25 July!

[Fizzy]

Ok everyone, I'm planning a trip into the Springs and I'll be there for a week starting 25 July. For those of you that don't read the wheelie warriors thread, or the Welcome thread here's a little about me, and what I plan on bringing to the Colorado motorcycle scene:

I'm currently serving in the Air Force in Japan. I ride just about any bike I can get my hand on, currently a Honda F4 with all the stunt extras. I also own 3 dirtbikes, a 50cc pocket rocket, and a little Ka'wi KSR 110... Just sold my Duc ST2, and I'm a little sad...

Anyways - The Air Force is not my thing anymore, and I'm looking to change things up. I'm originally from Colrado Springs, and it just seems natural to move back there and start some kind of motorcycle business...

The motorcycle business in question will include the following:
Initially:
Full load dyno
Gear
Bolt-on parts
Aftermarket accessories
Stunt bike parts
Used bikes
Stunt park

Eventually:
Full service bike repair/ servicing (I'll be hiring a mechanic if anyone is looking for a job!)
race and stunt upgrades in the garage
MSF course (I'm also a Rider Coach)
Stunt competitions
Custom bikes
General hooligan-ness


The reason I am bringing this up is because I would love to get together with some of the SOCO crowd and get ideas, and feedback on the store.

I am getting out of the Air Force with a wife and 4 kids to follow my passion of motorcycles, so I have to make sure it is a wise decision, and that the area can support another store.

I think this store will be like no other bike shop/gear supplier around, as it is a "by bikers for bikers" kind of thing.

I'm all about the community - strengthening it, building it, and partying with it. Bike nights and events will be a regular happening at the shop. It's somewhere we can go and pretty much do what we want without having to worry about anybody harrassing us.

Another thing is I'm not doing this to get rich, so you can expect reasonable prices. As long as I make enough money to keep riding, and pay for health insurance, I'm happy lol.

Anyways, just a heads up - If anyone is free, let me know, I'll BUMP this up before I jump on the plane back to the states.

Look forward to meeting you guys!

[Matty]

good luck.... seen a few shops similar to what you're trying to do back in Los Angeles fail. Most guys who stunt usually repair their own shit. And when they are getting ready to start stunting they usually have a hook up on parts, if not, they really only need to buy one 12 bar, one cage, a larger rear sprocket, and maybe a rear handbrake setup. And that's it. You'll never see them again. As for the other variety of riders you need to have a BIG shop. Similar to a Performance or Cycle Gear (which actually plans to open in the Springs in the next few months). But to open that kind of shop you need $$$. I just don't see the small shops staying in business for this type of hobby.

Keep the location in mind and advertise.

[navajowalks]

Stunters need stuff for there bikes to... do you not think we do maintence on our bikes. we change our oil regularly, we have to replace fork seals, we upgrade parts on our bikes like clip ons and rear sets, how long do you think tires last for somebody riding wheelies and doing burn outs. its not just throwing a cage and sprocket on and calling it good. i spend tons of money on my bike. and i would spend it somewhere that supported what i do with my bike 9 times out of 10. Fizzy hit me up when you get out here.

[Matty]

Stunters need stuff for there bikes to... do you not think we do maintence on our bikes. we change our oil regularly, we have to replace fork seals, we upgrade parts on our bikes like clip ons and rear sets, how long do you think tires last for somebody riding wheelies and doing burn outs. its not just throwing a cage and sprocket on and calling it good. i spend tons of money on my bike. and i would spend it somewhere that supported what i do with my bike 9 times out of 10. Fizzy hit me up when you get out here.

ya but don't you do most of the work yourself??? ya i know you're breaking shit all the time, and need parts as well but they ain't the type of parts that's going to keep a shop in business. a clutch and brake lever here, a blown fork seal there, etc... And as for tires, trust me i know how long they last running at 18 psi and doing burnouts. and if you got the $$$ to buy a new rear tire every month cool, but most people that i know who stunt or use to to stunt were buying take offs or used tires. And if Fizzy plans to buy take offs and/or used tires, i don't see him making a profit that will pay the bills.

like i said, good luck to Fizzy, I hope the shop does well and becomes a success. i've just seen 2 or 3 shops back in Cali with the same idea fail within the first two years open.

