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Anyone noticed that bike shops and shows are in decline?
Taylor racing in Chippenham, main Suzuki off road dealer and Triumph sole agent has just been declared bankrupt, went to Shepton Mallet auction today and there were only 28 lots, varying from D1 bantam covered in red oxide to a concours Triton. Go back 10 years ago and there would have been 130-150 lots. Only two halls with stalls in this time yet there were 3 halls filled in October last year.
Spoke with one of the women issuing bid numbers and she said its mainly down to ebay.

any ideas?

I agree.

I now buy/sell most things on ebay. It gets you easy acces to a huge market place.

I can't make up my mind whether its reducing or increasing prices. A bit of both I guess.

JL.
Things are only worth what the people who see them at the time are prepared to pay so the effect I feel is the market dictating the prices. Thing is, your audience is world wide. I have sold bits off of old stationary engines (another hobby) to Australia and the States where they would NEVER have seen a local advert etc.

i have bought quite a few bits off ebay for my b6 and its saved me sh1t loads and time o and its deliver'd to your door

6 weeks ago i came off my b6 (2 kids ran out from behind parked car on icey morning so i had to do emergancy stop on black ice guess what i crashed at 10 mph) i fractured my collar bone so i couldnt go and shop for the bits i needed. the bits i needed were a new clutch lever and a new foot peg hanger, i could get to a shop but would need to travel as i live 20 miles from the nearist town so i went on ebay and got the parts deliver'd to my door and they cost £40 including postage i bet i couldnt find the parts that cheap in any shop and get em deliver'd to my door so i wouldnt knock ebay so much as it can get you out of the deep n smelly at times

I dunno, I think bike shops aren't affected nearly as much.

Bikers like bike shops, we like to stand around breathing in new bike smell, ogling that shiny new Fireblade and talking bollox with some guy who has a masters degree in feigning interest.

Bike shops also have always had it tough. Most of the small ones (two branches or less) franchised main dealers or not are on pretty slim overheads and the cash they make on new bikes still goes to them rather than anywhere like e-bay.

Parts trade has probably taken a spanking, but that's been going on for years, and if the manufacturers and dealers didn;t rip us off so much, they'd do better.

Take CCT's for example, Honda charge £120 for them, David Silver, £45. It's not e-bay or the internets fault really is it?

Bikers like bike shops, talking bollox with some guy who has a masters degree in feigning interest.

Wonderful Kitch. Succinct as ever but has me ROFLMAO!!

I think bike shops are actually doing a lot better than they used to from the, dare I say, grey pound? The born-agains who have got shot of the kids and have that mortgage that was crippling originally and now is about the cost of two rounds down the pub!
They want the latest Suzasakiyamahonda with all the new kit.
Parts are bought by the poorer members aren't they? I mean these guys (and gals?) have their bikes serviced by the garage it was purchased new from and it will only be in their ownership for two years max until the latest bike/colour comes along or they are bored (or worse, de**!). Parts are something they see on the workshop receipt only!
Now I admit to being of that age; 48 in a few weeks but due to some poor financial planning by myself (getting married and divorced............twice!!) I am not in the latter category money wise!!!
Bikes aren't regarded in suburbia as the 'noisy, smelly things' of times gone by but the thing that the guy next door will take out when it's sunny only.
No, I think bike shops could be in a far worse situation.

PS I remember reading a story in 'New Motorcycling Monthly' back in the late seventies and it has always stuck with me. A chap was recalling his youth when his father ran a bike shop and said to him that the time to get out of the motorbike trade was when bikes reached the price of a pound per CC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't like Ebay but you have to go there just to get by.

I use Ebay these days with loss leaders or old stock I want rid of but it really does put the squeeze on you. On the other foot it increases competition and therefore lowers prices. The real shame is the big companies just get bigger and poor old people like me struggling to get by get hammered.

Anyway by the by I have some listing to do )