Britains potholed roads, freezing winters, wet summers, overcrowded roads, idiot drivers, over complicated machines, high insurance, high purchase and maintenance costs are some of the reasons bike sales are dwindling.
My local BMW dealership is part of the Vertu group, salesman/women need to sell three bikes every week to hit target. Needless to say they have a regular turnover of staff, what an awful way to earn a living.
That fancy showroom that manufacturers require you to have is big part of the problem, there isn't enough money in motorcycles to warrant the set up cost especially in the UK as its a seasonal hobby for many
It's the perfect storm. The Govt don't give a monkeys about bikers. The top manufacturers are too greedy. Insurance companies are parasitic. Bike thieves are a menace. The only saving grace are those Chinese bikes that are coming through. Quality builds with all those added extras as standard ! Major manufacturers take note.
@@125ZJK many valid points there mate. Triumph are taking the piss a bit with the new speed twin,standard one at £12,495 and the RS £14,995. It’s pricing people out of being able to afford a bike anymore. The second hand market is going to become stronger I feel
It's one thing having a part number but it's a world away from getting the part. Then there's planned obsolescence and limited lifespan tech junk. Hang on to those classics and don't be shamed into riding them in conditions they don't like.
As much as I dislike a lot of what Gen Z does, smart phones have nothing to do with it. The insanely expensive licensing process, insurance and cost of gear have raised the barrier to entry out of reach for most people in their 20s.
@tomblewomble3369 They should buy a used smart phone for£200, rather than £1400, then they will have money left over. In 1986 I paid £2100 punts to insure an Alfa Romeo as a 21 year old,when a weekly wage was £100. I was a grafter and did not have parents making excuses for me.
Bingo! There's a new electric motorcycle called a stark varg,biggest fad on them is you get a free mobile phone to control everything on them,hence selling like hotcakes to phone nerds lol😂
Cost of bikes, training and insurance is beyond the reach of most young people. Apart from being bad for the sake of motorcycling it's a real social mobility issue. If people don't have access to cheap and convenient transport, their employment options are restricted, especially in rural areas.
@@paulreadfern6313 a lot of pressure has been put on dealers by the manufacturer to stock so many bikes they don’t need in their showroom. Even GT staff said that was often the case. They are fortunate being as big as they are and how broad of a range of bikes that they have that they are able to carry on. Smaller dealerships will struggle because of this
Immigrants comming thousands of miles to UK, they seem to get to work here in the morning ok, I got a lift to work in the 80s at age of 16. Thumbed 11 miles home for first 8 months in Rural Ireland. Bought my first car at 17 payed insurance from money saved working 60 hours a week,then immigranted to America at age of 21. I had parents that pushed me forward in life, not made excuses for me.
@@checker3694 I agree to disagree. It's a common sentiment that today's youth are simply looking for excuses. However, many of them are responding to a world shaped by a previous generation that often prioritized comfort over responsibility, failing to prevent economic downturns and allowing a political class to serve its own interests rather than the public's. Consider the stark contrast in housing affordability today compared to 20 to 40 years ago; for the majority of young people, homeownership feels utterly out of reach. The government's pursuit of an impractical goal like "net zero carbon," influenced by fleeting trends on platforms like TikTok, seems misguided. Coupled with insurance premiums that exceed the value of a bicycle, relentless tax increases, and a hasty push for electric vehicles without adequate infrastructure, the situation feels overwhelming. While I’m genuinely glad for your personal success, it’s important to recognize that 95% of people don’t share the same fortune. Your achievements don’t negate the fact that many have faced significantly different challenges and opportunities. I’m not criticizing you for your accomplishments; rather, I urge you to look around and consider the struggles facing today’s youth. They did not ask for this reality. As someone in my 40s, I witness daily the impact of government corruption on people's lives.
@@checker3694 I agree to disagree. Everyone says that kids these days are looking for excuses. Yes, they are because they have been handed a world destroyed by lazy boomers that did exactly nothing to prevent a recession, to make sure that political class will work for them instead of working for their friends and pockets. Just look how many young people can afford to buy a house today compared to 20-40 years ago. Absolutly impossible for majority of them. When the government is trying to achieve a stupidity called "net zero carbon" following tiktok mentality, when insurance companies ask you a montly payment more than your bike's worth, when taxes are spiraling up with no end in view and a stupid push for electric vehicles without a proper infrastructure, is mental. I am glad you succeeded in your life but 95% of people are not that fortunate like you. Just because you made it, doesn't mean that you had the same oportunities like everyone else beceuse the majority did not. Again, not hating on you for getting where you are, but have a look around you before you say that kids these days look for excuses. None of them asked for this. I am in my 40s so I am not one of these kids. I see every day people struggling because of the corruption in government.
I want to buy a new Corolla end of the year, and my local Toyota said they will be limited numbers. This is due to the increased fines if they left unsold. So they said what is the point. Massive spiral now for cars and bike. I reckon 5 more years is left.
UK Youngsters have become wussified and are mostly frightened to get on a motorbike. A Teacher took 32 young lads camping, not a single one of them knew how to start a wood fire ! when I heard that I was amazed, me and my Brothers were making fires in the countryside from the age of 10, it's what lads do !
@@AnthonyTobyEllenor-pi4jq yep woke teachers as well as the woefully woke media to blame,had a mum ask her teenager to bring in a bucket of coal,40 mins passed so the mum went out to only find her son unable to shovel coal into a bucket, this never would have happened a few years ago 🙄
My son is a junior soldier, now 17 and buying his first 125 Aprilia, after seeing how army college works they should enroll that out into civvy street and get this country back on its feet
@@Evo-t9b I think you’ll find that kids have become less inclined to do the things that I/we did as kids and a lot of that is to do with parents being more safety conscious, most kids don’t walk to school until they are generally in their teens. My son hasn’t ever really climbed a tree, no interest in motorcycles, he and most of his mates were/ are too into their Xboxes etc, this all before woke was even heard of🤷🏻♂
@@stugixer57 They have been on the Xbox for at least ten years so well before the woke agenda. My nephew was born in 2009 and has never really been out on his own as far as I am aware. Apparently he never leaves his bedroom.
I’m keeping my bike and car for at least the next couple of years were previously I’d change regularly, sign of the times financially. Obviously this has a big knock on effect with the industry.
Im quite happy with my 96 Triumph thunderbird. Puts a smile on my face every time I ride it. Cheap as chips to run and maintain,and only cost me £2k. It's a 'proper' bike..all metal construction,no tech,and looks great😊 There's not much on the market that would make me consider a change? Especially at the cost of new 'high end' bikes🤨
I have been a biker for almost forty years and bought a lot of new bikes over the years and still own three road bikes. Motorcycles have always been a luxury that when times are good you treat yourself but with the Government squeezing us more and more and the price of insurance going up and up I will not consider a new bike any time soon…..
Bikes are getting too expensive and overload with tech that most dont need or want, once all the manufacturers realise that most people who own a big bike only have it as a weekend toy or a hobbie and dont really need to upgrade to the latest model then hopefully the prices will start coming down
Voge have hit the nail on the head. Japanese did it in the 70s which created the downfall of British manufacturers. The Chinese will repeat this with the remainder eventually. They're already doing it in car EV sector to the point the Japanese are almost throwing the towel in. The other marques are out the price for the youth of today and when all us from the 60s hang up our helmets there will be no target audience to sell to and they will fold. You can already see the decine in super sport and superbikes as these are woefully too expensive and we are getting too old to ride them. Yes previous and current governments don't help the motorcycle industry and its customers to. Youth of today are a different breed to us and their priorities lie elsewhere. We have had best times fortunately.
Just Broke my key on my vfr1200, quoted by dealer £218 to replace (programmed) key. Having our eyes out, for whatever reason it's unacceptable. Back in 1973 my fizzie was my life , (chips, petrol is all I needed) youngsters need/want more things in their life now.
Im still happy with just some "little" thing just me and ny bike and the gear maybee too. At home a coffee maker and something too eat. (Even if a motorcycle is a bit more then just "little thing")
Hi Kez. I live near Reading / Berkshire. I’m not sure if you’ve covered my area yet or not as I have’nt quite finished watching your videos. Harley Davidson used to have a branch near loddon Bridge, Showcase cinema, Winnersh triangle but that closed down just before Xmas 2024. They wasn’t there for much more the maybe 2 years, whether they’ve moved on to a different location or the branch just wasn’t making enough money I don’t know. I think we have a Triumph motorcycle shop / dealer nearer wokingham on the A329, but that changes hands / business quite often, so could possibly be something else since I last went that way for work. Daniel.
