Dead towns

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Here in Northampton we used to have a decent selection of bike dealers and breakers, but now we're down to just a handful of dealers and no breakers. We've got one ex-Honda main dealer, still only selling new/nearly new Hondas for stupid prices, a BMW main dealer who won't give you the time of day unless you're wearing something with Motorrad written on it and show a copy of your bank statement, a Hein Gericke (whoop de fucking doo) and a couple of dodgy looking new places selling Chinkee scooters and quads that'll probably be either "under new management" or mysteriously just be empty by the time I've finished typing this post. There are a couple of specialist outfits lurking in back streets still holding on by the scrimp of their foreskins, but I don't have a Harley or classic bike.

The CB's just failed its MOT on front pads being below minimum (an easy job, and I was given an advisory last year anyhoo ) but there was a time where I could have gone to one of a number of places and they'd have them on the shelf ready to go. OK, it's easy now to order parts from the electrical tinterwebz, but to get anything like the service I used to I have to go to neighbouring towns. I've also had an advisory for the rear tyre being close to the legal limit and does anywhere in Northampton do bike tyres? Do they fuck. Last place I tried that came up on a search for "motorcycle tyres northampton" not only don't do it, but didn't know of anywhere local that did either.

Is your town dying or dead when it comes to purveyors of fine quality motorcycles and associated goodies? Has eBay and the likes finally killed them off?
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Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[bacon]

Spend most of my time in exeter now, and that is fortunate to have fair few, though il be honest barely any breakers about when i needed some parts

We have speed superbikes (mixture of all sorts of used bikes) and gear near the train station

At marsh barton trading estate we have a fair few:

Bridge (suzuki, yamaha, triumph), used bikes (though at extortionate prices) plus spares counter and gear, cant remember if they have a kwak section or not

Honda dealer over the road from bridge

SP which is an Aprillia dealer just down from that, used bikes and gear

Then there are several other small places in marsh barton and around exeter offering used bikes etc (couple chinese ones too for the tight and uninformed)

Severe lack of breakers though

I agree though, most places have dwindled down to a couple at best

[Kickstart]

Hi

Can only think of 2 bikes shops closing in Stafford since we moved here (and on of those I think is still trading doing stuff at shows) plus one who moved out of town (not sure they are still trading). Only one of those 3 is a real long standing place. That only leaves about 3 places though and no breakers.

Breakers yards seem to have been pretty much killed off by Ebay, having suffered for years before that from the 1980s crash in bike sales.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Nai]

Living in London here, kinda fall over bike dealers. I have 2 Rieju dealers about 10 mile from me so here's hoping at least one of them stays about

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Typical post rant, I've found a sidestreet place that'll do a BT45 fitted to a loose wheel for £80, but only if someone else wants a bike tyre too as they get free carriage if they place an order over £150. If I want it nownownow and get them to take the wheel off too, it's £97.

A CG125 is calling me.
____________________
Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[Skudd]

I blame the Tinterweb, because before the tinterweb we used to hang around bike shops, used to know all the breakers and the small parts places. Now we all order stuff on tinterweb or just talk on tinterweb instead of outside the shop. We will now compare prices of shops 100 miles away from each other.
So it's either the tinterweb or the bike shop and biking.
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Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[Moo.]

I usually get my tyres fitted at the Kawasaki place in finedon not too bad there.. although they will have to order it in..

But i know exactly what you mean.. Midland superbikes has gone waaaay downhill..

World of bikes in Corby isnt too bad..

Cooperb are genuine guys.. but the prices are stupid and its all rubbish.

Theres a few classic ones about, like Northants classics on Wellingborough road in rushden..
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A2 Passed 18/6/10

[Stelmer]

In my area of Leeds, I know of Startrights, Dyrons and Woosters (if I got the name right).

Not tried Woosters as I went there before my CBT in 2006 for a lid and they gave one 5 sizes too big and begrudged giving me a replacement which was too big. Heard they do good tyres though.

Startrights and Dyrons are very good if you know what you want before you go in. Learnt the hard way that round here, you do all the work and just give them forks to do the seals on, wheel to do the tyre etc...

I never get servicing done at a garage. The labor costs are too high and i'd incur a hefty bill for that alone. A different world compared to car repairs which were always done at a garage in Kippax that i've been using since 2002.


I last used a garage in Doncaster - Doncaster Motorcycles who seem to have added every biker on Facebook. Got tyres for the GSX fitted there and was impressed. Budget German tyres were fitted and they seem to be harder and more motorway resistant so far.

[fezza612]

well where i am in wisbech there are two bike places .
Gildo's motorcycles- used bikes and spares (overpriced )
and JB bikes - cheap used bikes, repais and servicing

both small family run garages
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Previous: '02 Honda CG125, '03 yamaha enticer
Current: '98 Kawasaki GPZ500S

[bigwill]

sorry for bragging but it aint half bad here in Stoke on Trent.

