Global Moto / Colchester Kawasaki closing

Global Moto / Colchester Kawasaki closing

Author
Discussion

Birky_41

Original Poster:

4,371 posts

191 months

Monday 28th October
quotequote all
Seems like they are disappearing all over

This one is a piaggio dealer, kawasaki amongst a few other brands in there

Closing its doors end of the month. I only learnt mid October from speaking with aprilia on something


Biker 1

7,899 posts

126 months

Monday 28th October
quotequote all
Jesus, who's next???
Surely the manufacturers realise that the current multi franchise model just doesn't seem to be working? What can be done to stop the rot?

Gas1883

577 posts

55 months

Monday 28th October
quotequote all
Very strange as we’ve Chris Walker , vertu Honda & gp motorcycles in a small town .

lazybike

968 posts

98 months

Monday 28th October
quotequote all
I was there the other Saturday for about 20mins There were only 2 of us in there.

KTMsm

27,681 posts

270 months

Monday 28th October
quotequote all
I never got around to going but there was a Global Moto in Coventry

I had a quick google and it seems it closed a year ago...

but is now re opening - possibly because Completely Motorcycles in Hinkley is in Administration so they think there's a gap in the market ?


Edited by KTMsm on Monday 28th October 19:55

CMR

54 posts

225 months

Monday 28th October
quotequote all
Crikey!! I was only in there the other day. Whenever I’ve been in there it’s always been quite busy and the Cafe does well. MSS are obviously based there too.

trickywoo

12,310 posts

237 months

Tuesday 29th October
quotequote all
Don’t want to be to dramatic but this is pretty bad now. I’d be very nervous of buying any new bike now. Even if you worked it that you had physical possession as soon as you handed over the money it’s got to be a concern that you might not be able to get service and warranty support at a convenient place.

I bought a new KTM in 2022 and was surprised how few places wanted to do a deal. Same with Aprilia. There are loads of deals now for anyone brave enough but of course secondhand values will take a beating . Also means lightly used looks a lot better than new.

I’ve recently seen a two year old very low mileage privately advertised KTM for close to 50% of the list price.

the cueball

1,270 posts

62 months

Tuesday 29th October
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That's not good news for me, I use their online parts company all the time..

They seemed to be doing well.. but only going on their social media.

Hungrymc

6,870 posts

144 months

Tuesday 29th October
quotequote all
The company is showing as still active but I guess anything could be going on.

They didn't have a good year in 2023 (50k profit on a 13m business). And the had ran into some pretty painful sounding issues around trying to further expand and the new Cov site in particular ... The world really went mad under CoVid with everything being so volatile, really tough for many businesses to navigate the knock on effects.


snagzie

553 posts

67 months

Tuesday 29th October
quotequote all
Made me look at companies house for MotoGB in the northwest. Very distant family connection.

Operating profit in 2022 was nearly £7m, down to just over £4m in 2023. Post COVID will have impacted that and they state its around the same as pre COVID.

Hope its not on the same path, lets see next year.

NITO

1,141 posts

213 months

Tuesday 29th October
quotequote all
Corporation tax at 25% instead of 19% and tomorrows budget hinting at increased employers NI contributions and the increases to minimum wage along with all other costs soaring must make it a very difficult trading environment, particularly when the demand wanes, as is now evident in this cost of living crisis.

Successive governments refusing to unfreeze the tax bands when all costs have probably soared 50% or more since before Covid, is having a huge knock on disposable income. Businesses are facing tough times going forward as well as individuals. In the motorcycle world, how will youngsters be able to afford these luxuries with the cost of housing and living.

It is a worrying trend seeing just how many dealers are closing, but even big names the likes of Pierer Mobility are in uncomfortable territory with 1.5bn in net debt and hitting the motorcycle headlines with regularity.

snagzie

553 posts

67 months

Tuesday 29th October
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Youngsters are struggling to afford to have kids, let alone motorbikes

frown

NITO

1,141 posts

213 months

Tuesday 29th October
quotequote all
snagzie said:
Youngsters are struggling to afford to have kids, let alone motorbikes

frown
You're not wrong, out of curiosity I googled UK birth rate...



The UK's birth rate has been declining since 2010, and in 2023 it reached a record low:

Total fertility rate (TFR): In 2023, the TFR was 1.44 children per woman, the lowest since records began in 1938.

Live births: In 2023, there were 591,072 live births, the lowest total since 1977.

Average age of new parents: The average age of new mothers is 30.9 and the average age of new fathers is 33.8.

The TFR is the average number of children a woman has in her lifetime. For a country to maintain its population, the TFR needs to be around 2.1 children per woman.

Some reasons for the decline in birth rates include: Financial pressures, Not feeling ready, and Not finding the right partner.




In some respects maybe this is a good thing. I'm not one of these people obsessed with growth, quite the opposite. We're not exactly at a sustainable level, I wonder in terms of global population what that would be?




the cueball

1,270 posts

62 months

Tuesday 29th October
quotequote all
I have a bike going into a main dealer for some work (which will take a few months and also happens to be Kawasaki) and I'm really starting to have second thoughts about it...

Tough times for all.

Exasperated

463 posts

18 months

Tuesday 29th October
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snagzie said:
People are struggling to afford to eat and be warm, let alone motorbikes

frown
Fixed that for you smile

Crudeoink

735 posts

66 months

Tuesday 29th October
quotequote all
snagzie said:
Youngsters are struggling to afford to have kids, let alone motorbikes

frown
Combine that with bikes being awfully expensive now.
2014 Median wage was 27.2K - ZX10 was 7.5K
2024 Median wage is 35k - ZX10 is 17.5K

No wonder so many bike dealers are having a hard time

NITO

1,141 posts

213 months

Tuesday 29th October
quotequote all
In 1994 a ZXR750R was around 7k, stock was 6.3k!



Edited by NITO on Tuesday 29th October 15:17

SteveKTMer

1,063 posts

38 months

Tuesday 29th October
quotequote all
NITO said:
In 1994 a ZXR750R was around 7k, stock was 6.3k!



Edited by NITO on Tuesday 29th October 15:17
Really ? In 2007 I bought a brand new ZX6r for £6k on Kawasaki interest free credit. Other bikes were around the same price and litre bikes were about £9k or so, if my memory isn't letting me down.

Exasperated

463 posts

18 months

Tuesday 29th October
quotequote all
SteveKTMer said:
Really ? In 2007 I bought a brand new ZX6r for £6k on Kawasaki interest free credit. Other bikes were around the same price and litre bikes were about £9k or so, if my memory isn't letting me down.
In 2009, I bought a Fireblade for £8,851 on 0%. Today, that'll be £24,000 and 9.9%.

Condi

17,970 posts

178 months

Tuesday 29th October
quotequote all
Crudeoink said:
Combine that with bikes being awfully expensive now.
2014 Median wage was 27.2K - ZX10 was 7.5K
2024 Median wage is 35k - ZX10 is 17.5K

No wonder so many bike dealers are having a hard time
The bigger, and not so talked about issue, is that UK wages are not going up as fast as elsewhere in Europe. If the UK economy had grown at the same rate as the German economy then we'd all be about £6000/yr better off.