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Motorcycle business owner sued for fraud opens new store

Motorcycle Business

You may remember over a year ago, the doors suddenly closed at the Midwest Cycle Center in Ozark behind Lambert.

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There are still customers who cannot take their vehicle on the road.

“It’s a 2004 Road King,†said David Lane. Lane is a Harley guy.

“I love the sound. The nostalgia. The lifestyle that goes with it. I hit my back a bit in Iraq. So for long rides, I thought a touring bike would have better suspension. .

His bike is on a trailer because he cannot legally ride it. He doesn’t have the title.

“It’s been three and a half years now and I’ve never received any paper or anything like that,†he said.

Ditto for Casey Morris and his Harley.

“No. I never got anything from them, no paper. They were supposed to send me the papers and the title,” Morris said.

In a Facebook post, former owner Nathan Powers told Lee he would help find his title. The exchange took place in November.

“I haven’t heard anything since. My deposit was in cash. Which could have been a mistake, but at the time I thought it was a legitimate business and it didn’t there would be no problem, â€Lane said.

There is now a class action lawsuit for hundreds of customers against BluCurrent. It was the Springfield Credit Union that Powers used to finance their businesses and the motorcycles of some of their clients. Powers as well as its companies, Midwest Cycle Center, Pro Action Auto and Powersports Protection are also defendants in the case. Court documents read, Midwest Cycle sold untitled motorcycles. Powers engaged in deceptive, unfair and fraudulent practices. On Your Side has repeatedly asked Powers for an interview. His lawyer has spoken.

“He doesn’t think he’s to blame,†said Joshua Roberts, an attorney representing Powers and his companies.

Powers blames BluCurrent for what happened.

“Mr. Powers is working on this as best he can. He understands that there are clients who haven’t gotten what they thought they were going to get and he’s very sorry about that. was never his intention. He wants it all It was always his intention. However, some things happened. Accounts were foreclosed. His businesses were forced to close. So he couldn’t keep his promises, ” Roberts said.

That day in court, the judge granted BluCurrent’s request for a temporary restraining order against Powers. The order demands that he stop making false statements and remove a website he created with the bank logo on it.

“If the court makes an order, we will definitely follow it,” Roberts said.

The site no longer exists.

“He also agreed that some of those comments were needlessly inflammatory and deleted them,” Roberts added.

Nathan Powers now works at Legends Cycle on South Campbell. His Facebook profile says he is a seller and owner.

The LLC for Legends Cycle, the Greene County Merchant License Application, and the Department of Motor Vehicles Dealer License list Mary Powers, his wife, as the owner.

“I am not involved in anything that he does now, so I can’t speak to it at the moment,†said Roberts.

“I think it’s a slap in the face to the people here in town. It’s like he’s gotten away with it and is going to keep doing it. I wonder if he thinks the people in town are stupid, â€Lane said.

“He’s going to end up screwing people up like he did before,†Morris said.

Morris and Lane don’t fit into this $ 1.5 million lawsuit because they both had different lenders.

Meanwhile, checks are in the mail for settlement. BluCurrent will reimburse those who have no titles plus compensation for damages. Customers with service contracts and GAP coverage will also be reimbursed. Those who have loans can get a lower interest rate. The credit union released an On Your Side statement citing harm caused by Midwest Cycle.

BluCurrent statement:

Over the past few weeks, several false claims have been made about BluCurrent and its relationship with Midwest Cycle Center. BluCurrent is grateful to the Greene County Circuit Court for issuing an order on 01/17/19 that prohibits this reprehensible conduct and looks forward to resolving this matter through legal process.

Context provided by BluCurrent

In March 2017, Midwest Cycle Center and its interdependent businesses dealing with automobiles, motorcycles, GAP (Guaranteed Asset Protection in Case of Accident or Theft) coverage and service contracts abruptly closed without notifying its customers. Closed businesses have left some customers with no title to their vehicles, loss of GAP coverage, and canceled service contracts for many other customers.

