The Motorcycle Shop Goes Digital!

[Fighter]

Originally Posted by legion

I used to work with a guy that would announce that he was going on a diet but the next day show up with a box of donuts and offer a bunch around.

When anybody'd ask about it he'd say "I still am... but on my diet you get 3 donuts 'stead of 6."

I learned much from the man. An unusual guy that brokered investments and made millions for other people but none for himself and he didn't care about anything but new suits. He'd drop a grand on a new sport jacket and think nothing of it, all the while driving around in a complete beater. There were a total of five people at his funeral. One of 'em was me, one of 'em was him and two were neighbors that barely knew him. He sleeps out at Fort Rich Cemetery.

The Tree reminds me of how much better it is to have a cool place to sleep and friends show up to spare a thought.

On another note, I too am glad this hasn't devolved into a sling fest. I've got a question though that's been running through the back of my mind since the thread started. I've bought bikes from stateside dealerships and have two BM dealers that send me notices to sign up for their facebook page. I'm not a facebook guy but that would be two out of two BM dealers and now TMS, too. Is BM telling it's dealers to participate in a social networking site?

Good call....Space book is of zero interest to me.
ADVRider is as close to a socializing on the inner webs as I get.
Carry On.
Rite

[Brendon@TMS]

Hey Everyone!

I'm pretty thankful it hasn't turned into a "hatefest" but in all honesty, I welcome all thoughts and feelings regarding TMS, both positive and negative. I will be the first to admit we've made mistakes and havn't treated everyone as best we could in the past, but I'm looking to learn from those past problems and evolve towards the future.

As far as facebook goes, "times are a changin" and it's about time we start to adapt to a more web 2.0 world. Small things such as a FB page and a more current website are fairly easy and at least show that we're somewhat up to snuff and not stuck back in 1973.

There's no encouragement from any brands any more than they promote themselves and realize it's a great and free tool to contact customers. I want to utilize our FB account to let customers interact with our business, share photos, experiences, trips, etc. More communication and sharing, it isn't a bad thing. In the summer it's so busy that we might not be able to hear everyone's unique experience and trip up here, the FB page gives every customer a voice and place to share those experiences, how cool is that?!

At any rate, I'm going through inventory and we're going to have a pretty huge sale through the new year, just a heads up...

And yes, you read that properly, sale, as in less than retail, in some cases significantly less. I'll make a craigs posting and make sure to make it loud and clear on here, probably have a special for ADV people on top of the sale.

See you at the Christmas party!

[akrider]

Ok Legion called Brenden "Bugs"........I was wondering if anyone remembered that nickname. Seems that these kids grow up and try to outgrow the names the family dumped on them. I guess calling the GM Bugsy won't get any discounts at TMS.

Hang in there Bugsy

[Brendon@TMS]

Ha, yes that's my nickname, my dad certainly had a knack for nicknames.

Name drop all you like, discounts are on a case by case basis;) Buying a bunch of bikes won't hurt either...

[5150esses]

Just wanted to say that The Motorcycle Shop has done nothing but right by me. I was a customer for the first time the summer before my move to Anchorage, when my dad and I rented a pair of F650GS's for the ride to Homer. Now, I love my dad, but he is an extraordinarily difficult person, and Brendon and his crew handled Mr. 5150's tantrums and insanity with aplomb despite their being extraordinarily busy.

After an incompetent mechanic in the Lower 48 cracked my oil cooler and welded my motor, I was bereft and brought my one-year-old Triumph Tiger to The Motorcycle Shop because they were the only dealer in town. I was expecting what everyone else in Alaska expects: Service that's about 80 percent as good as you can get outside for 120 percent of the price. Suffice it to say I have been very pleasantly surprised.

Brendon personally helped me unload the bike from my truck, told me he would do his best to help, and since then has spent hours facilitating the transplant of another engine, farkling, and tracking down parts that Triumph itself doesn't keep an adequate stock of. Hell, he was even polite when I accidentally hit on his girlfriend.

So to any naysayers out there, we're lucky to have a solid dealer of multiple European brands in this town, and we're even luckier to have Fred, who can fix anything. Brendon is doing a yeoman's job of putting his mark on the place. He could just as easily make the same amount of money acting like my last Triumph dealer on the East Coast, who never answered the phone and then acted like it was a favor to charge $300 for an oil change three weeks out.

In my line of work, I deal with horrible people all day every day, which makes me appreciate all the more that Brendon is trying to create a new, better experience for his customers. The task of creation is infinitely more difficult than keeping the status quo. So quit calling him Bugs.

[legion]

Originally Posted by akrider

Ok Legion called Brenden "Bugs"........I was wondering if anyone remembered that nickname.

psssst... Brendon, man. Brendon. Oh and uh, I didn't actually know about the bugs thing but hey, it's good to have that stuff out in the open.

[Fighter]

Originally Posted by akrider

Ok Legion called Brenden "Bugs"........I was wondering if anyone remembered that nickname. Seems that these kids grow up and try to outgrow the names the family dumped on them. I guess calling the GM Bugsy won't get any discounts at TMS.

Hang in there Bugsy

AKR......
It wasn't Legion who let the "Bugs" out of the bag.
I'll take the blame for that one.
Fite

[KHuddy]

Originally Posted by Fighter

....Space book is of zero interest to me.

And here I thought you were a social butterfly.

[Fighter]

Originally Posted by AKBeemer

And here I thought you were a social butterfly.

[akrider]

Legion is off the hook. Fite let the cat outta the bag.

Not to worry Bugsy your dad had a few nicknames for me too. Some not fit for a family forum such as this.

[Brendon@TMS]

Ha, no worries on the nickname stuff, I've inherited the old man's "thick" skin.

And I'm aware of many "diverse" nicknames of his, it's fun having customers complain of "that Doug guy" to me, I always get a kick! And yes, I usually keep my lineage to myself, no reason to spoil a good story!

Hope you all had a great weekend, I'm at TMS getting the place ready for a Christmas/Boxing Day/2012 sale!

Also, I appreciate the kind words thus far, criticism and praise are always welcome!

[smalls325is]

Brendon,
I have been emailing TMS multiple times in the past few months, with few responses. Im not sure if there is a disconnect. Please PM me if you have any information on the crank that is coming from the Parts Haus,CA for my 77' R100S. Thanks man.

Dana

[Brendon@TMS]

Hey, shoot me an email if you can, should be at the beginning at the thread, that's my personal acct.

I spoke to parts haus they said they'd get something on the way. I haven't seen anything show up, but the ball is in their court.

[legion]

This is the sumo video I mentioned in conversation today about Husky's, Brendon. That 610 definitely scoots.

...and thanks for the reminder about the show. I've got a few that I've thought off and on about entering over the years but never have entered any, ever. BM-HP2/E, KTM690SMC, KTM640/E Six Days, KTM640Prestige, Yamaha DT360, Yamaha TY-250 trials, Honda TL200 trials, ATK600DT, etc. Even have a Big Ruckus that I've been meaning to desticker and replace w/ Dewalt stickers but haven't gotten around to it yet.

I'll mull it over a little more.

[Drunk_Uncle]

Hey Brendon, future customer here. I would like to bring my 06 Sprint ST 1050 in for its 6 year service hopefully in May. All depends on how long it takes the Govt shipper to get it there. I think its the 6 year, all I know for sure is it is the expensive one. I can't wait to have a dealer just minutes away. For the last two years it has been 110 miles one way. Looking forward to meeting the guys in the shop. I also have an 06 Tiger. Can you get Heidenau tires? The Shinko 705s are near the end. So I am thinking about K60 rear and TKC 80 front.