| Author | Message | ||
     Cityxslicker |
Court, (howdy) I have seen you mention this several times. I would like to know where/how I can get a copy of it, In the ever expanding quest for better service & sales, every little bit helps. let me know if it is book, memo, pdf etc. Thanks Ride safe, Ride often. | ||
| Court |
I may break it out. I still believe in it. I've lived in Topeka, KS and I've lived in New York City. Oddly enough everywhere I have lived the top-notch Buell dealer in the country has emerged within a 15 minute ride. I've bought many motorcycles. Owned a collection (subsequently sold to an Arab investor) of Harley-Davidson's, ridden cross county with Harley's President, spoken on behalf of HD at the NFL Players Banquet in Washington, DC, have good friends (one was the President) at Ducati, NA, have been invited by BMW to lift the covers at the unveiling of the Sport Classic line (where I got busted on Speedvision) and have a couple good friends who are wheels at Honda in Torrance, CA. Long and short is that I am not a dealer and have none of the talents it takes to sell. I have a HUGE admiration for folks who can sell (watch DaveS or Anthony C sometime) and have acquired a sense of what does and does not work for Buells. There is a psychological principle called transfer of knowledge. "positive transfer" is when knowledge of something accelerates or promotes the acquisition of some other skill. "Negative transfer" is when knowledge of something impedes the acquisition of another skill. The United States Marine Corps HATES to try to train snipers who have shot prior to joining. The best snipers come from folks who have never touched a weapon . . there is no "negative transfer", no bad habits that need undoing. I maintain that being a good Harley-Davidson dealer/salesman does not contribute to being a good Buell dealer/salesman. It's unfortunate but this is the point that the HD folks all kick dirt, tell me to screw myself and walk away. They fail to understand that I think they are WONDERFUL at what they do, it's just that they can't pound the Buell nail using the HD screwdriver. Over the first 10 or so years I was around Buell I noted some commonality amongst dealers who excelled at selling Buells and simply, after being sent to help a dealer in AZ, reduced my thoughts to writing. I took a lot of crap . . . ."he's a construction worker, what the hell does he know . . . and so forth. I filed the material, watched the Kennedy "all we need to do is add 350 dealers this year" doctrine take a nose dive. I watched John Wykoff try to fit a Harley peg in a Buell hole and I watched Mike and Mark get paid big bucks to tell dealers how to handle this odd new product. I'll let you decide how wisely that >$1,000,000 in training was spent. The next hurdle, Buell now has the product range and quality, in the equation is Buell dealers and the distribution network. Another HUGE hurdle will be Buell marketing. The marketing folks are ALL Harley-Davidson folks doing Buell stints within the company. Any wonder we get the goofy looking stuff you see? Take a look at the 1995 Buell parts and accessories catalog sometime. How cool is it? It was the only time that the stuff was done by outside folks as HD scrambled to bring it in house and place responsibility with a group of young fresh marketing grads who'd hired on at HD and knew nothing about Buell. To this day, and I think they are wonderful folks and great HD marketing folks, they JUST DO NOT GET IT. I'll let the death of the Buell TT speak for me. . . a nearly perfect motorcycle ruined by marketing. The fact that a person buying a 2008 Buell with "25th Anniversary Edition" emblazoned on the headstock, doesn't get a cool copy of 25 YEARS OF BUELL to have on their table at home is lingering evidence of the "NIH" syndrome. Can you think what MIGHT happen if folks brimming with enthusiasm over the purchase of their new Buell were armed with a copy on their coffee table or desk and given the ability to open it and tell their friends (guess who motorcycle riders hang out with? . . .other motorcycle riders) "this is my new Buell". Don't get me wrong, I confess I have an interest in this but even the added 10,000 copies it'd put before untold thousands of potential customers wouldn't make an iota of difference to me. It's the "attitude" that attempts to ban and control anything that didn't come from Harley-Davidson. It happens within the company, in marketing and support, and within dealers. Anyway . . . as you can see my views are to many quite controversial so the paper sits buried in amongst 9 cases of Buell papers from the 90's and I continue to watch, ride, listen, talk and learn all I can about the Buell dynamic. It is an amazing company. Court | ||
| Reepicheep |
