Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > Not just Ducati then... More dealers close!

[barnsey]

Just heard that Bridge motorcycles (Andover) who used to be on of my local Ducati dealers, have closed down a year after losing the Ducati dealership.

I know they shut the showroom a few months ago and just kept the workshop open, but even that has gone now.

Not just ducati dealers then? they had lots of franchises,

In the same week... their branch in Southampton, who are a specialist Honda dealer, have gone to the wall as well.

So, its not Ducati dealers alone that are suffering.

Maybe being a Ducati dealer was keeping Andover open. just guessing...

[GsxrAge]

I was in Bridge in Exeter on friday and it was Quiet but there were plenty of bikes but no customers, but it was just before crimbo.

Bridge did pick up andover and southampton at nearly the same time and I don't think they pulled in the cash the same way as the main shop in Exeter did.

There will be more dealerships going to the wall in the near future.

As for Ducati they do not have Sports bikes that most people can afford or like the look of. They seem to want to concentrate on over priced sports bikes and Bloody retro bikes.

I have to admit if I can't find a 998 next year at the right price for me, I will jump back to a jap bike, Despite of my Love for Dukes.

[YMFB]

thats not good after my dispute with the three cross I was planning on using Bridge to service mine for the last service before it runs out of warranty , especially as they were so close to the railway station, now Im not sure where to go. WM Snell seem really helpful but I dont think the train from Salisbury to Alton is easy.

Gotta be Moto Rapido in Winchester then

[Carbon749]

Originally posted by everton
Gotta be Moto Rapido in Winchester then

Agree with that suggestion .... great guys

[Stu748R]

If your booking a service at moto rapido before the end of january they are doing reduced labour rates.

[rockhopper]

And then they will probably the next one to go bust!

[wilf]

pebblejumper, do you know something i dont???

There was me thinking we were ok! hit all our Ducati targets, sold as many new and used bikes as we expected, signed a new rider on a new bike for next year's racing, taken on another workshop mechanic and training him for next year and all along we're going bust and i didnt even know it!! you can always trust the DSC newsboard to be the first with bad news, just off to McDonalds for a job

[Edited on 28-12-2005 by wilf]

[rockhopper]

Nah, just people seem very keen to get discounts on everything and those same people are the first to complain that dealers are closing down!
Just an observation really!

[wilf]

Phew ! thought i was in trouble then!

Its our first year as an official Ducati dealer (have been a workshop and used bike specialist for a while) so its a bit hard to judge if its been a good / bad or ugly year, but I speak to a lot of dealers (not just Ducati) and the feeling is this year has been pretty bad, worst for a long time.

So if 06 was dreadfull, thats ok with me, we've done ok then, not mega, but ok and in a year like that we're pretty happy.

Roll on 2006.

[Edited on 28-12-2005 by wilf]