Feels a bit like the end of an era.

Apparently the Kawasaki franchise is now held by Completely Motorbikes
in Staverton.

This might be old news, but I only found out this week as the boss was
looking to get his H2 SX [1] serviced

[1] Clit bike du jour

--
Gyp

Gyp <a@b.c> wrote in news:t0que4$p1u$1@dont-email.me:

> Feels a bit like the end of an era.
>
> Apparently the Kawasaki franchise is now held by Completely Motorbikes
> in Staverton.
>
> This might be old news, but I only found out this week as the boss was
> looking to get his H2 SX [1] serviced
>
>
> [1] Clit bike du jour
>

No, had not seen that. Fraser's website still has Kawasaki listed.

Not a surprise though as CM took the Yamaha franchise from Spa when it
split from Skellerns in Worcester. Then they bought Skellerns which was
solus Yamaha and added Kawasaki. Then Yamaha was taken off Peter Hammond in
Cirencester.

They have also taken over a massive warehouse near Hinckley filled with PCP
returns. Looking at the website, Hinckley has a Suzuki franchise now. So
will they try to wrestle the Suzuki franchise from Fraser's? Neal does not
seem to be investing much in the site to meet brand expectations, and it is
in an area that is slowly being turned into housing.

CM seem to have MV Agusta as well in Staverton and a Triumph/Ducati shop in
North Wales.

One wonders if they will expand in a Blade kind of way or are the going to
be another Carnells, Motorcycle City etc. Overgeared with rising interest
rates and a loss of sight in customer care, which was excellent in 2018
when I bought the XR.

On Tue, 15 Mar 2022 20:54:26 +0000, Gyp <a@b.c> wrote:

>Feels a bit like the end of an era.
>
>Apparently the Kawasaki franchise is now held by Completely Motorbikes
>in Staverton.

Blimey!

That really is the end of an era :-(

Lemme count back the bikes I've had from there over the last (ulp)
nearly 40 years:
- 1984: GPz 750 turbo (new)
- 1987: GPX 750 (2nd hand)
- 1989: ZXR750 (new)
- 1989 ZX10R (new) [1]
- 1991: ZZR1100 (can't remember - think 2nd hand)
- 1994: ZZR1100 (also can't remember)
- 1999: ZX9R (new)
- 2001: GSX-R 1000 (new)
- 2005: ZX10R (2nd hand)

So, I've had at least 4 new Kawasakis from them, and a few 2nd hand
ones

<sigh> The world keeps turning, doesn't it. Stop me before nostalgia
takes me down

[1] 1989 was 'one of those years'
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On 16/03/2022 13:03, Champ wrote:

> Lemme count back the bikes I've had from there over the last (ulp)
> nearly 40 years:
> - 1984: GPz 750 turbo (new)
> - 1987: GPX 750 (2nd hand)
> - 1989: ZXR750 (new)
> - 1989 ZX10R (new) [1]
> - 1991: ZZR1100 (can't remember - think 2nd hand)
> - 1994: ZZR1100 (also can't remember)
> - 1999: ZX9R (new)
> - 2001: GSX-R 1000 (new)
> - 2005: ZX10R (2nd hand)
2015: H2 (new)

--
Gyp

Champ wrote:
> Lemme count back the bikes I've had from there over the last (ulp)
> nearly 40 years:
> - 1984: GPz 750 turbo (new)
> - 1987: GPX 750 (2nd hand)
> - 1989: ZXR750 (new)
> - 1989 ZX10R (new) [1]
> - 1991: ZZR1100 (can't remember - think 2nd hand)
> - 1994: ZZR1100 (also can't remember)
> - 1999: ZX9R (new)
> - 2001: GSX-R 1000 (new)
> - 2005: ZX10R (2nd hand)

17 years since you last bought a bike from them then? That's hardly going to keep them going.

Didn't you buy another 10R from them, after you broke it?

Gyp <a@b.c> wrote in news:t0t3a4$h2e$1@dont-email.me:

> On 16/03/2022 13:03, Champ wrote:
>
>> Lemme count back the bikes I've had from there over the last (ulp)
>> nearly 40 years:
>> - 1984: GPz 750 turbo (new)
>> - 1987: GPX 750 (2nd hand)
>> - 1989: ZXR750 (new)
>> - 1989 ZX10R (new) [1]
>> - 1991: ZZR1100 (can't remember - think 2nd hand)
>> - 1994: ZZR1100 (also can't remember)
>> - 1999: ZX9R (new)
>> - 2001: GSX-R 1000 (new)
>> - 2005: ZX10R (2nd hand)
> 2015: H2 (new)
>
>

where did the current H2SX come from?

