Why support your local shop?

[DrDee]

I am a strong believer in supporting your local mc shop, but this situation that has come up has made me think differently about the cost of things I have been buying.

I need a new blade for my bike, I phoned around the mc shops in the yellow pages to get prices, they fell in the $140-170 range, which is what you would expect. I phoned my local shop that I get all of my work done, they said it would be $130. What a bargain!

Then I checked out a place outside of Auckland, $89 plus $10 delivery.... WTF? Apparently they are all of equal quality and I understand that shop lease, expenses are more in Auckland but that just seems a little OTT.

From now on I will get prices on parts from out-of-town shops before I even phone my local (Damn, I have allready spent about $2000 on my bike in the last 18 months, could have saved me $500 to make a few toll calls...)

[vifferman]

Why support your local shop?

I don't.

I don't have a local.

However, I *do* support shops I like, regardless of cost, if they give good service and treat me well. It's how I give them my vote, AND keep them in business. At the end of the day, a few shekels here and there won't break the bank.

So, for service and tyres, I tend to go to Kerry at Motohaus whenever I can, and stuff he can't get, I shop around, and buy it if the service is good, and the price not exorbitant.
Dunno what to do about Honda parts though... I might have to buy them from Hamilton, or even Australia (seeing as even with freight and tax they're cheaper via there, and obtainable in less time...)

[bugjuice]

last year I was trying to find a small spring clip that sat in the calipers of my CBR. No one had the right ones, and Honda wanted to charge me a small child in exchange for a little metal clip. In the end, I found some place in Melbourne who mailed it to me for a grand princely sum of 10 bucks.
Support the locals, but it can pay to shop around..

[Hitcher]

The provinces are definitely the place to shop for bikes and parts. Maybe it's because they have lower overheads, or maybe it's because they actually care about the long-term relationship they have with their clients AND potential clients.

[750Y]

i bypass my local shop cos their service & prices suck!

[**R1**]

I always go to my local, i know the guys well and they know me and my bike well, they do me demon deals, but i would still go there even if they didnt, good service, good products, great guys......to me the thing i like about motorcycling is the 'whole' experiance ie:riding, culture, people, and the bike shop. its a way of life, not a means of transport. so i dont realy care about saving a few bucks here or there.

and im sure if ya told the guys you normaly deal with that you can get it cheaper else where, they would meet ya half way.

[Biff]

I don't mind paying over the odds for something by shopping locally, providing that I don't feel I'm being ripped off and the service is good. But I always shop around and get quotes.

[riffer]

Then I checked out a place outside of Auckland, $89 plus $10 delivery.... WTF? Apparently they are all of equal quality and I understand that shop lease, expenses are more in Auckland but that just seems a little OTT.

Jap Motorcycle Dismantlers? I'm pretty sure their prices are in US$...

[soundbeltfarm]

i try to support the locals.
but only if they treat you with the same respect.
a few bike shops around here the salesmen thing they are somthing but they are just f%^kwits.
they talk a good ride but thats it.
deano at NP motorcycles is a bloody good guy nothing to much trouble for him.
my mate got a harley from anza payed 34.500 then has to spend 6grand to turn it into a bike and the service he gets from them is shithouse.
they cant even give you a price on a trade or even do a deal on a bike.
they say they have to ask the boss.
anyway enough ranting .

[TonyB]

Wanted to buy a washable air filter for the FZR.
Rang one shop and asked for a price for a K&N- $220 (approx- was a while ago now)
Rang another shop- $150.
WTF? Do these dickheads think I'm going to EVER WALK INTO THEIR SHOP AGAIN? If you give me a ridiculous price, I will never ever come back.
Wee tip- get a BMC, same type of filter, about half the price of a K&N

[Midnight 82]

:spudwhat: I ride a Yammy but use the local Honda boys because of service
Go on then give me shit but hey you take your baby to where your comfortable dont you

[zeRax]

i dont think i need to use any servicing shop, i get trade prices on most parts and some brands and my dad's godly at any trade so he just does everything and i learn from him , maybe tyre fitting ill need shop for :\ nfi

[zeRax]

im for supporting good blokes doing their job thou, but in the end your giving money that you worked for so why donate it if you dont need to.

[Jackrat]

I only have shops that sell farm bikes and MX/enduro bikes and even if they can supply a part,it's always in 4-5 days.
I can get to AK in less than an hour so I don't see why they can't get things in less than a week.
Then the shops in AK don't know the first thing about the XS so I don't bother with them unless it's for tyres.
Everything else I get from the USA or OZ,often for less than half price and always with better sevice.
I mean why is a set of electrical brushes $50 here with over a week for them to arrive at the shop,who then don't ring me for another bloody week to let me know they've arrived, when the same brushes from the USA are $10 delivered to my door in eight days.
I tryed to buy a clubman style seat here and only got "no" for an answer.
The first guy I contacted in OZ didn't have one to fit my bike so he made me one,an if I have any problems just send it back an he'll redo it for me "no extra charge".
You just can't get that kind of service here.

[ktulu]

mate, love that service jackrat. Kerry at motohaus is the man, only had my bike in there once, helpful as, just out of his way helpful, remembered my name, was just a bloody good guy, will surely be doing business with him the future