If you could run your own motorcycle (repair, parts, paint, and custom) shop, what items/services/ aspects would you like to see? What things would constitute the perfect shop to you? This is my attempt at market research.

 

oh jesus christ..... having been in the buisness waaaaaay too long..... where do I start???

 

with what has worked to grow and maintain your customer base

 

do good work, don't rape your customers, and the buisness will come.

Reputation is everything. You screw over one person, he tells ten people, they tell ten people, and it's downhill all the way. Word of mouth is the best advertisment you can get, use it to your advantage.


don't get too specific with what you work on/sell. A niche is great, but rarely will it pay the bills. Keep in mind not everyone rides what you ride, or for even the same reasons. Keep an open mind when it comes to what goes in and out of your shop. work is work, doesn't matter if it's metric, american, crotch rocket, cruiser, dirtbike, whatever. It's all just nuts and bolts.

 

come out to Southern California and check out some real motorcycle shops. Most of them are on a completely different level than the ones in Virginia when it comes to service, selection, design, and staff. I went to one mega-shop here that had more inventory of bikes than every dealer in Virginia.....combined. If you're doing market research it would be an awesome example of how great a shop can actually be

 

On my way

 

You're probably in a major city, where demand is high.. dont forget, we're in a little shit town that's barely populated. . . Almost everything here is half ass (not just bike wise), because there's no demand, or competition. Go to a major city and you will find the hot shit.

 

My dream shop would be staffed by only hot females in skimpy attire that knew their shit.
Yeah that would be my ideal
and they have to have Woodchuck on tap

 

a shop that doesn't charge 25 dollars a fucking tire to mount up, even when you bring them the wheel only. i said fuck these jokers around here and bought a tire changer.... when I lived in florida you could take your bike to a local shop and they would pull the wheels change the tires and put it all back together for 20 bucks

 

moving or visiting?