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Piaggio rebuilding Canadian dealer network

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GTM®

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GT di Razza Pura
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Publish date: Jun 7, 2010

Piaggio is pledging to improve its Canadian dealer network and customer relationships.

Last year Piaggio moved distribution in Canada to its U.S. office, a matter the Star says has led to lawsuits.

Piaggio worldwide CEO Paoli Timoni says the company is serious about restoring relationships with Canadian customers.

“About 50 per cent of our dealers have stayed with us and the plan is to have 50 to 55 dealers total across Canada by the end of 2010,” he says. Most are expected to carry a variety of Piaggio’s brands.

Later this year, Piaggio hopes to introduce a hybrid version of the quirky MP3 three-wheeled scooter with a 125cc gas engine that reportedly gets 170 miles per gallon, although the flex option uses up former storage space.
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Sounds very promising! I really hope they are serious about it, and I am inclined to believe they are.

Bruce

I retract this. See my new post below!
 
Sounds good.. dont know why Piagio dont take all the markets more seriously .. loyal band of followers prepared to ride 100s of clicks to pay top dollar for the product ... its not as if they go to much trouble to adapt the bikes to the market (thanks again for doing the hard work on the maps Todd) ... warranty claims must be pretty similar wherever they sell them.

here in the UK we are relatively close to Mandello (my dealer picked up his first Norge at the factory and rode it back), have patchy service quality/ little advertising and magazines only really interested in Sports bikes so I'm sure sales could be better - but again its not like Piaggio are putting in much effort

Art
 
I'm with rturo that Piaggio need to pick up their game across the board.

The general consensus here in oz is that buying a Guzzi, particularly brand new, is because of the love for the product not because you will receive on going timely service. Which is a real pity because the latest Guzzi are very very good bikes which continue to get good reviews in the mags, I strongly believe sales are suffering due to the issues a lot of owners have after sale.
I know of one lady with a Brevo whom had fuelling issues and her Guzzi authorised dealer didn't have the equipment to fix it for her because it was too expensive. She eventually found someone that was able to do it, but it was far more difficult than it could have been.

From what I have seen the whole network, from the dealer to the factory, is not as customer focused as a company producing high-emotive products should be.
 
Well, so much for "rebuilding the Canadian dealer network." Inglis Cycle Center, my excellent dealer here in London, Ontario, was just gassed by Piaggio USA. I am so freakin' pissed about this, I almost feel like selling my Stelvio, but I really don't want to do that. Apparently, the geniuses in New York City decided that they really did not need a dealer in this area, so they simply pulled the plug on my friends. WTF is wrong with this company :?: :!: :?: Are they bent on self-destruction? Why are they not attempting to build up their dealer network, rather than tear it down? If this is part of some master plan for a Moto Guzzi renaissance, I would love to see it! :x

Bruce
 
I checked the Moto Guzzi Canada site. They showed two Ontario dealers, one in Waterloo (Apex Cycles) and one in Ottawa (Gearhead). I called Apex Cycles and was told they are no longer a Moto Guzzi dealer either, that Piaggio just hasn't gotten around to taking their name off the website. This is just mind-boggling! :eek: :shock: I called Gearhead, and they appear to be the one and only Guzzi dealer in Ontario at this time.
Unbelievable!

Bruce
 
Hey Bruce, so when did Guzzi Canada's website go back up, hasn't been one since around Nov. last year? If Ingliss know how to work on a Guzzi and give a shit they're still able to. I've actually been getting parts quicker without a dealer than I did with one. The same dude who gave a shit at what used to be my dealer still does. I think he might be sourcing things through Harpers. I'm not holding my breath about the situation improving, this kind of shit will not do anything for their reputation or increase new sales up here and consequently dealers/ shops won't be enthused about dealing with the small numbers of bikes / paarts whatever if there is no money in it. Warranty is where we might get bitten on the ass. Mines up next Mar, so far so good. Like I said somewhere on here before, I think we're on our own.
FBC
 
FrostBittenCanadian said:
Hey Bruce, so when did Guzzi Canada's website go back up, hasn't been one since around Nov. last year? If Ingliss know how to work on a Guzzi and give a shit they're still able to. I've actually been getting parts quicker without a dealer than I did with one. The same dude who gave a shit at what used to be my dealer still does. I think he might be sourcing things through Harpers. I'm not holding my breath about the situation improving, this kind of shit will not do anything for their reputation or increase new sales up here and consequently dealers/ shops won't be enthused about dealing with the small numbers of bikes / paarts whatever if there is no money in it. Warranty is where we might get bitten on the ass. Mines up next Mar, so far so good. Like I said somewhere on here before, I think we're on our own.
FBC
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Hey Frosty, the website must have been put up again fairly recently. It seems to be working now. Gord Inglis has assured me he will keep working on my bike. I am just really disappointed with the way Piaggio has treated him and many other dealers. It's almost like they are building a business case for how not to prosper and make a company thrive.

Bruce
 
Looking at the website it appears that British Italian in Vancouver isn't there, but Valley Yamaha (in Chilliwack) is. I find it hard to understand that a city of 70,000 almost 2 hours east of Vancouver has a dealer but Metro Vancouver - pop 2.2 million, has none. ??? Baffling to say the least, especially when there's all this "happy chat" about building sales from Piaggio.
All things being equal there should be at least one, two or maybe three dealers in the Lower Mainland. And perhaps one in Victoria. No mention of that city in the dealer list either - oh well let's be optimistic, maybe there are more dealers coming down the pike. :unsure:
 
Although I bought my Norge from British Italian,I go to Valley Yamaha to have my Norge serviced because that is where the best M/G mechanic is. British Italian also pissed me off over a broken dipstick which they tried to blame the factory for and I called bullshit on that excuse. The handle had been super glued to the case and the first time I tried to check the oil it came off and left everything else still in the hole. They could have given me a new one off of one of their other bikes but no I had to wait 4 wks. for a replacement.
Bob
 
Once you fellows up north get a few dealers, Mother Guzzi needs to drop down south and do something in the US. It seems "trying to go out of business since 1921" is their montra and they are sticking to it.

