Italian Motorcycle Importers opens new service centre
The new facility which is equipped with diagnostic and technical servicing equipment now finds itself at its new home, Maserati House, Bryanston.
According to IMI, the facility is ready and functioning and is already taking bookings for motorcycle repairs and servicing. “Our dealer management system, which is used for parts ordering and management, is in place, and we have accepted the first shipment of parts and oils. We have already serviced several Moto Guzzis and the first Aprilia RSV4,” Paul Richardson, Service Director for IMI. After a successful career at the head of a property development group, Richardson joined IMI as he is an avid motorcycle rider, national junior BMX Champion and international BMX contender, and loves everything on two wheels.
Italian Motorcycle Importers has employed several specialists that will be responsible for servicing new motorcycles and assisting classic motorcycle owners in repairs and fault finding on their classic Italian bikes. “As a biker and member of an Italian motorcycle club, I know how passionate people are about their bikes. We are too, and we hope to give the best possible service to Aprilia and Guzzi owners. In large-scale property construction (my previous career), as in technical matters, I value the ability to break down any complex problem and systematically solve it. I believe that this will help us when we start servicing older models and support specialised bike set-ups for some of our Aprilia owners,” says Richardson.
The responsibility of being the sole distributor of both the Aprilia and Moto Guzzi brands in South Africa was given to IMI by Aquarian Lifestyle (Vespa South Africa) and the global Piaggio group – who owns the Moto Guzzi and Aprilia brands. Since then IMI has been securing parts and component supply, diagnostics equipment and software. IMI will also have global support for any warranty claims or global service and recall campaigns with to the respective brands. “We have a direct line with Piaggio and will assist any existing Aprilia or Moto Guzzi bike owner with servicing and warranty claims. Each enquiry from an existing owner who bought one of these brands from the now-defunct previous importers will be evaluated on merit, and we will always try to help,” added Richardson.
“The IMI team of enthusiastic professionals is committed to providing fairly priced quality service to all our customers that enhances their ownership of part of the Italian Dream lifestyle,” Ian Huntly, CEO, Italian Motorcycle Importers and serial collector of Italian bikes and cars.