Amen Court. Can you please come and run the company I work for? Without the story behind Erik and all the other incredible Elves that make Buell possible, my XB9SX is just another good motorcycle, in a sea of good motorcycles. With that story, and with the passion that I have seen in various "peeks behind the curtian" when I have met Buell people, my bike is something much more special. Its a story of passion, of genius, of adventure, of really hard work over a really long time. Why buy just a bike when you can buy a piece of a great story? Thats one big part of the attraction of a Buell to me. And it can't be just an empty marketing excercise, I can smell that from a mile away. Everywhere I looked on my M2 and my XB9SX, and every way they rode, told the story. The other (related but different) amazing thing about Buells is Buell people. Including the ones that came for the bikes and stayed for the people. If people understood these two elements, they can understand there is something more here then a motorcycle... After typing this diatribe, it has never been more clear to me that Buell *must* have that &^%$#$% dirt bike. Sigh. Here is a quick question... was it Harley or Buell that was responsible for the first sling bag promotion? | ||
| Court |
>>>>Can you please come and run the company I work for? Don't laugh. I've had three fascinating offers the last month. The one last week, a Chicago firm hot on the heels of Bechtel really looked good. I'm committed to finish school *again* before making any changes. Times are changing and one of the best things you can now list on your resume' is "lots of experience", "noted entrepreneur and change agent". I figured I'd be retired by now. Dad retired at 52 and it turns out I'm having more fun than I had ever dreamed I would. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
I have said it before, and I will reiterate it again, you want somebody that thinks outside of the box, get somebody that has never been in the box to begin with. I have always believed that if you want to be successful, follow what the key players are doing and emulate it, and often not, it is bucking the corporate system. Just an insurance guy that happens to love motorcycles and answered an ad that I wasnt qualified for, seems to have worked out. I should have my book next week. I hated missing Homecoming, Theres a certain vibe being around people that get it. Hu nyxa, Hu nepa | ||
| Ustorque |
i went to my dealer today to drop off my wheels and new tires. i approached the buell salesman and asked where their(normally pathetic) buell shirt rack was he said they were getting ready to put some new shirts out in the next week or so. i asked if maybe they'd be doing one of the "store inside the store" set-ups and his answer to me was "he wished they'd just get buell out of the store" oh, how inspiring! 1 way to sell a Buell: have someone that actually cares about and believes in the product! i still can't believe i purchased a buell from this place it was like pulling teeth 2+ years ago and it hasn't changed. an attitude like this is part of the reason that these incredible machines are not taken seriously. sorry for the rant Court, but just maybe you could pass my $.02 on to people who care.  | ||
| Ustorque |
The other (related but different) amazing thing about Buells is Buell people. Including the ones that came for the bikes and stayed for the people. If people understood these two elements, they can understand there is something more here then a motorcycle... I hate to rip you off on this one court, but "that is an accurate statement" | ||
| Court |
>>>>sorry for the rant Court, but just maybe you could pass my $.02 on to people who care. No need to apologize. Folks like that are far too common amongst HD dealers. The cancer that now infects Buell will someday be capable of killing Harley. This problem needs someone with the balls, vision and authority to fix it and time is growing short. | ||
| Thespive |
Reepicheap obviously gets it, like a lot of us on BadWeB. I am one of those who appreciates my motorcycle even more because I know the passion behind the curtain. I also talk to the trilogy of tech, the Buell philosophy, and pass on the enthusiasm to anyone who wil listen. I'd like to think I have mad a few converts in the few short years I have been a member of the Buell family. --Sean | ||
| Buelldualsport |
Court: Well stated. Thanks tom | ||
| Ironhead1977 |
(it's just that they can't pound the Buell nail using the HD screwdriver.) Court, hit it on the head. By the way, Great book. | ||
| Rogs12ss |
Court, I have a question being new to this site and just having bought a Buell... Is there a way to open a Buell only shop, With no HD products, Just 100% Buell? | ||
| 2008xb12scg |
I can agree with you court. It seems as Buells are treated as an after thought at the dealers. I went to one dealer told him I wanted to see a xb12ss and he stopped to show me the sportsters. Can you say lost sale. If only the sales people could love the Buells the way they do the other Harleys. Hell I've been riding for 2 1/2 months and I think I know more about the product than the sales people. | ||
| 2008xb12scg |
