Month: July 2020

Kessner Motorcycles in Adelaide are quite popular for those who lift in the northeastern side of the inner city, but are they worth going to?

We’ve written this unbiased review sharing our opinion on what they have to offer for the on-road and offroad motorcycling community. There is no commercial relationship between us and them.

Here at Frontaer, we’re an epic ADV and weekend dirt bike brand that’s changing the way consumers connect. We lead with value first and a great example is this guide:

https://www.frontaer.com/best-places-to-ride-near-adelaide/

How’s that for helping you sort out places about where to ride your dirt bike!

Kessner Motorcycles review

Getting motorcycle parts can be a pain. Either you call up the dealership or visit them in person and they sometimes don’t have what you’re chasing.

That’s the case with all of them including Kessner Motorcycles. Even the bigger online places like MX Store don’t have absolutely everything in stock.

But…where they can really help out is the bikes, gear and servicing. Most motorcycling stores are right on to that stuff.

Kessner Motorcycles really gets its praise there from consumers with reviews showing more than 4.5 stars across the board.

Inside the dealership

What’s it like inside? Well it’s certainly quite the experience if you’re a KTM-fanatic! They also sell new Suzukis and Husqvarnas as well as used bikes from the main manufacturers.

The layout is clean and organized with motorcycles outside providing space for you to genuinely walk around and inspect them. We’ve been in other dealerships where everything is space way too tightly and you’re bumping into other bikes and customers.

Out the front in their carpark, there is also heaps of space and you can bring in a trailer if you’re picking up an unregistered dirt bike. There’s plenty of space here.

Their history

What’s important is knowing the motorcycle dealership that you’re entering has actually built something big around itself. In this case, Kessner motorcycles has been around for 30 years now.

Today they are South Australia’s #1 Suzuki and KTM dealership paired with the spare parts to look after your machine for years to come. They started with a small store and now have one of the biggest in Adelaide.

One thing that they haven’t really transitioned to is online orders. There is a bit of an online store setup but there aren’t that many orders with most people in Adelaide choosing to make the drive into their Klemzig store.

Social media

One thing we’ve noticed with dealerships is their lack of adoption towards social media channels. In this case, Kessner Motorcycles only uses Facebook when their competition also uses Instagram.

This is a slight let down but things will transition in time. In the United States, many dealerships have transitioned towards using YouTube and we see that trend starting to happen here in Australia.

When looking at their Facebook page, more than 5,000 people have liked their page and there are 50+ reviews of Kessner Motorcycles online. Pretty impressive!

Final verdict on Kessner Motorcycles

So then with all that in mind, should you visit their dealership? Yes! They’re only 10 minutes outside of the CBD and do keep a lot of bikes and parts on hand.

Their used bikes change often so avoid looking at their website and instead call them up on (08) 8261 9955. If they don’t have what you’re chasing then consider using an online parts store instead and waiting a few days to a week for what you ordered to arrive.

Either way – they check out as a store who has been around for years with a strong reputation for excellence. Now twist that throttle and get riding!

Hinterland Motorcycles on the Gold Coast in Nerang are one of the smaller stores on the Glitter Strip, but are they worth visiting for bikes or gear?

We decided to write this unbiased review. Please note that we don’t have a commercial or business relationship with Hinterland Motorcycles. Just like you, we hear the ads on the radio quite often.

After all – we’re locals. In fact, we wrote the ultimate Gold Coast dirt biking spots guide that’s being shared around social media right now. Essentially there are offroad tracks around if you know where to look. 😉

Hinterland Motorcycles review

Have you been into dealerships these days? Most of them are suffering because of online sales and the staff are a bit jaded.

They’re over the people who simply come in for a ‘look and see’ and simply want customers to actually buy some products. Whether that’s a new motorcycle, some apparel or some parts. Either way – it’s KPIs and cash flow for the business.

We recently went into Hinterland Motorcycles and had a different experience. We went in to purchase a new jersey and left with even more gear because the sales team is very helpful and non-pushy.

This is the sort of place that we’d love to have our Frontaer products featured in. We’re totally over the dealers who are just out to make a buck and that’s it. The best businesses are those who go for the long play, which brings us on to our first point in this review.

Their history

We recommend looking for dealers who have been around for years and years, not those who just started yesterday. Yes – supporting the new business is wise but will they still be around in 6 months if issues arise?

With an established business, you know you’re getting a fair deal by a team who has genuine experience in the industry. They simply lead with their best prices and keep a clean operation.

With Hinterland Motorcycles, they have been at the same spot in Nerang now for 25 years with a strong reputation. Glenn and Colin have 40 years experience each in the industry to provide recommendations and advice, with their team more than knowledable as our experience has shown.

Social media following

We recommend checking out established social media followings with any companies you intend to buy from these days. That’s where people are right now – on social media or on Google. That’s how you found us here at Frontaer!

When we checked out Hinterland Motorcycles on Facebook recently we noticed how often they post. Not only this but they have LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram as well.

Some other dealers are also moving towards YouTube. This will happen in due time we’re sure as more people are comfortable enough to order from home.

At the end of the day though, this is a family-run business. They don’t have the marketing teams to deploy like the big giants in town.

Local knowledge

One of the great things about these guys is their local knowledge. We asked them some advice on local riding tracks for kids and they pointed us in the right direction. If you’re curious – we shared that in our guide above.

