Hondaland

[Phoenix]

Somthing odd is going on in North West Hondaland. I know one dealership who recently lost the Honda franchise and have since learned that one of the largest in the North West is also about to lose their solus dealership. Not just some small shop but the biggest selling shop in the North West who have been selling Honda bikes for 30+ plus years. The rumours of them losing Honda have been confirmed by two othe non Honda dealers who know the score.

Malcious rumours or fact? I know not.

Somebody mentioned it was to do with the new regulations in 2030 or something? :shrugs shoulders:

[Rockburner]

Somthing odd is going on in North West Hondaland. I know one dealership who recently lost the Honda franchise and have since learned that one of the largest in the North West is also about to lose their solus dealership. Not just some small shop but the biggest selling shop in the North West who have been selling Honda bikes for 30+ plus years. The rumours of them losing Honda have been confirmed by two othe non Honda dealers who know the score.

Malcious rumours or fact? I know not.

Somebody mentioned it was to do with the new regulations in 2030 or something? :shrugs shoulders:

Didn't Honda start going down the route of 'semi-owning' their dealerships (like BMW) as few years ago? I think it was to try to improve their overall control of sales-strategy (or something). Is it these types of dealerships that are closing? Or are Honda moving those areas out of the hands of independants and bringing in their own controlled dealerships in different locations?

[Phoenix]

Rockburner. Yes, you are correct. They did go down the route of the BMW only our bikes or none at all model. I know one dealer where this happened. He had to give up a Suzuki franchise and remove the signs despite the bikes being in an adjoining showroom.

The latest I am hearing is they pulling out of a very reputable solus Honda dealer. I’ll try and find out more as to why - if I can.

I just found it odd that a major dealer and an ex dealer both told me the same story about this one shop/dealer.

[Bigyin]

Rockburner. Yes, you are correct. They did go down the route of the BMW only our bikes or none at all model. I know one dealer where this happened. He had to give up a Suzuki franchise and remove the signs despite the bikes being in an adjoining showroom.

Was that down in East Anglia as i know of one locally where exactly that happened. They still run the Suzuki franchise in the smaller building

[KungFooBob]

If you ever visit Padgetts in Bratfud they've got all the franchises all in different buildings all near each other on the same street.

[Yorick]

If you ever visit Padgetts in Bratfud they've got all the franchises all in different buildings all near each other on the same street.

I think you'll find Padgett's is in Batley

[KungFooBob]

Bratfud, Batley, Shipley, Keighley, all West Yorkshire is the same to me.

[Yorick]

Bratfud, Batley, Shipley, Keighley, all West Yorkshire is the same to me.

Batley has Wakey postcode. All rest Bradistan postcode.

[KungFooBob]

My Auntie Bab's Gallery is in Wakey.

[Phoenix]

Oops!

[Phoenix]

Was that down in East Anglia as i know of one locally where exactly that happened. They still run the Suzuki franchise in the smaller building

No. Greater Manchester.

Padgetts. Nice people with a long reputation in racing and still at it! Off this year to the I-O-M.

[JackyJoll]

Bratfud, Batley, Shipley, Keighley, all West Yorkshire is the same to me.

All a big dump. No wonder they live on Spanish colonies.

[Phoenix]

I’ve done a bit more checking and I think some folks have got their wires crossed. I did think it odd that they would close a dealership with a good turnover. And so it appears, no mention of bike dealerships but there is for Honda cars.

“Honda UK managing director Jean-Marc Streng says the brand is exploring the possibilities of the agency franchised retail model as it draws to the end of “phase one” of its retail network restructure.

Speaking to AM more than two years after the Japanese brand took the bold decision to cut its network from 155 to “around about 100-to-125 with 200 retail sales, minimum, per dealer and an average return on sales of 2%” by 2022, Streng says the tally now stands at 130.

That is set to be reduced further – to 115 – within the next six months in what he described as the completion only of “phase one” of Honda’s network restructure.”

Further changes will see the network divided into geographic market areas in a process that will result in other dealership closures.”

Not good news for Honda car owners but good for Honda motorcycle owners. :breathes a sigh of relief:

Still, as an aside, it was a shame that Yamaha closed their only motorcycle shop in Greater Manchester. A lovely big showroom. I think it was part of the CMC group.

I’ll close by saying that at one time there were dozens of independent motorcycle shops in the North West. There was even a shop dedicated to just selling crash helmets. But that was the bygone days when motorcycles were an essential means of transport and much less a summer weekend toy!

https://www.am-online.com/dealer-manage ... sibilities

Footnote: As for the new regulations comment in the first post. I wonder if this is what they were referring to?

“When the U.K. announced its own plans for decarbonizing transport by 2035 this summer, these included L-class vehicles, a category that covers motorcycles, in mandating they have to be "fully zero emissions at the tailpipe" by 2035.

“While cars and vans outnumber motorcycles on U.K. roads," said the U.K.'s Department for Transport, "motorcycles are an important and sizeable vehicle population, with 1.4 million licensed in 2020 — and we do not want to see them remaining fossil-fuelled as the rest of the vehicle fleet cleans up.”

Only 13 more years to go. Best get some riding/polluting done - lol

Quite a novelty. Political fossils making laws about fossil fuels.

More Here

https://www.politico.eu/article/motorc ... on-engine/

[mangocrazy]

By the time 2035 comes round, I'll be 85. Don't see that legislation bothering me too much...

[MrLongbeard]

Only 13 more years to go. Best get some riding/polluting done - lol

13 years to enjoy the 114 before dropping a Screamin' Eagle 131 crate engine in for a whole new lease of life into older age

[Mr. Dazzle]

Only 13 years until we can all easily get bikes with really really good engines!