New Dealership in Peoria

[Hickey]

A bicycle and fitness shop less than two miles from my house has become a Piaggio and Aprilia dealer.  I stopped in briefly today.  Right now they have Tuonos, Shivers, and Manas on the floor.  And some Piaggio scooters of some kind and that three-wheeled thing.  I'm thrilled to have them here.  I've liked Aprilias for a long time and now with a dealer so close, the brand can go back on my list.  No, their salesmen don't really know their products all that well yet, but they are enthusiastic and excited about those scooters and motorcycles.   If they can keep their positive attitudes, the knowledge will sink in.    

[Baz]

So that silly fitness craze has ended?

I love Aprilia's in a I can't afford one sort of way.

[thatguy]

Baz you can afford an Aprilia.Their resale is crap.But that doesn't change the fact they're a great bike.If you look around they can be found under $6K low mileage.my '04 Tuono has 60K on it and no real problems yet.A few minor issues but nothing that required a visit to the shop.Well I am a motorcycle technician.

[zam70]

HELL YEAH!
about time - I'm going to have to ride up that way and pay them a visit...they're about an hour north of me.

Got a name or location?

[Hickey]

Aprilia is calling them Aprilia of Peoria on the corporate web site.  But this isn't a stand alone motorcycle dealer, they are a bicycle shop that has picked up Aprilia motorcycles and Piaggio scooters.  So the name on the building is Illinois Cycle and Fitness.  They are on Allen Road across from Walmart just south of Route 6.

Yesterday they had two Tuonos, two Manas, two Shivers, one supermoto, one Piaggio 3-wheeled scooter, and several Vespas.  And a bunch of bicycles and fitness machines I didn't really look at.  The sales guys said they just got the motorcycles in within the past week or so and they have only been a dealer for about a month.  However they have made sales and are expecting to get more Aprilias in soon, although they didn't specify what models.

[Snowbird]

Aprilia is calling them Aprilia of Peoria on the corporate web site.  But this isn't a stand alone motorcycle dealer, they are a bicycle shop that has picked up Aprilia motorcycles and Piaggio scooters.  So the name on the building is Illinois Cycle and Fitness.  They are on Allen Road across from Walmart just south of Route 6.

Sounds pretty goofy to me, but then again... Bert's Bikes near Buffalo, NY is a Yamaha dealer.  

[Hickey]

So many Aprilia dealers dropped the brand in the past decade that creativity has been required to get Aprilias into showrooms again.  So, Aprilia/Piaggio has been aggressively seeking dealerships in North America.  To the point that they have sought dealerships in existing businesses that aren't already part of the motorcycle industry.  Illinois Cycle and Fitness is one example, but there are others, like a John Deere equipment dealer in Arizona (I think) that picked up Aprilia a couple of years ago.

A bicycle store might seem like a strange fit, but think about the customers that are often there.  People who are active outdoors, probably concerned with fuel mileage, and generally have disposable income.  Perhaps many aren't motorcyclists now, but as a group they aren't a bad market.  Which is to say nothing of the customers like me who have no interest in bicycles but will stop there to see Aprilias, which will happen a lot since the store location is excellent.

[goodhawk]

good luck to em.  with economy the way it is , I suspect the first 2 years are gonna be hard ones

[danfz1]

I live just north of Peoria and had no idea that Illinois Cycle and Fitness was going to sell Aprilia's.  I think it's a great idea.  All I ever knew of in the area was Grayboy Kawaski, RTR, and Cupi's Motor Mall.  I am actually kinda of suprised that Aprilia's setting up shop on their own but, from my point of view, more is better.

Right now I have a 2003 FZ1 for a touring bike.  I wonder if I can fit on a Futura?  

[Hickey]

The Futura isn't made anymore, so I doubt one can be bought there, but they did have a new leftover Caponord the last time I was in there.

[danfz1]

Thanks for the heads up.

I'll have to check it out.

[Hickey]

OK, they have two Caponords.  One in black and the other in an earthy grey.  The black one has ABS, but I'm not sure about the other.