Dealernews Issue#9 September 2021

DN 2.0 #9

NEAT, MALCOLM!

Malcolm Smith Motorsports Adds Ducati

HOOSIERS!

American Landmaster Dealer Meeting

MOTOCROSS REVIVAL

Going Back In History To Pay It Forward

CONTENTS

06 WORLD’S LUCKIEST MAN 08 EDITOR’S NOTE 10 LETTERS+ 12 NEWS+ 16 SHIFTING GEARS+ 20 DEALER PROFILE 24 OEM UPDATE: AMERICAN LANDMASTER 28 INDUSTRY RESEARCH+ 32 INDUSTRY RESEARCH+ 34 INDUSTRY RESEARCH+ 36 INDUSTRY RESEARCH+ 38 INDUSTRY RESEARCH+ 43 SHOWTIME! 44 NEWS & NOTES 46 WPS PLAYING DODGEBALL 51 eDEALERNEWS 52 CURRENTS+ 55 SWAPPABLE BATTERY CONSORTIUM 56 PERFORMANCE+ Bob Althoff On A Tale Of Two Cities

Robin Hartfiel On The Omnichannel The Industry On Dealernews Dealer News… Get It?

Where’s Waldo? How About Logan Kimball?

Malcolm Smith Motorsports Is A Ducati Dealer… Again Hoosiers!

Pied Piper On The UTV Omnichannel

Dr. Paul Leinberger On What Goes Up…

Lenny Sims On J.D. Power Valuations NPA’s Jim Woodruff On Pre-Owned Black Book Q3 Update

The Show(s) Must Go On!

Sorting Out The New Normal For Trade Fairs Winning In A Pandemic Unobtainium

The Latest eNews

Shocking Collaboration

Mark Rodgers On 5 Ways To Get Better At EVERYTHING!

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OUR TEAM

58 60 62 64 66 68 72 78 79

DIVERSITY+

Alisa Clickenger On NPDA’s Makeup

PERSONNEL FILES

Alex Baylon On To Be, Or Not To Be

MIC RIDE REPORT

What Does The MIC Do For You?

ADVOCACY+

Don Amador On The Day The Music Died

CONFESSIONS OF A CUSTOMER Eric Anderson On You!

GEAR+

Harley-Davidson Pan-Am Takes Flight

PRESS PASS+

Motocross Revival Paying It Forward

VALE+

Ave Atque Vale Yvon DuHamel

AD INDEX

This issue Brought To You By…

Bob Althoff World’s Luckiest Man EDITORIAL Robin Hartfiel Editor Gus Stewart Creative Director Brenda Stiehl Production Manager CONTRIBUTORS Don Musick Genesys Technology Solutions Dr. Paul Leinberger Denny+Leinberger Strategy Eric Anderson Vroom Network Jim Woodruff National Powersport Auctions Lenny Sims NADA Appraisal Guides Scot Harden AMA Hall Of Fame/Harden Offroad Hector Cademartori Illustrations William Douglas Little Unique Powersports Charlie Williams Off Road Editor Marq Smith Holeshot Motorsports, Canada Alisa Clickenger Women’s Motorcycle Tours Don Amador Quiet Warrior Racing Joe Bonnello Joe B Photography Uncle Paul Wunsch Love Cycles The Anonymous Dealer Dealer Advisory Board Bob Althoff Chairman Joey Belmont Big #1 Sports Jim Boltz Lynnwood Cycle Barn/WMDA Jim Foster Killeen Power Sports George Gatto Gatto Harley-Davidson Malcolm Hunter Deeley Harley-Davidson Robert Kay Star City Motorsports Bob Kee Destination Cycle Jerry Lenz Beaverton Motorcycles Kurt Mechling Performance PowerSports Don Owens Dothan Powersports Mark Peterson Southwest Superbikes Sandy Stroope Boat World Honda Polaris

ADVERTISING

Vance & Hines President Mike Kennedy puts the Pan Am through its paces testing the company’s newest ADV pipe.

Robin Hartfiel Publisher (949) 489-4306 robinhartfiel@gmail.com Blake Foulds Account Executive (760) 715-3045 Blakefoulds@dealernews.com Brenda Stiehl Production Manager brendastiehl@dealernews.com John Murphy Publishing Consultant johnmurphydn@gmail.com

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Dealernews Magazine 3250 Knoll Dr. Columbus, OH 43230 www.dealernews.com

© Copyright 2021

SEPTEMBER 2021

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It is also that for at least as long as a) the stock market holds up; b) interest rates stay low; and c) stimulus money keeps being printed, customers will be there to buy our limited inventory.

What could go wrong?

Dealernews has existed for 55+ years to answer that very question. We are here to prepare Dealers for “what’s next”.

World’s Luckiest Man

By Bob Althoff

’TIS A FAR, FAR BETTER THING I DO…

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Similarly, the new National Powersports Dealer Association (NPDA) with its focus “retail excellence” will do all in our collective power (note: “collective power” means YOU) to meet the challenges of today… and tomorrow.

My crystal ball is only as good as yours, but I’m a disciple of the school of thought that, “the best time to fix anything is when it isn’t broken.”

We, you and I, and every single Dealer in America, should be acting with urgency. Join a Twenty Group. Register to attend AIMExpo.

Become a member of the NPDA. Drive change in your business and industry.

t was the best of times, it was the worst of What we do is vitally important. To our

“ times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the customers, our staffs, our communities. Take age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” — Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

nothing for granted! What actions you take today will dictate which “city” we build for tomorrow.

“It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, Our industry is not a “tale of two cities” — we are than I have ever known.” A Tale of Two Cities — more than fiction. It is a tale of 5,500 Dealers. Charles Dickens.

Each of us, unique. And in the spectrum of our current circumstances, some of us are once Bob again enjoying the best of times, while others, not so much. www.npda.org Elsewhere in these pages, you will be alarmed h t t p s : / / w w w . x p r e s s r e g . n e t / r e g i s t e r / at how much work we need to do to meet aime0122/landing.asp customer needs in what is referred to these days as the “omnichannel” (Hint: According to Pied Piper’s PSI, we are failing miserably).

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PSI Study. Founder Fran O’Hagan modified his annual survey to address the omnichannel this go round. While the findings are fascinating, the truly frightening thing Pied Piper unearthed was the fact that 6 out of 10 direct requests for UTVs (the hottest selling segment in the world, confirmed by Savlowitz & Ponton) are never followed up on at the Dealer level.

“What happens when motorcycle or UTV customers visit a dealer website and inquire about a vehicle,” asks O’Hagan.

The short answer to that question is “nothing” for 6 out of 10 incoming queries. “The biggest gaping omnichannel hole in powersports right now isn’t weak websites, or missing website digital tools, or poor sales practices in-person at the dealership; although all of those areas will benefit a lot from improvement,” he explains. “No, the powersports industry’s gaping flesh wound is dealer failure to respond to web customer inquiries.” All of the programs in the universe can’t help the Dealer if they are not implemented.

Editor’s Note

By Robin Hartfiel

THE OMNICHANNEL… YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED!

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s much as I try to steer clear of theme issues, they seem to have a way of taking over each production cycle. Last month’s wall-to-wall coverage of the National Powersports Dealer Association standing on its own two wheels is a prime example of how that happens.

This issue we seem to be back to banging the drum about “the omnichannel” taking over powersports. But should we be more worried about being assimilated or the Dealers’ inability to assimilate into a new world order?

I just participated in back-to-back Zoom conferences, the first was how the “real world” is handling the pandemicpushed paradigm shift (participants include everyone from a certain high-end women’s undergarments manufacturer to WalMart — interestingly they are still addressing the shift to Text and SMS retail communications that Eric Anderson talked about last month). Juxtaposed with women’s wear approach to the omninchannel was the MIC Communications Symposium. David Savlowitz and Michael Ponton were back to discuss the new challenges — and opportunities — ahead.

There may be new challenges, but this industry is still suffering from some of the same old problems. And like the Borg on Star Trek, you will be assimilated, or you will die... at least that is the message in the new Pied Piper

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The inability to understand and address the omnichannel has also been something that our staff Ph.D. Dr. Paul Leinberger, has been warning dealers in his monthly columns for the past three years. More recently HarleyDavidson CEO Jochen Zeitz pronounced the new LiveWire stand-alone brand signified the ominichannel was here.

“LiveWire is the first OEM with a hybrid omni-channel model, combining the best of digital and physical, allowing the customer to interact with the brand on their own terms.” The Motor Company’s interpretation launches online at LiveWire.com and at 12 incoming LiveWire brand dealers in California, New York and Texas, with additional locations planned this fall.

It isn’t just Harley heralding the new world order. The recent RumbleOn/RideNow mash up proves it is already here! We went in depth with the RumbleOn model back in March: https://issuu.com/dealernews/docs/issue__3_march/32 And Dr. Leinberger addressed what the omnichannel means to your business here: https://www.dealernews.com/Home/post/what-doesomnichannel-really-mean-to-your-business/2021-06-08 The good Doctor, David Savlowitz and Jochen Zeitz are much better visionaries of the future than me. However, I have watched enough reruns over the years to know that the guy in the red shirt always gets it in an episode of Star Trek! Don’t be THAT guy! Time for you to boldly go outside your comfort zone and start assimilating the omnichannel into your business plan.

Former Editor-in-Chief and publisher of Dealernews circa 19902003, 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.

Join a legendary brand continuing our obsession to build the most complete riding experience.

Push your boundaries, own your future.

Find out more at ForTheAdventure.com

OF EVS & GAMING THE SYSTEM I always enjoy getting messages like the July issue of Dealernews. It reminds us all that we are part of something much larger than ourselves, that we live in a time of unparalleled change, and that we have a role, and even, dare I say duty, in shaping the outcome. In 2010 (almost exactly 11 years ago) I joined Zero Motorcycles as VP of Global Marketing.

When I did, the response I got from many of my colleagues in the industry was far from enthusiastic. Actually more like a lot of questioning and disbelief as if I had crossed over to the enemy.

Most that didn’t get it then are eager to jump on the electric bandwagon now.

I saw it as inevitable, even that far back and was eager and grateful to be a part of that change and to play a small role in helping make it mainstream. From my vantage point now and knowing what I know about the limits of the technology, I find myself on the other side of the fence once again. While everyone rushes to figure out how to capitalize on the coming transition to electric motorcycles, I find myself questioning what it really means and how it may eventually impact a way of life that has meant so much to me.

When the State of California issues such bold edicts as the complete switch to electric vehicles by 2025 and a further proposed mandate that all vehicles must be electric soon after to be eligible to be ridden in state parks, forests, on state and public land, I get very nervous. The simple truth is battery chemistry and energy density are nowhere near the demands of sustained off-road use. And while lithium ion works quite well in autos and even motorcycles in very special use

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cases like commuting and short weekend rides, its efficacy in an off-road setting if mandated by the state would absolutely transform off-road motorcycling to where you wouldn’t even recognize offroad or adventure motorcycling from how we experience it now.

Oh yes, I am told don’t worry battery chemistry and energy densities will improve fivefold by then. It won’t be an issue. I was told the same thing back in 2010, the next big breakthrough is only a couple of years away. Meanwhile the entire global industry and the production infrastructure that supports it gets more locked into the existing chemistry and the economics that supports it every day.

I feel like my whole life up to this point has just been training for the really big battles that are to come. And thanks to Bob Althoff, Robin Hartfiel and the leadership at Dealernews at least we have a team and a platform to bring these issues to the attention of others. You are right, now the hard work really begins.

So let’s get to it!

Scot Harden, President Harden Offroad, Inc. Menifee, CA

HEADS UP FROM DOWN UNDER Hi Bob, I am just taking the time to wish you all the best from down here in Australia.

Congratulations on the launch of the National Powersports Dealer Association!

