Sherco news from Clay Stuckey

Discussion in 'Non-Husqvarna Motorcycles' started by LandofMotards, Jul 23, 2014.

  1. Motosportz CH Sponsor

    Location:
    Vancouver WA
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    2021 TE250i, 570 Berg, 500 KTM, 790R
    Other Motorcycles:
    many

    Exactly. Lots of very good responses here. Rates have not changed a ton, Shercos are exotic, everyone knows this and will pay a premium for one if they want one. They are great bikes no one knows about. Here is what you are going to have to do to sell them. Promote the hell out of them at a grass roots level. Get 10-15 bikes around the US in the hands of people who ride a lot and will do demos. I myself contacted Clay telling him based on what i have read about these bikes (softer suspension and mellow tractable motors) these would be perfect bikes for the NW gnar. On the east coast you cant ride thousands of miles of public land. When I asked if there was a demo or if he wanted me to demo bikes out here for him that was not going to happen. So almost zero ability to get bikes in front of thousands of potential customers. Get the bikes out in the field and people talking about them. If they are good as i think they are people will start to take notice.

    How did I find husqvarna? Was at a local race, rode by a truck with 2 shinny new 99 WR250's and spun around and started asking questions. Ended up being Bill from Bills and he asked me to take a test ride, handed me a hat and brochure and told me he would make me a nice deal and support me with parts off his own bike if he needed to. Sold. Bought one brand new from him. Bought piles of huskies since. IMHO the importer is going to need to bite the bullet and buy some bikes and get them out there all over for people to actually ride and understand. That, IMHO is what it takes to get these types of bikes sold.
  2. Motosportz CH Sponsor

    Location:
    Vancouver WA
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    2021 TE250i, 570 Berg, 500 KTM, 790R
    Other Motorcycles:
    many

    yes and thats exactly the point. Keep politics and excuses out of it and lets play ball.
    wallybean, pat ohara and 454x like this.
  3. LandofMotards Moderator

    Location:
    Colorado
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    2014 TC250
    He follows the national enduro series and does test rides. Not sure if that's near you I only checked for CO :)
  4. Thumperama Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    McKinney, TX
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    2011 TE 630
    Other Motorcycles:
    Husaberg, Ducati, Triumph, Aprilia
    And if that doesn't work, then the importer goes out of business for taking a risk that his/her company really couldn't afford to take. It's never that simple. Hopefully things change and the new bikes start showing up again, but it wouldn't be the first time a good product disappears due to a failure to turn a profit.

    Unless they can talk their government into propping up sales with subsidies to keep them from going out of business. But those subsidies would come from taxes, which would need to be increased to provide the funds, which will reduce the disposable income of the bike buying public who now can no longer afford the bikes that have finally arrived on showroom floors.
  5. Motosportz CH Sponsor

    Location:
    Vancouver WA
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    2021 TE250i, 570 Berg, 500 KTM, 790R
    Other Motorcycles:
    many

    No matter how good your product is if you don't get it out in the hands of the customers your not going to sell anything. They need visibility and hype around the product and most done even know they exist. It seems to be a great product and they need to get it out there and people talking. IMHO. As to your other point many European countries heavily subsidized these manufacturers. Not saying it is right or works but it is happening. They also have some really crazy anti trust and anti sell laws you just saw KTM work around with the buyout of husky. I agree it is messy but calling out the manufacture and pointing everything in a bad light is not going to help. Getting bikes out in front of people will. Some good posts and rides posted out there are what peaked my interest or i would not even put it on my maybe list.
  6. Motosportz CH Sponsor

    Location:
    Vancouver WA
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    2021 TE250i, 570 Berg, 500 KTM, 790R
    Other Motorcycles:
    many
    And BTW i am not bashing Clay, I think he kinda said to much here but think he is a good guy and means well. Most everyone I have spoke to speaks highly of him and my conversations with him have been very nice for sure.
    lankydoug likes this.
  7. Cosmokenney Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    North Auburn, CA
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    '17 TX300
    Other Motorcycles:
    Yamaha FZ-09
    Or, if you're talking about Clinton, it's get sucked in their own special way.
  8. tm_enduro Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    Washington
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    TM144en
    Wow, you guys are brutal. Clay came here to tell went public telling (corrected following MS reply) folks what issues he is running into trying to import Shercos and pay his bills. Sherco (like TM) is a small company and cannot buffer currency fluctuations like the bigger guys. Folks claim a few hundred $$$ doesn't make a difference, but sales don't lie. Sales of TM 4T models was weak, so even though TM is bringing in 2015 models, the 4T's will not be imported (the price is just too high). I want a TM 250F, but find the MSRP to be staggeringly high. Note that Clay has held firm on importing only the higher suspension spec WP suspension, similar to TM only importing the Higher spec KYB SSS fork and TM shock (both of which are amazing!).
    Thumperama and LandofMotards like this.
  9. Motosportz CH Sponsor

    Location:
    Vancouver WA
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    2021 TE250i, 570 Berg, 500 KTM, 790R
    Other Motorcycles:
    many

    Clay came here?