@@LazurusEnterprises a lot have perished of late,I can’t keep up with all of them closing. Seem to hear of another one every week. Thanks for watching and your comment. I’m converting a van to carry my bike so I’ll be going further afield soon
Tbh, I haven’t got the balls to trust any dealer now, first was Colchester Kawasaki, I nearly dropped a load on them for an H2, low price but on finance only, not cash purchase outright, thank fook I didn’t go for it as my money would have been lost, then I toyed on an HD as they were going for peanuts, that dealer in Watford shut up shop. My mate lost a few quid to Completely Motorcycles and they shut up shop. Took his money a few days before they went belly up. I literally want a dealer who will do the business, I pay in full and ride out there and then, no wait a week to prepare etc, I’m not playing that game or risking it tbh.
Dealers are partly to blame! It shouldn't cost £300 to do a run in service on a 600cc twin. It's a half an hour job after all. And the manufacturers to produce affordable bikes. Maybe Honda has started that now. And the government to simplify licensing.
@Pushbike1894 4L can of Motul 5000 10W-40 is £30 on sportsbikeshop. Biggest name in the motorcycle lubrication business! Of course, dealers will sell you their own brand, which is probably produced by one of the top 4 players, at double or tripple price.
Not being a biker myself I still find such things sad. However, it is partly down to dealer greed but mostly down to hideous dealer overheads, insurance costs and regulations. Cars, vans, trucks and machinery dealers are going the same way.
The rent, business rates and utility overheads for that property alone must be absolutely staggering, let alone the staff overheads and stock. It looks completely unsustainable unless you're selling bikes day in, day out. The other place seems to be doing well though, having lots of brands helps with that I guess. I remember when you went over that bridge near the end, there were old rusty submarines on the left in the water, looks like posh housing now. Long time ago!!
Simply the cost is doing this like most things here in uk, completely over regulated, its the expense of buying the bike, training, insurance, maintaining the bike, the price of correct clothing, helmet, the list goes on and on.
Same thing happening with Bicycle dealers. £10,000 for a pedal assist electric? IT'S A STEAL😱 You can buy a 50cc with all the tech for half that price. It's the beginning of ELITISM by impoverishing the lower orders. 😮
Bloody shame to see them dropping like flies. Vertu car dealership in Dorchester has gone as well. I'm very lucky that I have an independent BMW technician that does all my repairs and servicing in Weymouth. Sad times though, no youngsters getting into it now due to costs etc
This is so sad, the problem I see is the bike manufacturers have massively increased price due to high cost of materials, caused by gov policies, inflation (again caused by gov), and consumers have very little money due to.... you guessed it inflation caused by governments. The only option is to do what they did in the 70's and focus on small affordable cheap bikes that allow people to commute, and save money. That's why Enfield will be booming. Saying that I just PCP's a Norton, but at £69 a month with similar deposit, it was like a free bike!
Not new, been happening for many years, and now I think about it mainly Harley and Triumph, in fact where I live there have been four Harley dealerships and three Triumph over the last 30 years, all gone to the wall. Yet in that same period Japanese manufacturers and mixed sales have survived, must be something in the name. Best way of owning a bike is to do your own repairs and servicing, but this is beginning to get out of reach with technology, it is now a very expensive rich old mans hobby, sad but true.
Put on your gloves and tighten your helmets, it's going to get a lot worse as the current government drives more IC users off the roads and increase the cost of operating a business day by day.
I can't help thinking the overheads of running such large shiny dealerships to satisfy the franchise requirements doesn't help. Bike dealers didn't look like they do now 15 plus years ago. Maybe only Motorcycle City was close, but still quite understated compared to most franchise dealers now. Now they look like car dealers but don't sell the same volume. Probably not the sole reason but has to make managing cash flow very challenging when you've big overheads.
@@myleswalshe3451 this was an issue the guys in Plymouth mentioned. Forced stock levels as per contracts,expected to sell new riding gear with every bike. Unrealistic expectations of what can be achieved didn’t help at all but like you say,I’m sure there were other contributing factors
They build these gin palaces that cost a fortune.. all about corporate image. Most bikers couldn’t care less about the premises. It’s the service fair prices and aftercare that matters to us.
@@big500 unfortunately it’s what the manufacturer demands in their contract if you want to sell their vehicles. Ridiculous hoops they’re required to jump through
Brilliant video, just moved to Plymouth a week after the two shut down! Was gutted I didn't get to see them. But there a plenty of options in Plymouth which is great.
Nice vid Kez, just bought a new bike and the size/staff/numbers at dealerships was insane! Well, you cannot argue with maths! Now Tom Dick and Harry can rent somewhere cheap, sell Chinese bikes and keep in business because they will make a profit!
Think another reason the youngsters don’t get on bikes is the parents, remember when my boy was about to turn 17, he played youth football, and during a match I said to the other parents that I had failed as a parent, they Asked why, because he hasn’t wanted a moped, they were all shocked that I wanted my boy on two wheels, several of them had actively kept their sons away from bikes.
When i was sixteen my mum and dad took me to the local bike shop,pointed to a mpoed and said thats yours,you can now go out and get a job.66 years old now and still riding.
Bikes are getting too expensive, the designers are making trivial maintenance work very difficult, the dealerships are over pricing(service on a bike cost the double of a car). Trying to blame the young generation???
I've got a Yamaha R7 OW02 that GT motorcycles worked on and dyno'd, ive got it on my own plate R7HGA, it was originally on an X 2000 plate with the nickname "FLASH" on the bottom of the plate, it was registered to a plymouth address, i bought it in 2005 from a dealer in bradford,. Thats an impressive shop GT have there, i'm sure they will be fealing the pinch but will hopefully pull through now that they have less competition,.good video , cheers ,.
Manufacturers throw customers under the bus first,shortly followed by franchises before the inevitable calling in the receivers. I have not found a warranty to be cost effective. Get the best example of what you are looking for and don't spend more than ¾ of your available budget on the bike. A £7500 bike should not require more than £2500 to get tip top if you buy a tidy example. Realistically, we are always going to lose money on them, bit like getting married.
Was at both Southampton and Plymouth back in June while riding the Dawn to dusk challenge also one other dealership we visited on that day has gone reading as well as my local one Watford
Agreed! Supply to the demand. Look how popular the speed and scrambler 400 were. Not a bike for everyone but a sub 5 grand bike like is ideal as a commuter. That’s exactly what Jason on the parts desk at Plymouth triumph got his scrambler 400 for. More thought needs to be put into who is buying what.
Whilst I accept that most bikes are wildly expensive these days I can see why the European, American and Japanese makers have pushed their products upmarket as there’s no possibility of them being competitive against the good but lower priced bikes from India and China. The same applies to car makers too but these companies are the architects of their own downfall as they handed over the technical and manufacturing knowledge to the Chinese by outsourcing product twenty years ago. These countries are not only much cheaper to produce in they are also increasingly ahead in terms of technology too. We’ve grown used to exploiting cheap labour for years and now it’s coming back to bite us on the @rse and no amount of tariffs will reverse the tide.
Have spoken to Riders and they said that all work for Harley-Davidsons can be carried out at Bridgewater and Bristol as they are the same company. BRISTOL Riders have just signed another 5yr contract with Harley-Davidson so that's where all the new stock will be. However they can still do warranty work at BOTH places.
same problem here in south wales both BMW & Harley closed down mid last year I have to go to Bristol from Swansea to get my bike sorted for service and warranty work, guys are lovely but its 100 miles each way. Only reason I do this is good reason to ride.
Its a real shame, but the price of some new bikes are eye watering, at the end of the day motorcycling isn't encouraged in day to day life and really only seen as a hobby/weekend toy that most people cant afford, The licencing laws in this country for the younger future riders doesn't help matters either. The government would rather see motorcycles disappear and everyone in bland EV boxes. Keep the vids coming and get yourself a microphone 👌✌
@@SuperRhysevans I completely agree,the market is targeting the wealthy. PCP seems to be what some dealerships want but that comes with a huge final payment or hand the bike back after 3 years. It’s a sad state of affairs at the moment
The problem is with Dealerships, the Manufacturer's are forcing them into spending millions of pounds on the proverbial Gin Palace, it's the same with car dealers, a new modern new build site is at least £5million+, I know of a recent Land Rover dealership who spent £20 million, all that money has be recouped somewhere, which of course will be the customer, the 2 showrooms shown would be a similar cost, just for them to go under, doesn't make sense to me, it's a Mad world we currently live in 🤔
Open your eyes it’s not just the motorcycle industry. Profits are low because of the continuing discounts and competition, rents and businesses taxes rise , wages rise , owners of companies taking massive wages and bonuses. Simple maths . 25 years in retail business 4 redundancies . You don’t need flashy expensive show rooms , you can’t take out more than you earn or this will keep happening.
