Dealer Perspective

  Here in the Northeast, there is an 800-pound gorilla that enters the room every November – the weather. It has an enormous impact on every dealer, and there isn’t a single thing the dealers can do to change the temperatures or precipitation levels that are headed their way. They can, …

  How does the dealer decide what to charge you for repairs and maintenance on your bike? If you’ve been to a dealership a few times, you probably think you have a pretty good idea of how things work. But, there’s a lot more going on that isn’t obvious to the average …

As motorcycle enthusiasts, we get a real kick out of accessorizing our rides, maintaining them, acquiring riding gear and occasionally buying a new or used bike. We have many choices of how and where we can scratch this itch, and local dealerships are always glad to provide an outlet for spending urges.

You might have thought I was going to say: “Start with $2 million.” That’s actually the time-worn answer that some dealers will give you with a chuckle when discussing the financial reality of their chosen profession. Like any business, keeping score for the typical motorcycle dealership is largely a matter of …