Happy New Years! Is it too early to start the year with a quick rant? Take a look at these photo's I'll post below. These screenshots are stolen from the websites of the organizations that support offroad riding in Canada. I tried to get more from the west coast provinces, but the way they format the sponsorship scroll on their websites was difficult to screenshot. Some of these are racing groups like FMSQ and Offroad Ontario, others are Dualsport clubs and event groups like Rally Connex and the Ontario Dualsport Club. Most of these are from Ontario and Quebec, but even if the coasts were more included, you'll notice one VERY NOTABLE OMISSION. Fortnine's Logo isn't on one of them! They don't support events in Canada, and they don't support riders in Canada. These screenshots are packed full with bike manufactures and vendors, but more importantly with DEALERS and SHOPS! Why are so many of us supporting Fortnine with our money, when there are oodles of dealers forking out their hard earned cash to sponsor events so that WE can ride for cheaper?! Almost every dealer ships same or next day parts nowadays, and almost every dealer can drop ship anything they don't have in stock same day, direct to your house, for the EXACT SAME PRICE as Fortnine. It's 2020 and almost all vendors support Minimum Advertised Pricing policies. This means that dealers are now selling parts for exactly the same price as online retailers! Sure Fortnine offers one convenient website that allows us to fill our shopping cart with a few clicks, we never have to pick up the phone, prices are great, and the box shows up on our doorstep a few days later. But are we really so lazy that we can't pick up the phone to order from our local shops that are actually sponsoring riders and events? C'mon guys! We can do better than this! Let's help out the guys that help us. Find a local bike shop that supports riding in your area and start buying off them. It won't cost you much or anything more in money, and will only cost you a little more in time. Plus I can almost guarantee you'll make some great new friends when you're connected with a shop. Let's build a COMMUNITY this year with our money. Let's support the guys who support us! Are you with me?!
Very well said. I had never considered this, thank you for posting. p.s. F9 doesn't always have the best pricing either
100% true! MAP policies are making it much easier for shops to match or beat online retailers. I know I've fallen prey to assuming F9 would have the best pricing. Then been shocked when I saw it for cheaper on the shelf at a local shop.
Good post. Thanks for the reminder. It is worthwhile to develop a relationship with a local dealer, or two.
Thanks Rick. As a supporting dealer of many rides, and events we struggle with this when we see guys with parts from F9 and advertise, hey look at this from F9, but generally the last laugh is on them as our in house and online prices are most often better then F9. Sure enough fair competition, but that is why we are focusing more on Euro brands that the generic parts are not as easy to locate and not correctly stocked by big box stores. Funny how many customers i still to this day hear that when they look for an oil filter for a Beta at big box stores are told/asked "what is that a Chinese brand, we don't sell that junk here"
The #1 reason why shops local to me might not get my business is because they are not at all logical with their business hours. Motorcycling in Canada is a hobby. Should a business that caters to a hobby be a Monday to Friday 9 to 5 operation? I work during the week and don't have time to do hobby shopping. The only time I have for that is on weekends... so now look at the hours for most shops on the weekends: Most are closed Sundays, and those that open Saturdays are often limited hours. Wouldn't it make more sense to have long opening hours on the weekend and then take a couple days off during the week for a hobby orientated business? So, since I can't shop locally when I am available (on weekends), then I shop online. Since I am buying online anyway, I go for the cheapest price... whether that is Amazon, Fortnine, MX1Canada, Partzilla, it doesn't matter.
Very true. It's also crazy what can come out of that relationship. Speaking from experience, because of my relationship with a local shop, I've made new friends, partied with cool people, been invited to ride private land tracts, been given free passes to shows, been given free gear, been connected to industry professionals for riding tips, been connected with sponsors, and been invited to private VIP demo's. I've ridden bikes before anyone else in Canada, and been given invaluable advice. All because I decided to connect with a shop. I also have 4 sponsors for my 2020 riding season because of the people at that shop. F9's never given me anything besides a couple stickers.. Who was cheaper to buy from in the end?
Odd. Every shop I know is open Saturday, and many are open Sunday but closed Monday or Wednesday in order to cater to riders exactly like you suggest. Maybe try reaching out to a couple more shops. They don't have to be local. With drop shipping they could be hours or even more away. One of my favourite shops is in British Columbia, another is in New York. I live in Ontario. The shop I buy almost 100% of my stuff through is about 2 hours away from where I live. Still worth it. Give a few more a try. Feel free to PM me if you need some suggestions. I know a ton of great people across the country in this community who are worth giving your money to.
The only shop anywhere near me that is open Sundays is Royal Distributing. Two Wheel Sports, Dual Sport Plus, GP Bikes, Snow City Cycle, Lang's Offroad, Ready Powersports.... etc etc etc are all closed Sundays. Many of those places are only open until 1pm on Saturdays. I'm not going to put much effort into helping businesses help themselves. If they are open when I am looking, I might buy there. If they aren't, I won't. No skin off my back either way.
Almost all those dealers are open Saturdays. As for weeknights: Two Wheel Motorsports is open until 8 on Thursdays DualSport Plus is open until 6 most days GP Bikes is open until 8 Wednesdays and Thursdays Snow City Cycle is open until 8 on Thursdays Lang's Offroad is open until 8 on Thursdays Ready Powersports is open until 9 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Don't put the effort in to help businesses help themselves. That would be a crappy reason to help any company. It's their job to do that. Put the effort in because those business are actually putting the effort in to help YOU by supporting riders and events in Canada! If we want to build a community of people who work to grow motorcycling in Canada it's going to be up to us to do it. The shops I've screenshotted are out there doing it for us every day, as are are dozens of other shops I wasn't able to list. I believe it's the least we can do to support them in it. I'm not saying it'll make your life easier. I'm saying it'll make motorcycling better. That's why you should do it. .
