GasGas Dealers Association?

[barkeater]

Originally Posted by Berkyboy

Don't get me wrong I've had nothing but a positive relationship with Dixie Sales and I feel their involvment will be missed, especially with their parts management system, it was a welcome step inthe right direction over GGMA.

I agree, I never got to work with them on Gas Gas, but was VERY impressed with what they did with Husaberg in the US.

Now comes the part nobody wants to hear. All of the above "fixes" cost money and it is going to take some concessions from the manufacturer, the importer / distributer, the dealer and the consumer.

So, we're looking for someone with deep pockets willing to invest (read: gamble) in the brand here in the unique US market.

I know this has been an issue in the past with GG. The factory was unwilling to make concessions or attempt to understand the market. With the new management structure at the factory, perhaps they will be more open to suggestions.

I think all of us working together with a united voice will help. If we did a market study, I think we would find Gas Gas owner loyalty is higher than Mercedes, Apple, Toyota or Dell. That's a great solid platform to start marketing from.

Thanks for getting this discussion started.

[barkeater]

Originally Posted by tm_enduro

Personally, rather than reinventing the bike (or going to Alu frame), I would much rather see GasGas up the suspension spec (even that really is not necessary, but Ohlins f/r almost always wows the magazines and thus increases sales).

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The bikes are VERY reliable, much more important than tech-bling when one DNF can throw you out of contention.

[Berkyboy]

eff

Your comments on the consumer financing are correct. Since the US GasGas numbers are going to be small any finance company is going to have to be recruited heavily and that means less then stellar interest rates or terms.

We also sell Arctic Cat (ATVs / Snowmobiles) and Yamaha (Waverunners / Outboards) and their finance packages help close a lot of sales. A lot of consumers are only looking for low monthly payments.

We try to use local bank financing when we can but their normally not interested in any low interest loans or at least ones that are fully financed (with no down payment) for longer terms.

[Berkyboy]

barkeater

I agree with you that I don't think anybody here wants more bling, there is nothing in the current GasGas design that is meant to compete with the current crop of Japanese motocross bikes.

GasGas's EC starts life as an enduro bike and right out of the box (stock) and IMO leads the pack in the off-road world the problem is getting the word out.

[Boomhauer]

Not that my thoughts or concerns matter much but here goes.....

I myself really don't care about the bling on a bike. Bling is only good if it is functional. Like for instance the Hyde Pipe Guard. Yeah it is uglier than hell but it works, to where as the carbon fiber, or aluminum pipe guards don't. Trust me I have an e-line on my 04 300 and it just plain sucks. JMO

When people have asked me why I went with a " Brand X" bike or my favorite "Communist" bike I tell them because the ride and mechanical operation of the bike is much better than the Jap bikes or KTM for that matter.

I think GG needs to support our riders more in order to get the name out there. And no I am not talking about supporting me because I am just an average rider that does Enduro's and just loves to ride with my friends. Support the real hard core racers and hold onto them! When our bikes are put into the general publics eyes then we can sit back and watch it take off. Or atleast that is how I see it anyways.

I do nothing but brag about "Our" (Gas Gas) bikes. Like I have said in other posts. I have owned pretty much all of the jap bikes and to put it simply, they don't last. I know I have convinced 5 or more guys that I ride bikes with to buy one and when they do they say the GG bikes are the best they have ever owned.

Availability of parts does have a big impact on folks that don't really know. We just have to push & educate them about our brand. One girl that I use to ride with swears up & down that I can't get parts right away for my bike. She has no idea that it is pretty damn simple to get parts by simply getting online or picking up the phone. No different than the KTM guys who order their stuff online or by phone. Shoot I would have never bought a GG bike if my friend did not tell me about Jim over at Smackover or some of the other GG dealers that did sell parts.

Financing would be the next issue but I won't beat anybody up on this.

I think this is a great idea that you dealers are coming up with and I really hope it works. We just need to ban together and keep pushing forward and never look back.

The only way you are going to get me off of my Gas Gas is to pry my cold dead hands off of it!

[tm_enduro]

Originally Posted by barkeater

So, we're looking for someone with deep pockets willing to invest (read: gamble) in the brand here in the unique US market.

..... If we did a market study, I think we would find Gas Gas owner loyalty is higher than Mercedes, Apple, Toyota or Dell. That's a great solid platform to start marketing from.

Herein lies the challenge. Are the extremely loyal customers (I'm guessing the highest in the industry) enough to keep the brand viable? This is the challenge for any prospective new importer / distributor.

[eff]

Originally Posted by tm_enduro

Herein lies the challenge. Are the extremely loyal customers (I'm guessing the highest in the industry) enough to keep the brand viable? This is the challenge for any prospective new importer / distributor.

A loyal base is great, but to achieve true success you need to gain new customers. So I say it's not enough. GasGas needs to improve market share. They have the product, but not the marketing and distribution channels.

[ScottyR]

Perhaps the CDN and US Distributors could do a "group buy" and order their bikes in the same configuration and try to tag team the factory and force them to give them a better deal. The CDN Dist ordered about 100 Gassers this year inc trials bikes and I know that the factory is talking about a big price increase on 08 models. If the 2 of them would commit to 500 bikes, then we may see a North American marketing plan?

[dgrewe]

I dont fully understand Dixie Sales thinking, With no officel word from the rep on if Dixie is done with GG or not. Its my understanding that a contaner of bikes where locked up in customs becuse of paper work issues, and not sent to dealers. Big loss of money for Dixie. And is this why there calling it Quits.
As for the marketing of the bikes, I'v seen full page adds in Dirt Rider from Oct 06 to Jun 07 for both Husaberg and GasGas. With Dixie Sales not even having the brand GG for a year, and not giving the time to get dealer network fully up and runing, and I can tell you it takes time to set up a new shop. I think it was working just not fast, Look at KTM it dident get there over night.
The 2 GG i'v sold has set me up to presell 6 for 08 with only selling to good A riders, Now What, cant sell them all Husabergs!!
I was not sher about the GG til i rode one, the bikes are outstanding!! And with a big company behind them I felt safe. With KTMNA Taking Husaberg I feel safe with the BERG, But still need the GG. I am planing on getting 10 GG for 08 if i can find them?

[barkeater]

Its my understanding that a contaner of bikes where locked up in customs becuse of paper work issues, and not sent to dealers. Big loss of money for Dixie. And is this why there calling it Quits.

dgrewe, without this turning into one of those "the past sucked" threads... I think that is what Steve and the factory are trying to figure out how to eliminate.

Steve, correct me if I have my facts in a wad here.

This has been a problem since waaaay back. All the importers have always tried to keep a "just in time" inventory so they don't get swamped warehouses. This means they only order bikes when dealers order them.

Bikes come late in October after the dealer meeting pre-orders, sit in customs until November and get to dealers finally in mid December. Then another container comes in January, out of customs in February and no one wants to buy them by March since everyone is waiting for the July announcements of next years models.

One large initial shipment in August (before the Spaniards take their 3 week "holiday") of 500 bikes would be ready for dealers to sell in September.

I like the combine dealer orders with Canada idea. But, do the Canadians get the US spec bike, or does the US get the European spec bike? Do they come into Canada first or the US? Questions, questions.

European spec EC's have never really done all that well south of the 49th parallel and West of the Canary Islands either. (I actually had a few Europeans buy XC's and DE's from me and I shipped them back to Europe for them. Sold a few DE's in Canada too.)