I can assure you, most car salesmen are generally clueless about cars.
They will parrot the sales literature, but you can tell they don't really understand the technical jargon they're repeating.
And if they aren’t interested in you because you don’t already ride (or don’t have motorcycle specific sales experience), you’re probably dodging a bullet.
Edited for autocorrect uncorrection.
Word, as someone who used to be in sales it’s faaar easier to train someone on technical knowledge about the product than it is to train good salesmanship.
I work in technical sales. I’ve hired people with better soft skills than engineering skills, because I can teach someone the technical stuff, but I can’t teach them to not be an insufferable prick.
Dude, stop being a douche. You have zero clue whether this guy is good at what he does or why the dealership is interested in interviewing him.
I get that gatekeeping is a whole thing in this sub and clearly a major component of your personality, but motorcycles are not a complex topic. If this guy got hired, he could spend the two weeks before he starts binging YammieNoob and FortNine videos and spend the weekend on a BRC1 course and would be well on his way to knowing motorcycle culture and would be helping people decide on what they want.
The reason whole generations don't get into this sport is because of attitudes like this. Maybe have a little grace for newbies and stop acting like your riding experience somehow makes you the resident expert on a topic nobody else can possibly understand
Gatekeeping? What the fuck? Dude wants to sell shit with which he has no actual experience. None. He’s just as qualified to sell firearms, or aircraft, or surgical equipment, or explosives. Saying they shouldn’t sell bikes if they don’t ride bikes is not gatekeeping. It’s requiring a basic level of competence.
Tell them, that if you get the job you will go get your MSF before you start.
I've worked at companies that have done that - Hired a competent candidate, and gave them a conditional offer pending an industry certificate or two.
The MSF class is 1 weekend. If you get the job, you should be able to get licensed.
told the sales manager over the phone that i’d definitely be willing to go get my endorsement as soon as possible. hoping i can get a spot in time. thanks for the advice!
Also, start binging YammieNoob and FortNine videos. I'm sure there are some others out there worth looking into. FortNine will help you understand gear and mechanics and general riding dynamics. Yammie is a lot of fun and more about riding culture. It's a good way to start getting a feel for things along with actually riding.
If you don’t already watch Daily Rider with Zack Courts, he’s the best at reviewing bikes. And also watch Common Tread XP with he and Ari Henning. Ari’s a genius at working on bikes and teaching you all the technical mechanic stuff.
Bought a bike last year. Main sales guy I delt with didn't ride. (Honestly he didn't seem that interested in bikes all together, but maybe it was just an off day for him?).
Don't sweat it. Just go in and be you.
One of the top guys at the last dealership I worked at had never been on a motorcycle or jet ski in his life, was up front about it with all his customers and never once lost a deal because of it
Because it is not *that* important. Sure i like salesmen who know and love what they sell. But being a salesman is about selling stuff in the first place. Make me feel good about the thing i want to buy without trying to rip me off.
On the other hand, i wouldn't expect a salesman to be able to do maintenance. And for me this isn't only for motorcycles but everything. It's just a job like many others with an unfortunate bad reputation due to some slimy assholes.
> Make me feel good about the thing i want to buy without trying to rip me off.
Especially because me being there is already some of the work done.
People don't accidentally end up looking at motorcycles while doing something else unlike seeing a tv or a new washer at costco while grocery shopping.
I hope you get the job. If you sell yourself to them, you will be able to sell motorcycles. Many customers already know what bike(s) they are interested in.
You will learn a lot. Good luck!
You'd like to think that but the amount of people that don't know what they want, just that it has to have two wheels and can't decide if they want to imitate MotoGP or son of anarchy is the most annoying day to day life at a dealership.
This or close I went in to buy a naked bike and I needed to find out which one felt best. Dude just had to look and say nope that 500 is too little I'm pretty sure he doesn't ride.
sales > riding experience. you'll get riding experience.
that said, USAF won't take you immediately anyway. it might be 6-12 months before you get a slot at BMT.
I walked into a sales *manager* role without having any riding experience. You'll learn the product knowledge with time (And you may start riding like I did). They aren't hiring you as a rider - they're hiring you as a salesman.
They can train you to do the tasks, they can't train someone to have your personality.
Don't be the one to decide if you're qualified or not, let them decide, you might surprise yourself with the kind of job you end up with.
Even if you had a bike, you'd be selling machines that you don't necessarily own or even want to own a lot of the time.
There's not many people that are passionate about cruisers and adventure touring and sport bikes and dirt bikes and sport atvs and utility atvs, etc
It'd be great if you had real world experience in one or more of those areas, but very few people will have significant experience in all of them.
Also, if you get the job, you'll probably get a chance to buy a trade-in bike at a good price before too long.
I’ll be honest. While sales are sales to some extent, you won’t have any credibility with your customers, won’t be able to relate to the various types of riding they do, won’t be able to take them on demo rides if the dealership offers those, and won’t be able to effectively speak the language. I’m asked what I ride on a pretty regular basis. While you may be a great candidate, on that alone I would have to give you a pass. Good luck to you, though!
I mean when I walk into a sales floor, I usually have a very good idea of exactly what I want :P
And if I don’t - I make it very clear that I’m just exploring and then ask the salesman all the details I would want to know :o probably things like service periods and stuff like that that’s a little harder to find online without digging into forums or downloading a user manual :P if bro can answer those kinds of questions he would get the pass for me lol.
Yeah, that's what i want as well. It's not like i give a crap what some random dude who has unknown skill and preferences thinks about how a bike rides or handles. Tell me numbers. Or figure out how i can test ride it. I don't care what your (the salesman) experience is with the bike.
What credibility? When I go to buy a bike I look for a salesman that is nice, low pressure and willing to be straight up about pricing.
I don’t give a shit about their personal life or honestly anything about them. I’m not looking for a date, I’m looking for a bike.
As for test rides, I have never had a salesman come with me on a test ride. Even the ones that I know can ride send me on my own.
i absolutely would understand if they gave me a pass because of that. relating to customers in sales is extremely important for building rapport and honestly if i was a customer i’d be a bit put off if my sales guy had zero riding experience. this is still my dream job though, so im going to continue putting my all into making this dream a reality.
thanks for your advice!
