Issue #11 November

World’s Luckiest Man

By Bob Althoff

TIME FOR GIVING THANKS

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…  Charles Dickens had it right in  A Tale of Two Cities. And from his day to this, it is ever thus. We live in a world that exhibits abject horror, unspeakable evil and pervasive doom… and a news cycle that brings it all into our living rooms 24/7/365. Tough to celebrate Thanksgiving when the world is seemingly on the run from the Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse.

But as bad as it may seem, we know there is much more to be grateful for — kindness, friendships, love. And more. We are blessed beyond any expectation to live in this big, messy, wonderfull place called America. We have our freedom (mostly); we have our families and our faith…

And we have motorcycles, the bond that ties dealers, distributors, aftermarket and OEMs inextricably together!

We have material wealth and our collective business of powersports, which as my friend, Scott Miller, always reminds us, leads to a “richer and fuller life.”

While we look down the barrel of higher interest rates, out of control fuel prices and a faltering economy, there are better and brighter days ahead for our industry and the millions we serve. Of that, I am sure. There are simply too many good people doing things for the greater good of our powersports world to believe that it will all go to Hell in a handbasket tomorrow.

Recently, I witnessed a selfless “servant” leader of our industry in action. (He knows who he is, and one day you will, too). A generous, inclusive and future-focused leader can change the world; change the course of an industry; and can inspire all of us to work for the common good of one another.

In my book, that is something to be thankful as the dickens for!

Happy Holidays; hope to see you all at AIMExpo.

Bob

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Editor’s Note

By Robin Hartfiel

WHAT A LONG STRANGE TRIP IT HAS BEEN…

Apologies to the Grateful Dead, but I have a lot to be grateful for and this is my second compilation album as the editor of Dealernews. As Creative Director Gus and I were Truckin’ through the packed show halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center it dawned on me that my first trade show as a “real” magazine guy rather than a freelancer hoping to sell a story on spec was the 1984 SEMA show as a wet behind the ears editor of VW Trends magazine. There were even some Mint 400 winning machines in one of the booths, including the reigning champ’s then-new Husqvarna.

Fast forward to SEMA 2022… checking in, I swear I saw the same now-vintage Husky in the bed of an old truck. You can’t make this stuff up. With the lines between powersports and motorsports blurring more than ever, it is interesting to see how closely our two industries align… and how vastly different they remain. Gus and I weren’t the only strangers in a strange land. Vance & Hines has entered the truck exhaust arena and had two displays, one on the show floor and one outside in the demo area.

Speaking of demo areas, our industry expansion effort Ride.With.Us. was a huge hit with the crossover crowd. More than 300 guests cycled through the MIC’s Moto Intro sessions at SEMA. That number almost tripled the previous participant record at a single Moto Intro event. Of course playing to an audience of 150.000 gearheads was a good idea. “One advantage to doing this activation at a

trade show is that we were connecting with a nationwide audience, with visitors from across America,” says my friend Cinnamon Kernes, MIC VP of market expansion. “So we actually reached multiple markets in one stop.”

Seeing the need to stay relevant in a post-pandemic world SEMA unveiled its expansion plans at the annual industry gala. They have a five-year vision to expand the SEMA Show into an “all-city” experience. Officially called SEMA Week, the expansion’s goal is to create the most passionate and exciting motorsports event in the world... judging from the number of motorcycle people we saw in the show halls, not to mention the huge UTV industry presence, powersports will be playing an even bigger role down the road!

“I wish we could capture the excitement and the vibe of this event… Why don’t we have a show like this in the powersports industry,” questioned a first-time exhibitor at SEMA. We did, it was called the Dealernews International Dealer Expo. We still do, it is called AIMExpo and it is coming back to Vegas in 2023.

One of the things Gus and I witnessed on our way to the Atturo UTV tire roll-out was a trial balloon being floated as 5,000 tickets were sold to attend the heretofore tradeonly event. Consumers being added to the mix may be sacrilege to some, but it certainly raises the excitement level to have passionate enthusiasts seeing the latest and greatest the aftermarket has to offer. This was a lesson the EICMA folks learned about a100 years ago when they opened the exhibit halls to the unwashed masses after the media and trade days. Seems to be working for them.

Still change is tough for some, and the folks at AIMExpo have announced 2023 will once again be trade-only when the powersports industry returns to Las Vegas in February.

However, having returned to my roots, I am excited about the prospects for both the SEMA show and AIMExpo events in the future. Blurring the lines between powersports and motorsports may not be that bad for either side. Adding consumers to trade-only events is hard, but it can be done and to great success if EICMA in Italy is any indication.

And miracles can happen… VW Trends is back in print again and I have a media pass to SEMA again! It really has been a long strange trip!

Former Editor-in-Chief and publisher of Dealernews circa 1990-2003, Robin returns to the magazine. In addition to having been instrumental in creating the Dealernews Top 100 program (still the industry’s ultimate accolade for a motorcycle dealership), Hartfiel has worked for most of the B2B publications in the Powersports arena. Prior to the trade side, he worked as a beat reporter for a local newspaper and was an editor of publications ranging from All About Beer to VW Trends.

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VALE GARY LAPLANTE

Hello All! I can’t thank everyone enough. The support my father and I have received through this whole process has been amazing!

I’ll never forget the day my dad was diagnosed. The doctors found a “mass” in his brain. The worst diagnosis basically. We immediately focused on trying to beat this thing! After surgery, my dad got to spend some great time with friends and family, and reconnecting with old relationships (MY MOM!).

So many great memories over the last year: The SCPBRA party at Tom Hicks’ dealership, Hector’s amazing artwork… and we even made stickers and t-shirts! Mike Cline sleeping on the couch after partying in Temecula with dad! Ha, and now we have a pool table in the house! Dad would have loved the celebration of life, and even though he wasn’t there in human form, he was there in everyone’s heart.

Thank you, Robin and  Dealernews, for putting together such a great article on my father. He’s done a lot for our sport, and of course I’m biased, but we all lost a big part of our industry when we lost my dad. I plan to continue his legacy through MotoVentures, but there’s definitely some big riding boots to fill!

Thanks again everyone, Love you all!

Andre LaPlante

MotoVentures, Inc.

Anza, CA

https://motoventures.com/

JUST IMAGINE WHAT GOOD ARTWORK WOULD HAVE DONE…

I’m sure you’ve seen this issue of  Dealernews where Robin published an article about our dear friend Gary LaPlante and the wonderful celebration of life at Tom’s place, but just in case I enclose the magazine. Click at the bottom to see the digital issue and see pages 86-87: https://issuu.com/dealernews/docs/ issue_10_october_fc46cbda749d77/86

Thank you Robin for running the article. In the interview, Tom mentions that one of the speakers said that our sport is a family. It was me.

I experienced that when I moved from Argentina in 1983 and the motorcycle industry helped me to start my new life here as an artist for which I’ll be forever grateful. When my son Eduardo told me that he wanted to work in the racing industry, I encouraged him to do so because I knew that either in the motorcycle or car industries, he’d be in a great place. And he was.

Mike Cline came up with the idea of the GoFundMe site for Gary (even though he tried to convince me that the idea was mine), we raised a significant amount of money for the family and I’d bet my house that in the home of every person that made a donation there was a motorcycle helmet. That’s the motorcycle family.

Best to you all and God Bless.

Hector Cademartori

PS: Now that I think of it, imagine how much more money we’d have raised

SOUND OFF!

if we had enticed donors with artwork from a good artist...

Hector Cademartori

MOTOR RACING ART

La Verne. CA hectorcademartori.com

THANKS AGAIN

Beautiful gesture, Robin. Thanks to Gary’s many friends, this fundraiser is doing better than we dreamed, but there is still a considerable gap, so the GoFundMe page is still up: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ridersfor-gary-laplante

Typo?  I blame the phone!

Mike Cline, Charter Member

Southern California Professional Bench Racers Association (SCPBRA)

Big Bear Lake, CA

ATTENTION GETTER!

Thanks for everything, the latest issue looks fantastic. Hopefully October’s issue was a huge success for you guys. It certainly grabbed my team’s attention and I am very grateful for that!

Thanks again!

Brandon Nash Team Member

Nash Powersports

Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa & Auburn

Join in the conversation via e-mail: Editor@dealernews.com Check us out on Instagram: www.instagram.com/dealernews Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DealernewsFan Follow along on: Dealernews.com Tune into our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/c/Dealernews50/featured

WALL STREET HIGH ON THE HOG

The Q3 numbers are in for The Motor Company, and global motorcycle shipments grew 19% compared to last year as Harley-Davidson recovered from its unexpected production suspension in Q2. Revenue also grew 24% in the period, attributed to profitable unit growth and global pricing strategies. “Harley-Davidson delivered a strong third quarter with solid growth for both revenue and operating income, aligned to our Hardwire strategic initiatives,” claimed Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO, Harley-Davidson.

“We are reaffirming our outlook for the year, and as we approach our 120th anniversary that we will be celebrating in our hometown Milwaukee and around the world, we are excited about the potential of Harley-Davidson, the most desirable motorcycle company in the world.” Talk of repurposing its Juneau Avenue HQ and LiveWire’s SPAC financing teething pains notwithstanding, the numbers in revenue and income were up.

Consolidated revenue was up 21% versus Q3 2021. HDMC revenue was driven by a strong recovery in global motorcycle shipments after being adversely impacted by an unexpected production suspension in Q2. Consolidated operating income growth of 66%, reflected 164% growth at HDMC and a decline of 24 percent at HDFS. In line with expectations, the HDFS decline was a result of a higher provision for credit losses as the credit environment normalizes, and higher interest expense.

However global motorcycle sales were still down in many markets. Overall global retail motorcycle sales were down 2% versus prior year. North America retail performance was down 5% as the market continued to be adversely impacted by lower dealer inventories. Retail performance strengthened during the quarter as dealer inventories replenished.

2022 Outlook

HDMC revenue growth of 5% to 10% HDMC operating income margin of 11 to 12% HDFS operating income to decline by 20 to 25% Capital investments of $170 million to $190 million from a previously expected spend of $190 million to $220 million

HOWEVER…

While Harley’s Q3 results looked promising, the recent recall of 200,000 Big Twins is a tough pill to swallow. A lighting issue has caused nearly 200,000 trikes and touring models to be recalled under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V781000. According to NHTSA, the potential number of bikes subject to recall could be as many as 199,419 starting with 2019 FLs running through 2022 production.

Summary: Harley-Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Trike and CVO Trike and 20202022 Touring and CVO Touring motorcycles. Please refer to Addendum A for specific vehicle model details. The brake lights may illuminate without the rider applying the brakes. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.”

Remedy: Dealers will update the software on Touring and CVO Touring motorcycles. On Trike and CVO Trike motorcycles, a new pressure switch will also be installed. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 26, 2022. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson customer service at 1-800-258-2464. HarleyDavidson’s number for this recall is 0635.

DEALER NEWS: MADDIE’S & MOM’S TEAM UP TO TAKE OVER INGLES

Better together!! In a unique three-way deal, Maddie’s Motor Sports has entered into a partnership with Motorcycles Of Manchester (MOMS), to acquire the assets of Ingles Performance of Phoenix, N.Y., one of Central New York’s oldest and most recognized powersports dealerships. In 1981, Mike Ingles opened a motorcycle repair shop in his parents’ garage. He and his wife Robin oversaw the steady growth and expansion of the business, which moved into its current Phoenix location in 1996.

“Ingles Performance is highly regarded as one of the best and most customer-focused operations in our area,” said Maddie’s VP Graham Marcus. “Their dedication to our industry and focus

on customer experience has helped them build a strong base of loyal clients over the past 41-plus years. I am very excited about the potential of this new venture between Maddie’s and MOMS,” added Marcus. “This new partnership will create a synergy between two of the largest dealership groups in the Northeast and link these business entities into the future.”

“Mike and Robin are highly regarded both by their fellow dealers and the customers they have served so well over the years,” said MOMS President Joel Wheeler. “They have become one of the region’s top dealers for Bombardier and Polaris product lines and have really excelled in serving off-road riders.”

The new partnership will operate as Empire Powersports, LLC, and as of October 18, 2022, Empire is managing daily operations of Ingles Performance. Pending OEM approval, the dealership will continue to carry Can-Am, Ski-Doo, Sea-Doo, Lynx and Polaris vehicles, as well as Triton trailers. Maddie’s and MOMs have vowed Empire will continue to deliver outstanding service and maintenance, pre-owned vehicles, trailers, riding gear, sportswear, parts and accessories, financing and demo rides.

Empire will retain the Ingles staff and will also operate using the business’s current name for the foreseeable future until OEM approval and state DMV licenses are obtained. At that point, the transaction will move from a management agreement into full ownership.

“Along with our commitment to deliver outstanding customer service, we’ll also provide shoppers with vast financing options and extensive product inventory available from our entire combined dealer network,” concluded Wheeler.

Maddie’s Motor Sports, LLC, is one of the largest powersports retail and service companies in New York State. MOMS is a family-owned business that has become New England’s powersports leader with locations throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine and now New York.

DISTRIBUTOR DOINGS: LEMAN’S UPS THE ANTE AT AIMEXPO

LeMan’s Corp has officially confirmed Parts Unlimited and Drag Specialties are returning to AIMExpo February 15-17, 2023! “For us, it’s another opportunity to come together with the powersports Industry,” says VP of Sales/Marketing, Jeff Derge. “Our global leadership team will be on hand and look forward to seeing everyone in Las Vegas.”

Tradeshows matter and face-to-face is the best way to do business in the powersports market, he adds. “We believe in tradeshows — our Spring and Fall NVPs are proof of that. Opportunities to learn about new products, market trends and the chance to build relationships within the industry are priceless.”

It also makes a statement, says Derge. “This is an important part of our industry; it’s another opportunity for Parts Unlimited and Drag Specialties to show dealers, vendors and OEMs our commitment to “We Support the Sport.”

He invites everyone to stop by for a cup of coffee, meet LeMans leadership team and learn what is new for 2023 when the show takes place in the traditional Dealer Expo timeframe in February.

The dealerships will remain at their current locations.

GO WEST!

As Horace Greeley once suggested, Automatic Distributors has gone west, announcing the grand opening of the new west coast distribution center! Strategically located in Sparks, Nevada, the state-of-the-art 80,000+ sq./ft. facility now allows Automatic to offer 1–2 day delivery for the entire Automatic dealer network west of the Rockies.

“It has been a tremendous effort from our entire team to make this dream a reality,” says Automatic Distributors President Jeff Graham. “I could not be more excited to experience this incredible time with the best team in the business as Automatic continues our astounding growth.” After serving dealers for more than 65 years from their Bangor, Maine HQ it was time to embrace manifest destiny and take the team west. “The dedication and support of our incredible team members is now expanding with the inauguration of our newest distribution center.”

SPEAKING OF LEMANS, NVP Returns To Louisville

Parts Unlimited and Drag Specialties announce the return of the in-person Expo to Louisville after a three year hiatus! The NVP Expo held at the Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC) is scheduled for January 21-22, 2023, and will kick off the Spring Premier selling season for the distribution giant.

NVP Product Expo continues to expand, and they are now expecting a 40% increase in exhibit space from the previous Louisville event. The sales force will have additional opportunities to visit vendor displays on Friday beginning at noon to get a sneak peak of what’s new for 2023! Dealers attending the expo will receive expo discounts and additional incentives.

January 21st & 22nd - Louisville is the place to be! Located only a day’s drive for over half the U.S. population, it’s one of the most walkable downtowns and a premier dining and entertainment destination. Save the date and join LeMans as the industry comes together again in downtown Louisville!

According to Graham, this business boom has made Automatic’s expansion a necessity to ensure the distributor is properly serving dealers out west. “This facility delivers increased space for future growth and additional logistics stations to increase end-to-end efficiency. As a result, Automatic dealers will experience an enhanced business experience when working with our team.”

Multiple catalogs are packed with SKUs from more than 350 vendors — totaling 75,000+ products! With industry-leading service and same-day shipping from its three distribution centers in Maine, Indiana and now Nevada, Automatic provides 1–2 day delivery to most of the United States, coast-to-coast.

“This facility has been a long time coming,” concludes Graham. “I am pleased to say that this expansion is going to deliver incredible benefits for our dealers, and we look forward to delivering our superior and fast distribution solutions to our western dealer network.”

For dealer details, click here: www.autodist.com

TUCKER HOSTS TOWN HALL MEETING

“Today’s market is not what last year’s market was,” Tucker Powersports CEO Marc McAllister told about 50 suppliers in an online Town Hall Meeting on October 27. He addressed several topics, including Tucker’s strategy, the importance of dealers and the company’s preparation for AIMExpo. He opened with some prepared remarks then did an extended Q&A to wrap up the meeting.

