Another bites the dust

[TinkerinWstuff]

Interstate Honda off I-25 in Fort Collins shut their doors in the last couple weeks. Inventory appears to all still be there and there's a note on the door with an email address to contact with questions about special orders or service.

Never bought a new bike from them but dealt with the parts counter a bit. Seemed like good folks with competitive prices and I'm bummed to see them closed. They always treated me real well.

A picture from this summer when we had the CSC photo challenge

http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac47/tinkerinWstuff/CSCphotoChallenge/21sameBike.jpg

[Mac020]

Sign of the times! The "Harley":wtf: shop in Colorado Springs no longer sells Ducatis. RIP. What???? That only lasted about 2 years?:applause:

[TinkerinWstuff]

Most of the businesses I deal with, things are better and business is picking up. But, I'm sure you can only bleed so long. I'd hoped that anyone who made it this far might be out of the woods.

Who knows, maybe they're restructuring with creditors and might make it back....

[Sean]

I'd hoped that anyone who made it this far might be out of the woods.:imwithstupid: Bummer to hear about the shop.

[TinkerinWstuff]

Obviously there's no telling yet what happened here. But I still want to remind folks that next time your online shopping at work and see what appears to be a great deal on tires, a GoPro, or whatever.... Don't forget to call up your favorite local shop to ask their price and give them a shot at the business too.

Fewer local shops or struggling ones are not good for any of us here.

[konichd]

Its unfortunate to see shops closing down locally. It only gives YOU, the consumer, less options when looking for something locally. There are a number of great local shops that you can always call and will be willing to earn your business.

[dirkterrell]

http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac47/tinkerinWstuff/CSCphotoChallenge/21sameBike.jpg

Hmm, maybe I can get a sweet deal on one of those new VFRs. :D

You're right about supporting local shops. I try to spread my money around. Yeah, I might save a few bucks for something online but I like the ability to look at some things in person.

Dirk

[birchyboy]

Too bad about them closing. I went to the Delkevic store in Englewood last week and was talking to the woman at the counter. She said they just opened a store up North at the I25 & Windsor exit. I'm glad that they are doing well enough to open a store right now.

[OUTLAWD]

damn...really? They were great guys and really worked with the local riders/racers

[Depths_of_Mind]

Sign of the times! The "Harley":wtf: shop in Colorado Springs no longer sells Ducatis. RIP. What???? That only lasted about 2 years?:applause:

but they still sell the BMW's :( I am displeased with their service, and it's the only bimmer dealer besides denver :(

[aerofaze]

Sign of the times! The "Harley":wtf: shop in Colorado Springs no longer sells Ducatis. RIP. What???? That only lasted about 2 years?:applause:


but they still sell the BMW's :( I am displeased with their service, and it's the only bimmer dealer besides denver :(

Yeah, the Ducs are off the PP Harley showroom. I knew it would be downhill when PPMS BMW/Duc was picked up by PPHD- miss the days when they had their own shop off of 21st St. Heard that any Ducs remaining at PPHD are now on sale for $2K-$4K off.

As for service stuffs I can't do myself, Boulder Motorsports, here I come.

[chronicboy]

gota be tough for a dealer now, i also do what i can to support them
i basicly do a 20% rule with them, if they can offer the product withen 20% MORE of what i can get on the internet, i buy it from the dealer
- this is for smaller items, when talking $1000+purchases it does not apply

[chronicboy]

[QUOTE=dirkterrell;537978]Hmm, maybe I can get a sweet deal on one of those new VFRs. :D

those new VFRs are sweet!

[MRA 32]

Yeah this sucks! I-Honda was one of my race sponsors, it really sucks to see good people lose their business. I talked to the service manager and it sounds like he will be around for a week or two tying up loose ends. To most of the population owning a motorcycle is an extra expense, so it is surprising that more shops haven't closed their doors yet...I have heard some talk that some of the Harley dealers got a little to big for their britches and we may see a few of them disappear too.

Jeff

[usmcab35]

i was in sun honda the other day buying a cable lube tool and over heard to employees saying " the yamaha shop down the road is closing"???? not sure which one, but sounded close to sun honda, maybe victory?

[modette99]

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[TinkerinWstuff]

My pet peeve is when a shop says "we can order that"...my response is, so can I for much cheaper so if I got to order well my business is going elsewhere.

By the time you add shipping to your online order the prices are probably the same. Or within a couple bucks of it.

But that's fine, you can send your money to some guy in his boxer shorts half way across the country. He can pay taxes on the income to fund schools and government in his community or maybe sponsor a race track there instead of here.

I know with Interstate Honda, I developed a relationship by buying my parts there. And when I needed the help of a special tool, I brought my part in there and they took care of me for free. The internet clown doesn't do that shit for you. I know if I had a problem with a part or a component then I could walk in and meet a person face to face who resolved my issue. Half the internet houses are lucky if you can get a live person on the phone.

[MRA 32]

The problem up north was the big push to buy expensive dirt, new building, and do it all right on I-25. How many bikes do you have to sell and repair to service your facility debt AND pay employees? It don't take a rocket scientist to figure out how hard it is to pay for a 2+ million dollar facility with out selling many bikes. I see that Thunder Mountain had to move out of their "corp headquarters" due to financial crisis...How long can they survive?

This will simply thin the herd. Do we need two Honda dealers in a twenty five radius? How much longer will Ft. Collins Motorsports be around? I sure hope everybody else survives but I think a few more will fall in the next year.

[OUTLAWD]

Its hard up here, there isn't a huge population to support the businesses...

anytime I stop in FoCoMoSpo they never have what I want/need, and I-state Honda was better, but I don't ride red. I would really like to support my local shops, but when I can run down to denver to Performance or 303, they either have it in stock or can drop ship it to me in a day or so, for cheaper than I can mail order it.

