# 89 (10/10/08)
# 88 (04/10/08)
# 87 (03/01/08)
# 86 (01/26/08)
# 85 (12/03/07)
# 84 (11/06/07)
# 83 (10/12/07)
# 82 (08/24/07)
# 81 (07/25/07)
# 80 (05/25/07)
# 79 (02/08/07)
# 78 (11/21/06)
# 77 (09/15/06)
# 76 (08/21/06)
# 75 (07/21/06)
# 74 (06/29/06)
# 73 (05/17/06)
# 72 (04/10/06)
# 71 (04/01/06)
# 70 (03/20/06)
# 69 (02/23/06)
# 68 (02/01/06)
# 67 (12/29/05)
# 66 (11/16/05)
# 65 (10/26/05)
# 64 (10/05/05)
# 63 (08/29/05)
# 62 (07/15/05)
# 61 (06/21/05)
# 60 (05/18/05)
# 59 (04/19/05)
# 58 (03/14/05)
# 57 (02/09/05)
# 56 (11/24/04)
# 55 (10/20/04)
# 54 (09/02/04)
# 53 (04/26/04)
# 52 (03/10/04)
# 51 (01/12/04)
# 50 (12/23/03)
# 49 (12/03/03)
# 48 (11/19/03)
# 47 (11/11/03)
# 46 (10/23/03)
# 45 (09/30/03)
# 44 (08/30/03)
# 43 (08/12/03)
# 42 (07/19/03)
# 41 (04/06/03)
# 40 (01/27/03)
# 39 (01/01/03)
# 38 (12/01/02)
# 37 (11/12/02)
# 36 (11/02/02)
# 35 (10/13/02)
# 34 (09/24/02)
# 33 (09/06/02)
# 32 (08/26/02)
# 31 (07/22/02)
# 30 (07/02/02)
# 29 (05/20/02)
# 28 (05/28/02)
# 27 (05/14/02)
# 26 (05/04/02)
# 25 (04/25/02)
# 24 (04/16/02)
# 23 (04/09/02)
# 22 (04/01/02)
# 21 (03/28/02)
# 20 (03/20/02)
# 19 (03/12/02)
# 18 (03/05/02)
# 17 (02/24/02)
# 16 (02/13/02)
# 15 (02/04/02)
# 14 (01/28/02)
# 13 (01/21/02)
# 12 (01/14/02)
# 11 (01/02/02)
# 10 (12/20/01)
# 9 (12/04/01)
# 8 (11/13/01)
# 7 (10/25/01)
# 6 (10/12/01)
# 5 (01/25/01)
# 4 (09/13/01)
# 3 (08/28/01)
# 2 (08/17/01)
# 1 (08/01/01)
|
|
 |
 |
Issue # 081 07/25/07 |
| |
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
| What's New at CruiserCustomizing.com? |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
1. CruiserCustomizing 6th Anniversary
Hi cruisers,
Many of you know me, but if you don't, I'm Uwe Druckenmueller, Founder and CEO of Cruiser Customizing. It's been a long time since I've written a personal note in our newsletter, but we've just hit our sixth anniversary date and so it seems like a perfect opportunity to give you an update on our company and what's going on with some of our people this summer. Before we get into it, let me just say first that I appreciate all you've done for us over the years. We consider our business unique because of the interaction we have on our community of members, and we intend to continually strengthen the tools and benefits you get from our company.
6th Anniversary - The History.
As many Internet business stories go, I started Cruiser Customizing in my apartment in San Francisco in July, 2001. I had been working in the high tech industry, had a long and passionate interest in metric motorcycles, and saw a need to create a simple hobby website for bikers to find all the accessories that would fit their specific motorcycle model. It was a fairly unmemorable start, but I remember how many countless hours I spent first creating the site and then keeping the site running. Happily, the group of people involved in the site (today we call our most involved customers "members") grew and before long, there were a few thousand of us commenting on bikes, talking about accessories, and generally helping each other with whatever was going on.
Back then, even a simple online website was relatively expensive to build and run. It wasn't like today where so much has been standardized. To keep the forum going, people would literally send me a few bucks here and there to off-set the hosting costs. Ultimately, over 500 people contributed, and I listed their names and called out the fact that they were "site supporters." It was beginning to be a real community.
Because we were talking about metric motorcycles, the question of where to find decent parts and accessories always came up. Believe me, it wasn't easy. Back then, metrics were the forgotten stepchildren of the industry. And when a member found a source, he or she let the rest know. But buying parts from multiple sources, some of them considered "fly by nights," proved to be frustrating and unreliable and members asked me to develop a "one-stop shop" to provide them with a range of parts and accessories.
It was an exciting idea. I always listened to what our members wanted in expanding the site, but this was a big jump. It would take more than technology. It would take an organization. It didn't take long for me to decide to do it, and I applied my early business skills to make it happen. It helped that I was in California and that put me in the epicenter of where parts could be most easily found. I also had the technical skills to modify the site to organize inventory and make buying easier. And, I hired other passionate bikers to come work for me and answer phone calls, and later create a warehouse and put in place the logistical structure to ship products all over the world. Things were changing really fast. Customers liked what we were doing, and they told their friends.