Is there a way to open a Buell only shop, With no HD products, Just 100% Buell? Great idea rogs12ss. And can I work there? Could you imagine a guy selling Buells that loves them? Hmmm...} | ||
| Endoman33 |
i work for a dealership with some of the best roads to ride these bikes on with in 30 minutes to 2and half ride at the foot of the north carolina mountains. I've had 3 buell 97 m2 04 xb12r and an 1125r. I had 6 1125r's pre sold with deposites not a $100.00 dollar depostie but $1,000.00 - $1,500.00. just guess what happened after the 4 fourth delay on the bikes i and my dealership lost 4 of these deposites, due to "retiming issues" low and behold badweb solved the problem a northen dealership had gotten 10 bikes before my first bike came in a week before the winter dealer show. to varfi i called up that dealer from work had the saleman tell how many bikes he had and then turned around and called spock and spoke with one of the good reps and i explain to her the deal all she could do was appoligize. Futher digging with vechicle locator show that only large city markets had gotten the first bikes across the country. After confronting our DM about this he said that should not have happened and was not "planned" to punish a small market dealer and there sales people. jist of this story I lost 4 comistions and the dealership lost 4 bike sales. I though this was a one time thing but the same thing happened when the uly was introed we had 4 buyers for those. 4 months after everyone else got them we only had one buyer left and 3 bike to sell as left overs I have treid for several years to find ways to drive buell traffic into the store but all the surronding store get the bikes first and the customers stop by to show me their new bike and thank me for the info i gave them just a little frustrated. oh buy the way my service manager has an xb12r my parts guy had an xb12s my bikes and we all drag race at the local track on thursday nights last four years the top street motorcycle champion has been on a buell. just try to get me a bike at our dealershipr before every dealer around me gets one. Thanks for lisening | ||
| Court |
>>>>Is there a way to open a Buell only shop, With no HD products, Just 100% Buell? No | ||
| F_skinner |
Could you imagine a guy selling Buells that loves them? Those dealerships are out there, you just need to find them. I have met some really enthusiastic Buell riders that also sell Buells. I, like most people, do not have a dealership nearby that is like this but there is one 100 miles up North and 300 miles down South. My next new Buell will most likely be bought from one of these shops and I know Lynn's will be. I think you will find a lot of poor Buell dealerships are also not very good HD dealerships. That is just my observation and of course not 100 percent across the board. I would love to work at a dealership selling Buells however, I do not think they would let me sell Buells alone. I do not have a lot of enthusiasm for most of the HD lineup and that would be a problem for me. I think I would get frustrated real quick. I have said it before, the difference between a store that sells Buells and a great Buell dealership rest on the shoulders of just a few enthusiastic people that are passionate about the brand. Unfortunately those people are hard to find and once they move on to other things the dealership goes down hill quick. A business is a living entity and they change to meet the needs of the market share and Harley is a model company for going after their market. Instead of a stand alone Buell dealership I would much rather see a Buell only virtual store where I can get parts. Everything from brake caliper cylinders for a S2, performance parts for a 1125r and the latest Buell Hat or T-shirt. I know I can go to my dealer and get just about anything I need but I have to wait until they are open, take time to go to the dealership and order the part, pickup the part and of course put up with the usual questions like: what kind of bike is a S1??? Since they do not carry anything for Buell and have to order it anyway why not just have a web site that I can order from and cut out the non-Buell supporting dealership? Frank | ||
| Court |
It, as Frank has illustrated, is not as simple as having an enthusiastic sales person. I've seen better than a dozen, starting with Topeka in 1990, dealerships occupy the GREAT dealership role. There are "people" elements by much more. Part of it is personality but a good deal of it is economics. The problem is not simple, neither will be the solutions. There are some wonderful ideas presented here that oddly enough were also in my 1997 diatribe on improving dealerships. I was labeled, by Mike Hilman, President of Buell Distribution Corporation, an "anecdotal alarmist" he was confident that simply being in a Harley-Davidson dealership would result in Buells leaping from the sales floor. I'm still here. | ||
| Court |
Frank: Do you recall the day this appeared on the Buell website?
