We see the same thing in other industries that over-expand during the good times, like auto's for instance. Every major economic downturn results in closures and job losses. Combine the current economic situation with the already shrinking market for motorcycles, and I assume we will see a much larger shrinkage in franchised locations of most brands, most especially H-D. Overhead costs have been growing by leaps and bounds as sales have declined. Basic business 101, this can't continue.
JMHO - Jerry
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i understand it, but i hope it doesn't come to the point where there is only 1 or 2 dealers in the entire state. having a large dealer network while on the road is a huge plus.
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There's a reason why dealerships were tiny hole in the wall shops for so many years.
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I'm really sad to see that one go. I'm from Suffern N. Y.. Right up the road from that location. I even have one of their shirts. It's tough times all over. This is not a necessity, so it's even harder for businesses like selling motorcycles to survive. Just hope this nightmare will end soon. 😩. Stuart.
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Tilley HD announced they are closing their Salisbury NC location. They will continue to operate their Statesville NC location.
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Lake Erie Harley in Avon OHIO has closed.
Sign of the times
One down and 4 more to go. Maybe Mike Davis needs to rethink how Him and His wife treat employees and also their way of ripping off customers. JMHO.
Sent from my boring Droid phone.
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It sounds like one of the main advantages of HD over Indian, its large dealer network, is diminishing.
Sad how HD pushed the little guys out of the market and the ones that remained had to increase their store size.
:oops: :nixweiss:
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Tilley's H-D shop in Sailsbury NC will be closeing also but the main shop in Statesville will still open
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It sounds like one of the main advantages of HD over Indian, its large dealer network, is diminishing.
Sad how HD pushed the little guys out of the market and the ones that remained had to increase their store size.
:oops: :nixweiss:
The lack of a vast dealer network doesn’t seem to bother Indian, KTM, Ducati, & BMW riders. With reliable machines, I suspect dealer network isn’t a concern.
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The lack of a vast dealer network doesn’t seem to bother Indian, KTM, Ducati, & BMW riders. With reliable machines, I suspect dealer network isn’t a concern.
It was more directed at those who stated they would not choose Indian due to the lack of a dealer network.
I agree that if you have reliable machine the dealer network is less important.
:oops: :nixweiss:
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i understand it, but i hope it doesn't come to the point where there is only 1 or 2 dealers in the entire state. having a large dealer network while on the road is a huge plus.
On of the biggest reasons I have stuck with Harley and its declining quality and decontenting of the bikes while raising the price is dealer network. We ride all over the country, and there is always a dealer with in a some what reasonable distance, not so with Indian, BMW or even Honda. All three of which I think are a better value than a Harley. Just worry about breaking down in Say MT, or WY or such.
It sounds like one of the main advantages of HD over Indian, its large dealer network, is diminishing.
Sad how HD pushed the little guys out of the market and the ones that remained had to increase their store size.
:oops: :nixweiss:
Very true H-D dealers network shrinking will erode an HD advantage, but I think dealers going away are the ones where there are several in the area.
I have always liked the little stores.
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Have been on numerous rides with riders who ride other brands than Harley - all the brands mentioned here & more. They all break down - all of them & for the same frustrating reasons. Ducati riders I know joke they need to be part time mechanics to stay running. Difference is with HD a dealer is usually not that far away & bike can be repaired or parts can be obtained same day or quickly. With some of the other brands that dealer is sometimes a long way away & it becomes a very expensive tow & a very time consuming operation as well as very expensive to get the bike fixed due to a wait for parts.
As Dave said part of the reason I have stayed with HD is a big dealer network. That is already shrinking but is still a big advantage for a lot of riders when compared to other brands with the exception of maybe Honda.
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Most of my trips are day trips, and if I was to break down I'd have it towed back to home and fix it myself rather than a dealership So the dealer network is no longer important to me personally.
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There were a few comments above that people really likes the smaller stores. I have to agree with them. The other day on my way home from York, I have to go through New Oxford. As I was traveling through the small town there is a Pizza Shop where New Oxford Harley Davidson once sat. The service roll up doors are still in tact down the alley. I pulled over and stopped to look to remember the many I stopped in there traveling through. It was a great location. They would never have no more then 10 bikes on the floor and usually only 3 or 4. Great service area. You could walk back down the alley and if the doors were opened just walk right in. Always a friendly person there to help you. Very few tee shirts and a few other items. A parts department that would usually have what you needed for the uncomplicated bikes. It was a great Dealership. But back in the day they were all like that. Maybe if Harley got their head out of their A__es things would be a lot better for them. Oh well it's always nice to dream.
Be Safe
THE DAWG
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It all went bad when mother Harley decided to market this brand to the masses (including all the new giant dealerships) instead of focusing on building quality, albeit underperforming, bikes and their established customer base. Once the car dealers replaced the mom and pop biker owners the current situation was inevitable. Covid is just speeding that up.
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Agree on liking the smaller HD stores. They were all over & were good places to stop. When HD changed their focus to big dealerships it was similar to what happened in the auto industry & it changed a lot of other things as well. I can go to a big auto dealership to get work done on my truck & get treated like Mr. #4216 Because We Have No Idea Who You Are even after years of service or go a small town dealership & get treated like Mike after a visit or 2. Guess which one I prefer & go to?
