Dealers start to reopen this week
Bikers get the green light to go shopping for new metal
Dealers in England and Wales are able to join their friends in Scotland in opening their premises for the first time since the latest lockdown was imposed in early January.
As part of the government’s Coronavirus Roadmap, all nonessential retail premises have been free to open since Monday, April 12. Dealers in Scotland have been open since Monday, April 5. The timing will be a welcome relief to many dealers with new models expected to land any minute if they’ve not done already. The Motorcycle Industry Association had previously campaigned to have motorcycle dealerships reclassified as essential retail to help support the thousands of new riders who took to two wheels last summer as a convenient alternative to public transport.
As part of a push to encourage back to their local shops, who may be struggling due to no fault of their own, the National Motorcycle Dealers Association (NMDA) has created the #DestinationDealer campaign to help
‘Bikers returned to dealerships in their droves...’
re-establish dealers as community fixtures for riders.
“Our members have long acted as hubs for their communities,” says Paddy O’Connell, Head of the NMDA. “It provides riders with the opportunities to see the new models, talk with old friends, have a cup of tea and enjoy the sunshine with likeminded people.”
Despite difficult conditions last year, bikers returned to dealerships in their droves with 2020’s end of year figures for new bikes only marginally down on 2019. Used bike sales were in even greater demand with some dealers even offeing cash incentives to help replenish their depleted stock.