On 3/16/2022 6:03 AM, Champ wrote:
>
>
> <sigh> The world keeps turning, doesn't it. Stop me before nostalgia
> takes me down
>
We used to say "I'm so glad to have come of age between the pill and
AIDS." I'm not sure what the current saying is, but it's a hell of a lot
more dramatic.

(Someone at the cafe' this morning said, "God sure screwed up when he
created humans. Wonder what his next experiment will look like."

--
The erstwhile Thomas
FJR1300, R1200GS, ST1100 (in memoriam)

On Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at 3:47:21 PM UTC-4, Turby wrote:

> We used to say "I'm so glad to have come of age between the pill and
> AIDS." I'm not sure what the current saying is, but it's a hell of a lot
> more dramatic.
>
> (Someone at the cafe' this morning said, "God sure screwed up when he
> created humans. Wonder what his next experiment will look like."

I kinda wanna come and have coffee with you and your old gimmers.

On 16/03/2022 20:24, Ben Blaney wrote:
> On Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at 3:47:21 PM UTC-4, Turby wrote:
>
>> We used to say "I'm so glad to have come of age between the pill and
>> AIDS." I'm not sure what the current saying is, but it's a hell of a lot
>> more dramatic.
>>
>> (Someone at the cafe' this morning said, "God sure screwed up when he
>> created humans. Wonder what his next experiment will look like."
>
> I kinda wanna come and have coffee with you and your old gimmers.

It's a cool hangout. Of which I thought I had some photos, but I can't
find 'em.

--
/Simon

On 3/16/2022 2:23 PM, siwilson wrote:
> On 16/03/2022 20:24, Ben Blaney wrote:
>> On Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at 3:47:21 PM UTC-4, Turby wrote:
>>
>>> We used to say "I'm so glad to have come of age between the pill and
>>> AIDS." I'm not sure what the current saying is, but it's a hell of a lot
>>> more dramatic.
>>>
>>> (Someone at the cafe' this morning said, "God sure screwed up when he
>>> created humans. Wonder what his next experiment will look like."
>>
>> I kinda wanna come and have coffee with you and your old gimmers.
>
> It's a cool hangout. Of which I thought I had some photos, but I can't
> find 'em.
>
She, Amanda, who runs the cafe', got a 30 day notice of eviction 4 days
ago. The whole village is upset. The Octopus Man is sitting across from
The ChiTown Lawyer, talking about how big their donations are going to
be to save the Cafe'. I've been going there forever and know many others
have, too. This could be a million dollar con, but I don't think so.
I've watched too many scary crime flicks that get in your head. I've
known Amanda 15 years. She's a good person. In any case, it's first for
me to be up close and personal with so many people so upset.

https://www.sandiegoville.com/2022/03/pannikin-coffee-set-to-close-in-la-jolla-san-diego-after-more-than-50-years-in-business.html

--
The erstwhile Thomas
FJR1300, R1200GS, ST1100 (in memoriam)

On 3/16/2022 1:24 PM, Ben Blaney wrote:
> On Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at 3:47:21 PM UTC-4, Turby wrote:
>
>> We used to say "I'm so glad to have come of age between the pill and
>> AIDS." I'm not sure what the current saying is, but it's a hell of a lot
>> more dramatic.
>>
>> (Someone at the cafe' this morning said, "God sure screwed up when he
>> created humans. Wonder what his next experiment will look like."
>
> I kinda wanna come and have coffee with you and your old gimmers.

Please do.

--
The erstwhile Thomas
FJR1300, R1200GS, ST1100 (in memoriam)

On Thursday, 17 March 2022 at 00:33:35 UTC, Turby wrote:
> On 3/16/2022 1:24 PM, Ben Blaney wrote:

> > I kinda wanna come and have coffee with you and your old gimmers.
> Please do.

Wouldn't you all hate him for being young (relatively) ?

Gyp <a@b.c> wrote in news:t0que4$p1u$1@dont-email.me:

> Feels a bit like the end of an era.
>
> Apparently the Kawasaki franchise is now held by Completely Motorbikes
> in Staverton.
>
> This might be old news, but I only found out this week as the boss was
> looking to get his H2 SX [1] serviced
>
>
> [1] Clit bike du jour
>

and I have just had an email from CM to say they are taking over
ThunderRoad Motorcycles who have the Honda franchise in Gloucester.

