SURVEY!!!! READ ME!!!

[Doc]

I got news for both of you. Its neither of your ideas!

Very true Manny, Very true.

Check this out.... http://privateersgarage.com/

I would think it would be more successful if targeted at an urban market.

I have been in contact with the guys at Privateers Garage. It is defiantely more advantageous to have it in a large urban setting.

Where in Essex? I'd like to see this place.

Maybe it is? I thought your place was more about storage than anything.

http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...ycle-shop.html

http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...cycle-spa.html

Being totally inept mechanically I wouldn't be able to use it, but that's not important.

Though on the surface it sounds like a good idea, I think you really have to take into account what a small niche you are marketing to. First take the fact that even if the greater Burlington area is the most populous in the state there are relatively few people here. Second, motorcycling in Vermont is very seasonal, even the traditional bike shops up here have another product line-snowmobiles-to get them through the winter. Third, and I believe most importantly, motorcycles themselves are a very niche item and you are further narrowing your target market to only those who do their own wrenching. Of course you'll find plenty of folks on this board who think it's a great idea and I'm pretty certain you'd find a group who think the shop is the greatest thing since sliced bread, and you're a god for opening it. However are there enough of those guys out there to sustain a business? I'd say probably not. Certainly the idea of an area for people to work on their own bikes may be a good one, but in my opinion, it could be viable only as part of a larger motorcycle based retail/service business.

Again, this is a school project.

Originally I was thinking the target market would be towards college students and those that live in apartments. I personally am both a college student and live in an apartment. I've changed my oil once in the driveway and once in a garage. Both times it was obnoxious to do. The driveway I was SO afraid of spilling a little oil onto the ground the job took two or three times longer than it should have, and the second time it was such a pain in the ass trying to BORROW a garage to change it I got it done two or three weeks after I wanted to do it.
Also I know how it is not having a garage and wanting to do something on the bike and having it RAIN every free day that I have and not being able to do the work.
I have the mechanical know how to do things like oil changes, coolant changes, brake pads, brake lines, battery changes, air filter cleaning/changing, spark plugs, carburetor balancing, etc. . . I also have all the tools necessary to do these things.

I do agree that VT may not be the place for this type of business.

What about opening this up to any type of motorized vehicle? Cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, ATV, snowmobiles.
The only downside to that is having lifts for the cars, all you'd really be able to do is things with jacks, jack stands and/or ramps.

I have a ton of info for you. Call me. I have liability releases, Info on starting an LLC, Insurance quotes, Power and electric estimates...

Don't reinvent the wheel.

[Doc]

show me a survey for school asking why the members from VT post all thier threads in the Bike Night sub-forum

It is like our own little piece of NESR.

Plus I don't think these guys know that everyone can see it.

Oh and I can delete shit here.

[Doc]

I'm afraid I have to agree with the majority opinion here. Most people that know what they are doing enough to do their own thing know because they do their own thing. Because of this they usually have their own resources to do so. Personally, as you know, I have all of my own resources, so I wouldn't do that. To be honest, if I didn't have my own resources I think I would find the money better spent obtaining those resources.

Now, as mentioned, if you billed it more as a class where you bring your own stuff and get taught by a professional teacher while you work on it you might be able to pull it off. Get an accredited teacher, several accreditations that you can work towards by logging X hours, then set specific times that you are open and let people come, take a short class then do 'lab' the rest of the time on their own stuff. On top of this offer 'open work days'. No credit for those days/hours, but open to work. No weekly requirement, just a minimum time required to get accreditation. Maybe work with local colleges so it is recognized as a class and worth credits. Maybe even a small college would be willing to wrap it into tuition and pay the shop for the students who choose to do it there, those who aren't students pay out of pocket. Either way at the end you get a nice spiffy certificate and, if you are a student, class credits.

Adding storage would as pointed out be a huge bonus. Provide it for bikes and a secure place for tools, then, while you could provide base tools, you can also encourage them to build up their own set of tools.