[TinkerinWstuff]

I have not had the best of luck at FoCoMoSpo either. I've given them several chances. Always felt like I was more appreciated over at I-Honda (probably true since they had one foot out the door). If other people like them, that's fine. I never had a bad experience there.

But hey, we have Steele's up here in Windsor now. I would not be happy if they ended up with Honda.

[modette99]

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[derekm]

i was in sun honda the other day buying a cable lube tool and over heard to employees saying " the yamaha shop down the road is closing"???? not sure which one, but sounded close to sun honda, maybe victory?
coyote? vickery? gofrce?

[usmcab35]

i dont know, they saw me looking at them and stopped talking about it and asked if they could find anything for me...

[CaneZach]

Hey Tinker, if the local shop has a competitive rate, I have no problems shopping there. I also don't mind paying more if I want or need something today. Sure, I can save some $$$ shopping online, but I'm impatient, so if I don't want to wait, I'll suck it up and spend the extra $$$.

What I do have a problem with is when the local shop isn't willing to come down on their price. I've been to Rocky Mountain Cycle Plaza a few times to look at gear. They always ask for MSRP on whatever they're selling. You can get a discount card (10% off IIRC), but it costs you $20. They had a Joe Rocket textile jacket I really liked, so I saw how much they were asking for ($229), took off 10% (-$23), then added 7.5% in taxes (about $15.50), so the total cost (not counting the cost of the discount card), was still about $222. I pull out my phone, go to one of my favorite online stores, and see them selling the same jacket for $169, shipped. I asked if they would be willing to match the internet price, which they weren't. I asked if they would be willing to come down on price, which they weren't. I thanked them and walked out the door. When I got home, I ordered my jacket and in less than a week, I was hanging up my brand new jacket.

With all that said, I can tell you the store definitely lost out. Anyone on here who knows me can tell you I buy a ton of gear every year. Two weeks ago, I picked up a new RS Taichi suit and a new helmet for next race season from 303. A week before that, I picked up an Alpinestars MX-1 suit from a fellow board member. I bought 2 jackets, 2 pairs of gloves, 2 pairs of boots, and 2 or 3 helmets last year alone. The year before was no different.

I don't feel like I'm entitled to a discount or that the store should match the price. It's their right to charge whatever they want, just as it's my right to shop around for the best price. I will say this: There are plenty of shops I will spend my money at because they will either have the best price, be willing to match the best price, or at least make it worth my time to shop there. Those shops will always get my money.

[TinkerinWstuff]

I'm with ya Zach. We probably shop alike. I certainly have bought stuff online. My only point is that local dealers/shops/businesses (motorcycle or otherwise) are important and it's a good idea to at least give them a shot at earning your business.

[OUTLAWD]

i try to do the same thing...but when I first moved out here, I needed tires on the triumph, I figured I would try to support the local Euro bike dealer, and they quoted me $500+ for a set of pilot powers mounted off the bike, I kinda laughed and told them I would get back to them.

I don't have the time/patience to shop around and play the price match game, I have 2-3 dealers that I support for various reasons, and 1-2 websites...

[modette99]

Y..

[usmcab35]

Yep, with the invention of smartphones dealers can not longer look at you like your crazy or that you are lying about a place selling the item for X amount. I simply show the smart phone and say "what can you do to match, beat, or at least come down. Whats your best price?" No one pays MSRP on products. Last guy I thanked for letting me try on the helmet and I'll be ordering Online....his face turned bright red as he was pissed as I turned and walked out. Having run a business is it not better to make $20 and have a repeat customer or stick to your guns of $50 profit and not make one single dollar and have a customer who will not probably come back!!! I swear a lot of businesses fail when it comes to business 101...maybe its not the owner, but the lack of ability to let the associates haggle with the customer.

I still love how a dealer told me that online tires were rejects thus is how they charged a lot less for them...Only time I laughed out loud and turned and walked away shaking my head.

i agree, sometimes the greed gets to people..

[R1NORI]

You have to give the local dealers a shot.
And you can't always expect them to match an internet price with zero profit.
It would be like your boss telling you that he wasn't going to pay you for the day because he was trying to be "competetive", or that a sweat shop could do it for 50 cents a hour.
You would be pissed to say the least.

[CaneZach]

You have to give the local dealers a shot.
And you can't always expect them to match an internet price with zero profit.
It would be like your boss telling you that he wasn't going to pay you for the day because he was trying to be "competetive", or that a sweat shop could do it for 50 cents a hour.
You would be pissed to say the least.

Here's my take on your analogy:

If you're in the market for a new car an dealer A has the car you want priced at $15K while dealer B is telling you $20k, take it or leave it, who would you shop with?

[modette99]

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[modette99]

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[R1NORI]

When you pay retail at the store for milk etc.
Do you beat them up because a gallon of milk only costs them 75 cents and they retail it for $2.00 plus?
Or did you just buy a cow and keep it in your back yard? LOL

[Dave]

Yeah, the Ducs are off the PP Harley showroom. I knew it would be downhill when PPMS BMW/Duc was picked up by PPHD- miss the days when they had their own shop off of 21st St. Heard that any Ducs remaining at PPHD are now on sale for $2K-$4K off.

As for service stuffs I can't do myself, Boulder Motorsports, here I come.

I just spoke to Matt in Sales at Pikes Peak Harley:
- They are still an authorized Ducati service shop- IMHO that’s good news.
- MV Agusta and Hyosung bike sales have also ceased
- The East Side Harley Dealer (on Powers) has closed

[modette99]

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[modette99]

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[TinkerinWstuff]

No, I go to the store that has it on sale...Actually Milk being subsidized drastically should cost $8 a gallon so I had read.

You should probably keep reading

[modette99]

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