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killa
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PostPosted: 13:29 - 17 Apr 2018    Post subject: Classic bike opportunity Reply with quote

One of my best friends works for a local classic vehicle showroom, in their events and marketing position.
They buy and sell prestige classic cars mainly but there is a small selection of classic bikes. The owners don’t know much about them, I don’t think anyone there rides them either. From what I've seen there is everything from 80’s Suzuki’s, MV’s and a Lambo bike!

There is a possibility for a position in test riding and then giving the machine a write up, for the purposes to advertise. Like a review but to give potential owners an idea of what the bike is actually like.

I’m due to meet them soon but would like to put together a proposal of what I could offer. As I write for an automotive section on a website currently, I know I have that down, although the tone would have to be, a little more reserved. Anyways, just putting this out there in case some of you have ideas on what I should include. Thumbs Up
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 13:54 - 17 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd probably want to put a bit about how they were regarded and what niche they filled when they first came out.

See if you can find an old copy or two of used motorcycle giude for a no-holds-barred oppinion. What made them unique/special/different.

So like if you had a GPZ900R, you'd want to mention it being the first production bike to hit 150mph out of the box, and about it looking like the one Tom cruise rides in Top Gun (although most people now think it was probably a 750R in an attempt to make him look like less of a shortarse).
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MarJay
But it's British!



Joined: 15 Sep 2003
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PostPosted: 13:59 - 17 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
(although most people now think it was probably a 750R in an attempt to make him look like less of a shortarse).


I've seen copies of the receipts for the production, and it's a 900R in 750R colours. The reason they did that is because Kawasaki didn't pay for product placement, so they changed the colours, loaded it with stickers and removed the Kawasaki badges.
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Dr. DaveJPS
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PostPosted: 15:05 - 17 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

How easy it is to get spares/owners club support and highlighting what are the non standard mods/improvements.
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 15:10 - 17 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mind you, the thought of a classic car dealership makes me think of the Ferrarri dealer scene from Gone in 60 Seconds. So I suppose having an idea of the target demographic would be an idea.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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killa
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Joined: 18 Oct 2004
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PostPosted: 15:49 - 18 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
I'd probably want to put a bit about how they were regarded and what niche they filled when they first came out.

See if you can find an old copy or two of used motorcycle giude for a no-holds-barred oppinion. What made them unique/special/different.

So like if you had a GPZ900R, you'd want to mention it being the first production bike to hit 150mph out of the box, and about it looking like the one Tom cruise rides in Top Gun (although most people now think it was probably a 750R in an attempt to make him look like less of a shortarse).


Yeah, some good points to consider Thumbs Up
I was more questioning what exactly to approach these guys with, as a kind of package. Then again when I think about it, I guess as long as I show I’m competent in riding and writing, they should let me know what they want to see from me.
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MCN
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PostPosted: 18:09 - 18 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Like Stinkers suggests, most people who buy Classic Bikes etc. are obviously interested in the history of the vehicle.

If you can find any 'obscure' detail of the machine's pedigree and life story or even the easy to find history it would be of some help.

I bought two BSAs a few years ago, I ha nothing to go on apart from some of the information the chap who sold me them gave me. He knew all about the bikes and had 'restored' them both himself.

I enjoyed digging up the scattered details to fill in the gaps in the bike's histories.

The older bike is a 1957 and one of a few of the very last Pre-Unit BSAs the 'younger' bike was 1964 and was one of the first to have engine and gearbox as one 'unit' (Post Pre-Unit Smile )

There are some interesting mechanical sophistications or simplifications involved in a machine's development that could be mentioned too.

Both my BSAs have double seats as standard.
My 1957 has provision to fit a single saddle though.
Digging deeper into the history I found that there were single saddle models made but only for police and armed forces. And those bikes will be very rare. Perhaps the fact that they were a popular bike and lots were made meant they were simply junked when no longer needed. Where a Brough Superior was expensive to buy so possibly worth keeping when no longer used.

