dang another dealer gone? Rockford IL

[tmgs]

is this another permanant closure?

http://www.bmwmotorcyclesofrockford.com/

[messenger13]

Yep...according to bigbear in THIS THREAD (http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3895), "As of 12/31/05 BMW of Rockford, IL is closed.". I know it's easy for us to point our fingers at BMW Motorrad and/or BMW NA for these problems...but the longer I ride my BMW and watch the "buying behaviorisms" of the average BMW rider, the clearer the issue becomes.

Harley Davidson...they may not ride them, BUT AT LEAST THEY BUY THEM!!! http://www.zx1112.bigbikeworld.com/forum/smilies/eek.gif


Food for thought...

[jhowdy]

Harley Davidson...they may not ride them, BUT AT LEAST THEY BUY THEM!!! http://www.zx1112.bigbikeworld.com/forum/smilies/eek.gif

Joe, I never seen this statement before (if it's original, it's a keeper), but it's so very true. Harley doesn't care if they ever sell an oil filter or spark plug as long as the masses keep the accessory and bolt-on purchases coming after the original sale. Looking at the bikes in the parking lot after Christmas, some of the guys here spent more in bolt-on stuff than I have on service related parts in the last four years from BMW. All their chrome is "Geniune H-D" stuff too.

[tmgs]

Yep...according to bigbear in THIS THREAD (http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3895), "As of 12/31/05 BMW of Rockford, IL is closed.". I know it's easy for us to point our fingers at BMW Motorrad and/or BMW NA for these problems...but the longer I ride my BMW and watch the "buying behaviorisms" of the average BMW rider, the clearer the issue becomes.

Harley Davidson...they may not ride them, BUT AT LEAST THEY BUY THEM!!! http://www.zx1112.bigbikeworld.com/forum/smilies/eek.gif


Food for thought...


Dang you are Rotten!

but I think I'll have a sticker or dozen made now!

on a better note, I'm going to be a real rotton person.

I'm going for a ride, it's sunny going to be warm and I have everything caught up as far as I can today, so enjoy working, enjoy the sleet or snow, I'll think of ya'll today while I get some miles on the North Georgia roads, ya know I want to keep em warmed up for when ya get back down here!

See what a good guy I am <g>

Tom

[RonKMiller]

Yep...according to bigbear in THIS THREAD (http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3895), "As of 12/31/05 BMW of Rockford, IL is closed.". I know it's easy for us to point our fingers at BMW Motorrad and/or BMW NA for these problems...but the longer I ride my BMW and watch the "buying behaviorisms" of the average BMW rider, the clearer the issue becomes.

Harley Davidson...they may not ride them, BUT AT LEAST THEY BUY THEM!!! http://www.zx1112.bigbikeworld.com/forum/smilies/eek.gif


Food for thought...

Ok Joe, you've got me! What do you mean by "buying behaviorisms"? I am in the dark.

On a side note: My neighbor across the street won a new Sportster in a pool tournament. He had never ridden a motorcycle before in his life. I urged him to take a Rider Safety course which he did. (to his credit) He rode around the block a few times after his course, and I reluctantly agreed to take him on a 100 mile ride on the street which of course took ALL day since he was SO overly cautious. That's OK since we made it back alive and I felt like I had done something to help him along by pointing out some of the subtleties of riding and how NOT to get run over.

The next week he traded in the Sportster (this is a guy with 200 miles under his belt) and bought a brand new Fat Boy and spent an extra $10,000 in chrome accessories. Oh yeah, loud pipes too (of course!) which I (and the neighbors) now have to listen to every Sunday morning at 8:00 when he fires her up. It is the ONLY time he ever rides it.

He is now a biker. I suppose.