@@lweleven3423 I’m aware it’s happening all over but this is just something that interests me and in my home town. The country is an absolute shit show at the minute,if I made a video about everywhere that closed I’d have no time to go to work 😂. I’ve been a truck driver for 21 years now and it’s the worst I’ve seen it now,company after company closing down,it’s not good
This is the same way Motorcycle AND car dealerships and servicing will go. A "Sales and Service Supermarket" system will be the only way to maintain margins. That will tend to make manufacturers "more competitive" because the opposition will be on the same site.
Both Triumph and GT failed to come up with a half decent trade-in deal when I wanted to buy a new bike, so I kept the bike instead of spending more money... I did eventually get a good deal at a dealers about eighty miles away, luckily on a nice sunny day. To be fair both dealers had some good pricing on bikes if you were not trading in and would probably adjust the prices if you pointed out they were a lot cheaper elsewhere. Some fantastic discounts on new bikes on eBay but it does mean what you are trying to sell has also gone down in value and the private market in Devon or Cornwall does not have a lot of guys with six grand or more to pay cash.
For future videos, the music blows your ear off at half volume, l can hardly hear you talk at full volume, needs some adjustment along the line. The music isn't really necessary, l enjoy your comments they are good enough on their own, l find I'm switching the music off and waiting until you speak which isnt the best way to enjoy your video..just saying.
I was only saying to someone later last year that I never see young guys on bikes.... When I was a kid I could not wait to get a bike. Bikes are just so expensive now and insurance is a nightmare...Bikes will be a thing of the past at this rate!
Interesting video…. You should have mentioned j&s accessories Plymouth. Next to Ducati and behind you in the vid. I thought they were excellent for kit. Loads of choice, good prices and staff are excellent 👍
@@KruisingwithKezOh yes you’ve covered it well. I didn’t know you would double back and I think I commented then headed for shower. Excellent! Ride safe
...no mercy- arrogant dealers- arrogant companies- crazy prices- crazy rates at mechanic service- its over- remember the 80s- same situation- they restarted- made gains- get arrogant and fall again !!!
Harley did the same in the U.S.A. about 1999 2000 a buddy and his wife owned a local dealership, they'd had their dealership since about 1970 or so... First Harley made them move from their original location to a much larger brand new facility. Their original shop was paid for... they kept about 20 to 50 bikes on site... new and used... Only HDs... nothing else. The shop they were forced to move into was larger and brand new so they had to take out a loan of about 3 million... It worked out fine for them because as most know that from 2000 to about 2011 or so every bike shop around couldn't keep enough floor stock so they made a lot of money stayed very busy.. So for them it worked out they both passed away and so did their only son so the dealership was sold around 6 or so years ago now,. to someone else.. The real story is... it could have destroyed them... it didn't... But they tried to avoid it... Harkey told them.. do it or we take your dealership away !
Not surprised.It's the prices of new bikes the are mainly used as toys.Plus the age demographic of Harley & Triumph riders! Honda s new blade starts at 24k & new Harley co pan America 23k!Me & my mate just laughed walked out & have bought used.
I used to love riding down through Dartmoor to Plymouth Triumph bought a couple of bikes from there. Great guys, gutted for them. My nearest dealer is Bridge, but they are absolutely sh!te, so I'll be going to Taunton for my Triumph fix in future. Bought a bike from GT once too, also good guys. Like there cafe and gear, so may make that my new go to place beyond the moors.
Vulnerability is an issue with parents. I let my 17 year old have a 125cc Supermoto - but our 46 year old brother-in-law was left quadriplegic after the bike he was riding was pushed into a car - head on - by a 17 year old, unlicenced, uninsured motorcyclist who uncontrollably pulled out of a side road, hitting our brother-in law and then a telephone pole. He died at the scene.
@@paulfildes5489 that’s very sad to hear that’s happened to your brother in law. We are more vulnerable on bikes but not invincible in a car. Thanks for you comment
@@KruisingwithKez Thank you. It is not easy to see him without tearing up as his paralysis affects all four limbs, plus his torso. He's been that way since 2012 now. One if the things we always take him is E45 cream to bring some relief to his bedsores. We built a long curving ramp so he can get his wheelchair into our home. During the accident, he managed to push his girlfriend Ival (of life, vital) off the back of the bike before it hit the car. She was left with a mangled hand but, mercifully (if you can say that), that was all. Very sad.
@@KruisingwithKez As I was driving to see my daughter in Heathfield recently I noticed that the extensive John W Groombridge Motorcycles site at Cross-in-Hand, which has been a landmark on the Eastbourne to Tunbridge Wells Road since 1951, ceased trading after 73 years in business. They were a Suzuki dealer for 60 years (!) and they got the Kawasaki franchise in 2010. Their new Kawasaki showroom was the only one in East Sussex. Long-time employee Keith O’Regan, who purchased the business in August 2020 on the retirement of the previous owner who sadly passed away two years later, said: “It’s not been an easy decision to reach, but due to continuously rising costs, pressure within the industry, reduced profits, and the current economic climate, the business has become non-viable". Very sad.
I think Harley will continue in the States for a bit longer, but it’s all of their exports to the European countries that they appear to be closing down first..
Harley are in a hole,very expensive bikes and insisting that dealerships are big glass palaces holding a lot of stock has seen about half their dealers close in the last three years in the UK as the economy dips. There have been sadly plenty of other companies going under or down sizing their dealerships . We have a near perfect storm an inflation bump and interest rises have cut people’s spare cash which could mean there are more closures to come.
Both Harley and Triumph have neglected the small bike market for some, the place where brand loyalty starts. Now in hard times, customers for what are essentially 'leisure bikes' are too thin on the ground to carry on.
Just watching DVD of Long Way Round for fist time in years. Reminded me that KTM were original sponsor but pulled out at a late stage as they were worried about looking bad if bikes do don’t make it. BMW stepped in. Now BMW are massive in adventure bike sector and KTM in liquidation
Loved the video apart from the overloud background music, contrasting with the presenter's quiet voice, that just repetitively went on and on ....... Never used my "mute" button so much.
Thanks for the constructive critisism. I’m currently having trouble sleeping so I’ll be sure to watch your video about cleaning a shoei helmet vent before I go to bed tonight. Thanks for viewing my video 👍👍👍
The business model for dealers that rely on a dealer rebate incentive scheme (year end numbers dependant), is fundamentally flawed. How the hell can anyone in this trade safely forward predict where they’ll be financially at the year end. I blame the stupidity of the corporate banks. You owe the bank 5K……your problem. You owe the bank 5M……banks problem. Shiny arsed sale rooms and glass fronted monoliths is NOT what the biking customer base is about, not withstanding the numerous twats that PCP everything at an over exaggerated price, which screws everybody long term.
@ sure Gary, a fools paradise. I don’t get it that people actually believe for real that it’s a zero % finance deal. Since when did any lending institution lend for nothing? Ain’t gonna happen. Problem is, the hidden cost of complex PCP deals factors in somewhat that the lender will never be out of pocket, the consumer will though and the market prices are distorted as a result of this gimmickry. No wonder the trades upside down. Keep it simple.
Big retail chains in part, ruined motorcycling, killing near all small dealers, with insane discounting and help from the manufacturers with bulk discounts. It became a data capture business, you can't walk into a showroom now without being asked for your details.
@@equaliser2265 all of the staff were told in the same way,even the electricians that were in Harley doing work turned up and had to get their gear out that day,they’d done days of work before hand. It wasn’t executed well at all
I no longer ride but in my life have ridden a huge number of miles. I owned 2 Honda 400/4's and clocked up 110,000 miles between the two. I have never paid a single penny in my life for maintenance or servicing because it was relatively easy to do all of it myself. Modern technology has made this impossible and as a result most bikes have built-in obsolescence together with eye watering running costs. Motorcycles were an obvious choice for me as an affordable and fun way to travel. Modern tech has been the death of cheap biking.