Like financial institutions across the country, BluCurrent has an indirect lending program. Through this program, BluCurrent has provided financing to some of Midwest Cycle Center’s customers. As soon as BluCurrent learned of Midwest’s sudden shutdown, it began working with its members to mitigate the damage caused by Midwest.

Harley-Davidson faces tough situation in motorcycle business

Motorcycle Business

The news for Harley-Davidson, America’s most famous motorcycle manufacturer, looks bad.

In business for 116 years, Harley disappointed Wall Street this week by saying it actually did not make a fourth quarter profit. He cited tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump that hurt Harley in growing markets outside of the United States.

This was a worrying sign, because while Harley has been under commercial pressure for years – its owner base is aging and motorcycle sales in the key US market are in terminal decline – it has also been a mainstay of revenue. Since 2006, the company has had exactly one quarter in which it grossed less than $ 1 billion, and that was during the financial crisis.

Harley’s top of the line is enviable, but it’s based on selling big bikes at high prices. This market has been dominated by HOG for decades, with alternatives provided by Japanese cruisers – great bikes, but without that Harley attitude, roar and V-stomp and, of course, outlaw credibility. .

Read more: Here are 4 big opportunities that Harley-Davidson will tackle in the future

But nowadays Harley faces local competition from a resurgent Indian Motorcycle, a historic rival that faded in the 20th century to come back under a new owner in the 21st. Brands such as Ducati and Triumph have made a better pitch with young riders, while urban and entry-level markets are under attack from new entrants like Royal Enfield.

The outlook for Harley isn’t as bad as the headlines. Trump’s damage is undermining the brand’s growth and profitability in Europe and Asia, but Harley already has her hands full to develop the right product for those markets. The major problem is the timing of the decline in the United States.

This deadline is almost a classic business school case study. It could take decades for Harley to enter a serious decline. With its flagship product, bicycles with displacements greater than 600 cubic centimeters, it controls half of the American market. It’s like General Motors in the 1950s – and although GM’s business declined after the Eisenhower era, it took 59 years for the automaker to go bankrupt.

Hard work for the CEO

Harley-Davidson CEO Matt Levatich.

Thomson reuters

CEO Matt Levatich has a tough job ahead of him. He could presumably sit down and communicate to investors that even though stocks have fallen 45% over the past five years amid rapidly growing major stock indexes, Harley is paying a
from 3 to 4%, well ahead of the inflation rate. Those quarters of over $ 1 billion will continue to arrive. In the long run, everyone’s dead, but until then the only ride we could do is in the “Wild One” subdomain of Elon Musk’s Mars-based World Simulation.

Instead, Levatich tries to keep the business relevant, developing smaller bikes for new markets and younger urban riders, while also offering an electric bike, the $ 30,000 LiveWire, in the US market later this year. Harley has been here before – in the 1990s and early 2000s he supported a sports motorcycle brand called Buell, but put it to rest in 2009.

Harley has also tried to create a buzz around the legacy brand through merchandising, but it is more helpful to think of this as advertising. And it’s a big step to go from a $ 25 t-shirt to an entry-level $ 7,000 bike. (For starters, you have to learn how to ride it – something Harley does a great job of teaching through its dealerships – but it’s expensive and time-consuming.)

The news makes it look like Harley is doomed to fail. But it’s no more doomed than, say, Ford. The automaker is also over 100 years old, has seen its stock prices fall, is reinventing itself – and has made money for nearly a decade selling highly profitable full-size pickup trucks.

Obsession with Growth on Wall Street Makes Driving Difficult

The Harley LiveWire electric bike.

Harley davidson

Both companies are victims of Wall Street’s obsession with growth. Growth companies, historically, have been risky investments with stories to sell. You buy them knowing you could lose everything. Amazon changed that logic by fueling seemingly endless growth by forgoing stable earnings; the giant will not give in until the government accuses it of being a monopoly.

Harley doesn’t really need to grow, but because of that, investors have to pay a low stock price to access the company’s cash flow. Sadly, it’s a timed proposition, even though it will be the second Ocasio-Cortez administration before the last pig hits the road in the United States.

