City Honda takes on Harley-davidson servicing
There’s no place in Palmerston North to buy Harley-davidson motorcycles any more, but riders looking for adventure at least have a place to get them serviced.
ANZA Motorcycles had been a Harley-davidson dealership for almost 30 years, but the popular motorcycle manufacturer decided not to renew the contract when it ended in April.
City Honda Manawatu, on Rangitikei St, is set to become the only authorised Harley-davidson workshop in the city – one of only two in the region – the other being at Feilding.
It won’t be an official Harley dealership selling new bikes, however, as that status comes with a hefty price tag.
City Honda Manawatu could not comment on the move because of contractual obligations.
ANZA owners Kerry Jones and Grace Johnstone are winding down the motorcycle side of their business, but will continue to sell cars.
Three of ANZA Motorcycles’ Harley-davidson specialists have joined City Honda to help set up the dealership’s licensed servicing workshop.
Another one of the technicians from ANZA’S Harley-davidson team went to Gary Worsley Motorcycles in Feilding, which has been an authorised service workshop for more than a year.
Co-owner Blair Worsley said the business was one of the first in Manawatu to talk to Harleydavidson about taking over the official dealership from ANZA.
‘‘Lots and lots of money was involved, and we decided it was going to take too long to make it back.’’
Harley-davidson was asking for about US$1.5 million for dealership rights, and the dealer would have to sell Harleys only.
‘‘These days, a lot of businesses just can’t survive selling only one brand [of car or bike].
‘‘It might work in America, or big cities like Sydney in Australia, but it just won’t work in most of New Zealand.’’
Harley-davidson Owners Group Central Districts director Graeme Burling was confident Manawatu would eventually get a new official dealership.
‘‘It’s great [City Honda] have picked up the servicing, and that [the ANZA technicians have stayed] in the industry with all their knowledge.’’
The nearest remaining Harleydavidson dealership is in Wellington, and the next closest is in Hamilton.
The club’s former director Graeme Mills previously told the Manawatu Standard Harleys were probably the most popular motorcycle in Manawatu-whanganui – there are 309 members in the owners’ group.