Beach Moto or: How I Learned to Stop Showrooming and Love Retail Service.
If you’ve been following the ‘Bike-urious does Baja‘ posts, you’ve probably seen Beach Moto come up a few times. That’s because the man behind Beach, Dennis Afanasyev, has been incredibly helpful as Nathan and I go about our absurd journey – he’s joined us on many rides, including our day at Socal Supermoto School:
Telling this story requires me to go back a few years. I find gear shopping to be a frustrating process. Especially in LA, you’ve either got stores that offer ridiculously expensive (and admittedly, very cool) gear that the average rider can’t afford, or retail chains that try to push poorly made products with high profit margins. (Yeah, I’m looking at you, BiLT). I know that’s a bit of an oversimplification, but finding a shop that strikes the balance is rare, and it’s one of the reasons I like Beach Moto.
As soon as you walk in, you’ll be quickly greeted by Dennis and Kate, who stand out thanks to their willingness to take time to answer all of your questions. Most importantly to me, their priority is clearly getting you equipped in gear that will protect you if something were to go wrong.
In their words:
“As riders, one day we noticed that it’s next to impossible to find high quality motorcycle gear in Los Angeles. All stores are filled with cheap generic brands, and real riders looking for quality products are forced to buy online sight unseen. Beach Moto was established to fill this gap. We strive to provide the same experience we always dreamed about – product in stock, knowledgeable sales staff, and a kick ass shopping experience.
Here at Beach Moto we are not just trying to sell you the most expensive gear. We are motorcycle enthusiasts, and you can always come to us for advice. Welcome to the family.”
They don’t just say it, they live it. You really will become part of the family, as Dennis and Kate are constantly joined by friends and customers for track days and other events – here’s Kate getting some air at Socal Supermoto, where they put together a private class session:
As you’ve already seen, Dennis has been instrumental in Nathan and my off-road development, not just in terms of recommending gear, but also coming out before dawn to teach us in person out in the dirt.
Beach Moto has a modern interior design and a decent selection of protection. Expect to find mid to high level gear from companies like Dainese, Shoei, Schuberth, Klim, Sidi, and they just picked up Kriega, which is an excellent call.
But special mention has to be made of Rev’it. In fact, Beach Moto is Rev’it’s second biggest retailer in the United States, which is why Beach has hosted Rev’it Launch Preview events in the past.
photo from http://flashpointgrafix.com/
But don’t just take it from me! Just take a look at what other riders have to say on sites like Yelp.
You’ve got plenty of options when it comes to spending your money on motorcycle gear. But if you’re in LA and you value the ability to try on gear and ask questions to someone who understands what they’re selling, you owe it to yourself to check out Beach Moto. Plus, if you’re price conscious like me – remember that they’ll price match with online retailers! Go say hi and tell them I sent you. Hell, there’s a decent chance you’ll see Nathan or myself there, anyway.
Photos by Nathan May.