Do you want to start a motorcycle business but want to go niche and be unique? If YES, here are 50 best motorcycle related business ideas & opportunities.
We all have our various passions, and for some people they love that feel of racing off down the road or hills on their motorcycles with the wind on their faces. While our passions can be our hobbies, but do you know that you can make a living from your love of motorbikes?
In fact, the best way to get into the business world is to turn your skills or hobbies into business ideas. There are several great business ideas out there for bike enthusiasts who want to make some money using their knowledge and experience.
It should be known that one of the most efficient means of transportation available is the motorcycle. Not only is it easy to use, but motorbikes are also efficient in their consumption of gasoline. Other perks of running a motorcycle business are that motorbikes are cheaper to repair and maintain than a car, truck, or van.
They can park just about anywhere without getting worried about violating any laws. You have more flexibility in traffic, including the ability to stop just about anywhere if necessary; and the insurance for a motorcycle is typically cheaper than insurance for a car or truck.
In addition to all these advantages, you can even start your own business to make the most of your motorcycle ownership. So, if you are interested in starting a full or side business with your motorcycle, here are some of the best motorcycle business ideas that you can explore.
Best Motorcycle Business ideas
-
Motorcycle Spare parts business
Motorcycle spare part business is fast gaining ground in Africa and Asia. The reason is due to popularity of the commercial motorcycle business in many countries. The astounding number of commercial riders has opened new business opportunities in motorcycle spare parts business.
The venture involves selling motorcycle parts as a wholesale or retailer to motorcycle enthusiasts. To start, you need to register your company and obtain a business license.
There are many unions and association regarding spare parts dealership. Find the ones in your area and join them to avoid undue harassment. To avoid liabilities and risks to your business, you have to get proper insurance for your goods.
The job of a bike spare parts trader involves selling either new or used parts. Most dealers concentrate on only one sector, however a few deal in both used and new parts. You need to find a sector that suits you best and stick with it.
To attract lots of customers, you may have to deal in everything but make sure your customers know what they are buying. Operating on the retail end of the business requires a reputable wholesaler or manufacturer. Try to get recommendations from mechanics and other retailers before stocking your store so you don’t make mistakes.
-
Become a consultant for the motorcycle business
Another motorcycle related business one can start is to become a motorcycle business consultant. A consultant is a professional who provides expert advice in a particular area or any of the many specialized fields. You have to know everything about the motorcycle business.
You should know the different businesses one can start in each circumstance, the requirements for starting the business, how to get licenses, permits and customers.
The cheapest way to start a motorcycle consultant business is to get a website and start advertising your business, that way you will be able to connect with the people who would need your services. You can start this business right from your home and it does not require much startup capital.
-
Open a motorcycle dealership
A motorcycle dealership is simply a store that sells different brands of motorcycles. Starting a motorcycle dealership is quite tasking as there are a lot of things to look into. Like any business, selling bikes mandates obtaining permits and selecting the ideal floor space.
You also need to verify your state requirements and perform the steps necessary to procure a business and import license. You should seek for capital to startup the business by getting a business loan from a financial institution or getting startup money from friends or relatives.
You can also acquire capital for the business by getting a business loan from a financial institution or getting startup money from friends or relatives.
Once you have settled the issue of loans, you have to make contact with the manufacturers of the brand of bikes you wish to sell and arrange a purchasing order. Discuss warranty options, shipping fees and bills of sale regarding customs.
You need to hire staff with working knowledge of motorcycles. They should be aware of how your product offering differs from other bikes, the specs of the motorcycles and the financing options available.
Together with bikes, you need to stock up on helmets, jackets, decals, and bike add-ons such as wind visors and T-shirts. While you’re doing all these, you need to review your state laws to verify what motorcycle conditions constitute a faulty vehicle.
-
Motorcycle storage business
Whether you are being deployed overseas, vacationing for a few months, only ride your motorcycle on the weekends, or live in an area where the weather isn’t always perfect for riding, keeping your motorcycle in storage is a great way to make sure that it remains in tip-top shape throughout the year. This in fact is why the motorcycle storage business is still blooming.
To start a motorcycle storage business, you should get an apt storage space. Your warehouse should be climate controlled.
With climate control, you will be able to keep your motorcycle in an environment where temperature and humidity levels are moderated in order to prevent rusting. Again, it should have a drive-up access. This feature allows you to drive up to your unit for easy loading and unloading.
You should equally make security a priority. Individually-alarmed units, on-site management, video surveillance, and gated access are all great security features to have when storing a motorcycle, as it protects your unit from break-ins.
