marshg246
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- Joined
- Jul 12, 2015
- Messages
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Anyone wanting to make a living selling parts for vintage motorcycles has a problem. Norton is the easiest because AN, RGM, and Norvil all have parts and AN has almost all.
Unfortunately, those three do not have real dealer/distributor accounts. So, when you buy from them and you are outside the UK, the small “dealer” discount you get is eaten away by shipping costs, especially if you buy any large parts. This means that you cannot compete with them and make money unless you charge huge markups. Old Britts and The Bonneville Shop charge(d) 100-300% markups and were/are somehow able to get people to buy – strange because you could buy direct for much less.
Tri-Spark, AMAL, Wassel, and CWC all have true dealer accounts, so it is possible for a US dealer to compete with them. But selling for the recommended retail price is still a losing venture due to shipping, so most double the recommended retail price.
I started selling parts so I could get my parts for less – I don’t need to make money on parts, just cover my costs. That worked well for Tri-Spark, Wassel, AMAL, and CWC, especially when I still sold on eBay. Today, those four are OK, but it is financially stupid that I have $60k of other parts (mostly AN) that no one buys.
Most know that I bought out Old Britts remaining AN stock and I paid well less than the parts would have cost me from AN. I’m selling those parts for the same small markup as the other AN parts. They cost MUCH less than you can get anywhere else. I’ve sold $25.00 worth of their parts in the last 60 days!
Then there’s bike building. Even with my reduced parts costs, I’m doing well to build a Norton for $10,500 and get $13,000 for it. A job at McDonalds in my area would pay at least twice what I get an hour! If you ever wondered why cNw builds were so expensive, that’s why!
So, I don’t recommend it as a business of any type and definitely not as a business to live on!
Unfortunately, those three do not have real dealer/distributor accounts. So, when you buy from them and you are outside the UK, the small “dealer” discount you get is eaten away by shipping costs, especially if you buy any large parts. This means that you cannot compete with them and make money unless you charge huge markups. Old Britts and The Bonneville Shop charge(d) 100-300% markups and were/are somehow able to get people to buy – strange because you could buy direct for much less.
Tri-Spark, AMAL, Wassel, and CWC all have true dealer accounts, so it is possible for a US dealer to compete with them. But selling for the recommended retail price is still a losing venture due to shipping, so most double the recommended retail price.
I started selling parts so I could get my parts for less – I don’t need to make money on parts, just cover my costs. That worked well for Tri-Spark, Wassel, AMAL, and CWC, especially when I still sold on eBay. Today, those four are OK, but it is financially stupid that I have $60k of other parts (mostly AN) that no one buys.
Most know that I bought out Old Britts remaining AN stock and I paid well less than the parts would have cost me from AN. I’m selling those parts for the same small markup as the other AN parts. They cost MUCH less than you can get anywhere else. I’ve sold $25.00 worth of their parts in the last 60 days!
Then there’s bike building. Even with my reduced parts costs, I’m doing well to build a Norton for $10,500 and get $13,000 for it. A job at McDonalds in my area would pay at least twice what I get an hour! If you ever wondered why cNw builds were so expensive, that’s why!
So, I don’t recommend it as a business of any type and definitely not as a business to live on!