Fast forward to July, 2007, our sixth year in business. With over 150,000 members we are now the recognized leader in reselling metric parts and accessories, regardless of geography or method of selling. We are a highly successful company, growing more than 25% last year, and on pace to do even better this year.
In many ways, obviously, a lot has changed. We have more than 20,000 parts and accessories on our site, and we're adding more at a rapid clip. Through the fall and into the early summer of this year, we completely revamped our inventory management and accounting system and reorganized our distribution center. (It was a mammoth undertaking, well beyond our original estimates, and many of you saw the effects of out-of-stocks and delayed delivery dates. But we made it, and it was something we had to do. Now we're positioned to provide a much higher level of service and a much broader range of products.) We currently have about 50 employees including most people from the early years, which I'm extremely proud of. But we've also brought in people with unique skills that will help us take advantage of new opportunities: our management team now includes experienced professionals from companies like Kodak, AT&T and Philips.
But personally, when I look at all this, I realize that in fact not much has changed after all. Members are still the reason we're in business. Yes, we make money now and can throw around sophisticated terms like "infrastructure," "conversion rates," and "return on investment." But if it weren't for our members and the fact that we're doing business with people we like to be around, we would have never made it this far. Or even started, for that matter. The hobby website of 2001 has made way for a huge community in 2007 of like-minded bikers, posting pictures and reviewing products -- but at the end of the day, it is still about a shared passion.
6th Anniversary - The Sale.
Such a history can't go unnoticed! To celebrate our sixth Anniversary, we have special pricing on many products until July 31. Check it out … we just can't seem to have a party without a SALE. (As it should be.)
Summer Rally Schedule.
In other news this summer, we are attending a total of 13 rallies in the U.S. There are still four left, and if you're in the area, please stop by and see us at our booth. If you do, we have a free t-shirt for you:
STURGIS, SD, AUGUST 6-12
RENO, NV, SEPTEMBER 19-23
DAYTONA BEACH, FL, OCTOBER 18-21
GALVESTON, TX, NOVEMBER 1-4
The Great T-Shirt Give-Away.
Back by popular demand is our 2007 "Shared Passion" Rally Tour t-shirt. We had 40,000 printed, and we've been giving them away for free all summer long. You'll have to come by one of the rallies listed above, but it'll be worth it. These are very high-quality shirts, and already they're a bit of a collector's item (or so we're told). At the very least, they look great.
Germany Vacation.
|
Me and my girlfriend Tracy
|
|
Me and buddy Machine
|
|
That's what I call Motorcycle Heaven
|
On another personal note, last month I visited my friends and family back in Germany, where I grew up. Because of the demands of Cruiser Customizing, I hadn't been able to visit them in almost three years. That was tough and life didn't stand still. The last time I saw my little niece she had just been born. She has grown quite a bit, as you can imagine. It was really good to get re-connected in person.
My brother and I have always been into bikes. He's a bit limited by his geography -- the winter in Germany doesn't allow him to ride all year long like I do in California, but I consider myself also a bit more hard-core. When I say I ride all year long, what I mean is that I do not own a car and I literally ride everywhere, everyday.
Back in Germany, I couldn't help but get out an ride, at least for a short while. I did a three-day trip to Switzerland with a German buddy nicknamed "Machine" (maybe I'll explain that in a later newsletter!) and my girlfriend Tracy. She was riding on the back of my bike and we all had and awesome time navigating tight, curving roads up and down mountain passes and shooting through spectacular valleys. I did make an agreement with my girlfriend to keep it under 100 mph on the Autobahn, and in return, I think she completely overcame her fear of riding on a freeway. Next year, I'm thinking she'll be ready for 150 mph … we all need goals!
It's hard to tune work out, even on vacation. I tested a new product called a "Tourmaster Intake" jacket. Machine got soaked with his old rain suit (yes, it was raining hard - did I mention that the weather in Germany is not the same as California?). The Tourmaster jacket kept me warm and dry.
Seeing the hometown and family was great, but it's also good to be back.
Kyle's 12,000 mile ride.
Speaking of awesome rides, Kyle Bradshaw, our director of customer service and one of our very first employees, is just finishing a 12,000 mile ride on his Goldwing, essentially zig-zagging across the U.S. and back again. If you were at Wing Ding in Billings, Montana, or Gold Rush XX in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, you may have met him.. Hopefully so. Here was his itinerary:
He started in Escalon, California, went to Grants Pass, Oregon, on to Seattle, Washington, then to Twin Falls, Idaho, then to Billings, Montana, then to Somerset, Wisconsin, then to Chicago, Illinois, over to Niagara Falls, New York, down to Norfolk, Virginia, over to Deals Gap, North Carolina, then to Dollywood, Tennessee, over to Branson, Missouri, on to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, then to Douglas, Wyoming, then to Grand Junction, Colorado, down to Grand Canyon, Arizona, over to Phoenix, Arizona and then back home to Escalon, California.
