Some people can mend/maintain bikes, etc. Some people can make money. Some fortunate buggers can do both
I know, it's embarrassing, never had a bike reach the miles where they've needed done before. Not changed yet, scheduled for March - impossible to get Renthal kit by the way unless anyone knows differently? I'll take a look and see what's what before I take her in.
Thing is, like insurance, the bulk of the ‘price’ is ‘cost’ so will always be low % wise. It’s parts & service they make from, plus kick backs from sales volumes and finance goodies. Software is the real place to be: by time you have paid back the dev cost, you’re running at 95% profit on that products if you maintain it right and invest in the next software that users/customer then have to upgrade fully to in 3-5yrs
Do you not have an independent workshop close that you could have fit the C&S to, I would hope that they would be a fair bit less than £90 per hour.
This is an independent in Aberdeen, not even Aprilia or Ducati franchise. Just recently been acquired by a North East car dealership if I recall which may explain the hike as I don't recall hourly rate being this high before, but I may be wrong. I did google Ape dealerships in Scotland but some distance away and more worryingly a cursory look suggests they're mainly into scooters. At £90 I will definitely be taking the Pan to Glasgow Ducati...although think they get slated here too right?
Some people are practical. Others, like me, are incompetent cack handed Luddites and therefore have to pay someone to do stuff :/
Are Shirlaws still going? They were Triumph dealers last time I was up that way. Not sure what the latest Ducati Glasgow reputation is like. It did used to be brilliant. Bloody shame it hit turbulent times. Might still be great! I’ve lost touch a bit…
Hey up Lads, another potential customer, I could be on to something here! I can see it now on the side of ma wee van (electric of course) "Bonkers The Dog Basic Tickles for you pride and joy, may do bikes as well". Maybe I could combine it with a mobile dog grooming business, not that I knw anything about skinning a mutt but judging by some of the canine "do's" I see round my bit I am bloody certain I could do a better job with some garden shears and some welders gloves!
The thing I don’t really get is for general servicing how many hours labour is it? I think I get charged 1 hour for an oil change, so if the ‘rate’ was £20 cheaper it’s hardly going to buy me a Bentley is it. The business model they have is expensive to maintain and needs to be paid for, so put simply either the bike costs go up or the labour rate is higher. If the dealer goes bust then you need to travel further to buy/service etc. That said I wasn’t aware bike servicing and warranty was different to cars which I don’t agree with, you should have the choice to go elsewhere.
Yes but as I say recently bought over. Good guys and it looks like the name is remaining but as others commented there's not a lot of margin in selling bikes so I guess after a few years of pain they decided to sell up. Relocated but think most of the faces have gone too so hopefully no/few jobs lost.
The dealer I used for over 40 years sold Honda amongst others. Until Honda told them their bikes had to have a separate showroom. Later they were Ducati dealers, until Ducati pulled the same stunt. I'd rather pay less for the servicing than subsidise a fancy showroom.
What about the fine, free Ayetallion coffee? That has to be worth an extra £20 on the labour rate surely?
When I was buying a new BMW RR the sales clowns were my new best mates. Big smiles and hand shakes every time I wandered in. They went off me after I'd paid for it though. I don't recall them ever shaking my hand at the bike shop I used for years, more likely some light hearted sarcasm.
I didn’t buy my bike from Worcester Ducati but I’ve had 2 services there and due a 3rd this summer. The sales guy is always up for a chat, saw him on the stand at the bike show and he came over for a chin wag, I went in yesterday for a nosey and he came out of his office for a good 10 minute chat, no talk of selling me a bike but just chatting. Yes it’s about £80 an hour which isn’t cheap but I think I’d have more chance of getting something put right if it fails after Ducati have service it rather than a “normal” bike shop?
How fast is a bastard? Are there different leagues? Is there a scale? The one entrenched in No10 is sure dragging his feet. Lil' bit of poltics there ma friends...
I get that none of us want to pay a lot for a standard service, and to be honest does it really need doing every year if you don’t do a lot of miles? It is a money making opportunity but you can blame the manufacturers. I ran my own design company and I would have to buy expensive software (Photoshop etc). I would always hesitate before upgrading until I was sure the benefits were worth it. It got to a point where the upgrades weren’t really adding any new features or benefits so they switched to a subscription model. In the past the upgrades would probably cost me £500 a copy, the subscription was ‘only’ £15 to £20 a month. It might not surprise you that I’m still using the 10 year old software and it works perfectly well and I don’t miss any of the new features… it feels like bike servicing is going the same way
I bought a few bikes from Vines in Guildford. When I was buying bikes from them, I was their best mate. The minute I bought one from Bahnstormer, their attitude completely changed, and they didn’t want to know me. I used to change bikes every few months, so since then have bought another 5 bikes from Bahnstormer. Back to the OP, I don’t have a problem paying dealer servicing costs; as a business owner I understand how much it actually costs to run a business, as I’ve been running my own businesses for nearly 30 years. I want them to be there when I need the bike servicing, or parts, or have an issue with my bike, so will continue to support them.
