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Bri
| Posted on Monday, October 12, 2009 - 07:35 am: |
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Has anyone had experience with this? I think it is a great idea. Copied from Motorcycle.com " In an effort to raise brand awareness and foster current growth, Buell has created a dealer within a dealer, called The Buell Experience. For now, this will still be at H-D dealers, but two stand-alone Buell dealerships are running, though they are an extension of existing Harley dealerships. The entire retail environment is designed around creating a "garage feeling" as well as an atmosphere of being uniquely Buell, catering to those riders who currently love their Buells, and enticing those that may have been interested in a Buell but most likely wouldn't have set foot in an H-D dealership. Along with displays tailored to the Buell fan, areas to hang out and general Buell goodness, each Buell Experience will have a "Knowledge Center." This will be an interactive information kiosk replete with computer terminal there to help you get Buellified. Three Buell Experience shops exist with more in the works: Skip Fordyce Harley-Davidson & Buell, Riverside, CA, Granite Mountain Harley-Davidson, Conyers, GA and Harley-Davidson of Ocala, Ocala, FL." |
Budo
| Posted on Monday, October 12, 2009 - 09:05 am: |
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Modesto Buell did this almost a decade ago. Of course they have long since given up the Buell brand but they were very sucessfull as a stand alone shop. Of course they were owned by Modesto HD down the street. This should make a difference. |
Betzy
| Posted on Monday, October 12, 2009 - 03:35 pm: |
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Sweet, it's about time. Just came back from trip to US and cant believe how few Buells are in the dealerships and two of them said they are no longer going to carry the brand. Time for them to be on their own!! Maybe with Aprillia or Moto Guzzi all in one |
Chadhargis
| Posted on Monday, October 12, 2009 - 03:59 pm: |
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Hummm....I can see Bumpus doing this. Heck, they sort of already have it going on. |
Fast1075
| Posted on Monday, October 12, 2009 - 04:14 pm: |
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I was at the Ocala store a while back for a test ride day....very nice shop....very nice people....they had a "Buell" section all to itself...and a pretty good assortment of clothing and accessories....they even have their very own Buell guy...Brian Buell in parts.. Store rates 3 burnouts and a wheelie |
Chadhargis
| Posted on Monday, October 12, 2009 - 04:29 pm: |
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I bought my Ulysses from Ocala. Nice people and they gave me a smokin' deal way back with the Uly first came out. Of course, that was before I got to know my local shop real well, and now I do my bidness with them. |
Amrra12
| Posted on Monday, October 12, 2009 - 05:10 pm: |
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IMO Buell needs to separate itself from the HD { as in not have the same shops} I find the HD guys don’t care that much about sport bikes! |
Whynot
| Posted on Monday, October 12, 2009 - 06:58 pm: |
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I think it's a good idea. It sounds like most HD dealers don't give a darn about Buell. I shopped the three closest dealers in my area (actually all an hour away from me, two in MA, one in NH). One said they don't do much with Buell. The salesman had to keep phoning someone in a back office to get prices for me on the bikes I was looking at. The next let me sit on the bikes but didn't know much about them, and the place seemed dead anyway. The third was OK, but I knew a whole lot more about the bike from reading up on the web than anyone there did. It was close to my Ducati dealer, so I went with them. Once I got the bike, the service dept did not inspire any confidence at all. I bought a shop manual and a parts book so I'd have to go to the dealer as little as possible. The parts guys are good once I get them out of the HD mode, and they are eternally grateful that I show up with part numbers. I get ignored when I walk into the place. Why bother? So now I've just placed my first parts order with Liberty (100% satisfaction!). Oh yeah, I love the bike. |
Froggy
| Posted on Monday, October 12, 2009 - 07:39 pm: |
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Whynot, your nearest good dealer is Precision in RI. I haven't heard any good things about Manchester and the other ones year you. I have ridden 4 hours to RI because Precision is that awesome |
Whynot
| Posted on Monday, October 12, 2009 - 10:17 pm: |
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Thanks, Froggy -- for sure, Precision H-D/B has a good reputation in the area, and I plan to head that way when I need service. And most likely before that just to say hello. |
Reepicheep
| Posted on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 - 12:32 pm: |
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I certainly have had my share of pain with Harley dealers selling Buells. Bottom line though is that the worst Harley / Buell dealer was about the same as the best Kawasaki or Yamaha dealer I have worked with... FWIW. |
Slojon
| Posted on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 - 01:10 pm: |
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Our Dealer in Daytona Beach- ROSSMEYERS' at Destination Daytona has "THE BOX" as I refer to the Experience. With a shuffle in their structure, is located on second floor of Harley-Davidson Shop. I am VERY comfortable at ROSSMEYERS' as have worked with them some years. As in some other threads...establishing a relationship...the funny looks? I always thought it was cause I'm funny looking.... |
Court
| Posted on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 - 01:31 pm: |
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quote:Bottom line though is that the worst Harley / Buell dealer was about the same as the best Kawasaki or Yamaha dealer I have worked with... FWIW.
While I agree with that . . . I think one of the things that differentiates Buell is that folks at Buell:
- Know that.
- Know they need to improve.
- Know they would not "be Buell" if they used that as excuse to maintain the status quo.
Lots in flux at the moment . . . change always presents opportunity. |
Sputter
| Posted on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 - 02:22 pm: |
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I can say Rob at Skips is a top notch guy along with Les the GM. Unfortunately, I had a bad experience with their sales manager and bought my 1125R from Chandler. What a mistake, now I must follow the legal process. Cannot say much more. |
Bri
| Posted on Thursday, October 15, 2009 - 09:09 am: |
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I wish they had done this earlier, too late now. |
Kilroy
| Posted on Thursday, October 15, 2009 - 12:05 pm: |
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nevermind.............. |
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