Stewart formed the company in late 2003 and brought in two container loads of used motorcycles from Japan. “I intended to be a wholesaler and sell them on to local bike shops but that just didn’t work. So, within two months I became a dealer and hired two mechanics.”
Stewart had worked in used car sales for a dozen or so years. In his past, he has also had in a general auto repair workshop and owned a car rental business.
But his lifelong passions have been motorbikes and martial arts. He bought his first motorbike at 15 and didn’t learn to drive until he was 22 when he needed a car for a job in insurance sales.
He and his family all practice and compete in martial arts; at one point he had a martial arts supplies shop “But I got burgled out of existence. After the third break-in, my insurance company refused to cover it anymore.”
Today TSS Motorcycles employs six staff in the apparel and accessories store, seven mechanics, three sales staff, two part-time admin staff (including wife Chevanne), and one customer service receptionist.
The parts, apparel and accessories store is open on weekends and does a roaring trade, particularly on Saturdays.
“We have a really wide range of clothing and other gear, and this side of the business makes up about a third of our income.” The showroom is only open during the week and Saturdays.
TSS Motorcycles sells new Suzuki, KTM and Royal Enfield bikes with around 450 to 500 new and used motorcycles expected to blast out the door this year.
