what I see as bad for scooter dealers in US

[john grinsel]

#1 new ones are not selling

#2 Riders are by-passing dealer ordering parts/ accessories on line-----when getting from dealer (keeping him in business)  You never know when you might need dealer....if you ride a lot!

#3 people who own/buy scooters actually do not ride a lot---to wear them out...and need dealer.


Internet has hurt both scooter and motorcycle business a lot.  To me, saving a little and maybe not being mobile for a while is not worth it.  I actually  use my scooter.

[Kansas kymco]

John I agree with you.  I try to patronize my motorcycle/scooter dealer when possible. Some items they just don't carry so I try to find outside sources. I have delt with Dan's Cycle for over 30 years buying several new machines from him.

Now I purchase some used Kymco's and have him do any work I don't wish to do plus buying parts from him. Lots of dealers have dropped Kymco because of slow sales. Dan's Cycle only carries 50cc and 125cc machines because larger scooters are difficult for him to move without heavy discounts that return no profit.

If it wasn't for farmers and businesses buying UTV'S and people buying zero turn mowers I don't think he would have survived the down turn of 2008. Dan told me all cycle/scooter sales stopped during that time period.  Now they have to weather covid 19 downturn as well.

[randyo]

wow, not what I'm seeing locally, my dealer client/friend, is selling everything he can get, scooters included, his inventory is dwindling, even adding prep, freight & docs to the MSRP.  I ride around on my K-Pipe, and people ask me about it, where I got it, etc. Contractors looking for something they can throw in the back of the truck to run errands from the jobsite. At the supermarket, people watch my GF, stuff a whole grocery cart in her scooter.

[Stig / Major Tom]

I have a mega-brand dealer about 5 miles away, on the other side of town - he sold me my Kymco (and a couple of Hondas to me & my son)
They were pretty responsive to servicing & parts for our Hondas - though neither Honda needed much of either.

I fully understand that the parts dept. isn't going to fetch me my Kymco parts until they get a sizable order - which is going to be like watching grass grow. I'm sure there's another Kymco of two around here.....somewhere. I tried ordering the Kymco crash bars for my LIKE200i shortly after purchasing it - ended getting them mailed to me from a small scooter shop in Texas.

In this part of the country - if I want responsive service and parts depts. I need to visit one of the two stand-alone, HONDA POWERHOUSE dealers nearby. Full showroom & parts depts. and a bay of Honda trained mechanics. Your pulse quickens just pulling up in front of these handsome dealerships.

Kymco is never going to make that kind of investment in this country - and I don't fault them for that. Ordering my belt from them is not going to turn them into Honda, or Kymco/Spain, or Kymco/France, or wherever it is in Europe where they're succeeding.

We all should be grateful that Kymco makes such a good scooter that they rarely need fixing or parts!
Stig

[Viper254]

Kymco is very, very quiet in the UK in the last couple of years. I wouldn't be overly surprised if they disappear in the next few.

It depends on the dealer, I think. There's a Honda dealer over in Crewe I use for parts and they're as helpful as can be, so I always want to go back, despite the fact I've never bought a bike off them.

Sounds like things are a bit different over the pond.

[Neil955i]

Kymco is very, very quiet in the UK in the last couple of years. I wouldn't be overly surprised if they disappear in the next few.

It depends on the dealer, I think. There's a Honda dealer over in Crewe I use for parts and they're as helpful as can be, so I always want to go back, despite the fact I've never bought a bike off them.

Sounds like things are a bit different over the pond.

I know them.  In fact, I bought my PCX125 off Karl there.  Nicest dealership (family-owned) you could ask for, I wish them well.  Wanted to buy a 300 Forza off them, but couldn't take the £1,500 hit over the XTown 300 asking price I'm afraid.
 

[CROSSBOLT]

A lot of price differental (£1500 hit) is exchang rate. For example, when in 1960's Japan, exchange was 360 yen to one US dollar. Now it is 107. This is from currency of no intrinsic value being "traded" like any other commodity. 1960 US currency still had silver coinage. As soon as that was removed things went nuts....

[Neil955i]

You're right, as ever, Karl.  In the 60's the US $ cost us 25p (5 UK Shillings!) The rate of exchange today is 79p, so to a certain extent, I guess both currencies have traded down against the Yen in the decades since.