I know my local suzuki dealership in York couldn't careless about me as a customer. Been a customer for ten years every time I need a part it's overpriced and I usually end up on the Internet finding it for half the price Dealership looks tired and out of date with staff that couldn't give a toss
Franchise contract would have forced them to take on bikes that they didn’t necessarily want in the showroom. That’s not hearsay,I heard that from staff members. It’s sad that a manufacturer would see the demise of a dealership now not able to sell their product. They’ll soon be crying when sales dip even more when there isn’t anyone to sell their bikes
Sad reality of dealers wanting too much money for shitheaps, most people now can't be arsed being ripped off anymore ❤I'd respectfully love a free hat for my feckless wallrus jonathan 😅❤ Fortunately now I have my MK1 RG 250, no tax, MOT just classic insurance. now if Suzuki brought back 2 strokes
wage stagnation cost of living people don't have the money ; i have a T120 very happy with it, also a 14 year-old suzuki gsf 65o lo as my ride to work bike I bought new the triumph is too shiny LOL would i want or need another bike ? maybe a Chinese ADV bike they offer so much value for the money ,i brought my triumph from a main dealer the service i got was begrudging would i go back no i needed a new wiring loom and my second spare key turned out to be for their speed twin demonstrator did i get a bike on loan no not even offered .
Modern bikes are too expensive because of all the tech', cornering ABS, rider modes, traction control, anti wheelie, shifters, auto gearboxes, radar, etc. you might as well let the bike take itself out for a ride! That's why I've got a 23 year old Fazer and a 16 year old Street Triple, nothing to go wrong and fun to ride!
Direct sales to the public without massive dealer mark ups and dealer bs mechanics prices too, is the way of 21st century public “demand” rules.. not the continuation of decades of corporate dealers smoke and mirrors overpricing…lol
Car and bike dealerships are too big and flash. It should be obvious that they will not be able to make enough profit to cover overheads. In Leicester there was a big flash showroom that sold Triumph bikes and Lotus cars. Lasted about a year.
Bought two bikes from triumph Plymouth and the experience was poor, it was the corporate vibe I didn’t like and absolutely everything was over priced , I experienced poor workmanship on my servicing and the fitting of accessories … it never really felt like a true motorcycle shop, it was more like a boring new world life style clinic… but that approach is now sadly the world all over … GT motorcycles Plymouth isn’t much better , no real motorcycle passion in the staff ,show room full of dull sales people and the cafe is as far away from being a bike cafe as you could get … it’s dull with over priced microwaved food and no atmosphere.. I think there’s room in Plymouth for a true independent retro custom bike shop/ meeting place / cafe that’s slightly polished but inclusive … not a grumpy Harley exclusive patch IQ resentment area ! But A good petrol head joint that’s corporate independent with skilled mechanics , a vibrant sales room and top cafe that offers you a cholesterol hart stopping breakfast or the doctors orders the smashed avocado on gluten free bread … meet the great range of bikers , buy a great bike and make your own life style choice…
.Mate, what’s sad about it is that they’re selling you overpriced motorcycles and taking everything they can get out of your hard-earned cash. Then, they hit you with terrible interest rates and undervalue your trade-in. Honestly, I wouldn’t lose sleep over these guys. I purchased a bike for £10,000, and when I tried to sell it back to the dealer six months later, they offered me £3,000. If anything, feel sorry for me! Happy motorcycling, and take care.
HD are VERY well known for the forced over-stocking practice... never heard of this with Triumph. Can I ask if these two dealers are owned by the same company? In Watford we had LND who ran two building next to each other, also HD & Triumph, also recently closed HD building. I'm KTM, and my huge dealer went to wall late last year, and they were also a Big4 shop so it wasn't about backing the the wrong horse, some bad economics are at play. I do note that the 2nd hand dealers are doing well e.g. SB Factory.
Lots of brands under one roof - it’s the only way they survive… If HD ends up with tariffs on them I doubt they’ll survive at all…..they silly money already for not a so great bike…. and I owned one for 11years 😂
Been a biker all my life but retired from biking when I was 59 simply because of all the idiots on the roads yes it's a pity bikers are on the decline and I do miss mine Ride safe you guy's
If triumph made a range of 125cc could have made some impact for youngsters We've got 3 times population and traffic on almost same roads as mid 90s when I started riding It's dangerous to ride I don't blame them to be fair got nearly 30years experience and need every bit of that today
Priced themselves out. Specially when the price of living is going up and up and motorcycles are mainly for fun and not a necessity. On top of that most youngsters have no interested in bikes. The government will be leaning on motorcycles next which will be the final nail in the coffin. Been warning about this for years. Just enjoy them now if you’re lucky enough to have one because the clock is ticking.
Britains potholed roads, freezing winters, wet summers, overcrowded roads, idiot drivers, over complicated machines, high insurance, high purchase and maintenance costs are some of the reasons bike sales are dwindling.
I totally agree and am not a biker
100%...people can't afford on their low wages..
Used to commute every day to the city of London, park and ride home after the day.Kahn and TFL made that impossible, now no bikes.
Restored a 82 Kawasaki Z550 4 years ago, only used a few times as the weather has been appalling, summers have gone...
Let the good times roll
My local BMW dealership is part of the Vertu group, salesman/women need to sell three bikes every week to hit target. Needless to say they have a regular turnover of staff, what an awful way to earn a living.
Vertus management should have a target of x amount of punters per week to enter their premises, fail = sacked.
That fancy showroom that manufacturers require you to have is big part of the problem, there isn't enough money in motorcycles to warrant the set up cost especially in the UK as its a seasonal hobby for many
It's the perfect storm. The Govt don't give a monkeys about bikers. The top manufacturers are too greedy. Insurance companies are parasitic. Bike thieves are a menace. The only saving grace are those Chinese bikes that are coming through. Quality builds with all those added extras as standard ! Major manufacturers take note.
@@125ZJK many valid points there mate. Triumph are taking the piss a bit with the new speed twin,standard one at £12,495 and the RS £14,995. It’s pricing people out of being able to afford a bike anymore. The second hand market is going to become stronger I feel
😂😂😂quality builds 🤣🤣🤣Chinese 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣like it 🥲
It's one thing having a part number but it's a world away from getting the part.
Then there's planned obsolescence and limited lifespan tech junk.
Hang on to those classics and don't be shamed into riding them in conditions they don't like.
@@theodavies8754 I’m out on my speed twin in all weathers! It’s always cleaned after before she’s put away again
Chinese are the ROOT CAUSE not the answer !!! .... 🙄
Sadly we have bred a lot of young people who are too busy playing with their smart phones to do anything real
@@alandavies55 unfortunately this is true
they must otherwise they can't belong
As much as I dislike a lot of what Gen Z does, smart phones have nothing to do with it. The insanely expensive licensing process, insurance and cost of gear have raised the barrier to entry out of reach for most people in their 20s.
@tomblewomble3369 They should buy a used smart phone for£200, rather than £1400, then they will have money left over. In 1986 I paid £2100 punts to insure an Alfa Romeo as a 21 year old,when a weekly wage was £100. I was a grafter and did not have parents making excuses for me.
Bingo! There's a new electric motorcycle called a stark varg,biggest fad on them is you get a free mobile phone to control everything on them,hence selling like hotcakes to phone nerds lol😂
Cost of bikes, training and insurance is beyond the reach of most young people. Apart from being bad for the sake of motorcycling it's a real social mobility issue. If people don't have access to cheap and convenient transport, their employment options are restricted, especially in rural areas.
@@paulreadfern6313 a lot of pressure has been put on dealers by the manufacturer to stock so many bikes they don’t need in their showroom. Even GT staff said that was often the case. They are fortunate being as big as they are and how broad of a range of bikes that they have that they are able to carry on. Smaller dealerships will struggle because of this
Immigrants comming thousands of miles to UK, they seem to get to work here in the morning ok, I got a lift to work in the 80s at age of 16. Thumbed 11 miles home for first 8 months in Rural Ireland. Bought my first car at 17 payed insurance from money saved working 60 hours a week,then immigranted to America at age of 21. I had parents that pushed me forward in life, not made excuses for me.
