| Author | Message | ||
     Tripper |
Well the thinning has hit Kansas City. 3 dealers have been advised by Buell they are no longer dealerships as of 12/31/04. We are left with Gail's HD/BUELL (Formerly Worth South) as the exclusive outlet in the KC Metro. Our BRAG sponsoring dealership is out, leaving us to find a new sponsor. None of the 4 in KC were doing well with Buell in terms of volume. Central (our sponsor) was coming on in terms of enthusiasm and had most of the accessories in stock and a dedicated Buell display area. Blue Springs was improving in service and parts help (they did'nt chuckle or moan when you said Buell). Gladstone was... not worth mentioning. Gail's is enthusiastic to sponsor our BRAG, but their Buell history is dismal. It will be interesting to see how many outlets Buell goes down to on Jan 1st. I hope the strategy works for them. What other areas are affected? Modesto is out. Others? | ||
| Easyflier |
Would be really cool to see HD dealers competing for a Buell franchise in a few years.  | ||
| Daves |
You just never know! Dave | ||
| Firemanjim |
I just asked my dealer yeserday and it looks like they will be staying on--thank god.Sure did not want to lose them.But look for more Bay Area closures.Would not be suprised to see smaller states see only a handful of dealers. | ||
| 1320 |
Hey Firemanjim, Here is something that might interest you..http://www.ahdra.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads-5-5-1/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Bo ard=ONLINESWAP&Number=12895&page=1&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=0&fpart= | ||
| Court |
>>>You just never know! You may not. I have a feeling that one of the most detail oriented and strategically successful major corporations in America, heck the world, is not just leaving all this to happenchance. Buell has played, to a greater extent than many are presently aware, and will in the future play a key role in the Harley-Davidson "big picture". Having lived, and ridden and bought bikes, in the KC area for 44 of my formative years, I can testify that ALL the dealers pretty much sucked... a fact not unrelated to my being able to sell two (Frank and Reiner) European Ford Test Engineers each Buells in the same day. (it was also a great source to swap test Buells for test models of the SVO Fords...but that's another story) Topeka was, for years, one of the top Buell dealers in the nation. Many recall that Topeka was the single dealer West of the Mississippi the first year of the Pegesus Awards (see photo below)  I'd bet (and I honestly do not know) that the motion being seen at the dealer level is quite well planned and will bode well for Buell owners. Jon Flickenger, new President of Buell, came from the dealer end of the business and is highly regarded. My PERSONAL opinion is that Buell, pretty much for the first time, has the planets aligned in terms of resources...human, strategic, capital and market. Again, I don't know.....but let me quote a good friend in Wisconsin..."if I had the money right now I'd be buying a Buell dealership". Interesting that this post came from "The Land of Oz". Be well, ride safe, lean much and smile more....your motorcycle, regardless of the dealer, has much to teach you. Court | ||
| Sarodude |
Uh, that's a pic of Erik in a suit. Didn't think that happened - at least not too often! Lemme just say that I agree with the "buying a Buell dealership" quote. -Saro |
