Phil Randall wrote:
There is more to this than the business going broke. Hopefully Mick will open a new business soon. And no need for young people to take over. The young people need to  work with Mick and learn a thing or two.

Ian,  my point exactly, we need to pass on the skills and the mantra to the next generation.  I wish him well in the future.
Phil R.

Some old businesses need to learn that to be sustainable they need to move with the times, open an online store, be price and service competitive, keep your overheads low as your margins are going to be skinnier you are competing with people who operate with very low overheads. Online stores generally carry very little stock and often have it direct shipped from their suppliers, operate out of back street low rent premises, Torpedo 7 are big in NZ with a few large retail outlets but their online sales apparently are massive, but run by contemporary thinking people. Now I do not know Mick Hone or even his business but their is more than just passing on the old skills, Y gen think is totally different and their expectations are totally different than us old guys, I look forward to working for a Y gen boss, start at 10 and finish at 3 and have 2 hrs for lunch but sell shits loads in just 3 hrs via internet and email, people want to still go touch and sit on a bike but they will buy it down the road or on the internet if they can save $10 unless you can offer them something different than the other guy.  No different than running a bike club, we struggle to attract young members, maybe because they do not see the value in paying membership, or hanging out with a bunch of old blokes, now we as members all know the value in the very small annual fee that we pay let alone the advice we get from each other and the very valuable incidental training. Most of us would still be level 1 riders if it was'nt for the Phil Randle's, Peter Rs and Pommy Matt's of this club. I can see our club dynamics are changing, and like most things including the way business is done will continue to change, sometimes for the better but also sometimes for the worse, we have all just got to keep moving with the times. Hopefully for all who have done business with Mick Hone get another opportunity and hopefully support him as much as they can, we all know many businesses who have closed one day and reopened the next with a new name or theme, so anything is possible.

Boy, we can all go off half-cocked sometimes!

Mick Hone has not gone broke!

When Ziggy had his little issues earlier in the year, he and his family decided that Zig would not go back to work.  For those who don't know, Ziggy was a director in Mick Hone Motorcycles.  Ziggy and his family want out of the business, so administrators have been appointed to 'wind-up' the old company, and establish a new company, so the business can continue.  If mick decides this is a good time to hang up his helmet, so be it, but that's not the case.  So, let's not start suggesting the business has gone pear shaped..... 'cos it's NOT!

How did you go with the V-strom Serge?

Ken R wrote:
Mick is closed while the Admins are doing their thing, so haven't had a serious look yet.

Received this message from mick this morning

Hi Serge
 
I am back and looking to sell Vstroms
Cheers
Mick

Serge C wrote:
Thats really good to hear, go get im Serge. Did you browse a BMW?

Ken R wrote:
Yes, onion and I both looked at the 650 single.  I think he may have decided that's the bike for him, but I want to get up close and personal with the Wee Strom before I make a call.  Tha BM small twin is too much for what you get.  Will end up being close to 17k with crash protection and before luggage. I have it on good authority that I should be able to get on a Strom for mid to high 10's. So we'll check that before making a call.