Posts
38
Joined
3/17/2017
Location
NH
US
Dear Motorcyle Store,
Why do you even HAVE a Parts Department any more?
You sell new Yamaha, KTM, Honda, etc.bikes. You've been a dealer of these bikes for a very long time. Your service department and your parts department have been around the same amounnt of time as well. I point this out because you clearly have a lot of experience in the bike world.
What blows my mind is how you chase parts business away.
When we go to a Cycle Store on a Saturday to get a commong item, we don't need to hear and do not want to hear that you "can order it." I can "order it too." Its called The Internet!
If there is a reason for a bricks-and-mortar store, it ought to be to satisfy a need of the parts buyer while he's there...not 3 days later. UPS comes to my house too!
Now some will say "you can't carry everything." I say to that; "you CAN carry ever common item of frequent failure and wear." Some examples are:
- Front and rear sprocket for the brands you carry.
- Inner tubes for common bikes (dirt and street)
- Every possible spark plug for the brand of bikes you carry.
- Fuel hose of all diameters.
- Clutch kits
- Brake master cylinders for the brands you carry.
- Fork oil
- Ready chains (boxed common high performance chains - not off a spool out back)
- Tear offs for the brands of goggles you carry.
- Tires - All common tire sizes!
If what I need is not in your inventory, I have no need to venture to your store's parts dept.
I have gone home empty handed without the most common items, that I don't and won't venture out to your stores any longer. I adapt by building my own inventory for my 2 YZ 85s. Its not that hard to do either. I simply anticipate everything that YOU won't have and I buy multiples.
If I can carry 6 inner tubes for one of the earth's most common dirt bikes, you can certainly carry ONE!
When I need fuel hose for my CR500, I pull from my own spools.
Why can't YOU carry what I can carry for common stuff?
I can no longer see any reason for all 5 of the parts departments in my area. They ought to close down the dept and use the space for other needs, because we no longer "need" your Parts Dept.
Why do you even HAVE a Parts Department any more?
You sell new Yamaha, KTM, Honda, etc.bikes. You've been a dealer of these bikes for a very long time. Your service department and your parts department have been around the same amounnt of time as well. I point this out because you clearly have a lot of experience in the bike world.
What blows my mind is how you chase parts business away.
When we go to a Cycle Store on a Saturday to get a commong item, we don't need to hear and do not want to hear that you "can order it." I can "order it too." Its called The Internet!
If there is a reason for a bricks-and-mortar store, it ought to be to satisfy a need of the parts buyer while he's there...not 3 days later. UPS comes to my house too!
Now some will say "you can't carry everything." I say to that; "you CAN carry ever common item of frequent failure and wear." Some examples are:
- Front and rear sprocket for the brands you carry.
- Inner tubes for common bikes (dirt and street)
- Every possible spark plug for the brand of bikes you carry.
- Fuel hose of all diameters.
- Clutch kits
- Brake master cylinders for the brands you carry.
- Fork oil
- Ready chains (boxed common high performance chains - not off a spool out back)
- Tear offs for the brands of goggles you carry.
- Tires - All common tire sizes!
If what I need is not in your inventory, I have no need to venture to your store's parts dept.
I have gone home empty handed without the most common items, that I don't and won't venture out to your stores any longer. I adapt by building my own inventory for my 2 YZ 85s. Its not that hard to do either. I simply anticipate everything that YOU won't have and I buy multiples.
If I can carry 6 inner tubes for one of the earth's most common dirt bikes, you can certainly carry ONE!
When I need fuel hose for my CR500, I pull from my own spools.
Why can't YOU carry what I can carry for common stuff?
I can no longer see any reason for all 5 of the parts departments in my area. They ought to close down the dept and use the space for other needs, because we no longer "need" your Parts Dept.
You have to understand dealers cant stock all these parts. they have to buy all the parts and let them sit on a shelf until someone buys it. Its a huge financial risk they dont want to take. Its much better for the company to order what people need when they need it. The world is about money, not making people happy.
So until rockymountain has a warehouse in every city, this is going to be the case. Personally if i need a part, i go directly on rockymountain and get what i need. Luckily their warehouse is 1 state over so i get free overnight shipping. Plus their parts are cheaper than a discount at a dealer. The only thing i go to dealers for is if i need oil or something before a ride day. Other than that i dont go there. Theyre useless unless youre buying a bike.
