.....happens every year at this time ! Sat around my shop twiddling my thumbs whilst your bikes are wrapped up in the garage, then come March/April I get inundated with major works which means routine stuff gets turned away or delayed
So, if you were thinking of having me spanner your Buell, get it in over the next few months so it's ready for the new season
Not sure how many more winters I can survive ?......use me or lose me

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Mithered ta death.
92 MB
96 S2T
98 S1W
00 M2
01 X1
03 P3
10 CR

You should be living off your fat in winter

Colin, my window of work each year is around 5 months, whatever I make over that period disappears in overheads during the winter months.....happens every year but since 2009 work has dropped off steadily, as you'd expect.
Hopefully, if I can ride it out until March/April next year and if work does come back ? the whole process will start again. I literally work to cover overheads and haven't made any profit/paid tax since 2009, my accountant thinks I'm mental and can't believe I won't jack it in but what else would I do ?
Peeps always think I'm being over dramatic but I very nearly had to shut shop last year....I love my job and don't really need much to keep the shop open but I at least have to make the overheads, like I keep saying, if people genuinely want a Buell specialist in the UK, then I'm the last man still standing and they have to support me or lose me.

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Mithered ta death.
92 MB
96 S2T
98 S1W
00 M2
01 X1
03 P3
10 CR

Was the same in the Building , trying to find inside work this time of year to see you through winter , January being the worse for work weatherwise. A lot of Brighton scaffolders used to spend two months in Ladyboy land along with the roofers . Might have some work for you beginning of the new year .

is right, use him or loose him. His hourly rate is minimal, you will never find any othe expert in their field charging such a very affordable rate. Having him working on your bike during the winter months means you have even more of the mans time to utilise. He has saved me many pounds & probably machanical disaster, at the hands of other " experts " Even for me being a lazy Southerner it's a no brainier, just needs a little planning. You'll get an education free as well. Winner winner.

But you guys have no, or very little overheads......my shop rent is £600 per month plus quarterly utility bills, at the end of this month my vehicle needs road tax £325, 7th December my business insurance is due, was £6,800 last year, also in December my Redcare alarm subs are due £350, January will see accountant bill for tax affairs.Fortunately my home mortgage is paid off but just like everyone else I have utility bills, council tax, food to buy etc. etc.....my current bank balance plus my agreed overdraft limit of 3.5K means you wouldn't need a calculator to work out that by the end of Jan I'll be verging on bankruptcy ! same as last year

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Mithered ta death.
92 MB
96 S2T
98 S1W
00 M2
01 X1
03 P3
10 CR

Sorry Maz, I can't book one of mine in until October/November 2020. I feel your pain. I had no work at all between December 2014 and May 2016. I'd still have no work if I hadn't hiked my tripe around Oman, Korea and Australia . I hope to get off the fu**ing tread mill next year at last. I sincerely hope you survive that long in the shop.

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Try doing this to yer fueller...........

I charge £15 an hour for fully qualified Carpenter , and it`s hard to get full employment as there are so.....many chancers doing it for slightly less. If I charge more there is no work, simple. All people want is the cheapest here . I fucked my accountant off yrs ago when they wanted a 5% increase. Make it up myself now. Still end up with f-all . At least I`m alive unlike my Mum who died yesterday. Better make a start on that MDF coffin.

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Feros Ferio

That's a lot of money to pay out before you even pocket anything
Rental down your way is very high

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2017 KTM 690 Duke
2001 M2
2019 Street Triple RS
2004 Monster S4R
Wilier La Triestina

See you ASAP

I think you might have done too good a job on my XB 4 years ago Maz as it has hardly missed a beat (except for my own occasional oversights ), but l’ve only done 5000 miles in that time.

MOT is on Friday so l’ll see what niggles they find. Most items are only halfway between scheduled service, but l’m sure that you could give it a look over and plug it in for a diagnostic sometime this winter?

You’ve found stuff before on my XB l was totally oblivious to at the time!

Sorry for your loss TOPPGUMM, that’s a hard one l know.

could you not become more of a cottage industry to reduce costs?

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Time flies like an arrow,fruit flies like a banana.