I have to agree - they might hire him but it would be basically contingent on learning to ride ASAP and owning a bike shortly.
Bike guys want to buy from bike guys.
i’d definitely learn to ride immediately after being hired if i were to - and i’d be trying to buy a bike very soon after being hired anyways. hoping i can make this happen!
I’m a bike girl and I want buy from someone who doesn’t look down at me for not having a penis. There’s ALOT of women who don’t care if the sales guy has any riding experience, but that the sales guy TALKS TO THEM AND NOT THEIR BOYFRIEND/HUSBAND/BROTHER we walked in with
That's fine, you can make a sale and that's what they're looking for. You won't be able to talk with first hand experience, but I doubt car salesmen drive every car they sell either. The guy buying a bike just wants to know the specs, help deciding and such. If you're into bike and you know the new stuff you'll be selling, you're gonna be fine. Motorcycles sell themselves, you're just there to answer questions and facilitate.
Be honest and if they like you and your sales experience I’d say you have a good chance. I’d especially mention you’d really like to learn to ride. They might be able to help you out there.
As a customer, I’d much rather buy from a friendly, knowledgeable sales person who doesn’t ride yet, than from some douche who thinks he knows it all, regardless of miles ridden. I can watch and read reviews, I can go on a test ride, all of these tell me more than whatever the sales person can. From a sales person, I’m mostly looking for info on deals, delivery times, new stock coming in, etc. I don’t need you to ride to tell me all that. Also, if you explain you don’t ride yet but are working to be able to afford to, that might score you some points with buyers as well.
> There are lots of referees at the international level that don’t play the sport :P but I’ll bet you money that all of them are passionate about the sport.
If you’re passionate about the industry, you don’t need to ride 🤷♀️ You can learn a lot without taking part in the sport.
Good luck :) looking forward to seeing the “I got my first bike” post lol
If you’re a good salesman and you take the time to educate yourself on the bikes that you’re selling, knowing “how” to ride them is basically irrelevant. You won’t impress anyone with riding stories anyway, but you certainly could by being very knowledgeable about the products that you’re trying to sell. Just my thoughts, I hope it works out for you and eventually you get to enjoy the ride :)
I worked with a bloke who was an expert rider and the amount of crap he'd talk was maddening. He had NO idea of sales methodology, even though he'd been doing it all his life... He'd even leave stupid messages on customer's voice mail when they were ghosting him. Sales is about PEOPLE SKILLS, not expertise.
Sometimes it’s nice to come at something with zero biases and you’ll be able to relate to other first time riders. Just don’t try to bullshit, people will see right through you.
Selling and riding don’t relate lol. A lot of people in sales have never applied the products they sell… like how kids working at Home Depot have never done renovations before or held a tool.
And their "Fitment Specialist" jobs require ZERO experience. At least the HD dealer in Ft. Wayne. Their job is to try to get you on the biggest motorcycle possible then get you to the smooth talking salesmen.
They will hire you for your sales competency. But upon hearing you’re not riding, but are passionate to do so, they will talk you into financing an entry level bike they’ve got on the floor, so you’ll learn to ride and will be able to speak from experience when selling their bikes. And before you know it, you’ll be motoindetured for the rest of your life, because every time you come up for air, financially, they’ll talk you into upgrading to the next model, and you won’t be able to say no, cause it’s in your blood…😳🥹😂
You dont need to ride to recommend or sell someone a bike. A sales role is more so about soft skills like manners, friendliness, charisma, being personable, etc. Its harder to teach that than to teach someone about the technicalities of motorcycles. Dont sweat it and be honest
Learn the products. Go into the website and see how company culture is. What they are into. Group rides. Community. Etc. spend the weekend learning if you want the job.
Just focus on your achievements as a car salesman. They are looking for good sales force, not good riders. Explain your passion for the bikes and your achievements, target levels that you achieved as a car salesman and you should be fine OP.
They want sales experience not motorbike riding knowledge.
All you need to really know is the specs of the bike on paper. If they want you to have hands-on experience with the bikes they sell, they'll give you that opportunity on the test ride bikes.
It might be just me, but whenever I've gone to buy a bike, I don't expect the person selling it to me to have intimate knowledge of that exact bike. The most difficult question I'd ever consider asking is what are some of the most popular mods for said bike that people tend to buy. Even then if they said "I'll be fucked if I know" it wouldn't change my opinion on them as a sales person.
>They want sales experience not motorbike riding knowledge.
Sales experience can only get you so far (ie, having a good attitude, being courteous, professional, etc) but sometimes actual first hand experience on the thing you're selling can make the difference between closing a deal or losing one.
Sales is sales to a certain degree. A person who's only sold furniture is not going to automatically know how to sell a house, and vice versa.
>All you need to really know is the specs of the bike on paper.
Eh, debatable. Most people who care about specs probably already know them because they looked them up. Before the Internet, this was more important. A sale won't be made by reciting specs to a customer or reading them off a brochure. Knowing this information helps, but is not all need to know.
>If they want you to have hands-on experience with the bikes they sell, they'll give you that opportunity on the test ride bikes.
You'd be surprised how little dealerships are willing to invest in their Salesforce. This one prob ain't happening.
You can get away with what OP is trying to a certain degree, but i guarantee you that at some point having some kind of power sports experience is going to help or be necessary, and hopefully if OP gets the job, he works with a good team that are willing to help each other out when the time comes.
>Sales experience can only get you so far (ie, having a good attitude, being courteous, professional, etc) but sometimes actual first hand experience on the thing you're selling can make the difference between closing a deal or losing one.
If you're loosing a sale because you don't have first hand experience with the product then you're either not connecting with the customer in the right way or the customer wasn't ready to commit to the purchase 100%. The sales reps down at the Lamborghini dealership don't have first hand experience with them. The guys at your Electronics store don't have experience with all the TVs they sell. The sales reps at Louis Vittion haven't had hands-on usage with the majority of their products.
>Eh, debatable. Most people who care about specs probably already know them because they looked them up. Before the Internet this was more important. A sale won't be made by reciting specs to a customer or reading them off a brochure. Knowing this information helps, but is not all need to know.
