Some of you may have caught a bit in my other thread about my buddy's bike shop closing up. He was hurting today. We chose wheels today. Take a couple hundred ally wheels,throw them in a truck and hope to get 40 cents a pound for them. Its work that doesn't pay. To actually pay somebody to dismantle things is just not cost effective. You will lose money. I spent time today removing valve stems,balancing weights,cush drives,sprockets and punching out seals & bearings. It's freakin labor intensive and monotonous. If the aluminum is contaminated in anyway,like any steel or rubber...they reject the whole load. It was killing him as I threw perfectly good wheels out. Somebody somewhere probably needs some of the parts. Bummer. Thought of you @hayabuser when I came across this one.
Its not so much that these parts are going off to China,getting melted down and then sold back to us in various forms...
Its the end of a stage in a man's life. My bro is 60,he's had this shop for 33 years. This has gotta be killin' him. He devoted so much of his time to this community, to all motorcyclists of the area.Whatever you rode,you were welcome. He never charged enough for labor...sometimes charging nothing. Parts new and used were always a great deal. I'm getting pi$$ed off as people come in to the shop and want to gouge us down to the bone because they know our time is up. A sought after part worth 100 bucks say...we are asking for 20. They are offering 10. I lost it a couple times today. "Get the F outa here!" 1 lady offered 2 dollars for 2 motorcycle signs. The boss said OK...I grabbed em and said no..."I'm buying them."
He's the kind of guy that when kids come in with an old dirtbike that doesn't run, that somebody gave them,or they saved up some money to buy it...and all the other shops in town turn him away,Jim see's himself as that young boy without much money and but a dream and love for motorcycles. He tells the kid to come in on Saturdays. Jim then teaches the kid how to rebuild his little dream bike. For free.
This new landlord is a POS human. The other day we got informed no more parking in the shiddy little lot...we have to pay. Creepy people doing shiddy things to good folks. I hate it.
Its sad...its the end for a lot of these Mom & Pop operations as people get pushed into the frenzy of the go fast world..."buy new,put it on credit." "Well its 3 years old now,trade it in. It's obsolete." "Get the new model" "What? Yer still using an Iphone12." "Get with the times man."
Well we cant afford rent anywhere in this town...he would re-open elsewhere if there was a chance to even break even month to month.Ya he would do it. Bikes have been his life. Helping people ride is what he has done.I watch feeling helpless. It all go bye-bye...
Rubb.
Its not so much that these parts are going off to China,getting melted down and then sold back to us in various forms...
Its the end of a stage in a man's life. My bro is 60,he's had this shop for 33 years. This has gotta be killin' him. He devoted so much of his time to this community, to all motorcyclists of the area.Whatever you rode,you were welcome. He never charged enough for labor...sometimes charging nothing. Parts new and used were always a great deal. I'm getting pi$$ed off as people come in to the shop and want to gouge us down to the bone because they know our time is up. A sought after part worth 100 bucks say...we are asking for 20. They are offering 10. I lost it a couple times today. "Get the F outa here!" 1 lady offered 2 dollars for 2 motorcycle signs. The boss said OK...I grabbed em and said no..."I'm buying them."
He's the kind of guy that when kids come in with an old dirtbike that doesn't run, that somebody gave them,or they saved up some money to buy it...and all the other shops in town turn him away,Jim see's himself as that young boy without much money and but a dream and love for motorcycles. He tells the kid to come in on Saturdays. Jim then teaches the kid how to rebuild his little dream bike. For free.
This new landlord is a POS human. The other day we got informed no more parking in the shiddy little lot...we have to pay. Creepy people doing shiddy things to good folks. I hate it.
Its sad...its the end for a lot of these Mom & Pop operations as people get pushed into the frenzy of the go fast world..."buy new,put it on credit." "Well its 3 years old now,trade it in. It's obsolete." "Get the new model" "What? Yer still using an Iphone12." "Get with the times man."
Well we cant afford rent anywhere in this town...he would re-open elsewhere if there was a chance to even break even month to month.Ya he would do it. Bikes have been his life. Helping people ride is what he has done.I watch feeling helpless. It all go bye-bye...
Rubb.