Also, as they’re local, you’ll know that they’re all about reputation. A lot of their customers keep coming back again and again. When buying from an online store, that money is generally going interstate or even overseas.

They can also source parts from Brisbane pretty quickly with their connections. If you’re itching for a weekend away but need something urgently, then they can sometimes pull some strings to make that happen.

Hinterland Motorcycles final verdict

So then should you head into their dealership? If you value family ethics and strong customer service, then yes! Our experience was more than expected.

They aren’t the biggest dealership on the Gold Coast and certainly don’t pretend to be. You won’t find 30 other people inside this store with kids running around, though they certainly welcome children.

Pro-tip: Head there mid-week when it’s quieter as there are complaints about how busy this place gets on a weekend.

At the end of the day, if you’re chasing a reliable Gold Coast motorcycle store, then there’s so few we’d recommend more than Hinterland Motorcycles.

Peter Stevens Motorcycles in Adelaide are the city’s biggest motorcycle dealership by far, but is it worth spending your hard-earned money here?

We’ve designed to create this unbiased review based on research and our opinion. There is no commercial business relationship between us and the Peter Stevens business empire.

Essentially we want consumers to get an independent opinion here as well as hope those into the dirt biking world. And yes Adelaide – we get you! Check this out:

7 Best Places to Ride A Dirt Bike near Adelaide

How is that for value?! Now you actually know where to ride right across South Australia. Neat!

Peter Stevens Motorcycles Adelaide review

We’re only talking about the Adelaide dealership here as the Peter Stevens Motorcycles stores actually are present in just about every city and state across Australia.

Just like you we’ve been into a bunch of dealerships. You learn pretty quickly who has a genuine operation and others who are simply operating with duck tape and zip ties.

In our experience, you sorta get what you pay for. If you pay a premium price then you get a premium service.

Customer experiences

When we evaluate any dealership, we really think about the customer experiences. Just like you we look at online reviews about Peter Stevens and then pass judgement.

Some of the common complaints stem around rudeness and arrogance. Personally we feel this is a small minority of people (both the sales guys and the customers) and for the most part, everyone does a pretty good job.

The reviews also show that they don’t always have all the parts you need in stock. This could mean waiting several days or up to a week (if there’s a public holiday) for your gear to come through from Sydney or Melbourne. That’s a quick way to spoil a weekend ride with mates.

The again if you order stuff online yourself from say MX Store then you’ll probably have a similar experience. It takes time for trucks to send stuff over.

Their history

What we love to see with any dealer is a clear history spanning many years. These guys have been in their same spot for years and years now with customers coming back month after month. That’s reputation.

They have also evolved with changing times too. They are one of the very few dealerships using YouTube to showcase their products. This is very popular in the United States but very few people are doing it here in Australia.

What we really love about these guys is that they don’t just stock to one brand and become raving fans. You’ll find all the brands of road and offroad motorcycles in their store located on Franklin St.

Ordering online

Peter Stevens have moved into the digital age and you can order your gear online. The only problem is that they don’t really offer a Click-and-Collect service for busy people.

For most people they still go into the store and pick up their gear from the racks. If you live outside of the city then ordering online is certainly the best way to go. The other online MX stores based in the eastern states just take way too long to get their stuff to you.

They also accept phone orders and they might be able to source you parts that aren’t available through their online platform.

Final verdict on Peter Stevens Adelaide

So then – should you open your wallet? Given their size and reputation, it’s pretty evident that you’ll be safe if you order from them.

If anything goes wrong, then that national buying power protects the consumer. Peter Stevens is one of the few stores we feel most comfortable spending dollars with (we’re dirt bike enthusiasts) and certainly our #1 pick to have Frontaer on the shelves in the coming months.

K & M Motorcycles is a Richmond-based motorcycle repair shop with a lot of positive reviews and customer experiences. But are they really that good?

We have no commercial business relationship with them and felt consumers could have an unbiased opinion. Frontaer is a brand within the adventure motorcycling fraternity that’s progressing in the world.

Let’s jump straight in!

K & M Motorcycles Review

There are really two sides to this company. Upfront you’ve got the sales side where you can purchase a new or used motorcycle. You can even purchase a K & M Built beast of a machine too!

Then you’ve got the other side: Parts. They sell a range of parts for both new and used motorcycles and if they don’t have the part in stock, then they can certainly source it for you!

The brands they stock include Triumph, Royal Enfield and Harley Davidson with some bikes dating back 50 years!

Customer experiences

K & M have a lot of positive reviews based on the top quality work that they do. They’ve been established in Adelaide since 1981 and people have grown to trust the name for quality over the years.

If you’re looking for a custom motorcycle in Adelaide, then this is the place to go! This place is very much old school and knows their stuff.

Some of their customer bikes have dated back to 1903 which is incredible.

Final verdict

So should you spend your hard-earned money with this mob? Well – that depends on how much you value a clean build and reputation.

They love what they do and have been doing it a long time. The workshop isn’t exactly pretty but that’s what it’s known for with stuff literally everywhere.

Adelaide might be a conservative city with cops everywhere but at least there’s an outlet to express what you really want.

K & M serves a unique market that loves the old school flair without the make-up and if that’s you, then you’ve found the perfect spot.