Meanwhile, Harley will stay cool. His product is glorious. Tariffs are generally bad business and could eventually go away. Electric motorcycles could become a thing. None of this will free Harley from the clutches of Wall Street short-termism, with markets pricing the stock for access to dividends rather than big future returns.

Worse yet, the sales trends and brand demographics are unlikely to reverse in the United States. But they’re not going to collapse either. This is why Levatich is in an impossible position. All About Harley makes a case for the stewardship of this latest group of baby boomers on their final commutes before heading to that big biker bar in the sky, while simultaneously bringing up a small group of members of Generation X and Generation Y on “real” motorcycles so that Harley’s decline was extremely gradual.

No CEO wants to oversee such a depressing narrative; as the generals say, nothing is more difficult than a combat retreat. What’s likely going to happen is that Harley will continue to struggle, at least until the next one.
– unless, of course, the company becomes delusional and borrows more money to continue growth, which adds to an already high debt situation.

Look, I know this is a little sad. But sometimes you have to accept that you are in the last chapter. Luckily for Harley, this chapter could take decades to write.

Motorcycle brand Buell relaunches production in Grand Rapids

Motorcycle brand Buell relaunches production in Grand Rapids

Motorcycle Brand

GRAND RAPIDS – Executives of an iconic American superbike brand are breathing new life into the company and relaunching production of “boutique†motorcycles in Western Michigan.

By establishing low volume production of EBR motorcycles in Grand Rapids, owner Bill Melvin hopes to bring sustainability to the company founded by famed motorcycle rider Erik Buell 35 years ago.

The discontinuation of a high volume business keeps EBR Motorcycles in the market and allows the brand to maintain its “panache” as a specialty limited edition manufacturer, Melvin said.

“It’s the only US-built superbike, a 185 horsepower track street bike that you can go right to the track and compete with a Ducati,†he said.

Melvin’s Liquid Asset Partners LLC, a Grand Rapids liquidation, auction and appraisal company acquired the assets of East Troy, Wis. Erik Buell Racing LLC in 2016 for $ 2 million after the company went into receivership.

Former parent company Harley-Davidson Inc. had designed the East Troy plant for high volume production of approximately 10,000 units per year. After operating the business for about a year after the purchase, Melvin realized the business needed to downsize.

“We made a big push in Wisconsin, we tried the old college and went with the full plant and trying to increase production volumes,†said Melvin, who has shut down production and switched in the fall of 2017 to an electronic commerce. Grand Rapids based model to support motorcycle parts orders.

“The high-volume factory is a great proposition,†he said, noting that the company is now taking a page of bespoke supercar makers, most notably Lotus or Koenigsegg, with production of handcrafted motorcycles and in limited series. “What we’ve done now is something more durable and special – and now they’re being built in Grand Rapids, Michigan. ”

As of late 2018, the company has built three EBR 1190 superbikes that cost around $ 20,000 and are capable of exceeding 185 mph when racing. As word of the new production series began to spread, the company had a list of more than 30 people interested in buying a motorcycle, according to Melvin, who expects demand to continue to exceed. the production.

“Erik Buell and his designs are highly regarded,†he said. “With the volumes that we do, they will fly away.”

EBR Motorcycles serves a small, high-end niche market in an industry that continues to be dominated by heavy touring motorcycles. Harley-Davidson, which discontinued the Buell Motorcycle lineup in 2009, remains the market leader in the United States, where it accounts for 46% of all motorcycle sales.

In recent years, however, the company’s sales have plummeted as customers shifted from heavy motorcycles to smaller, more affordable models, analysts said. As a result, Harley-Davidson sales fell 10% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2018, the most recent data available.

Meanwhile, sales of motorcycles with engines below 600cc are on the rise, according to a report by the United States International Trade Commission, reflecting the fact that more millennials are coming of age and looking for entry-level models. and baby boomers are aging out of the market. .

KEEP SMALL

For the initial production of three units late last year in Grand Rapids, EBR worked with a team of eight, including two former Wisconsin builders, to build each motorcycle.

“We start directly from the crank. It’s all put together and put together in town, â€said Melvin.