“The market has been tightening and that is likely to continue into Q1.” He said the company’s data indicates a bottoming out during that quarter and a recovery starting at the end of Q1 and into Q2. “Our plan is to weather the winter and look forward to Spring.”

He also said Tucker is not doing as well as he had hoped but is on solid footing while they are working some inventory out of their system to free up cash and capital. McAllister reiterated company strategy is “a blending of what we used to consider pure powersports, motorcycles and side-by-sides, combined with new lifestyle choices of getting outdoors and participating in powered adventures.” Tucker will continue to lead the charge into EV.

“With the growth of e-bikes and electric motorcycles, we don’t think that consumers are as discerning as we are about how that experience happens and where that experience starts. We see a blended future with plenty of space for what we do, whether it’s internal combustion powered, EV-powered or human-powered. We are looking to serve all of those customers.” He cited some notable successes for Tucker, such as the announcement of an exclusive distribution agreement with high-tech helmet company Forcite, E-Power brands that are selling through to dealers rapidly, as well as certain products from the suppliers on the call that are moving rapidly.

McAllister confirmed to suppliers that he sees a multi-channel future and is not moving away from dealers, saying “the dealer channel is critical to our industry, the dealer today continues to drive a significant amount of our sales and your sales. Our industry still needs a clubhouse, a gathering point, where people can feel engaged, a place where questions can be answered and to ensure they get the sales and service that they need.”

“We continue to invest in dealers, and that brings me to AIMExpo. In our mind it’s critical that AIME exists. It’s a time for our industry to get together, it’s a time for our industry to celebrate who we are, and a platform for us to present a cohesive version of our industry to our dealers, who are, at the end of the day, our primary customers.”

Tucker does expect the show to be “significantly larger than last year” and mentioned that Tucker’s investment is much higher than the previous show, including the company’s plan to bring all of its sales reps to the show to support their dealers. On that note, McAllister closed the meeting by thanking the attendees for their support and encouraging participation in AIMExpo.

EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS

Tucker’s Town Hall wasn’t the only big news coming out of Big D this month. Rieju/SWM importer Central Powersports Distribution is headed to a new location deep in the heart of Texas. “We purchased a 33,000 sq./ft. warehouse/office space outside of Dallas,” says CPD head wrangler Mark Berg. “It has been a long search for us, as we have always wanted to have all of our logistics, warehousing, testing and operations in one central location.” And frankly he is tired of the winters in South Dakota.

The new facility sits on 8.8 acres with a wooded area and open space for year-round testing, bike setup and photoshoots — all just outside the office doors, “We have found the ideal location in Marshall, Texas,” Berg adds. “That has moved CPD much closer to seaport access and nearer to the off-road market. The people and the community of Marshall have been amazing in helping us get this purchase complete.”

CPD’s complete move will not be until spring 2023, but CPD will start receiving ocean containers of Rieju, SWM and Electric Motion units and shipping them out to the dealer network from the new Texas facility before the end of the year. Once the move is complete, CPD will also be hiring. With the State of Texas already being full of dirtbike enthusiasts, there should be a deep pool of employable talent to pull from. “The steady growth of CPD has made this purchase vital, to both maintain and continue to grow our dealer relationships beyond what we would be able to accomplish in the northern Midwest,” Berg explains. “Our team is ready for the move and the great future! We have more off-road product lines, both OEM and aftermarket, coming to CPD for our dealers in the months ahead.”

In addition to the OEM lines CPD currently imports, Viral Brand goggles was recently added to the CPD family of aftermarket brands already in distribution. PG&A lines include Funnel Web Filters, S3 Parts and Trickbits protection parts. CPD will continue to add more aftermarket segments specific to off-road; more announcements are to come on the aftermarket sector for CPD and OEM additions. For more information on becoming a CPD dealer, or if you are located in or around Marshall, TX, and interested in joining the CPD Team, email: infousa@cpd-usa.com

Heads Up!  Helmet House is pleased to add an industry veteran to its team —  Phil Davy is now the Director Of Own Brands. In this newly created role, Davy is now in charge of raising the roof on Helmet House’s three apparel brands:  TourMaster,  Cortech and  Noru Just because he looks young enough to get carded, this is not his first rodeo. Davy brings 41 years of experience with him and branding successes from diverse companies including Renthal, O’Neal, Icon and Leatt “I was very interested and excited to hear that long-time industry professionals  Dave Bertram, Don Becklin and Scott Link had teamed up to buy Helmet House,” says Davy. “I’m honored to join their team. These guys are definitely running on race gas!”

understatement, and we are just getting started with so much amazing product to come in the near future. Ready and super pumped to take all that I have learned on the OEM and aftermarket distributor sides of this industry to grow the GMA business! I am truly Honored to be a part of this team. A big thanks to all of those that have supported me, especially  Ron Luttrell VP Sales RENA NA and  Richard Rawlins Global Head of GMA Royal Enfield! Super pumped to be working again with two of the best in the industry.”

Erik Lothian another P,G&A pro, is now accessorizing Royal Enfield. “I’m thrilled to announce my new position at  Royal Enfield North America (RENA) as Genuine Motorcycle Accessories (GMA) Manager NA. Over the past few years I have been closely watching the hard work paying off from the entire global Royal Enfield team. To say that Royal Enfield has been on the gas recently is an

Jernigan: Michael Jernigan joins the team as Plant Supervisor. In his new role, he has been tasked with optimizing and enhancing the company’s assembly line processes as well as head up assembly staff at  HISUN USA’s North American facility in  McKinney, Texas. “Michael’s engineering background, mechanical aptitude, and willingness to roll up his sleeves to get the job done and resolve any issues that may arise make him a vital addition to the HISUN team,” explains VP of Operations  Jamie Cheek. “We’re thrilled to add Michael as our new Plant Supervisor, as he’s tasked with further improving our quality control and assembly line efficiencies.” Jernigan says he loves managing and motivating teams. “My number one goal is to make sure new units hit the truck while I also try to make sure my crew is happy, Because if they’re not happy, they’re not producing. It’s a family mentality here; we spend every day together, so it’s a matter of ensuring we’re here for each other.” Before joining HISUN, Jernigan served as an engineer for Douglas Lockheed Martin and  Boeing and was part of the ISO certification process at Boeing. He began his tenure at HISUN as a Line Supervisor before being promoted to the new role of Plant Supervisor.

HISUN hires

The Paris Supercross wasn’t the only thing happening in France. Just as soon as he returned from proposing to fiance  Darla Lee in Paris, long-time  MIC Bankcard program visionary,  National Powersports Dealer Association advisor from day #1 and most recently Chief Revenue Officer with  Electronic Data Payment Systems, Gene Lydick has shifted gears. “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Regional Account Representative at ZiiDMS. “This software is PHENOMENAL!! Really has so many fixes to what dealerships have been doing without for many years,” says Lydick. The learning curve has been massive!” Now that he has bounced back from COVID, set the wedding date with Darla and completed the rigorous training, Lydick is officially the Regional Account Representative in Canada and the  Florida Marine division of  ZiiDMS — and engaged. Congratulations Gene & Darla!

Everything in  Texas is bigger, including the territory as  LeMans Corp. latest road warrior has to cover.  Dylan Hoey is now calling on Parts Unlimited dealers scattered across the Southwest Region covering central and northwestern Texas. His industry experience includes design and distribution of motorcycle parts at the vendor level, as well as distribution within other industries. Hoey rides streetbikes and enjoys dirt and trail riding. In his spare time, he enjoys rebuilding and working on old bikes.

journeyman

Brian Burk has joined the  National Powersports Auction team after having worked the auctions as a dealer for years. “Brian brings many years of experience in the powersports industry as a  dealership manager and most recently working with a Harley-Davidson dealer group in the Philadelphia area,” explains  Dusty Krepp, NPA’s Eastern RSM. “As a regular customer at NPA, he developed a strong understanding of our company. We are fortunate to have such an experienced member on our team that can hit the ground running,” he notes. Burk’s new territory includes  East Pennsylvania, East New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts,  Vermont, New Hampshire and  Maine, and he is excited to serve his customers with all their inventory management needs.” A long time motorcycle enthusiast, Burk first rode his cousin’s 1979 Honda XR 70. Today his favorite ride is his 2021 Road Glide Special. By joining NPA, he is able to share his experience and knowledge to help other dealers. “I’m very excited to be on the NPA team,” he exclaims. “It is really fun working with like-minded enthusiasts who share the same passion.”

Following up on new digs coming in Dallas,  Central Powersports Distribution has hired industry insider  Rod Overstreet as the National Sales & Dealer Development Manager for  Electric Motion trials bikes,  Rieju and  SWM. “We are very excited to be working with Rod, as he has the experience and passion for off-road, and that is what we are all about here,” says CPD CEO  Mark Berg. “Rod will continue to nourish our existing  dealer relationships, while simultaneously cultivating new dealers. I know he is the right person for the large task ahead, especially when tackling the altered business atmosphere in the post-COVID world.” Overstreet adds, “These are exciting times at Central Powersports Distribution, and I’m honored to be a part of this team once again as we build for the future. Our goal is simple: make doing business fun and easy — no games or gimmicks. We strive to offer the best possible support to our dealers and to our riders.” In addition to its OEM lines, Viral Brand goggles recently joined the CPD family of aftermarket brands already in distribution, including  Funnel Web Filters,  S3 Parts and  Trickbits Protection Parts. CPD will continue to add more aftermarket segments specific to off-road; more announcements are to come on the aftermarket sector for CPD and OEM additions.

companies in our industries. We certainly endured a lot of competition, what will remain with me forever is how often we were told “we weren’t the coolest” or how we “didn’t change enough” or how “tough our editors were” — but at the end of the day, we are still here and nearly every competitor we went up against went away some time ago. To me that speaks volumes to the product test platform that was instilled to us by Roland Hinz back in the early 80’s. I can’t thank the Hinz family enough for the career and faith they had in me. To all the great companies I worked with, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the decades of support and friendship.” Ride often and Ride Safe, Robb Mesecher.

End of an era at  Hi Torque! “I never thought I would say these words, but after 36 years and some 2500 ad deadlines, I have decided to step away from HiTorque publications,” says Executive Sales Director  Robb Mesecher. “It’s amazing how fast time flies when you are doing what you love and working with and for amazingly talented people and

Glorita “Glo” Cuiffi, CEO for  Garage Composites, has been promoted to partner. She has been with the company for nearly 5 years, during which time Garage Composites rapidly expanded its dealership peer advisory groups (20 Clubs) across multiple industries, as well diversifying its training opportunities. The Denverbased company now provides F&I and service advisor training in addition to its in-depth service manager, sales manager and general manager training. “We’re going to continue to expand our training opportunities to our dealermembers, who rely on us to provide a foundation of education to improve their profitability and customer and employee satisfaction,” claims Cuiffi. “Glo brings tremendous industry experience to our organization,” adds CEO Tony Gonzalez. “It is not often that you can find someone that has the boots on the ground experience in retail combined with the business acumen to be a solid consultant.” Before joining Garage Composites, Cuiffi spent more than 17 years with Scott Fischer Enterprises “As well as being a client and friend in our 20-Clubs for years, Glo was the COO for the Scott Fisher Enterprises,” notes Sam Dantzler, president of Garage Composites. “From store operations and general management to multi-rooftop acquisitions and coordination, Glo has all the boxes checked.”

VAN’S POWER CENTER

November 16 marked the grand opening of Van’s Power Center in Hull, Iowa. Curiously the newest powersports dealer in the region is also the tristate area’s longest running multi-line motorsports facility. The story begins this time last year when Glen’s Sports Center — started by Glen Jongerius 57 years ago — was listed for sale — for the right price and with the right team in place as Glen and son Kelly didn’t want to leave their loyal customers in a lurch. Turns out the local Massey Ferguson farm equipment operation was looking at branching out into the powersports world.

Van’s Implement, the tractor dealer, picked up a massive new building from the Hull Industrial Development Corporation at the height of the pandemic, but decided they didn’t want to add another tractor line to the family business. “We started talking about ways to diversify,” explains Justin Van Schepen, who orchestrated the deal with Glen’s Sports Center. “They had a lot of good franchises, including Honda, Polaris, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Ski-Doo and Can-Am.” And like many in the OPE, farming and even automotive fields (see the crossover with SEMA in this issue). Van’s Implement decided that powersports was a viable business option… especially since they were already seeing UTVs coming in for service.

“We started brainstorming of what would be a good business to house in the new building and we had an interest in snowmobiles and side-by-sides,” Van Schepen told the local business press at the time. “We had been doing stuff personally and through our business with side-by-side repair.”

AN OFFER THEY COULDN’T REFUSE

The building purchase led to Van’s Implement’s interest in Glen’s Sports Center, which Glen, 82, and his son Kelly,

62, had up for sale — for the right price, “I don’t know if this is something I wanted to do until I’m 70. I wanted to have some fun and get rid of the 6-days a week grind,” Kelly later told KIWA radio. Eventually Van’s Implement made Glen and Kelly an offer they couldn’t refuse.

“We are going to try and get the building done and finished up. Once that is done, we will make the move over to Hull,” Van Schepen said somewhat presciently. “We would love to have it done in six months or so, maybe next spring. We are smart enough to know that with everything going on, it might take a year.” It did take time, almost a year to the day!

In the interim, Glen’s Sports Center stayed in Sheldon, in the same building they had been in since 1970. But the writing was on the wall. While Van Schepen knew some longtime customers in the Sheldon area were going to be bummed, Glen’s Sports Center moved to Hull to become the new Van’s Power Center. But there really was a method to the madness.

“We are pretty centrally located there. Hull isn’t the biggest town in Sioux County, obviously, but it’s the middle of the decent-sized towns,” Van Schepen said. “We are a little closer to Sioux Falls, which might pull a few more customers from there. We think it will be a good move.”

FAMILY AFFAIR CONTINUES

Van Schepen, whose grandfather started Van’s Implement in 1947, took over the day-to-day operations of Glen’s Sports Center when the sale closed in October last year. After serving as the service manager at Van’s Implement for the past 15 years, he said he was ready for the challenge. “That’s what I’ve known for all of my life,” says Van Schepen. He also notes the two businesses had more in common than you might think.

“Obviously, being in a family-owned business, you wear a lot of hats. I did some of the sales, some of the parts and I grew up washing equipment,” Van Schepen relates. “That’s how it goes in a family dealership, start at the bottom and work your way up. We didn’t have a service manager, so it was a role that I saw needed to be filled at the time and stepped into that role.” Definitely sounds familiar to family run powersports businesses.

“I was ready for something different,” claims Van Schepen. “When this discussion came up, it made the most sense. It was the right timing.” Adding that the Jongerius family was great to work with during the transition from the old Glen’s location to the newly opened Van’s Power Center. “Kelly and Glen have been really great to deal with and we have a great working relationship,” says Van Schepen.

Kelly Jongerius was running Glen’s Sports Center before Van’s Implement took over and stayed on at the store throughout the time it took to move into the new building in Hull. Even Glen was working part-time and Kelly’s son, Justin, is still working with the new Van’s Team as Parts Manager. Meanwhile now that he is semi-retired, Kelly is still retailing trailers and parts out of the old location the Jongerius clan has been in since 1970… guess you can never really leave the powersports business?

“They’ve been really enjoyable to do business with,” concludes Van Schepen. “There’s a lot of ins and outs of this business and they are really knowledgeable and are sharing that experience with us.” He and sales manager Derwen Van Drie have a message for the local riding community: “Thank you to all our loyal customers who have stuck with us through this time of change! We wouldn’t be able to do this without all of you.”

The Van’s Power Center Family

Justin Van Schepen – Owner/ General Manager

Derwin Van Drie – Sales

Debb Hughes – Office Manager

Kim Sauer – Office Assistant

Justin Jongerius – Parts Manager

Travis Jansen – Parts Associate

Haley Van Schepen – Service Manager

Scott Hansmann– Assistant Service Manager

Caleb Hatting – Service Technician

Scott Lowrance – Service Technician

Arlan Jaspers – Service Technician

Daniel Hoogendoorn – Assembly Technician

Brady Den Hartog – Service Technician

Ryan Sterler – Assembly Technician

Dalton Hoptcroft – Set Up & Pre-Delivery

517 Brown St Hull, IA 51239 (712) 439-6060 www.vanspowercenter.com

PIONEER 1000-6 DELUXE CREW

Big News From Big Sky Country

By Robin Hartfiel

Honda bills the new six seater 2023 Pioneer 1000-6 as the “Best Seats In The House” and having just spent time with the 5 place Pioneer in the last issue, our seat of the pants impression is that the P-6 is definitely more of a good thing. With full−size tilt bed, 2500 pounds of towing capacity, self-leveling suspension standard, and a high/low sub-transmission — complete with new tow/haul toggle on the dash, the latest Pioneer is breaking new ground for Honda in the crew category.

