Duc Pond Motosports – Winchester, VA – Aug. 13, 2007
CONTACT
Duc Pond Motosports
663 N. Loudoun St.
Winchester, Va. 22601
540/667-3498
www.ducpond.com
OWNERS
Donnie and Julia Unger
BUSINESS PROFILE
Duc Pond Motosports is the next incarnation of Donnie Unger’s lifelong involvement in the industry and with Ducati. Unger spent a storied 20 seasons racing motorcycles, starting out as an amateur in 1983 and later turning pro. In 1987, he bought his first Ducati and started racing for the Italian bike manufacturer. During his racing days, Unger collected 19 regional championships and was the 2001 national middleweight sportsman champion. Consequently, he gathered a significant amount of name recognition and a solid first customer base for Duc Pond Motosports. Unger left racing after a debilitating accident in October 2002 and, after a lengthy time in rehabilitation, moved to open Duc Pond Motosports in December 2006 along with his wife, Julia. Although the 5,000-square-feet dealership has Ducati and MV Agusta motorcycles, Duc Pond’s main focus is service. Unger himself spends the majority of his time in the shop lending his years of track expertise to many of the bikes that pass through.
GREATEST CONCERN
Keeping customers happy and getting them the best service possible is at the front of Unger’s mind for his young dealership. “Being that we’re in a middle- to upper-class of customer base, they’re pretty demanding,” Unger said. “They want customer service and for you to be straightforward. They don’t put up with ordering next week when they know we can order any day.”
Unger also wants to cultivate in his customers a healthy respect for bikes and the road. Luckily, most of his customers come into the dealership knowing that, thanks to Duc Pond’s main demographic, he said.
WHAT’S HOT
Duc Pond has carried Ducati motorcycles since its doors opened and added MV Agusta more recently. Ducati’s 1098s have far outpaced any other units sales, particularly because of its innovative Italian styling, Unger said. The 695 Monster also has been selling well at the dealership.
CUSTOMER BUYING TRENDS
Unger knows his target demographic. “Our customer base is middle- to upper-income, typically white collar and Internet savvy,” Unger said. “Most know what they want when they come in the door. They’re not necessarily mechanically inclined, but they know what they [product] want and [service they] want done. We’re there to maintain their motorcycle and take care of their needs.”
PARTS AND SERVICE
Parts, accessories and service are the stars at Duc Pond Motosports. “Selling motorcycles is a bonus,” Unger said. “The rest follows.” The service department, in particular, is the centerpiece for the dealership.
Customers bring in their Ducatis to have Donnie Unger work on them. A couple of younger, certified mechanics accompany Unger in the shop, but he runs the show. Bikes are well cared for, he says. “We don’t push bikes out the door,” Unger said.
PROMOTIONAL HOME RUNS
The dealership has traditional ads on the radio but has invested a lot to make its Web site stand out among other dealer sites. Duc Pond contracted an outside company to design the Ducati-esque site. Even though it’s been open less than a year, the dealership has already hosted three open houses. Most recently, a Ducati Hypermotard open house and track day was highly successful, Unger said.
WORDS OF ADVICE
“Take care of your customers; treat ’em like gold,” Unger said.
— Lisa Young