Preston Harley (Bowker) down

Gyp

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Apparently they closed the doors at New Year, but it's only just popped up in my news feed.

Were they are poor dealer or is this just a taste of things to come?

I wonder what happened to the stock?

Despite market conditions there doesn't seem to be much discounting going on. It took a fair amount of haggling to get even a small discount on the one I've got reserved at Gateshead Harley. No idea if/when I'll get it.
 
Gyp said:
Apparently they closed the doors at New Year, but it's only just popped up in my news feed.

Were they are poor dealer or is this just a taste of things to come?

I wonder what happened to the stock?

Despite market conditions there doesn't seem to be much discounting going on. It took a fair amount of haggling to get even a small discount on the one I've got reserved at Gateshead Harley. No idea if/when I'll get it.
Click to expand...

From what I can gather, they (Bowker) have been wobbling for months. In my experience they were one of the H-D dealers who never got back to you or followed up on enquiries, just goes to show what the end result of that attitude is.
 
Big Si said:
From what I can gather, they (Bowker) have been wobbling for months. In my experience they were one of the H-D dealers who never got back to you or followed up on enquiries, just goes to show what the end result of that attitude is.
Click to expand...

Quite true.

I know I've seen things elsewhere about sales picking up, however very few on the bikes I've been watching on Autotrader and ebay over the last few months have sold.

Of the ones I'm aware of, Gateshead/Leeds have everyone furloughed, and Cheltenham have everyone apart from the Dealer Principal furloughed too.

The BMW dealers that I'm in contact with (Cheltenham and Rybrook) still seem to be operating, so perhaps BMW have a more viable business model. Time will tell.
 
Gyp said:
Quite true.

I know I've seen things elsewhere about sales picking up, however very few on the bikes I've been watching on Autotrader and ebay over the last few months have sold.

Of the ones I'm aware of, Gateshead/Leeds have everyone furloughed, and Cheltenham have everyone apart from the Dealer Principal furloughed too.

The BMW dealers that I'm in contact with (Cheltenham and Rybrook) still seem to be operating, so perhaps BMW have a more viable business model. Time will tell.
Click to expand...

Yes, I agree. I even had an email from Cotswold Motorrad yesterday asking to buy good recent BM's (4-5 years old or newer with FSH).
 
Big Si said:
Yes, I agree. I even had an email from Cotswold Motorrad yesterday asking to buy good recent BM's (4-5 years old or newer with FSH).
Click to expand...

Interesting - I wonder if they want mine? Selling privately (to make way for the HD) isn't easy at the moment.
 
Car sales in 2020 were lowest for many decades

Something like 50-60% down

If bike sales were the same, then there will be a few bike dealers ceasing too

With the staff levels they carry, they cannot carry on even with furlough

The premises alone cost £2-3m to build and funding the loans on that with reduced t/o cannot go on for very long

Fixed costs will finish then off, despite HMG funding short term staff costs

Consumer indecision caused by lack of clarity in their jobs only makes it worse

It’s shit on a stick
 
There are only so many 50 somethings who commit themselves to buying a Harley.
Most I see at bike meets, whether rallies, cafe’s or nowhere places are on GS’s.

Nowadays a big expensive bike is a bucket list item bought through PCP loans.



Patria o Muerte
 
JohnnyBoxer said:
Car sales in 2020 were lowest for many decades

Something like 50-60% down

If bike sales were the same, then there will be a few bike dealers ceasing too

With the staff levels they carry, they cannot carry on even with furlough

The premises alone cost £2-3m to build and funding the loans on that with reduced t/o cannot go on for very long

Fixed costs will finish then off, despite HMG funding short term staff costs

Consumer indecision caused by lack of clarity in their jobs only makes it worse

It’s shit on a stick
Click to expand...

It’s less about shit-on-a-stick, and more about reality?
Harley’s UK financial business model is from another galaxy, and always has been.

Just supports the view that anything with wheels, bought from a garage, is more about selling a finance package to the buyer, than anything to do with the intrinsic value of the product.
 
JoeBiff said:
It’s less about shit-on-a-stick, and more about reality?
Harley’s UK financial business model is from another galaxy, and always has been.

Just supports the view that anything with wheels, bought from a garage, is more about selling a finance package to the buyer, than anything to do with the intrinsic value of the product.
Click to expand...


Harley finance is Black Horse...(Lloyds) so they will only make a few points... unlike say BMW /VW or Ford who have their own in house credit
 
Big Si said:
From what I can gather, they (Bowker) have been wobbling for months. In my experience they were one of the H-D dealers who never got back to you or followed up on enquiries, just goes to show what the end result of that attitude is.
Click to expand...

I bought my RKS from Bowker in September and the guys I dealt with were very good and always got back to me, so its a real shame if they have ceased for good. :confused:
 
Might not be anything to do with Harley and more to do with looking at where there money is better invested ... like the multi million pound Porsche centre they’ve recently opened, which is a proper money maker.
 
thebuyer said:
Might not be anything to do with Harley and more to do with looking at where there money is better invested ... like the multi million pound Porsche centre they’ve recently opened, which is a proper money maker.
Click to expand...

I came so close to buying a Porsche, but then realised that my Wankers Certificate was not eligible, so I escaped that one last embarrassment of my mortal soul.
 
My go to BMW dealer for bikes, but went with a mate to that dealership once.

Scruffy bearded sales staff (women too) in jeans trying too hard to match the rider image, but taking no care of visitors.

Test ride was booked, but the previous rider had dropped it and waiting for recovery. Another rider rode a demo bike out of the car park, to the traffic lights right outside and dropped the fucking bike.
 
Monty B said:
My go to BMW dealer for bikes, but went with a mate to that dealership once.

Scruffy bearded sales staff (women too) in jeans trying too hard to match the rider image, but taking no care of visitors.

Test ride was booked, but the previous rider had dropped it and waiting for recovery. Another rider rode a demo bike out of the car park, to the traffic lights right outside and dropped the fucking bike.
Click to expand...

Jesus; no wonder it is getting harder to get a test ride especially on the big heavy £££££ bikes.
I miss the open roadshows of the 80’s of factory registered bikes brought around to their dealers for punters to have a ride on.



Patria o Muerte
 
Monty B said:
My go to BMW dealer for bikes, but went with a mate to that dealership once.

Scruffy bearded sales staff (women too) in jeans trying too hard to match the rider image, but taking no care of visitors.

Test ride was booked, but the previous rider had dropped it and waiting for recovery. Another rider rode a demo bike out of the car park, to the traffic lights right outside and dropped the fucking bike.
Click to expand...

People being the problem, not the bikes....It is the way it is now, no one expects anything to be different and thinks it is all easy....Scrape the fuckers up and throw them away. (The people)
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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