[navajowalks]

ya but don't you do most of the work yourself??? ya i know you're breaking shit all the time, and need parts as well but they ain't the type of parts that's going to keep a shop in business. a clutch and brake lever here, a blown fork seal there, etc... And as for tires, trust me i know how long they last running at 18 psi and doing burnouts. and if you got the $$$ to buy a new rear tire every month cool, but most people that i know who stunt or use to to stunt were buying take offs or used tires. And if Fizzy plans to buy take offs and/or used tires, i don't see him making a profit that will pay the bills.

like i said, good luck to Fizzy, I hope the shop does well and becomes a success. i've just seen 2 or 3 shops back in Cali with the same idea fail within the first two years open.

yeah i hear what your saying. i do work on my bike for the most part. and i don't think his shop will just be for stunters but hes going to try and carry stuff for them, where most shops can order something but dont really have certain things in stock and aren't normally geared towards that aspect of motorcycle riding. Stunt riding is getting bigger as everyday goes by. And i don't think that he has to just rely on the stunters in colorado springs to keep the doors open but i'm sure if he had the right connections as far as suppliers he could also get a online store going for this region. my favorite idea is the stunt park even if its a empty parking lot he lets us ride in.

[Tipys]

I for one wouldn't ever see myself going to a shop that has a stunt park at it.

[dirkterrell]

I for one wouldn't ever see myself going to a shop that has a stunt park at it.

Why is that?

Dirk

[Mental]

Actually I would. One of the challenges facing stunters is legitimizing the sport. Part of that involves controlled enviroments and a mentor type relationship to get the wanna bs off the street. If a shop embraces that reality and is trying to legitmize the activity by giving folks a controlled place to do it, then thats someone who cars about motorcycling in general and it makes us all look better.

Waaaaaay back when the stop signs still said whoa, I was a skater. There were no skate shoes, you wore Converse with Duct tape, and certainly no skate parks. I remeber being chased from everry store front, city park, high school there was. Cities passed anti skateboard legislation and we were hassled by police for just riding the things on teh sidewalk. Finally wiser peaple started to realize if you acknoledge the sport, give peaple a place to do it then it makes it better for everyone. Skate parks popped up, and skaters kind of became a self-regulating bunch.

Stunting is following to same path. Right now, the true stunt enthusast are looking for sites out of the way, where they aren't bothered and are safe. When they find them, they make sure they keep it clean, no spray paint, beer bottle food wrappers etc. They encourage the new folks to keep it off the street. That way the rest of us non-stunters are judged by the actions of a doofus riding a wheelie down Powers.

A stunt park shows the by and large ignorant community that bikers aren't all degenerate lunatic with no regard for public safety. That makes it better for all of us.

[dallas]

Why is that?

Dirk

He tears his shit up just fine on public roads, a stunt park would only make him tear up his shit even faster.

[Matty]

Why is that?

Dirk

[Tipys]

He tears his shit up just fine on public roads, a stunt park would only make him tear up his shit even faster.

Ya thanks for calling me out jerk!!! I was gonna say because Dallas goes to stunt parks. and that he is already stalking me as it is.

Mental I see your point most people that stunk like that are already just going to empty parking lots to do it. The ones that are still doing it on the street wheelie here wheelie there or all the way down powers is still going to be happpening.

With it having a stunt park at the shop the shop is gonna end up being a stunt Baised shop and I don't stunt.

[dirkterrell]

With it having a stunt park at the shop the shop is gonna end up being a stunt Baised shop and I don't stunt.

Just because they cater to the stunting crowd wouldn't, in and of itself, make them a bad choice for you. The guy might be the best damn mechanic around. He might give you the best deal on stuff you need. And Mental makes good points about the benefits of having a place for stunters to go and do what they enjoy doing that is safer for them and the rest of the public. I'd support a business that did that event though stunting isn't my thing.

Dirk

[Matty]

Just because they cater to the stunting crowd wouldn't, in and of itself, make them a bad choice for you. The guy might be the best damn mechanic around. He might give you the best deal on stuff you need. And Mental makes good points about the benefits of having a place for stunters to go and do what they enjoy doing that is safer for them and the rest of the public. I'd support a business that did that event though stunting isn't my thing.

Dirk

And again...

[dallas]

With it having a stunt park at the shop the shop is gonna end up being a stunt Baised shop and I don't stunt.

Way to support the local guy T-dog.

I see great potential for this as the big stealerships are pretty much running the town. If he can come in and at least have prices somewhat close to the big guys in town, I would give my money to him instead.

[Mental]

... The ones that are still doing it on the street wheelie here wheelie there or all the way down powers is still going to be happpening...

Oh no doubt. But with a legitimate group of real stunters, you would have an additional group that gives the wheelie enthusiats another place to go. Kind of like having track days helps folks behave better on the streets. If you are a speed addict, you're gonna want to go fast. But if you have a better place to do it then thats an option. If you like wheelies and stoppies, you're gonna do it. Having a real place is gonna get them off the street and get folks off our backs.

Folks will still wheelie down Powers, but this way there will be fewer of them.

[Devaclis]

I think it would be badass to have a sponsored stunt spot. A place to hang out, buys stuff, and watch people doing things with a bike that make it hurt to pee. sounds like a fun place to hang out if you ask me.

