BACKROADS • SEPTEMBER 2021
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INDUSTRY INFOBITES J.D. POWER REPORTS POWERSPORTS HITS HISTORICAL HIGH In the Q2 2021 Powersports Market Insights, analysts from J.D. Power Specialty Valuation Services (formerly NADAguides) forecast the market will continue to favor sellers as long as parts shortages limit production and consumers have money to spend. This dynamic is anticipated to last through the peak season and, at least, into the fourth quarter of 2021. “New bikes and side-by-sides remain hard to find, and buyers are paying historically high levels for vehicles that come on the market,” said Lenny Sims, vice president of business development and strategy at J.D. Power Specialty Valuation Services. “Motorcycle pricing in the first half of 2021 is significantly outpacing the same time period last year. The most recent 10 model years of sportbike values are averaging 13.6% higher and cruisers are averaging 11.4% higher. Side-by-sides continue widening the gap from a year ago, with utility models bringing 24.5% more revenue year over year, and sport models bringing in 17.9% more.”
RIGHT TO REPAIR MAKES HEADWAY Consumers may soon have more choice over where to take products, from vehicles to smartphones, to be repaired following a new Biden Administration executive order intended to promote right-to-repair protections. In a broad-ranging executive order aimed at increasing competition in the marketplace, President Biden has asked the Federal Trade Commission to draft regulations that would prevent manufacturers from stipulating that these and other devices can be repaired only by authorized personnel. Tucked into the executive order that covered 72 initiatives to promote competition in the U.S. economy, Biden specifically asked the FTC to crack down on “unfair anticompetitive restrictions on third-party repair or self-repair of items.” The new directive to the FTC comes a couple of months after the commission delivered a 54-page report to Congress that concluded “there is scant evidence to support manufacturers’ justifications for repair restrictions.”
News from the Inside The order is a significant win for the right to repair advocates who have long championed a consumer’s choice to have their technology fixed either by third parties or on their own, rather than solely by the manufacturer. Right to repair argues that anyone should have access to the OEM parts, manuals, and software needed to perform those repairs.
BMW MOTORRAD AND MARSHALL ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP BMW Motorrad says it has long been engaged in development work on its motorcycle sound systems. With its now agreed long-term partnership with world-renowned British company – Marshall Amplification – the innovation and quality of BMW Motorrad sound systems are set to reach new levels. (“These go to 11” – Spinal Tap) For 60 years, Marshall, originally from Hanwell, London, now based in Bletchley, Milton Keynes (UK), has produced legendary guitar amplifiers used by the world’s best musicians. Since 2012 they have expanded their audio quality into awardwinning headphones and active speakers designed for music lovers. The legendary Marshall spirit and the development power of BMW Motorrad will in the future be reflected in new innovative products for motorcycles and music, especially in the BMW Motorrad Heritage segment, according to the company.
CARDO AND HARMAN CONTINUED THEIR TEAM UP Cardo Systems has announced it has extended their cooperation with HARMAN to continue setting the benchmark for premium audio quality