The superbikes all feature a handcrafted 1190cc V-twin engine capable of 10,600 rpm and a top speed rivaling “America’s fastest production vehicles”, according to Melvin.

The company sources worldwide from its historical suppliers, but uses a custom paint shop in Grand Rapids, which will allow the company to fulfill orders for specialty paint to meet customer needs, a- he declared.

By moving production to Grand Rapids, Melvin said the company now has better visibility and cost control over the manufacturing process.

“We’re from here, so we have more oversight, a more manageable cost structure,†he said. “We have a great team here who can help support the brand. ”

For 2019, the company plans to continue to introduce various upgrades to the EBR models, which still use Buell’s unique design, such as a fuel tank integrated into the motorcycle’s aluminum frame to help lower the center of gravity. and improve handling.

Melvin expects production at Grand Rapids to increase, albeit at a manageable level for the company.

“I think it’s really cool that we’re doing it in Grand Rapids. I think it’s exciting for Michigan to have a superbike being built in Michigan, â€said Melvin. “It’s an iconic brand and the design is super exotic. You put him on a race track next to the fastest production vehicles built and he’ll beat them. “

A former Harley-Davidson exec is creating a new brand of motorcycles in the United States

Motorcycle Brand

Rod Copes cut his teeth as an executive at Harley-Davidson, the motorcycle company synonymous with freedom-seeking two-wheeled Americanness.

But now he runs the North American operations of Royal Enfield, a manufacturer born in 1901 that sells hugely popular bicycles in India. Hardly anyone in the United States who wasn’t a motorcycle had heard of the brand, which entered the US market in 2015 and now has 90 dealerships, with headquarters in Milwaukee, Harley’s home territory.

“It’s hard for a brand to come to the United States without a legacy,” he conceded in an interview with Business Insider. “It’s really difficult.”

But Royal Enfield has a strategy, and it’s not following the leader. Copes spent 20 years with Harley, so he knows what makes it such a dominant brand – but he also knows that motorcycle sales in the United States have declined and Harley is struggling to find new riders. Of course, selling expensive bikes to older, well-heeled customers means the company can continue to make money. But the demographics suggest a long-term challenge.

“Every motorcycle company in the United States has been chasing the big guys,” Copes said.

But the United States is the opposite of every other market in the world, he pointed out. Expensive, big-bore bikes dominate the road here, and even Japanese manufacturers have been beefing up their offerings of powerful cruisers and sportbikes.

Don’t run after the big guys

A Royal Enfield Classic 500.

Matthieu DeBord/BI

But elsewhere in the world, motorcycles are a cheaper form of urban transport. It is also the main means of getting around, whereas in the United States it is a hobby.

Royal Enfield sells middleweight motorcycles in the United States and has expanded its model line to four bikes. The Interceptor GT and Continental GT cost less than $6,000, and the smaller Classic costs around $5,000. That’s thousands less than the cheapest Harleys, and Royal Enfield’s bikes feature a retro style that would be considered vintage or heritage – except the designs have been consistent for decades.

The company’s significant economies of scale in India give it a major price advantage (total production runs into 1 million). And for the American market, Royal Enfield has style to burn, along with straightforward engineering and a fun spirit that’s less of a leather biker vest wearer and more of an intrepid explorer of local roads. These are the kind of bikes that are made for riders who don’t want to roar around town or dress like a shiny superhero while crumpled up on a sport bike.

“There is a need,” Copes said. “People are interested if you offer them the right product at the right price.”

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Why Not All Motorcycle Brands Need Reviving

Motorcycle Brand

The appeal of bicycles of yesteryear is almost irresistible. Bikers, I think, are romantic by nature anyway, so the mystique of big names like Norton, Vincent or Matchless is only heightened by the decades that separate them from us. We love a good sad story, but the only thing better than a tragic story of demise is one of ultimate resurrection and triumph (pardon the choice of word). Reviving an old brand of motorcycles has never been more popular, but in an already fractured and confused motorcycle market, it’s a perilous business. While some revived brands are enjoying a shiny new life, others are staggering in search of their brains.