I have lived in the same area for over 20yrs. I have tried at least a half dozen times to give my local Yamaha dealer my business. All the way from small parts to bikes. Assesltines Yamaha in Blackstock Ontario was called Assholetimes for years for very good reason. I found out why very early on after visiting the dealership and never returned. A couple years ago they switched ownership and changed their name to Blackstock Motorsports. I have gone in a few times since but it is the same old song and dance. Last time I was in there late summer the salesperson was suppose to call me regarding a Super Tenere but never got a call back. Ended up driving 3 hrs to purchase at Clare’s Cycle and I cannot say enough positive about how they treat their customers. A+! I would gladly support a good local dealer if I could find one in my area. However, I will make an effort to support some of the businesses you listed. I already buy from Twisted Throttle, Dualsport and GP. Although I must say GP seems to be taking a bit of a nose dive imo. This is the early stages of the death of retail. I am old school and like to see and touch stuff I am buying. Next generation.....not so much.
Not to mention, most of the employees at these stores are working at these places because it is their hobby as well. Their friends and family all work typical 9-5 type jbs and they would like time to enjoy the riding season with them as well, retail staff are not put on this planet to satisfy your need wishes and desires, please keep that in mind. Also most of the places you have mentioned all do offer online stores as well as phone orders and shipping.
Didja get it from Darren or Mike at Clare's? Darren is a good personal friend of mine. I 100% understand that sometimes the most "local" shop isn't the easiest to work with. And I don't believe in supporting someone JUST because they're local. But nowadays almost any dealer will ship product. I've purchased from British Columbia before because the shop was great to work with! (MotoTrialsWest). Maybe I should reword my original post to put less stress on "local" and more on "those who support you" The shop I deal with is about 2 hours from my house. They also sponsor me to race. I don't want to make this a spam post, so I won't mention who it is, but I can promise you they're one of the places in those screenshots. They didn't start sponsoring me until years after I started buying from them, but believe me, the 10's of dollars I'd have saved at F9 have been outweighed by the thousands I save now with all the sponsorships they've gotten for me from vendors.
It was actually Geoff I dealt with on the sale. Funny enough, Mike ended up buying a used unit I was looking at. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff at Clares.
Nice! I don't know Geoff as well but I guess going straight to the Sales Manager cuts out any price bickering. If I ever get back into street riding it'll be on a T7. And I'll be buying it from Clare's.
Businesses exist to make money. If they are not meeting the customer's needs, the customers will shop elsewhere and the business will eventually fail. When the business fails, those retail staff members who were 'not put on this planet to satisfy the customer's needs' will have ample time to spend with their family, however they may not have much money to participate in many hobbies. I work Monday to Friday, but if my work allowed me to work on the weekends and instead take two days off mid-week (Wed - Thur, Thur - Fri), I'd be all over it as the GTA is far too crowded and busy on weekends as well as the roads to the good riding areas in the summer.
You make a good point, and I don't think Sewerat's holds up. Businesses are in place to satisfy a customers needs. Yes they need time off as well. But you're right, they do need to put effort in to serve the clientelle. My point is that all the companies you listed do make an effort to be open when you're off work. Yes they don't do it perfectly since they're not working Sundays. What I'm asking is to go out of your way a little. I admit it isn't the EASIEST way to buy moto products. F9 is the easiest. But it is the best for our COMMUNITY! That's why it's worth it to put the extra effort in. They go out of their way to help us. Let's go out of our way to help them. It isn't much harder, and in the long run, it benefits everyone! That's what a community is!
Anyway, that covers off my #1 reason for not shopping local as their hours rarely suit me. My #2 reason is price. Back when Fortnine carried OEM I'd often buy from them, now if I need something (especially a pricey piece), I just order in the USA to CBI. I needed skid plates and footrests for my ATV; saved over $150 by ordering in the US. That $150 covered my trip down there which I enjoy doing anyways. I used the opportunity to check out some trails in the Allegheny National Forest, drank a bunch of cheap beer, brought back a cheap bottle of whiskey, a tank of cheap gas, and cheap tax free parts - a win all around except for the local dealers who didn't make anything off me.
It's like you never even read the post..... You're coming across as the type of person who doesn't care at all about community, doesn't care about what you can do for others, and only care about what other people can do for you. I sincerely hope that isn't true, but if it is, I wish you the best. I hope you're not taking advantage of the work everyone else is doing for you without giving back. I hope even more that I'm wrong and that you are giving back. I'm going to keep trying to build a community that encourages people to encourage new riders in Canada. Those are the type of people I want to ride and build community with anyways.
I read your posts, I just don't share the same enthusiasm. We get shafted in Canada -- poor hours with poor prices and you are saying we should shut up and take it to build some community? What community? Have I unknowingly joined the Brotherhood of Shafted Canadian Motorcyclists or something? I just ride a bike... usually on gravel or crown land trails and we both happen to post on ADVrider, does that make me part of a community? And what am I asking from anyone else? You started this rant, I'm just answering it from my perspective. If Canadian motorcycle businesses can't do much for me, why should I do much for them? Or I guess your opinion is I should reward high prices and poor hours with my business anyway so CDN Rick there in Niagara can still get sponsorship for racing in rides I don't watch or participate in -- makes a lot of sense, eh? What work from others am I taking advantage of and not giving back? I don't ride the trails you do, I don't race the events you race in. Your whole rant within a rant here doesn't make sense to me. Are you trying to guilt me into something suggesting I signed up for some club? I could start my own rant here on the Canadian forum but I don't, instead I just take my business where it best suits me. Well sorry Rick, I'll take my dollars where I want and continue to not give a shit for businesses that don't meet my needs.