I knew Thunder Road when they were a tiny shop in Bridgend. I bought a year
old VFR750FR[1] from them.

So CM now have all 4 of the big Japanese brands at one or more location. As
well as Triumph, MV Agusta and Ducati.

[1] last version of the 750s

On 3/17/2022 2:31 AM, Stephen Packer wrote:
> On Thursday, 17 March 2022 at 00:33:35 UTC, Turby wrote:
>> On 3/16/2022 1:24 PM, Ben Blaney wrote:
>
>>> I kinda wanna come and have coffee with you and your old gimmers.
>> Please do.
>
> Wouldn't you all hate him for being young (relatively) ?

No, no, no. He would be a very interesting interview subject.

"Were you taught arithmetic in school?"
"Do you know what an Oxford comma is?"
"Have you ever participated in a political rally?"

--
The erstwhile Thomas
FJR1300, R1200GS, ST1100 (in memoriam)

Turby wrote:

> On 3/16/2022 2:23 PM, siwilson wrote:
> > On 16/03/2022 20:24, Ben Blaney wrote:
> > > On Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at 3:47:21 PM UTC-4, Turby wrote:
> > >
> > > > We used to say "I'm so glad to have come of age between the
> > > > pill and AIDS." I'm not sure what the current saying is, but
> > > > it's a hell of a lot more dramatic.
> > > >
> > > > (Someone at the cafe' this morning said, "God sure screwed up
> > > > when he created humans. Wonder what his next experiment will
> > > > look like."
> > >
> > > I kinda wanna come and have coffee with you and your old gimmers.
> >
> > It's a cool hangout. Of which I thought I had some photos, but I
> > can't find 'em.
> >
> She, Amanda, who runs the cafe', got a 30 day notice of eviction 4
> days ago. The whole village is upset. The Octopus Man is sitting
> across from The ChiTown Lawyer, talking about how big their donations
> are going to be to save the Cafe'. I've been going there forever and
> know many others have, too. This could be a million dollar con, but I
> don't think so. I've watched too many scary crime flicks that get in
> your head. I've known Amanda 15 years. She's a good person. In any
> case, it's first for me to be up close and personal with so many
> people so upset.
>
>
https://www.sandiegoville.com/2022/03/pannikin-coffee-set-to-close-in-la-jolla-san-diego-after-more-than-50-years-in-business.html

Having read that link, this is beginning to sound more and more like
the opening chapter from a John Grisham book. (I like John Grisham
books).

--
Geoff
Honda NTV650

On Wed, 16 Mar 2022 16:29:55 +0000, Gyp <a@b.c> wrote:

>On 16/03/2022 13:03, Champ wrote:
>
>> Lemme count back the bikes I've had from there over the last (ulp)
>> nearly 40 years:
>> - 1984: GPz 750 turbo (new)
>> - 1987: GPX 750 (2nd hand)
>> - 1989: ZXR750 (new)
>> - 1989 ZX10R (new) [1]
>> - 1991: ZZR1100 (can't remember - think 2nd hand)
>> - 1994: ZZR1100 (also can't remember)
>> - 1999: ZX9R (new)
>> - 2001: GSX-R 1000 (new)
>> - 2005: ZX10R (2nd hand)

>2015: H2 (new)

D'oh! Of course!

And, also...
2018: H2 SX (new)
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On Wed, 16 Mar 2022 10:19:50 -0700 (PDT), ogden <eldaifo@gmail.com>
wrote:

>Champ wrote:
>> Lemme count back the bikes I've had from there over the last (ulp)
>> nearly 40 years:
>> - 1984: GPz 750 turbo (new)
>> - 1987: GPX 750 (2nd hand)
>> - 1989: ZXR750 (new)
>> - 1989 ZX10R (new) [1]
>> - 1991: ZZR1100 (can't remember - think 2nd hand)
>> - 1994: ZZR1100 (also can't remember)
>> - 1999: ZX9R (new)
>> - 2001: GSX-R 1000 (new)
>> - 2005: ZX10R (2nd hand)

>17 years since you last bought a bike from them then? That's hardly going to keep them going.
>
>Didn't you buy another 10R from them, after you broke it?