We were THAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT close. | ||
| 2008xb12scg |
Court- I'm new to the badweb and you seem to have a lot of knowledge to the workings of things and what not. I was just wondering, do you work for h.d.? | ||
| Court |
>>>do you work for h.d.? No. And . . .welcome aboard. I've done some riding in your neighborhood and we're thrilled to have you here on Badweb. | ||
| 2008xb12scg |
Next time you're in the neighborhood let me know. I love the site and have learned alot from it. | ||
| F_skinner |
Do you recall the day this appeared on the Buell website? Yep, still use it to this day... | ||
| F_skinner |
simply being in a Harley-Davidson dealership would result in Buells leaping from the sales floor. And that is what I would call HD arrogance and can kill market diversity necessary for Buell and other makes! Court, are you riding your S2 yet????? | ||
| Ratbuell |
Court - first off, great book (I think I told you that at Homecoming) and thank you for taking the time and effort to put it together. You make a lot of very excellent points above. I met you and a lot of other great people at Homecoming. Most of them impressed me quite a bit, which was surprising to me. Like the graft I have on my leg, the docs are amazed at the 90% "take" - I was amazed I liked as many of the Buell folks as I did. I thought the law of corporate averages would screw that up for me; I was pleasantly surprised. There are some excellent ideas and some very good people at Buell - hopefully we'll be able to enjoy those things for a very long time to come. And my S2 is still sitting (lonely) in Maryland if you need a ride/fix  I go home on Friday 8/15...I'd offer Frank a ride, but it's one hell of a commute for him (but the offer stands!). Joe | ||
| Wbrisett |
>>>>Is there a way to open a Buell only shop, With no HD products, Just 100% Buell? No Actually there must be a way to do this. Initially the Buell dealership here in Austin was the HD/Buell dealership, then they opened up a new Harley dealership up the road (several miles), and left the old dealership to be their Buell and used motorcycle dealership. They apparently have different dealership numbers, so there is a Buell only dealership here in Austin. Wayne | ||
| Court |
>>>Actually there must be a way to do this. No there is not. The girl LOOKED like she was cut in half, but she wasn't. | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
>>>>Is there a way to open a Buell only shop, With no HD products, Just 100% Buell? Hope I'm not beating a dead horse here, but I have a question about a specific case with my local dealer. The independent owner of the local HD dealer here in Omaha recently purchased another bike shop which carries all 4 jap brands of sport bikes. Are there any legal restraints from Harley Davidson Inc. preventing Buell Motorcycle Company products from being sold alongside these japanese brands? I'm assuming that BMC products must only be sold in a Harley Davidson Motorcycle Company dealer? To my understanding, HD Inc, HD Motor Company, and Buell Motorcycle Company are 3 seperate businesses. If HD Inc. owns both Motorcycle companies then where is the drawback to letting both operate independently? I associate with far more jap riders than buell riders simply because there are more of them. The initial disgust in their eyes after seeing an "out-dated" Harley-based engine in a sport bike chassis soon gives way when they see the bike perform. I know without a doubt that these riders would be interested in purchasing a Buell, but they are NOT the kind of people who would walk through the doors of a Harley dealership. | ||
| Court |
>>>Are there any legal restraints from Harley Davidson Inc. preventing Buell Motorcycle Company products from being sold alongside these japanese brands? Generally no. Individual contracts vary but I can't imagine that is in any of them. I (THIS IS A GUESS) presume there exists a "most favored nation" clause and I know of too many HD/Honda dealers. >>>>I'm assuming that BMC products must only be sold in a Harley Davidson Motorcycle Company dealer? That is 100% correct. >>>>I associate with far more jap riders than buell riders simply because there are more of them. Correct again. Honda makes more motorcycles in a day than Buell has built in history. (NOTE: This argument gets a bit academic and ultimately results in a "what is a motorcycle?" discussion) >>>>riders would be interested in purchasing a Buell, but they are NOT the kind of people who would walk through the doors of a Harley dealership. That is a continuing problem and solutions to date have been akin to trying to hold balloons underwater in a bath tub. Sooner or later it's going to require a creative and innovative solution. The simple "get them out of the HD" dealers looks easy, it's not for reason that include BC (Business case, ego, political and logistical). The folks at Buell are fully capable of generating these types of solutions. So am I, that's what I do. Somewhere down the line you can expect, and some are already in the works, fascinating changes. (NOTE: I am NOT a candidate for President . . . .too easy these days to be mistaken when you are promising change but don't provide details) | ||
| Wbrisett |
The girl LOOKED like she was cut in half, but she wasn't.  So I'm guessing that because they still use the same name, have the big HD logo outside along with the smallish Buell sign means as far as HD is concerned, it's the same dealership??? Odd. The good news is you can actually get Buell gear and parts without a problem. Of course it helps that this dealership has some Buell fanatics working there.  Wayne |
