Bennington Triumph Bash

KingOfFleece wrote:Another shop here has picked up the brand. They have never been known as a bike shop so the jury is still out.

Really? What have they been selling?

I'm curious how they've made the Triumph business model work.

There had been some talk of one or two businesspeople in the Burlington area who were interested in becoming Triumph dealers, but apparently none of them had any prior experience in motorcycle sales -- sounds like they were primarily interested in buying into the lifestyle -- and of course nothing has come of it. Vermont still has no Triumph dealer. It's a damn shame the Cyclewise thing didn't work out.

--mark

Mark,
I'm not sure of what you mean by business model. If you mean build a shop to fit the "lifestyle" Triumph insists on, then good luck to them. We had the SM at our monthly BMW club meeting. He said they will have everything. So, he may be in over his head as Triumph NA is, IMHO, unreasonable in their demands. They are adding on to the showroom for Triumph-good for them.

They just started selling bikes 3 or 4 years ago. Started with Guzzi and Apreila and did not do well with them. Added Royal Enfield and Ural recently.
The staff is new, which is good. The previous staff was full of 600cc sport bike riders. They also have a few MV Agusta, which is funny as WNY is a checkerboard road system. We ride more twisties at the Bash that we do here all year-no place really for a rocket of a bike.

For now, based on past experience, I'll hope for the best. I am encouraged that two techs were sent to Triumph school.

KingOfFleece wrote:I'm not sure of what you mean by business model. If you mean build a shop to fit the "lifestyle" Triumph insists on, then good luck to them.

That's the business model I was referring to.

KingOfFleece wrote:We had the SM at our monthly BMW club meeting. He said they will have everything. So, he may be in over his head as Triumph NA is, IMHO, unreasonable in their demands. They are adding on to the showroom for Triumph-good for them.

And that too.

From what I've heard through the grapevine, the problem is not actually Triumph NA but Triumph headquarters in the UK. They want to make the dealership model consistent worldwide, based on how it works in Europe, and they haven't yet understood that this model is unsustainable in large parts of North America because the population density is too low and the geography is much too vast. John Bloor is no longer in day-to-day control of the company; he's handed the reins over to his son Nick, and Nick doesn't seem to have as clear a grasp of world markets as his dad.

For a shop in Vermont, for example, to stock the whole Triumph lineup plus accessories and apparel is simply not possible from a business standpoint. The same is true in many other parts of the country, which is of course why Triumph's dealer network is hemorrhaging shops at a frightening rate, and why Triumph is going to be in trouble when the urban hipster crowd's interests move on from Bonnevilles and Bobbers to, I dunno, penny farthing bicycles or something.

KingOfFleece wrote:For now, based on past experience, I'll hope for the best. I am encouraged that two techs were sent to Triumph school.

Yeah, Triumph school is one of the required steps. Cyclewise's mechanic actually went to Triumph school as well while they were in talks to become a dealer; but they ultimately didn't sign on because the outlay that would have been required in order to meet Triumph's demands just didn't make economic sense. Which sucks, because they would have done awesome with Triumph.

--mark

It always sucks hearing of Triumph dealers closing, Especially when there are none very close.
I'm lucky in that there are three within an hour of me with two being pretty good. I've been thinking of moving south the last couple of years and that's something I worry about as well. Hopefully you'll get a good replacement in the near future!!

Very sorry to hear that Jim. I recall Buffalo being highly cordial to us when we visited en massse, likely thanks to the efforts of you.
I can't help but think that Triumph marketing is somehow not connected with the American Vibe. It's too bad, cuz they certainly could kick ass if their early American presence could be parlayed and the coolest there in.

I am going to try to get up there for the 11th annual, but can't make a promise right now. Such is mycurrent life. Happy trails to you my strong and righteous pro bassist brother.

What old people do with too many buttons post goes here

Hope you can make it this year, my friend!