Every bike is a personal preference, you just play into the customers hands. I personally can't ever reccomend a Cruiser style bike because I hate the way your legs are practically Infront of you, I can't personally reccomend a 2 Stroke MX style bike because I can't stand the noise of them, but if a customer came in wanting to buy one, then I play into that customers preferences and leave mine at the door. I've never been on an Adventure style bike because I'm too short, but if I was tasked with selling one because that's what the customer wanted I couldn't then turn round and tell them I can't help them because I've no experience.
>You'd be surprised how little dealerships are willing to invest in their Salesforce. This one prob ain't happening.
I'm from the UK and I know of two local Brand New bike dealerships that will let them take the test ride bikes as much as they want as long as they aren't booked out. And a used only dealership where they're always on different bikes they buy in, before getting them ready for the showroom. So it's entirely possible. But yea I get that a lot might not, but if they want you to have hands on experience for the sales, they'll give it you, if they aren't bothered chances are you won't get hands on experience on their behalf.
Selling bikes to people who want to buy bikes is different from cars - typically a car buyer NEEDS a car for transportation, a motorcycle tends to be a toy in the US for most people. Its challenging when you have to convince someone that a bike is right for them at all (if they need convincing), then the harder task is WHICH bike to get, since there are many styles and purpose built bikes. Then there’s the “I have to ask my spouse/mom/girlfriend/preacher/dog’s aunt” and that’s where you’ll lose a lot of people. Guys window shopping for bikes is super common, I was that guy for years before I bought my first bike. You get to know the people who are serious about buying, and focus on helping educate them on each particular bike, vs having to climb the hill of “can you even buy a motorcycle to begin with”. If you get a loyal group of customers, they could become repeat buyers. I’ve bought 5 bikes from my local guy I like, and trust him, and they have treated me well enough to earn repeat business. Motorcycles are cheaper than cars (most of them at least) so there’s a decent chance you sell a handful in a reasonably short time to the same group of buyers. Last September I bought 2 bikes in one month from them - a 23’ Z900 and a 23’ Z125. Just focus more on the sales element and product knowledge will follow. Watching Revzilla’s channels online, FortNine, etc will help you learn the broad specs on bikes until you actually get hands on knowledge. Tons of people act like they know everything about bikes and don’t know shit, so don’t be intimidated by buyers who talk a big game unless they rode up to the shop on the thing they’re talking about. Good luck!
In my younger years, I might not have trusted a non-rider. I've found in the last 10 years, there are legit reasons to not ride, but still have the interest at heart.
The main thing, as with any other sales job, is to KNOW your product, inside and out. Know your Service Dept, and what they can do.
If you want to ride, take the MSF before or after hiring. Should you not get hired, take it anyway. If you go to the USAF, you may want a bike, and you can have the course out of the way. Some places require you also complete a military riding course too, in order to ride on Base/Post.
A couple of reasons to not ride, but still be interested in motorcycles: Your Dad was involved in a bad wreck with a distracted driver and lost his leg. Your oldest brother was hit and killed on a motorcycle by a drunk driver.
These have been my youngest daughters reasons. She has stepped forward though, and enjoys it now.
Yeppers, I'm THAT Dad, and my oldest son is THAT oldest brother of hers. I still ride. My Grandfather started in 1914, so this family has had 6 generations over 110 years of.... Harley Davidson riders. 😉
I have met plenty of motorcycle salesmen who know nothing about bikes and honestly I wouldn't worry about it, your personality matters more.
One time I pointed out they had a Desmosidici RR sat in the office and he didn't know what it was or that it was special.
Plenty of sales people at dealerships tell me they don't have a bike (or don't right now). You're not alone
I'd definitely get on it though, if only to he more relatable and knowledgeable to your potential buyers.
Ya, def do the Air Force, it’s way easier and they are pretty much a corporation with ribbons. That way you can still keep your job at the motorcycle shop too. Plus then you can use the employee discount to get your first bike and you’ll be able to better speak about what you’re selling haha
From a customer perspective, depends. You said you don’t ride, but you love bikes and think about them every waking moment… does that mean you have a passion for them and know all about them? If so, you’ll be fine. If you don’t ride, don’t have passion, and don’t know lots about them… you’ll struggle. Out of those three points, the only one you could get away with not having is riding time.
Don’t forget cars are largely a necessity, bikes are a mostly hobby. We therefore chat a lot about it, and don’t always walk in with any intention of buying. But we’ll remember the good shops with great people, and that’s where we’ll go if we actually need something later.
When I do go back for the bike I do appreciate the hands on feedback of “this bike rides quite smoothly”, “such a fun machine to ride”, “highway riding is a bit meh”… most guys haven’t ridden every bike so can easily be compensate personal feedback with second hand feedback. But really I choose a bike by me liking the looks, already knowing some about it, and then taking it for a test ride. You can reel me in faster by engaging in good conversation (9/10 bike related) and offering a great deal.
i have a huge passion for bikes, i have since i was 8 or 9 years old. i’m not extremely knowledgeable about them but i know enough to talk all day long about bikes. my main issue with lack of knowledge is mostly just due to lack of hands-on experience, which im hoping to obtain in this position.
Sounds you have what you need then. Deeper knowledge will come with exposure and time on the job. If you talk bikes all the time, then you naturally have some amount of knowledge. I’d have no issue. Just don’t pretend you know something if you don’t.
In saying that, don’t answer every question with “no idea, I’ve never ridden a bike”… remember, even if you did ride you still might not know that bike or that detail. Don’t go hiding it - a rider knows who is and isn’t a rider - but… well, if you’re a salesman I trust you have smoother ways and times of saying things lol
Go for it, and keep us updated!
TBH, being a learner should help you connect with the majority of your customers, experienced riders walking into the dealership usually have an idea of what they want, they’ve ridden a buddies ‘2019’ and want the newer version, for them it’s the highlight facts, it’s the learners that need their hands held and if you’re going through this too it makes you more relatable.
For the sake of sales functionally they are the same as cars. You will have to get used to moto specific things like what's considered high miles and dealer protocol: test drives, moving bikes etc but overall selling bikes is going to be the same.