I wish we had an association like NPDA in this part of the world. Onward and upward!

Best regards, Dale Schmidtchen, Sales & Network Development

Brough Superior Australia www.broughsuperioraustralia.com.

NPDA’s fame is spreading to the four corners of the globe (which is a good trick, geographically speaking).

FRANCHISE LAWS DON’T MAKE SENSE? Dear Sir/Madam, Hope you are well. My name is Morteza and I am a Ph.D. student at the University of Kentucky. As part of my research project, I work on franchise laws.

Specifically, I study car dealers franchise laws. I have a question and would really appreciate it if you can answer it. Why do some states have different relevant market areas than others? For example, the relevant market area in Kentucky is 10 miles; however, it is 6 miles in New York. What are the determinants of state-level relevant market areas?

Thanks, Morteza University Of Kentucky Lexington, KY www.myUK.uky.edu The discrepancies stem from the fact many of the franchise laws are established and administered at the state level rather than a Federal statute.

Throw in a couple Commonwealths like Virginia and protectorates like Guam and there are suddenly more than 50 definitions of “market area.” Although similarly confusing, the motorcycle franchise laws can vary from the automotive industry standards. Dealernews only focuses on the Powersports industry. Car questions should go to a group like NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association): https://www.nada.org/

SOUND OFF! Dealernews is indeed back. Join in the conversation via e-mail: Editor@dealernews.com Check us out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ dealernews/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DealernewsFan/ Follow along on Dealernews.com Tune into the new YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/ channel/UCZE6q4gQ5EIz0nOX4WaXw1w

MIC WANTS YOU!

TUCKER TAKES OVER KÜRYAKYN

Tucker Powersports, a leading distributor of powersports products for motorcycles, ATV/UTVs, snowmobiles, personal watercraft as well as a range of electric bikes and scooters, announced September 7, 2021 that it is acquiring Küryakyn Holdings LLC. Tucker will incorporate the Küryakyn product offering and product development into the Tucker organization this year. Küryakyn’s employees and suppliers were informed of the acquisition earlier that day.

“This is a tremendous move for Tucker, for the Küryakyn brand and for the dealers we serve,” said Tucker President and CEO Marc McAllister. “Küryakyn’s industry-leading products will continue to be available to dealers and customers while Tucker becomes an even stronger supplier to dealers not only in custom, cruiser and touring, but new market segments as well.”

The acquisition will move Küryakyn into the Tucker organization, rather than Küryakyn operating as a separate business unit.

All Küryakyn operations, assets and R&D programs will move from Somerset, Wisconsin, to Tucker’s headquarters in Fort Worth. Mustang Seats, which had been administered by Küryakyn the past couple of years, returns to being a standalone business unit. Mustang will continue to operate out of its historic Three Rivers factory in Massachusetts.

Founded nearly 30 years ago, the company quickly became known for a range of chrome and custom accessories for motorcycles. Küryakyn is now one of the nation’s leading developers and retailers of motorcycle accessories for the V-Twin, cruiser and touring motorcycle rider. The brand’s newest products include a range of audio speakers for on and off-road use, LED lighting and motorcycle luggage.

Tucker leadership expects the transition will be complete by the end of the calendar year. Some of Küryakyn’s Somerset, WI employees will have an opportunity to join the Tucker staff in Texas. Many of those moves will take place in the next 30 days. Küryakyn’s R&D department and equipment will move shortly thereafter.

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The Motorcycle Industry Council is offering Dealers a flat fee to become members of the association. “Powersports dealers are invited to join the MIC for only $495 a year and benefit from many powerful tools the association offers,” says new membership manager Lisa Delaney. Resources MIC offers its members include advocacy and government relations. “GRO is essential to the future success of the powersports industry“ MIC membership dues go toward giving powersports an authentic voice in Washington, D.C. Dealers can also benefit from a host of services, industry research and access to data, according to Delaney. Highlights include: - Online access to valuable market research that can help answer questions about who rides motorcycles, or how many motorcycles were sold in the U.S. in 2020, and what kind. This information can be vital to business planning and marketing.

MIC industry data is timely and can be critical to developing a new business or increasing existing business volume.

- The MIC Retail Sales Report, the MIC Business Advisory & Forecast Reports, the Motorcycle Statistical Annual, and additional industry research and valuable data plus MIC publications and the member directory, giving networking information for hundreds of powersports businesses. Members gain access to member-only industry information on market volume, owner profiles, motorcycle usage, and much more.

- The MIC BankCard Program, an MIC partnership providing dealers with savings on credit card processing at the point of sale. More than 5,000 powersports dealers, suppliers, and manufacturers participate in the MIC BankCard Program, saving more than $22 million annually. In fact, the average Dealer saves $5,296 each year.

Perhaps most importantly, MIC also fuels the vital market expansion program, Ride With Us, working to gain more customers, strengthen the industry and continue the growth of the powersports industry. Contact Lisa Delaney at 949-7274211, Ext. 3139 or email: MemberServices@MIC.org with any questions, or click here: https://online.mic.org/micmemberapp/

YAMAHA REVS YOUR HEART…

To The Tune Of 4 Million Units!

“Over the past 20 years, Yamaha has invested more than $380 million into U.S. manufacturing to create a world-class facility in Newnan,” said Taka Imanishi, president of YMMC. “Whether it is our ATV or Side-by-Side vehicles, Golf Cars or Personal Watercraft, YMMC strives to maintain the highest quality of production and environmental standards, while giving back to the community through comprehensive corporate social responsibility programs.”

That investment paid off as Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation of America (YMMC) and Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, (YMUS) celebrated the production of 4 million vehicles in August as a 2021 Wolverine RMAX2 1000 rolled off the line at the state-ofthe-art U.S. manufacturing facility in Newnan, Georgia.

Since its founding in 1988, YMMC has made a significant impact within its community. The facility covers 280 acres with more than 1.3 million square feet of manufacturing facilities, giving it a massive physical footprint in Newnan. Between the YMMC facility and YMUS corporate offices in Marietta and Kennesaw, Georgia, Yamaha now employs over 2,000 people in the state of Georgia alone, encompassing more than half of the 4,000+ individuals the company directly employs in the United States.

The company’s impact on Newnan can be seen in many ways, from recent disaster relief donations to countless ongoing community engagement programs. The city of Newnan even named May 18th “Yamaha Day” in 2011 to celebrate the company’s positive economic impacts and ongoing job creation. Many of these messages were recently highlighted in the season 19 premiere of “Modern Marvels: Machines” on the HISTORY Channel, where the show went behind-the-scenes to shine a spotlight on the Yamaha factory and its employees.

“Yamaha continues to add personnel and strengthen operations in Georgia as the Side-by-Side line expands with popular new models like the Wolverine RMAX 1000,” said Mike Martinez, YMUS vice president of motorsports. “With increasing demand for outdoor recreation of all kinds, we expect to see continued growth of our operations in Georgia and across the country, providing a positive impact on Yamaha, our customers, and on the communities where we live and work.”

KAWASAKI CREATING JOBS

To meet increasing demand, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. has increased capacity at Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp. (KMM) facilities in Lincoln, Nebraska. KMM also started construction on new production facilities at its Mexican subsidiary, Kawasaki Motores de México S.A. de C.V. (KMX). Kawasaki has a history of manufacturing in the Americas: Kawasaki was the first foreign vehicle manufacturer to open a manufacturing plant in the U.S.A..

Several far-sighted Kawasaki executives germinated the idea way back in 1974, and it was simple. If you’re selling in America, why not build there too — save time, save shipping and employ local labor.

“By strengthening its business foundation in the North American market and by organically utilizing the four production facilities, Kawasaki will further enhance the Kawasaki brand, customer satisfaction and aggressively expand its business,” notes Eigo Konya, Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC) President and CEO. In order to meet the increasing North American demand, Kawasaki is investing $265 Million for production facilities at KMM and KMX. KMX will expand Kawasaki’s production capacity and start producing off-road vehicles in fiscal 2023. In addition, KMM also plans to increase its production capacity for new models by March of 2023.The new KMX plant will bring the number of Kawasaki production facilities in North America to a total of four.

In addition to off-road vehicles, KMM’s production includes Jet Ski and general-purpose gasoline engines at the Lincoln, NE and Maryville, MO facilities. The Boonville, MO plant scheduled to start operation and production of general-purpose gasoline engines in 2022.

SEPTEMBER 2021

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DEALER NEWS: ROXY’S BECOMES MOTO MEMBER Time for a new T-shirt? After 41 years in business serving Kawasaki (and later, Yamaha), customers in the Fayetteville, PA area (and creating some epic shop T-shirts) Roxy’s Cycles has been sold to a new owner. As of September 1, 2021, new owner Billy Mulyar and his manager Chris Osmun took over and are looking forward to continuing this family-owned business’ tradition and giving customers the service they deserve.

Moto Member is the new dealership name, joining Mulyar’s two existing Moto Member stores located in Purcellville and Manassas, Virginia. As Franklin County has grown, this dealership has also grown. In addition to Kawasaki and Yamaha, there will be additional new and exciting product for continued growth in the future, Mulyar promises. In the meantime, “You will still see us, (Roxy, Dan and JR) as we will be working to assist them for a smooth transition,” assures the family.

“We would like to personally thank our customers who were our friends before we started and continued to be loyal for all these years. We would also like to thank all our new and longtime existing customers who have for over 40 years supported us and put your trust in us to help you with your powersports needs. Let’s continue to “Let the Good times Roll.”

DEALER NEWS X2

A pair of SoCal dealerships have changed hands as Texasbased Mark Smith sold Orange County Harley-Davidson and Coronado Beach Harley-Davidson to Rami Yanni and Wise Auto Group. George Chaconas of Performance Brokerage Services bundled the deal that sees Smith focusing on his stores in Texas and Yanni expanding his California family of dealerships.

“After recently selling Victorville Harley-Davidson to Rami Yanni, I reached out to him about acquiring Orange County Harley and Coronado Beach Harley,” explains Chaconas.

“Rami quickly stepped up and offered the seller a fair price.

Mark Smith stated that it was a win-win-win. Mark Smith was a gentleman. I appreciate his gratitude towards my persistence about selling at the right time and the right price. It was very exciting to help Rami and his CFO, Justin Tinker, at Wise Auto Group expand to their sixth location.”

No stranger to the motorcycle industry, Smith, has owned and operated three dealerships in Texas since 2006. Most notably, Fort Worth Harley-Davidson, the only store in Texas to earn 2 Platinum Bar & Shield awards and 3 Gold Bar & Shield awards.

The store completed a 65,000 square foot expansion in 2019 and hosted 4,000 riders for its Grand Opening Rally. “Thank you George Chaconas and Courtney Bernhard at Performance Brokerage Services for another successful dealership closing.

Thank you, Rami and team, for being such pros through the entire process. Finally, thank you to the outstanding teams at both stores that did an incredible job taking them from where they were when we started to where they are today. Now, I’m excited to pass the torch to Rami and Wise Auto Group so they can continue to take both stores to the next level.”

These acquisitions bring Wise Auto Group’s total to six HarleyDavidson dealerships. They currently own Death Valley Harley-Davidson in Victorville; Harley-Davidson of Yuba City; Redwood Harley-Davidson in Eureka, California and Reno Harley-Davidson, Nevada. “George called me about acquiring the iconic Orange County Harley-Davidson and Coronado Beach Harley-Davidson and I didn’t want to miss out on these two fantastic opportunities, The rest is history. I want to thank George and his team again for their professionalism and helping us to continue to grow and expand our footprint in California.”

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an official award, a paid vacation for two, and custom “NPA Winners Circle” swag.

“I’m very proud of our sales team, especially after this past year,” stated Mike Murray, VP of Sales. “With the pandemic, everything we encountered was unprecedented and unpredictable. Despite that, our team set some pretty aggressive goals. For nine of them to exceed their territory plans is a huge accomplishment.”

