Power Profiles

Stone Mountain Harley-Davidson/Buell – Lilburn, GA – March 10, 2003

CONTACT
2060 Ross Road
Lilburn, GA 30047
770/979-7999
www.stonemountainhd.com

OWNER
Greg Becker

BUSINESS PROFILE
38,000 sq. ft. dealership founded in November 1998 as a startup, two miles east of Georgia’s famed Stone Mountain State Park. Carries Harley-Davidson and Buell. 58 employees.

GREATEST CONCERN
“The potential noise ordinances are going to limit a lot of aftermarket sales,” says Cameron Ayer, who started with Stone Mountain as a salesperson and was promoted to General Manager. “Also, people seem to have a negative connotation of bikers as a whole — until they realize how much charity work we support. At Stone Mountain we host four or five major charity rides every year, so we raise a lot of money.”

WHAT’S HOT?
Solid at Stone Mountain: the Heritage Softail and the Road King Classic. “We don’t sell as many aftermarket items as some dealers because we pretty much move all Harley-Davidson parts,” says Ayer. “We do a good bit with wheels and custom paint work. In Georgia, riding is a year-’round thing.”

CUSTOMER BUYING TRENDS
Ayer says Stone Mountain doesn’t have a “typical” customer. “We pull in all walks of life, from average Joe construction workers, to high-end business executives, to kids just out of college. We try not to limit our customer base, and (we) reach out to all people.” Ayer and his staff have seen the used-bike market slow down, due to the economy. “Other than that, we’ve seen a steady increase in growth every year in new bike sales, MotorClothes, and parts.” Business is so good, in fact, that Stone Mountain is opening a new separate retail location in Conyers, Ga., 20 miles east.

PARTS AND SERVICE
Stone Mountain has nine to 10 full-time technicians, all Harley PHD-certified, plus eight full-time employees in parts. “We’re always increasing the business, trying new markets and new ideas,” says Ayer. “We have a painter now who’s doing a lot of custom work for us, and we’re expanding our custom-bike business in general.”

vPROMOTIONAL HOME RUNS
Stone Mountain has a couple of group rides planned in conjunction with the Motor Company’s centennial. “We will leave from Atlanta and pick up the group in Memphis, then ride all the way to Milwaukee,” says Ayer. “We have hotel rooms already reserved, and are expecting 200 to 300 attendees. We have one of the largest HOG chapters in the country — almost 1,400 members.”

WORDS OF ADVICE
“There are 700 Harley-Davidson dealers throughout the country that all sell the same products,” notes Ayer. “The main thing we focus on is customer service. Having the employees to support the product and treat the customers like they’re the king of the world means customers will keep coming back to you.

“This is a fun, lighthearted environment to work in. Everybody here has a passion for the business; they’re not just here to collect a paycheck. Three-quarters of the employees have their own motorcycles and ride every day.”

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