Just received an email from Parker Brothers advising they've shut down. They'll honour their storage and existing service commitments but they've ceased operations. Damn! I liked these guys.
Sad day for sure. Good luck Dave and Jil hopefully you have something lined up that you can pour your motorcycle passion into.
I remember Parker bros. when they started up beside Cycle World in the old burger joint. Sad day indeed for a small shop. Best of luck to them.
The loss of Parker Brothers is a really sad day. I got an email last night from Dave and was disappointed. It seems the cross border and internet sales were a large part of the decision. I have purchased quite a bit of tires and helmets from them over the years and always been well treated. It is really to bad when we lose what I consider to be one of the most ethical business owner I have ever known. My sincere best wishes to Dave and all his staff. They have been an outstanding dealer
I've never dealt with them b/c they are not local to me. But there was an excellent final post on the ODSC website from them that specifically hits on financial problems which they blame on cross border shopping. It's been easy to see this kind of thing coming for a long time in all types of businesses, not only b/c of internet shopping but also big box stores. I work in utility construction and I rely on local customers. Therefore I support local businesses when I can. What's the true cost of shopping online? Pretty soon we won't have local shops to go to. Please keep in mind every time you buy something on line from an American business, that's Canadian money going straight out of the country which will probably never come back. Sad news to hear a local reputable business going under! P.S. They have a mechanic and a parts / salesman out of work. Those guys won't be supporting local businesses for awhile b/c they won't have income till they find another job. Sorry for the sermon but this kind of thing pisses me off.
Its really sad that even small hard working motorcycle businesses are not really viable anymore. One major problem is that you can't rely one brand of motorcycle anymore. Another factor is offroad bikes are sales are plummeting. I wish them sincere luck in their future endeavours. Cheers
Sad indeed, great bunch of guys. :huh The internet has made it too easy and affordable for us to access US inventory. The motorcycle community being the cheap bunch of cunts that we are would sooner save a buck than worry about having a Canadian dealer network. KTM screwed them over by demanding minimum bike inventory levels. Too much cash tied up in slow moving inventory.
I'll play the devil's advocate here and put in my two cents. I have no problems supporting my local dealer and don't mind paying a little more for personal service and often free advice that you won't get from ordering online. A big problem the dealers have here is getting aftermarket parts from their suppliers. I ordered some tech spec tank pads in early January, I was told it would take a couple weeks to get them. Fast forward to today, I'm still waiting for them and have been told maybe in a couple more weeks. If it wasn't winter I would have asked for my money back, ordered them online and probably have them in a week, albeit it would probably cost a few bucks more. I have had the same problem with Honda Canada, I called the local dealer (a Honda Powerhouse) to order a wiring harness to power heated grips and gps. I was told there are back ordered and there's no known date when they will be available. I went online and ordered from Lings Honda in the U.K. and had the harness within 2 weeks, no hassle no problems and no excuses and delivered to my door. I don't think it's about the motorcycle community being cheap it's more about dealers not being able to getting the parts or accessories in a timely manner and people simply take their business elsewhere.
First off it is sad to see a small business to go under and people losing their jobs. We are in a fast pace want it cheap kinda world (Walmart). So who is to blame... the government I say. and KTM Canada. Why are we stuck with high prices while south of us can have them cheaper. We pay and pay until something gives and it is the small business that are getting fawked. I have bought from them only once and do support other local Canadian business, but have bought from across the border also. When large parts cost half as much...I am not rich. So if I could save thousands on a new bike by buying it in the US vs Canada then yup any day of the week. So who is to blame... me...local dealer...KTM or other brand... Government. Time to say enough is enough lets have some fair prices so our dealers can compete with the US market. that's my nickle of advice because I can't give my two cents.
Here's an interesting article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/sto...e-reports-on-canada-us-price-differences.html Quote from the article: "The report says there are 8,192 tariff categories in Canada and that each category has 18 tariff treatments. The tariffs generated $3.6 billion in tax revenue in 2010-2011, representing 1.5 per cent of the total government revenue collected that fiscal year. That same year, about 60 per cent of tariff revenue was collected on apparel and textile products, autos and auto parts, and footwear." I wouldn't hold my breath for anything to change, and if they do they'll take it from you somewhere else. Not to mention you have to pay sales tax on the tariff amount as well, nothing like paying tax on a tax. Two things in life are guaranteed : death and taxes.
No doubt whatsoever on who's fault it is. But it seems the government doesn't really look out for the general public's good anymore, it's a machine that just can't stop rolling once it's moving. There was an article recently talking about the tariffs and how they were meant to protect Canadian jobs, but most of those manufacturers are gone now anyways so it just costs us more money. It's too bad that it's the public who suffer. I'm sorry to see Parker Bros. gone not b/c I have experience with them but because it's a shame to lose another small Canadian business.
A damn good shop with great people that had some of the best prices anywhere. They really seemed to do well as several of the big box crappy service places like Cycleworld, McBrides and others dropped by the wayside. Pretty well sums up trying to do motorcycle retail business in this country. If you don't have it in stock, you can't sell it. But if you stock it, you have big overhead costs and a dying off market that will eventually kill you off. Best wishes to Dave, Jill, Chris and the rest.
I can see how the web sales can really hurt a shop. But I would point that finger while saying that it's the symptom, not the source of evil. The gubmint tariffs have been pointed out as one source. But the other, and in my opinion bigger source of evil, is the importers. Parts Canada, a division of Parts Unlimited, is a good place to examine. With the dollar at par, there is now transparency in the pricing. The manufacturers have signed distribution deals with the importers, who in turn have similar rules for the dealers. How many shops you know won't ship cross-border will point that out to you. Market protection at its finest, BMW being a real evil overlord in that game, btw. So the importer sets the price that the shop can buy the item at, despite the online retail price in many cases being less than dealer cost. There is no way they can compete with that. How can you ask a customer to pay hundreds more for an item just to support local, which in reality, is supporting the importer's business practices? The importers have built their empires, and are clinging to their old profit margins. The new reality will kill them last, once there's no more dealers left. To try and keep those margins, they only order in what they think will sell, in limited numbers. This makes sense. But where it goes off the rails is that once they're sold, they won't get another because you need one. But they have the monopoly in the country, so no other shop in Canada will have it available. You need the part, so instead of your local dealer getting the sale, you web shop it. This of course has the long term negative effect that the customer gets in the habit of 'shop may or may not be able to get it, I haven't got the time to waste parts chasing', and just flips open the smart phone in his pocket. In 2 minutes the part's is on its way, delivered in the same time as the local shop could get it. And you'd have to pick it up at the shop, which means finding time to get there. Web shows up at your door. It's all fine to blame the web shopping, and I agree that it's playing a part in this problem, but step back and look at the bigger picture, and maybe point that finger at those who have also been responsible.
Dave and Jill can hold their heads high as they did a great job servicing our small riding community despite the obvious challenges as note above. Cycle World perished Brampton Cycle self destructed McBrides closed it doors And Parker Bros held on till the very end. A true mom and pop shop...gone...how sad DW
That is a huge factor. Its a real piss off when I try to support the local guy and the only choices for him are to look in the Parts Canada and Motovan books. Usually it means I will end up finding an alternate source cause a lot of times they carry the brand I want, but they don't import the part I want for the oddball brand bikes I like to accumulate.
Sorry to hear that Dave threw in the towel. Nice guy, as is Chris Dring. Last season I bought a couple tubes, a tire, fork seals from them. It was nice to have them there when I needed something. I fear small, independent stores are going the way of the dodo in the 21st century.