WINNERS CIRCLE

NPA Recognizes Top Territory Managers National Powersport Auctions, the leader in the wholesale powersports market, was proud to recognize nine of its Territory Sales Managers at its annual Sales & Operations Meeting in Celina, Texas. Introduced in 2020, NPA’s “Winners Circle” awards acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding performance of the top territory sales managers as they work tirelessly to support Dealers. The recipients received

The team’s success helps sustain and grow NPA’s reputation as the leading provider of auction services. This accolade was presented to Dominick Catalfamo, Dean Sweet, Trevor Nicely, Donny Erickson, Ron Games, Matt Gunter, Dusty Krepp, Pete Heisser and Chris Ramanauskas, all of whom exceeded their annual territory sales plans for fiscal year 2021.The winners are currently celebrating as a team in Puerto Rico.

“I’m proud of our culture and the commitment to our customers shared by everyone at NPA,” adds NPA CEO Jim Woodruff. “These Winners Circle awards are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our best-in-class sales team.

We’re excited to celebrate and enjoy a vacation in Puerto Rico with our top performers, and we look forward to an even more successful 2022.”

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“At our cabin we also share a few CanAm Outlander ATVs and a Can-Am Defender HD10. I feel so lucky to be able to work every day in an industry that I am very passionate about and actively do myself. It is a dream come true.”

Logan Kimball is now supporting NPA Dealers in IA, MN, ND, SD & WI. With six years of industry experience, including the past two as the Internet Sales Manager at Tousley Motorsports in St Paul, Minnesota, Kimball says, “I was definitely familiar with National Powersport Auctions before I started as I actually sat with my previous boss many times and watched him bid during the auctions. Since then, it’s been a dream of mine to work for NPA, so it’s surreal to be in this position.” As the North Central Territory Sales Manager, Kimball will be responsible for the growth and cultivation of Dealer relations within his home state of Minnesota, plus Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. “We’ve been looking for the right person to fill this role and help build NPA’s presence in this region for a while, so we’re excited to have Logan on board,” notes NPA VP of Sales, Mike Murray. “He is young, charismatic and enthusiastic about both the business and industry.”

With a slew of powersports vehicles in his garage, Kimball lives and breathes his passion for the industry. “I started riding when I was three and have enjoyed it ever since.” A 2000 HarleyDavidson Dyna Super Glide Bobber, a 2016 Yamaha FZ-09, a 2003 Polaris

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Speaking of riding Can-Ams, exTwisted Throttle director Marisa McInturff looks to put RoadRUNNER on the map. She has moved from twisting throttles for the aftermarket accessories icon to becoming Marketing Director at RoadRUNNER Motorcycle, Touring & Travel magazine. First order of business was to create art for the current cover with her husband Caleb.

“You can check out our story about riding Can-Am Spyder’s through Illinois in the September/October ‘21 issue.”

Already Virginia’s top choice for two- and three-wheeled motorcycle education, PowerRide University expanded to a total of nine ranges in 2021, with more planned to open in 2022. To sustain this growth, Dr. Donald Green has been named Executive Director. A lifetime motorcyclist, he has more than 30 years of training expertise, experiential learning and organizational management skills. His formal education includes a Doctorate in Adult Education, Masters in Adult Education, Graduate of the Army’s Command and General Staff College and a BS in computer science. Dr. Green has been a certified Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) RiderCoach since 2010 and RiderCoach Trainer since 2012. Previous positions and experiences include site-lead instructor and manager for Fort Knox, Kentucky’s - Army Traffic Safety Program; State program regional coordinator for Kentucky Motorcycle Program; MSF Indiana state motorcycle safety program manager; Workshop presenter for the International Rider Education Training Systems (IRETS), State Motorcycle Safety Association (SMSA), and the Institut Für Zweiradsicherheit (IFZ – Germany). He is also a lifetime HOG member, a lifetime AMA member, and was awarded AMA’s 2014 Road Rider of the year award for his work in motorcycle rider education. “We welcome Don to our team,” says CEO Richard Stein. “All of our Rider Coaches are experienced and nationally certified in teaching the public how to ride a motorcycle safely and still have fun. PowerRide University is approved

by The Motorcycle Safety Foundation and the Virginia Rider Education Program.

For more information, visit: http://www.powerrideuniversity.com Continued on page 18

Brought To You By MotorcycleIndustryJobs.com Continued from page 16

American Landmaster is aggressively ramping up! The Indiana-based UTV manufacturer has hired David Ross as VP of Engineering. With a 30year history of leading and managing technology and product development programs for John Deere and Rheem Manufacturing, Ross is uniquely qualified to move things forward. His expertise in developing technology/ product roadmaps, leading engineering teams, driving product development processes and improving design for manufacturing processes will be instrumental in assisting ALM growth plans. “We need someone like David Ross that can accelerate us to the next level in manufacturing and new product development, ‘’ says Jeff Bannister, President of American Landmaster.

“This is a big win for this organization, and we look forward to him starting.”

Ross previously led the engineering efforts for John Deere’s development on the 4000 Series subcompact tractors and the global roll out of the 5000 Series before finishing his tenure with Deere involved in technology, product and program management.

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Extra, extra! Read all about it! AHRMA (American Historic Racing Motorcycles Association) publication AHRMA MAG has a new Associate Editor as Stephanie Vetterly left an 8-year career as a Quality Engineer at a chemical manufacturing facility to pursue her love of motorcycling and help promote everything this wonderful community has to offer. “I have photographed everything from mototrials, enduros and hare scrambles, to National and Regional races for organizations such as AHRMA, the BSA Owner’s Club, North American Trials Council and many more. I’m looking forward to helping AHRMA achieve its goals by designing and creating beautiful graphics and publications to showcase all the faces and talents of the organization.”

AHRMA also has a new business development manager: “I left a 28year professional sales and business development career in the packaging, printing and converting industries,” notes veteran roadracer Jim Doyle.

“The new goal was to participate in motorsports and promote safe fun riding on and off the track. Always the heart of a teacher, my first task was to gain certification as an MSF RiderCoach to complement my track and off-track coaching. I now look forward to using my skills to help AHRMA reach its goals for success by bringing new business and enthusiasts to actively support the growth of the AHRMA family and programs.” During the past 50 Doyle was an off-road racer before becoming an expert CCS/ CMRA roadrace competitor. “I have worked as an ASRA, AMA Pro and MotoAmerica crew chief and as a team owner. In 2014 I raced my first AHRMA event and in 2021 I coordinated the first ever AHRMA Classic MotoFest at Heartland Motorsport Park in Kansas.

MAXIMUM POWER

MALCOLM SMITH MOTORSPORTS

Iconic Dealership Takes On Iconic Brand… Again

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erhaps the most iconic dealership in the country — founded by the “Motorcyclist Of The Century” — Malcolm Smith Motorsports is the newest Ducati dealer in the country. Even more fitting, the announcement came out just as the digitally remastered version of the seminal motorcycle movie On Any Sunday are scheduled to show on big screens once again for the 50th Anniversary.

That movie put Malcolm Smith and his little shop in Riverside, California, on the map, but the addition of a new line is not for nostalgic purposes. Ducati is doing this for business reasons… and so is Alexander Smith, who has stepped up into the GM role at the historic dealership.

“We were a Ducati dealer in the late 1990s in what my father calls the dark ages,” says Alexander. “But bringing Ducati back to the store is something that I have been trying to do for years. I’ve had a personal relationship with some of the team at Ducati for a long time and we’ve gone back and forth for a long time.” Alexander actually raced Pike’s Peak on a Ducati a decade ago (chasing teammate and overall winner Greg Tracy through all 156 turns up the mountain course to finish third in 2011).

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Even with the inside line, things didn’t work out until 2021 when DNA had an open point. “Finally we all decided to pull the trigger and make it happen,” adds Alexander.

Good things come to those who wait, as they say. As cordial as the relationship has been, DNA has standards to setting up a new franchise holder, which Malcolm Smith Motorsports adhered to the letter… albeit in true Malcolm Smith style, they found an alternate line!

MSM met the minimum square footage, signage requirements, displays and everything a Ducati dealership must have… it is just one story up! Appropriate since Smith raced the Spider Grips Ducati at mile high starting back in 2006. The mezzanine that housed Malcolm’s museum shifted and the space upstairs is now a true stand-alone Ducati retail space.

“I think we came up with a really beautiful showroom,” he understates. “I’ve been talking with them seriously about this for a long time — over six years — it was the right time and it’s a good fit here at the dealership.” Well almost a perfect fit, “We’re doing all the Ducati product — Panigales, Multistradas, Scrambler — everything except for their e-bicycle… we are a motorcycle shop,” he jokes.

“Malcolm Smith Motorsports is known throughout the world for a passion for motorcycling, it’s a defining part of our family heritage,” he explains. “We’re a family company and we take great pride in providing exceptional customer service. We aim to bring together our shared passion with a touch of Italian flair to the Riverside area, and we look forward to a great future representing Ducati’s expanding product lineup.”

On the eve of 9/11 Ducati North America CEO Jason Chinnock visited Malcolm Smith Motorsport for the ribbon cutting ceremony and to welcome local Ducati enthusiasts to the new Ducati showroom and service center to commemorate the occasion. “This new partnership with Malcolm Smith Motorsports is the outcome of many years of evaluation and a shared goal that when we do it, we do it properly,” says Chinnock.

“This stunning new showroom and service center now offers Inland Empire motorcyclists convenient access to the Ducati brand. The demand for Ducati products has never been higher, and we feel that this location will be a welcoming home for both loyal Ducatisti and customers entirely new to the Ducati brand.”

On display at the dealership event were models from the Scrambler Ducati lineup and a full selection of Ducati models, including the race-bred Panigale superbike lineup and the new for 2021 Monster and Multistrada V4 S. The dealership also completed a handover presentation to their first Ducati customer — a new Multistrada V4 S Sport — purchased by one of Malcolm Smith Motorsports longstanding customers and friend of the family, Mark Michell.

Also on display for the ribbon cutting was Hypermotard 1100 that Alexander competed on in the 2008 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and the Scrambler Desert Sled he raced to second place in the 2019 Mint 400 desert race.

Following the grand opening ceremony on Friday night, it was time to do what they do best: Ride! Malcolm Smith Motorsports hosted an open house and group ride on Saturday, sharing the diversity of Ducati models with the local motorcycling community. Demo rides were also available for clients eager to experience a Ducati for the first time.

Couldn’t make it for the ride or the grand opening? Check out the virtual tour here.

“Mark actually changed my diapers back in the day… that is how long he has been a customer,” laughs Alexander.

More seriously though, Michell was actually at the Ducati factory in Italy on 9/11 and when all flights were grounded, Ducati hosted him until he could return to the U.S. Coming full circle to get his latest Ducati at his new Ducati dealer was pretty poignant.

7599 Indiana Ave. Riverside, CA 92504 (951) 687-1300

www.malcolmsmith.com SEPTEMBER 2021

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From Humble Beginnings

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ounded in 1967 by off-road racer, AMA Hall-of-Famer and Motorcyclist of the Century Malcolm Smith, the Riverside location of Malcolm Smith Motorsports has been a regular destination spot for visiting international motorcyclists hoping to catch a glimpse of the star of Bruce Brown’s legendary documentary On Any Sunday which literally put the dealership on the map. The short shop timeline shows what a difference 50 years makes!

1961: Malcolm meets Kenny Johnson and Norm McDonald, who owned a shop in nearby Riverside called K&N Motorcycles. Norm convinces Malcolm to drop out of college and offers Malcolm the service manager position at their shop, knowing of Malcolm’s love and talent for working on motorcycles.

1966: Malcolm and K&N agree to a partnership where he purchases the service department. After a fateful meeting with Edison Dye, Malcolm begins selling Husqvarna motorcycles. This leads to Malcolm purchasing the entire dealership from Kenny and Norm in 1967.