The same thing has been happening in the automotive space for quite some time, of course, sometimes successfully (the Mini Cooper), sometimes not (the Thunderbird), sometimes just inexplicably (the Dodge Dart). Think of all the resurrected muscle car models, most of which are pretty cool and popular. It’s the era of the reboot.

Triumph, of course, is the big achievement of the motorcycle revival. From receivership 30 years ago, today they are a major global full-range player. Indian is back and better than ever under Polaris management. Meanwhile, others seem to continue to struggle. Here are some common sense thoughts on what separates these groups.

The brand still needs to have a motto. Do you remember Excelsior? Horex? Bite? No? Even if you’ve heard of them, they probably don’t resonate personally with most people. Penton is probably more valuable as a pure brand than those names. If part of what you exchange is the emotional connection with the brand, it should always be warm in people’s hearts.

The bikes have to be competitive. The market for motorcycles over $30,000 is extremely small, and producing modern machines at a marketable price requires serious engineering and manufacturing power. It was a challenge for the new Vincent, the new Norton and for the pre-Polaris Indian, and it will be a challenge for anyone starting out.

The pilot’s experience is essential. Triumph primarily rebuilt its brand around the Speed ​​Triple, a hot, forward-looking bike that pushed the naked sector forward, not just around the new Bonnevilles. No matter how revered a name may be or no matter how many mentions of deceased celebrities, it will only bring the customer to the store; the ride will make the sale.

Offer something unique. The quality and variety of bikes available today is unparalleled, and the market is tight, so the consumer is in the pilot’s seat. We need more than just a performance roadster or clone cruiser to get excited enough to walk away from the many excellent options already available.

“Glory Days, well, they’ll pass you by.” Bruce Springsteen knew that nostalgia is a trap. Yesterday’s wine is today’s rotten liquor. “Boring Stories from the Glory Days.” Our love of motorcycle history and heritage must be more than nostalgia, because those days are also glory days. I’d love to see all of these brand revivals succeed, but they can’t do it on legacy alone. They need to expand the market with innovative, reasonably priced bikes that are fun to ride.

Now if I can just find some investors to help me buy DKW…

On:

Carter A. Edman teaches “Motorcycles and American Culture” at Case Western Reserve University and has taught a variety of creative culture courses. He rides a modified 2008 Triumph Bonneville and restores a 1970 BSA. As the founder of Moto Sapiens, he explores the ever-changing motorcycle culture that is unapologetic, unpredictable and sometimes strange.

Follow Carter on Twitter: @Moto_Sapiens

This article was originally published in 2013 and has been updated.

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Jaguar Land Rover enters the electric motorcycle business

Motorcycle Business

Jaguar Land Rover is taking its first steps in the motorcycle world by investing in the electric bicycle startup Arc.

The company’s InMotion investment fund, which aims to advance electrified mobility, is backing the Coventry-based bicycle maker, started by former Jaguar executive Mark Truman.

“For Jaguar Land Rover’s venture capital fund, it’s about being a technology leader in a disruptive environment,†said Sebastian Peck, CEO of InMotion Ventures. “Our mission is to develop an expanded footprint for Jaguar Land Rover in the new world of premium mobility.”

“We understand the power of emotional connection and the creation of truly desirable objects, so we see a natural synergy with Arc,†he added. “The Vector is an incredible development in the next generation of motorcycle travel.”

arc-vector

Arc differs from most bike makers, not because its products are electrified – and the two-wheeled world is pretty far behind cars when it comes to that sort of thing – but because of the way its bikes are. manufactured. Unveiled this week in Milan, Arc’s first bike, the Vector, is considered the most advanced bike ever.

The handcrafted Vector has a lightweight carbon composite structure and a sophisticated unibody battery module that reduces weight, a problem almost all electric vehicles face, while maintaining MotoGP-level rigidity. There are carbon swingarms up front and rear, bespoke Ohlins shocks for what Arc calls “telepathic handling and feedback,†and Brembo brakes on BST wheels. In total, the bike weighs 220 kg, which is about 60 kg less than comparable bikes.

arc-vector-1

The performance figures are also correct. The 0-60 dash is handled in just 3.1 seconds, while the bike’s top speed is 120 mph. State-of-the-art on-board battery technology produces 399 voltage units for a range of approximately 200 miles in city use and 120 miles on the highway.