While security is top-notch, your clients should be able to access their bikes 24/7. It would be inconvenient to find out your storage facility is closed when you want to grab your bike after work or on the weekend. With 24-hour access, however, customers can take their bikes whenever they like.
As for storage unit size, a 5×10 storage unit is generally big enough to house one motorcycle and any accessories you may have, like helmets or jackets. However, if you’ll be storing multiple motorcycles, you may want to look into a larger unit, such as a 10×10 or 10×15.
-
Become a motorcycle import broker
Importing motorcycles to the ” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>USA is a booming business. Motorcycle customs brokers handle all import requirements.
Before importing any motorcycle from overseas, you have to make sure the motorbike conforms to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) standards and regulations. Motorcycles imported to the USA without achieving the proper customs clearance process guidelines will be sent back or destroyed on-site.
When you are importing motorcycles, you need to find a reputable international motorcycle shipping company to help you move your imports. You also need to find a cargo vessel to ship your bikes from overseas. While this process saves you money, it’s also slower.
If your commercial invoices aren’t filed properly, you’re going to have a customs clearance problem. Make sure all of your T’s are crossed and your I’s are dotted on your paperwork.
-
Own a motorcycle salvage shop
You could go around buying up beaten up bikes and repairing them for sale. There are a couple of businesses that import salvage, legalize them and sell them, and you can too. The trick lies in being able to fix up your bikes properly. If you can fix bikes you can really make good profit. There are tons of bikes with good bones out there and they just need a little flipping before they are ready for the road.
-
Sell New Motorcycle
If you do not have the required assembling skills to fix used motorcycles, you can become a dealer in new motorcycles. You can become a dealer if you have deep pockets or you can buy a motorcycle business. The business may need you to provide a significant amount of starting capital.
However, if you stock the best brands of motorcycles in the market, you will make huge profits. Selling new motorcycles is competitive; hence you must apply creative marketing tactics to outdo your competitors.
-
Buy a Motorcycle Business
There are many motorcycle businesses for sale. Buy an undervalued one or get the price down on one that is for sale. After you have gotten the business, you need to improve it to make it better than the last one. You should improve your customer service, and do some really good marketing. Most dealers and motorcycle business owners are terrible at marketing.
They waste money on branding that doesn’t work. Focus on direct response marketing and be systematized about it and you’ll see the business double or triple overnight. It’s easier than you think. The hard part is just keeping employees happy and motivated. The fun and the most important is the marketing side.
Beating the competition in the motorcycle business may be difficult for a new startup, so an alternative way to get into the business is to buy an established business. The advantage of buying a business is that you already have a good client base to start with and an established brand in the market.
Customers will often refer others to your business, saving you money on advertising. Look out for motorcycle businesses on sale in your area and analyze their profitability before settling for one.
-
Motorcycle parts wholesaler
If you do not have the skills to repair bikes, you can stock motorcycle spare parts on a wholesale basis while distributing to retailers.
Selling parts is a good place to start if you cannot afford to sell fully assembled motorcycles, whether old or new. You can either buy new parts and resell or fabricate parts and sell if you have the skills. What is more important is to stock the ones your capital can carry.
-
Start a riding tour company
A motorcycle riding tour company is a company that organizes motorcycle tours a couple of time in a year for motorcycle enthusiasts who want to see the world. As a riding tour company, you would specialize in taking riders on amazing journeys in unusual destinations. You will also offer guided, self-guided and custom tours as well as motorcycle rentals.
You should make it your business to know the best roads, sights and experiences in the country, so that your clients can sit back and enjoy the ride without worrying about road construction, route planning and where they’ll sleep each night.
Many tour companies specialize in certain regions of the country, some are willing to take people on adventurous dual-sport routes and a few even specialize in tailoring their rides around bike rallies. You need to choose the one that appeals to you the most and the one you feel your clients will love.
-
Motorcycle training school
If you can ride well, you can as well teach others how to ride. This may require state approval so check this out. There are a lot of people who will be willing to pay hundreds of dollars to learn racing and dirt riding skills. A hot niche in this business is to teach women how to ride.
This is a really good niche because there are thousands of people out there who think learning to ride a big bike or even a dirt bike is hard and they don’t know where to learn. Teach them how to do it and collect the cash. Do you have excellent riding or assembly skills? For a fee, you can train bikers to assemble their own motorcycles or fix minor problems.
One good place to start is offering online tutorials or manuals that bike owners can use to fix their own motorcycles. Bikers are risk takers and will often look for new ideas to make their bikes perform better. Alternatively, you can teach new bikers to ride for a fee.
