This article will start your Monday off right!


Cycle dealer's business getting better each year

Belleville News-Democrat
April 09, 2007
Steve Wiedau struck out on his own a decade and a half ago to start his own motorcycle shop. Eight years ago he got a Triumph franchise, banking that the once-popular and recently revived motorcycle nameplate would be a hot seller once again.
Every year he has sold more of the English-made motorcycles than the year before. Business has been so good, in fact, that Wiedau plans to double the size of his RPM Motorwerks showroom in the next few months.
He recently sat down with News-Democrat reporter Scott Wuerz to talk about his business.
Q: How did you get your start in this business?
A: I started out in 1978 as a mechanic. I worked at Matthews Yamaha and at what was Belleville Power Sports. I started my own business as a service shop. But later added ATK motorcycles and eventually Triumphs.
Q: Why did you start to sell new motorcycles?
A: Triumph started selling bikes in the U.S. in 1995 and they were looking for dealers. Since then, they have really taken off. It's a lot tougher to get a dealership now. I guess I was finally in the right place at the right time.
Q: How have sales been?
A: Every year we have had has been better than the one before it. We're going to have to expand to add some more showroom space. We're going to build on about another 2,400 square feet, hopefully by the spring.
Q: Who are your customers, typically?
A: We draw as many people from the Missouri side of the Mississippi River as we do from the Illinois side. We're one of two Triumph dealers in the St. Louis region. So we get a lot of people from all over. We just sold a bike to a guy from Peoria.
Q: How many new motorcycles do you sell in a year?
A: We sold 46 last year, just short of our goal of 50. But we're ahead of our goal for this year, and it isn't really riding season yet. Triumph wants us to sell 55, but my goal is 60. We had an open house in March and sold six bikes in three days. So that was great for us.
Q: What does Triumph have to offer that other motorcycle companies don't?
A: They're pretty unique in a sea of V-twins they make vertical twin cylinder motors and three-cylinder motors. Bikes range from cruisers to sport models. The most popular one, the Bonneville America, is a midsized cruiser that costs $7,999.
Q: You're sort of out of the way here, on South Belt West away from the highway. Have you ever thought about moving?
A: No. This is a really good place for us. Triumph really believes in demo rides, and this is a place where people can take a motorcycle out and ride without getting into too much traffic. Besides, with the extension of 17th Street that is planned, I think this is going to become an much higher profile area pretty soon. Once again, it seems like we're in the right place and the right time.
Contact reporter Scott Wuerz at swuerz@bnd.com or 239-2626.
Copyright © 2007 Belleville News-Democrat, All Rights Reserved.

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TRIUMPH ROCKET III ( Latin: Holius Craptor)