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It's kinda funny, walking into these dealer showrooms after a long day of riding as a dirty roadworn biker I really feel somewhat out of place. Not so at the old shops.
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It's kinda funny, walking into these dealer showrooms after a long day of riding as a dirty roadworn biker I really feel somewhat out of place. Not so at the old shops.
You mean like this?
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It's kinda funny, walking into these dealer showrooms after a long day of riding as a dirty roadworn biker I really feel somewhat out of place. Not so at the old shops.
Know what you mean on road dirty & weary walking in a shop that looks like Biker Macys.
Remember when a couple of us pulled into a shop one frosty morning just outside the Grand Canyon - think it was Grand Canyon Harley. Had been on the road for days & we were covered in days worth of grime. We were freezing our asses off since we got caught by an unexpected cold front that morning. Shop was very nice to us even thought we looked - and smelled - like hell & gave us coffee & told us to stay as long as we wanted to warm up. Friend & I bought stuff we had not planned to buy because they were such great folks. You remember the people at the shops like that, unlike some of the ones today like Biker Macys.
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X2 on the smaller shops. It’s nice to go into a dealership and know everyone’s name and they know your’s. It’s also reassuring when you see employees that have worked at the same dealership for years, which signals the owner takes care of his people. What I see now (at the dealers owned by investment groups) is constant employee turnover, indicating it's not a great place to work.
Best dealership story...riding thru Wyoming, extremely hot and dry. Stopped a dealership just to cool off in the A/C and they gave us complementary ice cream. Can’t recall exact dealership, but very friendly folks.
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Having a good rapport with a small shop can be invaluable but …
I can remember going into a number of ‘family-owned’ small shops … That’s all there were at the time.
If you didn’t look like a cop, wear a Van Heusen or Arrow shirt with A-1 Racers and looked like the guy on the Sportster in the latest Playboy, you were in for a looooong wait.
When you did finally get waited on, it was, “I’m sorry, those parts are no longer available.” They didn’t even try to cross-check parts.
At most shops, it was a whole lot easier just to send in your girlfriend/wife with your shopping list. (Or your Dad, if you had an older bike.) ;)
Watch the counter guys when a cutie walks in. They’ll trip over themselves or cut their current customer short just to ‘service’ her … Some things never change.
Fortunately, you can now check stock by phone or online and order parts the same way. You can then have them held for pick-up, delivered there or, to the shop that you prefer to work with.
And YES, I will spend a couple of extra bucks to keep the local (good) shops open.
Remember, no matter where you are, with all of this electronic technology and a good forum or two, you can probably find a dealership or an ‘indie’ that can get you up and running in no time at all.
Cheers,
Smoketown
PS ... I now look like most of the old farts that ride Harleys. :2vrolijk_21:
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When I walk into a bike shop, forgive me for being old school, but I really want to talk to people who know more about their products than I do. I don't want to talk to a sales person.
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When I walk into a bike shop, forgive me for being old school, but I really want to talk to people who know more about their products than I do. I don't want to talk to a sales person.
What I’ve found is that motorcycle junkies (like most of us) read forums, articles, etc., and stay up to date on motorcycle news and issues. Rarely do you encounter a salesperson with the same knowledge, and as a result, you get a lot of BS.
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You mean like this?
This the new store they just moved from a few miles down the road? If so a buddy of mine helped ride the bikes to the new store from the old one.
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Example... typical uneducated sales guy pressing me to look at a new bike while I'm walking through the showroom to the parts counter, talking up the paint or whatever. I ask him if they've changed the oil pump design yet to resolve the sumping issue. "The what?"
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Example... typical uneducated sales guy pressing me to look at a new bike while I'm walking through the showroom to the parts counter, talking up the paint or whatever. I ask him if they've changed the oil pump design yet to resolve the sumping issue. "The what?"
Back in the day, the son, son-in-law, nephew, or whatever he was, would get one of the mechanics from the shop to answer your question ...
It has always been that way and I do not see it changing.
Those that actually know something about the bikes usually work on them ... The money is typically a lot better 'in the back' than it is 'in sales'.
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Most of my trips are day trips, and if I was to break down I'd have it towed back to home and fix it myself rather than a dealership So the dealer network is no longer important to me personally.
Makes sense when that is how you ride. I ride long trips, usually 2 at around 5000 miles each a year. Dealer network is very important to me. Out in the rockies you can be 500 plus miles to a BMW Dealer or Indian dealer.
Heck, on my local rides they can be 250 to 300 miles, so you would be 150 or more back to the nearest BMW or Indian dealer, but 50 or 60 to HD.
My wife also rides her bikes cross country, last year TN to CA by her self, two years dealer TN to OR by her self. Nice to know dealers all along the way if she has an issue with her Road Glide Special
What I’ve found is that motorcycle junkies (like most of us) read forums, articles, etc., and stay up to date on motorcycle news and issues. Rarely do you encounter a salesperson with the same knowledge, and as a result, you get a lot of BS.