At least they usually have inner tubes in stock.
The Shop
Me. i need a throttle cable for a yz450f
Dealer. we don't carry those but i can order one.
Me. when will it be here?
Dealer. 4 to 5 business days
Me. since today is Tuesday and your closed on Mondays that's like Wednesday of next week. i really need it before the race this weekend.
Dealer. yea, if i order it today it will be here by next Wednesday.
Me. no thanks, i have the internet, i can order it from multiple sources and have it here in two days......
Its great to help out the local dealers and i don't mind paying a little extra if they carry the inventory, but come on.... i know they could have ordered it from tucker rocky or parts unlimited and had it here in two days max, but they wouldn't even offer that option.... it was OEM parts in 4 to 5 working days or nothing... its not to surprising that they are out of business now..
If they can't make the commitment to carrying common parts, we have no need for their stores.
Pretty soon we'll just be buying the bikes online, and there won't be any more dealerships.
Clean/Inspect bike Sun (Monday if Im lazy)
Tuesday order parts
48 hours later...
Thursday parts arrive (RMATV or Motosport)
Friday evening install them.
Repeat.
Never step foot in a dealer and deal with some hotheaded douchebag kid behind a counter who knows it all, or some crotchety old man who has been traumatized by years of dealing with powersports people.
I feel the frustration too, but I totally get it. BTW, I get spark plugs and oil at the Advanced Auto, Autozone or even Walmart. Same for hoses and clamps, I wont bother going to a dealer and thats for a bike or an auto.
We kind of did it to ourselves if you think about it. Same thing happened to the Hobby Business. There isnt a single Hobby Shop near me any more.
Most of our shop has been internally set up with a Min/Max system. When a part sells, the system awares us that there are none left and we should re-order, but that is a smaller detail. I can probably guess that the issue you are encountering is that your dealer only sells a few of your make and model a year. If a dealer only sells 1-5 specified units per year, it's tough for them to stock a full blown inventory for such a small market. If the dealer had to stock every single part for every single bike they had they would be out of business in no time at all. OEM parts are a HUGE overhead.
It is common practice for us to do a decent size OEM order at least twice a week. Racers go out and race Saturday/Sunday, trash their bikes, and then Monday assess the damages and Tuesday they order parts. Our customers know if they order their parts by Tuesday they will have them for the weekend! We also offer overnight shipping for those last minute larrys! I feel no sympathy for a rider/racer who wants to ride on Saturday and Friday night realizes they have trashed some unique part on the bike that never breaks. If he wanted to ride he should have gone through his bike earlier in the week and seen his damages! It is 100% not the dealers fault at that point. If you can't be prepared it is YOUR own fault!
But to bring back your original question, "Why do you even have a Parts Department?". Well I would like to answer that for our shop at minimum.
We have a parts department because we can keep people employed who are excited in the industry. We can keep in stock what most people buy on the internet. We have well over 200 helmets in stock, we have almost every single boot, we have multiple gear companies, various different forms of protection(neck/knee braces, chest protectors, kidney belts, all sorts of pads), numerous aftermarket accessories, and we sure have TONS but not all OEM parts. But the best part about it all is we can EXPLAIN to YOU about each individual product you are purchasing, and maybe even give you advice when you are trying to fix your motorcycle. Having a knowledgeable staff sure makes a huge difference. It is very frustrating when you are looking for an answer and you can't be put in the right direction by the people who are supposed to be able to help!
So hopefully you are able to see that it is not all shops that are run poorly. It seems as though you have given an unfair opinion about all shops. I see you are located in New Hampshire. We are located in Central Connecticut and ship out everyday,(one day ground shipping to you) we sell HONDA KTM and HUSQVARNA. We are able to order almost all aftermarket pieces for Yamaha. Unfortunately we do not have the ability to order OEM Yamaha. We offer a 15% discount to wholesale customers on over the phone orders. Pretty standard protocol for most shops. The only other shop that's near you is Freedom Cycles. They are a HUGE shop and carry tons of inventory.