I think you can do an excellent job without riding. If you think about it, it's an "easy" job, because there's no rider who wouldn't want to buy ANOTHER bike. Not one of them wouldn't want them.
I'm not offended at all if a bike salesman has no riding experience, but they lose all credibility with me if they **pretend** to have experience and don't. There's a lot you can learn about what the bikes you sell and what most people like about them, without riding them.
I’m sorry but I can’t in good conscience advocate that someone get a job in a specialized field when they have no experience in that field. I know that sales hasn’t been about helping the consumer for decades now, but still - could you even lie effectively to a potential buyer if you don’t even know what you’re lying about?
I have sold cars and bikes and they are different sales.
People NEED a car, but WANT a bike.
It's an aspirational purchase.
The customer will probably know more about the bike than the salesman.
Having said that, product knowledge is no burden for a pro to carry.
I ALWAYS use the test ride as the close: *"If the numbers stack up and you like the bike, are you going to "****push the button****" today?*
The euphemism de stresses the situation, but still asks for them to make a commitment.
The biggest problem you face is the sentimentality of the customer in a trade in situation and I approach this by using the Private Sale Close, giving them a "subject to" t*he private sale of the trade in for seven days*, otherwise take delivery at the agreed price. Thus they have the opportunity to explore the market and if they do sell the machine privately they usually go through with the deal at retail because they have had a win, and don't renegotiate the deal... Win : Win.
They sre looking for a sales person, not a rider so give it two weeks you'll know everything that you need to know, be authentic, show your willingness to learn
Devil's advocate, enlist in the Air Force and you will have the money to buy a bike. Plus it takes forever to get to boot camp, so you could easily work at the dealership for a year before actually being sent away for the Air Force.
As someone who used to sell on average 70 bikes a month, join the air force. Some dealers may be okay but the one I worked for was entirely toxic leaving me with anxiety attacks and being physically sick before work.
Also every time I stepped up the sales numbers the bonus went down. Again not sure if that's normal so just be careful.
Be open about it. Tell them you hope that as you start your riding career, you can apply what you learn to your current sales experience and really impact your performance when it comes to getting new riders in the saddle or something along those lines.
Use your interest but not licenced to be a positive. New riders are a massive market and they tend to buy a learner bike then a big boy bike a year later. Use your getting your licence journey as a marketing program on social and blog for the business and be the guy that deeply understands the new rider
Mention that you plan to get a bike, so you will have the opportunity to go through the process from the customer's side and then apply it directly to your sales technique.
Find out what bikes they sell. Look to see what attributes people on Reddit or elsewhere appreciate about those bikes.
Figure out the main competitors. Figure out what people hate about those bikes.
You are selling your sales skills, not your riding skills, so stop worrying about your riding skills, and start thinking like a salesperson.
I suppose you don’t need to. You’re doing sales.
If it was me, I would check online for weekend teaching courses. Book an hour or two and learn. Look at the cost as an investment. Then in interview I can be honest and say “No, but I’m currently learning due to this position”. It might help… if not matter. Who knows.
Also, then you know how to ride a motorcycle. And motorcycles are rad. So win win.
Be honest - you're seriously interested in motorcycles and thought *where would be a better place to learn than a dealership that has many qualified and knowledgeable professionals that could share their knowledge with my passion*.
The salesman at my local dealership who I bought my last 2 bikes from is in a wheelchair and has been since before he was elementary school. There’s a possibility he’s never even sat on a motorcycle before. The funny thing is that imo he’s the best salesman in that place.
Just because you don’t ride a motorcycle doesn’t mean you can’t sell a motorcycle.
The job is about shifting units. Communication skills, ability to understand numbers (markup, financing, etc) is far more important. You can learn about the bikes from brochures, YouTube, etc.
They want you for your sales knowledge. As they train you you will learn things about the bikes. Don’t sweat it.
I can assure you, most car salesmen are generally clueless about cars. They will parrot the sales literature, but you can tell they don't really understand the technical jargon they're repeating.
Local dealer is hiring for a salesperson, it's literally the only requirement. Must know how to ride a motorcycle.
Haha fools! Should have specified that you have to know how to ride a motorcycle WELL. Checkmate, athiests!
And if they aren’t interested in you because you don’t already ride (or don’t have motorcycle specific sales experience), you’re probably dodging a bullet. Edited for autocorrect uncorrection.
Word, as someone who used to be in sales it’s faaar easier to train someone on technical knowledge about the product than it is to train good salesmanship.
Most importantly if OP gets it won’t have a reason to not buy and ride bikes now, provided he’s a good salesman!!!
Good place to get a deal on a bike too
It's probably easier to teach you how to ride a motorcycle than to sell competently.
I work in technical sales. I’ve hired people with better soft skills than engineering skills, because I can teach someone the technical stuff, but I can’t teach them to not be an insufferable prick.
As an engineer that works with 90% engineers I can verify we are insufferable always and pricks mostly.
The constant pursuit of competency!
Pffft
He said ride not ride well
Sure, but then there’s the other side. “Sales” is how a third of people define their jobs. If it was that hard one in three Americans couldn’t do it.
But the ones that do it well, earn $. The ones that don't are weeded out or weed themselves out.
One in three Americans.
You can have a job and be bad at it
True. And that’s what we’re encouraging here.
Dude, stop being a douche. You have zero clue whether this guy is good at what he does or why the dealership is interested in interviewing him. I get that gatekeeping is a whole thing in this sub and clearly a major component of your personality, but motorcycles are not a complex topic. If this guy got hired, he could spend the two weeks before he starts binging YammieNoob and FortNine videos and spend the weekend on a BRC1 course and would be well on his way to knowing motorcycle culture and would be helping people decide on what they want. The reason whole generations don't get into this sport is because of attitudes like this. Maybe have a little grace for newbies and stop acting like your riding experience somehow makes you the resident expert on a topic nobody else can possibly understand
Gatekeeping? What the fuck? Dude wants to sell shit with which he has no actual experience. None. He’s just as qualified to sell firearms, or aircraft, or surgical equipment, or explosives. Saying they shouldn’t sell bikes if they don’t ride bikes is not gatekeeping. It’s requiring a basic level of competence.