-
Start a delivery or courier service
If you have a bike that is lying dormant, you can put it to good use by using it to start a delivery business. If you live in an urban area, being a courier with a car can be cumbersome as you have to navigate traffic and find parking. These complications are greatly reduced when you are zipping around town on your handy motorcycle.
If you already own a motorcycle, you have more than enough to start a courier service. The easiest and fastest way to deliver parcels within a short distance is through a motorcycle courier service. Some delivery companies contract motorcycle owners to help them deliver their products.
You can start there or buy more motorcycles and start your own courier service. Hire or contract reliable drivers who will deliver your clients’ items on time and in good condition.
Obviously, your packages will be limited to relatively small things, but this business can be done with minimal fuel and maintenance cost to you. You can deliver reasonable amounts of food or document-sized packages with ease. Depending on the items to be carried, you could also transport medical deliveries.
-
Motorcycle business/parts marketer
If you do not have the cash to deal in the goods, you can become a motorcycle parts marketer. If you have great marketing skills, and you are good at computer graphic artistry, you can start marketing motorcycles and parts for manufacturers and wholesalers.
Motorcycle dealers and builders always need good marketing and marketing ideas. Send them a letter and/or postcard describing your skills at helping motorcycle shops get more clients and make more money. Your phone just might ring off the hook.
-
Host Motorcycle Shows
Host your own motorcycle show for either motorcycle dealers, bike builders, home built bike owners, or owners of bikes of a particular brand etc.
Some ways you can gain revenue from the event is to sell trade show booth space. You will need some money, time, and a site to fully set up your show, but all the finances and personal time you put into the business would be worth it in the end. This is a short term project but if it works you might have a cash cow that returns every year.
-
Motorcycle Repair
Can you repair bikes or repair a specific brand of motorcycle? If so, you can make a few bucks from starting this up as a business. Motorcycle owners need professional mechanics to repair and maintain their bikes. If you have the skills to repair bikes, you can start a repair service and earn from your skills.
Take it to the next level and get certified by MMI or similar institutions, or specialize. One way to distinguish your business is to specialize in one brand, especially the brands that other mechanics ignore. Any biker with a motorcycle from such a brand will look for your services.
If you can specialize in vintage bikes or a particular vintage brand, you will have their enthusiasts busting down your door. One way to find vintage bike owners is to do a search for forums and websites on particular bikes you are interested in.
You can also specialize in other types of motorcycles like dirt bikes, side car motorcycles, trikes etc. etc. The more specialized you become the more you can charge.
-
Sell Motorcycle Insurance
If you want to get more on the professional business side of things, you can get your license and specialize in selling motorcycle insurance. Motorcycle insurance provides financial protection in the event of a motorcycle accident, loss, theft or damage.
Motorcycle insurance includes liability coverage in case you are responsible for another person’s injuries or property damage. For anyone to own and ride a motorcycle, they would need insurance, so you wouldn’t lack for customers. You however need to know where you can find motorcycle enthusiasts so you can offer your services to them.
-
Motorcycle Travel Agent
Yes, there is such a thing as an agent that arranges motorcycle travels. As a motorcycle travel agent, you would put together motorcycle trip packages and sell them to your clients. You need to create motorcycle travel packages ranging from domestic to overseas packages.
You take care of all the details and sell the package for a nice commission. This can be really fun. You can probably even use this as an excuse to travel and write off the expenses, by listing your services as a tour guide.
-
Produce and sell Motorcycle Travel Guides
If you know a whole lot about motorcycle travel routes and destinations, you could put down your knowledge in a travel guide to help other motorcycle travellers. You can market your travel guide to motorcycle enthusiasts overseas or in other states that want to tour the area you live in.
If you know an area well, just market your services online and through travel agents. Put a motorcycle tour together and then invite people to come for a price. Include rest areas with food and entertainment to entice your customers.
-
Start a motorcycle riding and safety class
People, who have heard the call of the open road and decided to begin riding a motorcycle, moped, or scooter, usually enroll in a safety course programme.
A motorcycle safety course is designed for new drivers or as a refresher course for those that may not have ridden in a while. It will consist of classroom instruction and practical riding time to prepare you for your motorcycle license or license endorsement.
If you have been in the motorcycle industry for a long time, you can utilize all the experience and knowledge you have gained to start a motorcycle safety course. You can reach out to new bikers as well as bikers that need to refresh or upgrade their learning.
-
Become a private instructor
Anyone who has ever owned a motorcycle has probably taken a motorcycle riding and safety class. When you have your own motorcycle ready to go, you can become an instructor for new bike owners who may not have the time to take a general training course.
Most cities and states do have required certifications and qualifications to become a private instructor. Once those are achieved, you can run your own business teaching new motorcycle riders on a personal basis.
