In writing this story, I probably tried on four or five different approaches to say that exact same thing: here is a video that makes me want to drop off a pile of cash at my local Husqvarna dealership, and brap off into the sunset with a new Husqvarna 701 Supermoto.
I had trouble articulating this thought though, not because I was at a loss of words for my inner-hooligan, but because what impressed me more was the fact that this high-octane video clip comes not from Husqvarna, but instead from one of the company’s Czech dealers: Dypree.
When I think of the reasons I visit one dealership over the other, reputation is probably the most defining trait.
If I want my bike fixed, I’m most concerned with the reputation of the shop’s service department. If I’m buying a bike, maybe I’m more concerned about a reputation for having the cheapest prices or the widest selection of bikes that are in stock.
Honestly though, I think a lot of it just comes down to name recognition, and other extraneous factors that we use to triangulate some sort of bearing on whether a motorcycle shop is “good” or not.
When it comes to dealership experiences, motorcyclists are victims of location most of the time, but I have seen owners drive past several competing dealerships, all in the name of going to the “good” one that’s a little farther away.
That’s an interesting thought, and it comes back to the concept of building brand.
The old school way of doing sees a motorcycle dealership sponsor a race team or motorcycle event. I bet A&R readers have the Hudson Valley Motorcycles dealership on the brain, after seeing the very touching #RideHVMC Freeman Racing Ducati Panigale R yesterday, in its FDNY tribute livery.
With domestic racing showing a diminishing return each year though, a new school way to build brand has evolved, unsurprisingly from social media.
You might laugh at the idea of motorcycle mechanics posed as pinup girls, or off-roading a 195hp superbike in the woods, but the fact that Portland’s MotoCorsa can consistently be one of Ducati North America’s top-selling dealerships is certainly brow-raising.
Even pure-play online shops can get in on this action, as we have seen with RevZilla’s huge cadre of orange-loyal fans – thanks mostly to videos like this nonsense right here.
The only thing that surprises me when it comes to dealership promotion through engaging online media is…well, the lack of it that we actually see…
Source: Dypree
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