That’s not all. The bike comes with a futuristic helmet. The Zenith helmet has a connected head-up display that projects the speedometer, satellite navigation and auxiliary graphics onto the rider’s visor, just like the Iron Man helmet.

arc-vector-2

“With Vector, we set out to build the most capable electric motorcycle,†said Mark Truman, Founder and CEO of Arc Vehicle Ltd. “With EVs in general, the powertrain weighs a lot. It really can’t be avoided if you want capacity, distance and performance. So it was all about removing everything and using a lot of material. exotic and light, like carbon fiber. “

“The chassis and the battery module had to be one, and with this approach we were able to reduce the weight as much as possible to achieve the performance we were looking for,†added Truman. “The design brief was, if the term ‘cafe racer’ were to be coined in ten years, what would it look like? “

Vincent and Steve McQueen’s fastest bike at Bonhams Motorcycle Sale

Motorcycle Sale

One of the rarest and most revered performance motorcycles of the post-war period, and a famous all-terrain motorcycle with a strong connection to Steve McQueen, highlight the Bonhams motorcycle auction on October 6 at Barber Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, Alabama.

The performance bike is a coveted Vincent Black Lightning from 1949, a limited edition motorcycle model by Vincent HRD of Great Britain which held world speed records and was considered the fastest motorcycle on the planet.

The 1970 Husqvarna 400 Cross may not have the speed record credentials, but it does have unmatched star power as a “Husky” off-road motorcycle that McQueen is shown riding, shirtless, for the cover of Illustrated sports and in the documentary film Any Sunday.

A Black Lightning mounted on a vintage photo | Bonhams Archives

The Black Lightning, a lighter and more powerful factory version of the iconic Black Shadow, is described by Bonhams as the “two-wheeled Ferrari GTOâ€.

“Possessing the golden combination of rarity (only around 30 were built), evocative design, avant-garde engineering and racing success, the British-made bike is simply unmatched in the collector’s world, â€according to a press release from Bonhams.

“And like a GTO, these coveted machines rarely, if ever, go on sale. “

Steve McQueen on the cover of “Sports Illustrated”

This Black Lightning is the second unit built with full ownership history, and is the oldest known, Bonhams said. Bonhams sold a similar Black Lightning, the one who held the Australian speed record, for nearly a million dollars earlier this year at the auction company’s Las Vegas sale. This Vincent should spark similar interest.

The Husky in Bonhams McQueen’s favorite autocross bike, according to his son, Chad McQueen, and comes with full documentation, the auction house said in the release. The documents include his California recording bearing the name Solar Productions, McQueen’s company, and the actor’s entry form for the 1970 Saddleback 500 Senior Race.

The sale also features McQueen’s ‘Lucky Penny’, a 1960 coin from Chad’s birth year that was found inside a clear plastic case tucked into the motorcycle cavity between the engine and the frame.

Husqvarna 400 would be McQueen’s favorite off-road bike | Bonhams

The Swedish motorcycle is a desirable motorcycle in its own right, but as McQueen’s own machine that appeared on the famous magazine cover and a historical film, the sky is absolutely the limit. Watch Steve McQueen’s magic take over the auction for this one, as it has for so many other McQueen items up for auction in the past.

“The importance of these two motorcycles cannot be stressed enough, â€Bonhams motorcycle manager Ben Walker said in the statement. “One is truly a legend in every way and the other is monumentally iconic. We’ve offered a ton of great bikes at Bonhams over the years, but these are truly remarkable.

For more information on selling Bonhams motorcycles, visit the auction site.

Bajaj Auto’s motorcycle business director resigns

Motorcycle Business

K Srinivas, president (motorcycle company) of Bajaj Auto, has resigned after nearly 15 years in the company. Eric Vas, President (Retail Finance), replaces him.