-
Mobile notary service
Any sort of business that requires extensive transportation instantly becomes more economic when performed on a motorcycle. A mobile notary service can easily be offered when you have a motorcycle at your disposal. The ease of traffic navigation and parking makes this business much more achievable on a motorcycle.
Most of these types of businesses rely on volume, so being able to get from one engagement to the next quickly is an asset to your business and a boon to your profits.
-
Start a Motorcycle Airbrushing business
Bike builders and bike owners love to have their bikes airbrushed, so if you are good at it all you have to do is a little marketing to dealers, bike builders, and bike owners and you’ll get your business on track in no time. Where do you find these people?
You can go online using pay per click search engines like Adwords. And you can buy mailing lists that target any business or anyone who owns a particular bike and mail a few postcards and/or sales letters. Marketing is the key here if you intend to make any headway with this business.
You can send samples of your work and give a discount for first time customers. You can even do a free job to gain a testimonial and reference for your marketing.
-
Create a Motorcycle Website
You can equally earn money off a motorcycle website if your website carries enough useful articles for motorcycle enthusiasts. You can start by building a website around your favorite subject, but you need to focus on a specific type of motorcycle, not motorcycles in general. Your website will rank higher that way.
After you get your pages ranked, you can sell advertising space, or sell related items direct to customers. Another option is to sell other people’s products and make a commission. This is called affiliate marketing.
Most people search online for ideas and instructions on how to use new items. You can use the internet to your advantage and start a website with all the information that bikers will ever need. You do not need any skills to start.
The internet has free tutorials on how to start a website and all the information you need on bikes. Just compile the information and build a website. You can earn through advertising on your website or run an online biker jewelry shop on your website.
-
Sell Used Motorcycles
If you have some storage space and you can work on bikes, you have the recipe for full time or part time profits. You can work from your home or work from a fixed location. All you have to do is buy bikes and turn around and sell them. It’s fun and easy.
You don’t even have to work on bikes if you don’t want to. Places to check for bikes for sales are Craigslist, Ebay, and trade journals.
The time has never been better to start a business that sells secondhand motorcycles, as the popularity of motorcycle riding and ownership is at an all-time high. A motorcycle sales business can be operated from home providing the proper zoning requirements have been met.
The business can also be operated from a small rental location, or partnered with an existing automobile dealer that does not sell motorcycles. The profit potential for this type of business is great, providing the used motorcycles can be purchased for considerably less than their retail value. This can be accomplished by practicing good research and negotiation skills.
Many bikers throw away their bikes when they develop minor problems and immediately buy new bikes. You can buy such bikes, fix their problems or buy the missing parts and resell them at a higher price. You will need assembly skills to operate this business or find an affordable mechanic to do it for you.
-
Start a Blog and Forum
If you’re not much of a fixer, teacher, or dealer, there’s still space for you in the motorcycle industry. Instead of getting hands on, you can start a blog with a forum where you can share your excitement and enthusiasm about old models, the newest bikes, and your favorite rides.
On the forum side of things, you can help people get answers to their questions and start a discussion among your community of followers that you’ll build up. You really can make money blogging, so you should think seriously about starting a motorcycle blog now.
-
Become a bike mechanic
We have looked at how you can use your artistic side, to set up a bike related business; but what if you are more technically minded? This is no problem. You can build on the experience you already have, and train as a motorcycle mechanic. People are always going to need someone to help take care of their machines, and you can be on hand to do so.
-
Set up an accessories business
Motorcycle owners do not just buy machines, they also buy everything that goes with the biking life. This can include tools, jackets and jewelry. There is an incredibly diverse mix of accessories that you can consider providing. You can choose to specialize in a particular area, or provide a range of different products.
Set up an online store and you can secure a wide customer base if you provide good quality products and excellent customer service.
-
Open a Biker Jewelry Shop
Bikers identify each other with their dress code. They are always looking for the best biker rings and other jewelry pieces. If you have enough savings or can access a small loan, you can start a biker shop and sell jewelry to both men and women.
-
Become a Motorcycle Breaker
A motorcycle breaker is one who buys crashed, damaged or non-running motorcycles and dismantle them. The motorcycles are dismantled to retrieve their parts. Once these parts are retrieved, they can be sold online, on eBay, over the counter etc.
You can deal in motorcycles that are an MOT failure, non-starters, non-roadworthy, crashed or damaged, third party only, insurance write off or intact just gathering dust in the garage or garden. You should also be flexible so you can work around the schedules of your customers.
To start this business you have to make a budget for Gas, electricity, council tax, water, broadband and telephony, disposal of scrap and toxic materials, payments, insurance, marketing, packaging materials and postage etc.