Bring the whole crew! With room for six full-sized workers the new from the frame up 2023 Pioneer 1000-6 is the biggest workhorse in Honda’s stable. We were lucky enough to head to the 15,000-acre Bull Run Ranch in Cascade, Montana, to put the Crew through its paces just before select Honda dealers were turned loose with the machines. Local shops included Sports City Cyclery in Great Falls and Yellowstone Motorsports from Bozeman, who brought along the crew from Montana Ag Network/KRTV 3 from Great Falls. Check out what the dealers had to say here: https://www.krtv.com/news/montana-ag-network/ montana-ag-network-testing-a-new-farm-and-ranch-utv

“We’re excited to add the Pioneer 1000-6 Deluxe Crew to our lineup of multipurpose side-by-sides,” says Brandon Wilson, American Honda Manager of Sports & Experiential. “Since 2016, the Pioneer 1000 platform has set the standard for flagship rec-utility side-by-sides, and the all-new Crew continues to raise the bar with additional capability and performance. With Honda’s renowned reliability and a long list of functional, innovative features, the Crew is a versatile workhorse that doesn’t compromise performance on the trail.”

FRAME JOB

Specific changes include items like the beefed-up frame, mostly built with thicker tubing for three times the bending resistance at critical points, plus extra crossbeams around the engine. Pickup points for chassis elements are the same as on the 1000-5, but stouter steering gear and A-arms, and stiffer suspension settings are set up to support increased loads. By lengthening the frame, Honda was able to add the rear staggered bench seat that delivers the best-in-class second-row passenger space. With 28” of knee space, the rear seating area not only accommodates passengers with long legs, but the pass thru design makes it easy to enter and exit the cab from either side.

The larger frame and longer wheelbase doesn’t mean it handles like a tank, though. As specially noted by the lucky dealer previewing the P6, the speed-dependent power steering system can provide up to 44 pound-feet of turning assistance, the new return-to-center function removing

another one of those incremental driving efforts. There’s 10.5 inches of front suspension travel, 0.1 inch less than the five-seater, and the same 10 inches of articulation in back.

THE DCT DIFFERENCE

Do you really miss your rotary phone or manual typewriter?

DCT is the evolution of power transmission, according to Honda’s Mike Dickinson, the engineer who was tasked with dialing in DCT on the Pioneer 6 platform. XX rode with the trade media types since there was more than enough room! He explained that Honda’s DCT is a transmission with a brain. In automatic mode, it shifts up and down by itself. In manual mode, you control shift points using paddle shifters. But most importantly, the DCT delivers smooth, efficient power straight to the ground. In certain conditions, it offers better power delivery than any conventional manual transmission can… And you get true engine-compression braking.

By constantly monitoring power delivery to the drive wheels, the DCT makes the most of all available traction. Predictable, smooth power comes in handy in areas where traction is at a premium. The 6P also had a new “tow/haul” toggle on the dash to change the shift points when under a load, but it worked great for the slick uphills and volcanic ash trails we were on in Montana. To test the “smart” system, I overrode the i4WD and played rally car driver with the paddles in manual mode… and promptly slid off the trail.

The new shift points and power increases for the 2023 Pioneers are noticeable from the seat of the pants, on and off the tail as the case may be.  Plus with DCT, there are no belts to slip, break or burn up. The expanded gear ratios in the six-speed double-clutch automatic introduced this year provide lower first and reverse gears; a higher sixth gear takes advantage of the extra power to produce a higher top speed.

https://powersports.honda.com/Technology/ DCT?cid=eml_spo_dly&pgrcd=PSMARKET&cmpcd=T05080 &ofrcd=A05080

P5

Vs. P6 2023 Pioneer 6 Highlights

• Additional power from the engine

• Updated gear ratios to match increased engine power

• Increased towing capacity to 2,500 lbs.

• More radiator capacity and improved heat shielding in the cab

• Updated EPS with 50% more torque assist and returnto-center function

• New instrument cluster

• Updated styling with new grille and front fascia

MAKING A BIG DEAL EVEN BETTER

So here we are in Cascade, Montana, at the 15,000acre Bull Run Ranch run by the world-famous land use advocate Russ Ehnes, with Colin Miller and the crew from American Honda.  Big news from Big Sky Country was the surprise release of the 2023 Pioneer 1000-6 Crew. We asked Colin for a quick walk-around for the all-new machine:

The powertrain is based on our reliable and awesome DCT Pioneer 1000. But with this one, you’ve got the full extra row of seats. So that’s the biggest thing… and it comes with a fullsized bed on it. A huge plus, but the new Crew is more than a workhorse. We really got to go out and explore the trails today.

The unit that you’re seeing here is fully accessorized — we have over 60 accessories available for the Pioneer 6. We also have 14 brand new accessories that don’t carry over from the standard Pioneer 1000 and are really specific for this model. I can walk you through a little bit of what’s currently on this one: Starting up front, we have the larger bumper on there. You get a full coverage bumper protecting the whole front, complete with the winch installed. You can also see you’ve got added A-arm protection on this one as well.

Moving back across the Phantom Camo, you can see the full split windscreen. You also see a full coverage roof with a light bar. You’ve got the soft door covers on both front and rear doors and on the back as well. The interior accessories include a heater making sure you’re staying warm, especially out here in Big Sky Country when it gets cold. That’s a huge plus as well as the audio system with the sub-woofer so you can get full front and rear speakers if you want. You can split it and you can just put fronts if you’re just looking for yourself, but if you got the whole family and crew going, you can get a rear speakers as well as adding the subwoofer so you can really be rocking out having a good time while you’re getting around either working  or playing!

All these great accessories augment a huge amount of interior storage and legroom. That’s a huge plus, to really expand the versatility of our Pioneer lineup.

WHAT THEY SAID

Though this model is a bit of a surprise, it makes perfect sense in the big picture of the Pioneer lineup. While the Pioneer 1000-5 embodies innovativeness with the rear seats folding into the cargo bed, this feature doesn’t make for all-day super comfy seats or vast amounts of leg room. The Pioneer 1000-6 Deluxe Crew then gives an option which offers the best of both passenger comfort in addition to a full-size cargo bed. The Pioneer 1000-6 Deluxe Crew model just makes sense in the Honda lineup, particularly with so many rec/ utility side-by-sides on the market that offer both full size rear seats and a full size cargo bed. Choices are good and Honda now offers more of those whether you hunt, work, trail ride, or anything in between. ~ Josh Arnold, ATV Escape

The 2023 Honda Pioneer 1000-6 is a clever, comfortable workhorse. Mud and cow pies quickly turned the rolling stock into a quartet of slicks and loosey-goosey traction until the tread could be cleared out through a water crossing. It didn’t trouble the Pioneer, which here again knows when to be a billy goat and when to be a workhorse… Honda has created the Honda of crew models, utility designed so well that neither good nor bad features get in the way, and the owner is able to focus on the work that needs to be done. Just make sure not to call “Shotgun!” if you’re going to be riding in one. Grab that middle seat in the second row and enjoy. ~ Jonathon Ramsey, UTV Driver

In my opinion, Honda has done what they always do. Take their time to produce a machine that stands to be the best in its class. The Pioneer 1000-6 Deluxe Crew delivers on everything that engineers set out to accomplish in the way of comfort and reliability in a machine that was meant to work hard. With a tried and true engine and transmission package, there’s no doubt in my mind that this unit can hold its own against the competition to be considered the King of Crews. ~ Eli Madero, ATV.com

The Pioneer family has grown. In the latest addition, the 2023 Pioneer1000-6 Deluxe, has room for the entire crew without sacrificing any bed space. We take the people mover for a ride around Montana’s Bull Run Ranch and give you our initial thoughts on the new model. ~

Cain Smead, UTV Action

For the full in depth review check out the January issue of UTV Action Magazine… or cut to the chase, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTrs4muicZA

Dealernews Research

By Lenny Sims

BY THE BOOK J.D. Power Valuation Guide Powersports

Across the board inventory is filling and demand is slowing. Seems like toy haulers and RVs slowed in early September, powersporsprts dipped to single digits around October and now the new-vehicle retail sales for November 2022 are expected to be relatively flat when compared with November 2021, according to a joint forecast from J.D. Power and LMC Automotive. Retail sales of new vehicles this month are expected to reach 933,400 units, a 0.3% decrease from November 2021. November 2022 has one additional selling day than November 2021, but comparing the same sales volume without adjusting for the number of selling days translates to an increase of 3.8% from 2021.

Powersports pricing remains stable to slightly off the recent historic peak. Side-by-sides have plateaued at an extremely strong level while motorcycles have bulled back mildly. In the motorcycle segment, values for the most recent 10 model years of cruisers averaged 11.1% higher in the first half of 2022 compared to the same period of 2021. Sportbikes averaged 9.7% higher in the same period. However, in both segments, values have matured, with cruiser and sportbike values now about 5% and 7% lower than recent highs, respectively.

Market Overview

Side-by-sides saw a mild seasonal bump and continue to bring near-record money. In the side-by- side category, values for the utility segment averaged 13.3% higher in the first half of 2022 compared to the same period of 2021. Sport side-by-sides averaged 20.2% higher in the same period. Compared to recent highs, the utility segment is off by about 4%, while the sport segment is off by about 3%. Post-pandemic economic changes will continue to weigh on consumer spending behavior. At this point, the powersports market is maturing but still very strong compared to recent years.

“November results demonstrate that vehicle production is continuing to improve, with available retail inventory exceeding pandemic levels for a second consecutive month,” says Thomas King, president of the data and analytics division at J.D. Power. Seems like the supply chain SNAFUs are behind us and most markets have determined what the “new normal” is when it comes to inventory levels…. King and the car guys are calling it “moderation” rather than saturation… so let’s how this plays with the powersports sector.

J.D. Power Specialty Valuation Services (formerly NADAguides) is a leading provider of specialty vehicle valuation products and services to businesses. The team collects and analyzes tens of thousands of wholesale and retail transactions per month, and delivers a range of guidebooks, web service data, analysis and digital data solutions. J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world’s leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

J.D. Power/NADA Guides, Inc.

3200 Park Center Drive, 13th Floor Costa Mesa, CA 92626

(800) 966-6232 Fax (714) 556-8715 www.nadaguides.com/Motorcycles

OCTOBER AWP IN REVIEW

Price Correction Continues

Average Wholesale Prices (AWP) in October continued to soften in both Year-over-Year (YoY) and rapidly prior 90-day comparables. It’s important to note that despite significant market corrections over recent months, 2022 AWP remains at least 10% higher than 2019 in nearly every major category. The late fall and winter months are usually the more challenging retail seasons for our industry, as much of the country deals with less-than-ideal riding weather. After 2+ years of abnormal market strength driven by high demand and inventory shortages, price trends are falling back into seasonal patterns. Expect this to continue through the end of 2022, with additional price corrections likely.

Inventory Slowly Building Back in Dealerships

Volume in the lanes remains stable as dealers look to be more efficient through the leaner retail months ahead. Barring any major curveballs, we expect dealer inventory to build as we approach Spring of 2023. New inventory has started to show up in dealerships again, a positive sign that supply chains continue to normalize. Additionally, dealerships’ preowned levels are at their highest since the beginning of the pandemic. Sharp dealers will need to manage days-in-inventory closely as the market continues to adjust rapidly.

What Happens Next?

It has yet to be determined what the next 90-days will look like, but the larger economic outlook points to bumpier roads ahead. With inventories across industries bubbling up for the first time in years, many experts believe we should see some significant holiday sales and incentives aimed at driving retail activity. With a small surplus of “savings” still idle in many consumers’ bank accounts, it will be interesting to see how customers react to year-end discounts and offers. Prospective riders and owners could see some attractive offers on new products they’ve been chasing for over two years. With interest rate adjustments slowing, our fingers are crossed that the holidays will bring some welcome cheer and activity to a dealership near you.

OCTOBER ‘22 VS. AVG OF PRIOR 3 MONTHS AVERAGE WHOLESALE PRICE CHANGE

OCTOBER ‘22 VS. OCTOBER ‘21 AVERAGE WHOLESALE PRICE CHANGE

*All data provided by National Powersport Auctions includes live and online transactions from all NPA locations. Closed OEM auction data is excluded. For more info visit NPAUCTIONS.COM.

Dealernews Research

By Don Musick

ALEXA, SIRI… MEET JARVIS

PART III

BY ANY OTHER NAME?

The assets of Skully Helmets Inc. were acquired in 2017 by Torrot electric motorcycle founders Ivan and Rafael Contreras. Relocating to Atlanta and gambling that market recognition of the Skully name would outweigh its associated baggage, the company was reborn as Skully Technologies. At CES 2018 the newly formed company introduced an appropriately named FENIX AR helmet (as in from the ashes). While the feature set of the FENIX AR was essentially the same as the AR-1, the new company attempted to course correct by pledging to fulfill all previous orders with a “Make It Right” program. But good intentions aside, by February 2020 the company appeared to have folded their tents after their website had disappeared and phone lines had been disconnected. It’s not known how many of the pledged fulfillments were made or new orders taken, but given their production capacity at the time, likely not many. Ashes to dust? Probably, unless they have 7 more lives!

So while there’s no joy in Mudville (for now), there are others waiting in the wings for their time at bat!

FUN FACT Long before HUD entered the lexicon as a technology acronym; it had already won 3 academy awards!

CASTING CALLS & AUDITIONS: JARVIS AI

The items listed in the table in last months installment are all features that a JARVIS-inspired helmet might include. This time around, we’re only considering integrated solutions, so let’s take a look at who’s stepping up to the plate!

The spectacular failure(s) of Skully’s pioneering efforts has led to justifiable skepticism of the viability of “super-smart” helmets. That’s understandable, since we’ve already seen examples of similar efforts that have suffered the same fate! But skepticism aside, research and development continue to be on-going activities in this “super-smart” segment.

First, let’s take a look at what’s developing in the crowdfunded space. Late in 2018, the Taiwanese startup “Jarvish” began their crowd-funding campaign on Kickstarter and Indiegogo (wonder where they got the name?). Their flagship product, the carbon fiber “Jarvish X-AR” was to include a laundry list of “super-smart” features: 2K front/rear facing cameras for a 360O FOV, integrated communications, a voice-retractable HUD display, voice-activated commands with Alexa/Siri/Google compatibility, navigation and noisecancelling speakers/microphone, integrated taillight and gyro-ecompass-accelerometer-ambient light sensors for road condition alerts.

That’s one impressive feature list, but is it enough to ace the tryouts? While the X-AR is Jarvish’s “flagship” product (and CES 2020 innovation honoree), it also has a little brother the Jarvish X. The feature set of the X model is pretty much the same as the X-AR but without the HUD functionality and rear camera. Another important difference between the two helmets is that the X model has been shipping since 2020 and the X-AR has been delayed over safety concerns of the retractable HUD and global IC shortages. According to Jarvish’s Facebook page, the X-AR is scheduled for a relaunch in Q4 2022 (like now!) with a completely re-designed HUD incorporated into an inner visor. Film at 11 pm!

DO YOU COME FROM A LAND DOWN UNDER?

The Australian startup “Forcite”, backed by $10 MM in venture capital, has taken a different path in developing its MK 1S smart helmet. While there are fewer “bells and whistles” on the MK 1S than others, the Forcite app uniquely connects to a patented cloud-based system named “RAYDAR”. RAYDAR leverages real-time information from apps like Waze and Google Maps to optimize routing and provide traffic alerts/warnings. Directions are provided over integrated Harmon/Kardon speakers which are synchronized with a non-distracting peripheral LED display. The display reinforces the audio instructions with animated visual cues as shown in the figure below (note: image texts are labels - there is no HUD). The audio feed can also be customized for different languages and even accents!

CROSS-EXAMINATION

Next up in the audition comes from Tokyo and the folks at CrossHelmet. Launched on Kickstarter and Indiegogo in 2017, the CrossHelmet X1 is distinguished by a flip-down binocular HUD display, touch-panel side control with LED safety lights and a wide-angle rear-facing camera. The camera feeds the HUD display which can also overlay route directions, weather and time. The touch panel responds to “tap” and “swipe” gestures for picking up calls, controlling music and volume or activating Siri/Google smart assistants. Another unique feature of the X1 is its support for voice-based navigation using “what3words”.

If you’re unfamiliar with this service (like I was), it basically allows you to navigate anywhere in the world using a sequence of 3 unique words. Pretty slick! The X1 is currently shipping and can be ordered from the CrossHelmet website store (for an eye-popping $2K) .

Next, let’s take a look at auditions from the non-crowd funded space.

The MK 1S also features an intuitive handlebar-mounted controller which pairs via Bluetooth to the Forcite app. The controller provides easy access to phone calls, navigation, music, and camera as well as the usual Siri/Google assistant functionality of a smart phone. All of the MK 1S electronics are contained in a compact module that is independently suspended from the helmet shell. Sitting directly behind the chin area, the module contains a 1080p 60 fps digital camera, micro SD card, USB-c charging port and dual microphones. In the event of helmet damage, the electronics module can be removed and fitted into a new carbon fiber shell by Forcite for less than half the cost of a new helmet!