1967: Malcolm Smith Motorsports is founded. Malcolm wins his 1st ISDT Gold Medal (International Six Days Trial, often referred to as the Olympics of Motorcycling) in Poland and wins the very first Mexican 1000 (now called the Baja 1000).

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2021: Chip off the old block Alexander Smith opens Malcolm Smith Motorsports Ducati on the eve of 9/11.

“Fort Collins is all about recreation, with easy access to the mountains and so many open riding roads,” said Dalton Dimick, General Manager of ACES Motorcycles. “It’s why there’s been such interest from the community for two-wheeled entertainment. Now, with the ACES stores adding Ducati to our Fort Collins location, we welcome the Ducati family with open arms and appreciate the brand’s support as we move into our third decade of Colorado business.”

DUCATI DESTINATION DEALERSHIP

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ucati has been on the gas, not only on the track and in product development, but racing ahead with new retailers.

In addition to returning to Malcolm Smith Motorsports, they have cut in ACES Motorcycles in Fort Collins, CO to stack the deck in Ducati’s favor… and there is more Ducati Dealer news coming, hints Ducati North America PR Manager Alex Frantz.

Ducati opened its latest North American dealership with some local fanfare for fans showing off the Panigale and what they billed as the most Colorado-appropriate bike in the lineup: the Multistrada V4. Local VIPs, business leaders and area Ducatisti were on hand for a ribbon-cutting ceremony August 31. “The past year we’ve seen a thriving motorcycle industry,” said Ducati North America CEO Jason Chinnock, a Colorado local. “Colorado has long been known as the market leader of the outdoor lifestyle and we have seen an increased appetite to spend time outdoors along with travel and adventure.

“We have our most diverse lineup to date and more people than ever are realizing their dream of owning a Ducati. Our new Fort Collins outpost will support that demand for the Northern Colorado communities ushering in a new generation of Ducati owners led by a team of passionate motorcycle enthusiasts.”

The retail location in Fort Collins adds to Ducati’s presence in the region, reflecting the growing consumer market’s need for premium motorcycle options. The new Ducati dealership is located at 5900 S College Ave, Fort Collins, Colorado 80525.

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“Today we source more than 70% of the vehicle from the US, and many of our parts are local to the Midwest and even Fort Wayne,” notes marketing director David Piercy. This drives efficiency and lowers logistic costs that ALM can pass through to consumers. “You’ll find that our UTVs are filled with American, name-brand components including Kohler, Briggs & Stratton, Carlisle belts, CVTech CVTs, Schaffer transaxles and more. By keeping our business in the US we’re able to support job growth, monitor quality production, support customers promptly, distribute parts and accessories quickly, and provide a high value product for our customers.”

The fact that the Columbia City, Indiana factory is literally next to a steel mill gives whole new meaning to “just in time” manufacturing efficiency! Frames arrive as raw steel tubing that is then bent, welded, painted and assembled in-house. According to Piercy, each frame uses roughly 111’ of tubing. In 2018, American Landmaster bent over 100 miles of tubing… and that was before the ramp up.

AMERICAN LANDMASTER 2022 DEALER MEETING

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ade in America! The value proposition for American Landmaster UTVs is a belief in integrity, innovation and Indiana as the company unveiled its 2022 models and hosted its Dealer meeting.

In addition to some shocking expansion to its EV offering, the biggest news was the expansion plan for the company itself. From a bankrupt shell of what had been Manco Products and Brister’s Thunder Karts, the plan is to grow the Dealer network and the production capacity by 10-times in the coming year! And they want to do it ethically and made in America (more specifically Indiana).

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Literally as ALM dealers were taking a tour of the factory, the latest robotic welding station was being installed and the two primary assembly lines were in the process of being augmented by a short run/legacy product third line… That aggressive growth plan might just be doable, with a little faith and plenty of hard work.

The September announcement of new VP of Engineering David Ross (see “Shifting Gears”) and the opening of a new R&D engineering facility located near Indianapolis prove they weren’t just paying lip service to the Dealers.

This new facility will allow American Landmaster to expand design, testing and validation capabilities of new and existing models. In addition, the new site allows for future recruitment of even more engineering talent. “ALM is committed to continuing investment in technology and product development,” he adds. “Buying American-made products creates jobs for current and future generations.”

According to the Alliance for American Manufacturing, “if everyone in the country spent $64 of their yearly shopping budget on American-made products, it would support 200,000 factory jobs in the U.S.” The plan is to grow their Dealer network by 10X in the coming years, ramp up production and innovate in the EV sector really is coming into focus.

Speaking of EVs, the one and only prototype L7 EV 4 seater was displayed to the dealers during the opening reception and awards banquet with the caveat that it was a proof of concept to determine if the dealers would be interested in adding the model to their factory orders. Although it was displayed again in front of the factory during the manufacturing tours, everyone was again cautioned that it could not be driven. And there were plenty of other machines on the two test ranges for dealers (and one media guy who snuck in).

As I was admiring the machine in the light of day and chatting with a dealer from Texas, American Landmaster President and General Manager Jeff Bannister — who had worn a suit and tie and made a formal presentation the night before strolled over and said “jump in.” No sooner than that and we were headed to the hillclimb on the test track that none of the EVs were allowed to tackle. Bannister launched over the hill and then raced back toward the front of the building… literally. He never even tapped the brakes as the EV smacked the curb right in front of a bus load of dealers…

When I finally opened my eyes, I saw no squared rims, blown tires or mangled A-Arms. The machine soaked up the curb like it wasn’t there and silently slid right back into its spot in front of the factory. You have to appreciate an exec who has enough faith in the product to pull a stunt like that. However I did notice he pulled the key when you got out removing any temptation for someone else to try that stunt! Can’t wait until this game changer reaches production and we can do an extended test on it!

If you are curious about the value proposition American Landmaster offers, check out David Piercy’s sneak peek at what their dealers saw: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2cZ3rLWYH0&t=31s

2499 S. 600 E., Suite 102 Columbia City IN 46725

https://americanlandmaster.com/contact

SEPTEMBER 2021

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A LEAP OF FAITH American Landmaster’s Core Values

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onscious of the impact our investments have on the world around us, we strive to attain three returns with every investment,” says Daryle Doden founder of parent company Ambassador Enterprises.

“Financial returns are essential, but we are passionate about cultural and eternal returns – personal growth, changed lives, community transformation, and hope for a better future.”

The “Accidental Entrepreneur” Daryle Doden founded Ambassador Steel which later became Ambassador Enterprises, a legacy minded private equity firm back in 2006. “We invest in purpose, people, and performance.

This is the core of culture, and culture is how sustainable success happens,” he explains. “From that foundation, legacy is created.” Along the way, he saved several businesses including the legendary Correct Craft boats from sinking into oblivion after 95 years.

How does a minister become a manufacturer? Starting with his faith and virtually nothing else. Doden told the ALM dealers his story and how it related to Ambassador Enterprises saving ALM from the “Vulture Capitalists” who had pretty much picked the carcass of Brister/ Manco clean (see timeline).

He followed his father’s pastoral footsteps and served in a variety of church leadership roles after receiving his Bible degree from Moody Bible Institute and a music degree from Bethel College. However, over time, it became clear that his passion was linked to business.

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In the summer of 1973, Daryle was working on a home construction project. In his need to purchase building materials to finish this project, however there was a serious steel rebar shortage. Working from a pay phone booth he located and bought 5 tons of rebar from a Wisconsin supplier and had it shipped to Indiana. He kept what he needed to complete his project and sold the rest for a substantial profit. And this is how his new company, Ambassador Steel, was born.

Fast forward to 2014. Doden is looking to invest in Indiana-based businesses. Providence leads him to American SportWorks. ASW is the shell of former go kart giants Manco and Bristers. Doden is a minister turned steel executive and he has no idea about the powersports market. During the course of due diligence, he asks about attendance. The apologetic employee admits it is only around 90% — The management team, Doden guesses… no, the workers on the line, comes the answer. Never mind that the failing company has missed payroll the past two weeks!

“Right then and there I knew I wanted to invest in the company because the people believed in their product that much,” Doden told the audience of American Landmaster Dealers. He excused himself from the meeting and put the plan into motion to buy ASW lock, stock and delinquent payroll. This philosophy and faith are what drives the business to this day.

“Conscious of the impact our investments have on the world around us, we strive to attain three returns with every investment. Financial returns are essential, but we are passionate about cultural and eternal returns – personal growth, changed lives, community transformation, and hope for a better future.”

TIMELINE 1967 Manco is founded in 1967 as Manco Products. Initially, Manco focused on the manufacture and sale of minibikes and go-karts. Manco was sold to a private equity firm in 1996. Between 1997 and 1999, the company implemented a strategy predicated on a much broader and deeper product offering.

1999 In December 1999, a new executive team took the helm. The new management team immediately started working on the design, development and introduction of youth ATVs. Manco later became Manco PowerSports in December of 2002. During 2003, Manco continued its

introduction of new go-kart products and launched its adult ATV product line. The company expanded this ATV line between 2004 and 2005.

2005 In 2005, a major development program was launched to redesign the Manco PowerSports go-kart line. In the same year, acquisition discussions were initiated with Brister’s Design and Manufacturing company, a producer of increasingly popular UTVs. Brister’s was later acquired by Manco in April of 2006. When Brister’s became a part of MPS, UTVs became a significant part of the expanding the MPS product family which included go-karts, mini-bikes, scooters, youth ATVs, 2 and 4 wheel drive adult ATVs and 2 and 4 wheel drive UTVs.

2007 In June of 2007, Manco PowerSports partnered with outside companies and was renamed American SportWorks. Between 2007 and 2016, American SportWorks’ encounters an increasingly rocky road.

2014 November 14th, 2014 American SportWorks was purchased by Ambassador Enterprises. Ambassador is an equity firm that purchases and invests in over 47 companies in order to find ways to improve them and make them profitable.

2016 In 2016, ASW re-branded their UTV line, naming it LandMaster. The following year, American SportWorks was renamed American LandMaster and moved manufacturing to a facility in Columbia City, Indiana. The official ribbon-cutting ceremony at this new American LandMaster facility took place on Wednesday, November 29, 2017.

2019 July 17th, 2019, Ambassador Enterprises hired President and General Manager, Jeff Bannister. Under Bannister’s leadership, American Landmaster stopped the production of go karts and other Manco “fun machines” in order to focus solely on its line of LandStar utility vehicles. Bannister’s goal is to inspire the employees of American Landmaster to be bold and innovative, constantly developing new products in order to improve American Landmaster UTVs and the utility vehicle market as a whole.

2020 COVID strikes, American Landmaster stays healthy and actually increases sales volume and marketshare.

2021 Dealer meeting features demos, factory tours, EV expansion and the bold plan to grow by 10X!

SEPTEMBER 2021

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2021 OMNICHANNEL PSI RESULTS Polaris UTV Dealers Do Best In Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index

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“

hat happens when motorcycle or UTV customers visit a dealer website and inquire about a vehicle?” The short answer to that question is “nothing” for 6 out of 10. The longer answer to that there is a lot of variation by brand… Top brands in the new PSI study performed well, while others — including some of the largest brands — have failed to improve over the past few years. This despite COVID driving even more customers to dealer websites.

“UTV customers today face big differences in shopping experience depending upon the brand,” said Fran O’Hagan, President & CEO of Pied Piper. “Some UTV brands have added digital

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retail shopping tools, and work with their dealers to encourage quick response to website visitor inquiries, while other brands have not yet embraced omnichannel selling.” Pied Piper’s Omnichannel PSI for UTVs study shows that brands and dealers who pay careful attention to all four subcategories of omnichannel selling are the ones who sell most effectively to today’s customers.

