Black Sabbath

Spunout · #1 10-04-2008, 03:55 PM

I want to churn out a few of the bike you see below, but I'm not sure what kind of response I'd get. especially after just giving away a bike for $375, because it sat in the garage for a month.

i built one like this for a friend in tucson a year ago, (it was SWEET!) and the thing is with these, there's quite a bit more tweaking/aligning/and some welding. plus, the 70-spoke wheels mean redrilling all sprocket mounting holes, and cutting rubber spacers out of steel-belted conveyor belt. may not seem like too much of a nightmare, and it isnt....just takes up valuable time (which is always in short supply). stretch cruiser MB's can turn into a two-day fiasco.

since im not able financially yet to buy wholesale, retail w/shipping for both the bikes and motorkits to me, come up to $564...unassembled.

so....in your opinions, what do you think a fair price would be?

**Dan** · #2 10-04-2008, 04:39 PM

Hi Spunout. That is a sweet lokin' ride!

Just my way of doing one at a time or specialty orders is a flat 20% on top and look for the best deal.

If ordered at one unit at a time, I first try to work a deal with the distributer. Is very true, almost any one will nagosheate (sp, I am so far off even google is going "wut?") a bit even if they are not selling you 1,000 units at first. The hope of bigger sales to you later is cause enough to get most folks to at least talk to you. If you get the price down the 20% then add it as your commission, your in line with the market and keeping a roof over you and yours.

The 20% rule is my own and not in any way an accepted standard by any one but me. I am as bad at math as I am with spelling. snork

Spunout · #3 10-04-2008, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan

nagosheate (sp, I am so far off even google is going "wut?")

howdy, dan-

hahahahahaha

. man, it takes a little doin' these days, to get me a'grinnin'. well done, sir

.

your post was certainly good advice. i just dont want to sit on a bike for months, waiting for it to sell.

Saddletramp1200 · #4 10-04-2008, 05:59 PM

Beautiful bike! I only sell mine in my city but the bike I would think might go for $500.00 to the right person. I get my bikes, all 10 of em' at Wally World and Academy. My kits at
thatsdax.com. Hope to afford bikes like that soon. A Point Beach sells for 157.94 here.

TwoWalks · #5 10-04-2008, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spunout

so....in your opinions, what do you think a fair price would be?

I would not think in terms of "fair Price", I would think in terms of "Demand".

People do not know a lot about these bikes. when they see them, they are a novelty item at best. If you say it costs $1200.00 you will 90% of the time get a reply like "Oh that much".

If you tell them its $475.00, you will get more replies like "I gotta have one."

Bike $160 - Engine kit $200 - Mark up 30% = $466.00

Now cut a deal on the bike and engine kits to lower initial costs and you have your profit. Do more expensive bikes on order!!!

Just my opinion -

Spunout · #6 10-04-2008, 06:57 PM

yeah, two walks, i see what you're saying. i'm doing the $495 bikes at 1-2 per week. thats all i have time for.

for the stretchers with a 30% mark-up, we're at $733.20. add $150 to ship. thats almost 900bux. i dont see any of these selling.
i think i'll build one for myself, and then build others 'on order' like u said.

**Dan** · #7 10-04-2008, 07:06 PM

Spunout, ask supplier to put your company name on shipping label. For one at a time sales, use the distributer as a "drop shipper" that way you don't have to pay for shipping to you or sit on product. You buy it first hand, but ship to end consumer. That and you have a bigger inventory then you are paying to warehouse. Shave 20%, make a profit but above all else offer a good deal so you sleep well with no worries.
Folks shop by price but they stay with a company that looks out for them and makes them feel like they are part of a larger thing.

Thanks for the laugh, I waz feeling estupid, snork. All about the fun. Man I love this place.

Saddletramp1200 · #8 10-04-2008, 07:27 PM

One thing I do is have my laptop in my backpack when I'm going to an area that a sale is possible and do the transaction over the internet. Not too many folks carry 5-6 hundred in there pocket, but everyone has that "plastic Magic"

I will even sell the one I am on and take the "bus" home!

**Dan** · #9 10-04-2008, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saddletramp1200

One thing I do is have my laptop in my backpack when I'm going to an area that a sale is possible and do the transaction over the internet. Not too many folks carry 5-6 hundred in there pocket, but everyone has that "plastic Magic"

I will even sell the one I am on and take the "bus" home!

LOL! I not only have done that, but sold my first build and walked home. SNork!! The guy who bought my bike was on his way to a bike show and thought they would laugh at a MB. $450 and he was 35 short. I told him a hearty FU and he suddenly found the 35. We were at the local hardware store.

RedB66 · #10 10-05-2008, 03:53 AM

I am very fond of the stretch cruiser bikes. I've built a couple. I am however not fond of Micargi. Nice looking bikes but....the just dont hold up. I have two cracked frames. My first bike (the red one in the header) cracked around the crank housing and now the second one cracked around the head tube. maybe I have got a couple lemons by chance but I am done with Micargi.
I do like the ride of the stretch so I have ordered a Greenline BC 103 26'' Greenline BC-103 Chopper Springer Stretch Beach Cruiser Bike Berry The dimensions are the same as the Micargi's, the cost is less and hopefully the welds are sufficient to hold up to the demands of cruising at 35MPH.
As far as marketing goes....I have had several offers on my bike ($700-$1000). It is a conversation piece.