TSS Red Baron

[Badjelly]

The other day I got a flyer in the mail implying that TSS Motorcycles, Lower Hutt, is now TSS Red Baron.

Is this a bad thing?

[Drum]

I believe the jury is still out.

[Drew]

Why would it be a bad thing? The shop is still owned and operated by the top bloke Stu, but now they have an enormous stock of used bikes to pick from around the country.

[White trash]

If Red Baron have anything to say about how the shop is run, pricing levels and the like, then "Yes", it will be a bad thing.

I guess the regular customers will be the ones to decide what way it goes.

[Hitcher]

I understand fully why Stu has done this. It should not be a "bad thing".

Red Baron is a considerably larger venture than just one shop in Auckland.

[crazybigal]

oh god no! here we go.

[quallman1234]

Ask sels he was talking to Fergus about it on boxing day in wanga's

Seems like a good idea too me.

[crazybigal]

as long as they dont start the 7km test rides!:bleh:

[The Pastor]

ouch, i always thought tss was a good store.

[Badjelly]

Why would it be a bad thing?

Oh, you know, local friendly bike shop assimilated by the borg, that sort of thing.

[James Deuce]

The biggest reason is a Business Decision by Stew.

It's his business and he is one of those rare beasts, a car salesman who became a bike salesman while managing to remain a "good cunt". No easy thing.

Talking to the spares guys, it gives them access to vast warehouses of spare parts for old munt like my bike. I've had no trouble getting bits for the Katana and some of this can be put down to the Red Baron connection which was being negotiated and signed as I "bought" bits.

[sweetp]

All I know is as a regular customer I haven't noticed a difference and I am still happy to recomend them to all and sundry. Admitily I only deal with Brenda but the service is fab and I only difference I noticed was on the tags for the bikes.

[McJim]

Given that in Auckland the name Red Baron seems synonomous with bad service and overpriced used bikes wouldn't it be a handy marketing ploy to call a competitor's bike shop "Snoopy and the Sopwith Camel Motorcycles"?
:rofl:

[James Deuce]

McJim! You're a marketing genius!

I'll buy that for a dollar! :)

[Shadows]

oh god no! here we go.




What the Fokker is that? I want one.

[DingoZ]

Have only good things to say about the whole crew at TSS....

Fantastic Service, when I bought my bike. Everything was explained really well.

Bloody Fantastic Service when the bike was due for its first service. Rang up and said "whats the chances of getting it done tommorrow as I'm off to taupo on it the next day." Booked straight in...No hassles...even though they were flat out..

Same Level of service for the 4000km service done today. Rang up yesterday and asked when it could be done....Pretty chocka was the reply, but bring it down and will slot you in...10:00 mech working on it, 12:00 Bike all good to go......12:15 Car shunted bike up the rear....12:30 back to shop....Explained the situation.....Mech on the bike for test ride, up on the jack, giving it a good check over.........Awesome service.....

Questions about the running of the bike, always answered and explained well....And never a hassle to drop in and have a good old chat.....

Don't find good old fashioned, go the extra bit for the customer kind of service in many places nowadays, so big :niceone: to all the team at TSS......It shouldn't change at all........

[RantyDave]

I think, in all likelihood, Stu is too smart and has worked too hard to screw the pooch at this stage. They'll probably be fine, although they might be exposed to some of the demo-bike deals that Red Baron (allegedly) have to deal with and some of the '7k test ride' BS that's been mentioned recently.

Dave

[nudemetalz]

Do you think I should sell them one of my Fokker Dr.1 clocks??
;)

[James Deuce]

Yes! Brilliant idea! I'll ring Stew tomorrow and sell it for you.

[McJim]

Do you think I should sell them one of my Fokker Dr.1 clocks??
;)
That Fokker's not a Fokker. That Fokker's a Messcherschmidt :rofl:

In all seriousness it just seems to be the franchise. RB in Auckland conduct their business the way they do because of their business manager. they seem to be able to generate enough profitable sales from isolated bikers (those without the benefit of a club or KB to influence their decisions) and n00bies.

In the current economic climate (Bike registrations going up as so many threads have told us) they can continue to target riders suckered in by the great shineyness of their store (when I went looking for a first bike they had more shiny bikes than everyone else). It sounds as though the business manager of TSS is fairly well connected with the biking community in Wellington and if he continues to respect that then I see no problem for the business.

[dave_a]

I dont like the sound of this red baron thing:blank:

[skidMark]

Given that in Auckland the name Red Baron seems synonomous with bad service and overpriced used bikes wouldn't it be a handy marketing ploy to call a competitor's bike shop "Snoopy and the Sopwith Camel Motorcycles"?
:rofl:


you forgot phil aka Deathstar upstairs in parts...

i need a main jet...so he bring out a big box of idle jets....


nooo main jets phil

they are....

no they aint bro. lol

or thier quality pavement

morcs parked his cbr 600 outside on a hot summers day recent...came out and his bike was on it's side..... sidestand had gone right thru the tarmac ...so deep infact the the bike fell over...on the stand side....

blame canada

[skidMark]

That Fokker's not a Fokker. That Fokker's a Messcherschmidt :rofl:

In all seriousness it just seems to be the franchise. RB in Auckland conduct their business the way they do because of their business manager. they seem to be able to generate enough profitable sales from isolated bikers (those without the benefit of a club or KB to influence their decisions) and n00bies.

In the current economic climate (Bike registrations going up as so many threads have told us) they can continue to target riders suckered in by the great shineyness of their store (when I went looking for a first bike they had more shiny bikes than everyone else). It sounds as though the business manager of TSS is fairly well connected with the biking community in Wellington and if he continues to respect that then I see no problem for the business.


yeah i noticed very similar when i went in


ooo ooo ooo

shiny bikes everywhere nice shop...it's just bike overload....

and you go gaga

until you see the prices...

if you didn't know any better as a newbie...

walk in the door a good sales pitch and your leaving on a bike you payed way too much for.

red baron auckland i'm talking about....

those bastards man, could sell condoms to a nun.

[Badjelly]

All I know is as a regular customer I haven't noticed a difference and I am still happy to recomend them to all and sundry. Admitily I only deal with Brenda but the service is fab and I only difference I noticed was on the tags for the bikes.

Couldn't agree more about Brenda, very patient & helpful, an absolute gem.

Fergus seems to be a good bloke too, though somehow he reminds me of Arthur Daley in "Minder" <_< Still, anyone with a picture of a 1970ish RD350 on the wall can't be a complete cad.

[onearmedbandit]

Led Baron in Nagoya, Japan seemed rike a bunch of good cunts.

[Drew]

It's a franchise, the staff are what make any shop. Same as there are good subway stores, and others not fit to feed a dog from.

Basing an opinion on the name above the door would be a huge mistake.