Polaris ranked highest in the study, which for the first time included omnichannel website shopping measurements in addition to calculating effectiveness selling in-person. The study answered the question, “What happens when UTV customers shop for a vehicle by first visiting the brand’s website, or a dealership website, and then visiting a dealership in person?” BRP’s Can-Am brand was ranked second of the 17 UTV brands evaluated, followed by John Deere.

The “Omnichannel” approach to shopping and purchase combines and integrates a customer’s online and in-store experience. A customer moves from a brand website, to a dealership website and start of communication with the dealership, to visiting the dealership in-person. The customer may then go back home again and back onto the websites before committing to buy either online or back at the dealership in person.

Two factors have driven recent growth in omnichannel selling: widespread use of smart phones and the appearance of online digital retail shopping tools. As an example, in 2007, the year the iPhone was introduced, online retailer Amazon’s sales totalled $15 billion. By last year, Amazon’s sales had grown to more than $300 billion, and customers today almost always begin their shopping online, even if they eventually visit a store in-person.

2021 Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index® Omnichannel PSI® for UTVs Industry Study (U.S.A.) -------------

Brands Ranked by Omnichannel PSI® for UTVs Polaris Can-Am (BRP) John Deere Yamaha Industry Average Kawasaki Arctic Cat (Textron) CFMoto Honda Club Car (Ingersol Rand) Kubota HiSun Kioti Bobcat Bass Pro Shops - Tracker Yanmar Cub Cadet (MTD Products) Kymco

555 536 498 474 470 468 449 438 431 429 424 416 415 403 374 363 358 323

300

330

360

390

More recently, industries that traditionally relied Source: 2021 Pied Piper Omnichannel PSI® for UTVs Industry Study (USA) only on in-person sales have embraced new online digital retail tools. For UTV shoppers this has meant the appearance of “Buy Now,” or “Buy from Home” buttons on websites, along with other online digital retail tools like inventory search, payment calculator, trade-in value estimator, test-drive request and others.

For 17 different brands selling UTVs, Pied Piper measured whether their customer’s omnichannel path was intuitive, simple to use, easy to navigate, and effective showcasing products and making it easy to purchase. Measurements from the following four subcategories were combined into a brand score out of 1,000 points: 1) Brand Website – Useful Digital Retail Tools Provided (11% total score): Were useful online digital retail tools provided for the customer? Top brands: Polaris, BRP, John Deere; Bottom brands: Kymco, Yanmar, CFMoto.

2) Brand Website – Ease of Transition to Local Dealership (7% total score): Could customers on the brand website easily transition from viewing a desired vehicle over to communicating with a local dealership to take the next step? Top brands: Kawasaki, BRP, Kubota; Bottom brands: John Deere, Honda, Yamaha.

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450

480

510

540

570

3) Dealership Response to Website Customer www.piedpiperpsi.com Inquiries (38% total score): Did the local dealership quickly respond to website customer inquiries?

Top brands: Polaris, BRP, CFMoto; Bottom brands: Tracker, Bobcat, Yanmar.

4) Dealership Sales Effectiveness In-Person at Dealership (44% total score): Did the dealership employees and in-dealership processes build upon what the customer has already accomplished online, to provide a seamless, consistent, efficient, and effective customer experience in-person at the dealership? Top brands: John Deere, BRP, Polaris; Bottom brands: Kymco, Cub Cadet, Yanmar.

Pied Piper measured dealer response to UTV website customers by submitting customer inquiries through a combination of brand websites and local dealership websites, asking a question about a vehicle in inventory, and providing a customer name, email address and local telephone number.

Pied Piper then evaluated how the dealerships responded by email, telephone and text message over the next 24 hours.

Pied Piper also sent in-person “mystery shoppers” into UTV dealerships nationwide, measuring how effectively the dealership interacted in-person, as well as whether the dealership acknowledged and built upon the online shopping that the customer had already completed.

SEPTEMBER 2021

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It Is Not The OEMs Fault That 6 Of 10 Internet Inquiries Are Ignored, Is It? “

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he biggest gaping omnichannel hole in powersports right now isn’t weak websites, or missing website digital tools, or poor sales practices in-person at the dealership; although all of those areas will benefit a lot from improvement,” explains Pied Piper founder and CEO Fran O’Hagan.

“No, the powersports industry’s gaping flesh wound is Dealer failure to respond to web customer inquiries.” All of the programs can’t help the Dealer if they are not implemented.

“We at Pied Piper have watched this movie before many times… The auto industry went through it about 8-10 years ago,” however he notes it is being addressed, albeit belatedly. “Some powersports brands are going through efforts to improve right now.”

According to O’Hagan, as recently as 2018, there was not one single powersports brand paying close attention to (let alone trying to improve) how their dealers responded to web customer inquiries.

“That has started to change. As an example, today Harley-Davidson and Indian dealer response to web customer inquiries is about the same as the typical auto brand.”

“That’s not at all to say that it’s perfect; far from it; but H-D and Indian and their dealers are paying close attention to it and working to improve it.” Not a moment too soon?

“A few others have started to work on it, too. But as of today industrywide on average, when 10 powersports customers ask a dealer a question through a dealer website, six of those customers receive no email or text response to their inquiry, and even fewer get a phone call,” concludes O’Hagan.

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METHODOLOGY

About Prospect Satisfaction Index (PSI)

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he 2021 Omnichannel PSI for UTVs Industry Study (USA) was conducted between September 2020 and August 2021 by completing a combination of website inquiries and in-person sales effectiveness measurements for a sample of 3,584 dealerships nationwide representing all major UTV brands.

Examples of other recent PSI studies are the 2021 PSI-Internet Lead Effectiveness (ILE) U.S. Motorcycle/UTV Industry Study (Harley-Davidson brand was ranked first for dealer response to web inquiries), and the 2021 Omnichannel PSI for EVs Auto Industry Study (Chrysler brand, selling the Pacifica plug-in hybrid, was ranked first). Complete PSI industry study results are provided to vehicle manufacturers and national dealer groups.

Manufacturers, national dealer groups and individual dealerships can also order Pied Piper’s PSI evaluations — for in-person, website or telephone response rates — as tools to measure and improve the omnichannel sales effectiveness of their dealerships.

For more information about how Prospect Satisfaction Index (PSI) measurement and reporting is used to improve performance, go to: www.piedpiperpsi.com

ABOUT PIED PIPER PSI PSI® Internet Lead Effectiveness® (ILE®) Industry Studies have been conducted annually since 2011. The 2021 Pied Piper PSI-ILE Motorcycle/UTV Industry Study (U.S.A.) was conducted between July 2020 and March 2021 by submitting customer inquiries to dealership websites from a sample of 6,407 dealerships nationwide representing all major brands.

Examples of other recent Pied Piper PSI studies are the 2021 PSI-ILE U.S. Auto Industry Study (Nissan’s Infiniti brand was ranked first), and the 2020 “PSI for UTVs” U.S. Industry Study (BRP’s Can-Am brand was ranked first for selling in person). Complete Pied Piper PSI industry study results are provided to vehicle manufacturers and national dealer groups. Manufacturers, national dealer groups and individual dealerships also order PSI evaluations — in-person, website or telephone — as tools to measure and improve the sales effectiveness of their dealerships.

For more information about the fact-based Prospect Satisfaction Index® (PSI®) process, go to www.piedpiperpsi.com

Dealernews Research

By Dr. Paul Leinberger

WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN Is A Downturn Inevitable?

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hat does your gut tell you? Will double digit sales continue through the autumn? Or, to put it slightly differently: If you (personally) were in the market for a new home, would this be a good time to buy? Does it feel like the right time to buy?

All purchase decisions are a combination of rational factors and emotions. Economists have long known that “irrational” emotions (“irrational” because economists hate the fact that human beings allow emotions to factor into decision processes) play an important role in any purchase decision.

The more important the decision, the more emotions tend to play a role. “That’s a great deal on that bike, but do you love it?”

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Even more important is the role emotions play on expectations. Emotions cause spending booms, extend spending busts, and trigger “irrational” buying behavior.

Remember the great toilet paper shortage in the early days of the pandemic? It wasn’t rational to think that grocery stores were going to run out of toilet paper, but what if?

Emotions took over and sure enough, grocery stores ran out of toilet paper. Emotions trigger self-fulfilling prophecies and because of that, they need to be carefully considered when thinking about the future.

Consider what happened to consumer confidence in August. It fell off a cliff. The University of Michigan’s closely watched gauge of consumer sentiment plunged to 70.2 in August from a July reading of 81.2. That’s lower than at any time during the pandemic and the lowest reading since December 2011. To put it in perspective, there have been only six times in the history of the survey (which began in 1978) that the reading has dropped so precipitously.

The losses were widespread across demographic groups, regions, and for all aspects of the economy.

What Happened… And What Does It Mean?

You have heard me say on numerous occasions that the economy is growing and “happy days are here again.”

The Congressional Budget Office predicted the economy would grow by 6.7 percent this year, the strongest growth since 1984. Consumer optimism was growing and pent-up demand was driving near-record sales in many categories.

My only warning (in my July 2021 column): “The highly contagious Delta variant could spell trouble ahead, but for the moment it is enough to closely monitor the situation.”

“The August free-fall in confidence was in response to mounting issues, including rising inflation, small wage gains, and slower declines in unemployment,” said Richard Curtin, a University of Michigan economist and the director of the consumer sentiment surveys. “The falloff also reflects an emotional response to people’s dashed hopes that the pandemic would soon end, and lives could go back to normal.”

Consumer emotions, in this case disappointment over rising COVID numbers and fear of what might happen in the months ahead, drove the plummeting numbers.

Even more concerning was the steep drop in the Expectations Index. The Expectations Index is a measure of how consumers view their financial prospects for the coming year and in the latest reading (August), the Index fell to 65.1 from 79.0 in July – a 17.5% decline in one month. As noted above, consumer expectations have a way of becoming a reality – and that is concerning.

“This is not the first time emotion has partly determined economic behavior. Twenty years ago, the terrorist attacks on 9/11 led to an emotional retrenchment in spending,” said director Curtin. “Although economic expectations improved by year-end, the emotional impact on spending patterns lasted much longer. The same type of persistent impact is now likely to reoccur.”

The other closely watched gauge of consumer sentiment, The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Survey, registered a similar drop in August, falling to its lowest level since February 2021. Lynn Franco, The Conference Board’s Senior Director of Economic Indicators, shared director Curtin’s assessment: “Concerns about the Delta variant – and, to a lesser degree, rising gas and food prices – resulted in a less favorable view of current economic conditions and short-term growth prospects. Spending intentions for homes, autos, and major appliances all cooled somewhat.”

However,” Franco added, “the percentage of consumers

intending to take a vacation in the next six months continued to climb.”

Thus the question is: Does the drop in consumer confidence mark the beginning of a recession or is the dramatic downturn merely a temporary reaction to surging COVID levels and anxiety about deteriorating economic prospects?

For now, consumers seem to be taking a wait-and-see attitude. For example, retail sales are holding up. Walmart and Target report strong back-to-school sales and the best store traffic they have seen all year. And air travel, while beginning to slow due to COVID fears, remains three times stronger than it was in 2020 (U.S. Dept. of Transportation).

Consumer attitudes will probably bounce back if economic indicators remain strong. However, you should take the collapse of consumer confidence in August as a warning sign.

For the first time this year, consumers are worried.

Bottom Line:

Don’t expect your sales to dip (more than they normally due going into Autumn), but be ready if alarm bells begin to go off. Buying a new bike is big ticket discretionary purchase, and big ticket discretionary purchases are the first to go when times turn tough.

A perennial keynote speaker for the Motorcycle Industry Council's annual Communications Symposium, Dr. Paul Leinberger has become the powersports industry's de facto futurist/strategist.

