How many are riding orphaned scooters?

[Stig / Major Tom]

1 ) Did you purchase a scooter from a dealer which has now gone out of business?
2 ) How far is it to a dealer, now?
3 ) Are you very concerned about the loss of your local dealer supprt?
4 ) Why, why not?

Me, Piaggio Liberty 150i :
1) Vespa/Piaggio went under following tornado damage.
2) 50-60 miles. Columbus or Cincinnati.
3) As a newbie, 5 yrs ago, I would have been very worried.
4) Not concerned. Have manual, tools, good parts sources, & experience sorting common issues. Plus, found that tier one and two scooters are pretty reliable - unless messed with.☺
Stig

I laugh now, because I walked through dealer's storm damage to look in Vespa shipping crates to select which color I wanted.

[CROSSBOLT]

Nearest dealer is Memphis, TN about 50 miles from the house. Next is Nashville at about 130 miles. Good tech at Memphis while really poor ones at Nashville. Neither stock any parts. Just call me Alfred E. Neuman:"What? Me worry?" Skills from the past and you guys is all I need!

[big blue]

Bought my scoot in 2012 from a very good knowledgeable dealer. Two years on they had to close due to a family illness. My closest dealer is now 50 miles away in Portland OR but parts are available through them and online. I have enough mechanical skills to do most servicing and repairs and a local m/c shop will do things like tire replacements and work that requires specialized tools. The scoot has been very reliable except for the TPS sensor bugaboo two years ago but I replaced the part and all has been well since.

[Tromper]

Bought my HD from a dealer who'd originally got 'em from Carter Bro's & was selling them no warranty after Carter burned their warehouse the second time.
They no longer sell scooter save for BMW, & for that they just have the one GT for full MSRP.   So kinda yeah, but I'm a somewhat long walk from the current SYM dealer, so no real issues.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Bought my HD from a dealer who'd originally got 'em from Carter Bro's & was selling them no warranty after Carter burned their warehouse the second time.
They no longer sell scooter save for BMW, & for that they just have the one GT for full MSRP.   So kinda yeah, but I'm a somewhat long walk from the current SYM dealer, so no real issues.

Might clarify this for me....HD is not a Harley Davidson. ...and Carter were the original USA distributor of the SYM line of scooters and the Wolf bike....correct?
"Twice" ?
Stig

[klaviator]

My local Kymco dealer stopped being a kymco dealer a few years ago.  It hasn't really been an issue.  I have had a couple of electrical issues but they still worked on it and were able to fix them.  For the most part I do my own maintenance.  I do have a Kymco dealer about 2 hours away if needed. 

BTW my Super 8 went over 30,000 miles a few days ago.



.

[big blue]

30 K that is great, nice work.

Stig I think the HD is the SYM HD 200.

[AMAC1680]

Less then 10 miles to my local full service Kymco, SYM, genuine dealer.
Been that way for almost two decades and they are growing.

We be lucky here.

AMAC

[Stig / Major Tom]

30 K that is great, nice work.

Stig I think the HD is the SYM HD 200.

Bblue, did that SYM warehouse really burn down twice?!
Geez.
Stig

[big blue]

Yes I think it was torched the second time. I was going to buy a SYM Fiddle at the time but when the distributor went belly-up I started looking elsewhere for a scoot.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Less then 10 miles to my local full service Kymco, SYM, genuine dealer.
Been that way for almost two decades and they are growing.

We be lucky here.

AMAC

AMAC,
Is this the shop you're talking about?
http://www.motorcyclepowersportsnews.com/this-mom-pop-shop-is-the-biggest-scooter-dealer-in-florida/

Stig

[Tromper]

Yup HD200, SYM.
& yup "twice"...just plain bad luck I tellya.

http://www.powerequipmenttrade.com/carter-bros-manufacturing-plant-destroyed-fire/
"This is the second fire to affect Carter Brothers. The plant was rebuilt after a fire in 2000. The decision to rebuild has not yet been made."

Alas they were inconsolable being out of business in the bust period.

http://www.dothaneagle.com/news/million-verdict-in-brundidge-plant-fire/article_d77c2576-8bfd-59f1-a13e-7809d1f70082.html

That is a large part of why SYM isn't real big in the U.S.

JT

Might clarify this for me....HD is not a Harley Davidson. ...and Carter were the original USA distributor of the SYM line of scooters and the Wolf bike....correct?
"Twice" ?
Stig

[Stig / Major Tom]

Yup HD200, SYM.
& yup "twice"...just plain bad luck I tellya.

http://www.powerequipmenttrade.com/carter-bros-manufacturing-plant-destroyed-fire/
"This is the second fire to affect Carter Brothers. The plant was rebuilt after a fire in 2000. The decision to rebuild has not yet been made."

Alas they were inconsolable being out of business in the bust period.

http://www.dothaneagle.com/news/million-verdict-in-brundidge-plant-fire/article_d77c2576-8bfd-59f1-a13e-7809d1f70082.html

That is a large part of why SYM isn't real big in the U.S.

JT

"Destroyed.....3000 brand new motor scooters still in their boxes..."  !!
Who's the US distributor, now?
I drove out into the sticks to visit the local SYM dealer 5 yrs ago.
It was an HVAC co. Their mechanic had quit along with their other employee in the scooter shop.
They had one of each new SYM stored in a new wooden garden shed. The furnace repairman said he tries to ride each one around the block every month to keep them in good condition.
Someone finally bought the lot of them, but they never would discount them.
Fine looking scooters, incl. the Wolf.
A shame.
Stig

[AMAC1680]

AMAC,
Is this the shop you're talking about?
http://www.motorcyclepowersportsnews.com/this-mom-pop-shop-is-the-biggest-scooter-dealer-in-florida/

Stig

Yer sir, good people.

AMAC

[AMAC1680]

Yup HD200, SYM.
& yup "twice"...just plain bad luck I tellya.

http://www.powerequipmenttrade.com/carter-bros-manufacturing-plant-destroyed-fire/
"This is the second fire to affect Carter Brothers. The plant was rebuilt after a fire in 2000. The decision to rebuild has not yet been made."

Alas they were inconsolable being out of business in the bust period.

http://www.dothaneagle.com/news/million-verdict-in-brundidge-plant-fire/article_d77c2576-8bfd-59f1-a13e-7809d1f70082.html

That is a large part of why SYM isn't real big in the U.S.

JT

Ok guys those fires were over 15 years ago and have little to do with why SYM is weak today.
Not caused by a warehouse fire at this point. It’s because of a lack of fire in those not setting up the proper dealer network.

They are also known for being a bit difficult with the dealerships they have.

AMAC