    Well if there are no sales thats the issue. So you need to do something to drum up sales or decide there is not enough market to support it. Seems like this is the situation. Seems hard to believe a few hundred buck for someone looking at a very off the mainstream bike would not be an issue but maybe we are wrong. For me if I was buying a $7900 Sherco and found out it would be $8200 because the dealer told me their price went up I would be fine with that. Sorry if i came off rude, was just reacting to some comments and did not mean to take it there.
    allphazes likes this.
  10. DG Harv Serv Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    UK
    Exactly !

    Premium products are always more expensive, a Ferrari cost more than a Ford ;).
  11. LandofMotards Moderator

    Location:
    Colorado
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    2014 TC250
    The Ford Ferrari comment is way off base lol. I don't see Sherco as I do TM Racing. Sherco has a great product that is on par with the the competition in quality and performance. It isn't some handcrafted special bike. I love it being on the market and competitive but going to much over KTM's inflated prices (higher then Beta) wouldn't help. The people that really want them would find the means to get them without a US distributor and they would be even more limited here then they already are.
  12. LandofMotards Moderator

    Location:
    Colorado
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    2014 TC250
    The Ford Ferrari comment is way off base lol. I don't see Sherco as I do TM Racing. Sherco has a great product that is on par with the the competition in quality and performance. It isn't some handcrafted special bike. I love it being on the market and competitive but going to much over KTM's inflated prices (higher then Beta) wouldn't help. The people that really want them would find the means to get them without a US distributor and they would be even more limited here then they already are.
  13. DG Harv Serv Husqvarna
    AA Class

    Location:
    UK
    Sherco will have a US distributer, I feel sure on that !
    The point I was trying to make is that the bike has to be sold at a profit, regardless of what KTM or anyone else does .
    Any business not making a profit, is not a business very long !
    TM ? Not sure . See very few here in UK.
    I see Sherco and Beta filling the gap left by the demise of Husqvarna .
  14. shawbagga Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Eaton, Western Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    None
    Other Motorcycles:
    2018 Gasgas XC250
    went riding yesterday with a fella who just bought a new sherco 250 2T. looked nice, sounded nice(sounded like a wr250/300-more tinny/bit louder, more old school 2T sounding than the ktms), bloke riding it was having a ball! motor & cases look big/durable(like husky wr) compared to ktms. leccy PV looks interesting. I didn't even think to ask for a ride as I was enjoying the trails too much. it was very very wet, lots of puddles/creeks & no probs with the estart all day, cranked over nice. the rmx450z that went swimming(full rebuild by the sound/running of it afterwards, bloke only just got it:() not so much! BTW there was 2x450s & 8x250/300 2Ts(mainly ktms) then me on the 165 yesterday(only husky). 165 got a lot of attention & funny looks, they loved the sound of it, clear bowl lectron & wondering why a bloke my size was riding one. performed awesomely-bottom end is so sweet now, 3rd gear most the day. saw a bloke on a te450 broken down(broken chain) on way back, the husky jokes rolled out & I had no ammo to fire back with:D . good day
  15. lankydoug Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    MO
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    WR
    Other Motorcycles:
    TM 300en
    I have only talked to Clay Stuckey once and he seemed like a really good guy to me. Hopefully we will get enough Shercos in the US that I might get a chance to ride one. David Knight didn't do Sherco any favors but hopefully Clay can overcome the snags and have some success with Sherco.
    Motosportz and LandofMotards like this.
  16. Dangermouse449 Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Sunshine Coast QLD Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    2011 TE449
    Other Motorcycles:
    2009 CRF450R 2000 YZ125
    I'm very keen to try them for myself. Never owned a modern 2-dinger, but may be able to be swayed.
    The KTM (Keep To Mowing) 2Ts vibrate like a broken lawn-mower, if the Shercos are smooth I may be keen.
    Either that or the new 450s when they lob here next year.
  17. Boogie Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    Red head
    So did I...
    I rode my 310, a Sherco 300 SE-R (2T) and a 300 SEF-R (4T). :applause:
    Motosportz and Dangermouse449 like this.
  18. LandofMotards Moderator

    Location:
    Colorado
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    2014 TC250
    So where are your reviews? :)
    shawbagga and Dangermouse449 like this.
  19. Dangermouse449 Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Sunshine Coast QLD Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    2011 TE449
    Other Motorcycles:
    2009 CRF450R 2000 YZ125
    Yeah, what he said^^^^^ :D
  20. Boogie Husqvarna
    Pro Class

    Location:
    Australia
    Husqvarna Motorcycle:
    Red head
    LandofMotards and Dangermouse449 like this.