Distribution of the MK 1S is expected begin in Q3 2022 in Australia and New Zealand and in Europe and North America by mid-2023. Tentative pricing places the MK 1S at under $1,000 US. You can check out Forcite CEO Alfred Boyadgis’ video of “Everything you need to know about the MK 1S” here.

Continued from page 33

JARVIS MEET ARI!

The Woodbridge Virginia based and minority-owned startup Intelligent Cranium Helmets (ICH) is upping the smart helmet ante with an AI named “ARI”. Their flagship product, the carbon-fiber iC-Rs+, checks off a majority of the wishlist items in the table above as shown in the next image. The on-board AI-based ARI seamlessly integrates all of the helmet’s functions. In fact, its voice recognition and audible command response can seem almost conversational. ARI’s development has been in joint partnership with the Internet of Things (IoT) firm “Viaanix”

ICH was founded in 2015 with the goal of providing motorcyle riders with 100% situational awareness by eliminating blind spots. After successful rounds of funding on Kickstarter and Indiegogo in 2021, initial design and development were completed. The original design used a pair of rear-facing, software stitched cameras for a 210o FOV in the HUD. However, by relocating the cameras to the crown they achieved a 240o FOV for an overall 360o of situational awareness. Mission accomplished!

To support the technology needs of riders of various levels, ICH will offer the iC-R as four upgradable models as shown in the figure below.

Initial orders are expected to ship in Q4 2022 through the end of the year.

From his first motorcycles (a Honda S65 and an S90) when he was 16 to 50 years later, Don Musick has never stopped twisting the throttle. Although his accomplishments in the research arena have surpassed his MX career Don has over 25 years experience with major manufacturers in the Powersports and Automotive industries specializing in e-business solutions for retail distribution networks. His solution portfolio includes the development and implementation of manufacturer/dealer extranets, consumer-direct commerce portals, manufacturer/dealer e-channel integrations as well as development of web-based sales force automation tools. For most of his career, Don has been fascinated (his wife would say obsessed) with geographic market analytics, dealer location planning and sales territory optimization. He founded Genesys Technology Solutions (GenesysTech) http://www.genesystech.com/ to develop new tools and market intelligence products to help manufacturers understand the competitive landscape of their industries, recognize opportunities and grow their businesses. A Spartan to the core, Don earned a B.S. in Physiology and PhD in Biochemistry from Michigan State University. Contact: dmusick@genesystech.com

CONVERSATIONS WITH BRANDON NASH, CONTINUED Changing Lifestyles One Conversation At A

By Mark Rodgers

We just need 1 Day for 1 Hour to have 1 Conversation to alter your lifestyle for the better! — that is what Brandon Nash’s signature block and business cards claim. As promised, part two of our conversation talks about market price, providing value… and more. What’s your position on dealer market adjustment pricing… a.k.a. MAP?

Our MAP policy is pretty straightforward. The manufacturers are putting together a price that they feel it’s worth, what financial institutions are going to be able to lend on it, so forth and so on. Have we all had a struggle as far as inventory the past two years? Absolutely! Is it technically the consumers’ fault? No. So when you get into specifics like freight, and prep, we’re straight. We charge what we charge based off the time and effort that it takes and whatever is listed on the manufacturer’s price. If there’s going to be any type of ‘market adjustment’ to offset the lack of inventory that we have, we make it up by accessorizing the unit — I don’t mark up the freight and prep, I put accessories on it. That way, a customer might buy something a little more than what MSRP is, but they are getting value for it… what’s relevant is that the customer is comfortable with buying it from me. We’ve told people we are going through this current situation with two goals in mind. We want to make sure the lights are staying on and our employees are kept employed and don’t have to lay anybody off. And two, we’re still making customers happy and doing it the right way.

Time

I’m a Harley guy. I don’t get this UTV scene at all. I read. Tell me who’s the person buying these fully built Nashty Custom Side-by-Sides?

Funny enough, a lot of our trades that come in towards a custom UTV are actually Harleys. Your Street Glide guys and your Road Glide guys have a blast when they go on their trail rides. Maybe a friend of theirs has one of these or they go up to the cabin and rent one and they come back and say, “Dude, with age comes a cage. I need one!”

I love that. “With age comes the cage.” Where do you ride these things?

All over. I mean, literally, here in the state of Arizona you can actually street legalize them and go get a burger down the street or take your kids to school if you wanted to. There’s tons of off-road trails or sand dunes. Here, it’s only four hours you can go down to Mexico and run right on the beach. There’s obviously forest and wilderness… there’s  tons of places.

That’s great! Do you build from the frame up or what?

We don’t usually build from the frame up unless the customer is asking for that. That’s obviously a lot of labor to take that all apart and do it from the frame up. But if we aren’t doing the frame up then we start to get crazy with colors and really take it the whole nine yards. It’s really not that much different than a Harley.

Okay. I’m trying to wrap my aging gray matter around this. So riddle me this: Can we talk profit margins? What would be the list on that Frankenstein/Van Halen mod? What’s that thing list for? That one was listed at $72,400.

And what’s the front end gross on that thing?

If you do it right, that one ended up just over $11K.

That’s insane! Who’s financing these things?

The manufacturers will finance it… even with all this customization. That’s where a good finance manager is going to understand where the sources are. A company like Can-Am will allow you to finance accessories and stuff like that with a separate entity from their traditional financing. Even if you finance it through a local credit union, a customer can buy all the accessories and stuff separately… It’s actually pretty simple.

I see. If you were to give a quick demographic thumbnail of age and maybe occupation of the people who are buying these things. Could you sketch that out, or is it just so diverse, you wouldn’t be able to?

It’s actually so diverse. There’s a guy middle age, pretty well off, who can do whatever he wants. And then there’s a family that just really wants to go out, have fun with all their friends and family and stuff like that… but they gotta have the best of the best. It really is a “Keeping Up with the Jones” business at times.

Let’s find one more of these for you to walk us through. Tell us about this military looking machine.

That is called “Warhawk” based on a Curtiss P-40 war plane. It is one of my absolute all time favorite builds — not just because of how it came together. It’s actually how the team rallied to get it done. It rolled out at Barrett Jackson, the big car show here in Scottsdale. We had seven days to put this thing together from the frame up and get it out there. Yet the attention to detail is all there. The brown leather seats mimic a flight jacket, the roof rack with extra petrol on the top is what they used to have on Jeeps with WWII Jerry Cans. I actually went to an army surplus store and bought all that stuff. Then the other thing that I really liked about this one, I was able to get some canteens and put those on the inside as well as the Camelbacks that are right in the seats. Those brown straps that are there are full blown Camelbacks so you can fill it with water. Just grab a drink real quick and put it back. We’ve got that set up.

Now what is this a keypad on the on the steering wheel?

It is a keypad they call a Switch Pro, we wanted it to look like a full blown cockpit. Pilots get all cool switches and stuff so it controls all the lighting, stereo and communication system... It’s a very slick setup.

stock machine and say hey, you can put this and we make this… it really encompasses more than one person’s project. Again it’s that campfire situation of someone saying, “Why should I buy from you? What separates you from everybody else in this hyper-competitive market?” Well, we do this stuff… and therefore we are just a little bit different than the other guys.

How did this level of customization come about?

Nashty Customs at this level really started last year at this time with a guy wanting to get a machine by Thanksgiving and we were talking on November 2! “Dude, I can’t facilitate that kind of build and that type of quality car in two weeks… You can buy the car stock. Go have fun for your Thanksgiving weekend with your friends and family. Bring it back and we’ll get to it. But we were doing that one and then we’re doing another one which we nicknamed “Graffiti.” The same customer ended up buying Graffiti and the custom business kind of morphed into a standalone operation. One led to another, and then one of his buddies wanted to buy Warhawk… it just kind of turned into this little honey hole. And you know supply chain being what it was meant we focused on custom one-offs rather than volume sales. But again, we’re not pricing egregiously, this is what market value is… and you get a lot for it. There’s nothing that I can’t defend!

Is this Nashty Customs one of your accomplishments of which you’re most proud?

Yep, the idea was to work with different vendors so that way they can showcase their parts. It’s one thing to have a Nashty Customs build on the floor and sell it, but it is another level to be able to show customers who have a

For years and years, I’ve asked workshop participants to articulate specifically, “why should I do business with you?” And at first, we always get the same shopworn stuff, great customer service. We have terrific events; we’re family owned, to which I say, look at your answers. Look at the flip chart. And if you’ve heard your reasons coming out of someone else’s mouth, your reasons aren’t good enough.

Take Brandon’s advice. You need to be just a little different. Just a little better than the other guys.

Stay tuned for our next episode with Brandon because after watching it, you too will be a little better. Now, go sell something, will you!

Be sure to tune into:

SALES SUCCESS

IN 60

SECONDS

OR LESS as sales expert and award-winning Dealernews columnist Mark Rodgers shares how to accsellerate® your sales. Watch Mark explain the guiding principle of how to succeed in the motorcycle business even in these stormy times. (FYI, Mark only counts the content after the whizbang video open in his time limit, so start your stopwatches then!) Mark Rodgers is an award-winning speaker, best-selling author, and soughtafter consultant, who has spent 33 years working in the Harley-Davidson industry. Check out his 60-second sales tips twice a week at Dealernews social media channels or contact him via e-mail: Mark@RodgersPC.com

Mark Rodgers.

CPSC RECALLS TESLA

CYBERQUAD

Elon Musk may have won the Twitter war, but his Tesla Cyberquad for Kids by Radio Flyer has lost its battle with the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC). According to the recall notice, Tesla and Radio Flyer failed to create an ATV action plan… Even Elon has to play by these rules! On October 27, CPSC issued the following recall notice:

Hazard:

The Cyberquad fails to comply with the federal mandatory safety standard requirements for youth ATVs, including mechanical suspension and maximum tire pressure. Additionally, the Cyberquad lacks a CPSC-approved ATV action plan, which is required to manufacture, import, sell, or distribute ATVs. ATV action plans contain numerous safety requirements, such as rider training, dissemination of safety information, age recommendations, and other safety measures. These ATV safety standards are in place to reduce crash and injury hazards, preventing serious injury or death.

Remedy: Refund

The number of Cyberquads impacted by the recall is approximately 5,000 units.

VOLCON SHORT CIRCUITS Shuts Down Round Rock Facility

Following on the heels of its announcement of record preorders from dealers and a partnership with GM, upstart EV player Volcon has closed its manufacturing operations in Round Rock, Texas, and is outsourcing construction of the Grunt and Stag models. “This is part of a comprehensive program and manufacturing transition aimed at efforts to improve profitability and cash flow,” claims CEO Jordan Davis. “Socio-economic and geo-political landscapes are much different now than they were two to three years ago,” explains Davis. “For the past few quarters, our leadership team has been re-evaluating our costs across the entire organization to ensure we are appropriately structured to achieve profitability in order to set ourselves up for long-term success.”

To improve cash flow and profitability in the near term, Volcon closed its manufacturing operations in Round Rock, merged its logistics and storage operations into a single location, which reduced storage and fulfillment costs. To improve product margins, Volcon has entered into a contract manufacturing agreement with GLV Ventures, an established automotive supplier and manufacturer. GLV will produce the Volcon Grunt in both current and future models, as well as the Volcon Stag.

“While we’ve been able to successfully navigate supply chain and logistical issues to date, we believe the best course of action for our profitability and cash retention is to leverage the scale of third-party manufacturers. We believe that eliminating our reliance on Chinese components to the greatest extent possible, will improve our payment terms and cash outlay for parts and components that can be sourced closer to home. We believe that this cost-reduction plan stands as the best course of action to reach profitability as quickly as possible for our business and for our shareholders.

“As part of this program, we’ve made the difficult decision to reduce the size of the Volcon team. This was a very difficult decision as we recognize that we are losing quality teammates. We thank them for their dedication to building a great product as we could not have brought the Grunt to market without them.” The Company expects these actions will improve overall gross margin on a product-by-product level by reducing materials, labor and overhead costs, reduce operating expenses due to lower headcount and facilities cost, all of which are expected to improve cash retention.

TIME FOR TRIALS

Rather than A.M. or P.M. the best time to try an electric trials bike is EM! Electric Motion was founded in 2010 in a small town in the French countryside and has grown to become a powerhouse in the EV and trials markets. Celebrating15 years of this balancing act, EM importer Central Powersports Distributing announces the 2023 model range headed by the Epure Race, has been launched.

“The Electric Motion Epure Race is the best electric trials bike you can buy,” says CPD’s Mark Berg. “If you compare it with its petrol-powered competitors, it measures up head-to-head in specs, components and performance. EM left no stone unturned to get the very best out of this bike!”

The most exciting feature of the Epure Race is its Hydraulic Diaphragm Clutch. Just like a gas bike, Epure Race’s HDC clutch system allows the rider to perfectly modulate the power. “It is truly game-changing,” adds Berg. “The quickturning chassis practically balances itself, and the top-shelf suspension, brakes, wheels and controls will have you feeling at home almost immediately.”

Are you interested in becoming a dealer for one of these brands? Simply fill out the online form and a CPD representative will contact you. https://cpd.direct/pages/ become-a-dealer

STORM BEE SET TO STING U.S.

After generating quite the buzz at AIMExpo last year with its Light Bee X model of eBike. Surron says it’s enduro-oriented Storm Bee is set for 2023. “Pre-ordering is now available via Surron’s robust dealer network, with first deliveries expected at dealerships by February of 2023,” says Graeme Jones, Director of Marketing for Surron Canada/USA | DIAN Motors Inc. However they are already incentivizing customers to get their orders into local dealers with a number of specialized promotions, including the first 100 customers to place a $500 deposit at their local dealer will receive a Storm Bee giZ pack ($200 value).

The Storm Bee utilizes a liquid-cooled, brushless electric motor powered by a 104V/55Ah battery pack. “Boasting 22.5 kW of peak power and 520 Nm of torque, the Storm Bee offers instant acceleration at the twist of the throttle and a top speed of 68 mph,” claims Jones. The battery capacity allows a maximum range of 75 miles on a full charge, with a recharge time of 3-4 hours via a conventional 120V wall outlet.

“What truly sets the Storm Bee apart in the off-road world is its onboard electronics suite, which includes traction control, regenerative “engine” braking, 3 riding modes and a turbo button for a quick boost of extra power,” he adds. Settings can be fine-tuned via the LCD dash and handlebar-mounted controls. Further setting the Storm Bee apart from the crowd is a reverse gear, allowing riders to maneuver out of tricky situations with the push of a button.

Designed with the casual off-road rider in mind, the Storm Bee F comes with an MSRP of $8,499. Interested in becoming a dealer in advance of AIMExpo 2023? Get the holeshot here: https://surron.ca/pages/dealer-applications

JUST CHARGE IT…

DAMON

TAKES IN $90 MILLION

Canadian upstart Damon Motors claims to be on track for $250 million in global eBiz as early as 2023. It has exceeded a $90M order backlog with the potential of exceeding $250M through international partnerships like the recently announced deal with Latin America’s Auteco. “You can’t be the future of anything if you’re not better than the past,” says Co-Founder and CEO Jay Giraud. To that end, Damon’s 200 hp / 200 mph / 200 miles of range triumvirate makes it better than the past. “Damon motorcycles represent the first breed of bikes ready to displace combustion two-wheelers and lead the industry into a greener future.”

Giruad adds, “It was necessary for us to target performance metrics as good or better than anything achieved before, otherwise people aren’t going to go electric in any meaningful numbers. This is the fundamental Achilles’ heel in the twowheel EV industry so far. Nobody will trade in for an electric motorbike if it’s not as good as what they already have — people want to trade up.”

With 160 million motorcycles produced annually, the industry is responsible for being the 2nd worst emitter of greenhouse gas emissions, according to Giraud. “Motorcycles on average produce 16 times more hydrocarbons than passenger cars, which are outnumbered by motorcycle usage daily.”

“We have to get to one-million units annually to put a dent in the industry and change it forever,” adds Giraud. “By coupling high-volume production with our 5G connected, sensor-enabled, self-learning computer system, we can make it so that every mile ridden on a Damon motorcycle makes all other Damon motorcycles smarter and safer with over-the-air updates. We can cause the accident rates to perpetually fall over the coming decade. This is our 2030 goal.”

With more than 3,500 waiting customers, the company is furiously preparing its pilot production facility in San Rafael, Calif. for its California customers, where over 25% of Damon’s orders currently reside. To prepare to scale manufacturing, Damon has also leased a 108,000 sq.//ft facility in Vancouver, Canada, being readied for world production.