@@checker3694 I agree to disagree. It's a common sentiment that today's youth are simply looking for excuses. However, many of them are responding to a world shaped by a previous generation that often prioritized comfort over responsibility, failing to prevent economic downturns and allowing a political class to serve its own interests rather than the public's.
Consider the stark contrast in housing affordability today compared to 20 to 40 years ago; for the majority of young people, homeownership feels utterly out of reach.
The government's pursuit of an impractical goal like "net zero carbon," influenced by fleeting trends on platforms like TikTok, seems misguided. Coupled with insurance premiums that exceed the value of a bicycle, relentless tax increases, and a hasty push for electric vehicles without adequate infrastructure, the situation feels overwhelming.
While I’m genuinely glad for your personal success, it’s important to recognize that 95% of people don’t share the same fortune. Your achievements don’t negate the fact that many have faced significantly different challenges and opportunities.
I’m not criticizing you for your accomplishments; rather, I urge you to look around and consider the struggles facing today’s youth. They did not ask for this reality. As someone in my 40s, I witness daily the impact of government corruption on people's lives.
So Sad to see Triumph Close 🏴
@@checker3694 I agree to disagree. Everyone says that kids these days are looking for excuses. Yes, they are because they have been handed a world destroyed by lazy boomers that did exactly nothing to prevent a recession, to make sure that political class will work for them instead of working for their friends and pockets.
Just look how many young people can afford to buy a house today compared to 20-40 years ago. Absolutly impossible for majority of them.
When the government is trying to achieve a stupidity called "net zero carbon" following tiktok mentality, when insurance companies ask you a montly payment more than your bike's worth, when taxes are spiraling up with no end in view and a stupid push for electric vehicles without a proper infrastructure, is mental.
I am glad you succeeded in your life but 95% of people are not that fortunate like you. Just because you made it, doesn't mean that you had the same oportunities like everyone else beceuse the majority did not.
Again, not hating on you for getting where you are, but have a look around you before you say that kids these days look for excuses. None of them asked for this.
I am in my 40s so I am not one of these kids. I see every day people struggling because of the corruption in government.
Car dealers will be next, no one want's EV's and soon that will be all they have for sale.
What a way to run a country.
I want to buy a new
Corolla end of the year, and my local Toyota said they will be limited numbers. This is due to the increased fines if they left unsold. So they said what is the point. Massive spiral now for cars and bike. I reckon 5 more years is left.
Exactly, no one in their right mind wants a EV😂
@@Evo-t9b the problem why buy an expensive ICE car either… it’s going to be worthless in 5 years time.
@cmmgray no need to buy an expensive car,plenty of good cars available cheap!
@ I’m currently have a 2022 Yaris so I want to move up to a Corolla but same age is about £22k
Massively overcharging for services has a lot to do with it. A Hell of a lot to do with it.
Keep raising your prices and customers fade away !
@@tonydenial1485 too true! The price of everything is getting ridiculous now
Harley Davidson have on their 2025 models. I’m a celebrity and will buy two 😅.
Yep
UK Youngsters have become wussified and are mostly frightened to get on a motorbike. A Teacher took 32 young lads camping, not a single one of them knew how to start a wood fire ! when I heard that I was amazed, me and my Brothers were making fires in the countryside from the age of 10, it's what lads do !
@@AnthonyTobyEllenor-pi4jq yep woke teachers as well as the woefully woke media to blame,had a mum ask her teenager to bring in a bucket of coal,40 mins passed so the mum went out to only find her son unable to shovel coal into a bucket, this never would have happened a few years ago 🙄
My son is a junior soldier, now 17 and buying his first 125 Aprilia, after seeing how army college works they should enroll that out into civvy street and get this country back on its feet
@@Evo-t9b I think you’ll find that kids have become less inclined to do the things that I/we did as kids and a lot of that is to do with parents being more safety conscious, most kids don’t walk to school until they are generally in their teens.
My son hasn’t ever really climbed a tree, no interest in motorcycles, he and most of his mates were/ are too into their Xboxes etc, this all before woke was even heard of🤷🏻♂
@@farmingbrit4611ahhh boys service.
@@stugixer57 They have been on the Xbox for at least ten years so well before the woke agenda. My nephew was born in 2009 and has never really been out on his own as far as I am aware. Apparently he never leaves his bedroom.
Multi dealerships has to be the solution and the manufacturers need to accept more of these without the crazy demands of floor stock levels.
I’m keeping my bike and car for at least the next couple of years were previously I’d change regularly, sign of the times financially. Obviously this has a big knock on effect with the industry.
Im quite happy with my 96 Triumph thunderbird. Puts a smile on my face every time I ride it. Cheap as chips to run and maintain,and only cost me £2k. It's a 'proper' bike..all metal construction,no tech,and looks great😊 There's not much on the market that would make me consider a change? Especially at the cost of new 'high end' bikes🤨
Same here mate, I have a 2000 cb500 and it a great simple bike.
I have been a biker for almost forty years and bought a lot of new bikes over the years and still own three road bikes. Motorcycles have always been a luxury that when times are good you treat yourself but with the Government squeezing us more and more and the price of insurance going up and up I will not consider a new bike any time soon…..
I have been riding for 47 years and started because they are cheap Got rid of my car 20 years ago😁
Very sad times at the moment in this country. Let's hope things improve soon.
Bikes are getting too expensive and overload with tech that most dont need or want, once all the manufacturers realise that most people who own a big bike only have it as a weekend toy or a hobbie and dont really need to upgrade to the latest model then hopefully the prices will start coming down
Voge have hit the nail on the head. Japanese did it in the 70s which created the downfall of British manufacturers. The Chinese will repeat this with the remainder eventually. They're already doing it in car EV sector to the point the Japanese are almost throwing the towel in. The other marques are out the price for the youth of today and when all us from the 60s hang up our helmets there will be no target audience to sell to and they will fold. You can already see the decine in super sport and superbikes as these are woefully too expensive and we are getting too old to ride them. Yes previous and current governments don't help the motorcycle industry and its customers to. Youth of today are a different breed to us and their priorities lie elsewhere. We have had best times fortunately.
Just Broke my key on my vfr1200, quoted by dealer £218 to replace (programmed) key. Having our eyes out, for whatever reason it's unacceptable.
Back in 1973 my fizzie was my life , (chips, petrol is all I needed) youngsters need/want more things in their life now.
Im still happy with just some "little" thing just me and ny bike and the gear maybee too. At home a coffee maker and something too eat. (Even if a motorcycle is a bit more then just "little thing")
@markusuebel2624 Yes even at 67, my life still revolves around my bike 👍
And my fizzle only needed a lolly stick to turn it on! ( why it disappeared from mums front door!)
@KevinRose-r6i Must have been a fizzy lolly...stick...groan lol
Hi Kez.
I live near Reading / Berkshire.
I’m not sure if you’ve covered my area yet or not as I have’nt quite finished watching your videos.
Harley Davidson used to have a branch near loddon Bridge, Showcase cinema, Winnersh triangle but that closed down just before Xmas 2024. They wasn’t there for much more the maybe 2 years, whether they’ve moved on to a different location or the branch just wasn’t making enough money I don’t know.
I think we have a Triumph motorcycle shop / dealer nearer wokingham on the A329, but that changes hands / business quite often, so could possibly be something else since I last went that way for work.
Daniel.
@@LazurusEnterprises a lot have perished of late,I can’t keep up with all of them closing. Seem to hear of another one every week. Thanks for watching and your comment. I’m converting a van to carry my bike so I’ll be going further afield soon
Tbh, I haven’t got the balls to trust any dealer now, first was Colchester Kawasaki, I nearly dropped a load on them for an H2, low price but on finance only, not cash purchase outright, thank fook I didn’t go for it as my money would have been lost, then I toyed on an HD as they were going for peanuts, that dealer in Watford shut up shop. My mate lost a few quid to Completely Motorcycles and they shut up shop. Took his money a few days before they went belly up. I literally want a dealer who will do the business, I pay in full and ride out there and then, no wait a week to prepare etc, I’m not playing that game or risking it tbh.
I bought a bike from colchester in September.
Having the dealership right on your doorstep is always handy.
Well it was 😂
Dealers are partly to blame! It shouldn't cost £300 to do a run in service on a 600cc twin. It's a half an hour job after all.
And the manufacturers to produce affordable bikes. Maybe Honda has started that now.
And the government to simplify licensing.
Greed rules!
Your oil and filter alone will be nearly £100.