In short, target college students and the like. Bill it as a class; give an accreditation for hours/classes accumulated. Throw in some tests (written and lab style) so they feel like they are doing something. People are more inclined to pay for something they can do on their own if you convince them that they can't. Hence the class. The second benefit to targeting students is the part everyone has mentioned about those who can do this own their own tools; while true most of the time, college students living in frat houses and dorms often have no place to store these tools or work and may just be starting out on their tool collection. Even colleges with garages and such may have too many restrictions, or they may be in an unrelated field and wish to do this as an elective. Having multiple accreditations as different classes will allow them to do it multiple years in a row while they or their parents flip the bill while smiling cause they are getting business skills.

The biggest problem I see with classes is that you are teaching your target audience to do work on there own. Once they know how, why would they need your shop?

[NobodySpecific]

I agree, there are too many free options to consider paying hourly for something. It's an idea that would appeal to some, but it would never be financially viable with such a niche market.

[yesterdayze]

The biggest problem I see with classes is that you are teaching your target audience to do work on there own. Once they know how, why would they need your shop?

Hence targeting students... they are a renewable resource. For the 2-4 years they are there they can have a 'class' that they like. Basically they get to do what they would be doing after class anyways and can call it 'credited'.

Each year new students come in. 1 our of 10 may choose to hang around and keep taking advantage of the deal, who knows.

Colleges don't go out of business because the target audience learns and moves on since as they do more move in.

[Doc]

Hence targeting students... they are a renewable resource. For the 2-4 years they are there they can have a 'class' that they like. Basically they get to do what they would be doing after class anyways and can call it 'credited'.

Each year new students come in. 1 our of 10 may choose to hang around and keep taking advantage of the deal, who knows.

Colleges don't go out of business because the target audience learns and moves on since as they do more move in.

Ohhhh! College students. Good idea!

I was thinking general motorcycling population.

[RandyO]

I belive that it is a viable business, but only if working space for cars & trucks is included

[gregp]

Similar to what you are proposing....but in a machine shop context:
http://www.techshopdurham.com/

[AHAMAYs2]

Adam, Are you able to set the business model anywhere or does it have to be in VT? Can you contact UVM and all of those colleges and see, even just as an idea, if they would ever do a program/credidation class?

[LadyTaTa]

Okay, Now that I have read through it all I agree on most points. One that I liked a lot was the one talking about southern ca....This made a lot of sense, large population, huge motorcycle scene, and year round riding. Before living there I would have thought this was a GREAT idea (by comparison to VT....sorry, but true) but after living there I found that 9 out of 10 riders knew other riders.

In addition to this with all the bike clubs many will have one house with a garage and all the tools to work on a bike where they are able to leave the bike if need be (usually the prez's). I was encouraged when I bought my bike to purchase a Service Manual with it, and think it was the best investment I could have made. Between that, and having my friends (guys) a phone call away I am pretty confident to do just about w/e my bike needs for maintenance.

Though it seems like it would be a shoe in, bikes aren't nearlly as complicated as a car (with all that computer crap, and auto parking now I can only hope bikes don't get like that) pretty much all the matinance a bike could ever need can be done yourself and yes some tools might make it a hell of a lot easier I've gotten by with my tool box of 10 items this far, and just add to it each time I have a new task. Filling in my tool box one project at a time usually costs more than it would to rent out the shop....when I changed my oil I got a bike stand, oil drum thing, wrench, and a specific tool to take my oil filter off (its a nut or something like that that holds it cuz mine is in the dumbest possible place) a total of a $ 150 investment.....that is 7.5 hours of work.....probably 8 oil changes at your shop. But now I don't put any money into tire changes, or future oil changes. I guess it would be good for some people, but some people also like spam, cocaine, and sex with animals....three examples of how just because SOMEONE will like it does NOT mean it is a good idea.

[markbvt]

bikes aren't nearlly as complicated as a car (with all that computer crap, and auto parking now I can only hope bikes don't get like that) pretty much all the matinance a bike could ever need can be done yourself

Avoid BMWs.

--mark

[Baggey22]

OMG, this project ended like months ago. This thread needs to die. haha