CAKE FOR DESSERT

With the smorgasbord of tasty new motorcycles presented at EICMA, time to finish off with a little dolce — dessert in Italian. Care for a little CAKE? The Swedish EV OEM treated the crowd in Milan to 85 kilo Bukk intended for aggressive trail and track use. Performance is equivalent to the A2 classification and continues CAKE’s commitment to accelerate the transition towards a zero emission society, combining excitement with responsibility.

“The Bukk represents the boundary-pushing performance ambition of CAKE products,” claims CEO Stefan Ytterborn, “This is a true next-level, off-road electric platform. The learnings from developing race and off-road motorcycles gives us the insight of what true durability really means.” BTW Bukk means “Thunder Cloud” in the ancient language from the island of Gotland, CAKE’s testing ground and inspiration for the naming of all of its products.

“A key component that is being implemented in all our products, from basic commuter models to hardcore utility vehicles, is stretching life cycles,” he adds. “CAKE’s mission has always been to respect our world and those who live in it while inspiring towards zero emission, where true excitement blends with responsibility. This is what the Bukk is all about.”

At 85 kg, the Bukk offers a category-leading power to weight ratio. Engineered and manufactured from scratch, including unique tooling, the frame, geometry, suspension and components are all new. The high-performance powertrain features a 72V battery and 16kW motor delivering 420Nm of instant electric torque and a top speed of +100 Km/h. A choice of three ride modes offer an array of riding style choices. Together with WP and Öhlins suspension, Ytterborn claims the Bukk provides incomparable agility, control and speed, silently without polluting on trails and track.

See more of this sweet little bike at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4rW8Vh_dwo

DEALER NEWS

All In For Las Vegas

News from YOUR National Powersports Dealer Association

With so much change occurring in the Powersports marketplace – recession fears, electrification, the direct-to-consumer push by manufacturers and more – an association for Dealers like the NPDA is more important than ever.

Members of the NPDA’s Harley-Davidson Dealer Council recognize the time is now for Dealers to unite to confront these and other challenges and urge others to join the Association and to attend their specialized conference being planned by the NPDA as part of the AIMExpo 2023 in Las Vegas in February.

“We need to study and address current and future concerns as well as opportunities,” said George Gatto, Chairman of the H-D Dealer Council. “This is why the Council exists, this is why the NPDA exists.”

Plans for the H-D Dealer Council’s gathering include guest speakers discussing industry trends and outlooks, as well as creating a “game plan” for using the collective energy of Dealers to drive change and constructive engagement.

“Dealers create final demand, period, and our importance to the economics of the Powersports industry is immeasurable,” said NPDA Chairman Bob Althoff. “Our power comes from working together to drive change for the benefit of the most important aspect of our businesses – the customers.”

Finally: Harley-Davidson Dealers, what topics do you want us to cover at YOUR meetings during AIMExpo 2023? We want you to go home from Vegas a winner, so tell us what we can do to create a valuable event! Email info@npda.org and look for a more detailed questionnaire soon!

Call to Action - Register Now For AIMExpo 2023 - FREE for Dealers!

You read it in the newsletter item above – Dealers, it’s time to join forces, it’s time to join the NPDA!

Once you join at www.npda.org, make your plans to join thousands of your colleagues at America’s Powersports Tradeshow, the AIMExpo! This progressive, comprehensive B2B platform will connect Dealers, brands, distributors, media and others in Las Vegas February 15-17.

The NPDA will have an expansive presence at the 2023 show, including a prime spot show booth! And stated earlier, we’re also planning meetings and gatherings involving our Harley-Davidson Dealer Council, created to serve the specific needs and interests of NPDA H-D dealer members. This will include focused programming and guest speakers, along with the opportunity for Harley-Davidson dealer members to connect and socialize.

Dealers can attend the AIMExpo for FREE, and take advantage of special show hotel rates. Follow this LINK and get registered today!

“It Takes All of Us to Make a Difference!” Harley-Davidson Dealer Council Working To Build Critical Mass Ahead Of AIMExpo 2023 in Las Vegas

LIVE Talk, “Taking AIM at Vegas,” December 15

Get ready to have all your questions answered about AIMExpo 2023 in a LIVE talk, “Taking AIM at Vegas,” on Thursday, December 15.

This ZOOM program will feature Cinnamon Kernes, Vice President & General Manager of Events for the Motorcycle Industry Council, along with NPDA Board member George Gatto, Dealer Principal of Three Rivers Harley-Davidson & Gatto Cycle Shop-Powersports in Pittsburgh, and Jim Woodruff, an NPDA Advisor and CEO of National Powersport Auctions.

Thursday, December 15, 2022

2 p.m. ET; 1 p.m. CT; Noon MT; 11 a.m., PT

The ZOOM program is FREE, but you need to register HERE.

You do not want to miss the February 15-17 AIMExpo 2023, the PREMIER Powersports industry event! Full details, including FREE registration for AIMExpo 2023, can be found at www.aimexpousa.com

January 11, 2023

“A Candid Conversation About ... Credit Card Processing.”

Presented by NPDA Partner, Electronic Data Payment Systems

What is your biggest frustration from accepting credit cards in your Dealership?

• I keep getting an unusually high number of chargebacks …

• I feel I’m being overcharged but don’t know how to confirm this …

• I feel I don’t have any alternatives to processing cards through my DMS …

• Any of these? All of these? Other frustrations?

We’ve got 8 weeks until this webinar takes place, so we want to learn what is frustrating you in your efforts to process credit cards. Email info@npda.org, and you’ll get great help dealing with these frustrations on January 11!

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

2 p.m. ET; 1 p.m. CT; Noon MT; 11 a.m., PT

The webinar is FREE, but you need to register HERE.

There are lots of Dealers reading this who are not yet members of our organization. Why the heck not? Have you read this newsletter, and the ones before it, and seen what we’ve been up to in our first year? Have you seen our website, www.npda.org, and checked out things like the State Franchise Laws we’ve posted? https://www.npda.org/resources

We have a lot of work to do, and to be our best, we need your support. At the price of $395 a year, can you afford NOT to join your industry friends at the National Powersports Dealer Association? For those Dealers who are all ready members, Thank You!

ROLLICK ROLLS OUT

NPDA PARTNERSHIP

In addition to partnering with NPDA recently, Rollick, the leading relationship technology provider for the Marine, Powersports and RV industries, teamed up with Zero Motorcycles to roll out Aimbase. This is Rollick’s industry-centric lead management platform. Zero will soon include RollickDR, the digital retailing solution. The platform will provide dealers with a more tailored experience when handling leads across systems and primarily in their preferred CRM provider. However Rollick has even more for dealers, so the following questions were posed to Jason Nierman from Rollick:

Business Summary: Rollick connects manufacturers, dealers, and finance and insurance providers with inmarket consumers to deliver a seamless customer journey. We have integrated technology solutions using products such as Aimbase and RollickDR to help OEMs and dealers own and track the customer journey. We strive to make the buying process enjoyable for the customer, as well as strive to make the sales and marketing process effective and easy for the OEM and the dealer. Retailers and Manufacturers connect with members of Rollick’s Affinity Network on our platform to create a more trusting and loyal connection when buying at Rollick’s network of retailers.

Why Is Rollick A Partner Of The NPDA? We are “challengers” — not only for the market but for ourselves. We think strategically about the market and our products to come to the best solution. Rollick partners with the NPDA to drive the Powersports industry forward in the areas of technology and customer experience. Our common goal centers around collaborating to advance the industry forward in the areas of technology, customer service and more.

How

Can

NPDA

Members Best Benefit

From Our Partnership With Rollick? Our goal is to help dealers make connections with more consumers, acquire higher quality leads, improve the online buying experience, reduce sales costs and generate more revenue. We want to provide members solutions to help dealers become successful and are also committed to finding solutions to dealers’ pain points. We are committed to helping dealers achieve their goals and help them find growth and success.

Anything Else You’d Like To Add To Help NPDA Members Understand How Rollick Can Help Them Do

Business Better? Digital marketing and technology are evolving at a fast pace, making it more challenging than ever for Powersports dealers to keep up. This leads to mismanaged leads, sub-optimal shopping experiences and lost revenue. Rollick’s goal every day is to help dealers maximize results and give their customers the best buying experience using our tools. Our team is passionate about delivering consumers the very best buying and ownership experience for powersports products.

Rollick connects manufacturers, dealers, and finance and insurance providers with in-market consumers in several recreation and industrial industries to deliver a seamless customer journey. Rollick’s OEM solutions include new customer acquisition, enterprise lead management, customer experience/loyalty, and marketing automation.

ABOUT NPDA

The National Powersports Dealer Association (NPDA) was founded in 2021 and is an association dedicated to direct interaction with our members. Our Mission Statement is for the NPDA to empower franchised and independent Powersports Dealers through special services, products, programs, education, and advocacy of Dealer views and concerns to create a professional, successful, and profitable industry.

Vision is for the NPDA to advance our industry by elevating Dealers to be well prepared,

SHOWTIME

SEMA RIDES.WITH.US.

LET IT RIDE!

SEMA Betting On Powersports & Market Expansion

The greatest show on earth title has been relinquished to the motorsports industry as the car guys’ trade show draws more than 150,000 trade visitors and 1,800+ exhibitors into Las Vegas annually for the SEMA Show, showcasing thousands of new products via 1 million sq. /ft. — Hell of a “Big Top” for that circus! Although it may have started after the old Dealer Expo, the SEMA Show has stayed the course since 1967. Seeing strength in numbers, the Motorcycle Industry Council presented their automotive counterparts with the Ride With Us Moto Intros (see sidebar), and headed by the UTV sector, a rapidly growing number of powersports firms participated in the “automotive aftermarket” event.

From Brembo to Wilwood on the brakes side, plus plenty of others on the tire and wheel side (see Atturo tires leading off of picks to click from SEMA in the GEAR section). Standouts from the veritable sea of go-fast and look- good goodies we saw at SEMA include DEI’s UTV Heat Control Kits, Gibson Exhausts, Lazer Star Lights (complete with a Grom in the booth), nFlow, Race Winning Brands (all of them), Rhino Rack, Thumper Fab Control Arms…

But we were not there to judge, only observe that crossover market. SEMA actually does the judging for its innovations each year and added a Powersports category a couple years ago. These awards are given to the most cuttingedge aftermarket products available in 2022. Winners were selected based on a variety of factors that included superiority of innovation, technical achievement, quality and workmanship, consumer appeal and marketability: Powersports Product

Winner: MLX-9000 Series Motorcycle Gauge, Dakota Digital Runner Up: Belt Temperature Sensor for Polaris/Can-Am, Dynojet Research Inc.

Runner Up: Hypertech Spectrum Power Programmer for Polaris, HYPERTECH

The really big news was SEMA’s announcement of a five-year vision to expand the SEMA Show into an “all-city” experience. Officially called SEMA Week, the expansion’s goal is to create the most passionate and exciting powersports event in the world. SEMA Week will kick off in 2023 with new concepts, activities, and events introduced over the five-year roll-out period… judging from the number of motorcycle people we saw in the show halls, not to mention the huge UTV industry presence, powersports will be playing an even bigger role down the road!

SEMA Week will be headlined by the SEMA Show, which will remain a trade-only event Monday through Friday. On Friday, the final day of the SEMA Show, a limited number of enthusiasts will be able to attend the SEMA Show through the Friday Experience program, which launched at the 2021 SEMA Show. Beginning on Friday evening of SEMA Week, SEMA will take over the Las Vegas Festival Grounds through Saturday night with an all-new SEMA Fest.

“We have been watching the connection between enthusiasts and our industry grow for more than a decade and, as the industry’s trade association, have a responsibility to help facilitate that connection in new and meaningful ways,” said James Lawrence, SEMA Chairman of the Board. “By creating SEMA Week and SEMA Fest, we will be able to maintain the integrity of the trade show that makes it a must-attend event for automotive professionals while introducing a new platform for enthusiasts and the industry to engage with one another.”

For 2023, SEMA Fest will take place at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds and be open to everyone, bringing together enthusiasts with the aftermarket industry in a high-octane and immersive festival-like celebration. SEMA Fest will feature top music and entertainment, car show and cruise, VIP experiences, craft food, celebrities and motorsports. It will run alongside the SEMA Ignited Cruise and SEMA Show after-party, which draws thousands of consumers on Friday night.

SEMA Week is also scheduled to include an auction, featuring some of the best builds from SEMA and many more amazing vehicles to headline the festivities. SEMA will continue to expand and refine SEMA Week over the next five years, rolling out new events and activities throughout the city of Las Vegas. The evolution of SEMA Week preserves the trade aspects of the industry and business components of the SEMA Show, while enabling enthusiasts from all over to join in the festivities.

About SEMA

The SEMA Show is a trade show produced by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), a nonprofit trade association founded in 1963. Since the first SEMA Show debuted in 1967, the annual event has served as the leading venue bringing together manufacturers and buyers within the automotive specialty equipment industry. Products featured at the SEMA Show include those that enhance the styling, functionality, comfort, convenience and safety of cars and trucks. Additional details are available at www.semashow.com

WHAT, THE TRUCK?

Vance & Hines headed to the SEMA show set to rock the automotive world! The industry leader in motorcycle performance products, V&H showed up in Las Vegas with a line of performance exhaust systems for America’s most popular truck models. Bearing the name Vance & Hines HoleShot Series Cat-Back Performance Exhaust Systems, this new line has been developed and will be manufactured at the company’s headquarters in California.

“With four decades of success on the track and on the street, the Vance & Hines brand isn’t new to truck owners in the United States,” explained Mike Kennedy, CEO and president of Vance & Hines. “We believe that owners will love the unique look and the great sound they’ll get with our new HoleShot Series. I’m confident our die-hard fans will proudly drive their truck knowing ‘This isn’t the only bad-ass vehicle in my garage.’”

Show me the money! With nearly 30 million late model pickups on the road today, SEMA Market Research estimates that pickups account for over 30% of all accessory sales. The initial lineup from the company includes systems designed for late-model, half-ton, crew cab, V8, Ford F150, Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado trucks.

Each exhaust system in the HoleShot Series is designed to replace stock exhaust systems after the catalytic converter (Cat Back) to the exhaust tips. The systems keep all emissions-control equipment in place, while delivering a deeper exhaust note thanks to a turbo-chambered muffler design that has also been engineered to eliminate unpleasant in-cabin “drone.”

All HoleShot Series Cat-Back Performance Exhaust Systems will be manufactured using high-grade 304 stainless steel with CNC mandrel bending at the company’s manufacturing facility in Santa Fe Springs, California. The HoleShot Series for Ford F-150 features large dual 4-inch tips with a side exit behind the rear tire. Available with three options including mirror-finish Twin Slash tips, brushed finish Eliminator with black end caps and blacked-out Eliminator both with riveted logo badging. They fit 2021 through 2022 crew cab, V8, short-box models and retail from $1,299.99 to $1,499.99.

Vance & Hines HoleShot Series Cat-Back Performance Exhaust Systems will be available in the first quarter of 2023 through the Vance & Hines website and select automotive parts retailers around the country.

IN

CASE

YOU MISSED IT: Ride With Us Goes To The SEMA Show

Can’t beat ’em? Rather than fighting a losing battle, the Motorcycle Industry Council joined their automotive counterparts at the biggest trade show in the car guys’ world! MIC hosted its Ride With Us Moto Intros at SEMA, America’s biggest automotive aftermarket trade show, where more than 150,000 buyers, exhibitors and media congregated in Las Vegas. The Ride With Us team staged its 30-minute introductory motorcycle experiences at the Las Vegas Convention Center through November 4, with riders guided along the way by Motorcycle Safety Foundation certified coaches.

“This is an ideal and huge audience for our Moto Intros, which are intended to provide the best first experience on a motorcycle,” said Cinnamon Kernes, MIC VP of market expansion. “We brought the bikes, the riding gear and the coaching staff to the SEMA Show —they provided the excitement and plenty of ‘new to two’ riders.” In fact more than 300 guests cycled through the MIC’s Ride With Us Moto Intro sessions at SEMA. That number almost tripled the previous participant record at a single Moto Intro event, as hundreds of visitors enjoyed their first two-wheeled rides over four days, guided by Motorcycle Safety Foundation RiderCoaches from morning daylight through early evening hours.

“We brought a two-wheeled experience to a four-wheel trade show and the SEMA crowd couldn’t get enough of it,” said Cinnamon Kernes, MIC vice president of market expansion. “One advantage to doing this activation at a trade show is that we were connecting with a nationwide audience, with visitors from across America. So we actually reached multiple markets in one stop. And with the average

age of our Vegas guests being 28, we connected with a younger than usual group.”

Careful planning for the 30-minute entry-level experiences helped take advantage of that large audience around SEMA, estimated by organizers at more than 150,000.

