Electric motorcycle showroom and service shop

Commuters, curious riders switching from petrol bikes, urban riders and some fleet or delivery customers.

Margin on each bike sold, plus accessories, gear, servicing labour and parts. Financing and extended warranty referrals may add a little more.

• Sales and customer service
• Mechanical aptitude or a skilled technician on the team
• Knowing riders and how electric bikes differ
• Basic bookkeeping and inventory control

• Provincial dealer licensing and bonding, which differs by province (for example, check with your provincial motor vehicle regulator)
• Dealer agreements with manufacturers, which may set stock, training and facility requirements
• Commercial general liability, garage and inventory insurance, including cover for test rides
• Safe storage and charging of lithium batteries, and fire code rules for your unit
• Strong seasonality in colder regions, so plan cash flow for winter
• Quebec has its own consumer protection and French-language rules to check

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $60,000 to $250,000, depending on premises, the number of bikes you stock, service bay equipment and any manufacturer requirements. Your own figure will depend on your dealer agreements.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $20,000 to $100,000, depending on how many bikes you sell, plus servicing and gear. Colder regions are seasonal, so plan your cash flow for winter.

Check provincial dealer licensing and bonding with your provincial motor vehicle regulator, and manufacturer dealer agreement requirements. Also check insurance including test rides, lithium battery storage and charging under fire code rules, and Quebec consumer protection and French-language rules.