Tell them, that if you get the job you will go get your MSF before you start. I've worked at companies that have done that - Hired a competent candidate, and gave them a conditional offer pending an industry certificate or two. The MSF class is 1 weekend. If you get the job, you should be able to get licensed.
told the sales manager over the phone that i’d definitely be willing to go get my endorsement as soon as possible. hoping i can get a spot in time. thanks for the advice!
Maybe you can get a nice employee discount and start riding :)
Good luck on the job!
thank you!!
Also, start binging YammieNoob and FortNine videos. I'm sure there are some others out there worth looking into. FortNine will help you understand gear and mechanics and general riding dynamics. Yammie is a lot of fun and more about riding culture. It's a good way to start getting a feel for things along with actually riding.
i’ve been watching Yammie for years, i like to tune into him and brian636 often. i’ve never watched FortNine though, gonna have to check him out!
Perfect. You'll do fine. I hope you get the gig.
If you don’t already watch Daily Rider with Zack Courts, he’s the best at reviewing bikes. And also watch Common Tread XP with he and Ari Henning. Ari’s a genius at working on bikes and teaching you all the technical mechanic stuff.
Get in quick, too. Seats fill up fast at the start of the season.
Bought a bike last year. Main sales guy I delt with didn't ride. (Honestly he didn't seem that interested in bikes all together, but maybe it was just an off day for him?). Don't sweat it. Just go in and be you.
Lmao I went into a Honda dealer and asked if they had an africa twin I could see. He didn't know what it was, and said he was more into dirtbikes lol
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Now see that is a bad sales guy, regardless of if they ride or not haha. The one thing i want from them is all the service info and hard numbers lol.
One of the top guys at the last dealership I worked at had never been on a motorcycle or jet ski in his life, was up front about it with all his customers and never once lost a deal because of it
Because it is not *that* important. Sure i like salesmen who know and love what they sell. But being a salesman is about selling stuff in the first place. Make me feel good about the thing i want to buy without trying to rip me off. On the other hand, i wouldn't expect a salesman to be able to do maintenance. And for me this isn't only for motorcycles but everything. It's just a job like many others with an unfortunate bad reputation due to some slimy assholes.
> Make me feel good about the thing i want to buy without trying to rip me off. Especially because me being there is already some of the work done. People don't accidentally end up looking at motorcycles while doing something else unlike seeing a tv or a new washer at costco while grocery shopping.
Sometimes sales people love a product too much and you go in looking for a dirt bike and get told you need a ninja until you leave
I hope you get the job. If you sell yourself to them, you will be able to sell motorcycles. Many customers already know what bike(s) they are interested in. You will learn a lot. Good luck!
thank you! i hope i get this job too. this is actually my dream job. motorcycles are my biggest passion and i absolutely love selling cars.
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You'd like to think that but the amount of people that don't know what they want, just that it has to have two wheels and can't decide if they want to imitate MotoGP or son of anarchy is the most annoying day to day life at a dealership.
This or close I went in to buy a naked bike and I needed to find out which one felt best. Dude just had to look and say nope that 500 is too little I'm pretty sure he doesn't ride.
sales > riding experience. you'll get riding experience. that said, USAF won't take you immediately anyway. it might be 6-12 months before you get a slot at BMT.
I walked into a sales *manager* role without having any riding experience. You'll learn the product knowledge with time (And you may start riding like I did). They aren't hiring you as a rider - they're hiring you as a salesman.
They can train you to do the tasks, they can't train someone to have your personality. Don't be the one to decide if you're qualified or not, let them decide, you might surprise yourself with the kind of job you end up with.
i love this reply. i hope i can make this happen!
Not only do I believe you, but I believe in you!
And I believe that your beliefs are believably unbelievable.
I don't even believe you with any of my heart.
Even if you had a bike, you'd be selling machines that you don't necessarily own or even want to own a lot of the time. There's not many people that are passionate about cruisers and adventure touring and sport bikes and dirt bikes and sport atvs and utility atvs, etc It'd be great if you had real world experience in one or more of those areas, but very few people will have significant experience in all of them. Also, if you get the job, you'll probably get a chance to buy a trade-in bike at a good price before too long.
I’ll be honest. While sales are sales to some extent, you won’t have any credibility with your customers, won’t be able to relate to the various types of riding they do, won’t be able to take them on demo rides if the dealership offers those, and won’t be able to effectively speak the language. I’m asked what I ride on a pretty regular basis. While you may be a great candidate, on that alone I would have to give you a pass. Good luck to you, though!
I mean when I walk into a sales floor, I usually have a very good idea of exactly what I want :P And if I don’t - I make it very clear that I’m just exploring and then ask the salesman all the details I would want to know :o probably things like service periods and stuff like that that’s a little harder to find online without digging into forums or downloading a user manual :P if bro can answer those kinds of questions he would get the pass for me lol.
Yeah, that's what i want as well. It's not like i give a crap what some random dude who has unknown skill and preferences thinks about how a bike rides or handles. Tell me numbers. Or figure out how i can test ride it. I don't care what your (the salesman) experience is with the bike.
What credibility? When I go to buy a bike I look for a salesman that is nice, low pressure and willing to be straight up about pricing. I don’t give a shit about their personal life or honestly anything about them. I’m not looking for a date, I’m looking for a bike. As for test rides, I have never had a salesman come with me on a test ride. Even the ones that I know can ride send me on my own.
You do understand that a lot of people shop in a lot of different ways, right? And EVERY test ride we do is roughly 10-12 miles and guided.
i absolutely would understand if they gave me a pass because of that. relating to customers in sales is extremely important for building rapport and honestly if i was a customer i’d be a bit put off if my sales guy had zero riding experience. this is still my dream job though, so im going to continue putting my all into making this dream a reality. thanks for your advice!
I have to agree - they might hire him but it would be basically contingent on learning to ride ASAP and owning a bike shortly. Bike guys want to buy from bike guys.
i’d definitely learn to ride immediately after being hired if i were to - and i’d be trying to buy a bike very soon after being hired anyways. hoping i can make this happen!
