Warning - Riossi (formerly Carnell & Motorcycle City)

Facts:
1. they have closed several branches in the last few months
2. they are knocking out a lot of stock at silly prices

Trade rumour: impending receivership

By all means buy a bargain from their clothing or accessory shop. However, pay by credit card so if it breaks you will be able to get a refund from the bank.

Again, if you really must order a bike from them, pay the deposit by credit card so that you can get a refund.

I would avoid using their service departments as they are crap and the receiver may refuse to release your bike from the workshop until he establishes ownership.

This has been a public service announcement

Xposted to the pub

Being in the retail trade i heard this a couple of weeks ago but thought iy was just another take over but i have recently heard that there backers (bank of Scotland) have pulled the plug on them.
I hope its not true as i know some of the staff in my local branch quite well and they are a friendly bunch and i hate to see anybody loose there job.

But i fear it could be true so keep an eye out for some bargains in the coming months.

Dixon Motors, the Riossi parent company, and a major car retailer, was bought by a division of the Royal Bank of Scotland (not Bank of Scotland) in April 2002 http://www.ananova.com/business/story/sm_572603.html

RBS, already big players in car insurance and retailing, through Direct Line and Jamjar.co.uk wanted access to Dixon Motors huge stock of cars.

Bike sales just do not figure in the business plan.

These guys are much maligned, however I have nothing but praise for Riossi in Wells. I bought my Pegaso off them. When it needed a new head gasket (as all Pegasos eventually do!) there was no quibble. The sales guy Richard seems pretty straight. When you walk through the door all the staff greet you by name. Their range of accessories is excellent and they frequently have some fantastic offers. In the end I almost felt guilty that I didn't buy a new V-Strom from them and got a GS instead.

I for one will mourn the loss of this store.

Farnborough North Camp on the other hand - what a bunch of tossers. They deserve to close for ignoring me for 10 minutes then fobbing me off with a one word answer.

Mike

Used to live just down the road from "shitty City" in Farnborough North Camp. In those days I ws starting my two-wheeled career, and they used to treat me with disdain as I turned up on my grotty Suzuki A100 to wind them up about part-exing it for a CB750 !

I would never buy a bike from them - their concept of after-sales service never appealed much - A friend bought a brand new Kwacker Z550 and took it back with numerous faults - they were not interested and did not honour the warranty. He was not in a position to take it further and was left forking out large sums of money for expensive new electrical bits.

6X

i to rember never buying anything there dew to there ateetued.

Going broke, another good reason on keeping yourt business small.

Sharks from the Cess Pool

They've never recovered from the exposure their dodgy servicing techniques got on TV then the follow-up in the motorcycle press. Back in the early days they were my local dealer and I used to buy clothing from them (Baleno kit was damed good value), though once I got my Diversion serviced there and it was pure bollox. Never been back since, except at NEC & BMF but still not bought anything for years - let 'em die thats what I say.

There speaks the voice of compassion

pint6x said:

There speaks the voice of compassion

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Forgive my tyrant - but any company management who think they can win back customers with a makeover and a few kind words in the M/C press doesn't deserve my praise or money. Sure there are good individuals within the company and they will return at a dealer near you soon - the rest can flip burgers for all I care

Well, here's my Carnell story . . .

I bought a new Kawasaki ZZR1100D6 from them in one of their big cut-price sales at a bargain price. Even better still they gave me a fantastic deal on part-ex for the flying brick I'd owned for less than two months (Triumph Trophy 1200 - shocking bike, couldn't get rid of it fast enough).

Anyway, they pissed around with the PDI and took forever. When I collected the bike I noticed a leak in one of the fork seals. So, I had to leave the bike with them. They took nearly a week to get another set in and get the bike to me. By this time the tax had run out on my Triumph. They didn't want to know even though, technically, the Triumph belonged to them as we'd completed the paperwork when I'd gone to pick the bike up. I asked for a courtesy bike. They said keep the Triumph. I got the impression that they would have been happy to back out of the deal all together (they'd made a mistake on the value of my Trumpet and I was getting the ZZR for rock-bottom money).

The manager actually said to me, "we saw you ride in on that thing and felt sorry for you; we gave you such a good deal in order to get you onto a proper bike" - the Triumph, btw, was in immaculate condition, 4 years old, low miles; I just didn't like it; and they sold it on within a couple of weeks no problems.