Actually, I missed two of the list. Last was 2018
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On Thu, 17 Mar 2022 17:35:26 -0000 (UTC), wessie
<willnotwork@tesco.net> wrote:

>Gyp <a@b.c> wrote in news:t0que4$p1u$1@dont-email.me:
>
>> Feels a bit like the end of an era.
>>
>> Apparently the Kawasaki franchise is now held by Completely Motorbikes
>> in Staverton.

>and I have just had an email from CM to say they are taking over
>ThunderRoad Motorcycles who have the Honda franchise in Gloucester.
>
>So CM now have all 4 of the big Japanese brands at one or more location. As
>well as Triumph, MV Agusta and Ducati.

I spoke to my old mate Theo yesterday, who a handful of you have met.
He ran the parts department at Frasers for a decade or more after we
both left school, and even tho he eventually grew up and got a proper
job he obviously still knows the place well.

Anyway, he was in there this week, and says there was no sign that
they were no longer an official Kawasaki dealer
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

Champ <neal@champ.org.uk> wrote in
news:lnje3ht00fctur1scusbfaousmhomabi3m@4ax.com:

> On Thu, 17 Mar 2022 17:35:26 -0000 (UTC), wessie
> <willnotwork@tesco.net> wrote:
>
>>Gyp <a@b.c> wrote in news:t0que4$p1u$1@dont-email.me:
>>
>>> Feels a bit like the end of an era.
>>>
>>> Apparently the Kawasaki franchise is now held by Completely
>>> Motorbikes in Staverton.
>
>>and I have just had an email from CM to say they are taking over
>>ThunderRoad Motorcycles who have the Honda franchise in Gloucester.
>>
>>So CM now have all 4 of the big Japanese brands at one or more
>>location. As well as Triumph, MV Agusta and Ducati.
>
> I spoke to my old mate Theo yesterday, who a handful of you have met.
> He ran the parts department at Frasers for a decade or more after we
> both left school, and even tho he eventually grew up and got a proper
> job he obviously still knows the place well.
>
> Anyway, he was in there this week, and says there was no sign that
> they were no longer an official Kawasaki dealer

the Kawasaki website does not show Fraser's now

I was a customer of Spa (formerly Skellerns) when they had the Yamaha
franchise removed. They had a period when they could remain as an
official service agent to allow them to complete things such as warranty
work where they were waiting for parts or authorisation. All signs of
Yamaha branding were gone after a couple of months.

That was around 5 years ago and Spa are still going. They sell a lot of
scooters and some Chinese made bikes with Italian branding like FB
Mondial and Benelli.

On Tue, 15 Mar 2022 20:54:26 +0000, Gyp wrote:

> Feels a bit like the end of an era.
>
> Apparently the Kawasaki franchise is now held by Completely Motorbikes
> in Staverton.

The 'Boss' of CMC, (Rob Ayland iirc) is a member of our 'Club', though I
havent seen him attend yet. He bought a large factory unit in Hinckley,
and set it up as a bike warehouse.The pub we meet at is 50 metres away.
There must be 500 bikes in there, maybe more. It's a strange type of
dealership, no prices on the bikes, just a scan code, so you have to look
it up either prior to going there, or get your phone out when you are
there. And, no test rides, which I find baffling, as there is no way I'd
be spending £5k+ on a bike without a 10 mile + test ride. They do offer a
return period if you dont like it, no idea if there is a financial
penalty for doing that.
He did buy our drinks on the Christmas night out, so I havent got any bad
words about him, though that generosity may be because a few of our
Members have bought numerous bikes off him in the last year or so, one
guy has bought and sold 13 bikes in the last calendar year. No, we cannot
fathom, it out either. Another bought a nearly new MV, no idea what that
cost, must be £12k+.

On 20/03/2022 16:15, wessie wrote:

> I was a customer of Spa (formerly Skellerns) when they had the Yamaha
> franchise removed. They had a period when they could remain as an
> official service agent to allow them to complete things such as warranty
> work where they were waiting for parts or authorisation. All signs of
> Yamaha branding were gone after a couple of months.
>
> That was around 5 years ago and Spa are still going. They sell a lot of
> scooters and some Chinese made bikes with Italian branding like FB
> Mondial and Benelli.

The impression I get is that they gave up the Yamaha franchise rather
than having it removed - local demand was for inexpensive small capacity
stuff which is a market that Yamaha isn't serving very well.

So give up the stuff that doesn't sell and fill the shop with the stuff
that does.