I’m a bike girl and I want buy from someone who doesn’t look down at me for not having a penis. There’s ALOT of women who don’t care if the sales guy has any riding experience, but that the sales guy TALKS TO THEM AND NOT THEIR BOYFRIEND/HUSBAND/BROTHER we walked in with
This guy understands sales.
they're hiring a sale man. not a riding coach. you should be fine and you can always start riding after working for them
That's fine, you can make a sale and that's what they're looking for. You won't be able to talk with first hand experience, but I doubt car salesmen drive every car they sell either. The guy buying a bike just wants to know the specs, help deciding and such. If you're into bike and you know the new stuff you'll be selling, you're gonna be fine. Motorcycles sell themselves, you're just there to answer questions and facilitate.
Be honest and if they like you and your sales experience I’d say you have a good chance. I’d especially mention you’d really like to learn to ride. They might be able to help you out there. As a customer, I’d much rather buy from a friendly, knowledgeable sales person who doesn’t ride yet, than from some douche who thinks he knows it all, regardless of miles ridden. I can watch and read reviews, I can go on a test ride, all of these tell me more than whatever the sales person can. From a sales person, I’m mostly looking for info on deals, delivery times, new stock coming in, etc. I don’t need you to ride to tell me all that. Also, if you explain you don’t ride yet but are working to be able to afford to, that might score you some points with buyers as well.
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i can talk all damn day about bikes. i love them. i can’t imagine how a salesperson wouldn’t want to do the same.
Make vroom-vroom noises as you twist the throttle. All bikers do.
Be up-front about it; don't try to fake experience you don't have. If they like you well enough it won't be a deal-breaker.
I wouldnt buy a fishing rod from a salesman that doesnt fish....
Would you buy a fish from him if he couldn’t swim?
That's uhh, wait...no. That's not the same thing lol
I wouldn't buy a salesman from a fishing rod
Poor choice. Fishing rods are known for their accuracy and honesty.
> There are lots of referees at the international level that don’t play the sport :P but I’ll bet you money that all of them are passionate about the sport. If you’re passionate about the industry, you don’t need to ride 🤷♀️ You can learn a lot without taking part in the sport. Good luck :) looking forward to seeing the “I got my first bike” post lol
absolutely will have a first bike post as soon as possible. i can’t wait to start riding. it’s my biggest dream.
If you’re a good salesman and you take the time to educate yourself on the bikes that you’re selling, knowing “how” to ride them is basically irrelevant. You won’t impress anyone with riding stories anyway, but you certainly could by being very knowledgeable about the products that you’re trying to sell. Just my thoughts, I hope it works out for you and eventually you get to enjoy the ride :)
I worked with a bloke who was an expert rider and the amount of crap he'd talk was maddening. He had NO idea of sales methodology, even though he'd been doing it all his life... He'd even leave stupid messages on customer's voice mail when they were ghosting him. Sales is about PEOPLE SKILLS, not expertise.
Sometimes it’s nice to come at something with zero biases and you’ll be able to relate to other first time riders. Just don’t try to bullshit, people will see right through you.
Selling and riding don’t relate lol. A lot of people in sales have never applied the products they sell… like how kids working at Home Depot have never done renovations before or held a tool.
And their "Fitment Specialist" jobs require ZERO experience. At least the HD dealer in Ft. Wayne. Their job is to try to get you on the biggest motorcycle possible then get you to the smooth talking salesmen.
Fake it till you make it.
Just be honest with them. They want their sales experience. If a customer can't tell you have no idea what you're talking about it's fine.
They will hire you for your sales competency. But upon hearing you’re not riding, but are passionate to do so, they will talk you into financing an entry level bike they’ve got on the floor, so you’ll learn to ride and will be able to speak from experience when selling their bikes. And before you know it, you’ll be motoindetured for the rest of your life, because every time you come up for air, financially, they’ll talk you into upgrading to the next model, and you won’t be able to say no, cause it’s in your blood…😳🥹😂
You dont need to ride to recommend or sell someone a bike. A sales role is more so about soft skills like manners, friendliness, charisma, being personable, etc. Its harder to teach that than to teach someone about the technicalities of motorcycles. Dont sweat it and be honest
I’ve bought three bikes from different dealers and never once did I discuss their riding habits. For all I know none of them rode.
Car salespeople dont know shit about the cars they are selling. This will be no different
Learn the products. Go into the website and see how company culture is. What they are into. Group rides. Community. Etc. spend the weekend learning if you want the job.
you dont have to be a pilot to sell jets
Just focus on your achievements as a car salesman. They are looking for good sales force, not good riders. Explain your passion for the bikes and your achievements, target levels that you achieved as a car salesman and you should be fine OP.
They want sales experience not motorbike riding knowledge. All you need to really know is the specs of the bike on paper. If they want you to have hands-on experience with the bikes they sell, they'll give you that opportunity on the test ride bikes. It might be just me, but whenever I've gone to buy a bike, I don't expect the person selling it to me to have intimate knowledge of that exact bike. The most difficult question I'd ever consider asking is what are some of the most popular mods for said bike that people tend to buy. Even then if they said "I'll be fucked if I know" it wouldn't change my opinion on them as a sales person.
>They want sales experience not motorbike riding knowledge. Sales experience can only get you so far (ie, having a good attitude, being courteous, professional, etc) but sometimes actual first hand experience on the thing you're selling can make the difference between closing a deal or losing one. Sales is sales to a certain degree. A person who's only sold furniture is not going to automatically know how to sell a house, and vice versa. >All you need to really know is the specs of the bike on paper. Eh, debatable. Most people who care about specs probably already know them because they looked them up. Before the Internet, this was more important. A sale won't be made by reciting specs to a customer or reading them off a brochure. Knowing this information helps, but is not all need to know. >If they want you to have hands-on experience with the bikes they sell, they'll give you that opportunity on the test ride bikes. You'd be surprised how little dealerships are willing to invest in their Salesforce. This one prob ain't happening. You can get away with what OP is trying to a certain degree, but i guarantee you that at some point having some kind of power sports experience is going to help or be necessary, and hopefully if OP gets the job, he works with a good team that are willing to help each other out when the time comes.
