Maybe it wasn't a good idea to use an airplane hangar for a showroom. The cost to heat and cool that place must be rediculous. A place that size, they need to market locally and nationwide. Sell shit online as well as B&M

Chicagoland is a market big enough to support that kind of overhead in a proper retail setting. Nobody is supporting their dealers though.

It's time to rethink the business strategy.

i never really thought cc stocked that much. maybe i was just looking for hard to find stuff

I would go there to sit on bikes and they order them online

Pretty easy for me. Brown shorts, brown shirt, brown hat, brown truck, 9-5. Done.

Do it.

Everytime I went there to order parts for a bike I was fixing, I was told we can order it. And their prices were always much more than what I can order it for.

The only time I got stuff in stock was when I needed a specific PitBull pin that day.

Hell yeah. It was better at CC them the IMS.

I'm not talking about an obscure part for a 1972 POS, but maybe the full line of Arai helmets, or a brake lever for a GSXR, or something along those lines. You will get it quicker than mail order as well usually, because mail order has to order OEM parts in most instances just like local dealers, but you have the extra shipping time. Not defending them, just saying.

If shops want more business, I suggest the start with getting their guys to get on the customer service bandwagon.

They need to get their noses out of the clouds and pay attention to the customer more. I get better service and respect at an Express than I do at DGY, CCC, or Woodfield Motorsports.

I needed a fork cap for a 2007 R1. CC wanted $180 and could not give me a delivery date. I got it from ServiceHonda for $140 shipped to my door in 4 days. Hard to beat that type of service and price.

The same with helmets. I think I paid $550 for my X11 Shoei with smoke visor. CC wanted $700 just for the helmet.

I understand overhead but those prices make online dealers much more attractive. But mostly where CC sucked is with service. Need your tires changed? $700 a set installed. Want one tire changed $80 a rim if you ride it in and it will take a week maybe 2. Better have a trailer or a ride home.

Improved service will get people to fork out more money while they wait for their bike to be worked on. But with poor service the patrons will take their money elsewhere.

I don't think you are comparing apples to apples. There is not even $150 of total markup from dealer to retail on a Shoei helmet, so are you talking a closeout deal or something? That I can see, but not current product. What's up with the fork cap? Either SH had it in stock (which would be weird considering they probably sold a total of 1 fork caps in the last 5 years) or Yamaha had it in stock and CC just couldn't pinpoint the exact day it would be in.

Why do you charge so little then?

My overhead is low and I think my prices is about right for the limited amount of service I provide. Believe it or not, quite a few people leave a tip. I once got a $40 tip for changing tires. I think it's because I look good with my shirt off.

As a consumer, I don't give a rats ass what the reason is. I want my shit and I got my shit fast and cheap.

As a business owner, it sucks but that's how the world works.

Truth be told, I have discussed closing down GM a few times already. Money is decent as it's all gravy but once it interferes with everyday living, it's time to move on.

Yeah I got that part loud and clear. My point is that people think ordering online is faster to receive stuff, and it isn't 99% of the time, unless they have the part in stock AND are closer than the distributor is. 90% of the stuff I order is in the Wisconsin warehouse and I get it next day.