I hope you don't continue to petition this any further. You could cost a ton of AWESOME people their jobs! It might just be worth having a conversation with your local parts manager at the shop you deal with! Most of them are willing to work with people that want to give them money...
So, I concur with the OP.
On the OTHERHAND:
Both Fator's Suzuki/KTM/Husky in Redding, CA and Donnell's Honda-Suzuki-Husky-Beta...BOTH stock OEM & popular After-Market goodies for ALL THE BRANDS THEY SELL...
AND MORE.
So, there's still a few really good Dealers out there!
Sixeightone, your points are well taken but it still doesnt change the facts. We rarely need a helmet or gear at a moments notice. We can learn everything we need to learn from the internet. Yeah I know it takes floor space to house parts and that we should not expect to pay the same for a local part than a website part. Here is what you did not mention...
The primary reason for the existence of parts departments at dealers is to sell the service department parts, and to sell new gear and accessories to customers when they purchase new bikes or cars. There a few exceptions like maybe your shop that is likely based in or near a large moto community and can justify keeping more parts and expertise in house. That is however, the exception. Its all about money. Follow the money and you will find the answers you seek.
Pit Row
Them: "Yes we do have fuel hose."
Me: "Do you carry various sizes? I need some about 1/4-inch ID.
Them: "Yes"
Me: "Do you have at least six inches of it? I want to be sure before I drive all the way there."
Them: "Oh yeah...we got all sizes and plenty of it."
I drove there. The parts counter guy acted as if he never heard of fuel hose. "Went out back" to ask others. Cam back and asked me "you want fuel hose?" He went out back again for a long time. He returned with "we don't have any."
Me: "You dont have any what?"
Him: "Fuel hose."
Me: "Of ANY size??"
Seeming like he was not even sure where he was, he replied: "Yeah, we got no fuel hose."
Me: "But I called to be sure."
Him: "Yeah....we don't have any."
I've gone there seeking rear sprockets to change ratios back to factory on my YZs. No sprockets.
Plaistow is probably one of the worst offenders in not carrying anything for Yamaha (and they ARE a Yam dealer)
You walk into their showroom and are just swammped with salesmen ignoring you.
My daughter and I will be ON the new bikes, examining them, talking about them. I've never been approached by ONE salesman.
Sixeightone is saying that not only does he stock MOST OEM parts, but also the gear side of the market as well. It is no different than the parts department of even a large automotive dealership, ALL parts are not going to be stocked. The parts that are most commonly worn or replaced are stocked at a minimum if the shop is managed correctly, so when you do need to have it sooner than later, your shop should have it in stock. And the turn around for when parts have to be ordered can be the next day or within 3 days if need be. You are dealing with a real person, and you are not paying for shipping unless it is coming directly to your house.
The investment to stock every single part is not worth it sitting on a shelf for over a year, and replacing a part that can be stocked that is at a much higher demand and will be sold in a week's time. The service department relies on the parts department, yes, but that is not the sole purpose of a parts department
Judging by the items listed said dealership SHOULD have these items in stock. Ours always did. If they have never had what you need, why do you still go back and bitch about it? STOP. MOVE ON. GO ONLINE.
Here's the most recent event that triggered this post:
I was getting ready for a week of training camp (for daughter) in North Carolina. I realized I probably should have some more tubes. Went to MOMs of Manchester (Yamaha dealer). They had none.
Went to Derry Cycle (Yamaha dealer) they had none.
Went to Naults of Manchester: Bought 4 of theirs. Did not look at the boxes, just threw them in my large parts bin.
They sold me th3e wrong fkg innertubes. When I returned them this week, they had never even heard of a "supermini" or "Big Wheeled YZ85."
There was no appology and NO apparent "give a shit" coming from the counter dude.
NO REASON for parts departments any more.
If they are gonna sell gloves, grips, oil, helments,l and boots, Bike Shops ought to have "Accessory Departments"
I do think it's a detriment to come on here and blast all brick and mortar stores. There are some wonderful shops and some not so wonderful ones. I am fortunate enough to have two wonderful ones 30 minutes away (and about 5 mediocre or worse less than 20 mins).
So its a wealfare gig.
You want me to travel and burn gas and lose days to keep people employed.
I think I'm hearing some bricks and mortar crumbling.
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