KYMCO....WHAT THE.........WHERE

[0BARK4322]

I was considering purchase a scooter today so i looked up kymco.usa to find the nearest dealer to me. I found three within 60 miles so i go to the first one and what the #@#@#@ they only had three scooter (super 8, like 200 and a used Honda something) then I went to the second and two kymco's (super8 and an agility). I just went back home to really think of my next purchase. I guess if you are a dealer a sell a couple of scoot's you are consider a dealer.

[Mscmkr]

I'm in Phoenix and there kinda like that around here as well. Some dealers have several but nothing over 200cc. If you want something in the 300cc range or higher your probably going to have to order it. It usually doesn't take long for it to come in and you are guaranteed it will be right out of the crate when you get it.
    It does seem to be getting harder to give people your money lately. People just don't want to be stuck with inventory they can't move. I'm looking into buying another scooter as well and I'm going to have to order the one I want.

Good luck with your new scooter and ride safe, mscmkr

[0BARK4322]

Well i'm going to try one more time at this shop that's 101 miles away and see what happens

[GLV55]

Once again, this makes me realize how lucky we are in Boise to have a great local scooter shop, Scooters of Boise, that is dedicated to the scooter riders of this area.

[0BARK4322]

LUCKY YOU.....LUCKY YOU....

[2wheelfun]

What's a Boise? Sounds like sumtin from Joisy.

[BettinANDlosing]

New scooter sales are terribly slow right now, we had a '13 GT300 sitting on the floor with $1000 off OTD price and it still took two years to sell, and we're the only Kymco dealer actually inside the Portland metro area. Even 50cc-150cc bikes are talking forever to sell. I can't blame dealers for not stocking more than a few bikes, not many dealers can afford to outright purchase scooters and free flooring is only 30 days, after that interest is a bitch. We've had a MyRoad for two years and only maybe two test drives on the unit, have it marked down $2000 still nothing. Too many used scooters at super cheap prices for people (most) to want new bikes. Back in 2009 we would setup two or three new bikes a day.

[CROSSBOLT]

Many "dealers" wanted on the "bandwagon" when gasoline was near 5 bucks a gallon. None could keep any model of scoot in stock anywhere. Now most of the public is in some kind of car or light truck. Kymco policy used to be that dealers would be 100 miles or more apart, now they are signing up everyone interested. We have traveled far and wide to get what we want at a price we wanted. The next one will be in a crate and either I will assemble or will supervise. Additionally, I think it would be tough for a dealer to be "scooter only" except in areas like Denver. Even Kymco says they prefer motorcycle dealers to take on scoots because they already have competent techs and service areas and parts organizations and so on (yeah, yeah, blah, blah..). The big sale item is a 2-year warranty. The big fake is Kymco is too cheap with warranty time and funds that no dealer seems too interested in doing warranty work. Techs are not interested in learning the details. Finally, for the motorcycle dealers handling scoots, the motorcycles, I THINK, are on a floor plan but the scoots are not: the dealer has to buy each scooter he THINKS he can sell (GE Finance). The motorcycles come on a "floor plan" which will be a pretty good selection of models each manufacturer makes. That is probably the reason the selection of scoots is so limited. Zombie and B&L can fill in the details and set me straight, if necessary.

Karl

[0BARK4322]

I get the point but if a person have just two kymco's in a motocycle shop does that make them an authorized kymco dealer

[BettinANDlosing]

Many "dealers" wanted on the "bandwagon" when gasoline was near 5 bucks a gallon. None could keep any model of scoot in stock anywhere. Now most of the public is in some kind of car or light truck. Kymco policy used to be that dealers would be 100 miles or more apart, now they are signing up everyone interested. We have traveled far and wide to get what we want at a price we wanted. The next one will be in a crate and either I will assemble or will supervise. Additionally, I think it would be tough for a dealer to be "scooter only" except in areas like Denver. Even Kymco says they prefer motorcycle dealers to take on scoots because they already have competent techs and service areas and parts organizations and so on (yeah, yeah, blah, blah..). The big sale item is a 2-year warranty. The big fake is Kymco is too cheap with warranty time and funds that no dealer seems too interested in doing warranty work. Techs are not interested in learning the details. Finally, for the motorcycle dealers handling scoots, the motorcycles, I THINK, are on a floor plan but the scoots are not: the dealer has to buy each scooter he THINKS he can sell (GE Finance). The motorcycles come on a "floor plan" which will be a pretty good selection of models each manufacturer makes. That is probably the reason the selection of scoots is so limited. Zombie and B&L can fill in the details and set me straight, if necessary.