[Tipys]

Dallas I in no way go to the big stealerships either in less I have to. I got a good Local guy that I go too.

[asp_125]

If you look at it as a retail outlet .. you have to compete with the other shops and online parts sites, and make your rent with sales. If you open it as a service, with gear on the side, then you stand a better chance of surviving. But based on two things, quality of work and customer service. A stunt park isn't gonna pay the bills, unless you charge the stunnaz a fee.. in which case most will just go find another empty lot. If it's a legit shop with good mechanics and customer service, you'll build a following of riders / customers.

I say this because of shops like TFOG and EPIC and 303 and other independents who do good work seem to survive against large stealerships.

[dallas]

I think it would be badass to have a sponsored stunt spot. A place to hang out, buys stuff, and watch people doing things with a bike that make it hurt to pee. sounds like a fun place to hang out if you ask me.

BIKER BOYS!!!!!!!!!!BIKER BOYS!!!!!!!!!!BIKER BOYS!!!!!!!!!!

"Yeah, I have heard of you. You are the crazy white guy who races with no lid........."

[#1Townie]

hey fizzy down the road if things are going good i would be interseted in this with you help on the yard payment of the lot things like that.. if i get the yard i want im going to pave it and ride in a gated yard that cops cant say shit about...

and guys realy a shop that just didt stunt bikes in this town.. they wouldnt last a month.. theres only like four or five of us that have full stunt bikes.. lets face it if your not dealing with all the riders there not going to make any money..

i like the idea but i have heard it before.. we may go to lots but at the same time we get kicked out too.. you may see me on the road every now and then but i like highway wheelies.. i like the feeling after hiting a mile and still going theres nothing like it.. draggin knee all that its not the same.. its so calm all the lifes dramas are lost and its just you and the wheelie.. i just cant afford any more tickets..

lets face it most riders in this town only last a year maybe two.. if all the kids hear about a place that they can go to to buy cages right there not order off the internet then i see tons of guys buying them.. the first kid to go to shell and say yeah i went there and they had my cage in stock and put it on that day then all the other kids are going to do it.. thats how that damn place works.. now with thngs like the 905 fairing savers and cages that im sure you wouldnt hit dragging knee more and more kids will buy them.. its a good idea and if you play on the newbs have what they want in stock then your going to sell.. winters will be the hardest to keep the shop open with fewer and fewer meeting at shell and sonic.. then the next summer starts and you have a whole new bunch of kids and army guys with money burnning holes in there pockets..

[#1Townie]

If you look at it as a retail outlet .. you have to compete with the other shops and online parts sites, and make your rent with sales. If you open it as a service, with gear on the side, then you stand a better chance of surviving. But based on two things, quality of work and customer service. A stunt park isn't gonna pay the bills, unless you charge the stunnaz a fee.. in which case most will just go find another empty lot. If it's a legit shop with good mechanics and customer service, you'll build a following of riders / customers.

I say this because of shops like TFOG and EPIC and 303 and other independents who do good work seem to survive against large stealerships.

stunters will never pay to ride at a spot.. wont happen..

at the same time people always talk about i wish they would take it off the street and blah blah but things like what happend last weekend makes me wish those kids would stay on the street and away from us..

[#1Townie]

Ya thanks for calling me out jerk!!! I was gonna say because Dallas goes to stunt parks. and that he is already stalking me as it is.

Mental I see your point most people that stunk like that are already just going to empty parking lots to do it. The ones that are still doing it on the street wheelie here wheelie there or all the way down powers is still going to be happpening.

With it having a stunt park at the shop the shop is gonna end up being a stunt Baised shop and I don't stunt.

tipys you dont even know any stunters.. youve never ridn with a guy who does nothing but whoolies in lots.. youv never hung out for a day in a lot to see whats it all about.. you feel into the crack of stunters suck and are nothing but assholes.. youv never seen how we help each other out when our bikes brake.. how we stick up for each other at the spots even if we just met for the first time that day.. you missed out on so much falling into the crowd of if you dont go to the track your a looser.. do you relize that if i needed to get to denver i could do it with out having to bribe the person.. i made it clear that people like you are not welcome at the spots... you know nothing about us but judge us as if you know everything.. your words in your own post i dont stunt so i wont go to a place that is trying to help everyone one out.. its cool man you dont do it.. dont come into a thread and be like i wouldnt go and talk down to a person who wants to do somthing new.. not that you realy did just sayn.. it did come off as a bit of a dick thing to say..

[dallas]

.......stunters suck and are nothing but assholes.....

I couldn't have said it better myself............

Actually I am just jelousy of stunting skills since I have zero..........

[#1Townie]

bring that dirt bike out of yours.. you dont have the skills cuz you never tryd.. just leave the latex and leather at home..