Bike Shops

[What?]

Harking back to an old thread about Haldanes...

I have just spent a week in Auckland, and in a few spare moments went with a mate to check out the bike shops. We did not have time to go to Haldanes, but did get to AMPS and Lifestyle. When I last went to AMPS, they were all over me. This time, the attitude was totally different - alomost like I was just cluttering up their shop like a schoolboy. Lifestyle (c*** of a location) were the opposite. Even after making it clear that we were not buying today, the coffee was made and the hospitality served up in large helpings. Two days later we got over to the shore and got a similar mixed bag. Weird.

An aside, if you've got a large or small head and need a new helmet (no mediums left) Leading Edge tyres are getting out of helmets, so are flogging their current stock of AGV's and ... and... something else at pretty-well zero profit. Same applies to gloves, suits etc. Oh, and the sales guy will talk to you.

[MikeL]

In the course of doing extensive research into what my next bike will be (can't rush into these things), in the last 3 weeks I've been into all the Auckland bike shops except Haldanes and Lifestyle, plus some in Tauranga and Hamilton. I have to say that without exception I was treated as I would hope and expect to be treated, even when I made it clear that I was in the early stages of "just looking". Whnever I asked to test ride a bike "just to compare", there was no problem. Why, I wonder, was I treated with courtesy and deference, when I hear of others being given the brush-off? Perhaps the grey hairs and the wrinkles have somthing to do with it??

[Duke of Rogan]

I've been into Haldanes a couple of times and found them quite good.
The weekend before I bought my bike privately, I went in there and test rode a 600SS and a ZX6R for a comparison. Then I was back the next weekend on my new bike to get some minor parts etc, and to rub in the fact I bought one in great nick $2000 less than theirs

I've also called their workshop for "technical" questions, and will probably get any major service jobs done there.

As for gear, I went across to Mt Eden Mototrcycles and bought a KBC VR-1 helmet and a pair of Ox-tar road/race boots for $350 and $250 respectively, but got a reciept for insurance purposes to the value of $800 total. I recommend these guys for gear, espically the main man "Mike", he knows his stuff (sold me a K&N air filter element for $115 too!)

now I'm seriously broke

Never been to AMPS or Lifestyle though., don't even know where the latter is....

[Slim]

I've never heard of AMPS or Lifestyle - where are they hiding???

[Duke of Rogan]

AMPS is on Kyber Pass road and by the looks of their web-site and shop front mostly specialise in Harleys. I have been told they stock a lot of K&N stuff too.

Not sure where Lifestyles is, can't find them in the online yellowpages.

talking of bike shops, I see the latest member to kiwibiker has the username "colemans"

[MikeL]

Originally posted by Duke of Rogan
Then I was back the next weekend on my new bike to get some minor parts etc, and to rub in the fact I bought one in great nick $2000 less than theirs

And you still expect to be greeted with a cheery smile?

AMPS are also agents for Triumph, Honda and a couple of others, but judging by the showroom space they seem to give priority to HD.

As for Lifestyles - never heard of them until I read What?'s post. I always thought they were condoms...

[Slim]

I do know AMPS then. I vaguely recall they used to be called something else and didn't they used to be in Mt Wellington or something?

[What?]

Half of what is nowAMPS used to be Shaft m/c's at Otahuhu. Their showroom is divided in half, with Triumph, Guzzi, Kawasaki and used Jappers in one half and tractors in the other.

Lifestyle is a Bavarian Money Waster shop. Can't remember the name of the street, but if you go to the bottom of Carlton Gore to the stop sign, turn right then right again into a short street, they are on the right. Can't miss it, and if you are in a tin-top, you probably won't be able to park it (like I was in my ute when visiting AMPS - their access is so narrow I took up two parking spaces. Otahuhu was way better....)

Maybe the different apparent attitude from sales people has something to do with time of day / day of week??

[Slim]

Originally posted by What?
Half of what is now AMPS used to be Shaft m/c's at Otahuhu. Their showroom is divided in half, with Triumph, Guzzi, Kawasaki and used Jappers in one half and tractors in the other.

That's who I was thinking of.

Lifestyle is a Bavarian Money Waster shop.

Huh?!?

[SPman]

Amps also handle Aprilia and KTM.

Lifestyle is the Bavarian Money Waster shop, fronted by Henry Plowright, who used to front the BMW shop down on The Strand

[Slim]

LOL @ SPMan! I can't believe I didn't see that yesterday! I was probably coming down with this cold that's showed up this morning.