Factory Motor Sports
By
Sean Coker
 In
a building that once sold cars, there is now a motorcycle dealership
doing something a little different. “My big focus is to avoid the
car dealership mentality,” says owner Rob Johns with a smile. Rob
took over Action Motorsports in Oregon City on May 1 this year,
bringing with him some familiar faces and new, or might they be old,
approaches to motorcycle sales. “I want to employ people who ride
and create a relationship with the customer.” Overseeing day-to-day
operations, Rob is a very busy man, yet he still manages to get out
and ride “as often as I can.” A rider-run shop is just one of the
ways Factory Motor Sports is doing something different from a number
of dealers in the Portland metro area these days.
The fact remains that all dealers are selling bikes at around the
same price point. Many dealerships are just there to make the sale,
while Factory sees the bike as just the beginning of the
relationship. “You're not just buying a bike. We take the opportunity
to enhance everyone’s riding experience,” explains Rob. As a
customer himself, too often Rob has watched people buying brand new
bikes who didn’t have money for a decent helmet, or a dirt
bike without tie downs. Rob and his staff came up with a
checklist of items customers might consider purchasing to enhance
their riding experience. Some are essential to safe riding while
others are mere suggestions.
How else is Factory Motor Sports making a difference?
Unique Factory service plans. The plan covers all scheduled
motorcycle maintenance and includes fresh rubber once a year.
“People are now able to finance the bike and all of its maintenance
at once,” explains Rob. The service plans make owning and operating
a motorcycle a little easier. The plans also mean that meticulous
records will be kept, which increases the value of the bike on
resale. But how is the service?
Good service starts with a knowledgeable staff, which is why Rob
has hired an experienced and passionate crew. Mark Miller is in
charge of parts and is the man to speak to if you need Excel rims
for your super-motard or main jets for your water buffalo. Steve
McCall is the head mechanic and is there for tune-ups or to help you
figure out your proper valve shim size.
A recent addition to the Factory family is long-time motorcycling
ambassador Erik Folkstead. Eric runs the finance department, and is
there to make sure you get the most bike for your buck. Folkstead
formerly worked at Pro Caliber in Vancouver, Washington, and is best known
for his work developing, along with his brother Steve, the Hell’s
Canyon Motorcycle Rally held each year in Baker City, Oregon.
Ernie Valesco runs the sales department. “I’m an ex-road racer,”
explains Ernie, who rides a 2007 GSXR 1000. “And I like everything
fast.” When pressed for comment as to what is the hot selling bike
these days, Ernie laughs and responds, “When it’s warm out,
everything sportbike sells.”
Now that you know who's behind Factory Motor Sports, stop by
and introduce yourself. With a dedicated staff with decades of
experience, Factory Motor Sports might just be your new favorite
motorcycle shop.
Factory Motor Sports
1301 Main Street Oregon City OR 97045
503.607.2200
http://www.factoryms.com/ |
