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Opening a shop

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SAhalfNE:
What are some of the harsh realities of opening up your own small repair/custom/cafe shop? Are there any issues with insurance, Liability, ect that make it a bad idea?

I see a place like DCC or any of the sponsored shops and think "I could do that!"...but can I really?

Is there a benefit to going about it one way or another (solely owned vs. a "collective" that contribute to shop space)?

 

VonYinzer:
Own it yourself if possible. In the end, you're the only person you should rely on in a buisness. Yes, you will need insurance. Your local agent of choice can better assist you with that end. Now to the real question... Do you actually have the talent, knowledge, and ability to own a motorcycle repair shop? Do you have any formal training as a tech? Do you have any real experience as a professional service person? Can you comfortably say that you own the proper equipment, and specialty tools for most any job that may come along? Have you taken the time to contact material, and part suppliers so you have the essentials on hand at all times? Are you willing to work 80hrs a week (if need be) to keep the customers happy? Are you willing to be flat broke for stretches when there are no customers?

Hoosier Daddy:
I think the best advice I got when thinking of opening my own business is when you take out the initial loan to open your doors, include at least one years salary as it will take you that long to get established... but keep it real, you got to pay it back in the end.
 I know from my personal experiance as a profesional Technician, be ready the financial roller-coaster you are in for. Even major Dealerships in big cities have dry spells in the shop. I remember being paid "Flat-Rate" (by the job, not the hour) and bringing home $100 a week for over a month just because there wasn't enough customers bringing their cars in for repairs!

BCBarker:
Take a look at Classified Moto. http://www.classifiedmoto.com/ The guy lost his job and immediately opened up CM. It started as a hobby, but is not his bread and butter. He spends a good deal of his time making lamps and furniture pieces (i'm guessing the hours on these are a better "wage" than his custom bikes). The edge he has is the YEARS he spent in the advertising/marketing world. Having a successful business is ALL about marketing. It doesn't matter how talented you are, or claim to be. You can hire a tech to do the tough jobs, but if you have to hire a marketing agency, or wait till word spreads, you will surely loose money.

I'm self employed with no employees and it works like this. I market, get busy as hell, then when the works wraps up, I'm slow for a week or month+ while I market, then it pics back up. You have to constantly market your business or else. It's tough. Take it from me. Find a job you can tollerate and pays decent with retirement and benefits and keep the thing you love the reason you go to work. If is becomes work, you will eventually hate it.

MotoMadness:
It all depends on what you want to do.  Do you want to do repairs and parts or one or the other?  I started with parts online specializing in streetfighter stuff since its tough to find in the US and kind of grew into its own monster.  I dont do it full time but its a full time business now haha.  Over the years it has given me the extra income to buy all the shop tools needed to build bikes and trust me they aint cheap.  I probably have about $40k minimum in tools and thats really on fabrication stuff.  I have no debt or liabilities on the business.    See and doing is also to totally different things.  5 years ago when I was like oh I can do that haha I was so wrong.  Took alot of time and practice to learn to weld properly, mold fiberglass and shape metal (Still working on the shape metal thing haha)

If your looking to do maintenance you need all the bike specific tools which can add up extremely quick plus you need some sort of repair service experience.  also building and repairing bikes you better get insurance because all you need is one lawsuit which will put you right into bankruptcy being a small business.

It all really depends on what you want to do.  My goal is to just build bikes and have the internet business as the base income to cover all expenses.  The shop will be open by next year =)

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