I went into a dealer 18 months ago to purchase a bike and they had no one trained on the product and did not have the computer system to trouble shoot for problems.

And Guzzi wonders why they get bad press :whistle: :whistle: :whistle:
 
I live in Quebec .... purchased my Stelvio last October.
The dealer closed its doors 2-3 weeks ago .... they knew there stuff and were the only distributors in the Province for Guzzi, Aprilia, Benelli

Piaggio Group Americas came back with 3 alternative dealers ......I responded with this:

Thanks for the information.
Just to let you know Euromoto was the dealer I was talking about .... that closing it's doors.
I recently contacted Gearhead in Ottawa (150km away) and they will let me know if they will honor the warranty. (On stand-by)
Waterloo ON is over 600km away!!!
I'm trying to find someone as close as possible and working my way out ....... towards Italy :woohoo:

Contacted Gearhead in Ottawa they can have parts if needed..... asked if they will honor the warranty .... Still waiting confirmation!!!
 
Since my little rant about British/Italian I've since found out they are dropping M/G. I understand that at the last dealer meeting they were told they would have to start selling Piaggio scooters if they wanted to remain a M/G dealer. They have declined the offer I was told,didn't sell enough Guzzis anyway. Triumph gets things done for them. Kind of weird way to build a network
Bob
 
I had my front tire replaced on my 07 CalVin at a Yamaha dealer in Regina, Sk. and poked at them about taking on a MG dealership. Apparently they have been approached by Piaggio but have to work the scooter market as well. Their experience with the Yamaha scooters showed they do not sell here (middle of the flat prairies & in a smaller city) and so they declined the offer. Piaggio must come to terms with where they will market the scooter line and their motorcycle line. Some centres may be able handle MG but not scooters. And choose competant knowledgeable and committed people! Not like the last attempt here.
 
That is some exceptionally poor marketing strategy.
 
FrostBittenCanadian said:
Scooters in the prairies??? Makes me wonder if Piaggio even understands what a prairie is.
FBC
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They don't have prairies in Italy, how could they understand? If they understood the distances that we need to be able to cover on this continent, (or Australia) no bike would have less than a 6 gallon fuel tank.
 
Makes me wonder is Jersey shore cast took over the marketing department.
 
DanPez said:
Contacted Gearhead in Ottawa they can have parts if needed..... asked if they will honor the warranty .... Still waiting confirmation!!!
Click to expand...

I'm a 10 minute ride from Gearhead and I will tell you you are out of luck at Gearhead for service. Sure they're more than happy to sell you a part, but unless that part is an oil filter they'll have to order it in so you're better off getting it from MPH Cycle (a board sponsor).

As far as getting work done on your bike, save the trip. Their only Guzzi-trained mechanic (recent 22-yr old college grad) quit three weeks ago because of pay (the owner pays them a % of service labour revenues or something like that and not a wage and thus he has a rotating door in the service bay). My Stelvio sat there for two weeks for warranty service and he did nothing while waiting for Piaggio to call back to authorize the warranty work. I'm sure they never followed up on the initial request. They were more than willing to sell me a new stepper motor instead of fighting with Piaggio to get it replaced on warranty.

All I can suggest is to look stateside for service. There is no dealers in Ont./QC other than Gearhead so you're SOL.
 
coldcanuck said:
I'm a 10 minute ride from Gearhead and I will tell you you are out of luck at Gearhead for service. Sure they're more than happy to sell you a part, but unless that part is an oil filter they'll have to order it in so you're better off getting it from MPH Cycle (a board sponsor).

As far as getting work done on your bike, save the trip. Their only Guzzi-trained mechanic (recent 22-yr old college grad) quit three weeks ago because of pay (the owner pays them a % of service labour revenues or something like that and not a wage and thus he has a rotating door in the service bay). My Stelvio sat there for two weeks for warranty service and he did nothing while waiting for Piaggio to call back to authorize the warranty work. I'm sure they never followed up on the initial request. They were more than willing to sell me a new stepper motor instead of fighting with Piaggio to get it replaced on warranty.

All I can suggest is to look stateside for service. There is no dealers in Ont./QC other than Gearhead so you're SOL.
Click to expand...

Your not the only one that is telling me this ..... I am also getting feeback from one of our Guzzi forum Canadian patriot. ;)
What I wanted to know from them was whether or not they will honor the warranty. (I guess you answered that)
It's sad to hear that the support around our area is less than desirable.

For my first maintenance I end up finding a good mechanic here in Hudson .... repairs KTM, BMW, Harleys. (At first he didn't even want to touch the Guzzi) I gave him all the manuals,torque setting, maintenance schedules and part list.
He changed the oil filter, Agip recommended oils for gears, transmission, engine, ....checked brakes......sycn'd the TBs ....so on. The engine didn't sound right on one cylinder (valve ticking) ..... I know he adjusted them the sound is gone .... without me even telling him about it. :D
I would do the work myself ..... but rather have the bill to prove that the job was done!!!
 
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