“Throughout the year we improved our operational efficiencies with our Moto Intros, and it paid off at the SEMA Show,” said Kurt Whittington, MIC event operations manager. “With further improvements and a great team of MSF-certified coaches, we can handle even more riders in 2023 without sacrificing safety or the five-star experience.”

MIC Communications coordinated with the SEMA media relations team, which has years of experience with Las Vegas news outlets. The results included three local TV news placements featuring Ride With Us, on the ABC, CBS, and NBC affiliates, plus some social media coverage.

Next year, the Ride With Us team aims to partner with even more adjacent-market events. Anyone with questions about Ride With Us, or ways to get involved with the Moto Intros, is invited to contact Cinnamon Kernes: ckernes@mic.org

FRESH DATA FOR MIC MEMBERS

The Latest on Unit Sales, Tire Sales, and Retail Outlets Across the Nation

The newest data from three of the MIC’s most important ongoing research projects is now available for MIC members. Sales figures for new motorcycles, scooters, and ATVs, among leading brands through the third quarter of 2022, are now online. All members who have signed MIC Restricted Use Agreements may access the Flash Report and Retail Sales Unit Summary on the MIC website.

“The performance of the powersports segment continues to be strong,” said MIC President and CEO Erik Pritchard. “We are seeing new riders enter the space, with some likely seeking a fuel-efficient way to get around, and others opting for a fun way to commute and recreate. The robust tire sales indicate riders – both new and existing – are continuing to ride.”

“There is a slight dip in sales in a couple of categories when compared to the near record-breaking performance of 2021, but when compared to 2019, we see a different story,” he said. “On-highway, up 3% Dual, up 58%. Scooter, up 26%, Off-highway, up 36%. The dynamics affecting the worldwide supply chain, interest rates, inflation, and concern over the health of the economy, make this industry’s positive year-to-date performance particularly notable.”

Also available for MIC members, the latest MIC Tire Sales Report covers tire manufacturer/distributor shipments of replacement tires in the U.S. for eight brands – also through the third quarter. Members can view the latest motorcycle and scooter tire sales reports for the U.S. and Canada. And the annual MIC Retail Outlet Audit includes data on dealerships and retailers – nationwide by state – selling new motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, and side-by-sides, plus stores specializing in parts, accessories, riding apparel, related products, service, and used vehicles.

To learn more about joining the MIC and all of the available research data and benefits, contact MIC Membership Manager Lisa Delaney: ldelaney@mic.org

TACKLING THE PFAS PROBLEM

News on Northeastern Legislation

The MIC’s PFAS Working Group met again to receive the latest updates about pending and passed state legislation and what the Government Relations Office needs from members in order to best represent them. Since Maine is the focal point for PFAS, that is where the GRO has focused its efforts.

MAINE

Following the MIC GRO’s second letter to the Department of Environmental Protection in Maine, on behalf of 104 MIC manufacturing and aftermarket member companies, the state granted a six-month extension for all of them, stating: “The Department has determined that more time is needed to comply with the Subsection 1414(2)(A) requirements and that it is appropriate to extend the deadline for the submission until six months after the effective date of the Department’s finally adopted rule for the entities listed….”

The state of Maine also circulated a second draft of its proposed PFAS regulations and held a webinar on October 27 to roll out the proposal, receive input, and take questions from stakeholders. The GRO participated in the webinar and submitted formal comments by the November 10 deadline. Maine’s revised goal for an expected final rule is now April 2023, so company-reporting compliance would commence six months following the issuance of that final rule.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Following GRO staff discussions with the sponsor of PFAS legislation in New Hampshire – that would have mirrored the Maine law – there was a House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee hearing and vote in October on whether to recommend NH HB 1589. The bill failed on a 17-0 vote, killing the bill for the 2022 legislative year. Committee members agreed with the MIC’s written and oral testimony outlining the extreme challenges of implementing the ban and reporting scheme.

5 MINUTES WITH MARILYN STEMP

As co-founder of  IronWorks Magazine in 1989 with her late husband Dennis Stemp, Marilyn has consistently promoted the positive image of motorcycling. After two decades as managing editor, she was the first woman named editor-in chief-of an internationally circulated newsstand magazine about motorcycling. When the print version ceased in 2014, Marilyn launched Iron Trader News online. She has edited the Sturgis Rider Daily for the Sturgis Buffalo Chip since 2014, pens freelance articles in major dealer and consumer motorcycle publications, and produces event programs. Marilyn authored “HarleyDavidson CVO” for Motorbooks International and edited “Gloria,” the life story of Gloria Tramontin Struck. She has been inducted into both the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame and the Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

I absolutely want to make sure I’m totally attentive to thank the Dealernews staff for holding the Top 100 event in the first place, and the National Powersports Dealer Association for opting in there. I feel so honored just to be included in such an amazing group of women. And I have to say it was delightful to find a bunch of names on the list that I didn’t yet know because I think it’s really important in our industry to bring in new blood, fresh people who want to participate here with us. It is incumbent on all of us that have been in the business for a while to make them welcome, get to know them and give them the opportunities that we’ve had to be in a wonderful industry that has amazing individuals. So thank you so much for doing this. At the same time I’ll say that, it’s a difficult job that you all had to even pick the 100 women, because you knew it would be fraught with issues about who could have been, who should have been…

The issue that came out right after this show featured the first profiles. Starting with Genevieve Schmidt, who couldn’t make it to AIMExpo, Alisa Clickenger, another Top 100 winner, has already talked to her fellow winners about ways to pay it forward.

That’s wonderful to hear. And I was also pleased about the Lilly Project. This effort to celebrate a woman in our industry who really has been largely overlooked. So you might actually say that anybody who wasn’t on the Top 100 list that could have been really is in very good company with Lilly. I really see her story as so human. Yes, it’s a story of a woman, but much as The World’s Fastest Indian was the story of a man — it still elevated motorcycling in a mainstream way that I think is vital to include motorcycling as a possibility to moviegoers who’ve never ridden. It’s a way to bring our industry into a more mainstream path and make it real… and just make it human. Doesn’t matter if you’re a guy or a girl. We all love this industry, and we all want to ride… it’s available to all of us. No barriers! We don’t want barriers.

You also mentioned it’s important to lower the barriers and meet younger people and people new to motorcycling. You’re even staying over for the Mecum Auction to do the Flying Pistons presentation.

Yes, this is the fourth year that Mecum has been gracious enough to allow us to bring tiny customized Strider bikes for auctioning there in front of that very high profile crowd. We could not have found an audience like that anywhere! The beauty of these little bikes is that they are donated to us by Strider initially, we send them to custom motorcycle builders all over the country who return them to us, then Mecum sells them. All that money goes directly to All Kids Bike, which is a program of the Strider Education Foundation.

That program is on a mission to get every child in America to learn to ride a bicycle as part of kindergarten PE class. The whole point there is if it’s in public school PE — every child, boy, girl, every demographic, urban, rural, no barriers whatsoever — Every child has an opportunity to learn to ride a bike. And you know, we see the timeline there for brand new interest in two wheels to live life. Confidence, autonomy… everything that motorcycling has given us as adults, we can start a much earlier timeline, and get them up and running sooner. It’s a program I’m totally dedicated to and super passionate about. It has taken a lot of partnerships, but nothing good ever happens without a lot of partners.

Going back to a discussion with Robert Pandya, who’s a brand ambassador for All Kids Bike, the disturbing fact was he said 75%-78% of kids will never ride a bicycle.

Yes. Isn’t that off? I don’t know about you, but a bicycle was my first vehicle. That’s why I think it’s so important that we bring bicycling back because it begins a two wheeled lifestyle. It’s the first vehicle for a child. And you know, we’ve just got to start them riding earlier than in their teens. We’ve lost them in their teens. We’ve got to get them when they’re five and six years old. Get them away from screens and other distractions and understand the freedom and beauty of riding.

That’s when the mind is still forming and they learn things. By the time they’re in their teens, they already know it all and we will never reach them again.

You speak like a parent, but that’s exactly right. So thanks for a moment to talk about that. It is a great passion of mine, and hopefully it will continue. In fact, we’ve actually started having builder breakfasts with the Rossmeyers. Mandy and Shelly welcomed us last year during Bike Week at Rossmeyer’s HarleyDavidson. So we do a program there with the eBikes, the little STACYC bikes that Harley calls an Iron E. We are customizing five of them for the second time, this spring to be unveiled at that event in Daytona…

Usually when things are fun, people come on board.

Deanne Moore — Advisor To The CEO, Baja Designs

After starting as accounting manager at Baja Designs in 2001, Deanne transitioned to CEO, Co-Owner in 2004. “I retired as CEO in 2019,” she says. “Now I am semi-retired and an independent consultant to the off-road industry, and I am still the advisor to the Baja Designs CEO and Business and Financial Consultant.” What keeps Deanne in this business? “I have been riding a dirtbike since I was 7 years old. Getting to know the legends of this sport has been really fun. Plus, I love seeing the increase in women riders. The skill level and expectations of women riders has really grown. Riding a motorcycle is a really empowering sport and I hope more women bring that passion into the business side of it. Companies that bring women into leadership positions in the industry can really gain a fresh and balanced perspective on how to grow their business. COVID has been very good to the industry and has brought in a lot of new enthusiasts especially women and kids.

Angelle Sampey — Wife, mom, business owner & 3X NHRA Prostock Motorcycle World Champion

Her 42 wins are the most ever for a female drag racer in NHRA history and the second-most in NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle history (Dave Schultz, 45). She also holds the mark of 364 round wins in 506 competitive rounds, which calculates to a 71.9% win-per-round ratio. Despite taking her fifth number one qualifying spot in the penultimate round of the season and the 58th of her career with a track-record 6.728-second/202.05 mph run at the NHRA Fall Nationals in Texas, Sampey is looking for a ride in 2023 if you know anyone.

Summer Sands-Hoover — Brand Director, CFO Roland Sands Designs

After working her way up to VP of Sales & Marketing for the family business (Performance Machine), Summer Sands-Hoover joined her brother when Roland Sands Design branched off and she has been the brand director and CFO for the past 17 years. “I was less prone to trouble than Roland,” says Summer, but no less dedicated or skilled at brand building. She started at PM in the summers then worked her way up through the admin side, developing skills that serve her well now at RSD.

Lindsey Scheltema — Executive Director US Motorcycle Coaching Association (USMCA)

From Miss Arenacross to Executive Director of the USMCA, Lindsey Scheltema has been on a wild ride. However she is still twisting the throttle to the stops. “My passion is to grow the sport of motorcycling. My goal is to keep people actively growing in the sport and keep them riding longer — my role with the USMCA aligns perfectly with my lifelong passion. The USMCA connects riders to certified coaches through  MotorcycleCoaching.org so they can learn how to ride safer, smarter, and hopefully that will keep them riding for years to come. We just launched our NEW mobile app making it easier to connect with a certified coach than ever before!

Sarah Schilke —VP SW-Motech, Chairwoman WRN

Sarah Schilke is one of the women taking up the gauntlet from Women Riders Now in addition to having a full time gig building the SW-Motech brand in the US. An avid street rider and off-road racer, she has made a career out of her passion with over two decades in the motorcycle industry under her kidney belt, including stints with BMW Motorrad, Schuberth Helmets, International Motorcycle Shows and the American Motorcyclist Association. Sarah was the first woman to be elected to the MIC Board of Directors and was an original member of the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) Commission on Women in Motorcycling. She is a lifetime member of the AMA and was named one of the “50 Makers of Motorcycling” by Bonnier Motorcycle Group.

Genevieve Schmitt — Pioneer, Moto Journalist WomenRidersNow.com Founder

Genevieve Schmitt is a leading expert in the women and motorcycling space. In 2000, she founded  Woman Rider magazine, the first all-brands national print publication aimed at female motorcyclists. Then in 2006, she created the first online resource for female riders called  WomenRidersNow.com. Through her decades of chronicling motorcycles she has inspired thousands of women to fulfill their dream of riding their own motorcycle. Recent appearances include a documentary about Harley-Davidson on The History Channel called “The Machines that Built America: The Wild Ones” and a short film talking about mentorship on Harley’s social media channels. In 2019, she was awarded the prestigious AMA Bessie Stringfield Award for putting the spotlight on the emerging market of women in motorcycling. Also that year, Genevieve was named one of the Dealernews Top 100 Leaders in Powersports. Genevieve is also a member of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame (2001), and the Las Vegas Hall of Fame (2017).

Personnel Files

By Alex Baylon

MAY YOU LIVE IN INTERESTING TIMES!

terms, we would appear to be in the throes of a recession… but wait, there is more. The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), the organization that defines U.S. business cycles, takes a different view. According to the NBER’s definition of recession — a significant decline in activity that is spread across the economy and that lasts more than a few months — we were not in a recession in the summer of 2022. The reason this situation is so blurry is because we still have a strong labor market, and corporate earnings have shown growth. What the econ pros seem to agree on is that a recession is coming, that’s why interest rates keep creeping up. So I guess for now, maybe we can call this a mild recession?

Sales across the board are most likely going to be forecasted down for most employers in 2023 and most likely budgets must increase because of inflation. This is a tricky predicament for most, but more specifically I want to look at the employee wages category. Employers are caught in the middle of a tight labor market and the shifting employee expectations due to inflation. Employers are expected to increase wages for 2023 — but certainly not enough to keep up with inflation.

Remember the great resignation? Well, that issue still hasn’t gone away. Labor shortage is one of the top reasons for increases in compensation budgets for employers. The disconnect in compensation budgets and rising inflation is creating frustration with workers, who have seen all of their wage gains eroded by rising costs of goods and services. This will continue to drive dissatisfaction with compensation programs and pressure employers to increase wages in the months ahead.

There is a an old Chinese curse that goes along the lines of “May you live in interesting times!” As we are wrapping up 2022 and looking at 2023 dealers/employers have valid recessionary concerns from what some of us are seeing. Yet the vision isn’t very clear as everything seems to change from week-to-week. ...and even day-to-day with all the political rhetoric leading up to the mid-terms. The Pandemic is over, or is it about to get worse? We are not in a recession… or we are in the middle of a recession? The supply chain is fixed… or is that the supply chain is still FUBAR? These are some interesting times, to be sure.

Some dealers still have deposits down on every unit they have coming, and sales are strong. RumbleOn still seems to be buying used inventory non-stop. There are also dealers out there with a glut of units and PG&A — If I had to guess, I would bet that the single-line dealers might be hurting a little more than multiline dealers. Politicians, economists and market professionals engaged in a great semantic debate over whether or not the U.S. economy was in recession. The argument, influenced by the politics of the mid-term elections, came down to how you defined the word “recession” — how do you define it in your dealership?

According to the general definition—two consecutive quarters of negative gross domestic product (GDP)—the U.S. entered a recession in the summer of 2022. In technical

This is all part of what is making things interesting. We are clearly in a mild recession, despite all the employment indicators saying we are not. We have low unemployment, and employees are still hard to find. So what is happening? Well for the most part employees are either retiring, leaving our industry for trendy remote jobs or finding better paying jobs. This is keeping recruiters really busy! Employers are now looking to replace those employees… and it is even worse if you were short-handed to begin with, and now you have current employees expecting higher wages for 2023.

However, new employees are probably going to cost you even more than your old ones. What does all this do? It increases your costs and increases your budget for wages. If you want my advice you have to do your best to retain the employees you currently have if they are good employees and worth keeping.

Have you ever heard of employee or talent “pipelining” — this is something I have been preaching for a while now. This might be the best time to implement it. let me explain

A talent pipeline is a group of qualified job candidates your dealership may want to hire into existing or future positions. It benefits all employers to have a talent pipeline filled with high-quality candidates — because otherwise, they’d have to start a fresh search from scratch each time they want to fill an open position. Which is what 99% of our industry is currently doing.

Of course, a talent pipeline won’t fill itself. Building a pipeline requires a proactive approach, as employers must create a

framework to develop and nurture long-term relationships with potential hires. While many companies do this outside of our industry your specific strategy should be tailored to your company’s needs, culture, and overall goals. Here are some of the benefits of pipelining

1. Reduce time-to-hire:

When employers struggle to fill open positions in a timely manner, the hiring manager — and often the entire company — suffers. According to LinkedIn, only 30% of companies are able to fill a vacant role within 30 days, while 70% take anywhere between one and four months to process a new hire. A successful pipeline streamlines the hiring process and drastically reduces your time-to-hire. By developing and nurturing relationships with qualified candidates, you put yourself in a position to hire more quickly.

2. Hire better:

When you’re scrambling to fill an open position, you’re prone to making hasty and potentially bad hiring decisions. A talent pipeline framework enables you to be more strategic, think long-term, and plan in advance. As a result, you’ll be more

MIJ Industry #PROfiles

Dealernews is honored to work with Motorcycle Industry Jobs to recognize the people who make up this great industry. “When you start reading the Industry #PROfles, you will notice that 80-90% of them get their start at a motorcycle dealership,” says MIJ founder Alex Baylon. “The dealers are on the front lines and have always been the heart and soul of the industry. Without motorcycle dealerships, most of us wouldn’t be where we are today, so part of our message is always going to be ‘support your local motorcycle shop.’”

