DOBLE MOTORCYCLES TRIALS TIME

from Trial Magazine Issue 98 April-May 2023

SIDECAR STRONG START

As a successful motorcycle dealership, Doble Motorcycles has a strong and solid relationship with Honda on the road-related side of the business. It was a visit to the hugely successful DL12 Indoor Invitation Trial in January 2023, where the idea to move into the trials world was born. They had taken on the Honda Off-Road franchise two years earlier and started to stock the successful four-stroke Cota 4RT range. Honda UK had invited its dealer network to the Sheffieldbased DL12 competition, and for many, it was their first view of the two-wheeled world of motorcycle trials. Representing Doble Motorcycles was Paul Styles, one half of the business partnership with Mike Doble. Paul soon recognised the superb skills of the trials riders and, off the back of this, decided to make it official that they would move into the trials market from their base at Coulsdon, in Surrey.

Words: John Hulme and Paul Styles • Pictures: Trials Media, GFV Media

It is well documented that Doble Motorcycles has been the best-selling Honda road dealer for the last 20 years and a Honda Gold Wing dealer for 13 years. So before moving into the off-road sector with them, we wanted to learn more about Doble Motorcycles.

Motorcycle Business

Doble Motorcycles is a long-established, family-run business founded in 1967 by Mike Doble senior and his late brother Chris Doble. Both good road racers in their day, Chris was supported by the once mighty Greeves name.

It all started with just one shop at number 88 Brighton Road, selling one or two step-through mopeds and motorcycle servicing. Chris managed the motorcycle business while Mike set up a used car showroom across the road at 103; this also took off very well and thrived as the motor industry boomed.

Time moved on, and expansion was inevitable for the Motorcycle shop. Honda rapidly increased its product range, with big sellers like the Superdream and CX500 models. The adjacent shop, number 90, was acquired and soon became filled with exciting new machines from the Japanese manufacturer. Again the market grew, and the need to expand even further soon arrived. Seeming to take over one end of Coulsdon, number 86 was bought, and another 50% increase in size took place. Honda’s market share also grew to keep customers coming back time and time again. It became apparent that car sales could not keep pace with the two-wheeled sales, so all resources were pooled together to double the motorcycle business and give the customer huge choices and diversity.

Selling and specialising in the world’s

OFF-ROAD experience, which changed his thought process regarding motorcycle trials, particularly the 4RT, is Matt Close. He is a Honda-trained technician and a Montesa-trained Cota 4RT four-stroke specialist; he certainly knows the machine inside out. As a result, he can speak with customers on a one-to-one basis concerning anything to do with the Montesa