Completely Motorbikes... Gone into Administration...

[Dickyboy]

Just been doing some digital tyre kicking on Ebay & Completely motorbikes have a few adverts for new 650 Vstrom's.No doubt they're also advertising other bikes.

Looks like they've got over 500 bikes on eBay at the moment, not sure I'd want to buy one without knowing that any consumer protection is probably worthless.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?sid=t ... 561.l49496

[Yorick]

Just been doing some digital tyre kicking on Ebay & Completely motorbikes have a few adverts for new 650 Vstrom's.No doubt they're also advertising other bikes.

Looks like they've got over 500 bikes on eBay at the moment, not sure I'd want to buy one without knowing that any consumer protection is probably worthless.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?sid=t ... 561.l49496

That's a helluva lot of money tied up in bikes. No wonder the shop couldn't cope.

[weeksy]

Just been doing some digital tyre kicking on Ebay & Completely motorbikes have a few adverts for new 650 Vstrom's.No doubt they're also advertising other bikes.

Looks like they've got over 500 bikes on eBay at the moment, not sure I'd want to buy one without knowing that any consumer protection is probably worthless.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?sid=t ... 561.l49496

That's a helluva lot of money tied up in bikes. No wonder the shop couldn't cope.

They had multiple shops, so whilst it was a lot, it was spread about like a few dealers have done.

In simple terms, motorbikes are a dying industry, they should have seen it coming, especially with financial aspects in consideration for many.

[Taff]

The Staverton shop had well over 100 used bikes (6 rows of about 20 bikes) , plus the separate Kawasaki, Yamaha, MV and Honda dealership shops on the same site

[kendo57]

Dealers often have links to online buying services like We buy any bike , we want your bike , ect.
Hunts motorcycles near me is only a small shop but they have loads of bikes on Ebay and i know
they have a storage facility full of second hand bikes.

[mboy]

That's a helluva lot of money tied up in bikes. No wonder the shop couldn't cope.

Small percentage of what they had in stock usually... Somewhere near around 2000 used bikes across the group I understand, as well as new bikes for the various franchises...

I'm told the interest bill alone for the group stock (including cars) was in the region of £1/2m... For the stock to sit there doing nothing!

[mboy]

From their Facebook feed...

Completely Motoring Limited, Thunder Road Motorcycles Limited and John Wilkins (Motor Engineers) Limited all enter administration
Urgent call for buyer to save leading new and used vehicle group
Completely Motoring Limited, a leading new and used vehicle company which owns John Wilkins (Motor Engineers) Ltd and Thunder Road Motorcycles Ltd have all entered administration on 10 October 2024.
Jonathan Amor, licenced Insolvency Practitioner with UK top ten accounting and advisory firm Azets, has been appointed Joint Administrator along with Matthew Richards of Azets and Alessandro Sidoli of Xeinadin Corporate Recovery Limited. The Joint Administrators are urging interested parties to make contact as soon as possible to maximise the chances of securing the future of the £70 million turnover group.
In total, the group employs 165 people across 14 showrooms and 11 locations spanning Wales and the South West of England.
Joint Administrator Jonathan Amor, a Restructuring Partner at Azets, said:
“The Group has encountered financial difficulties after a poor Summer sales period. As a result, the Group has been placed into administration to protect it. We are exploring sale options with interested parties.
“We have received several expressions of interest and we urge any other parties to make contact as soon as possible, with a view to securing a future for the Group and saving as much of the business, and as many jobs, as possible.”
​Jonathan Amor
Partner
Restructuring & Insolvency
Please contact
Completelymotoring@azets.co.uk
thunderroad@azets.co.uk
johnwilkinsmotorengineers@azets.co.uk

I went past Ducati Worcester this morning, must've been 10 cars outside, people queuing up to get in and get their bike/money back by the looks of it... Came past 2hrs later again, and all closed up again and a note on the door.

[Yorick]

If shops keep closing, the bike manufacturers will have to do something or they'll not be able to sell any.

In the old days many shops were just tied to 1 make.
That's the way it is here, to some extent.

On our island we have Honda and Kawasaki dealerships

On G.C. there's KTM and Ducati shops.

[weeksy]

If shops keep closing, the bike manufacturers will have to do something or they'll not be able to sell any.

In the old days many shops were just tied to 1 make.
That's the way it is here, to some extent.

On our island we have Honda and Kawasaki dealerships

On G.C. there's KTM and Ducati shops.

I'll keep saying it, there's not enough buyers to sustain it currently. People have less money and motorbikes are out of favour, it's just how it is.
The problem is if course that downsizing your operation isn't easy. But I don't see an alternative

I'd be really curious to see figures if anyone can get them to say 600+cc bikes sold this year compared to 5 years ago. Even <600cc for a commuter context too.

