"Grand Opening" Bächli Harley-Heaven excites 8.000+ Visitors!
One floor closer to Harley-Heaven...
...is Bächli’s Harley-Heaven at Dietikon from this weekend, March 29th/30th 2014, on!
The massive "Grand Opening" of the extended Baechli Harley-Heaven Dealership at Dietikon/Switzerland near Zuerich has exceeded all expectations. On Saturday alone, an estimated crowd of 5.000+ pushed through the four floors of Bächli's Harley-Heaven, celebrating a huge party at best possible weather conditions. A major investment into "stocking up" the shop location one floor brings Baechli from his long-time top-position in the Swiss motorcycle market into the top-performers of Harley-Davidson Dealers worldwide! Since April 2013 – while much of the time business was continued in the old 3-floor building – another floor was added and later all other floors modified and adapted for an optimized workfloor that makes the best of what local and Swiss laws allow to run as a motorcyle business.
The unmistaken rumble of Milwaukee-made V-Twins roared through through the entire Valley of the Limmat River: Everything on two wheels was on his or her way to Dietikon, located just about 12 km west of Zuerich. Bächli's Harley-Heaven is an "institution" in Switzerland – and thanks to founding father Felix Bächli and his son Rainer already in second generation. The "Iron Man" of Swiss Harley-Riders became authorised in 1978, 11 years after opening his motorcycle business that was dealing with all types of classic andantique American motorcycles in 1967, at a time when motorcycles in Switzerland (and everywhere else...) were much almost "written off" as a matter of transport.
Harley-Davidson "boomtimes" of the nineties and early 2000 year were continued almost continuously in Switzerland, where Harley-Davidson's 26% market share of the motorcycle market is unrivalled by any country outside the USA! A fact that triggered the need for more space, showroom floor and improved workshop facilities at Bächli Harley-Heaven for almost a decade. Extended floor space for motorcycles, fashion, accessoires and custom parts – but also improved facilities for the Bächli staff, that works with the passion any enthusiasm that is part of the Bächli success story ever since. The improvement of their working conditions and facilities for breaks and rest was a major concern for Rainer in the development of the new building: "We work hard and spend more time at this place than at home – so we did take care to make it practical and comfortable," underlines Rainer Baechli.
On thursday, march 28th, the V-Twins were rolled back into the show floors of Switzerlands best-selling Harley-Davidson dealership, just outside Zuerich. The motorcycle-business was founded by Felix Bächli in 1967, who became authorised H-D Dealer in 1978. The current location at Ueberlandstraße 74 (note the number, for the 74 Cubic Inch Shovel, Felix Bächli was comfortable with!) was aqurired in 1994 and has been extended several times. Son Rainer Bächli has taken over command from his father to boost the business beyond wildest imaginations. As Harley-Davidson can boast a 26+ market share of the Swiss motorcycle market, Baechli Harley-Heaven has a 15% share of this – pretty much as high as H-D politics allow him to have. Switzerland is divided into 18 dealership areas, but you can't blame the customers for going to the dealer they like best...
Watching the Baechli team "in Action" by converting what has been a "construction site" on thursday into a fully stocked motorcycle, accessories, fashion and lifestye shop did explain quite a lot why crowds lined up to see the new dealership: This is one customer-dedicated team that works at Baechli for a long time! 200 invited guests – including the staff – celebrated the "unofficial" opening on thursday while the first client stepped into the new store exactly 9 a.m., greeted by Rainer Bächli himself and was presented a free shirt. Dr. Ing. Christian Arnezeder of Harley-Davidson (Germany-Austria-Switzerland) Deutschland-Österreich-Schweiz handed over a second bronce plaque with the "Harley-Davidson" Logo – a rare event even in H-D's now 111-year history.
Saturday morning, with swiss precision at 9 am to the second, gates opened and the first client received a free t-shirt fromthe hands of Rainer Bächli himself. Around noon, parking stretched about two kilometers left and right along "Überlandstraße" – a National Road, connecting Zuerich with Bern and Basel – warm spring weather saw most visitors arriving on two wheels anyway! Five bands rocked the event on both days: "Andrina", "Better Blue" and "Nashville Rebels" saturday, the "Black Barons" and "7t Cover" on sunday for a great party!
Situated in on of the fastest developing areas of Switzerland, Baechli Harley-Heaven is not just renowned for its service, they offer customizing on a great scale, being importer and outlet for Walz Hardcore Cycles and Zero Engineering, not to forget their own high-class customs, for which they operate an in-house sheet metal workshop with skilled custom-pros. Marcus Pfeil, one of Bächli's favourite airbush artists, was present himself at the "Grand Opening"
Adding to the optimized workflow in the Aircraft-Carrier style building that is connected with two lifts are bigger show floors, extended, fashion store and a Café with outdoor/1st floor seating. "We are looking forward to a very exciting 2014 season, because now we have everything "in-house" we need to perform the best possible service", states Rainer Baechli: That includes Dyno, washing facilities and even a photostudio! "Everything has been designed and created to make the customer and the staff feel comfotable and "at home" when coming to Harley-Heaven", underlines Rainer. His team members are "on the job" long-term and work with a passin that is almost unparalelled, even in a business that is so passionate as working on Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
Situated close to Switzerlands main traffic connection between Zuerich and Bern, the Shop is only 5 minutes from the Motorway Exit "Dietikon" and now also a "landmark" for all Harley-Riders passing by, thanks to the first-floor Café with in and outdoor seating. "This upgrade defined Bächli's Harley-Heaven as a sightseeing point and "Top-Stop", not just for Harley-Riders of all nationalities," states Bächli. For the Swiss quite natural, languages spoken at Bächli's include – of course – French, Italian, English and German.
The balcony offers a great sunshine opportunity for "fuel talks", which will be more likely the Harley-Heaven clients than the staff: The weekends sunny and warm wether has opened the Swiss motorcycle season at "Full Throttle". Following are H-D's "Open House" shows on April 5th/6th and the Swiss Love Ride on Sunday, Mai 4th. That will keep the workshop crew "under full steam", as with all the investments, the Bächli team has always the focus on servicing their customers. And the sucess speaks for itself...
Text: HRF; Fotos: Motographer, Daniel Voser/Pixelplus.ch,
Harley-Heaven Bächli AG
Ueberlandstraße 74
CH-8953 Dietikon
Switzerland/Suisse/Schweiz
Tel. ++41 (0) 44 - 744 30 44
www.Harley-Heaven.ch
www.hdb.ch
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