Dr. Leinberger is an expert in market/brand strategy and research with more than two decades of social trend forecasting, market strategy and strategic planning. Prior to joining TTD, he was Senior VP of GfK NOP, where he ran the company’s flagship consumer trend services, Roper Reports, as well as the company’s groundbreaking Global Visual Database. His client list reads like a Who’s Who of corporate America: Hewlett-Packard, Apple, Disney, Nordstrom, Microsoft, Levi Strauss, E.& J. Gallo Winery and Toyota, among many others. Prior to his global responsibilities at GfK NOP, Dr. Leinberger was the Corporate Manager in the Product Planning and Market Strategy department at Nissan North America. Dr. Leinberger holds a Ph.D. in organizational and social psychology and a Masters of Urban Planning (Highest Honors). He lives in Irvine, California, and his work can be seen at www.dennyleinbergerstrategy.com SEPTEMBER 2021 33

Dealernews Research

By Lenny Sims

BY THE BOOK

J.D. Power Valuation Guide

S

how me the money! UTV sales continue to spike, however it is interesting to note that despite “real world” new unit ATV sales being flat for the past decade, online ATV research remains robust! Combine 17% of J.D. Power views through the first half of 2021 with the 20% SxS and 6% Off-Highway action and doing it in the dirt is still a healthy past time. And while we are dishing the dirt, online is where it is at as the world gradually returns to “real” in-store retailing.

The number of online views and look-ups for J.D. Power results closed out Q1-Q2, 2021 at record highs. With the Delta variant and now Mu threat — combined with continuing inventory issues at the Dealership issue — J.D. Power expects the volume of online traffic to continue at its record rates well into the fall!

As strong as the dirt sector has been, Cruiser look-ups continue to lead all activity at 27%. New bikes and UTVs are still hard to come by, so pre-owned vehicles continue to command premium prices. Views of the Cruiser category were the highest of 2021 look-ups… less surprising was the fact that SxS views were in second place at 20%.

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With the strong traffic of on-line look-ups, UTVs continue to widen the gap over last year, with utility models bringing 24.5% more money and sport models bringing 17.9% more. Motorcycle pricing in the first half of 2021 continues running well ahead of the same period of last year, with the most recent 10 model years of Cruisers averaging 11.4% higher, and Sportbikes 13.6% higher.

Driven by the July launch of Harley-Davidson’s Certified Program and HD-1 Marketplace, it is no surprise at all that HarleyDavidson was the top researched brand in 2021 Q1-Q2 — 60% of the online research being done — no other brand was even close. In fact, all the other brands added together couldn’t match the volume of research achieved by Harley-Davidson preowned units. This could explain how Kawasaki edged Yamaha in terms of top-researched sportbike brands. However it was almost a dead heat in the top researched Off-Highway brands in 2021 Q1-Q2! KTM, Yamaha and Honda accounted for 75% of the online research conducted at J.D. Power’s Valuation Guide site.

Even with the traditional slowing of online look-ups heading into fall, the market will continue to favor sellers as long as parts shortages limit production and consumers have cash to spend.

We expect to see this dynamic running well into the 4th quarter.

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

AUGUST ‘21 VS AVG OF PRIOR 3 MONTHS AVERAGE WHOLESALE PRICE CHANGE

AUGUST AWP IN REVIEW

*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

15% 10%

-15%

-2%

-7% -16% PWC

SNOWMOBILE

-3%

SIDE X SIDE

MX

5% ATV

-10%

0%

2% DUAL SPORT

-5%

-2%

SPORT

0%

3% METRIC CRUISER

5%

AUGUST ‘21 VS JULY ‘20

AVERAGE WHOLESALE PRICE CHANGE 60% 50%

43%

20% 10%

11%

16%

20%

24%

19%

23%

ATV

MX

SIDE X SIDE

-10%

DUAL SPORT

-5%

SPORT

0%

-8%

-29% SNOWMOBILE

30%

PWC

40%

METRIC CRUISER

Inventory Brings Late Season Opportunities August of 2021 saw a rise in auction inventory compared to prior months. As the new unit crunch continues, dealers were quick to capitalize on the bump in used inventory available in the lanes. While Fall typically signals the end of selling season, questions about new unit availabilities have many dealers continuing to stock elevated levels of used inventory. With plenty of “good” riding days still ahead and the Spring season only months away, shrewd dealers will continue turning to the auction for the inventory and information they need to keep retail sales flowing.

20%

DOMESTIC CRUISER

Uptick in Later Model, Lower Mile Units Average model age in most categories ticked down slightly in August, trending towards later model, lower mileage units. As one would expect with newer, less-traveled inventory, CR scores in most major categories trended upward in August. This is apparent as the ratio of “clean” units sold last month (clean unit sold volume vs. total sold volume) reached its highest level in over a year. These factors contributed to some of the increases in AWP.

25%

DOMESTIC CRUISER

Solid August Keeps Summer Sizzling August Average Wholesale Prices (AWP) continued strong Summer pricing trends, but as Fall approaches a return to normal seasonal pricing is expected. After 18 months of frantic consumer demand, accelerated turns and historic AWP surge, market momentum has begun to show signs of slowing, pulling most metrics back into alignment with historical seasonal pricing trends. In August, On-Road categories saw nominal fluctuations in pricing, varying +/- 1%-3% from prior months. MetricCruiser AWPs changed the most, increasing 3% vs the prior 90-days. Off-Road products also saw minor AWP swings in August, varying +/- 2%-4% respectively. Prices remain above last year’s levels for all major categories.

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“After two consecutive months with declining values that appeared to signal the end of the pandemic-fueled market we have been in since spring of 2020, values are back up again this month. Nearly all segments have shown an upwards trend in pricing, several by fairly large amounts. Clearly the market remains in a transition period as it heads towards its new normal.”

– Scott Yarbrough, Senior Analyst, Motorcycle & Powersports

BLACK BOOK SPECIALTY MARKET INSIGHTS Motorcycle & Powersports Market Update September 2021

H

ave we reached the end of the pandemic-fueled market surge? The numbers beg to differ! As mentioned above, the most noteworthy item in powersports values this month is the rebound in pricing we have seen across the board.

Values had been trending downwards for a few months, and with the vaccines and reopening of most of the country over the summer, it appeared the pandemic-fueled demand for powersports vehicles was starting to wane. Whether it is the concerns over the Delta variant causing an increase in consumer demand, or ongoing supply issues from the manufacturers, specifically the “chip” shortage, the end result is that prices are back on the rise again.

Most surprising are the warm weather segments, Cruisers, Street Bikes, Scooters and Dual Sports, all of which are up roughly 1.0% this month when they would normally be depreciating in value as cooler weather approaches. Oddly UTVs, the hottest segment in the entire market, were down a bit, but this is likely a blip in the data considering overall rise in the rest of the market.

38

Cruiser Performance Cruisers, much as they did last year at this time, are once again bucking historical trends that usually see prices decline for these bikes as we head into fall. On top of that, the Domestic V-Twins are outperforming the Metrics by about half a point at the moment.

Dirtbike Performance Along with UTVs, dirtbikes continue to be one of, if not the, strongest segments since the pandemic began. Coming off only a mild drop in values last month, their strong 4.0% increase shows that the seasonal Fall demand for these units remains healthy.

SEGMENT SPOTLIGHTS & INDUSTRY NEWS Quarterly earnings from BRP (makers of Can-Am, Sea-Doo & Ski-Doo among others) hit another record with revenues up 54%. Normalized earnings per share up 154%! The company stated the results were due to strong consumer demand, market share gains and their ability to maneuver through the current challenging supply chain environment.

Seeking to fill a long-time desire of many in the powersports industry, a new National Powersports Dealer Association (NPDA) was launched in August. The association was created to “help the franchised and independent powersports Dealer through special services, products, programs, education, and advocacy of Dealer views and concerns to create a professional, successful, and profitable industry.”

SEPTEMBER 2021

39

Recreational Vehicles Market Update

H

ow does the other half live? Very well, thank you! The RV industry continues to reap what they sow and cash in on the crowds who rallied to the “Go RVing” siren’s call! The past two straight quarters continued to skyrocket, despite the pandemic, inventory issues and the usual barriers to entry. Will it ever flatten out?

“The values of used RVs sold at wholesale auctions rose across the board once again last month, making it seven months in a row of increases,” says Eric Lawrence, Principal Analyst, Specialty Markets for Black Book. “The gains that we are seeing are slowing a bit, suggesting that we may soon see the wholesale market begin to flatten and return to more normal seasonal patterns… However we are continuing to hear from dealers that they feel their lots are still understocked.”

Key take-aways for Motorhomes (including Class A, B, and C): Average selling price was $75,489, up $2,306 (3.1%) from the previous month.

One year ago, the average selling price was $48,462.

Auction volume was up 10.8% from the previous month.

The average model year was 2009.

Key take-aways for Towables (including Travel Trailers and Fifth Wheels) Average selling price was $24,140, up $486 (2.1%) from the previous month.

One year ago, the average selling price was $17,010.

Auction volume was down 9.5% from the previous month.

The average model year was 2016.

Industry Highlights According to the RVIA, the total number of RVs shipped in July reached 44,537, the highest amount ever for the month.

This was an increase of 3.5% over the previous record high in July 2020. Towables totaled 40,511 units and motorhomes accounted for 4,026 units. Truck Campers came in at 4,363, while Folding Camping Trailers reached 646 and Park Models were 261.

Even a stronger and longer run than the powersports market, this marked the ninth month in a row that a new monthly record has been set! Year over year, towables were up 3.4% and motorhomes rose 3.9%.

Camping World announced they are planning to open at least 20 new locations during the next three years.

Winnebago will be moving their corporate headquarters from Forest City, Iowa to Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

Kampgrounds of America (KOA) estimated 28 million families plan to camp over the Labor Day weekend.

Statistical Surveys, Inc. announced there were 63,246 retail RV registrations in June, the 2nd best June on record.

About Black Book Black Book® is best known in the automotive industry for providing timely, independent and precise vehicle pricing information, and is available to industry-qualified users through online subscription products, mobile applications and licensing agreements. Since 1955 Black Book has continuously evolved to ensure that it achieves its goal of delivering mission-critical information to its customers, along with the insight necessary to successfully buy, sell, and lend. Black Book data is published daily by National Auto Research, a Hearst company, and maintains offices in Georgia as well as the Canadian Black Book in Toronto.

800.554.1026 info@blackbook.com www.blackbook.com

40

YOUR INDUSTRY’S TRADESHOW IS BACK!

NEW PRODUCTS NETWORKING EDUCATION INDUSTRY PARTY SHOW SPECIALS DEALER MEETINGS

MORE INFO AT WWW.AIMEXPOUSA.COM

+

SHOWTIME

SEMA STILL A GO

With Expanded Powersports Pavilion

Page 45

DODGEBALL!

WPS Wins!

Page 46

MOTOCROSS REVIVAL

Going Back To The Past To Pay It Forward Page 72

SHOW NEWS & NOTES

Downtown Atlanta, Dealers can learn from top powersports and outside industry experts and business leaders; Discuss and exchange strategies and solutions in an open forum; And strategize new solutions for old problems. According to the fine print: “Our in-person Dealer registration of $395 gives you access to all in-person networking and sessions but also, exclusive on-demand presentations and networking online. MUST be a dealer. Suppliers and other industry vendors will need to register as an Industry Rep Registration at $995.” Get more details here: https://powersportsbusinessaccelerate.com/#about

GOING LARGE & LIVE IN Las Vegas AIMExpo Update

AIMExpo 2022 is taking shape, driven by an energized and engaged industry riding a wave of recent success. Exhibitors and dealers are ready to come back together in one place at one time and we are hard at work to bring the industry what it needs when we get to Las Vegas in January.