In addition to recognizing industry pros, Dealernews is also working with MIJ to create a job ticker tape of the latest positions opening in the industry at the Dealernews.com site. Check it out at: www.dealernews.com/Industry-Jobs

“Tell us your story,” adds Baylon. “We would love to feature you! Click here to fill out the questionnaire: www.motorcycleindustryjobs.com/industry-profiles/

likely to hire the best possible candidates — rather than suffer the high-cost of a bad hire.

The solution is rather simple yet very few do it, and some instead spend tens of thousands of dollars hiring recruiters because employers didn’t plan ahead. Simple and its low cost or free. You simply need to always be looking for those hardto-find positions. Post ads on social media platforms, post jobs for future and current jobs on MotorcycleIndustryJobs. com — These are ridiculously low cost options for most employers who know they are going to be busy in the spring and will need service, parts and sales employees.

Employers should have at least a handful of candidates before springtime comes. I know what you are thinking… if the candidate applied 3-4 months prior why would they want the job? They most likely already found one. Let me tell you a secret, recruiters make their living from finding already employed candidates. Look at the stats again… Only 3 out of 10 employers find an employee within 30 days. The rest take between 2-4 months. Start pipelining today!

MotorcycleIndustryJobs.com founder Alex Baylon has been hiring and firing people in the powersports industry for 25 years.

Currently with a major distributor, he has also been with Dragon Alliance, Ceet Racing, MX GP Services in Europe, Acerbis USA, Motonation/Sidi Boots and Scott USA. He started MIJ as he saw a need in the industry for people who are passionate about the motorcycle industry to have an employment outlet. The motorcycle industry like many others has always recycled employees from one company to another and it has always been done by word of mouth. MIJ allows companies in the industry to post their openings and give others in and out of the industry a chance to apply and insert new blood and fresh ideas in the many opportunities in the motorcycle industry.

THE FUTURE OF ROV/SXS RECREATION

SEE What Is Right In Front Of Us

By Donald Amador

Enough of politics! Rather than looking in the rear view of what might have been, time to focus on the future of off-road recreation. As can be seen from the crossover coverage from the SEMA show in this issue, powersports is definitely having an impact on an adjacent market with UTVs leading the charge. With that in mind, Quiet Warrior Racing is proud to announce that it is now offering the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA) ROV Basic DriverCourse (RBDC) to agency, corporate and private sectors in the Greater Redding Area in Northern California.

To kick-off our ROV training program in the Golden State, QWR taught its first RBDC of the “SEEson” at the BLM’s Chappie Shasta OHV Area. This venue has a long history of supporting OHV educational opportunities. Honestly, it was great to get back out in the field doing one of my favorite activities… helping promote the safe operation of UTVs on public lands.

Search, Evaluate and Execute (SEE) is one of the many important themes stressed by ROHVA in both the online E-Course and field training. SEE is a common sense, yet

powerful decision-making process where a driver looks for various factors such as trail difficulty then evaluates the risk level of the situation and subsequently executes an action such as turning around and taking another route.

That SEE philosophy can be applied to land use issues as well. We can search out and evaluate the threats like land closures and execute a course change… but I promised not to dwell on that in this column.

Protective safety gear is also another area that is highlighted during the online and field education process. Wearing a helmet, using eye protection, gloves, long sleeved shirt/jersey and over-the-ankle-boots with non-slip soles can help make any UTV trail experience safer and more fun. As a ROHVA-certified DriverCoach, I try to reinforce the SEE and safety aspects at every turn, literally.

It was great to get back out in the field at the BLM’s Chappie Shasta OHV Recreation Area helping train outdoor recreationists about how to safely operate a ROV/SxS on designated roads, trails and recreation areas. I always enjoy seeing students taking pride in learning some of the basic skills such as two-feet throttle/brake control [Exercise 4] to cross an obstacle, back-up, or load the SxS into a tight area such as a toy hauler.

At the post field training wrap up the students stated they could “SEE” just how important it is to get the proper training so they recreate in a safe and responsible manner.

Since many federal/state agencies and cooperators have increased the use of ROVs for recreation/resource management and fire suppression activities, QWR offers the RBDC course for agency or cooperator staff that need to get certified or re-certified before operating a government or corporate SxS/ROV.

QWR is a strong supporter of the focused safety efforts by our partners at CA State Parks OHMVR Division, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, ROHVA, Tread Lightly! and the CA Outdoor Recreation Foundation. Together we can address the rapid growth of ROV/UTV/ SxS use on public lands… just maybe have some fun doing it.

Don Amador has been in the trail advocacy and recreation management profession for almost 29 years. Don is President of Quiet Warrior Racing/Consulting. Don served as a contractor to the BlueRibbon Coalition from 1996 until June, 2018. Don served on the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission from 1994-2000. He has won numerous awards including being a 2016 Inductee into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame and the 2018 Friend of the AMA Award. Don currently serves as the government affairs lead for AMA District 36 in Northern California. He may be reached via email at: damador@quietwarriorracing.com

Keeping trails open is everyone's responsibility. By working together as one motorized community, we can keep our trails open, healthy and beautiful for generations to come. Do your part by riding responsibly, keeping trails clean and trash-free, and volunteering with organizations that are working to keep access open for everyone.

Do your part, support Tread Lightly! and it's mission by becoming a member at treadlightly.org.

Confessions Of A Customer®

By Eric Anderson

CULTURE EATS STRATEGY FOR BREAKFAST…

And Twice On Any Sunday!

Business is changing… dramatically and daily! So do you lead, follow or just get out of the way? Peter Ducker is renowned for his innovative ways of creating the beginnings of modern business management. His book The Practice Of Management was published in 1954. His concepts may sound logical now but were quite controversial then, as you can well imagine. Most new forms of thinking are never received by the majority until proven over time.

One of Peter’s most well-known quotes is “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” It’s one of my favorites, but what does it mean? Simply put, no matter how strong your strategic plan is, its effectiveness will be held back by employees if they don’t share the same (business) culture. Get it? If your team members don’t “buy in” on the group’s idea of culture, everything else becomes somewhat meaningless and irrelevant — particularly in the passion-driven powersports market.

A company’s culture represents the core of its beliefs, values and unique selling proposition. It is often created by the company’s founders on purpose, but occasionally by a happy little accident. And like you may have heard before… The founders’ actions speak louder than words in the process of culture creation.

Does your business have a truly unified culture — one with a common vision for all members of your team? It’s important that the company’s vision is not only YOUR vision, but the vision of everyone attempting to reach common goals of growth. When was the last time YOU shared not your vision, but the vision for the entire business? Is it a common vision in which all members of the team helped build? It is important that all members assist in the constantly evolving and developing vision so a common culture can be established — one greater than the sum of its parts.

Culture is not something which is fed to the masses for consumption. It is something deeper, but also never totally defined. It is constantly changing and growing — usually into something quite complex as a business matures. As many of you have seen before, a fertile new brand of product grows on its own once it is properly planted, nurtured and fertilized (of course we have also seen plenty of BS in the marketing mix when an operation lacks true culture). Culture eats strategy when it comes to authenticity!

Eventually, a brand or a shop takes on a persona larger than originally perceived. Why? Because the culture of the brand has grown beyond the original strategic goals set by the founders. It sometimes appears as a “halo” of success surrounding the brand. A good example I remember which achieved this effect was Oakley when Jim Jannard pushed the brand beyond goggles and grips into the world of “thermonuclear protection” for your eyes. A cultural following of futuristic “biomechanical” design set of a pathway nobody had ever seen before. Culture ate strategy for breakfast.

Some entrepreneurs believe the success of their businesses should be based on all things lacking passion — facts, figures, profits, ROI and percentages. It can be somewhat dangerous when a CFO becomes a CEO because the passion often gets replaced with a “bean counting” philosophy. When experts from outside the powersports industry promise to grow our businesses using classical methods “sans passion” it usually fails. Why? Culture ate strategy for breakfast.

Strategy defines direction and focus while culture is the environment in which strategy lives or dies. Strategy focuses on resourcefulness and skillfulness, while culture defines engagement, passion and execution. If one were the “chicken” and one the “egg,” which comes first? The fact is you need both, but culture determines strength and longevity, particularly in powersports.

Assuming you are aware of your business’ true culture it is a lot easier to execute your strategic plan on top as a landscape. They must work together in alignment so they both can create exemplary organizations working in sync. In this dog-eat-dog world, leaders must “know” the culture before they can plan their strategy… and twice On Any Sunday!

HANDSTANDS AT 100 MPH

2022 Baja/Desert Reunion/ Celebration

By Jean Turner

In celebration of the history and legacy of desert racing, from the American Southwest to the iconic Baja Peninsula, Scot Harden and Johnny Campbell once again hosted the Handstands at 100mph event. After its success in 2021, the second-annual Handstands at 100mph went even bigger in 2022, taking place at the famous Blackmore Ranch in Murrieta, California on September 24. More than 400 desert racers, families, friends and riding clubs joined in the festivities. But that was just the beginning as the dynamic duo has planned “Baja Borrego” — an epic Dual Sport ride set for December (see sidebar).

Seventeen different motorcycle clubs and racing organizations attended the reunion and celebration that took place at Blackmore Ranch, including AMA District 37, SCORE and Best In The Desert, as well as clubs from Southern California, Nevada and Baja California, Mexico.

Each brought out an impressive display of memorabilia, photos, trophies, maps, posters and gear alongside vintage and modern desert bikes, turning the sprawling Blackmore estate into an outdoor desert racing museum for the day. Food, drinks, activities including STACYC bikes and a pump track for the kids, and of course, plenty of bench racing made for a memorable day.

One of the main objectives of the 2nd Annual Handstands at 100mph Reunion/Celebration is to promote the future of the sport which is why it was so good to see kids actually riding during our event. “A big thanks to STACYC for their support,” says Harden. “Every time I looked over at the track kids were riding. It helps when our host Blackmore Ranch Park has one of the coolest STACYC tracks anywhere.” From the youngest future desert racers to the oldest: At 92 years young, Dick Vick, a former desert racing champion and childhood hero of Johnny Campbell’s, stepped up to accept his “certified legend” acknowledgement.

A new feature of the Handstands at 100mph was the introduction of certified legends, with Vick blazing the trail, a handful of special guests were honored with this first-of-its-kind commemoration. “A Handstands at 100mph certified legend is somebody that has considerable attributes to the sport of desert racing and

the resume to back it up,” explained Johnny Campbell, himself an 11-time Baja 1000 champion. “This year we certified Jimmy Lewis, Jack Johnson, Lori Conway, Dick Vick and Chuck Miller as “legends” of the sport. It was our honor to have them here to talk about their accomplishments in desert racing, and chat with each of them.”

Below:

Hosts Jeff and Jennifer.

Chuck MIller accepts his award.

Johnny Campbell presents Dick Vick with his legends cert.

Above: Certified Legends Lori Conway and Jimmy Lewis.

Scot Harden, Jack Johnson and Johnny Campbell.

“Last year’s event was a huge success, one that exceeded every expectation,” adds Scot Harden. “And this year’s event came together even better than we anticipated, with so much enthusiasm and support from the Baja/ desert racing community.”

“This year we also really wanted to target the clubs and associations that are the backbone of the sport,” noted Campbell. “We were so happy to see so many clubs and promoters come out for a full day of bench racing, camaraderie, and good times. Our mission is to honor the heritage and legacy of those that have contributed so much to the sport, while at the same time inspiring future generations to take on the challenge.”

This year’s event was focused on the racing Organizations and Clubs that serve as the foundation of the sport: SCORE, BITD, AVE Racing, AMA National Hare and Hound Association and AMA D-37 Desert Racing were all in attendance. In addition, there were 11 AMA D-37 desert racing clubs that attended with an official presence including: Desert MC, 100’s MC, Checkers MC, Four Aces MC, Orange County Motorcycle Club, Hilltoppers, HBMC, Jackrabbits, So Cal MC, Hilltoppers MC, Jackrabbits MC. Representing the San Diego area was Los Ancianos MC and representing Nevada was the Groundshakers.

The Warrior Built Foundation, a charity organization that provides recreational therapy for combat veterans, was in attendance, and accepted a surprise donation of the excess beer money at the end of the event. Lou Peralta and AVE Racing came out to talk about land use and encourage people to get involved with legal issues facing off-road racing.

“We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our sponsors of the second-annual Handstands at 100mph eventt, including: Red Line Oil, REV’IT! USA, Baja Bound Insurance, TacoMoto, Motion Pro, STACYC, 805 Beer, Consolidated Contracting, PCI Radios, Kurt Caselli Foundation. VP Racing Fuels, SCORE and BITD,” concluded Harden.

DUAL SPORTING WITH JCR AND HARDEN OFFROAD

Dual Sport Ride Includes Rider Training & Technical Seminars

Baja/Desert Champions, AMA, Offroad Motorsports and Trailblazer Hall of Famers Johnny Campbell and Scot Harden have added special rider training and technical seminars to their upcoming Baja Borrego Dual Sport Ride. Based out of Ocotillo RV Resort on Dec. 9th and 10th, the event will be an intimate gathering open to the public and will feature an afternoon of training and technical seminars along with an almost 100-milelong GPS-navigated ride on Saturday, Dec. 10th.

“Our Handstands at 100mph Baja/Desert Reunion/Celebration held back on Sept. 24th was a huge success,” says co-host Harden. “The Baja/Desert motorcycle racing community responded enthusiastically, and we were overwhelmed by the response. Now we turn our attention to our Baja Borrego Dual Sport ride where we’ve planned a very special weekend for all who join us. 100 miles of self-guided GPS dual sport riding that in many ways will feel like a mini-Dakar coupled with rider training events, seminars and presentations over the weekend.”

“We’ve been hard at work planning this event for over six months now,” commented Johnny Campbell. “While the main event, our ride on Saturday Dec. 10th will be very special, we wanted to create a very intimate, educational environment for everyone that joins us. We want to share as much information and knowledge as possible with those that attend a series of seminars on Friday afternoon, Dec. 9th. Our goal is to help riders on their journey through off-road riding. We will cap it all off with a party and campfire bench racing session where we will relive the day’s ride plus tell a story or two from our experiences in Baja, desert, and Dakar racing.”

Handstands at 100pmph “Baja Borrego” Dual Sport Ride will be held on Friday Dec. 9th and Saturday December 10th. The ride will be based out of the Ocotillo RV Resort. The Dual Sport ride will be GPS guided and led by Johnny and Scot. It starts Friday, Dec. 9th at 2:00pm with rider training and technical seminars given by Johnny, Scot and special guests.

The ride itself starts Saturday Dec. 10th at 8:00am and will be approximately 100 miles in length. It will be followed by a party and campfire bench racing session. Cost: $250, which includes riding seminar by Johnny and Scot, 100-mile Dual Sport ride and post-ride party. Register here: harden-offroad.com/legendaryevents/handstands-at-100mph

PICKS TO CLICK

Arturo Tire Rolls Out UTV Rubber At SEMA

Always bet on black? We saw a number of high rollers betting on the powersports market when the SEMA show hit Las Vegas this fall. Some of the sure bets are highlighted here, but as Wesley Snipes’ character in Passenger 57 suggested, a tire company is betting big on black to keep dealers in the black when it comes to aftermarket rubber.

After already making a name for itself in the truck market, Atturo Tire Corp. has turned its attention to the burgeoning UTV scene by sharing two types of tires at the SEMA show. The tread patterns utilized in Atturo’s initial SxS offerings are modeled after their most successful Light Truck tires: the Trail Blade X/T, and Trail Blade BOSS. The SxS series follow the same design cues of Atturo’s Trail Blade Family of tires, modeled off unique knife blade designs that are both stylish and functional.

“Atturo may be new to the powersports market, but we will be a familiar name to the UTV Consumer,” explained Michael Mathis, President of Atturo Tire Corp. from the show floor in Las Vegas. “Nearly every SxS owner already owns a truck and will be familiar with the Atturo brand from our years in the market, substantial consumer marketing and success in Motorsports. Here we’ve got our two different tread patterns. These are part of our existing light truck Trail Blade series re-tuned for the powersports market,” he added.

“All of our Trail Blade series of tires have elements that are borrowed from different types of knife blades. So you can pick up on some of those elements here on the sidewall of the Trail Blade XT, and you can see the big knife blade going across in the Trail Blade boss.” Shades of the old Grand National motorcycle racers who would hand cut every tire! “Our Trail Blade is an all-terrain type tire, it is pinned for winter studs so it is suitable for snow and ice, that’s it.