We have

K2 Yamaha Dealership
Stoke Suzuki
BS Bikes (Triumph)
DK Bikes (fuckin shit but good for window shopping - also main Kwak dealers)
Websters
Norman and Birch's
Foley Motorcycles
Richardsons Honda (Congleton)
Andys Motorcycles

and for gear we have

Heinz geriks
DH Autos
Phoenix Distribution (UK Arai Distributer)
and a good few scrappers and breakers

Feel sorry for you dude. I guess we around Stoke are quiet well off for when we need stuff.
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2006 Yamaha FZ1 - the comfy R1

[Mord]

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[Mord]

[LeeR]

Well the Gloucester/Cheltenham area is doing alright.

In Gloucester there are a Suzuki/Kawasaki/Yamaha/Aprilla dealer, a Honda dealer, a BMW dealer, and two independents one specialising in sportsbikes and cocaine, and another doing scooters and anything else bikewise. There's ProTyre and Chris Mullins' for tyres and all the others will do tyres as well, but at a price. We've got a mobile mechanic/tuner and automotive factors almost on every corner.

Just up the A38 there's Twigworth breakers, and in Cheltenham a Harley dealer, a Triumph dealer, another Yamaha dealer, and a Hein Gericke.

In Teweksbury there's also a KTM dealer, and in Newent a 'ped/125 shop.

We also have our own Motorcycle Festival (in it's 3rd year) at hempsted Meadows 14th-15th August.

I could go a little further a field to Ledbury, Stroud, Swindon, or Bristol and encounter even more if I needed to.
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My claim to fame: Austin Vince nicked my pen...

[Carvel]

I live near Slough which isn't too bad(oh my god yes it is)
We got Sid Morams Honda dealer.
George White Suzuki which is on two levels, showroom dowstairs and a huge warehouse that is bigger than the showroom full of everything to do with bikes. I nearly jizzed when I first went in their, it's huge.
Berkshire Bodgers.(they bodge things)
Hein Gericke
Thats it I think there used to be more but they've all gone.
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2002 Aprilia RSV1000R, Cbr600Fs, Mk1 B12, Vfr400 NC30...

Matt B: I can deal with crushed nuts to beat Ollie.

[iooi]

[69.9mph]

[The Shaggy D.A.]

It's up in Wellingborough now. Last time I looked I wasn't made of money, so I'll not be going there
____________________
Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[27cows]

It's quite depressing. There used to be bike shops all over the place in my early days on the road.
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The RXS100: vehicle of choice for Chuck Norris

[The Shaggy D.A.]

I think it's the breakers I miss the most. I'm after a new set of bars, previously you used to be able to wander in and have a good rummage through the stuff, offer them up and compare various sets. Now, I'd have to buy something, try it, sell it, buy something else, etc.
____________________
Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[stirlinggaz]

hi,
its the same in my home town... no breakers & only 2 places that will fix your bike @ 40 quid an hour, if they dont turn their noses up at you.............
hence the reason i haved moved to Essex & am now helping run a bike breakers.
seen as a bit of a backward step opening a breakers, seeing as ebay has all but killed off the local friendly breakers, run by bikers for bikers etc.
but were giving it a bash, selling stuff on ebay mostly, but got a yard + workshop, + visitors are welcome to pop in + see if we have anything you need or just for a chat + a brew. (bring your own biccies)
so if your anywhere near Rainham, pop in.
cheers,
GAZ

[stuartadair]

[stuartadair]

[Marmalade]

@shaggy

Churchills i think they're called, on The A5 north of MK, might be a way out for you but tyres fitted for good money

In Salisbury there is not a lot decent, any place for tyres wants the bike for a whole day to do it and charge the earth, for parts there are 3 places, Burnout bikes that does need to be, £11 for an aftermarket st1100 oil filter when i can buy genuine for a tenner
Asked for price to do clutch on same as i was busy and was told hmm ah, lots involved, problems, blah blah, can't give a price till we done it as we don't know what we'll find So ordered bits online and found the few hours to do it myself.
Honda independent specialist wants £25 for a set of rear pads, supply only when the place i have my tyres done will fit a set for £21 but are 35 miles away.
Kawasaki dealer does parts for most makes but are over the top for prices especially on clothing and helmets. Oil is a fair price.

So, for me, oil from kawasaki dealer, filters from ebay or wemoto, pads usually ebay, tyres and sometimes pads from micheldever tyres 35 miles away
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[hellraiser]

Pretty much the same for me (Wellingborough).
Shaggy, used to go Riverside all the time, (formerly M+P) discount too.
Now usually go Ape in Kettering for MOT's and some other bits, but mostly online. John Lee in Higham Ferrers aint bad.
Nothing in Wellingborough apart from Triumph, used to be Terry Moore's, and Midas? many years back.
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1987 FZ750 - 1994 YZF750R