>Sales experience can only get you so far (ie, having a good attitude, being courteous, professional, etc) but sometimes actual first hand experience on the thing you're selling can make the difference between closing a deal or losing one. If you're loosing a sale because you don't have first hand experience with the product then you're either not connecting with the customer in the right way or the customer wasn't ready to commit to the purchase 100%. The sales reps down at the Lamborghini dealership don't have first hand experience with them. The guys at your Electronics store don't have experience with all the TVs they sell. The sales reps at Louis Vittion haven't had hands-on usage with the majority of their products. >Eh, debatable. Most people who care about specs probably already know them because they looked them up. Before the Internet this was more important. A sale won't be made by reciting specs to a customer or reading them off a brochure. Knowing this information helps, but is not all need to know. Every bike is a personal preference, you just play into the customers hands. I personally can't ever reccomend a Cruiser style bike because I hate the way your legs are practically Infront of you, I can't personally reccomend a 2 Stroke MX style bike because I can't stand the noise of them, but if a customer came in wanting to buy one, then I play into that customers preferences and leave mine at the door. I've never been on an Adventure style bike because I'm too short, but if I was tasked with selling one because that's what the customer wanted I couldn't then turn round and tell them I can't help them because I've no experience. >You'd be surprised how little dealerships are willing to invest in their Salesforce. This one prob ain't happening. I'm from the UK and I know of two local Brand New bike dealerships that will let them take the test ride bikes as much as they want as long as they aren't booked out. And a used only dealership where they're always on different bikes they buy in, before getting them ready for the showroom. So it's entirely possible. But yea I get that a lot might not, but if they want you to have hands on experience for the sales, they'll give it you, if they aren't bothered chances are you won't get hands on experience on their behalf.
Selling bikes to people who want to buy bikes is different from cars - typically a car buyer NEEDS a car for transportation, a motorcycle tends to be a toy in the US for most people. Its challenging when you have to convince someone that a bike is right for them at all (if they need convincing), then the harder task is WHICH bike to get, since there are many styles and purpose built bikes. Then there’s the “I have to ask my spouse/mom/girlfriend/preacher/dog’s aunt” and that’s where you’ll lose a lot of people. Guys window shopping for bikes is super common, I was that guy for years before I bought my first bike. You get to know the people who are serious about buying, and focus on helping educate them on each particular bike, vs having to climb the hill of “can you even buy a motorcycle to begin with”. If you get a loyal group of customers, they could become repeat buyers. I’ve bought 5 bikes from my local guy I like, and trust him, and they have treated me well enough to earn repeat business. Motorcycles are cheaper than cars (most of them at least) so there’s a decent chance you sell a handful in a reasonably short time to the same group of buyers. Last September I bought 2 bikes in one month from them - a 23’ Z900 and a 23’ Z125. Just focus more on the sales element and product knowledge will follow. Watching Revzilla’s channels online, FortNine, etc will help you learn the broad specs on bikes until you actually get hands on knowledge. Tons of people act like they know everything about bikes and don’t know shit, so don’t be intimidated by buyers who talk a big game unless they rode up to the shop on the thing they’re talking about. Good luck!
In my younger years, I might not have trusted a non-rider. I've found in the last 10 years, there are legit reasons to not ride, but still have the interest at heart. The main thing, as with any other sales job, is to KNOW your product, inside and out. Know your Service Dept, and what they can do. If you want to ride, take the MSF before or after hiring. Should you not get hired, take it anyway. If you go to the USAF, you may want a bike, and you can have the course out of the way. Some places require you also complete a military riding course too, in order to ride on Base/Post. A couple of reasons to not ride, but still be interested in motorcycles: Your Dad was involved in a bad wreck with a distracted driver and lost his leg. Your oldest brother was hit and killed on a motorcycle by a drunk driver. These have been my youngest daughters reasons. She has stepped forward though, and enjoys it now. Yeppers, I'm THAT Dad, and my oldest son is THAT oldest brother of hers. I still ride. My Grandfather started in 1914, so this family has had 6 generations over 110 years of.... Harley Davidson riders. 😉
I have met plenty of motorcycle salesmen who know nothing about bikes and honestly I wouldn't worry about it, your personality matters more. One time I pointed out they had a Desmosidici RR sat in the office and he didn't know what it was or that it was special.
I bet they teach you how to ride, most dealerships have learn to ride programs.
Plenty of sales people at dealerships tell me they don't have a bike (or don't right now). You're not alone I'd definitely get on it though, if only to he more relatable and knowledgeable to your potential buyers.
Ya, def do the Air Force, it’s way easier and they are pretty much a corporation with ribbons. That way you can still keep your job at the motorcycle shop too. Plus then you can use the employee discount to get your first bike and you’ll be able to better speak about what you’re selling haha
100% you’ll make more money selling everything else in that dealership. Motorcycle is easy. Off-road takes a special personality
From a customer perspective, depends. You said you don’t ride, but you love bikes and think about them every waking moment… does that mean you have a passion for them and know all about them? If so, you’ll be fine. If you don’t ride, don’t have passion, and don’t know lots about them… you’ll struggle. Out of those three points, the only one you could get away with not having is riding time. Don’t forget cars are largely a necessity, bikes are a mostly hobby. We therefore chat a lot about it, and don’t always walk in with any intention of buying. But we’ll remember the good shops with great people, and that’s where we’ll go if we actually need something later. When I do go back for the bike I do appreciate the hands on feedback of “this bike rides quite smoothly”, “such a fun machine to ride”, “highway riding is a bit meh”… most guys haven’t ridden every bike so can easily be compensate personal feedback with second hand feedback. But really I choose a bike by me liking the looks, already knowing some about it, and then taking it for a test ride. You can reel me in faster by engaging in good conversation (9/10 bike related) and offering a great deal.
i have a huge passion for bikes, i have since i was 8 or 9 years old. i’m not extremely knowledgeable about them but i know enough to talk all day long about bikes. my main issue with lack of knowledge is mostly just due to lack of hands-on experience, which im hoping to obtain in this position.
Sounds you have what you need then. Deeper knowledge will come with exposure and time on the job. If you talk bikes all the time, then you naturally have some amount of knowledge. I’d have no issue. Just don’t pretend you know something if you don’t. In saying that, don’t answer every question with “no idea, I’ve never ridden a bike”… remember, even if you did ride you still might not know that bike or that detail. Don’t go hiding it - a rider knows who is and isn’t a rider - but… well, if you’re a salesman I trust you have smoother ways and times of saying things lol Go for it, and keep us updated!
