Laverda Paradies

I placed an order two weeks ago for a fuel tank cap and after I'd paid realised he was closed and any orders outstanding would be shipped on Nov 10 to the 15th ...I'm not happy that that was not plainly stated at the checkout.
In all fairness to Andy Wagner he's not processed the payment, presumably that's going to be done on despatch
 
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Andy was running a professional business that sorted thousands of customers out over something like 30 years or so. The webpage is second to none in our small world, his service has been stunning and he invested a lot of his own money to re-produce parts that were not available for a loooong time. That all could only be done by high margins, which we sometimes had some disagreements on.

He is in his mid 60's I believe and after a long and stressfull live he wants to retire. Nothing to claim about I would say. He is living now 11 months a year on I think Teneriffa and enjoys life, which I think he deservs. He tried to find a successor for 2 or 3 years without success. The asking-price is - depending on the stock he still keeps - not totally out of the world (heard a number of 150.000€, maybe even negotiable). However, he runs into the same issue many other oldtimer-shops have run: people that are young enough to run such a business for the next 20-30 years haven't even heard of Laverda and who does has already a successfull business or is to shy to change. Competitors like OCT, Härter and others are the same or even older age and face the same issue.

So - what could he do? Hiring someone to run at least the parts business? Is there sufficient business to pay a person and how to find a reliable one that does not betray him? Flying back every month to work for a week? Does that pay the cost for the flights?

I assume that we will end up either trying to sell our bikes or buying others for spares, just like it happened to any other Oldtimer brand in the past.

BTW: 1000 SFC and 750 S Formula still for sale... :cool:
 
Yes, the site is up, it must have been a technical problem.
I've started looking around for bits and prices to give to the insurers.
Paul
 
Andy's site has a brilliant online catalogue, and his Parts book and Green Service Manual, which I got so long ago I cannot remember if it was free or cost pennies, is one pretty impressive document; it's as thick as the green book and includes heaps of great tips on making your Laverda run very well. My first experience of Andy had me buying an airbox for my triple. I arrived home and found my landline ringing; it was Andy ringing me in Sydney, Australia, from Germany to clarify what I had ordered. He might have been a bit expensive, but his service was insanely well done. I hope he has a long and enjoyable retirement that includes lots of Laverda riding. Thanks, Andy.
 
Laverdalothar said:
Andy was running a professional business that sorted thousands of customers out over something like 30 years or so. The webpage is second to none in our small world, his service has been stunning and he invested a lot of his own money to re-produce parts that were not available for a loooong time. That all could only be done by high margins, which we sometimes had some disagreements on.

He is in his mid 60's I believe and after a long and stressfull live he wants to retire. Nothing to claim about I would say. He is living now 11 months a year on I think Teneriffa and enjoys life, which I think he deservs. He tried to find a successor for 2 or 3 years without success. The asking-price is - depending on the stock he still keeps - not totally out of the world (heard a number of 150.000€, maybe even negotiable). However, he runs into the same issue many other oldtimer-shops have run: people that are young enough to run such a business for the next 20-30 years haven't even heard of Laverda and who does has already a successfull business or is to shy to change. Competitors like OCT, Härter and others are the same or even older age and face the same issue.

So - what could he do? Hiring someone to run at least the parts business? Is there sufficient business to pay a person and how to find a reliable one that does not betray him? Flying back every month to work for a week? Does that pay the cost for the flights?

I assume that we will end up either trying to sell our bikes or buying others for spares, just like it happened to any other Oldtimer brand in the past.

BTW: 1000 SFC and 750 S Formula still for sale... :cool:
Click to expand...
I know all that Lothar but it's still a weird way to run things, as you say nobody else wants to do it though.
 
What would you suggest as a better solution or would do different if you were in his position, please?

I got an offer in the 90's when my brother was running a parts shop which I was involved in (Lubbike - some germans might remember). The guy was having a similar shop like Andy for small old bikes like DKW, Puch, Kreidler, Zündap (50ccm - 100ccm). I was tempted for a moment, but it would have involved buying his facility, too, which was in the middle of no-where, roughly 150km away from where my family and I are living. I thought about the future of that business and if its worth trying.

I am still selling IT Software and live at the same town I lived back then. I ended up with covering the depth of Lubbike alone as my brother had no income.

No critizism intended to anyone and yes, I had some disagreements about his business with Andy, too, but before judging about others boots, run some miles in their shoes and see why they do stick with them, please.

It might not be the best decission for the customers. I fully can understand though that he keeps the business up this way while balancing between retirement and keep searching a successor. I think he is just selling off the stock he has though.

And to be fair: Wolfgang took a break every year, too, for several months, right? So... ;)
 
Not that OCT would provide the same service and yes, they are slow in answering, but most of the parts are available there, too, around the clock and with worldwide shipping. www.octeam.de. Roger speaks German, English and French fluently as well as a bit of Italian I think (not 100% sure)
 
I learn early on with old Triumphs, if you see a part you want, grab it fast. It won't be there minutes later. I wanted a Carviva Alazzurra sidestand for my Pantah. I saw one for sale in the USA, but I buggared around and missed buying it. The next one on the market took 12 months to appear, and I bought that. But it arrived in Oz a month later without its highly special mounting bolt; the seller still had it, and that took another month to arrive. So that's 14 months of waiting, so even if Andy was more expensive, it's way better than waiting about
 
Whatever you say Lothar shutting a business down for months on end may be expedient for the owner but not for me I'm afraid. Anyway everyone is entitled to their own opinion on the matter and that is mine.
 
I understand your point and from a customers perspective you are 100% right. The point is that he tried everything to avoid this before and the alternative is that he shuts down 100%. I feel 10% opening is a 100% better alternative. But I understand your frustration. Won't change anything, though...
 
There is no answer at the moment. The marque is too niche to run the existing set up commercially now I think. It would have to be done for love not money. I understand what he's trying to do by the way and I don't blame him at all, his life is going in a different direction and good luck to him.
 
Well, how do you think that someone young would start a Laverda shop or similar?

At least at the moment in Finland you almost never get any money from a bank to buy any older building. I have counted that the only way to start such a shop is an older building that you own yourself. The banks loan money just if you buy an apartment, if even then. Well, guess how do I know?
 
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