@@Pushbike1894
3l semi synthetic £20-25
Filter £5-10
Total £25-35
@ not in a dealership no. They’ll use manufactures products if they’re a franchise. £100 but high but it’ll be a good £75.
@Pushbike1894 4L can of Motul 5000 10W-40 is £30 on sportsbikeshop. Biggest name in the motorcycle lubrication business!
Of course, dealers will sell you their own brand, which is probably produced by one of the top 4 players, at double or tripple price.
Sad fact of todays motorcycle dealerships, well a lot of them … nice vid 👍
@@stephen2304 thanks,appreciate the comment
Not being a biker myself I still find such things sad. However, it is partly down to dealer greed but mostly down to hideous dealer overheads, insurance costs and regulations. Cars, vans, trucks and machinery dealers are going the same way.
The rent, business rates and utility overheads for that property alone must be absolutely staggering, let alone the staff overheads and stock. It looks completely unsustainable unless you're selling bikes day in, day out. The other place seems to be doing well though, having lots of brands helps with that I guess. I remember when you went over that bridge near the end, there were old rusty submarines on the left in the water, looks like posh housing now. Long time ago!!
Simply the cost is doing this like most things here in uk, completely over regulated, its the expense of buying the bike, training, insurance, maintaining the bike, the price of correct clothing, helmet, the list goes on and on.
Same thing happening with Bicycle dealers. £10,000 for a pedal assist electric? IT'S A STEAL😱 You can buy a 50cc with all the tech for half that price. It's the beginning of ELITISM by impoverishing the lower orders. 😮
@@oddball7483 yes,I’ve seen the prices of some of the specialized bikes at certini in saltash,it’s crazy money for something you have to pedal 😂
Mopeds then motorcycles were a cheap way to get mobility and freedom. Not today. The costs and the tests make car ownership cheaper.
Bloody shame to see them dropping like flies. Vertu car dealership in Dorchester has gone as well.
I'm very lucky that I have an independent BMW technician that does all my repairs and servicing in Weymouth.
Sad times though, no youngsters getting into it now due to costs etc
Seems to be happening in all sectors
This is so sad, the problem I see is the bike manufacturers have massively increased price due to high cost of materials, caused by gov policies, inflation (again caused by gov), and consumers have very little money due to.... you guessed it inflation caused by governments. The only option is to do what they did in the 70's and focus on small affordable cheap bikes that allow people to commute, and save money. That's why Enfield will be booming. Saying that I just PCP's a Norton, but at £69 a month with similar deposit, it was like a free bike!
@@stevereilly yes that’s very cheap for a great bike! I’d love a Norton commando 😍
Not new, been happening for many years, and now I think about it mainly Harley and Triumph, in fact where I live there have been four Harley dealerships and three Triumph over the last 30 years, all gone to the wall. Yet in that same period Japanese manufacturers and mixed sales have survived, must be something in the name. Best way of owning a bike is to do your own repairs and servicing, but this is beginning to get out of reach with technology, it is now a very expensive rich old mans hobby, sad but true.
@@davidoldboy5425 multi brand dealerships seems to be the safe way forward in any case. Too much brand snobbery some times in the single focus dealers
@@KruisingwithKez I agree, however it never fails to amaze me the blind faithfulness to one brand, Harley being the prime example.
Put on your gloves and tighten your helmets, it's going to get a lot worse as the current government drives more IC users off the roads and increase the cost of operating a business day by day.
What brand are those classic looking open face helmets... ? at J&S I think it was.
They were Bell. I’ve got the bullitt and the custom 500,really good fitting helmets
@ Thanks for that... much appreciated.
Wondering.. How many of these dealerships were opened in the last five years when sales went nuts?
It’s amazing how everything is dwindling away in the UK , turn into a generic housing estate 🙈
The price on new bikes is huge, low milage used is the way now..pcp option is ok but final payement is big too.good luck guys 🇬🇧👍
I can't help thinking the overheads of running such large shiny dealerships to satisfy the franchise requirements doesn't help. Bike dealers didn't look like they do now 15 plus years ago. Maybe only Motorcycle City was close, but still quite understated compared to most franchise dealers now. Now they look like car dealers but don't sell the same volume. Probably not the sole reason but has to make managing cash flow very challenging when you've big overheads.
@@myleswalshe3451 this was an issue the guys in Plymouth mentioned. Forced stock levels as per contracts,expected to sell new riding gear with every bike. Unrealistic expectations of what can be achieved didn’t help at all but like you say,I’m sure there were other contributing factors
They build these gin palaces that cost a fortune.. all about corporate image. Most bikers couldn’t care less about the premises. It’s the service fair prices and aftercare that matters to us.
@@big500 unfortunately it’s what the manufacturer demands in their contract if you want to sell their vehicles. Ridiculous hoops they’re required to jump through
The Chinese are doing to JAPANESE. What they did to the ENGLISH motorcycle industry. Then the CHINESE will have everyone over a barrel 😮
Brilliant video, just moved to Plymouth a week after the two shut down! Was gutted I didn't get to see them. But there a plenty of options in Plymouth which is great.
@@NicTheRip thanks for the complimentary comment. Yes certainly plenty of options including a lot of good ones
Nice vid Kez, just bought a new bike and the size/staff/numbers at dealerships was insane! Well, you cannot argue with maths! Now Tom Dick and Harry can rent somewhere cheap, sell Chinese bikes and keep in business because they will make a profit!
A lot has to change for these kind of business’ to succeed now
This downturn with motorcycling has been happening for the last 25 years. No big surprises then.
Think another reason the youngsters don’t get on bikes is the parents, remember when my boy was about to turn 17, he played youth football, and during a match I said to the other parents that I had failed as a parent, they Asked why, because he hasn’t wanted a moped, they were all shocked that I wanted my boy on two wheels, several of them had actively kept their sons away from bikes.
When i was sixteen my mum and dad took me to the local bike shop,pointed to a mpoed and said thats yours,you can now go out and get a job.66 years old now and still riding.
Bikes are getting too expensive, the designers are making trivial maintenance work very difficult, the dealerships are over pricing(service on a bike cost the double of a car). Trying to blame the young generation???
I've got a Yamaha R7 OW02 that GT motorcycles worked on and dyno'd, ive got it on my own plate R7HGA, it was originally on an X 2000 plate with the nickname "FLASH" on the bottom of the plate, it was registered to a plymouth address, i bought it in 2005 from a dealer in bradford,. Thats an impressive shop GT have there, i'm sure they will be fealing the pinch but will hopefully pull through now that they have less competition,.good video , cheers ,.
Not really surprising as the prices of new motorcycles is beyond ridiculous, that and the ongoing cost of living crisis...
Manufacturers throw customers under the bus first,shortly followed by franchises before the inevitable calling in the receivers.
I have not found a warranty to be cost effective.
Get the best example of what you are looking for and don't spend more than ¾ of your available budget on the bike.
A £7500 bike should not require more than £2500 to get tip top if you buy a tidy example.
Realistically, we are always going to lose money on them, bit like getting married.
Was at both Southampton and Plymouth back in June while riding the Dawn to dusk challenge also one other dealership we visited on that day has gone reading as well as my local one Watford
@@rjkism depressing times
Its just a necessary readjustment. Too many dealerships and manufacturers struggling to adjust to changing demands.
Agreed! Supply to the demand. Look how popular the speed and scrambler 400 were. Not a bike for everyone but a sub 5 grand bike like is ideal as a commuter. That’s exactly what Jason on the parts desk at Plymouth triumph got his scrambler 400 for. More thought needs to be put into who is buying what.
Whilst I accept that most bikes are wildly expensive these days I can see why the European, American and Japanese makers have pushed their products upmarket as there’s no possibility of them being competitive against the good but lower priced bikes from India and China.
The same applies to car makers too but these companies are the architects of their own downfall as they handed over the technical and manufacturing knowledge to the Chinese by outsourcing product twenty years ago.
These countries are not only much cheaper to produce in they are also increasingly ahead in terms of technology too.
We’ve grown used to exploiting cheap labour for years and now it’s coming back to bite us on the @rse and no amount of tariffs will reverse the tide.
Have spoken to Riders and they said that all work for Harley-Davidsons can be carried out at Bridgewater and Bristol as they are the same company. BRISTOL Riders have just signed another 5yr contract with Harley-Davidson so that's where all the new stock will be. However they can still do warranty work at BOTH places.