Dealer education, distributors, aftermarket and OEM exhibitors, show specials, networking opportunities, and OEM dealer meetings will take over the Las Vegas Convention Center and our host hotels during AIMExpo, setting dealerships up for success in 2022.

Dealer Registration: https://bit.ly/2WL1SnJ Become an Exhibitor: https://bit.ly/2WCkjuV Book your Hotel: https://bit.ly/2WIq61O

Hear it straight from the sources why they attend AIMExpo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RMHwNJigKI

ACCELERATE CONFERENCE COMING

Mark your calendars for PSB’s Accelerate Conference coming November 8-10. “The Accelerate Conference brings together Dealers and industry leaders to focus on key issues, business growth and future planning with workshops, seminars, case studies and keynotes.,” claims the Powersports Business crew.

“A unique experience filled with networking discussions, receptions and thought leadership.” To be held at the Hyatt

44

VEGAS, BABY! Powersports Finance Summit Looking To Cash In

A key component of the Auto Finance Summit, the Powersports-specific session returns October 26 at the Wynn, Las Vegas. Participants include Yamaha Financial Services (a Platinum Sponsor, no less), National Powersport Auctions and ThunderRoad Financial. Billed as the only fulllength forum for those companies involved in the financing of motorcycles, UTVs, personal watercraft and other specialty vehicles, the promoter says lenders and dealers will have an unparalleled networking opportunity. “Fuel Your Strategy at the sixth Powersports Finance Summit,” says Royal Media. “The agenda will cover crucial industry topics, such as capitalizing on increased consumer demand, identifying and embracing new technology, strengthening lender-dealer relations and much more.” Click here to register: https://powersportsfinance.com/register/

SEMA STILL SET TO ROAR INTO LAS VEGAS

Speaking of trade shows in Las Vegas, Despite some defections from a few exhibitors because of localized restrictions, the world’s largest automotive and powersports industry show is still set for its first week in November show dates in Sin City.

In fact, they have implemented strenuous health and safety measures, starting with masking and possible mandatory testing. After postponing SEMA the past two years, the show must go on… and with an expanded powersports presence in West Hall #2. The official statement reads: “November 2-5, Las Vegas Convention Center organizers are taking into account that the COVID-19 landscape is changing week to week. The SEMA Show is working with state and local health authorities to announce more in the coming weeks concerning safety measures that will be required in November. While subject to change, as of July 30, 2021, Nevada is requiring masks for all indoor events in Las Vegas.” For up to the minute updates, click here: www.semashow.com

PRI READY TO RACE INTO INDY All roads lead to Indy for the 2021 PRI Trade Show. Don’t think of it as just another bunch of car guys, it is the three biggest days in racing, according to the promoters. The green flag drops December 9–11, at the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium. As we learned from Dealernews OffRoad Editor Charlie Williams who crashed the party a couple of times prior to the pandemic, the Performance Racing Industry event has plenty of powersports cross-over exhibitors. Plus, PRI has launched the racing industry’s first of its kind Membership program, making it possible for racers and enthusiasts to join racing businesses in a movement to protect and grow the racing industry. Just announced is the shocking new EV display area. To register for #PRI2021 and become a PRI member, visit: https://bit.ly/3AS39bX

back to exciting… and everything in between! Staffing warehouses, getting inventory, getting the stuff out in a reasonable time frame, getting inventory replenished from vendors, we definitely had to duck, dip, dive and dodge to find a way through the year.”

He sees it from a bigger picture point of view. “It doesn’t matter, really, if you’re in the powersports industry, the grocery business or the auto business, we’re all kind of living in the same world right now. Just trying to keep our heads above water and figure out how to get more stuff.” Supply chain issues really impact your business when you are a distributor and have nothing to put into the pipeline!

Shoemaker says he asked his brand managers and buyers to go big with ordering 18 months ago, because he foresaw the “Slinky Effect” the pandemic was going to have, but even his crystal ball was a bit murky when it came to the depth and breadth of the supply chain issues the world is currently facing.

WESTERN POWER SPORTS DODGES A COVID BULLET

Battle For Boise Bragging Rights Rages On!

I

“ f you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball,” says

Patches O’Houlihan in the movie Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. Apparently Western Power Sports remembers Rip Torn’s character and the fundamentals…

“Remember the 5 Ds of dodgeball: Dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge!” The Boise-based distributor has dodged the COVID monkey wrench and continues its winning ways.

But it hasn’t been easy…

However all work and no play makes for a really boring sales meeting. WPS believes that if you work hard, you need to play harder! To that end the middle of the Boisebased distributor’s week-long rep training session was split up by the Dunlop Dodgeball Debacle Dos. We sat down with WPS CEO Craig Shoemaker before he suited up for battle in the hockey rink to get his take on what it takes to succeed during these tumultuous times.

“This past year has obviously been a super exciting year for us at Western Power Sports,” says WPS CEO Craig Shoemaker. “Exciting, challenging, difficult,

46

“So we have been excited to rise to the challenge and I think we’ve done okay,” he says, but laments the fact that WPS wasn’t even more aggressive early on. If we ordered 50% more, we should have done 100% more… obviously, we’d like to do better, but then you start looking around and realize there’s only so much you can do.” Vendors at the show echoed this during the week, noting just how aggressive WPS had been from the beginning, but the challenges persist and the supply stream is still a trickle of what it could be.

“It has been a terrific year, we’ve actually crammed more than five years’ worth of normal increases if you look at it over the last 10 years. We put five years’ growth into one,” he says, noting quick decisions and quicker actions by proven partners like FMF, Warn and Dunlop helped them dodge a bullet. “I think our industry is in great shape — and difficult shape. Obviously supply is still going to be a problem for the whole next year, I believe.”

He is not sure exactly when supply will keep up with demand and find the level. “But at the same time, we get to complain all the way to the winner’s circle, because business is good. We always feel like it could be that much better, but sometimes, you just gotta take what you get, and keep running with it and keep working.”

When pressed for a timeline on when things finally do level off, Shoemakers says, “I believe next year will be another great year for our industry.” More importantly the COVID surge of new customers is going to pay off for years to come. “I think we’re going to hold on to a lot of these new riders for many years, our industry is going to be healthy for years to come because of all of our new players.

“Now our job is to really focus on how do we keep the new players in the game… but since they have already spent 10s of 1000s of dollars to come into the game, they’re not just going to put that stuff in the garage and walk away that fast. And those who do walk away will sell that stuff cheap to somebody else in a couple years… so we just brought more new players into the game and kept them excited about what they’re able to do… and it keeps going from there.”

Bottom line for WPS? “I’m just really, really thrilled for how far we’ve come — and how far the industry has come — while we got through the pandemic. We’re going to be challenged by the supply chain over the next year, but it is a good challenge. And it’s an exciting challenge!!

Continued on page 48

SEPTEMBER 2021

47

Continued from page 47

“For Western Power Sports and our customers, a good year is to be had. We just have to keep chasing this COVID thing, and at the same time work on the long term plan for the

industry to keep it healthy,” Shoemaker concludes. “We have to hang on to a lot of this new business for the long term.”

Play Ball!

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WONDERING HOW TO FILL YOUR SHOWROOM? NPA Offers The Nations Largest Selection Of Quality Pre-Owned Powersports

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e

UNOBTAINIUM

Zero Quickstrike - Page 54

CAVEAT DEALOR?

Best Buy Pushes Into eSpace - Page 52

SWAPPABLE BATTERY CONSORTIUM

Shocking Display Of Solidarity - Page 55

CURRENTS+

CAVEAT DEALOR?

Best Buy Pushes Into eSpace Best Buy has announced it is not only selling scooters, mopeds and e-bikes from top brands online, but they are pushing into brick and mortar locations. Starting in October, customers can now buy the E-vehicles in 10 Best Buy stores in Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando, Puerto Rico, San Francisco, Seattle and Tampa. The brands include Unagi, Bird, SegwayNinebot, Super73 and SWFT.

“There’s been incredible innovation in the e-transportation space, and we know more customers are looking for ways to efficiently and sustainably commute,” said Frank Bedo, senior vice president, Best Buy. “As we grow this selection, we look forward to helping customers find the right products to fit their needs and supporting them as they hit the road safely.”

For select e-bikes, Best Buy’s Geek Squad will offer assembly and customer assistance to fine-tune their bike purchase. Think of it as PDI at the customer’s home for a $99.99 surcharge. Service includes adjusting brakes, setting seat height and handlebars.

Andrew Harris started the paradigm shift with his 2018 Sur-Ron build. The all-electric Supermoto bike features regenerative braking, and a dazzling lighting system which includes ambient RGB under glow beams. “We designed the competition to spotlight professional and amateur builders alike, attracting world-class builders at each stop along the tour that come to showcase their rolling works of art,” notes Bob Kay, director of UBCBS. However even Kay was a bit nonplussed when an eBike fared so well in the fiercely competitive Freestyle field.

“Not only do the participants receive well-deserved recognition, but the custom motorcycles on display provide event attendees the opportunity to engage with some of the finest customs across the U.S.” UBCBS has a rich history as the nation’s largest motorcycle builder competition, featuring hundreds of motorcycles and offering the chance to win tens of thousands in cash and prizes across the 2021 IMS tour.

“Congratulations to the winners in Sonoma—this year’s bunch is truly a remarkable group of builders, with each bike telling a unique story. We are still accepting applications for the upcoming eight cities and welcome all creatives and builders to be a part of the fun,” Kay concluded.

SHOCKER FROM VOLCON

CHANGING OF THE GUARD

The standard for custom bike shows has been the Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show (UBCBS) held in conjunction with the International Motorcycle Shows for the past decade. However the IMS shift to an OUTDOORS format has heralded a changing of the guard on the custom scene. Specifically a new Sur-Ron Light Bee electric motorcycle beat out a plethora of custom painted Panheads and buffed out Baggers to share runnerup honors in the Freestyle class at the IMS season opener in Sonoma.

52

CEO Ejected, Shot Caller From Remington Called In Volcon ePowersports has brought in former Remington firearms exec Jordan Davis as CEO and former Cycle World Publisher Andy Leisner transitions out of the CEO role, effective immediately.

Davis is charged with executing Volcon’s 360-degree plan that calls for elevating processes, improving production line efficiency, implementing marketing initiatives, business development and scaling the sales team up, as the company’s first model, the Grunt, begins shipping to customers.

“Grunt checks all the boxes for experienced riders as well as those who may have only ever ridden a bicycle before,” claims Davis. “It’s truly a versatile product that will provide great riding for our core motorcycle enthusiasts and those interested in hunting, fishing and exploring while on a Volcon.

Our trajectory toward the growing outdoor industry is going to be a bullseye.”

Most recently President, Americas of O. Mustad & Son, a Norwegian fishing gear company. Davis will tackle the possible addition of a dealer network to provide service and a five-star customer experience. Before going fishing, Davis was with Remington Arms Company in a variety of roles. Former CEO Andy Leisner, who oversaw the company’s formation during the past three years is now Chief Consumer Officer for PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors).

an e-MTB the way a Yeti e-MTB has to be designed: Ready to toe the line at the EWS-E races. Meet the 160E, the world’s first race specific e-MTB.” “When I started at Yeti, I was excited to immediately jump into one of the biggest launches in the brand’s history: the 160E e-MTB,” says Garrett Davis, Director of Marketing for Yeti Cycles.

“Big thanks to the Yeti Engineering, Product and Marketing teams for the collaboration and hard work in launching this new bike.”

YETI ENTERS EBIKE FRAY

Yeti launches its first ever e-MTB with a bold proclamation: We don’t party until the race is over, so we took our time to design

Having been in development for over 5 years, the 160E is at the pinnacle of e-MTB design using a patent-pending, all new suspension design specifically designed for the added power & weight of an e-MTB. “Lot of technology and storytelling to bring this to life. Had a blast working with Good Fortune Collective, Joey Schusler, Thomas Woodson, Craig Grant and Zaneray the last few months to bring some world class creative and digital to life for this new bike.

