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[xcaliber]

 With motorcycle sales down significantly it appears that Honda of Houston has bit the bullet. Their phone message:  "It is with a heavy heart that we must announce that we have had to make the very difficult decision of permanently closing the doors at Honda of Houston. We would like to thank all of our guests, riders, and supporters for an amazing 24 years in the Motorsports Community. We will never forget all of the great times and memories made along the way. “The journey is what you make it!” We will continue business in the Service Department and Parts Department until further notice. All in-stock items in the Parts and Accessory Department will be marked down to 35% off, including Gear, Helmets, Tires, Hard Parts, Accessories, Apparel, etc... Thank you for your continued support.
#HondaofHouston #HHR #EndofanEra"

[diverg]

Well that sucks. They are only a few miles from where I live.

[matap]

Wow.  that stinks.  I imagine that their service department will quickly follow suit.  That location there was the first time I saw a VTX 1800 Neo and fell in love with the big bike.  I didn't buy it from them but my buddy did buy his 1300 though.

[xcaliber]

didn't realize how big they were into racing. I think their service dept was a big problem in recent years. From Racer X website
Below if the official statement from the dealership.

Honda of Houston is closing its doors after nearly 24 years of supporting and encouraging Honda customers.

Opening in 1994, Honda of Houston charged into the metropolitan-Houston marketplace with creative ideas, huge displays, and a Texas-sized desire for customer service. Not content with satisfying Houston customers, Honda of Houston Racing ventured as far west as California, as far east as Florida, and as far north as Tennessee and Missouri. The Texas dealership jumped headfirst into amateur motocross support with such fantastic young riders as Josh Grant, Wil and Tommy Hahn, Jake Weimer, Tanner Krannenbuhl, Adam Chatfield, and many more. The dealership crew even found enough time to run the Lake Whitney Motocross Park for ten years. Lake Whitney was one of the greatest tracks in Texas motocross history. Today’s stars and many of the past champions of American motocross all did laps at the Honda of Houston version of the Lake Whitney Motocross Park. This Texas dealership has always been committed to the Honda customer, the Honda Brand, and to the powersports enthusiast.

As a Honda-only dealership, Honda of Houston again jumped headfirst into American Honda’s Powerhouse Dealer concept. Honda of Houston was always and truly “All Honda, All the Time.” The dealer principal and the entire staff of Honda of Houston are extremely proud of their legacy and what they gave to the powersports community. Honda of Houston hopes that they are leaving an industry and a community just a little better than they found it in 1994.

Support your local dealer.

[Bobcat Biker]

Makes me wonder if DFW Honda in Grapevine is not too far behind.

[xcaliber]

other than Harley(for now) difficult for a stand alone single brand dealer to make it. They need to sell the mud buggies , skidoos , and different brands of MC's. The metric dealers need to step up their customer appreciation program. Not a fan of Harley bikes but they treat their customers better by far than anyone. They are always having some sort of event that keeps their customers involved in the dealership. If they built a bike that I liked, I would buy from them.

[matap]

other than Harley(for now) difficult for a stand alone single brand dealer to make it. They need to sell the mud buggies , skidoos , and different brands of MC's. The metric dealers need to step up their customer appreciation program. Not a fan of Harley bikes but they treat their customers better by far than anyone. They are always having some sort of event that keeps their customers involved in the dealership. If they built a bike that I liked, I would buy from them.

Give it a few years.  They have 20 different platforms to introduce and somewhere there has been rumors of dual sports or at least entering into the off road segment of some sort. 

[T-BIRD]

I was at DFW Honda last week picking up a part for the VTX and was told that two brothers that owns two of the Honda dealership in Dallas bailed out and sold his interest to his other brother.

Harley is cutting production on bikes for 2018  by about 50% this year. The dealer we deal with has been stocking up on used bikes anticipating a shortage later in the year. They have about 600 used bikes in inventory at this time.

The HD dealership always has something going on. Sometime Deb and I go up about twice a week and eat at the dealership. Heading up tomorrow for a Wild Wing eating contest. The winner get a 200.00 gift card. Which if I win I bet I can buy two t-shirts with the gift card

[MRVTX]

Just a few months ago, I swapped wheels with Larry Smith because his were chromed.  When I took his wheels off, the bearings were shot, so I decided to take both sets of wheels to HoH to have the tires swapped between the two sets and to have new bearings installed in the chrome rims.  On the way there, they told me on the phone it would be $45 for each set to swap the tires between the rims, and then the cost to do the bearings was additional.  When they called me to say they were ready to pick up, the parts guy told me the total was $575 and change!  I about flipped a lid and asked him to break that total down.  That's when he said the tire swap was $45 PER WHEEL.  I told him that was not what I was told over the phone, so I asked to speak to the manager.  He got him on the phone, and the manager said the exact same thing.  I told him that if I'd have known it was going to be that much, I wouldn't have agreed for them to do the work.  So when I went to pick them up, I paid the total and asked to speak with the manager again.  He was sitting two desks down from where I was and he came over.  I reached out my hand to shake his, and while I was shaking his hand, I told him it was nice to put a face to a name and that this was the last time I'd ever do business with them.  He just smirked and said sorry you feel that way.  I brought copies of my past work orders where they installed tires for me to show him that they were definitely higher in their prices than they used to be.  All he said was that they had to raise there rates.  I said that I'd done a lot of business with them over the past 10+ years, and he said he noticed that, too.  Guess the writing was on the wall and I didn't see it coming, but their customer service went south that day and I was done with them.

[Chad]

I have been down that road before myself at a Stealership. It is,a live and learn process!!  Sometimes a painful one on the pocketbook. Ones that do that to there customers drive them off and end up going out of business and wonder what went wrong.

[matap]

You guys should buy Harleys, this way you'll never be surprised that each time you take it in you'll have to take out a 2nd mortgage for service work.  Presto, frustration solved. 

[T-BIRD]

Harley shutting down Kansas City Plant

https://www.upi.com/https:/www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2018/01/30/Harley-Davidson-shutting-down-Kansas-City-plant-amid-sales-drop/2651517326025

[xcaliber]

Harley shutting down Kansas City Plant

https://www.upi.com/https:/www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2018/01/30/Harley-Davidson-shutting-down-Kansas-City-plant-amid-sales-drop/2651517326025

That's terrible. yet they moved their 750 and 500 production to India. Guess it don't matter, those dogs don't sell here anyway.

[matap]

I'm grateful I grew up an old soul.  Ruthy and I have done things and experienced things that many friends our age just talk about.  With the exception of 1, none of my friends my age range even own a motorcycle and hell he hasn't ridden it in 5 years.  As many places as I have been and shared with them it doesn't seem to motivate them.  They prefer this fast paced life that amounts to nothing in the end.   

[T-BIRD]

Can Millennials Save the Motorcycle Industry

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-05/can-millennials-save-the-motorcycle-industry