When I called them to check that the ZZR was ready for collection (I continually had to call them; they NEVER called me) I had a new number plate made up. The manager took me out to the bike, handed me the keys and a £50 voucher to spend in the shop. He asked me to fill in a customer satisfaction survey and said, "I hope this demonstrates that we take customer care very seriously". I took out a screwdriver from my pocket and immediately started to remove the number plate. He said, "I wouldn't put a small number plate on if I were you . . . this kind of bike attracts attention from the police. Anyway, we've put a brand new plate on for you" (which, of course, had the Carnell logo big and bold across the bottom of it). To which I replied, showing him my new perfectly legal plate, "If you think I'm riding out of this car park advertising a shit-hole like this, then you're seriously deluded. As it happens, I only bought the ZZR from you because you were stupid enough to give me £300 more than I paid for the Triumph a month ago. I just felt sorry for you." He quickly scuttled off inside before I could fill out the questionnaire. But I had one in my pocket anyway which I filled in and sent to head office!

judge said:

Sure there are good individuals within the company and they will return at a dealer near you soon

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Absolutely right . . . good spannermen are like gold dust and those that know it can more or less hold an M/C business to ransom for fear of losing them. Likewise, good sales personnel will get employment elswhere in the motoring industry. Those in the workshop or out on the shop floor that don't cut the mustard can, as Judge says, go flip burgers.

The industry is well shot of a bunch of cowboys like these. Shitty City is with out doubt the worse outfit I have ever dealt with and I am still awaiting calls that were promised many years ago. The bubble has burst on them and their reputation has finaly bit them back. We pay good money for good kit but can you immagine a car dealer treating customers in the same way as Shiitty City.

Originally posted by ANDY MELTON snipped
[BWe pay good money for good kit but can you immagine a car dealer treating customers in the same way as Shiitty City. [/B]

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Oddly, I can, and even more oddly they sell cars with the very same letters that appear, perhaps not for much longer, on my bike.

Shug

Simon Eassom said:

To which I replied, showing him my new perfectly legal plate, "If you think I'm riding out of this car park advertising a shit-hole like this, then you're seriously deluded. As it happens, I only bought the ZZR from you because you were stupid enough to give me £300 more than I paid for the Triumph a month ago. I just felt sorry for you."

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Fantastic ! hope you didn't have to go back there with any warranty issues

I have delt with these for years (locked in with service contract)and they have attempted to rip me off several times. The best attempt was in 97 when I ordered the new Honda Blackbird (shite apart from blue ones ay SE) I had heard rumours about "parallels" which were just starting to come to punters attention. When ready I asked for frame No. called Honda UK and checked, yep from Belgium, told them to poke it and find me a uk bike which they did 2 days later. Turns out they had been selling parallels @ full uk list for sometime, imagine the money punters lost when the parallel bubble burst.
My dealings with them are usually hit an run now as they do discount heavily.
What will be the knock on if they go ? will the other dealers then increase prices as there is less competion ?

Yes, Riossi appears to be 'drain-circling', but there are some bargains to be had.

Own-brand one-piece wet-weather oversuits down from £49.99 to £9.99 caught my eye, but there's loads of stuff seriously discounted.




Greg

Big Den said:

What will be the knock on if they go ? will the other dealers then increase prices as there is less competion ?

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There is a big problem with supply exceeding demand. Riossi take large stocks of bikes from the manufacturers and knock them out at low profit margins.

Result: huge stocks of unsold secondhand bikes and very low residuals. Anyone that bought a GSXR1000 when they first came out is looking at a huge loss as you can buy a new one at £2500 below list price.

Hopefully, some stability to bike sales will return. People will buy bikes from solvent independent dealers who offer decent levels of customer service. Manufacturers will work out that flooding the market is not a sound long term business strategy (yes I know this is a complete fantasy). Second hand residuals for all bikes will firm up and the twats that have a fashion accessory CBSXRZX2275RR-XYZ with matching Power Ranger leather romper suit will find some other hobby to occupy them for the 3 weekends of the year that they would be using the bike.

Ah, that's better. Few things beat a good rant.

If Farnborough closes the future for Hein Gericke 100 yds up the road will be in doubt!!

and the twats that have a fashion accessory CBSXRZX2275RR-XYZ with matching Power Ran

Hey stop slagging me off !!
The people in Liverpool don't use their Riossi shop either !! It always seems empty of people to me - mind you, I visit at about 3 am !!

R100GS rule..... but I did overtake one today on my blade