@@22terance that’s good news! Glad they’ve sorted that out as I know that was all a bit up in the air when Plymouth first closed
same problem here in south wales both BMW & Harley closed down mid last year I have to go to Bristol from Swansea to get my bike sorted for service and warranty work, guys are lovely but its 100 miles each way. Only reason I do this is good reason to ride.
Thunder road in Bridgend south wales gone so sad too see. 🏴
Its a real shame, but the price of some new bikes are eye watering, at the end of the day motorcycling isn't encouraged in day to day life and really only seen as a hobby/weekend toy that most people cant afford, The licencing laws in this country for the younger future riders doesn't help matters either. The government would rather see motorcycles disappear and everyone in bland EV boxes. Keep the vids coming and get yourself a microphone 👌✌
@@SuperRhysevans I completely agree,the market is targeting the wealthy. PCP seems to be what some dealerships want but that comes with a huge final payment or hand the bike back after 3 years. It’s a sad state of affairs at the moment
Well said that man, absolutely agree...
ever heard of greedflation?
I live in Bridgend south Wales and we have recently lost thunder road the local dealership and it's a sad state of affairs 😕.
I was told that the owner of them both was shutting before April 2025 before the NI contributions go up as they had over 90 employees
Cool Video!! When more videos?
The problem is with Dealerships, the Manufacturer's are forcing them into spending millions of pounds on the proverbial Gin Palace, it's the same with car dealers, a new modern new build site is at least £5million+, I know of a recent Land Rover dealership who spent £20 million, all that money has be recouped somewhere, which of course will be the customer, the 2 showrooms shown would be a similar cost, just for them to go under, doesn't make sense to me, it's a Mad world we currently live in 🤔
We to yamaha Exeter last weekend exeter . Empty
I mentioned that in the video,it was all part of the same group
Sad video. However your bike sounds great. What pipes you running?
Motone Saturn V cans and decat,love how it sounds
Motone Saturn v cans and decat. Love how it sounds
Open your eyes it’s not just the motorcycle industry. Profits are low because of the continuing discounts and competition, rents and businesses taxes rise , wages rise , owners of companies taking massive wages and bonuses. Simple maths . 25 years in retail business 4 redundancies . You don’t need flashy expensive show rooms , you can’t take out more than you earn or this will keep happening.
@@lweleven3423 I’m aware it’s happening all over but this is just something that interests me and in my home town. The country is an absolute shit show at the minute,if I made a video about everywhere that closed I’d have no time to go to work 😂. I’ve been a truck driver for 21 years now and it’s the worst I’ve seen it now,company after company closing down,it’s not good
Stupid bike test in the uk and crap weather don't help
The electricity bills for these glitzy showrooms will be huge. I am aware of a small village shop that pays £500 Per week. Just crazy amount of Money.
This is the same way Motorcycle AND car dealerships and servicing will go.
A "Sales and Service Supermarket" system will be the only way to maintain margins.
That will tend to make manufacturers "more competitive" because the opposition will be on the same site.
Both Triumph and GT failed to come up with a half decent trade-in deal when I wanted to buy a new bike, so I kept the bike instead of spending more money... I did eventually get a good deal at a dealers about eighty miles away, luckily on a nice sunny day. To be fair both dealers had some good pricing on bikes if you were not trading in and would probably adjust the prices if you pointed out they were a lot cheaper elsewhere. Some fantastic discounts on new bikes on eBay but it does mean what you are trying to sell has also gone down in value and the private market in Devon or Cornwall does not have a lot of guys with six grand or more to pay cash.
For future videos, the music blows your ear off at half volume, l can hardly hear you talk at full volume, needs some adjustment along the line.
The music isn't really necessary, l enjoy your comments they are good enough on their own, l find I'm switching the music off and waiting until you speak which isnt the best way to enjoy your video..just saying.
Agree, Content is good but Music is WAY too loud.
Cheers for the comment,I’ll make some adjustments in my next video 👍
Harley Davidson Cheshire oaks/Ellesmere port closed down!
I was only saying to someone later last year that I never see young guys on bikes.... When I was a kid I could not wait to get a bike. Bikes are just so expensive now and insurance is a nightmare...Bikes will be a thing of the past at this rate!
Interesting video…. You should have mentioned j&s accessories Plymouth. Next to Ducati and behind you in the vid. I thought they were excellent for kit. Loads of choice, good prices and staff are excellent 👍
@@billybigbollox have you watched the video to the end? I did a walk around of the whole J&S shop as I needed to go and pick up some bits
@ Apologies I thought I did but obviously not. Doh
@ 😂 no problem mate
@@KruisingwithKezOh yes you’ve covered it well. I didn’t know you would double back and I think I commented then headed for shower. Excellent!
Ride safe
...no mercy- arrogant dealers- arrogant companies- crazy prices- crazy rates at mechanic service- its over- remember the 80s- same situation- they restarted- made gains- get arrogant and fall again !!!
Harley did the same in the U.S.A. about 1999 2000 a buddy and his wife owned a local dealership, they'd had their dealership since about 1970 or so... First Harley made them move from their original location to a much larger brand new facility. Their original shop was paid for... they kept about 20 to 50 bikes on site... new and used... Only HDs... nothing else. The shop they were forced to move into was larger and brand new so they had to take out a loan of about 3 million... It worked out fine for them because as most know that from 2000 to about 2011 or so every bike shop around couldn't keep enough floor stock so they made a lot of money stayed very busy.. So for them it worked out they both passed away and so did their only son so the dealership was sold around 6 or so years ago now,. to someone else.. The real story is... it could have destroyed them... it didn't... But they tried to avoid it... Harkey told them.. do it or we take your dealership away !
Not surprised.It's the prices of new bikes the are mainly used as toys.Plus the age demographic of Harley & Triumph riders! Honda s new blade starts at 24k & new Harley co pan America 23k!Me & my mate just laughed walked out & have bought used.
It is eye watering the prices that are floating around
I used to love riding down through Dartmoor to Plymouth Triumph bought a couple of bikes from there. Great guys, gutted for them. My nearest dealer is Bridge, but they are absolutely sh!te, so I'll be going to Taunton for my Triumph fix in future. Bought a bike from GT once too, also good guys. Like there cafe and gear, so may make that my new go to place beyond the moors.
Vulnerability is an issue with parents. I let my 17 year old have a 125cc Supermoto - but our 46 year old brother-in-law was left quadriplegic after the bike he was riding was pushed into a car - head on - by a 17 year old, unlicenced, uninsured motorcyclist who uncontrollably pulled out of a side road, hitting our brother-in law and then a telephone pole. He died at the scene.
@@paulfildes5489 that’s very sad to hear that’s happened to your brother in law. We are more vulnerable on bikes but not invincible in a car. Thanks for you comment
@@KruisingwithKez Thank you. It is not easy to see him without tearing up as his paralysis affects all four limbs, plus his torso. He's been that way since 2012 now. One if the things we always take him is E45 cream to bring some relief to his bedsores. We built a long curving ramp so he can get his wheelchair into our home. During the accident, he managed to push his girlfriend Ival (of life, vital) off the back of the bike before it hit the car. She was left with a mangled hand but, mercifully (if you can say that), that was all. Very sad.
@ it’s when you hear stuff like this you understand why everyone says ride safe so often. Give him my best and thanks for watching
@@KruisingwithKez Will do.
@@KruisingwithKez As I was driving to see my daughter in Heathfield recently I noticed that the extensive John W Groombridge Motorcycles site at Cross-in-Hand, which has been a landmark on the Eastbourne to Tunbridge Wells Road since 1951, ceased trading after 73 years in business. They were a Suzuki dealer for 60 years (!) and they got the Kawasaki franchise in 2010. Their new Kawasaki showroom was the only one in East Sussex. Long-time employee Keith O’Regan, who purchased the business in August 2020 on the retirement of the previous owner who sadly passed away two years later, said: “It’s not been an easy decision to reach, but due to continuously rising costs, pressure within the industry, reduced profits, and the current economic climate, the business has become non-viable". Very sad.
I think Harley will continue in the States for a bit longer, but it’s all of their exports to the European countries that they appear to be closing down first..
Harley are in a hole,very expensive bikes and insisting that dealerships are big glass palaces holding a lot of stock has seen about half their dealers close in the last three years in the UK as the economy dips. There have been sadly plenty of other companies going under or down sizing their dealerships . We have a near perfect storm an inflation bump and interest rises have cut people’s spare cash which could mean there are more closures to come.
