Trials bike and enduro parts?

[Clay]

I was gonna stay out of this but I can't:
1. Selling parts direct: At one time there was less than five stocking off road dealers. It was impossible for customers to find a dealer anywhere near them with parts. Also, due to the numbers needed to support this business, GF needed the extra margin. They were promised a customer base of 500 units a year but only got 50. Since we have taken over they have started cutting back but it can't be done quickly. Dealers still do not always want to stock the depth that is sometimes needed. It's hard to do. Not blaming the dealers...they have cash flow issues too. The newer guys especially don't want to stock parts for much older models.
2. Pricing: GF's pricing is based on an acceptable percentage increase over what the factory charges. Most of the time it is the factory pricing that is out of line. It isn't fair to expect a company doing 8000 units to be competitive with a company doing 80,000 units on all parts. In addition, the freight that GF pays is pretty unbelievable. Mark sent me a pic of 2 crates that he got in that he was charged $1700 in freight alone. The crates we're huge, right? Nope...about 4x4x4. We've tried to help with space in our containers but we have only gotten one container in 10 months. That freight cost has to be passed along. In addition, Mark goes to great effort to find aftermarket substitutions when the OEM oparts are too high. I'm always surprised when a guy who owns a trials bike complains about pricing. How much is a trials fender?
3. Delivery: Mark is a one man show. How hard is it to find an off road parts guy in Ortonville, MN? Pretty damn hard. Also, every brand has back orders. So does Gas Gas.

I know that you guys want Gas Gas to be where the orange company is on pricing, availability and delivery but it took them 15 years to get there. Don't expect Go Fasters to get there in 1 1/2 years.

Doug, please don't think my rant is directed at you since you started this thread. It's not. This has accumulated over the last few weeks from different complaints about parts issues. I just used this thread to vent. Sorry!
Clay

[GasGas]

To be fair, some of the out of line part prices have dropped back in line in the last few years. For example clutch parts for the 125. The inner hub used to cost 350 and now costs 149. That is from the Canadian importer so I am thinking that GasGas Spain must be paying attention and doing what they can. On the other side of the coin we have watched the japan parts increase and become less available with longer wait times. Try and buy a spoke for a 2008 yz 450. You can't, you have to buy the complete set with nipples. I have no issue with GG parts supply. I would like to see aftermarket plastic be more available, but that's about it.

[blitz11]

Originally Posted by Clay

3. Delivery: Mark is a one man show. How hard is it to find an off road parts guy in Ortonville, MN? Pretty damn hard. Also, every brand has back orders. So does Gas Gas.

I know that you guys want Gas Gas to be where the orange company is on pricing, availability and delivery but it took them 15 years to get there. Don't expect Go Fasters to get there in 1 1/2 years.
Clay

I don't understand these two comments. Actually, i think GoFasters and Mark ARE ahead of the orange brand. Mark knows the brand, and with his expertise, knows what to stock, and how much.

I've waited much longer for KTM parts than I have for GG parts. I don't recall ever waiting for a part from GF. Granted, i ride an older bike, but GG designs are evolutionary, which makes it easier from a stocking point of view. Their business model is pretty well set. The reason I bought a GG was from a visit to Ortonville to see how parts availability would be. My visit with them sealed the deal.

What isn't clear to me is how parts will be sold for older models. As far as I know, there aren't any GG dealers in MN. GF IS in Minnesota. Do I still buy parts from them, or another dealer in another state? Is there a policy in place for that?

I really like GF, and want to support them as much as I can. Great people, great service.

[GMP]

If it weren't for the direct sale parts supply model from GF over the last few years, GG might be dead in the USA. I remember this being discussed before and it was always a temporary situation until unit sales and dealers reached a certain number sufficient to support the customer base. With what other brand can you talk to both the bike and parts importers directly, and on a public forum? Think about that.

KTM doesn't even have a phone number, or they didn't when I needed one for a couple of problems.

[jhendr3702]

well.. along time ago, i bought my first gg.. needed a few parts, called gofasters, Mark answered the phone and fixed me up.. he took the concerns of owning the brand away.. another time, i just had a question.. called on my cel at lunch, he was not there..told who ever i would call back.. did not leave a name or number.. 15 minutes later, he called me back.. pretty cool..
we did have a problem.. a pretty big one.. but i judge a company by how it takes care of problems.. we all have them and this was one, no matter how hard he and i tried, it just got worse.. He had no legal obligation to help me, but did any way.. very cool.. thru all that, i have his personal cel number.. try to get that with any ktm guy.. any hair braind idea i have... i can pop him a text and he always responds.. just sent me some stuff i never thought i could get..
i have never waited on parts more than a week, to my door.. and i live a long way away from them.. price wise, i dont think it is out of line, for as cool as the bikes are..
remember .... cool stuff aint cheap, and cheap stuff aint cool...

jay

[djroggen]

Just thought I would add a link to a map of GasGas dealers. This one is a little old and may need some updating but I like how much of the US is covered.

http://www.gofasters.com/aboutus.htm

[Clay]

Originally Posted by blitz11

I don't understand these two comments. Actually, i think GoFasters and Mark ARE ahead of the orange brand. Mark knows the brand, and with his expertise, knows what to stock, and how much.

I've waited much longer for KTM parts than I have for GG parts. I don't recall ever waiting for a part from GF. Granted, i ride an older bike, but GG designs are evolutionary, which makes it easier from a stocking point of view. Their business model is pretty well set. The reason I bought a GG was from a visit to Ortonville to see how parts availability would be. My visit with them sealed the deal.

What isn't clear to me is how parts will be sold for older models. As far as I know, there aren't any GG dealers in MN. GF IS in Minnesota. Do I still buy parts from them, or another dealer in another state? Is there a policy in place for that?


I really like GF, and want to support them as much as I can. Great people, great service.

You can still buy parts for pre-2010 models from GF.

[MrBlah]

Originally Posted by djroggen

Just thought I would add a link to a map of GasGas dealers. This one is a little old and may need some updating but I like how much of the US is covered.

http://www.gofasters.com/aboutus.htm

thank god I can get 2010 parts, I'm NOT driving 6+ hours to get parts, thankfully my 2011 can get by with mostly 2010 parts

[GMP]

There are some very good stocking dealers that do UPS daily, like Smith's and Hall's.

[noobi]

Originally Posted by MrBlah

thank god I can get 2010 parts, I'm NOT driving 6+ hours to get parts, thankfully my 2011 can get by with mostly 2010 parts

With internet and email, the current model of visiting a dealer to get parts doesn't seem to be entirely necessary, especially if you already know what parts you want. Unless you want to visit the dealer of course.

I live 2 hours from my closest gasgas dealer, and I'v never even set foot in their store. I just email them with what I want, they email me back within a few hours, I tell them to send me an invoice then I pay via CC or bank deposit, then the things turn up a few days later. The $6 for the tracked courier seems almost trivial compared to cost of actually going to the shop.
JMO.

I think any dealer who doesn't want to get left behind will embrace online ordering.
The dealer that I part time at has three staff, two at the front counter and one who is almost exclusively deals with online sales.