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Peter Hammond Motorcycles
Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 5:15 pm
by Richard Simpson Mark II
of Cirencester has closed. It opened as a BSA dealer in 1959.
Boss Dave Hammond (son of Peter) contested a couple of Dakar rallies.
The shop itself had a load of BSA-Triumph spares in stock (plus classic Honda and Suzuki) and (until recently) a Yamaha franchise. A proper 'old school' dealer.
Apparently the cost of installing a new Yamaha 'corporate look' was too much for this small country dealership. Another independent local business dies, and no doubt some big corporate will open a soulless showroom on an industrial estate in Swindon to sell Yamaha bikes on PCP while employing staff who have nil interest in their customers and no product knowledge. But they will have a false ceiling in 'charcoal' and that's what matters these days!
Miserable decor to go with the miserable staff and ugly bikes.
Sorry, Rant over!
Re: Peter Hammond Motorcycles
Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 9:45 pm
by Spike941
Oh no! They were my MOT testers of choice.
Re: Peter Hammond Motorcycles
Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 10:34 pm
by garyboy
used to live near there, but can't remember it....
but lets be positive .. any bike dealer sited anywhere accessible under any franchise is ,, surely .. a plus.
but i understand the loss of a well known dealer
Re: Peter Hammond Motorcycles
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 7:06 am
by johnnyboxer
Richard Simpson Mark II wrote:of Cirencester has closed. It opened as a BSA dealer in 1959.
Boss Dave Hammond (son of Peter) contested a couple of Dakar rallies.
The shop itself had a load of BSA-Triumph spares in stock (plus classic Honda and Suzuki) and (until recently) a Yamaha franchise. A proper 'old school' dealer.
Apparently the cost of installing a new Yamaha 'corporate look' was too much for this small country dealership. Another independent local business dies, and no doubt some big corporate will open a soulless showroom on an industrial estate in Swindon to sell Yamaha bikes on PCP while employing staff who have nil interest in their customers and no product knowledge. But they will have a false ceiling in 'charcoal' and that's what matters these days!
Miserable decor to go with the miserable staff and ugly bikes.
Sorry, Rant over!
All true
Very sad
Proper bike dealers are closing more regularly
Re: Peter Hammond Motorcycles
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 7:07 am
by johnnyboxer
garyboy wrote:used to live near there, but can't remember it....
but lets be positive .. any bike dealer sited anywhere accessible under any franchise is ,, surely .. a plus.
but i understand the loss of a well known dealer
So you’d sooner use a National chain dealer over an old school bike dealer ????
I wouldn’t
Re: Peter Hammond Motorcycles
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 7:41 am
by Snaf MKII
Sounds more like they haven't evolved the business and have plans other than running a motorcycle shop.
https://www.hammondmotorcycles.co.uk/un ... of-an-era/
Re: Peter Hammond Motorcycles
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 8:50 am
by Crossrutted
Richard Simpson Mark II wrote: ↑Wed Apr 05, 2023 5:15 pm
of Cirencester has closed. It opened as a BSA dealer in 1959.
Boss Dave Hammond (son of Peter) contested a couple of Dakar rallies.
The shop itself had a load of BSA-Triumph spares in stock (plus classic Honda and Suzuki) and (until recently) a Yamaha franchise. A proper 'old school' dealer.
Apparently the cost of installing a new Yamaha 'corporate look' was too much for this small country dealership. Another independent local business dies, and no doubt some big corporate will open a soulless showroom on an industrial estate in Swindon to sell Yamaha bikes on PCP while employing staff who have nil interest in their customers and no product knowledge. But they will have a false ceiling in 'charcoal' and that's what matters these days!
Miserable decor to go with the miserable staff and ugly bikes.
Sorry, Rant over!
That is a pity - was a great shop for Yamahas and IIRC Dave Hammond was a very good enduro rider.
BTW Richard - a classic "rant" and without even a mention of a Husky 610/630!
Re: Peter Hammond Motorcycles
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 9:18 am
by johnnyboxer
An eclectic mix of NOS spares, from 63 years of trading
https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/peterhammond ... =nc&_pgn=1
Re: Peter Hammond Motorcycles
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 10:09 am
by Richard Simpson Mark II
I do wonder at the wisdom of motorcycle dealerships consolidating and moving to large 'out-of-town' glass boxes on industrial estates.
The next generation of motorcyclists used to be seen pressing their snotty little noses on the windows of traditional dealers on their way home from school lusting after the Suzuki GT250 or whatever inside...then a year or two later they'd be dragging their parents in to sign up for one on HP.
Not any more...the bikes are all behind mirror glass on industrial estates with no 'walk in' customers at all.
the Honda dealership I used to run in Leicestershire was by no means perfect, but it was on a main road into town and had a bus-stop outside!
Re: Peter Hammond Motorcycles
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 11:34 am
by dodursley
Blade in Swindon are Yamaha dealers and the expanding Completely at Staverton have been Yamaha dealers for a while.
When In lived in Cricklade 40+ years ago, Hammonds did my MOTs the tester always remembered me with my iron Square 4 and other old bikes. The shop was always good for Brit bits even in more recent times.
