| Author | Message | ||
     Johnnylunchbox |
In these economic times I've been thinking of ways to make a few extra $$$$. I'm thinking about opening my pole barn up for winter storage of bikes. It is climate controlled and pest free. I was wondering what would be a reasonable cost to ask per month. Keep in mind this is in the Hudson Valley region of NY. I was thinking about $100/month. Any thoughts? | ||
| Strokizator |
Maybe $100 for the whole winter. Anything more than that & Joe Average isn't biting. Offer a battery tender and you could get $5 more a month. | ||
| Prowler |
A hundred bucks a month is really...really high. I pay $35 a month for storage in a climate controlled garage during the winter (in a super nice area)for my CAR. If I could get a hundred a month storage for bikes, I'd buy a couple units and go into business myself and probably semi-retire. For bikes $20 to maybe $25 a month would be reasonable, I guess. | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
Just to put things in perspective. Average nice starter home around here is 350K+. People in nearby NYC pay 1000+/month for their cars. Maybe 100 bucks is a little high, but it's not worth the headache at $35. Maybe not such a good idea. | ||
| Froggy |
Not really. That is around what the dealers charges for winter storage here. Shop labor rates are $100-150 an hour, property taxes are $2k a month for a piece of land so small you couldn't even put a shed on it. The closest HD dealer, Danbury HD/Buell charges $699 for winter storage for Buells, includes storage from Nov 1st to April 1st, oil change, gas stabilizer, it is put on a battery tender, bike is washed and detailed when you go to pick it up. (Message edited by froggy on August 13, 2011) | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
Thanks for all the input, fellers. Froggy, it's hard to convey the ridiculous cost of living around here, to anyone who's never lived here before. | ||
| Froggy |
Hell its the only reason I haven't moved out of my parents basement, I can't afford anything within a 2 hour drive! Although if I didn't have 4 Buells I guess that probably wouldn't be an issue  | ||
| Froggy |
Back on topic, I was thinking, perhaps something similar to what Danbury does. Say $300 but also from Nov 1 to April 1st. Obviously you wouldn't do the oil change and detailing and such, but perhaps a warm safe place with a battery tender is all someone would need. What about insurance? I would be afraid of the mess that would result from someone having a shady battery that explodes and damages your property and other peoples bikes. | ||
| Iamike |
The place in Minnesota where my parents kept their boat had the roof collapse last winter smashing their boat. The contract they signed said they were responsible for all damage and their insurance company wasn't going to fight. | ||
| Griffmeister |
Not having your bike to use from Nov 1 to Apr 1??? That's insane.  | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
I would probably allow access to the bikes with a minimum of a 2 day notice. | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
I would also have them sign a hold harmless agreement. | ||
| Nillaice |
i've even heard of people legally pursuing a self-service laundromat/carwash for the washers&dryers damaging their clothes/brush scuffing thier maaco paint job. please make sure you are insured/legally protected ... no matter how much you charge just like most others on here, my idea of 'reasonable fees' would be influnced by MY local economy. what is world-wide in business is that you'd have to beat your local competition. so i'd say you should call around 'as a potential customer' -wink, wink- and see what you can talk them down to over the phone. then you know what $$$ you gotta meet/beat and i'd sell it for a discounted rate for the whole winter and a little higher month-to-month. that way they'll be inclined to throw down the lump sum, and still pull thier bike out early when they get teh itch to ride in late feb. | ||
| Etennuly |
If that is all you are planning to do, even at $100 a month, it will be a tough row to hoe if you are going to open a legitimate business with a license, rent or mortgage, insurance, advertisement, accounting, taxes and all the other stuff that follows it. You would have to start out with probably about fifty customers. How big will your rent be on that much space? | ||
| Nillaice |
you could advertize on craigslist, accept cash/paypal and have them sign a no-liabiltiy waver. but running it totally 'legit', and paying taxes might make it not worth your time and will cut into/take up all of your profit. althought the 'gubment sure could use any $ you'd give to them .... shít ... did this just turn into another political thread? | ||
| Greg_e |
Absolutely need to have insurance to cover your butt, figure out how much that is going to be on a per bike basis. This needs to cover theft or damage. | ||
| Pwnzor |
My suggestion would be to remove all batteries and keep them in a metal locker with a bank of battery tenders in it. | ||
| Redefine420 |
Simple idea in theory, beginning to sound like a pain in the balls | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
Amen to the pain in the balls. | ||
| Froggy |
The 1125r is among many bikes where you need to remove bodywork to get to the battery. |
