The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Motorcycle Builders Continue to Evolve and Adapt

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Last weekend, a new Ducati dealer opened in New York, Ducati Hudson Valley, the owner, Orange County Choppers. No matter what you think of OCC bikes or the dysfunctional family act they put on for the benefit of the TV cameras, I think it’s a smart move. Custom bikes, especially of the high dollar sort they are famous for, are not moving so well and getting into a dealership for Ducati gets them a foothold in a new market and gives them a whole new opportunity for custom part sales. Again, forget what you think about their theme bikes, they have a state of the art machine shop that can produce almost anything you want, including high quality parts for Ducatis. Don’t let the chair throwing antics on TV fool you, this is good business. Ducati also gets a dealer with financial reserves able to weather a downturn in the economy, looks like a win-win to me.

Add to this, a few weeks ago, I heard about another very famous custom builder that may soon be building bikes for another company equally well known, a very interesting partnership that will surprise quite a few folks but makes very good business sense, and you begin to see the pattern, … partner up. Look outside your usual market, offer your capabilities and strengths to someone else and you both grow, do whatever it takes to make it through the downturn. Both sides benefit, both sides are stronger. Companies that simply contract and cut expenses and hope for a miracle to keep them afloat will sink, companies that get creative will survive and prosper.

I’ve said it before, Don’t let the recession become an excuse! A recession can be an opportunity. The companies noted above are looking for opportunities and forming partnerships. Lots of possibilities are out there, maybe there’s one that would work for you.

Comments

  1. Ok it’s a little out of their normal realm of off the wall outlandishly priced bikes, but I salute anyone who is willing to take that step out of their comfort zone. You never know we may see some pretty Ducs coming out of their shop very shortly. It could be interesting.

  2. Recessions are always good ways to turn around and make money. The trick is to have money to invest going into the recession. All costs are depressed/suppressed, hence the buying is good, and the recession usually lasts around a year, giving the company time to set things up right, just in time to reap the rewards. Not sure if this recession is typical, but the time is right for those with cash right now. The same cannot be said for those who are leveraged. I support OCC for growing into new markets, regardless of what I think of their bikes and show.

  3. Thanks for the dose of perspective. Personally, I never bought into the latest chopper craze though I think some of the guys out there turn out some pretty artwork, nobody can really call them riders. They’re pretty, garage/livingroom display pieces and that’s ok. Art is good almost regardless of form.

    What I find horrifying is their Spider/spiderman themed duc. Please please please…Sr. or whomever makes the decisions at OCC/Hudson……please no off the wall theme bikes….especially sportbikes. Please?

    I’ve seen OCC turn out some beautiful and ridable bobbers, they did a neat one for Leno. If you’re gonna build a sportbike, please don’t forget it’s original intent……

  5. I was extremely surprised to hear about this! It seems like a good idea for all the reasons stated. It would be very interesting to see some customs Ducatis come out of that shop. They certainly already have the visibility and capital to hit the ground running, maybe outpacing the competition. Good move, guys.

  6. Let’s hope, for the sake of NY Ducatisti that they will have Ducati factory trained service techs assembling and repairing the bikes. I don’t think I’d want someone who only has experience bolting together pieces for show choppers doing any level of service or repair on my bikes.

    -todd

  7. The ability to build a successfull bussiness and make it profitable is far more rare then hiring a few trained techs to service what is basicly a simple machine. Ducatis are not rocket science, they are just a well marketed vehicle with a fanatical following. I do not ride choppers or theme bikes, but I do respect the ability to create a profitable bussiness in a very competitive market. OCC has shown this ability, and I bet their venture into Sport Bikes will be a success as well.

  8. Keep in mind that OCC is not first and foremost chopper builders, but TV entertainment, and popular tv entertainment at that (“Popularity is the one insult I have never suffered.” (Oscar Wilde)).

  10. Been reading about this on many blogs, this is the first one that tries to make this sound like a good idea. Ok, sure, it could be good for the OCC clowns but this is short-sighted and ill-advised on the part of Ducati. OCC “builds” junk. Sure once in a while, and quite by accident, they turn out a bike that looks good but that’s it. They have no real knowledge of bike design or engineering and should stay far far away from anything that is meant to be ridden over 50 mph.
    I can’t wait for one of their “mechanics” to adjust the valves on a Duc with a hammer and a torch.

  11. Money can’t buy taste, as the saying goes. A lot of the OCC bikes aren’t what I would consider elegant. However, they get people to shell out for bikes that go above 6 figures. That’s a pretty impressive feat. More impressive, the bikes aren’t really meant to be ridden, and that’s kind of the whole point. They can build ridiculous mobile sculptures for the wealthy.

    It’s rarely a dumb move to diversify your business interests. Ducati surely offers factory certification for dealership mechanics. If the Teutls are smart, they will probably hire a bunch of good folks to run their Ducati shop and do the mechanical work, at least as good as anyone else could get.

  12. Some of you have confused TV with reality, their act seems to be working. Try to remember, the TV show is entertainment, they are well paid to act like that.

    As others have noted, very well trained and experienced Ducati technicians can be hired, that’s what a business does. I’d be willing to bet they’ll have a very well equipped shop to work in, too.

  13. When Harley-Davidson bought MV Agusta then any sort of match up of people/business/motorcycle brands/ became plausible. I’d rather see the OCC guys with a Ducati franchise than have it be another “powersports store” controlled behind the scenes by an automobile sales conglomerate and run like a shoddy car lot. At least the OCC guys appear to actually like and ride motorcycles.

  14. i’m more interested in your “very famous custom builder that may soon be building bikes for another company” comment. hints?

  15. I don’t have a problem with OCC selling Ducatis… just please don’t start tinkering with them, guys, they’re pretty enough as they are!

  16. I’m amazed the show is still on the air and that people actually buy their bikes but it doesn’t seem like a bad idea to get into another market with a high end and desirable product like Ducati.