Dealers - Solus or multi franchise?

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   As I'm sure many of you know, the UK bike industry has seen many changes over time.  However, one of the most significant in recent times has been the move by the manufacturers towards local independant dealers becoming Solus outlets - Honda, Triumph and BMW in particular.  Now I'm sure for some folk this is not an issue and Aprilia is generally a multi-franchise option for dealers, but what I'm wondering is what do Aprilia owners think?

Would you prefer to see more than one make of bike in your local dealer?
Do you think that, by being Solus, your dealer can offer you more?
Would you rather see Aprilia's on their own or next to other bikes?
Do you now have to travel further to look at certain makes of bike?
Are you more likely to change to a different brand because you don't want to travel?
How far would you travel to an Aprila dealer...or is that irrelevant?

I'm not asking for answers on each question, more a general opinion on the subject...or do you just not care???

Please be assured, this is not a convaluted market-research question!  I am genuinely interested in Aprilia owners' opinions, having been one for many years myself, and I also thought it may be an interesting discussion...?

Cheers.

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Arfur Sake Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moto3 racer Joined: 22 Oct 2008 Location: Shropshire Status: Offline Points: 12	Post Options Post Reply Quote Arfur Sake Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Dealers - Solus or multi franchise? Posted: 23 Oct 2008 at 13:18
	As I'm sure many of you know, the UK bike industry has seen many changes over time. However, one of the most significant in recent times has been the move by the manufacturers towards local independant dealers becoming Solus outlets - Honda, Triumph and BMW in particular. Now I'm sure for some folk this is not an issue and Aprilia is generally a multi-franchise option for dealers, but what I'm wondering is what do Aprilia owners think? Would you prefer to see more than one make of bike in your local dealer? Do you think that, by being Solus, your dealer can offer you more? Would you rather see Aprilia's on their own or next to other bikes? Do you now have to travel further to look at certain makes of bike? Are you more likely to change to a different brand because you don't want to travel? How far would you travel to an Aprila dealer...or is that irrelevant? I'm not asking for answers on each question, more a general opinion on the subject...or do you just not care??? Please be assured, this is not a convaluted market-research question! I am genuinely interested in Aprilia owners' opinions, having been one for many years myself, and I also thought it may be an interesting discussion...? Cheers.
	Arfur Fluff Sake

Spoonz Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admins Group Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Location: North Devon Status: Offline Points: 10957	Post Options Post Reply Quote Spoonz Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23 Oct 2008 at 15:07
	Me personally i don't care how many makes of bike they have. A good dealer is a good dealer. It's more about their practice as a company. I'll even go great distance for service if i have too cos i need to know my bike is right. My gripe with Aprilia has always been their lack of dealer monitoring. some of the dealers are less than competent or don't care in the things they do and don't do. I've seen it first hand in Devon with an official dealer with no credability locally at all. They recently switched the franchise from that inept dealer to a slightly more inept dealer. Makes sense ?? To me i would rather have 10 good dealers in the country than 30 ,25 of which were awful. Aprilia also still have work to do on their dealer backup. Even a good dealer is only as good as his backup. No parts no fix etc. It's an improving situation parts wise but it still seems where dealers are concerned if your prepared to buy and stock some Aprilia's your in. Maybe that's industry practice i don't know. Good dealers are hard to find period. They are about though. But nearly always in anything people judge their ownership experience by things that go wrong. The fact it goes wrong is not always the gripe it's how you deal with it. Get that bit wrong and your likely to lose the customer not only as a dealer but as a brand. I do wonder how much Aprilia's warranty payments add to the problem. The dealer i use won't do Aprilia warranty work unless you got the bike from them if they can possibly avoid it. They qoute Aprilia as paying less than half of some Japanese factory payments for the same work. The japanese already paying under trade rates as it was. Independants are often a better solution. They aren't selling the bikes so live and die by theit service. Edited by Spoonz - 23 Oct 2008 at 15:07

Garin Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admins Group A Big Bore Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Location: Launcestershire Status: Offline Points: 808	Post Options Post Reply Quote Garin Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23 Oct 2008 at 16:49
	I'm with spoonz on this one don't care what bikes they sell aslong as they know what they are doing and give good service. And talking of inept dealers, tried the new inept dealer for a service this week what a bunch of T**Ts. Any chance of getting my CO2 levels and throttle bodies checked at some point Spoonz, if they can't put the right amount of oil in, bugger up one of my oil cooler guards and fix an oil leak with instant gasket, then charge me for a new oil filter cover god knows what state the the Co2 levels are at

Spoonz Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admins Group Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Location: North Devon Status: Offline Points: 10957	Post Options Post Reply Quote Spoonz Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23 Oct 2008 at 16:52
	yeah sure, i think Stu's mate Ron is coming to get his done and chain as well soon so maybe a group effort. (stu can make the tea). Did Stu tell you about the demo bike and the guy falling off due to throttle. Despite Stu telling them it was wrong before the guy rode it.

Garin Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admins Group A Big Bore Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Location: Launcestershire Status: Offline Points: 808	Post Options Post Reply Quote Garin Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23 Oct 2008 at 19:50
	Yes Stu did tell me about the demo bike thing, only resorted to using them cause I wanted a warranty job on the clocks, thought I'd give one more set a go before I pop the top off and do the silica thing, also an oil leak so didn't think the guys you use would be interested. Still waiting on the clocks. They did clean the bike off nicely after the service with a big jet wash !!! The boss went to a show a while back at the NEC he could have dropped it off at Griffs for its service, he forgot to tell me he was going.......gutted Let me know whens a good time to come up, I'll pick the RSV decal up at the same time Cheers

YorkyMart Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moto GP Alien Joined: 06 May 2008 Location: Halifax Status: Offline Points: 450	Post Options Post Reply Quote YorkyMart Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 24 Oct 2008 at 22:08
	I agree that any good dealer beats a mediocre Solus dealer. At a Triumph Franchised dealer, (who is also also an Aprilia Franchised Dealer, and a KTM franchised dealer) approximately 20 miles west of Halifax, last year I took my 955i for a 12000 mile service, first thing I noticed was the fork tops had been taken off with a bi-hex socket and chewed up, then to cut a long story short a dozen key points not checked on the triumph service schedule despite being charged for and to cap it all as I blatted home over the moors there was a clank and a bump then the r oil filter wrench flew off down the road ! So despite all the franchise bullsh*t they were crap, got a refund and replacement fork tops, but never graced them with the service of the KTM I had bought off them , and went somewhere else to buy my Ape I need a good franchise for my new bike so was dead pleased to get a Thumbs up from Griff for MotoStrada
	Packed in Working, Packed in Biking, The two things that were going to see me off !