[messenger13]

Joe, I never seen this statement before (if it's original, it's a keeper), but it's so very true.Yep. Made it up all by my little-ol'-self. :)

[messenger13]

...but I think I'll have a sticker or dozen made now!I'll take one or two of them when you're done. And, I won't even sue ya! :D

[KYLT05]

If I remember right that BMW dealership use to be connected to the Harley Dealership. Then BMW forced them into a self standing BMW only building about two or three miles down the road. Bottomline is I don't think the business model of a self standing BMW dealership can generate enough revenue to make it profitable. Joe, I think you are right on a number of points. When I had my Road King, by the time I put my Stage I and Stage II kits on so I had a minimum level of performance along with other add-ons I dropped a bundle at the dealership. Never failed to pick up a tee shirt at dealers visited on road trips. HD stuff only went on that bike. I thumbed through the "wish book" at least once a week making a list for my next purchase.

After loosing the dealership in Cincinnati it is certainly cause for concern as to if I will remain a long-term BMW rider. Hope someone picks up the dealership in Cinci.

[ATLDB]

Bottomline is I don't think the business model of a self standing BMW dealership can generate enough revenue to make it profitable.

I posted about this before in another thread but can't help to get fired up when this subject comes up. Your quote above is SO right, its SO on the point. I do not understand what they are thinking with this kind of attitude, make them unique, NO make them close all their shops that is what is happening, because apparently they cannot survive as a one brand only shop.

Most people looking for a bike stay away from a BMW shop because of the "too expensive", "bring my wallet" frame of mind, but I bet if they had a chance to compare lets say a R1, a Busa and K1200S they would probably see why the BMW cost more (Driveshaft, heated grips, seats, ESA, longer warranty and so on) but no they have NO chance to compare, they say I am not going to a BMW shop is too expensive and they end up with another brand.

It just gets me fired up.

[rdtebeau]

Lots of money in accessories and other do-hickies that Harley has been able to capitalize on that keeps the HD dealers going even with the huge $$ invested in their dealerships. Some years back a BMW dealer told me that in order to keep the BMW dealership, BMW was telling him he would have to upgrade his business and invest about 1 million dollars. He said no way, he was smart, he is still in business. If BMW wants dealers to upgrade and invest so much then they need to support the dealers in ways that will bring more customers and therefore more money into the dealerships. Another thought, exclusivity is nice, but it can also breed isolation and extinction.

Disclaimer- these thoughts are not my own and are merely delusions brought on by the severe ingestion of too much pecan pie!!

[bigbear]

If I remember right that BMW dealership use to be connected to the Harley Dealership. Then BMW forced them into a self standing BMW only building about two or three miles down the road. Bottomline is I don't think the business model of a self standing BMW dealership can generate enough revenue to make it profitable.

Yes this dealership is jointly owned by the HD dealer.

Local hear say: I am not 100% sure of authenticity of the following.

Supposedly the HD owner may still be looking for a business manager for the BMW branch of the business. I believe they sold around 35 new bikes but had several hundred active customers for service / parts etc. There service technician has over 20 years on Beemers so he has a pretty loyal following.

I hope the above information is true and the decision is made to keep the franchise open unde new management.

Only time will tell.

[bmwrider79]

This dealer whe all under one roof with the aformentioned HD dealer was not the best of the best BMW dealers. I heard the techs were good but the show room was pure HD lifestyle and still is. Nice people to say the least.

The big issue was where the BMW dealer was. The south side of Rockford. This I am sure was done for economic reasons but drive by traffic, not the best.

The next local dealer is in Barrington Il downtown that is. Affluent burb of Chicago.

Ulitimately the location market size and the demographics of Rockford were not condusive to sucsess at that location. They were a BMW dealer for quite some time before going solo from the HD location which also sports a diner.

Sad but I do not thing BMW is 100% to blame here. But I am sure they wanted a distinction from the HD dealer but did not consider the ripple effect of their desires.

Perhaps a better location would have been a better bet. Say next to European restaurant?

[tmgs]

The next week he traded in the Sportster (this is a guy with 200 miles under his belt) and bought a brand new Fat Boy and spent an extra $10,000 in chrome accessories. Oh yeah, loud pipes too (of course!) which I (and the neighbors) now have to listen to every Sunday morning at 8:00 when he fires her up. It is the ONLY time he ever rides it.

He is now a biker. I suppose.

Correction: Insta-Biker is the proper term

<grin>
Tom