Maybe Kyle's a little hard-core too. We'll give you more detail on his trip in the next newsletter.
Over the years, many of you have become close friends. If you have any suggestions or comments about CruiserCustomizing, just let us know.
Ride safe,
Big Uwe (Uwe999).
rate this story |
 |
Anniversary Sale:
|
 |
|
|
PulseTech Xtreme Charge 5-Stage Motorcycle Battery Maintenance Charger
The Xtreme Charge Motorcycle is ideally suited for AGM and Maintenance-Free Batt ...
Price: $99.95
|
|
Kuryakyn The Sound of Chrome Speakers - 1 inch bars
This system ROCKS! New 2nd Generation looks, performs, & rocks even better! No ...
MSRP: $399.99
Price: $359.99
|
|
Show Chrome Accessories (Big Bike Parts) TireGard Tire Pressure Monitoring System
When riding your motorcycle, do you ever wonder if your tires are set at the cor ...
MSRP: $209.95
Price: $159.95
|
|
Kuryakyn Universal Handlebar Electrical Power Point - 1 inch bars
Perfect for plugging in your cell phone, iPod, air pump, or any other electrical ...
MSRP: $69.99
Price: $62.99
|
|
Kuryakyn Universal Handlebar Accessory Mount (ea) - 1 inch bars
Attach your cell phone, MP3 player and almost any portable device directly to yo ...
MSRP: $49.99
Price: $44.99
|
|
River Road Men's Basic Motorcycle Jacket
Need a good Basic biker-style jacket? Well here it is. This traditional jacket u ...
MSRP: $159.95
Price: $143.96 One Size 40, one size 54 & one size 58 left at the special price of $99.95!
|
|
CoverMax Standard Motorcyle Covers - XL Touring Bike
You will not find a better quality cover for this price!!!
Lightweight a ...
MSRP: $41.95
Price: $28.99 30% OFF!
|
|
BrakeAway Products Motorcycle Cruise Control
Finally!! A mechanical throttle management device that combines, Style, Quality, ...
MSRP: $199.95
Price: $175.95 Same as Manufacturer Part Number 5CP02
|
|
Kisan TailBlazer Integrated Unit for 1 Dual-Contact Bulb
BE SAFE!
Compared to a typical automobile, motorcycle stop lamps are s ...
MSRP: $69.95
Price: $62.96
|
|
Kuryakyn Mini Dagger Pegs w/o Adapters (pr)
Cut up the road by adding these sinister Mini Dagger Pegs to your bike. The stif ...
MSRP: $69.99
Price: $62.99
|
|
Scorpio Alarm SR-i600 FM 2-Way Paging Security System with Anti-Hijack, Perimeter Sensor, Battery Back-up
The TRS-6 is the all-new upgrade 2-way FM transceiver, for the SR-i500. The extr ...
MSRP: $399.95
Price: $329.95
|
|
Condor Products Motorcycle Stand - Pit/Stop Trailer/Stop
The Condor® Pit-Stop/Trailer-Stop is a fully adjustable wheel locking system cap ...
MSRP: $254.95
Price: $229.46
|
|
Power Trip Grand National Glove for Men, Black
- Drum dyed leather outer
- Double leather riveted palm
- Molded knuckle prote ...
MSRP: $49.99
Price: $44.99
|
|
Heavy Duty Expandable Sissy-Bar Pack with Duffel Bag Set
• You will not find a better sissybar bag for that price!
• A secure, convenien ...
MSRP: $179.95
Price: $109.95 SAVE $70 OFF THE MSRP!!!
|
|
Ultraguard UltraGard® Premier Cruiser Cover
Our Premier Cruiser Cover provides great heavy duty protection for any Cruiser m ...
MSRP: $89.95
Price: $69.95 Limited Quantities Left!
|
|
Bolt Lock Corporation Helmet Lock Kit - Chrome
The Helmet Lock which is also a Jacket Lock and works great as an Accessory lock ...
Price: $59.95
|
|
Kuryakyn Wide Style Lever Set - Honda Models with CABLE OPERATED Clutch
These chrome levers are wider and more comfortable than stock. Replace your stoc ...
MSRP: $39.99
Price: $35.99
|
|
Ameritex Box Style Slant Saddlebags - Plain
XX-Large Futura 2000 Saddlebag - Detachable
L24in. diagonal x W7 ...
Price: $249.95
|
|
Custom World International Motion Passenger Backrest - Flame - Tall
- Three adjustable positions
- Pad is stamped with Custom World logo
- Four di ...
MSRP: $143.95
Price: $136.75
|
|
River Road High-N-Dry 2-Piece Rainsuit
Lightweight nylon shell, 100% waterproof, Elastic waist and cuffs, Reflective ma ...
MSRP: $69.95
Price: $62.96
|
|
See more Hot Deals ...
|
|
 Check out our New Clearance Section for Savings up to 50% ...
See all new products.
|
|
|
|
|