As for Sale People at SMHD there are a few that are very up on the products and new parts. On occasion they have beat me to the knowledge of it. That said our sales people ride, and love riding. Our parr's staff is also good, most are very up on newest stuff and most will go out of their way to help you find what your looking for.
Its one of the so called Boutique stores. That said the majority of employees ride, and its Family owned. Set up to be a place you want to hang out, have lunch and a beer or watch a live concert.
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Our local store "Mid-Ohio Harley Davidson" shut down for good 2 months ago....
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Our local store "Mid-Ohio Harley Davidson" shut down for good 2 months ago....
Where was that one located?
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Where was that one located?
It's Springfield Ohio. New owner is the Loomis's same ones own cagers in Plain City and the one in Piqua Ohio. Hope this helps you Mike :2vrolijk_21:
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It's Springfield Ohio. New owner is the Loomis's same ones own cagers in Plain City and the one in Piqua Ohio. Hope this helps you Mike :2vrolijk_21:
Thanks Greg :2vrolijk_21:
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I think I bought 10 brand new Harleys so far. For a while it was a new one every 2 years. I always filled out that stupid survey they send in the mail after you buy a bike. In the later years (after the 100 year anniversary) I always wrote that the biggest negative to buying a Harley was I had to go to a dealer to get one. For the most part I HATE DEALERSHIPS. I suggested they allow customers to order a bike direct from the factory. Then I never would have to set foot in a dealership. I want nothing to do with Chinese trinkets and junk and I have NO desire to join the HOG club. I see the new way to buy a car is order it online and get it delivered to your house. I'm all in! Let me order online so I don't have to interact with NOBODY at the stealership. I'll go to Goodwill and get a H-D t-shirt (in like-new condition) for $4. Thank you.
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It's Springfield Ohio. New owner is the Loomis's same ones own cagers in Plain City and the one in Piqua Ohio. Hope this helps you Mike :2vrolijk_21:
That didn't last long. They just bought that dealership less than 2 years ago.
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Yes BigC I guess sales went down. If you don't want to deal with the public your not going to survive...
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Well here you go 2smoke:
HARLEY-DAVIDSON - HOME DELIVERYEnd Date: 4/30/2020
Choose your model, your color, and get your bike delivered to your home — all from home.
Explore the range of Harley-Davidson models.
Connect with a participating dealer expert, discuss the bike, accessories, and payment opportunities before committing.
Delivered to you on your schedule, and at your convenience.
Delivery available for a limited time through participating dealers. Availability is subject to applicable laws, regulations, and government orders. Contact your local dealer for additional information.
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Well here you go 2smoke:
HARLEY-DAVIDSON - HOME DELIVERYEnd Date: 4/30/2020
Choose your model, your color, and get your bike delivered to your home — all from home.
Explore the range of Harley-Davidson models.
Connect with a participating dealer expert, discuss the bike, accessories, and payment opportunities before committing.
Delivered to you on your schedule, and at your convenience.
Delivery available for a limited time through participating dealers. Availability is subject to applicable laws, regulations, and government orders. Contact your local dealer for additional information.
:huepfenlol2: :huepfenlol2: :huepfenlol2: :huepfenjump3: :huepfenjump3: :huepfenjump3: :-\
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Well here you go 2smoke:
HARLEY-DAVIDSON - HOME DELIVERYEnd Date: 4/30/2020
Choose your model, your color, and get your bike delivered to your home — all from home.
Explore the range of Harley-Davidson models.
Connect with a participating dealer expert, discuss the bike, accessories, and payment opportunities before committing.
Delivered to you on your schedule, and at your convenience.
Delivery available for a limited time through participating dealers. Availability is subject to applicable laws, regulations, and government orders. Contact your local dealer for additional information.
Nice! They are getting closer but once again you are going through a dealer. I don't want to deal with them in person or over the phone. By buying factory direct any dealer mark-up can be passed along to me in the form of a discount.
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Oil City H-D (Casper, WY) is closing permanently effective April 30.
https://oilcityhd.com/
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Factory direct Vehicle sales are scary and not something I would EVER Do, online sales thru a dealer with free delivery, Yep that would interest me, but we need those dealerships, They provide jobs, alot of jobs. They support charities. Some of them support us the riders with sales, free dinners, occasionally some entertainment and give us a place for warranty, to loaf and to inspect new stuff before purchase. I hate the buying process and the fact that some of the dealers are terrible but I do not want ANY dealership to fail, somebodies dad, husband etc works there and needs that check. We need them, we really do.
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Factory direct Vehicle sales are scary and not something I would EVER Do, online sales thru a dealer with free delivery, Yep that would interest me, but we need those dealerships, They provide jobs, alot of jobs. They support charities. Some of them support us the riders with sales, free dinners, occasionally some entertainment and give us a place for warranty, to loaf and to inspect new stuff before purchase. I hate the buying process and the fact that some of the dealers are terrible but I do not want ANY dealership to fail, somebodies dad, husband etc works there and needs that check. We need them, we really do.
agree!!