Stony Creek Power Sports to cease trading?

November 24, 2008

Stoney Creek Power Sports, the national importer of several motorcycle and scooter brands, is alledgely on the cusp of closing its doors, or streamlining at the very least, according to BikeSales Network sources.

The NSW-based operation, which displayed its wares at last weekend's Sydney Motorcycle Show, has nine marques on its books, including well-known but low-volume Italian motorcycle brands such as Bimota, Benelli and Moto Morini.

Scooters under its aegis include Peugeot, Malaguti and TGB.

According to a BikeSales source, no official statement will be made until Stoney Creek's dealer network is updated on the current situation.

"It's important that the dealers' interests are looked after first," the source told BikeSales. "Then it'll be up to the owners to work out a plan of action, and whether, for example, they may want to become just a scooter-only operation.

"There are a lot of nice motorcycle brands on the Stoney Creek books, but there simply hasn't been much action."

Sales figures obtained by BikeSales show that just three Bimotas have been sold so far in 2008, in addition to 20 Benellis and 20 Moto Morinis.

"Moto Morini has been starting to perform better, but the cost of getting bikes through the ADR process is a very costly exercise in itself," the source continued. "That makes it a tough ask in itself."

An official Bimota media release, outlining an expanded line-up of machinery for 2009, was posted on media website www.bikedeadline.com.au early this afternoon, but there is no mention of Stoney Creek Power Sports in the literature.

BikeSales is investigating whether that was an oversight, or whether Bimota is still forging ahead in Australia on the basis that it will eventually appoint another distributor -- if it comes to that.

BikeSales has sought official comment from Stoney Creek Power Sports on the current situation, but our calls to its main switch have been transferred straight to a message service.