Motorcycle Parts

This is a pure rant, expect no more, don't read on unless you're completely bored and/or work in the motor trade.

 

Firstly, to explain, OEM parts stands for 'Original Equipment Manufacturer'. These are parts which are made by the bike manufacturers: Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, KTM etc.

 

There's a number of parts which are only available from the manufacturers. These are normally the parts which are unlikely to brake and therefor it's not worth the effort for another company to make them. These parts are mostly gearbox, special bearings, enging casings, frames, kickstarts, special bolts.....in general parts that aren't 'wear and tear' items.

In the past I used to arrange getting in these parts for customers. Not for the good of my health of coarse but to make my dealer margin. The benefit for the customer was that I knew my bikes, I was pleasant to deal with and they got the right parts, almost all the time:) The benefit for the distributor was they didn't have to deal with customers who were unsure what they needed, they didn't have to deal with problems/returns and they always got paid upfront by me.

For my effort I would receive 10-20% discount (depending on the distributor). The distributor most likely made a much larger margin, that never bothers me - they carry more costs etc.

This is where I'm banging my head against the wall....they (distributors) couldn't have an easier job: implement some stock control, some basic mail order processes, employ competent staff and watch the money flow but that seems too much of a struggle!

So how could they possibly mess up this gravy train you ask:

- charging ridiculous prices (OEM kickstart form Irish distributor €180, same part number across the water £84.95).

- stock almost none of the common 'needed every week parts'. For example a CRF450 waterpump shaft, I sell 2 per week, they stock none! Or my favourite, not stocking engine covers for bikes which there are 100s around the country!

- employ staff that know more about pianos than motorbikes and/or can't answer a phone - a difficult task some might say.

- somehow manage to use courier services that NEVER arrive [read never get sent] and then can't be tracked while all the time charging higher carriage from Dublin to Meath than from our UK suppliers to Meath!

- entertain a 'finger pointing' mentality throughout the company, most likely stemming from the top (probably a bit harsh to apply this to all in question but hey - while I've ranted this much why stop now:)

 

So let's take a typical Allmoto customer call:

*Ring*Ring*....*Ring*Ring*

Derek: "Allmoto Hello"

Happy Customer: "Hey Derek, Need an OEM bearing for my [insert one year old popular model]

Derek: "Sure, no probs, one min......that'll be €65 incl vat and there may be a €12 local delivery charge"

Happy Customer: "REALLY, weird because the same part is only £22.50 plus £5 P+P from the OEM UK guys but I'll buy it off you as I trust you and you normally keep me happy"

Derek: "Thanks for the order, I'll call you in 3-4 days when it should be here. See you at the track on Sunday."

 

In the remaining time allow for 2-3 calls to get order to OEM supplier(or to chase up an email order by phone as they NEVER receive emails!!). Now allow a few days to pass until we realise no parts arrived, recall OEM supplier to be told excuse (part never ordered....coming from Japan ....or some similar story). Now call 'Happy Customer' to manage his expectations for delivery. Days pass .....attached to more calls to customer with disappointing updates. Eventually part arrives, we ship same day courier and follow customer with call but wait....we must have a wrong number.....as the person on the phone who was 'Happy Customer' , who liked me, has become 'Unhappy Customer' who most likely thinks I'm an incompetent who can't do a SIMPLE TASK LIKE SUPPLY A POXY PART ON TIME!

So for my effort I earned €6.50-€13 (10-20% of €65) minus about ten calls, minus a lot of time on the phone, minus one previously 'Happy Customer'.

Pheewww.....I'm glad I got that off my chest...so a word of warning to all 'Happy Customers' , the next time you call, looking for an OEM parts and ask why I can't get it - it's because I prefer you as a 'Happy Customer'.

There's a lot wrong with our business but I wouldn't swap it. Feel free to comment below.

 

Derek.

If you want to here my rants in 160 characters every day, follow me on Twitter. You'll be happy to hear that I generally keep the grumpy stuff away from the Facebook page.

 

BTW I'm not having a jibe at any one particular OEM supplier in Southern Ireland. They're all guilty of the above in some shape or form, some more than others. I personally know and get on well with many of the staff in these companies, and some of the management - most agree with me on this topic. But I do genuinely believe that they each need to take a long look in the mirror and find out why 'joe-retailer' like me is so messed about. And, no, I'm not an isolated grumpy bogmuncher - I talk to dealers every day and here the same thing over and over.

After all it's the dealers who should be doing the selling. The OEM parts business is HUGE, although they may not believe this as all my customers are sending their money abroad to get the same parts that should be able to pay wages for tens of staff throughout these companies.

Contact details incase you want to deal directy with the Irish OEM distributors(they may have improved since I was dealing with them):

 

Kawasaki Parts Ireland: 01-4567234

Yamaha Parts/Danfay Ltd: 01-2751878

Suzuki Parts/Priory: 01-8364567

Honda Part/Two Wheels: 01-4566747

KTM Parts/VMX(exclude Graham from being tarnished with the brush above a he seems well stocked and perfectly capable of shipping orders. Probably aided in part by working within a far more efficient 'UKesque' dealer network.) 0402 32843

motorcycle parts

motorcycle parts