[weeksy]

https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/n ... torcycling

Makes better reading than I thought

[mangocrazy]

It's been obvious for the last 20 years or more that motorcycling in the UK is in decline. Most buyers are in the 50+ age group and every year more of them fall off their perches and are not being replaced by younger riders coming through. It may seem bad at the moment for bike shops but it's only going to get worse. The UK now is just a follower in bike design and marketing, we don't have the marketing and sales clout to lead trends, we just take what the rest of the world wants. Increasingly Asia will dictate trends, plus biking holdouts like Spain and Italy.

[Bustaspoke]

^^^^THIS^^^^

[Horse]

I'd be really curious to see figures if anyone can get them to say 600+cc bikes sold this year compared to 5 years ago.

MCIA publish monthly sales figures. Someone in the trade should have access to them.

Even <600cc for a commuter context too.

Interesting that you use 600 as a cut-off. That's indicative of how the market has changed.

[Old git mode] When I were a lad ... My first 'big' bike was a Honda 400Four. Learner 2 stroke 250s were often fairly brisk.[/]

But, since then, the training regime has become lengthy and costly (but not necessarily as effective as it might be). And has pushed up 'first bike's expectations, with manufacturers adjusting the range to suit.

Manufacturers have followed demand. Whether that was 600 & super sports bikes, or adventure bikes. How was that demand created, and are the results bikes that are unaffordable and - often difficult to ride on UK roads?

As someone said recently, use the bike you have to go on adventures.

[mboy]

https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/n ... torcycling

Makes better reading than I thought

Using facts and quotable sources rather than just personal opinion and raw emotion on the internet?!?!

You've a lot to learn...

[mboy]

It's been obvious for the last 20 years or more that motorcycling in the UK is in decline. Most buyers are in the 50+ age group and every year more of them fall off their perches and are not being replaced by younger riders coming through. It may seem bad at the moment for bike shops but it's only going to get worse. The UK now is just a follower in bike design and marketing, we don't have the marketing and sales clout to lead trends, we just take what the rest of the world wants. Increasingly Asia will dictate trends, plus biking holdouts like Spain and Italy.

It's only "obvious" to somebody selectively choosing their information sources...

For sure, the motorcycle market has changed. It's different now to what it was when I was a lad in the 90's, it's quite different to what it was even 10yrs ago, and it's certainly a lot different to what it was when many of you grew up on 2 strokes and crossply tyres!

Motorcycling in the UK changes, it evolves. Those I know in the industry tell me things are almost as good as they've ever been, it's just that the demographic is changing... Small(er) bikes are becoming the norm again, people buy more accessories and clothing online now than in physical shops, people don't frequent the same hangouts that they used to so typically or even ride in similar social groups. But they do still ride.

[mangocrazy]

It's been obvious for the last 20 years or more that motorcycling in the UK is in decline. Most buyers are in the 50+ age group and every year more of them fall off their perches and are not being replaced by younger riders coming through. It may seem bad at the moment for bike shops but it's only going to get worse. The UK now is just a follower in bike design and marketing, we don't have the marketing and sales clout to lead trends, we just take what the rest of the world wants. Increasingly Asia will dictate trends, plus biking holdouts like Spain and Italy.

It's only "obvious" to somebody selectively choosing their information sources...

For sure, the motorcycle market has changed. It's different now to what it was when I was a lad in the 90's, it's quite different to what it was even 10yrs ago, and it's certainly a lot different to what it was when many of you grew up on 2 strokes and crossply tyres!

Motorcycling in the UK changes, it evolves. Those I know in the industry tell me things are almost as good as they've ever been, it's just that the demographic is changing... Small(er) bikes are becoming the norm again, people buy more accessories and clothing online now than in physical shops, people don't frequent the same hangouts that they used to so typically or even ride in similar social groups. But they do still ride.

That doesn't tally with my experience, or even this thread. A major chain has gone into administration, and there have been others recently. In my home town (Sheffield) SMC closed down earlier this year, and they were by far the biggest motorcycle dealer in the city. If you're selling into niche markets times may be good, but I really struggle to see how 'things are almost as good as they've ever been'. That sounds like whistling in the dark to keep your spirits up to me.

[Taff]

I notice as many bikes on the road as I ever have, and it's noticeable that there are many youngsters on small capacity bikes hooning around as well as older GS types touring.

[Dodgy69]

I'd agree most bikers are 50+. When they eventually pack it in, there is always more 50+ coming through. Pension pot spending will always be there.

It's a leisure activity for the 50+ in the main. Younger folk, it's more their form of transport. I reckon it's just the big dealers eating the little dealers.

[mangocrazy]

I reckon it's just the big dealers eating the little dealers.

And then going pop. There's a lot to be said for keeping your operation lean, knowing your limits and not over-stretching yourself.

[Nordboy]

I reckon it's just the big dealers eating the little dealers.

And then going pop. There's a lot to be said for keeping your operation lean, knowing your limits and not over-stretching yourself.

Greed takes over, once people start making good money, as with most, they want that bit more, and more...