Biker Bed and Breakfast

Quick post - I'm at work...

I might have a chance to present a business plan to a bunch of investors. When I was doing my MBA, I created a marketing plan for a biker bed & breakfast. I still think it would be fun and cool.

Outside of town - maybe an old ranch house - in southwestern Colorado
Garage to put the bikes and do small stuff like oil changes
Big grill and place to hang out
pool table(s)
Maybe some tent sites too
Rent bikes in the future

What do you think? Would you go or tell your friends about i?

My only questions would be.. what is the weather like, longer riding season, more revenue... and getting into Oil changes would put you under a whole nother group of people checking into your buisness?... EPA?...but if I was in the area.. I would prefer biker friendly as opposed to not so friendly... my 2 cents...

Are you an investor? :roflmao:

Yes, all those revenue-related items will go into the business plan. I just want to know if people would stay there rather than the local Super 8, assuming the price was right.

OK, next question:

The area is close to Moab and some other scenic areas that have a longer riding season. It is also close to some incredible mountain riding, which obviously has a shorter season. So, if in peak season the local flea bag motel is $89 a night, the KOA will give you a patch of grass for $25 a night (although they are usually booked solid in the summer), do you think $120 a night for a room in a log cabin with biker-resort amenities and a safe, warm, dry place for you bike would be too much? $109? What would it be worth?

I know it's all over my head. I typically camp because I'm too poor to pay for a hotel room.

Are you thinking near the Grand Junction area? I think it would be a good idea, so when do I make my reservations?

Seems you'd be roughly on the path for Las Vegas/Los Angeles Sturgis-bound riders. Could get a massive amount of business for a couple weeks. After that, I think you'd want to be the destination more than the rest stop, so you'd want to cater to the RUBs (not meant as an affront, they're riders, too - only they pay their bills:roflmao: ) and to other highwaymen and women - even if they ride Yamahas roflmao: ...for you, SK!). If you had a pond or other fishing access you'd get a good steady clientele, I'm thinking. Denver/CO Springs crowd in the summer for overnights.

Yep, seems like a sweet idea. You're style (I met her, she's real) would be a great fit, too. Just be real careful on who you bring into the business. The B&B (with or without the Biker "B") business is heavily personality based, especially when you're working the off-peak, low volume parts of the year. If I wasn't such a misanthrope I'd jump at the chance to do that sort of thing!

As to the price, I think you might get away with the $120 per for the best accomodations, but you may also want to have spots of minimalist comfort to bring in regular riders(far away from the cabins!). At $120 you are going to have much reduced flow, and cancellations (which happen more with bikers than cagers - bad weather will scare more wealthy clients away) will take a bigger bite.


:cheers:

This is place over in my neck of the woods. They seem to busy all thru the summer and fall. Usually you have to call a month in advance to get a room.




Blue Highway Motorcycle Lodge LLC

Thanks for the input!

Snowmobiles in the winter is a good idea. I was also thinking of doing a quilt retreat place in the winter, where groups could come and stay. There's a pretty good market for that too.

I was thinking of campsites and/or a bunkhouse for the budget-minded biker. I have some experience in the hotel industry and understand customer service well. I'm sure I can come up with a week's worth of killer breakfasts too. I'll have to import some maple syrup from back home.

I'm sure I'd do peak and off-peak. I like the idea of oil burning furnaces. And yes, Red, I was thinking about somewhere between Montrose and Grand Junction. Low enough that you could hit Moab and Gateway and some other breathtaking places in the cooler months, and easily accessible to the San Juans, Silverton, Durango, Mesa Verde, and Telluride.

It could definitely be a destination, but Sturgis traffic wouldn't hurt.

Nope not an investor.. unless I can pay with Chrome?
:roflmao: :roflmao:

I think that it would be a great idea, and I like the idea of getting the oil burning stoves, but again.. check what the EPA would say.. but even if you had to dispose of it... I know that Kragen takes it for free around here, and what a selling point for the guy that has been on the road for a week?

Great! I'm working on the investment summary this weekend. I "met" a guy on Facebook who is a Harley rider and a real estate agent in Colorado, and he's sent me some listings so I'll have an idea on price. My mother, who has been a general contractor in the past and is now roaming the country in her RV with her (almost) 90 year old husband, has said she'd park the rig on the property and oversee construction. She also agreed to run the place while I go out riding in the summer. :roflmao: Well, some of the time. Free hook-up for her. I don't want to make it an RV place, but I can make an exception for my mother. Now to just figure out how much a monster log cabin will cost.

The location is a very good spot for Colorado as it leads to almost everywhere easily on the west slope. In the general area mentioned is a town called Crawford (north of the Black Canyon of the Gunnsion..an awesome ride in itself). Joe Cocker made his ranch there as it's close to Telluride (where he originally wanted to live), Aspen and Grand Jct.

Definitely need some camping spots as it's low maintenance income, and half your clientele may very well be campers, especially with the economy the way it is.

My lady friend's house in Carbondale is for sale. It's an 8500 sq.ft. house with a 6 car garage and have seen a dozen bikes in there with room to spare. Best view in the Roaring Fork Valley (30 miles west of Aspen) at about 7800' elevation (1500' above the town of Carbondale) facing Mt. Sopris with views of the Maroon Bells by Aspen..amazing panorama view. It's got 4 large bedrooms (3 w/bathrooms) upstairs w/master suite on main floor (w/his&hers bathrooms) w/huge media room basement w/bar and is on 8+ acres. We've thought about it being a biker B&B, but zoning has prohibited it. It'd only been open to bikers from May through Oct because of snow. Wintertime would gather the skiing crowd.

Abby mentions Gateway, which is west of Telluride on the way to Utah and Moab. What a canyon ride that it includes the old uranium town of Uravan, then Naturita. Beautiful country.

:gah:

The conference is s scam. I'm still going through with it, but I have a little more time to plan. I got going on it real quickly after I was informed about this angel investor conference coming up in Denver. I registered online and started the process. I had to do a benchmark survey to see how my ideas and background compared to successful businesses. It was somewhat useful information, but I didn't think it was any big deal.

Then I started the investment summary. I saved it about halfway through, and they gave me a score (without anyone having a clue what I was pitching). They said I could improve the score by having my benchmark survey reviewed or audited. That's when I found out they want $750 for a review or $2,500 for an audit.

Do they think I'm some kind of moron? It's OK. I have more time to get a better plan together.

Well all I can say is that if I was in the USA and in the area and traveling, I'd be making use of the place. But I'm in UK so it is unlikely in the near future. I'd so love to go riding in the USA, through Utah, Nevada, Arizona. I like mountains, I like desert, I like hot. Maybe one day it will happen.

bed and breakfast

I think it would be a great place to go. The only thing is colorado is cold and snowy.

Bed and Breakfast

You havbe a couple of years to get it ready I'm guessing before my kid and I, and maybe the wife as well, and maybe the other kid,.... come cruising through and will be looking out to stay.
Sounds wonderful but please do your homework. I bought into a business I thought was a winner and it cost:cussing: . Lucky I'm a rig pig so it didn't make too big of a change in my lifestyle.
With an MBA you sound like you know what you are doing so I'll leave it at that.
Other ideas?? Dirt bike trails, for both 2 and 4 wheelers, tyre change machine, shooting range. Maybe getting carried away here but there are all sorts of entertaining little sidelines you could have.
Good showers and good food are the biggest attractions I've ever seen though.
Good luck.
Graham