(I modificateded mine to the single saddle. To the untrained eye mine now looks similar to the Brough Superior. Cool From not too close up though. )

You could sign up to the clubs and gain information from them.
I guess if you also gave mention of the clubs for prospective new owners in your notes the clubs probably would not feel too bad about you spreading their words. I would not have a clue on copyrighting on that front. I leave that to you. Smile
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BTTD
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PostPosted: 11:05 - 19 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are customers buying them to enjoy, or to invest?
What makes it an appreciating classic?
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killa
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PostPosted: 08:52 - 20 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

MCN wrote:
Like Stinkers suggests, most people who buy Classic Bikes etc. are obviously interested in the history of the vehicle.

If you can find any 'obscure' detail of the machine's pedigree and life story or even the easy to find history it would be of some help.


Yeah I like that idea. Once I get a foot in the door and they ask I'll have to find out what bike i'm riding and go from there. Thumbs Up
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 10:21 - 20 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do a report on your GS in the style you think they'd like and show it to them?
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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stevo as b4
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PostPosted: 20:29 - 20 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

My take is that someone that's really into the classic bike scene already knows about and has read all about the models they are into.

I think if I was a 250LC pervert who'd always seen them around but never had one back in the day, I'd be a bit patronised by someone saying '' Way back in 1982 this bike was crazy, and a total hooligan animal, and especially if you then mention that a modern 500cc twin would kick it's arse silly and now it's a spindly fragile poorly braked mess of a bike''

I think if your going to do history of a bike then you need to make it specific to the actual machine your testing and reporting on. People love a good story and provenance. Its king in the antique world and can add alot of value and interest.

So if you said for example '' This particular bike was raced for two years in the Pro am series, then converted to a road bike and crashed three times, blown up at Santa Pod after running a 14.86 second pass, or ridden round the private estate by Lord blogs etc'' that's what people want to hear.

I've read all about the old classics I want to own, ride or restore. So the MCN tests, magazine features, performance data and reviews I've all seen already. I don't want to be told how heavy or smooth or fast say a Z1300 is now today, I just want to experience it for myself.
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 10:09 - 21 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Although I would strongly referr you to my earlier post linking to an ammusing scene involving Nicholas Cage in a classic Ferrari dealers to see the OTHER sort of person who goes to a classic vehicle dealership.

I'd imagine most enthusiastic 2-stroke perfverts would obtain a bike either very much "in house" or from a vehicle auction rather than a dealers.

If I wanted a 250LC I'd be joining all the enthusiast forums I could find and keeping an eye out at the catalogue for likes of Stafford, maybe a word in the ear of some of those guys importing container loads of fucked shite from the US. A dealers is the last place I'd think of going to.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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MCN
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PostPosted: 12:27 - 21 Apr 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
Although I would strongly referr you to my earlier post linking to an ammusing scene involving Nicholas Cage in a classic Ferrari dealers to see the OTHER sort of person who goes to a classic vehicle dealership.

I'd imagine most enthusiastic 2-stroke perfverts would obtain a bike either very much "in house" or from a vehicle auction rather than a dealers.

If I wanted a 250LC I'd be joining all the enthusiast forums I could find and keeping an eye out at the catalogue for likes of Stafford, maybe a word in the ear of some of those guys importing container loads of fucked shite from the US. A dealers is the last place I'd think of going to.


A lot of BMW owners (as a weak example) know Hee-Haw about bikes and take BMW's word on the stuff they buy from them. Take the BMW K1600 for instance.
Aside; I own a BMW K1300 which is a big effin lump of a bike.
The BMW K1600 is about 1/3 bigger and is more 'Hardly Dae-Anything'/Gold-Wing in Bosch Clothing than a 'useable' PTW.

I like my K1300 very a lot but it is old now and will not be replaced as I would not even throw a leg over a K1600.
(So MCN is now in the Kwaker 1400 market.)

The used BMWs in dealer's showrooms have not much miles on them coz the previous owners are not really into biking as much as they think (or perhaps would like other folks to think).

That is possibly the market for Dealers in Vintage. Folk with more expendable or more like Expense-able cash.

I do not know for sure what drive the vintage market as I am not in that market.
But just coz I don't know won't mean those dealers are not out there.

Thinking
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