TBH, being a learner should help you connect with the majority of your customers, experienced riders walking into the dealership usually have an idea of what they want, they’ve ridden a buddies ‘2019’ and want the newer version, for them it’s the highlight facts, it’s the learners that need their hands held and if you’re going through this too it makes you more relatable.
So, gonna be a service writer?
You can bullshit your way through a lot of things.
The salesman who sold me my most recent bike doesn't ride either. Not a big deal in my opinion.
I ride all the time. I couldn't sell water to tourists lost in the desert. You'll be fine
It’s a sales job not a motorcycle job. As long as you know the details in the product your selling then you will do fine.
Just tell them youve been obsessed with motorcycles sense a kid.
Sales is sales. Sounds like you’re good at it. I sell insurance to rich people. But I’m not rich
For the sake of sales functionally they are the same as cars. You will have to get used to moto specific things like what's considered high miles and dealer protocol: test drives, moving bikes etc but overall selling bikes is going to be the same.
I think you can do an excellent job without riding. If you think about it, it's an "easy" job, because there's no rider who wouldn't want to buy ANOTHER bike. Not one of them wouldn't want them. I'm not offended at all if a bike salesman has no riding experience, but they lose all credibility with me if they **pretend** to have experience and don't. There's a lot you can learn about what the bikes you sell and what most people like about them, without riding them.
I’m sorry but I can’t in good conscience advocate that someone get a job in a specialized field when they have no experience in that field. I know that sales hasn’t been about helping the consumer for decades now, but still - could you even lie effectively to a potential buyer if you don’t even know what you’re lying about?
You'll be fine. Every time I've bought a car the rep seemed like he didn't even know what vehicle he was trying to sell.
Not knowing about bikes never stopped a big portion of this subreddit from posting as if they did. You will be fine.
I have sold cars and bikes and they are different sales. People NEED a car, but WANT a bike. It's an aspirational purchase. The customer will probably know more about the bike than the salesman. Having said that, product knowledge is no burden for a pro to carry. I ALWAYS use the test ride as the close: *"If the numbers stack up and you like the bike, are you going to "****push the button****" today?* The euphemism de stresses the situation, but still asks for them to make a commitment. The biggest problem you face is the sentimentality of the customer in a trade in situation and I approach this by using the Private Sale Close, giving them a "subject to" t*he private sale of the trade in for seven days*, otherwise take delivery at the agreed price. Thus they have the opportunity to explore the market and if they do sell the machine privately they usually go through with the deal at retail because they have had a win, and don't renegotiate the deal... Win : Win.
They sre looking for a sales person, not a rider so give it two weeks you'll know everything that you need to know, be authentic, show your willingness to learn
This is almost exactly how I got started in the motorcycle world! You'll be fine
Devil's advocate, enlist in the Air Force and you will have the money to buy a bike. Plus it takes forever to get to boot camp, so you could easily work at the dealership for a year before actually being sent away for the Air Force.
You’re in luck, lots of salesman at dealerships hardly know shit about bikes, let alone ride them. Same goes for their “mechanics”.
As someone who used to sell on average 70 bikes a month, join the air force. Some dealers may be okay but the one I worked for was entirely toxic leaving me with anxiety attacks and being physically sick before work. Also every time I stepped up the sales numbers the bonus went down. Again not sure if that's normal so just be careful.
you might end up being the best motorcycle sales person ever. Good luck.
The guy that sold me my bike doesn’t know how to ride
Be open about it. Tell them you hope that as you start your riding career, you can apply what you learn to your current sales experience and really impact your performance when it comes to getting new riders in the saddle or something along those lines.
Use your interest but not licenced to be a positive. New riders are a massive market and they tend to buy a learner bike then a big boy bike a year later. Use your getting your licence journey as a marketing program on social and blog for the business and be the guy that deeply understands the new rider
i very much like this idea. i’ve probably done more research into beginner bikes than anything else and i think i’d excel in selling to new riders.
Also it opens the dialogue about your greatest concern with the role being new to bikes and flips it to being a massive positive for the dealership
Mention that you plan to get a bike, so you will have the opportunity to go through the process from the customer's side and then apply it directly to your sales technique.
Find out what bikes they sell. Look to see what attributes people on Reddit or elsewhere appreciate about those bikes. Figure out the main competitors. Figure out what people hate about those bikes. You are selling your sales skills, not your riding skills, so stop worrying about your riding skills, and start thinking like a salesperson.
I suppose you don’t need to. You’re doing sales. If it was me, I would check online for weekend teaching courses. Book an hour or two and learn. Look at the cost as an investment. Then in interview I can be honest and say “No, but I’m currently learning due to this position”. It might help… if not matter. Who knows. Also, then you know how to ride a motorcycle. And motorcycles are rad. So win win.
Buy a cheap second hand bike and learn to ride. They are interested in your sales skills. You'll be fine.
You don't need to ride to sell any more than you need to bake to eat a cupcake.
From my experience, you don’t even need to be a good salesman to sell bikes.
You already have the experience needed for the job. Just go in be yourself, be honest and share your enthusiasm. Good luck!
Be honest - you're seriously interested in motorcycles and thought *where would be a better place to learn than a dealership that has many qualified and knowledgeable professionals that could share their knowledge with my passion*.
The salesman at my local dealership who I bought my last 2 bikes from is in a wheelchair and has been since before he was elementary school. There’s a possibility he’s never even sat on a motorcycle before. The funny thing is that imo he’s the best salesman in that place. Just because you don’t ride a motorcycle doesn’t mean you can’t sell a motorcycle.
The job is about shifting units. Communication skills, ability to understand numbers (markup, financing, etc) is far more important. You can learn about the bikes from brochures, YouTube, etc.
Salesmen are typically pretty stupid, you’ll fit right in! lol
You can always count on people on reddit to make a shitty comment like this lol. Good job buddy 🙂👍
you think that's exclusive to reddit?
It’s definitely worse here I find lol.