We must learn lessons from failed high street businesses and the throwaway culture The demise of HMV, Blockbuster and several other well-known high street retailers was greeted with surprise by most of the national press. But more informed observers were surprised that these companies had not failed sooner. Youngsters’ shopping habits have moved from buying videos and CDs to viewing and listening online. For them, the video and CD experiences are things of the past. Having seen or heard something a couple of times, today’s audience moves on. Life is moving so fast that things quickly go out of date and are no longer cherished. You also need to take into account that many


youngsters are indulged by their parents. They are not spending their own hard-earned cash, and so they take little pride in their possessions. The throwaway culture is alive and well! What’s all this got to do with selling PTWs? All the manufacturers are still vying to produce the most exotic, fastest, and trickest high power motorcycles when the market for them is falling.


Lorenzo – a great ambassador for the sport


Congratulations to the Motorcycle Trade EXPO team on another great show in the face of extreme weather conditions that could not be avoided. All the exhibitors put


in a great effort, but the honours must go to Oxford Products and Alpinestars for the presence of a certain Mr Lorenzo. What a great ambassador for both the sport and motorcycling in general. Any dealers who could not come on the Monday


certainly missed a once in a lifetime opportunity to get close to a mega star in our world of business. On a darker note, will


the cretin who liked the Highway Hawk claw design handlebar clock on our stand so much that it seemed to disappear, please contact us through BDN or direct at our office with their address details, so that we can send the fittings. It will not fit without them! Chris Lees, Highway Hawk, Alfreton, Derbys.


Your le ers, emails and me age on the topics that make the trade tick Youngsters really want a car. They think they can


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afford to buy one. They know they can’t afford the insurance and they are in denial about the running costs. Sooner or later, parents get fed up with ferrying them around, so a PTW can then become an option. But it costs nearly £2000 to put a 50cc machine on the road and you can get a reasonable car for that. If dad does buy a PTW, its sluggish performance will invariably result in various attempts to make it go faster, which will result in breakdowns. The bike will then be branded as unreliable and will be abandoned in the garden shed. Worse than that, the youngster will tell all his mates what a bad idea it was. Where does that leave us? Very likely, as another HMV or Blockbuster, especially if the industry does not respond to customers’ needs and demands. PTWs need to be aspirational and trendy. There are some that meet those needs, for example Honda’s PCX and the Vespa GTS, but even they sell in small numbers.


Impressed by EXPO I was more than impressed with the sheer quality and quantity of exhibitors at EXPO in January. Most of the main players were in attendance, despite the current economic situation. It was great to see MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo along with Britain’s rising star Bradley Smith at the show – the chance to rub shoulders and chat freely to both was tremendous.


Long may the show continue


to grow and showcase British motorcycling. Wallace Rollins, Publisher, Road Racing Ireland Magazine


Send your emails to:


editorial@dealernews.co.uk Send your letters to:


BDN, Caddsdown Business Park,


Caddsdown Industrial Estate, Clovelly Road, Bideford, Devon EX39 3DX.


Personal details will be withheld from publication on request.


In my view, the industry needs to wake up if


PTWs are to be sold in serious numbers. It needs to address negatives such as short and expensive service intervals, lack of weather protection and, above all, purchase price. Next, product promotion outside the specialist consumer press is essential. At the moment, it’s all but non-existent. And finally, the importers need to treat their dealers with some respect, not demand ever greater investment from them for ever-reducing returns. Recent licence changes and yet more impending


European Union legislation affecting PTWs will do nothing for sales. As I’ve said, the car is our main competitor and will continue to be so while it is more economical, better equipped and generally offers such good value for money. We need seriously sexy products which appeal to the masses and we need to promote them to ensure a revival of the PTW. Will it ever happen? Phil Gooding, Grand Prix Scooters, Leicester


Time to get a grip on ridiculous road racing costs


Racing a motorcycle is a drug and, like all drugs, when you have tried it, it is impossible to give it up. Unfortunately, addicts get taken to the cleaners and can be exploited. I have been involved with road racing for over 60 years,


ever since I was a kid, and I have never known racing to be so ridiculously expensive. What other sport has participants who pay through the nose to entertain the public? High entry fees, fuel prices, crazy tyre wear. These costs all make modern racing extremely expensive and it is only too common for teams to race for a couple of years and then be forced to pack it in because of the cost. BSB is a classic example. The racing is fantastic and


great to watch and, despite the recession, crowds have been really good with excellent attendances at Cadwell, Oulton, Brands and Snetterton, etc. Yet there is no prize money or expenses paid to the riders. Surely, this is morally wrong. Jonathan Palmer and


MotorSport Vision have done a fantastic job in the past few years getting all the circuits up to scratch and in the presentation of BSB on Sky Sport TV, where it now has a great following. So it’s hard to believe the riders in BSB get no prize money or expenses. The most recent MSV balance sheet shows an operating profit in excess of £3.8m, most of which I feel sure is from BSB. Rumour has it that BSB profits are being channelled into F2 GP car racing. While no-one expects MSV not to make a good profit – they deserve it for a return on capital and the time and effort they put in – but surely, it’s not too much to ask for a fair crack of the whip for the bike entrants who badly need some recompense for the time, effort and money that they put into our sport. Surely it’s time the ACU got the tyre manufacturers to


introduce hard compound treaded tyres as a compulsory fitment to save costs. The bikes won’t handle as well, but if everyone is on the same rubber, it won’t matter, and who knows, bikes sliding about might be good to sort out rider skills. Unless we get a grip on costs, racing is going to suffer, despite the huge amount of enthusiasm shown by teams, entrants and riders. Bill Smith, Bill Smith Motors, Chester


MARCH 2013 23


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