Anybody out there heard of anything on the grapevine about any jobs in the motorcycle industry . I have over 15 years experience in all areas of the "motor " trade but only with cars and vans so far . I am currently a Business Development Manager with a major remarketing company doing business to business sales placing over 15000 used cars a year back into dealerships . I have suggested to my company that we expand into the motorcycle industry but it seems to have fallen on deaf ears . I have been a sales manager for various retail motor outlets and would be really interested in something similar in the motorcycle industry but will listen to any feedback .
SW - I have thought long and hard about that and would love to set up South Bucks Superbikes , even got the premises sorted but cannot get enough money to fund it !!! Bugger !!!
To be honest I am not sure if I have got the balls for it !!! In principal the idea is great and I know it would work and can even picture it … looks the nuts !!!
Maybe I should just bite the bullet as you only live once !!
what have you got to lose…its only stuff…your life is more important
live the moment…but plan ahead… but dont live in the future as you will never know what it will bring…keep calm and deal with every obstruction as it comes along
what are we without our dreams but what do you know about running a business? - no point wanting to be a surgeon unless you have the knowledge to become one!..how did every other business start ???
never fear fear
it doesnt matter how long you take, as long as you dont stop
I’ve been thinking along the similar lines to yourself - would love to do something in the bike industry, and preferably work for myself - but I’m coming from a finance/accounting background, and not sure what industry experience would be necessary.
I’ve got a few ideas, but need to put together a couple of business plans before I could approach investors - a daunting, but do-able, task. Suppose I just need to get my @rze in gear, and do it!
I would stay well clear of the bike trade its full of Kn*bs no one wants to sort you out or look after you they are all 10%ers most normal punters can get things at trade price if they use there head and the net e.g one bike shop that I used to work for could not sell me tyres cheaper that I can get them off the net there trade price for a pair of Diablos was £173.22 I can get them sent to me for £150 and this is a bike shop that has been going for 30 odd years.
And speedycom my o my they were a joke you need to spend £2000 on Pazzo levers to get trade discount wtf get real £2000 on brake and clutch levers it will take years to shift that lot, even using ebay.
Arai helmets you must sell the full range or there is no deal.
Alpinestars only operate a repair service and that has a 4 week turn around for such high price gear you would think they would swap like for like.
the car trade is much better for sales etc as the market is bigger.
M8 I did it three years ago scared the cr@p out of me still do when things are slow BUT I am so glad I did it.
Build up a healthy dealer relationship with people you can work with in the trade don’t be affraid to ask other established dealers for advice try to aviod the ones you will be compeating with. Go to the shows get yourself known to the reps.
And as JC said there is a lot of muppets out there waiting for you to fail but think of the joy when ya don’t and you can look at them and say yep Im still here
This thread, together with some things that happened at the weekend, may just have given me the push that I need to get things rolling. I’m getting quite excited thinking about it!
Anybody at Cubana tonight ? Feel the need to get feedback from people who use bikeshops every day to see what we all want or need out of an ideal outlet and make some informed decisions about the future plans !!!
I often get excited thinking about niche areas in the bike trade that are crying out to be filled… luckily I like my current job too much to leave it … but if I could I would…
its an idea i had back in 1995 and i had just came out of the army…
i had an idea to sell all those usefull bike gadgets,shiny bits and have a cafe rolled into one…think of it…a bike shop you can actully hang out in…
then in the evenings…the parking lot would be empty for all the bikers that just wanna chat with the shop still open till late and even on sundays…
there’s lots more to it than that…but its just sitting there in my noggin,waiting to happen…
unfortunatley…my mum passed away last year at the age of 47…and has left me and my sisters the house to sell…she was a biker threw and threw so this might just be a calling card or a wake up call…
thanks for the thread peeps…makes me feel warm inside…