thinking of starting a business

[Tony G]

being unemployed again im thinking of maybe starting up a bike business ! it's something iv'e always wanted to do since my 20's. always wanted some sort of custom shop and seing their is a lot of Harley's around here maybe them as well ? iv'e had a lot of experience with jap bikes being a bike mechanic for nealy 20 years. but at 46 ( just ) im i to old and will it work in the Barrow area ????? any thought's ?

[Scotty]

Go see about a small businesses loan, having said that if you are white and British and they run that shit the same way as they do around here, you aint even qualified for applying for it, never mind getting it.

[Tony G]

Originally Posted by Scotty

Go see about a small businesses loan, having said that if you are white and British and they run that shit the same way as they do around here, you aint even qualified for applying for it, never mind getting it.

thats that idea fooked then !!!!!!!!

[Scotty]

Tony, you must know yourself that bike work is pretty seasonal, once you have a name for yourself its a bit better, but it can be a real struggle to get work.
Just have a good think before you jump in.
Good luck!

[spinlondon]

Just a thought, do you have many people doing training where you are?
could you start out renting 125s to people to gain experience on before taking their test?
In london the going rate for renting seems to be about £50 per week, insurance is extra, based on licence etc. You would collect the insurance money and then pass it on to the insurers for a small admin. fee.
You would want the renters to return each week, so you could give the bike a once over.

[the_monster]

problem with Barrow is it out on a limb, so you need to think realistically and a tad cynically about how many customers you will get, especially in the winter - as scotty pointed out the business is very seasonal. Even the MoCo dealers suffer during the winter and come January money gets very tight as everyone has christmas to pay for, a poor summer and its an uphill slog. That said, keeping it simple and sticking to what you know can make a living, but are you going to be happy working when everyone else is out riding or rallying as the spring and summer time are your earning periods. then you get the people who are only interested in picking your brain, especially in the evenings in the pub so you don't get to switch off from work, then there is getting the money in especially as people you know will belly ache about getting mates rates and seeing you alright etc

[Tony G]

Originally Posted by spinlondon

Just a thought, do you have many people doing training where you are?
could you start out renting 125s to people to gain experience on before taking their test?
In london the going rate for renting seems to be about £50 per week, insurance is extra, based on licence etc. You would collect the insurance money and then pass it on to the insurers for a small admin. fee.
You would want the renters to return each week, so you could give the bike a once over.

that a good idea, something else to think about cheers.

[Tony G]

Originally Posted by the_monster

problem with Barrow is it out on a limb, so you need to think realistically and a tad cynically about how many customers you will get, especially in the winter - as scotty pointed out the business is very seasonal. Even the MoCo dealers suffer during the winter and come January money gets very tight as everyone has christmas to pay for, a poor summer and its an uphill slog. That said, keeping it simple and sticking to what you know can make a living, but are you going to be happy working when everyone else is out riding or rallying as the spring and summer time are your earning periods. then you get the people who are only interested in picking your brain, especially in the evenings in the pub so you don't get to switch off from work, then there is getting the money in especially as people you know will belly ache about getting mates rates and seeing you alright etc

yeah their is a lot to think about ! the thing is im never switched of as a mechanic, always getting asked stuff it's all i know and can do !!!! ( i still get fone call's from the last bike shop i worked at ) im just sick of working for someone else and making them money while they pay me peanuts

[Matt FXDX]

How about a mobile mechanic?

no shop overheads, no big initial outlay!

cover the north west, not just Barrow!

you may get work from fellow club members!

[the_monster]

market research is key to the success of it, if you're popular and a people person that's a start, next is location - somewhere people can get and have a reason for going to the area surrounding it - or as MattFXDX has suggested you can get to them in which case getting your name out is ultra important - leafleting every bike event in the region - but with the mobile one, you need to think of the costs of both fuel and time, what parts to carry with you - what if you have to go back to the place and it's lets say Kendal that a lot of mileage and time to take in consideration - if you have a shop / workshop you need to be able to have customers park outside, are just going to do servicing and builds or sell parts as well ? or the otherway round ? are you treading on anyone elses toes ? etc