Karl

You hit the nail on the head. Although the dealer distance is ruled by state laws, here in Oregon it's a 10mi rule. Maybe your state changed its law? I mostly saw pop up shops selling China shoots during the boom, we were still the only kymco specific shop, and still are. The other shops are big lot motorcycle dealers, whom don't give a damn about customer service after the sale for scooters,and frankly don't now how to fix them correctly. It says a lot if almost every Kymco dealer is having to mark down the big bikes almost $1000, the market is flooded with used bikes at the moment and if anyone wants a new larger cc scoot they also know good enough to work out a very low otd price. We do great right now on used scooters, and people seem stoked to purchase used these days.

[Stig / Major Tom]

We do great right now on used scooters, and people seem stoked to purchase used these days.
[/quote]
B&L - tough times for scooter sellers.
I wasn't aware of scooters in '09 - hadn't been in a cycle shop in decades - but I've seen the aftermath of the big scooter buys of '09. Local dealer bought out a KY shop's entire inventory of scoots - most of them were '09's. (came THAT close to buying a really pretty 125 Vino!)
I never really considered buying used - until getting invloved in 2 wheel transport - and saw how many scoooters and bikes are being sold with so few miles!
Just one example was a superb BV500 Piaggio with 853 miles, an '09 I think. Pretty good price.
However - after reading of so many fueling issues with scoots that have sat unused - or too little used, for lengthy periods I walked away from that 5 yr old BV.
In shopping bikes with my son, for months - we looked at all kinds of deals, incl. many used bikes - with some of the same concerns about buying a little used, but older unit. But when we found a good sized bike with very few miles and only a few months old we jumped in the car to give it a look, very quickly. Finding a pristine looking motorcycle that still had several months of factory warranty - and that it had not missed that initial valve clearance check and oil change - my son closed the deal with a purchase. (he's put several hundred miles on it to date - and says it is essentially a new bike.) $1600 less than new.

Several years old with very low miles (under 1000) - that is not something you come across when shopping used cars....but I'm seeing it around here all the time with motorcycles and scooters. Crazy. They buy them and then don't use them!
From forum readings - I will continue to stay away from scooters which have very low mileage but are several years old.
I've had my battles with fueling/driveability issues and do not want to go through that again.
You are a mechanic, and can deal with these fairly simple driveability issues - but when you have very spotty mechanic support for a scooter - it is not good to buy into certain troubles.
Cars - can be fixed.....scootering is a whole 'nother world in too many parts of the USA.
Still, having a blast here in Ohio on a scooter.
Stig

[CROSSBOLT]

Obark, a prospective Kymco dealer MUST apply and be approved by Kymco USA and establish a $100,000 US line of credit with GE Financial, SUPPOSED to stock a minimum of parts, purchase a Kymco analyzer and buy a couple of bikes to sell. There is NO tech school for his techs to attend since they figure they are pretty smart at repairing his other brands (ha, ha!). The parts requirement has been waived since not much goes wrong with most models of Kymcos (really!). Most regional reps do not get all huffy if his dealer does not have an analyzer (go figure..). The only real requirement is the 100k buck line of credit and put the signs in the window. There are many dealers of lots of things that get a couple of things and tout themselves as "dealers." The only way to know if they are a bonafide dealer is if they are on the Kymco dealer locator so beware. Beware anyway because even real, approved dealers can be so indifferent to your problems. Not to worry, since any Kymco scoot made in Taiwan is pretty darn reliable and ANY problem may be trouble shot on THIS forum. These guys and gals have either experienced your problem and fixed it or have figured out how to fix someones problem with feedback. Most of us have service manuals for just about any model and some know which models are essentially the same.

Pick one and ride!

Karl

[0BARK4322]

That's how I found the two dealers so far. I did a dealers search on kymco.usa and I think they were a Kawasaki dealer (well at least they had two new kymco's and a Honda scooter). Well i'll be taking a journey soon to a shop who has load of kymco's

[GLV55]

What's a Boise? Sounds like sumtin from Joisy.

Hey, hey, now, that's MR. BOISE to you! 

[Mscmkr]

I have to say, I don't understand why someone would buy a scooter and never use it. Then 6 months down the road they sell it. I bought my scoots to ride. When I bought my GT it became my only transport on weekends and I have 4 days off every week. I was going to plan trips around riding. When I get my new GT I'm definitely going to get up north with it and everywhere else I can go with it.

   Ride your scoots people and ride safe, mscmkr