Bike Shop Ideas BCF DISCOUNT YO!

[STONEY!]

For those of you that don't know already I am a full time Motor trader, Cars, Motorcycles and Light Commercials, I mainly deal trade to trade currently and work from home.

It looks like I am about to purchase a unit and I am thinking of opening up a shop.

What would you lot like to see in a bike shop (I wont be a main dealers far too scruffy for that!)

So far ideas consist of:

BCF Discount obviously
Workshop services
delivery
parts
sales
clothing
Rent a Ramp
Small Cafe perhaps
Organised (ish) ride outs
Tours of Local green lanes and byways
adventure bike preperation
custom builds
welding/fabrication
painting/airbrush work

and that's as far as I have got!

[recman]

As long as the bacon is quality, I think you have everything covered.

[TbirdX]

Rainpal fitting franchise

Location?
____________________
VFR800X - TTR250

[Beehive Bedlam]

Workshop services - I do all my own work apart from tyres.

delivery - ...

parts - More than likely you will charge rip off prices and I would only buy if I needed the part that day which you probably wouldn't have anyway and need to order it from wemoto so you could then rip me off. I don't need a middle man.

sales - ...

clothing - Again why would I pay an inflated price when I know for a fact I could get a better deal online.

Rent a Ramp - Not required I've got my own garage and I have not needed a ramp yet.

Small Cafe perhaps - Not overly keen on cheap Aldi shite at rip off prices I would rather go to mc donalds and eat it in your cafe.

Organised (ish) ride outs - I'm no weekend warrior.

Tours of Local green lanes and byways - No.

adventure bike preperation - I'll do that myself. Thanks.

custom builds - Not interested.

welding/fabrication - Always useful knowing someone with a welder.

painting/airbrush work - More than likely not my bike isn't a garage queen.

Good luck.

[Fin]

Cheap Fabrication or cheap work with a TIG welder would be the only thing of interest for me.

I pretty much agree with Ashley for the rest.

[recman]

[Beehive Bedlam]

[M.C]

[dodsi]

[andyscooter]

a ban on anyone with fucked 2001 fazers and imaginary R6's would be a good start

don't want to meet him there
____________________
gilera runner vxr200 (chavped)
if its spelt wrong its my fat fingers and daft auto correct on my tablet

[BTTD]

Rent a ramp = bringing all your tools with you on the bike, or both in a van, or having tools that people can use on site.

Having slightly specialist tools like bead blaster cabinet and ultrasonic cleaner could be handy for people to be able rent use of.

[toby1]

Can't be all things to all men...................and expect to make a profit

[Matt B]

[The Shaggy D.A.]

MOTs, dyno, busty wench and a friendly dog.
____________________
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

[Commuter_Tim]

[Nobby the Bastard]

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

No offence to anyone who has replied here, but most people who reply to bcf probably aren't the best people to ask.

Most motorcyclists (and for that matter the general public with any motor vehicle) are relatively unskilled when it comes to mechanics. Certainly beyond anything more than basic stuff.

I doubt there is much if any use in going into bike gear unless you're going in to a niche/fashion type market (Hipster stuff) as everyone just buys it off the internet.

If you're able to fabricate then I think the general workshop where people can get help/taught to do basic maintenance with tools available and the offer of being able to undertake more niche stuff, fabrication, frame building etc. is the way forward. I'd invest in a frame jig as well as start producing stuff for Harleys, old BMW's and Guzzi's. Tanks, headlight brackets, single seat conversions/subframes, battery boxes etc. I'm pretty sure this has already been done so look at their models and see what kind of prices they charge. Do you charge per session someone is there or per hour of use of lift/tools + extra for assistance from you. Do you charge more/less depending on complexity of job. You would need to work all this out.

This would cover your people who have more money and less time and want a fancy hipster/retro/individual bike whilst also keeping a constant flow of money in from people who have little money and wish to learn a bit. Most people don't have access to a garage/large enough set of tools to do everything. For example feeler gauge and shims.

Initial outlay would be relatively cheap but I'd expect sockets to get broken. A lot. Probably having a few bike lifts available and plenty of paddock stands. Coffee shop selling artisan cakes and warm food/drinks would also be good. You could probably make as much money from that if run well. Most people want a fussy coffee made by a proper barista nowadays though so that is a full business in itself.

The biggest problem I find with most bike shops nowadays though are opening hours and knowledge. Most people need a place to be open outside of their working hours. One thing I was always taught from years of working bars is always keep your hours consistent. So you need to be open weekends and evenings. Go until 7:30pm and be closed Monday or Mon/Tue for instance.

I'd say do lots of research and try to work out potential overheads with potential income. Maybe try and find an existing coffee shop that wishes to expand and could set up within your business as concession sort of thing (so they pay you a fee and keep their profits).

Essentially you want something the general public are going to be interested in and accept. Having a bunch of 20 trail riders turn up every week after a ride may be good for basic servicing and coffees/tea but will it sustain you over time financially or will it just put off most people from turning up and potentially turn away business for other stuff (I'm not saying it will just things you will have to consider dependent on lots of factros).

Good luck.
____________________
Pictorgraphicalfantastical

[garth]

I dunno mate, you seem like the dodgy bastard type, you'd never catch me dealing with you.
____________________
You ain't a has been if you never was

[iooi]

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

[BTTD]

[Irezumi aka Reuben]