--
Gyp

Gyp <a@b.c> wrote in news:t17m9o$1im$1@dont-email.me:

> On 20/03/2022 16:15, wessie wrote:
>
>> I was a customer of Spa (formerly Skellerns) when they had the Yamaha
>> franchise removed. They had a period when they could remain as an
>> official service agent to allow them to complete things such as warranty
>> work where they were waiting for parts or authorisation. All signs of
>> Yamaha branding were gone after a couple of months.
>>
>> That was around 5 years ago and Spa are still going. They sell a lot of
>> scooters and some Chinese made bikes with Italian branding like FB
>> Mondial and Benelli.
>
> The impression I get is that they gave up the Yamaha franchise rather
> than having it removed - local demand was for inexpensive small capacity
> stuff which is a market that Yamaha isn't serving very well.
>
> So give up the stuff that doesn't sell and fill the shop with the stuff
> that does.
>

They way Nick put it was that they had to agree new terms in their own
right rather than being part of Skellerns. That would mean adopting the
Yamaha corporate identity and stocking the whole range with demo bikes,
taking on a huge debt. As you say, they knew the local market for scooters
& 125s for teenagers and seem to be doing okay with that

They seem to be selling electric motorcycles and scooter now, from the MGB
brand. https://www.mgbmoto.co.uk/

On Sun, 20 Mar 2022 11:44:53 -0500, Alan <alan@darkroom.+.com> wrote:

>And, no test rides, which I find baffling, as there is no way I'd
>be spending £5k+ on a bike without a 10 mile + test ride.

So, here's a thing - I'm not sure I've *ever* had a test ride on a
bike before buying it.

I usually know what I want, and know how to check a bike over.

Sometimes ridden a mate's example of the model [1] before I buy one,
which informs my buying decision, but that seems to be the only point
of a test ride i.e. it's for people who don't actually know what they
want

[1] e.g. the go I had on Andy Bonwick's ZX10R - I went all Will Smith
in the alien spaceship in Independence Day - "I have *got* to get me
one of these!"
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On Tue, 22 Mar 2022 09:41:52 +0000, Champ <neal@champ.org.uk> wrote:

>On Sun, 20 Mar 2022 11:44:53 -0500, Alan <alan@darkroom.+.com> wrote:
>
>>And, no test rides, which I find baffling, as there is no way I'd
>>be spending £5k+ on a bike without a 10 mile + test ride.
>
>So, here's a thing - I'm not sure I've *ever* had a test ride on a
>bike before buying it.

It was always pretty much standard practice amongst dealers, IME. No,
you can't ride it first, but we'll give you a credit note you can use
on something else (more expensive) if you don't like it. If they'd
have offered a full cash refund then I wouldn't have minded, but no, I
didn't always know what I wanted over the years, especially coming
back after a few years off bikes, so a test ride would have been
really useful.

>
>I usually know what I want, and know how to check a bike over.
>
>Sometimes ridden a mate's example of the model [1] before I buy one,
>which informs my buying decision, but that seems to be the only point
>of a test ride i.e. it's for people who don't actually know what they
>want
>
>[1] e.g. the go I had on Andy Bonwick's ZX10R - I went all Will Smith
>in the alien spaceship in Independence Day - "I have *got* to get me
>one of these!"

--
Ace
http://www.chaletbeauroc.com/

On Tuesday, 22 March 2022 at 09:41:55 UTC, Champ wrote:
> On Sun, 20 Mar 2022 11:44:53 -0500, Alan <alan@darkroom.+.com> wrote:
>
> >And, no test rides, which I find baffling, as there is no way I'd
> >be spending £5k+ on a bike without a 10 mile + test ride.
>
> So, here's a thing - I'm not sure I've *ever* had a test ride on a
> bike before buying it.

I have, a few times. The Bandit 1200, because I'd never ridden anything like it, I rode briefly round the yard just to see if I fundamentally hated it.. And because it felt like a BMX with a car engine, which is ridiculous, I bought it.

The SMT, I took a demonstrator out for a couple of hours, for much the same reason, and came back and bought ont.

The XR, I took their demonstrator out for a couple of hours too. I knew I was going to buy one within seconds of pulling away, but the dealer had filled the tank and I figured if I was spending that much I might as well drain it.

The 7R, I rode Simian's at an OSM. That felt wrong, in a way I couldn't put my finger on, but I figured it was just an iffy example and I liked the bike as a whole.

That's about it though. Everything else I've bought on spec, occasionally without even seeing, let alone riding.