There are no details on Srinivas’ next mission, except that it will be in the non-automotive space. He is expected to officially end his tenure at Bajaj Auto in the coming weeks.

Srinivas took over the motorcycle business in October 2011 following the resignation of S Sridhar, now CEO of Escorts Agri Machinery. At that time, Vas took over as President (Retail Finance). Srinivas was part of the core team at Bajaj Auto which spearheaded the focus on motorcycles and, more specifically, the Pulsar and the Discover. The change process had started in 2009 when the company decided to move to a brand-centric approach where the Pulsar would be part of the sports segment with the Discover in the commuter category.

The strategy worked and by the time Srinivas took the lead, both brands were well established in their targeted niches. The Discover, in particular, was finally doing the trick for Bajaj in a segment where Hero MotoCorp is the leader with its Splendor and Passion brands.

Srinivas also saw the launch of new platforms for these two brands which, in turn, gave birth to models like the Pulsar NS and the Discover 100 and 125. “Today mileage is acquired and challengers like Bajaj Auto have to do something more. That’s why we are making a statement with speed, power and extra functionality, â€Srinivas said. Activity area during the unveiling of the Discover 100M in Pune last October.

Royal Enfield enters the used motorcycle business

Motorcycle Business

In a first of its kind in the two-wheeler segment, Royal Enfield entered the used motorcycle business with a new store in Chennai. The Vintage store will stock motorcycles bearing the Royal Enfield badge and will include three lines of business: used, reconditioned and restored motorcycles.

All used and reconditioned bicycles will be fully inspected by qualified technicians and the bicycles will be presented according to their condition and requirements.

Accessible, hassle-free and transparent sale and purchase of used Royal Enfield motorcycles

The restored bikes will be real vintage bikes that will be repaired and restored to their original condition. The company strives to offer the loyal Royal Enfield customer a chance to upgrade to a quality option that has been tested and certified at a reasonable price.

When it comes to restored bikes, the bike enthusiast will be assured of a classic Royal Enfield heritage and a seamless, hassle-free experience.

buy-sell-old-royal-enfield 10 Vintage stores planned across the country in the first year

Each bike will be subject to a 92-point check, thus offering the buyer quality and reliability. The paperwork and documentation will also be completed in the least amount of time and efficiently. The store will also offer assistance with financing options, vehicle insurance, warranty, and after-sales service.

This Chennai store, located at No 27, Mylai Balaji Nagar, Velacery Main Road, Pallikaranai, is the first of 10 such Vintage stores that Royal Enfield targeted across the country in the first year.

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10 Vintage stores planned across the country in the first year

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Accessible, hassle-free and transparent sale and purchase of used Royal Enfield motorcycles

Selling motorcycles is man’s last chance for survival

Motorcycle Sale

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — Matt German is battling esophageal cancer, and his prized motorcycle is his last resort to pay hefty medical bills.

“Mentally I wanted to die, because I feel dead inside,” German said, describing the uphill battle of the past four years since his diagnosis in 2014.

After selling the majority of his stuff, like his house up north, German is forced to sell his 2006 Bourget Dragon Rigid Chopper with the help of his daughter-in-law.

“It’s detrimental to sell this bike. It’s really the last straw that breaks the camel’s back to bring it to the end of a very painful road,” said Kaylee Blackwell, German’s daughter-in-law.

Blackwell tells Fox 4 the bike is worth $70,000, but was a tough sell even after dropping the price to around $24,000. She says most of the people around her can’t afford the high price, so instead she raffles it off. Each raffle ticket sells for $25 each.

“That’s and ooh ahh thing. and no one can really afford it, so the raffle gives a lot more people the chance to afford it.”

But even if the bike sells, the emotional toll of letting go of the past is a daily battle for the German.

“I’m in the fourth quarter, I know that,” he said. “I keep fighting because I love my children, but I know the end is near.”

If you want to donate or buy a raffle ticket, you can visit Facebook page of the Dragon Chopper raffle in Bourget. Blackwell says 20 tickets have sold so far and the deadline is May 1.