How do I review a motorcycle shop’s winter storage and spring tune-up bookings?

The storage list shows who is returning and who is new. Ask for it by season, along with what each customer paid and when. Customers who come back every year point to a shop people trust. A list made mostly of one-off bookings suggests the work depends on promotions or on the owner’s personal contacts.

Look at the building. Walk the storage area, check how many bikes it truly holds, and ask how bikes are tracked, moved and kept secure. Ask who is responsible for damage while a bike is in storage, and what insurance covers it. Your insurance broker can explain the coverage and your lawyer can review the storage agreement wording.

Then look at the tune-up calendar. Is it full through the early season, or does the owner fill it by calling past customers? Ask how deposits are held and who owes work already paid for. Prepaid bookings become your obligation after the sale, so make sure they are listed and priced into the conversation. Ask also how the shop will handle storage customers who paid early if the building or the owner changes, because they will expect their bikes back in spring.

Key takeaways

• Get storage and tune-up bookings by season, with customer, date and deposit.
• Ask who is responsible for stored bikes and what insurance covers them.
• List prepaid work, since you will owe it to customers after the sale.