“Both tires are fully steel belted. And we construct these tires in a modern white truck factory using segmented aluminum molds, which is very different from the way that a traditional clamshell molded tire might be made… Why that matters is that it delivers higher uniformity, so you get a better ride. Even more importantly, it helps keep that contact patch uniform, so you’re putting more tread on to the ground no matter what that surface is. Obviously the more tread that you can keep in contact with the ground, you get better traction, better handling, better performance.

“Our Trail Blade Boss is more of the mud tire model. Again, we’ve modified these tires from the original light truck segment. To open up the void ratio, we’ve added different cut segments into the tread to allow it more flex on a lighter weight type of a machine compared to a truck. These are tires that we’ve raced off-road at King Of The Hammers for several years, so it’s something that we think is going to translate really well into those powersports machines that we’re targeting in the sport and recreation area.

“You know, years ago, when they started running Side x Sides in Baja, they couldn’t even finish and today they’re right on the tail of the Trophy Trucks. We’re seeing that going across all of motorsports, so we are coming into the market with contingency support programs across a number of different UTV racing categories, including Ultra 4 for King Of The Hammers, Northern California Rock Racing and Best In The Desert are just a few that we’re already involved with and we are looking to get into more racing series. We are going to have a complete racing program, just like we’ve done in the light truck segment,” concludes Mathis.

The Trail Blade X/T SxS is expected to be available in Q4 2022 with the Trail Blade BOSS SxS will follow in Q1 2023. Both tires will be available in 14” and 15” rim sizes from 28” through 35” diameters. Actively seeking dealers and distributors, Atturo will be showcasing both models at the 2023 AIMExpo in February, Booth #4099

CACTUS JUICE AT SEMA

After its recent acquisition by USWE, Harold Olaf Cecil was in Las Vegas to show off Giant Loop wares to a broader motorsports market. “We previewed the new Cactus Canteen drinking water reservoirs and the Armadillo Sling spare tire mount for the 3- and 5-gallon Armadillo Bag liquid power reservoirs,” he added. “It’s been an “all-in” poker hand for me, and my family has sacrificed much to help me play a winning hand,” says Cecil. “We finally got big enough that business people with money actually started paying attention a couple years ago, and after having a few different conversations with mega-corporate types and money-obsessed dudes in suits who don’t care about the brand and community we’ve built, the discussion with USWE felt refreshing, like we shared a similar history and values as a company.” Giant Loop’s gamble paid off as the Cactus Canteen was named “Best In Show” by Gear Junkie. https://www.giantloopmoto.com/

ACE IS THE PLACE!

In a hall full of cars, a couple of custom bikes really stood out at SEMA... amazing how the automotive crowd gravitated to the Ace Of Shades display in Las Vegas. The old school metal flake and opulent candy colors were eye-catching for hotrodders of all stripes. Developed and formulated by a custom painter for the custom painter helped them come up with a catchy tagline, too: “BY CUSTOM – FOR CUSTOM. Using the highest quality pigments and newest technologies the industry has to offer, Ace has designed a custom paint system – not only creating amazing colors with dazzle and depth, but with the goal of giving you ease of application, quick coverage, color consistency, durability and longevity. Looking to create some eye candy for your dealership? Ace is the place! Find them on Instagram at:  @ace.of.shades.custom.finish

STOPPING TRAFFIC AT SEMA

Brembo busted out a new UTV brake system at SEMA that virtually stopped show goers in their tracks. The Italian brake innovator claims that the new Brembo UTV brake system is the first of its kind bespoke performance brake kit for the UTV market. Utilizing over 60 years of brake design and manufacturing of brake components for everything from F1 cars to brakes that won the Baja 1000. The Brembo UTV Kit is offered in two caliper choices in aluminum, one machined from billet and one cast. A 4-piston aluminum caliper, grips onto cross drilled steel brake discs. Brembo says the bonuses include reduced unsprung weight on all four corners while delivering a quiet and confident brake pedal feel. For more details on Brembo UTV brake kits, contact Brembo partner Race Technologies LLC, 17422 Murphy Avenue, Irvine, CA 92614; Tel: +1 714 438 1118; email: sales@racetechnologies.com or visit www.racetechnologies.com

SLICK STUFF AT SEMA

Pennzoil used the SEMA show to announce a major push into powersports. The Pennzoil portfolio now includes engine oils specifically formulated for outdoor recreation vehicles including ATVs/UTVs, PWC, motorcycles and snowmobiles. In a pretty slick move Pennzoil premiered its new product with Pro SXS Racer Sierra Romo’s RZR PRO R UTV. “Whether it’s enjoying the backcountry on an ATV or enjoying time boating with the family, we’re excited to bring this new line to outdoor enthusiasts to give them peace of mind during their adventures,” said Bree Sandlin, VP of Lubricants Marketing at Shell Lubricants. “We’ve taken the technology that Pennzoil customers are accustomed to in their passenger cars and formulated these small engine oils to provide the same performance and protection for those who love the outdoors.”

WISECO WINS

From classic Camaros to customized Can-Ams, 4-strokes and 2-strokes alike on the bike side, Wiseco has been cranking out powersports pistons for the past 80 years and they have always had a prominent place on the SEMA show floor. In addition to a complete rebuild kits for 2011-14 800cc RZR featuring components from several Race Winning Brands, one of Wiseco’s latest developments is a new piston for KTM, GasGas and Husqvarna 350 and 450cc dirtbikes. How Wiseco designed and developed this new piston and brought it to market is a fascinating feat of engineering and a story unto itself. However you can see more of their RZR rebuild in a box here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kIw4OrB334

FEELING THE HEAT?

No question Honda’s new Talon is hot, particularly with the cross-over crowd at SEMA… However that is not always a good thing when it comes to the engine bay. Enter DEI with a new Talon-specific kit made from high quality, long-lasting, durable materials to reduce heat in the center console area while also sealing it from dirt and mud buildup. An Extreme Heat Barrier is included that blocks radiant heat from the engine and exhaust on the passenger seat to keep riders fully protected. “Our Heat Control & Dirt Deflector Kit is made using multiple materials that are best-suited for the job,” said Mike Buca of DEI. “That includes our semi rigid Form-A-Barrier to block heat and dirt from the lower section of the tunnel, and our Heat Screen aluminized glass fiber material to block heat on the top.” If your customers are feeling the heat, hit up DEI: www.designengineering.com

READ ALL ABOUT IT!

The Golden Era Of Motocross Launch Party

By Robin Hartfiel

Alifetime in the making, 480 pages, 600+ original images from the best photographers in the Moto world, Motocross The Golden Era is quite literally the biggest book on motocross ever written — each coffee table sized copy weighs in excess of 6 pounds! It is also a love story, at least a heartfelt tribute to a magical time. It’s a look back at a moment in history between 1970 and 1986 when motocross came of age. Old four-strokes were suddenly overshadowed by a new breed of specialized two-strokes that would change the sport forever. The sport suddenly exploded in America and a massive new market was born. It was also a time of experimentation, with radical new ideas being tried daily.

“For a young kid from England it was a dream come true,” is how author David Dewhurst prefaces his masterwork. “I was meeting heroes like Hannah, Howerton, LaPorte and Sun. Every weekend we’d get on airplanes and travel to stadiums and rough outdoor tracks across the country. It was a traveling circus like no other. Mike Goodwin, a

The books were printed right in the heart of America — Marceline, Missouri. Each book weighs almost 6 pounds. It’s a monster!

successful rock concert promoter, was the circus promoter and Larry Huffman was the ring leader. Riders like Hannah and Johnson were always ready to play the part of clown and Bailey and Glover were always the magicians.”

Dewhurst spent six years in the pre-digital age filling reporters notebooks and shooting film until the ban on works bikes came down. “From 1986 exotic one-off factory bikes were banned and a production-based rule was introduced. A magical era was over but for those who witnessed that glorious time it will never be forgotten. It was a Golden Era and I hope this book helps you relive those amazing memories.”

The launch party certainly helped capture some of the forgotten magic. Troy Lee opened the doors to his Laguna Beach, California retail emporium and the man on the cover, Roger DeCoster was on hand to sign copies and share stories… I was instantly transported to Carlsbad Raceway in the early 1980s, hanging on the fence and watching in awe as “The Man” and his European compatriots routinely destroyed the best riders in America on their home track.

Even Daytona 200 winner and well-established motorcycle historian Don Emde was standing in line to get Roger to sign his book! Just behind Don was “Dr. D” Doug Dubach, king of the Vet Nationals and behind me were folks like film maker Todd Huffman and Rick Doughty of Vintage Iron fame. Sitting to Roger’s right was Jeff Ward and in the crowd were Lars Larson and Gary Jones… the golden era, indeed.

Motocross is special, adds Dewhurst, point to the back cover of his epic tome. “Everyone knows ‘The Man’ on the front cover, but here’s a word about the guy on the back cover. I took that picture of Pete Remington on his sidepipe CZ in 1972 at Levens Bridge in the north of England. The smile on his face captures the joy we all enjoy when we ride. The great news is that 50 years later, Pete is still smiling and racing vintage motocross and organizing all kinds of events for the Westmorland Club. We need more people like Pete to keep the excitement of motocross alive.

Unlike anything ever written about motocross before, this massive book is the ultimate Xmas gift for yourself! To order copies, click here: www.motocrossthegoldenera.com

THE MAN and THE BOOK at the launch party for Motocross the Golden Era at Troy Lee Designs. Thanks to Roger DeCoster for helping me fulfill my dream come true and thanks to Troy Lee for his generosity in making a great evening possible.

CARLSBAD CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

No conversation of the Golden Era of Motocross is complete without mentioning the legendary Carlsbad Raceway... the one track Roger DeCoster could never win at and where Marty Moates changed the course of American Moto history by winning the USGP. Although Carlsbad closed, the legend lives on, including a monument to the track.

Kurt Brunner was the first fan of the Carlsbad Raceway Monument to step up and accept Brad and Lori Lackey’s Challenge to make this project happen. Fittingly Todd Huffman accepted the donation at Troy Lee Designs Laguna Studio in conjunction with David Dewhurst’s book signing for Motocross The Golden Era. Mr Brunner presented a check for $10,000 to Huffman on behalf of the Road 2 Recovery who is administrating the non-profit funds for the construction of the monument.

Kurt’s name will now go under Brad and Lori’s name in all the forthcoming ads for the challenge in  Cycle News, Racer X, Motocross Action, Dirt Bike and American Motorcyclist.

“Next time you see Kurt around, shake his hand and thank him,” adds Huffman. “He’s a legend in all of our eyes now.” Who wants to join him in accepting Brad Lackey’s Challenge? Click here for details: https://road2recoverybricks.com

Don Emde, Todd Huffman and David Dewhurst.

Jeff Ward and Roger DeCoster sign “Buckwheat’s” copy.

Jimmy Mac, Gary Jones and Don Emde.

Before her passing Loretta wanted to record this beautiful message to all of her beloved fans. This was played at the start of her memorial show and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. She knew you all loved her and she wanted y’all to know she loved you right back.

VALE LORETTA LYNN 1932-2022

The legendary country singer and songwriter who became a symbol of rural resilience with her powerful voice and inspiring life story, Loretta Lynn has died at age 90. She influenced scores of musicians but for the powersports industry she set the stage for thousands of motocross athletes, hosting the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn Ranch since 1982.

“There’s no doubt Loretta Lynn was a towering figure in both music and motocross,” said AMA Editorial Director Mitch Boehm. “We, as an organization, can’t put into words the importance and impact she had on our sport and how she inspired generations of riders.” The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame offers its heartfelt condolences to the loved ones of Lynn and celebrates her contribution to motocross and the motorcycling community. She was a role model to many in both the music and motorcycling worlds.

Since 1982, Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, TN, has welcomed approximately 60,000 riders. Hosting an average of 36 classes vying for AMA National No. 1 plates each year, the annual event is the site of the largest amateur motocross event in the world. Displaying her country hospitality, Lynn frequently attended the event each year, and made herself available to those who visited.

With the continued support of Loretta and the Lynn family, motorcyclists have been making the pilgrimage to the ranch for four decades, making it a staple of the amateur motocross season. Unfortunately, in 2021, the ranch was devastated by flooding, suffering more than $1 million in property damage, and killing one. The ranch has since been rehabilitated with significant support from the motocross community, and the Racer For Waverly Outreach (see sidebar).

Although the young riders that visit her ranch each year did not grow up during the peak of her singing career, Loretta

Lynn’s name and voice resonate with everyone who visits. With her song “Coal Miner’s Daughter” ringing out through the ranch’s PA system at 7 a.m. every day, Lynn has contributed to the growth of motocross by hosting the weeklong event where amateur motocross athletes aim to launch their professional careers and claim a spot on the podium. The ranch also hosts AMA Grand National Cross-Country events along with the annual amateur motocross competitions.

Born on April 14, 1932, in Butcher Hollow, KY, she carved out her story in the rugged Kentucky coal country, and her autobiography,  A Coal Miner’s Daughter, was adapted into an Oscar-winning movie. Finding her voice in the music industry to the tune of four Grammy Awards and 14 Academy of Country Music Awards, Lynn has sold more than 45 million records worldwide. Writing more than 160 songs, Lynn tallied 24 No. 1 singles and 11 No. 1 albums on the country charts. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988. Lynn was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2021 and honored in the  Dealernews’ Top 100 Class of 2022.

RACERS 4 WAVERLY HELPS REBUILD RANCH & COMMUNITY

the most and have raised more than $350,000 through our ‘Racers 4 Waverly’ fundraising initiative with the Road 2 Recovery Foundation.”

With the invaluable support of the motocross industry, MX Sports has announced “Operation Ranch Rebuild” in continuation of its spearheaded efforts to restore the racetrack and campground at Tennessee’s famed Loretta Lynn’s Ranch. As part of this organized effort, MX Sports and the Road 2 Recovery Foundation provided funds to the community of Waverly as Humphreys County continues its recovery efforts from the tragic flooding that overwhelmed the region back in August, 2021.

MX Sports’ team was joined by North Carolina-based Makson Construction, owned by Phoenix Racing’s David Eller, in addition to members of Georgia-based Yamaha Motor Corporation. Makson provided all the necessary labor and heavy equipment for the rebuild, while Yamaha, which has been heavily involved in the recovery efforts from the outset, has already purchased all the lumber for the project.

Loretta Lynn’s Ranch

the community of Waverly,” said Tim Cotter, Event Director, MX Sports Back in April. “Since then, we’ve rallied the motocross community to come together in benefit of those who need our help

The group comprising “Operation Ranch Rebuild” was by government officials from Humphreys County and community leaders from Waverly, Hurricane Mills, and beyond. Work began Tuesday, April 19 at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch, including rebuilding the iconic motocross track used for August’s annual Monster Energy AMA Amateur Motocross National Championship, the world’s single-largest motocross event.

CHARLIE’S CANCER JOURNEY

The picture above was taken July 4, 2019. I was 61 years old and could still win a motorcycle trophy! Two weeks later during my annual physical, tests showed I had Prostate Cancer. I had the big surgery and came out of it pretty well. I was able to continue to work and play.

My cancer numbers crept back up so I had 2 rounds of Hormone Therapy but could still work and get along.

Then in January 2020 I developed a blood disorder, Monoclonal Multiple Myeloma. The Dr. prescribed Chemo pills for two years! I was slowed way down, but Wilma and I have been able to keep our little boat afloat…

Then, a month ago, September 2022 my Prostate Cancer numbers jumped, Dr. again prescribed Hormone Therapy but before that could start I was hospitalized with Deep Vein Thrombosis, blood clots in my leg and rib cage.

All the men in my family have had blood clotting problems, and both my cancers and the chemo treatments are known to cause blood clots, I was the perfect storm for blood clots.

Now I’m stuck, I’m leg up for the next few weeks or months and I’m afraid if I don’t ask for help my boat will go under sooner than later.

My best hopes are, Chemo and Hormone Therapy both end after Christmas, that gives my leg 3 months to clear up, so my very best hope is to get back to work after the first of the year. That’s my best, fact is I have two incurable diseases and a family history of blood clotting.

I keep smiling, but as I’m watching my cancer kill me, I’m also watching my cancer kill Wilma. She is carrying the load around here, 3 years now and we just can’t keep up. I need to ask for help to get us through the next few months. I’m not sure what the future holds, but if I go under now it will be that much harder to get going again.

Thank you, Charlie and Wilma

https://www.gofundme.com/f/vby9p-charliescancer-journey?sharetype=teams&member= 22247241&pc=fb_co_campmgmt_m&rcid=r01166463544003-7c9c453e419711ed&utm_ source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_ campaign=p_lico%2Bshare-sheet&fbclid=IwAR0yVB xRKOqtCfreTrNAsngQhnhUxpuykSNqW3r1o5TEZbx EDUHVNZUZBS4