Both Harley and Triumph have neglected the small bike market for some, the place where brand loyalty starts. Now in hard times, customers for what are essentially 'leisure bikes' are too thin on the ground to carry on.
Harley used to own Aermacchi, their 350 was a good bike too but was discontinued. I love the sound of a 'Macchi on the Island !
Just watching DVD of Long Way Round for fist time in years.
Reminded me that KTM were original sponsor but pulled out at a late stage as they were worried about looking bad if bikes do don’t make it. BMW stepped in.
Now BMW are massive in adventure bike sector and KTM in liquidation
@@derbyshireruralrider9398 yeah that still makes me laugh,bet they’re regretting that now
Loved the video apart from the overloud background music, contrasting with the presenter's quiet voice, that just repetitively went on and on ....... Never used my "mute" button so much.
Thanks for the constructive critisism. I’m currently having trouble sleeping so I’ll be sure to watch your video about cleaning a shoei helmet vent before I go to bed tonight. Thanks for viewing my video 👍👍👍
The business model for dealers that rely on a dealer rebate incentive scheme (year end numbers dependant), is fundamentally flawed. How the hell can anyone in this trade safely forward predict where they’ll be financially at the year end. I blame the stupidity of the corporate banks. You owe the bank 5K……your problem. You owe the bank 5M……banks problem. Shiny arsed sale rooms and glass fronted monoliths is NOT what the biking customer base is about, not withstanding the numerous twats that PCP everything at an over exaggerated price, which screws everybody long term.
I agree,I’m not a fan of PCP at all
PCP is a rip off gimmick.. limited milage.. bike must be mint after 3/5 years..huge final payment, unless your sign up again….
@ sure Gary, a fools paradise. I don’t get it that people actually believe for real that it’s a zero % finance deal. Since when did any lending institution lend for nothing? Ain’t gonna happen. Problem is, the hidden cost of complex PCP deals factors in somewhat that the lender will never be out of pocket, the consumer will though and the market prices are distorted as a result of this gimmickry. No wonder the trades upside down. Keep it simple.
Big retail chains in part, ruined motorcycling, killing near all small dealers, with insane discounting and help from the manufacturers with bulk discounts.
It became a data capture business, you can't walk into a showroom now without being asked for your details.
“Currant climate”? Don’t see what the price of dried fruit has to do with it.
@@fungiformenow 😂 very good
@ Yw 😊
Put that pun in a wheelchair to get it around
Owner is a disgrace, Damien was their best technician, he was only told on the day that it was shut, disgraceful.
@@equaliser2265 all of the staff were told in the same way,even the electricians that were in Harley doing work turned up and had to get their gear out that day,they’d done days of work before hand. It wasn’t executed well at all
I no longer ride but in my life have ridden a huge number of miles. I owned 2 Honda 400/4's and clocked up 110,000 miles between the two. I have never paid a single penny in my life for maintenance or servicing because it was relatively easy to do all of it myself. Modern technology has made this impossible and as a result most bikes have built-in obsolescence together with eye watering running costs. Motorcycles were an obvious choice for me as an affordable and fun way to travel. Modern tech has been the death of cheap biking.
I know my local suzuki dealership in York couldn't careless about me as a customer. Been a customer for ten years every time I need a part it's overpriced and I usually end up on the Internet finding it for half the price
Dealership looks tired and out of date with staff that couldn't give a toss
No sympathy for them. Price for bikes are unbelievable and they need to get real.
The average age of new motorcycle buyers must north of 50 new bikes are so expensive.
over spent on stock and not enough sales going outward
Franchise contract would have forced them to take on bikes that they didn’t necessarily want in the showroom. That’s not hearsay,I heard that from staff members. It’s sad that a manufacturer would see the demise of a dealership now not able to sell their product. They’ll soon be crying when sales dip even more when there isn’t anyone to sell their bikes
@@KruisingwithKez that it is
Sad reality of dealers wanting too much money for shitheaps, most people now can't be arsed being ripped off anymore
❤I'd respectfully love a free hat for my feckless wallrus jonathan 😅❤
Fortunately now I have my MK1 RG 250, no tax, MOT just classic insurance. now if Suzuki brought back 2 strokes
wage stagnation cost of living people don't have the money ; i have a T120 very happy with it, also a 14 year-old suzuki gsf 65o lo as my ride to work bike I bought new the triumph is too shiny LOL would i want or need another bike ? maybe a Chinese ADV bike they offer so much value for the money ,i brought my triumph from a main dealer the service i got was begrudging would i go back no i needed a new wiring loom and my second spare key turned out to be for their speed twin demonstrator did i get a bike on loan no not even offered .
Dealers have to take some responsibility as well mind
Modern bikes are too expensive because of all the tech', cornering ABS, rider modes, traction control, anti wheelie, shifters, auto gearboxes, radar, etc. you might as well let the bike take itself out for a ride! That's why I've got a 23 year old Fazer and a 16 year old Street Triple, nothing to go wrong and fun to ride!
Direct sales to the public without massive dealer mark ups and dealer bs mechanics prices too, is the way of 21st century public “demand” rules.. not the continuation of decades of corporate dealers smoke and mirrors overpricing…lol
I still ride a fizzy 👍🏻
Car and bike dealerships are too big and flash. It should be obvious that they will not be able to make enough profit to cover overheads.
In Leicester there was a big flash showroom that sold Triumph bikes and Lotus cars. Lasted about a year.
Bought two bikes from triumph Plymouth and the experience was poor, it was the corporate vibe I didn’t like and absolutely everything was over priced , I experienced poor workmanship on my servicing and the fitting of accessories … it never really felt like a true motorcycle shop, it was more like a boring new world life style clinic… but that approach is now sadly the world all over … GT motorcycles Plymouth isn’t much better , no real motorcycle passion in the staff ,show room full of dull sales people and the cafe is as far away from being a bike cafe as you could get … it’s dull with over priced microwaved food and no atmosphere.. I think there’s room in Plymouth for a true independent retro custom bike shop/ meeting place / cafe that’s slightly polished but inclusive … not a grumpy Harley exclusive patch IQ resentment area ! But A good petrol head joint that’s corporate independent with skilled mechanics , a vibrant sales room and top cafe that offers you a cholesterol hart stopping breakfast or the doctors orders the smashed avocado on gluten free bread … meet the great range of bikers , buy a great bike and make your own life style choice…
.Mate, what’s sad about it is that they’re selling you overpriced motorcycles and taking everything they can get out of your hard-earned cash. Then, they hit you with terrible interest rates and undervalue your trade-in. Honestly, I wouldn’t lose sleep over these guys.
I purchased a bike for £10,000, and when I tried to sell it back to the dealer six months later, they offered me £3,000. If anything, feel sorry for me!
Happy motorcycling, and take care.
HD are VERY well known for the forced over-stocking practice... never heard of this with Triumph. Can I ask if these two dealers are owned by the same company? In Watford we had LND who ran two building next to each other, also HD & Triumph, also recently closed HD building.
I'm KTM, and my huge dealer went to wall late last year, and they were also a Big4 shop so it wasn't about backing the the wrong horse, some bad economics are at play.
I do note that the 2nd hand dealers are doing well e.g. SB Factory.
Lots of brands under one roof - it’s the only way they survive…
If HD ends up with tariffs on them I doubt they’ll survive at all…..they silly money already for not a so great bike…. and I owned one for 11years 😂
Been a biker all my life but retired from biking when I was 59 simply because of all the idiots on the roads yes it's a pity bikers are on the decline and I do miss mine Ride safe you guy's
If triumph made a range of 125cc could have made some impact for youngsters
We've got 3 times population and traffic on almost same roads as mid 90s when I started riding
It's dangerous to ride I don't blame them to be fair got nearly 30years experience and need every bit of that today
Priced themselves out. Specially when the price of living is going up and up and motorcycles are mainly for fun and not a necessity. On top of that most youngsters have no interested in bikes. The government will be leaning on motorcycles next which will be the final nail in the coffin. Been warning about this for years. Just enjoy them now if you’re lucky enough to have one because the clock is ticking.
Crazy.
I wish this music was a lot lower...its pretty distracting..
@@tonyball2222 it will be in the next video,I got the levels wrong when editing it
@KruisingwithKez No worries the Video was very valid,and that's the main thing......Thx