As in the automotive industry in general, selling motorcycles and motorcycle equipment alone won't keep your dealership in business. Supplement the income from motorcycle service and repair with a full range of motorcycle parts. Your dealership can use custom motorcycle parts and accessories to flesh out the look of your sales floor, without sinking all your capital into a floor full of motorbikes.
Stocking wholesale motorcycle equipment on the floor also helps bring in foot traffic. It's easier to bring customers in for repeat business if they can update or customize the bike they purchased from you than it is to buy a new bike. Three motorbike equipment categories you could include are:
1. Motorbike parts that enhance performance.
2. Motorcycle body parts to replace damaged equipment or change the look of the motorcycle.
3. Motorcycle parts that offer protection for the motorcycle or the rider.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Breathe easy at the register with motorcycle performance parts
The most obvious motorcycle performance parts to showcase are parts that let the customers' bikes "breathe" - exhaust systems, followed by intake upgrades, from carburettor kits and electronics programming chips to full replacement carburettor or fuel injection systems. These pieces have two advantages: all that shiny chrome catches the eye, and no one has to tear down the engine to boost performance.
I recommend: StarCycle USA lists over 2,000 exhaust products in the online catalog alone; you can easily home in on make, model and year.
Newport Cycle Parts, Inc. stocks systems for on and off road motorcycling.
Bolster your business with motorcycle body parts
Bikers like to make their bikes an extension of their personality. Showcase a few accessories in your showroom to spark customers' interest and imagination and open up their wallets.
I recommend: Best known for the fender eliminator kits that clean up the rear of most sportbikes,
Competition Werkes Inc. also supplies pegs and signal kits to complement the sportbikes' cleaned-up look.
National Cycle, Inc. distributes parts for the cruiser market: fairings, light bars, saddlebags and other chrome accessories.
Help your customers guard their ride with motorcycle protective equipment
Accidents happen. Cyclists appreciate anything that can minimize damage to themselves or their rides. Stock a few small protectors on hand, especially for sport bikes, which unfortunately for them can translate into repeat business for you.
I recommend: AXO America, Inc. carries gloves, back protectors and boots to protect a rider literally from head to toe.
R&G Racing Products supplies crash protectors, protectors for handlebar ends, forks and swing arms, and engine case sliders.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Take samples of the motorcycle equipment for sale and, depending on your square footage, dress a wall using an "exploded view" of a bike, like a mural, or customize a bike on the floor, perhaps on a stand, showcasing a selection of the premium goods you carry. Perhaps even mount a dummy with full riding gear atop the bike (which would also discourage customers from climbing aboard and damaging anything).
The official source of Motorcycle Equipment is the Motorcycle Equipment page at Business.com