See it here: https://lnkd.in/geQQkmTP

CURRENTS+

ZERO QUICKSTRIKE

SHIFTING GEARS

On a charge! With $35 Million in pre-orders Canadian e-Innovator Damon Motors has had to staff up adding Broc TenHouten, Chief Strategy Officer and Board Member; Chris Efstathiou, VP, Supply Chain; and Mike Galbraith, Chief Financial Officer, Senior VP, Operations. “Damon is set to transform the motorcycle industry by building the safest and most technologically advanced motorcycle company,” says TenHouten. “I’m excited to be part of the team that’s changing the way the world views motorcycle safety and the place of electrification in simultaneously achieving next-level performance and environmental sustainability.”

TenHouten was most recently COO and chief engineer of Divergent 3D, developer of the 3D-printed 21C hybrid hypercar. He began his career at General Motors, where he held various positions in safety, validation, and chassis design.

“As Damon builds the world’s most advanced motorcycles, it is imperative to bridge traditional automotive and high-tech supply chains to bring the motorcycles to market,” adds Chris Efstathiou, VP, supply chain, Damon Motors. “I look forward to generating production efficiencies and ultimately reducing cost to our riders.” Efstathiou has built, scaled, and operated some of the most complex and leading supply chains at global technology companies, starting at Dell in 1990. He also served as the head of Procurement & Supply Chains at Marconi, BlackBerry, Amazon Robotics and Mattel. At Damon, he is charged with developing global best-in-class supply chain capabilities.

“Since its launch of the HyperSport, Damon has been riding a wave of momentum, and is building toward becoming the next great Canadian company,” concludes CFO Mike Galbraith. “I am eager to unlock new markets and revenue, and aggressively scale the Damon business into a global mobility powerhouse.” Galbraith previously served as CFO at North and raised $200M from investors. Prior to North, He held SVP, finance and operations roles at BlackBerry, scaling from a few hundred employees to a $20B revenue global leader.

54

“When Zero launched the transformational SR/F, the entire market shifted,” said Chris Metcalfe, VP of Marketing for Zero Motorcycles. “The significance of a single motorcycle all of a sudden validating an entire category of Powersports is unheard of, so we wanted to make a custom package that was just as special as the bikes it was made for.”

With demand far exceeding supply for most motorcycles these days, Zero opted for a “hyper-limited” approach to the Quickstrike Accessory Package for SR/F electric motorcycles.

Only 100 of the individually numbered accessory sets will be released globally. Talk about unobtanium! However many of the components will also be available in Zero’s parts and accessories catalog and can be added a la carte to any SR/F motorcycle along with custom colors and purpose-built storage options that will work for both SR/F and SR/S models.

According to Metcalfe, inspiration for the Quickstrike came from the company’s factory-backed effort up the 2019 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. In addition to signed and numbered certificates of authenticity, each Quickstrike Package includes anodized lever guards and bar ends, front and rear smoked LED turn indicators, carbonfiber fenders, rear stand spools, black aluminum fly screen, custom mirrors and a limited edition Quickstrike tank badge — all at a $999 premium to the already premium SR/F.

“With the launch of the Quickstrike package, Zero has marked another turning point in the industry, and continues to push the boundaries of what an electric motorcycle can — and should — do,” concludes Metcalfe.

SHOCKING DISPLAY OF SOLIDARITY!

Following the signing of the Letter of Intent back on March 1, 2021, Honda, KTM, Piaggio Group and Yamaha have all officially signed off on the Swappable Batteries Motorcycle Consortium (SBMC). Committed to the promotion of the widespread use of light electric vehicles including mopeds, scooters and motorcycles, the founding members believe the availability of a commonly developed swappable battery systems is key to the development of low-voltage electromobility.

The goal is to address concerns regarding the future of electromobility, starting with range, charging times, infrastructure and costs. The four cornerstones are: 1) Develop common technical specifications of the swappable battery systems 2) Confirm common usage of the battery systems 3) Make, and promote, the Consortium’s common specifications a standard within European and International standardization bodies 4) Expand the use of the Consortium’s common specification to global level

By working closely with interested stakeholders, European and International standardization bodies, the founding members of the Consortium will be involved in the creation of international technical standards. The four founding members encourage all interested stakeholders to join the cooperation to enrich the Consortium’s expertise in order to ensure a large diffusion of standard swappable batteries in the future.

Yoshishige Nomura, Chief Officer, Motorcycle Operations, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.: “Honda believes that the widespread adoption of electric motorcycles can play an important part in realizing a more sustainable society. For that purpose, we need to solve several challenges such as extending the range, shortening the charging time and lowering the vehicle and infrastructure costs to enhance convenience for customers.

In the Consortium we have created, the founding members

from the motorcycle industry and other stakeholders will work together towards standardizing swappable batteries, their charging systems and surrounding infrastructure to create the environment for their use. Our final goal is to ensure that motorcycles will continue to be chosen as a useful method of transportation in future mobility.”

Stefan Pierer, CEO PIERER Mobility AG: “The signing of this Consortium agreement is a key step in ensuring that PIERER Mobility AG, can continue to move forward, deliver innovation at pace, and advance its clear strategic vision for electric powered two-wheelers. Together with our partners, we will work to deliver a swappable battery system for low-voltage vehicles (48V) up to 11kW capacity, based on international technical standards. We very much look forward to ensuring that powered two-wheeler vehicles maintain their role in the future of both urban and non-urban mobility.”

Michele Colaninno, Chief of strategy and product of Piaggio Group: “Urban mobility is going through a delicate moment of transition towards electrification. Thanks to our Consortium, representing four major global players, motorbikes will continue to play a key role in the urban context. Swappable batteries give the right answer to speed up the recharging time of vehicles offering an additional valuable choice for users. Urban mobility is part of the Piaggio DNA and history: our aim is to bring all our technological know-how and attitude for innovation to the Consortium.”

Takuya Kinoshita, Senior Executive Officer, Chief General Manager of Land Mobility Business Operations, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.: “The Swappable Batteries Motorcycle Consortium in Europe is finally ready to get to work. I hope that this first step forward will be a beacon that draws like-minded parties to our mission and leads to transformative changes for the future. We at Yamaha Motor are confident that through this initiative, we can help unify the differing technical specs and standards and contribute to maximizing the merits of electric power for customers around the world.”

SEPTEMBER 2021

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Here are common examples of vague objectives: Be a better salesperson Improve listening skills Use good judgment Motivate staff Effectively manage Practice good customer service Take pride in work Create a learning organization Provide opportunities for personal growth Contribute to the community

FIVE WAYS TO GET BETTER AT EVERYTHING

AccSELLerate The Sale By Getting To The Bottom Line

By Mark Rodgers

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o you want to improve your motorcycle sales, your accessories business, or your service operation? Do you want to improve your managerial skills, your conflict resolution abilities, or your ability to delegate? Do you want to improve your personal financial situation, your health, or your family relationships? Here are five steps to help you improve all that… and more:

Identify Exactly What It Is You Are Trying To Improve Often people use fuzzy terminology when speaking of improvement. The subsequent problem is people then pursue activities tangentially related to their objective. It doesn’t really work like that. Start with the fundamental question.

Do people in your dealership talk about improving abstract conditions like “to be a better salesperson” or “to use good judgment”? Chances are high they have, and chances are even higher these abstractions have caused dissatisfaction with people not attaining these “objectives.”

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Be specific: No one has unlimited amounts of resources like time, energy, or money. The best way to improve your chances of being successful is to know exactly what you are trying to improve. Increasing product knowledge is an admirable goal, but broad. Understanding electronic fuel injection, for example, is much more specific. You may want to be a better salesperson, and in fact you will be if you can specifically improve your ability to handle price objections.

1) Describe Evidence Identifying observable success-indicating evidence helps ensure success by knowing it when you see it. Can you explain your motorcycles’ electronic fuel injection in such a way that customers comment on the effectiveness of your explanation?

Has improving your ability to effectively navigate price objections increased your personal daily sales totals?

Instead of saying you want your people to “be better salespeople,” how about specifying “placing 48-hour prospect follow-up calls which result in a follow-up appointment two thirds of the time.”

Improving listening skills could be specific to using “echo” techniques, making certain that you’ve heard what the other person communicated and getting their agreement: “So you’d like the chrome front end, red custom paint and the performance exhaust system, is that right?”

Using “good judgment” is always problematic. Whose judgment do we consider good? And this usually comes into play when people are talking about handling customer situations. “When it comes to customers who are dissatisfied, we want you to use your good judgment.” This has “warning” written all over it.

How about giving parameters?

Misunderstandings with customers will occur. We want you to behave in such a way the majority of customer service situations, customers comment positively about your handling of the situation and pledge to remain a loyal customer. As you can see, the abstract examples seem like very important and admirable objectives… and they are. They simply, however, are not specific enough to focus energies or enable us to realize when we’ve truly achieved success.

Bottom Line: specific is terrific.

2) Identify And Eliminate Knowledge Gaps First you have to perform something called “task analysis,” which, simply put, is breaking down the steps necessary to competently perform. Then you have to determine which steps you perform competently and which you don’t.

In our 48-hour follow up example, the task might be broken down like this: 1. Capture prospect’s name, contact information and interests 2. Get permission to follow up 3. Place follow-up calls 4. Appropriate greeting 5. Make Offer 6. Gauge Interest 7. Secure appointment 8. Place confirmation call prior to appointment.

Now you have to evaluate your (or someone else’s) knowledge about how to perform these steps: Do you know at least three different ways to capture a prospect’s name and contact information?

Can you effectively ask for permission to contact later?

Can you execute an effective phone greeting?

Given the prospect’s tone of voice and language, can you gauge interest?

Is your offer interesting, relevant, and compelling?

Are you “closing” on the appointment?

Do you have an effective way to manage and confirm appointments?

One deficiency many dealership staff members confide in me is they don’t like to make these kinds of calls because they can’t think of what to say. Here’s a hint, don’t. Don’t try to think something up; rather, write something down. There is not one thing wrong with jotting down a handful of bullet points about what you want to cover with an important prospect.

Bottom Line: You have to know before you can go.

3) List Success Factors And How They Can Help Success factors are the strengths and resources you can draw upon to help you meet your objective. These resources might include the local library, high-quality web sources, knowledgeable co-workers, contacts at manufacturers, informed family members or a mentor. Heck, you can even read Dealernews!

Your strengths could include being creative, organized, well spoken, outgoing and methodical. Back to our example about the 48-hour prospect follow up, you might go to the library and get a book about effective phone techniques, get guidance from a co-worker who has great phone skills and use your natural organizational skills to help you track and keep numbers and contact information.

You won’t use all your strengths and resources to achieve every objective you set, but it is confidence-inspiring when you put pen to paper to discover just how many success factors there are from which you can draw.

Bottom Line: There’s no replacement for displacement. Create a high-performance engine to meet your goals.

4) List Limiting Factors And How They Can Be Minimized Or Eliminated This may well be the hardest step for many, as we often delude ourselves into thinking about something in a way that might not be accurate. Perhaps you think you’ve come up with what you think is the world’s greatest, can’t lose, I-can’t-believe-I-amso-brilliant proposition to bring prospects back into the store.

Your idea: giving away a dealership promotional pen. What will others think about it? That’s when you pull out a tool called convergent validity. That’s a fancy way of saying, ask similar targets (not your co-workers and not your mom!) what they think of your idea.

In this example, you could ask existing customers if when they were still in their shopping phase, if an offer for a dealership promotional pen would have been persuasive enough to bring them back into the store.

You’ll probably be surprised at the findings. If you can’t tell, no, I don’t think a promotional pen is going to create a stampede of prospective new customers into your dealership. It’s just not powerful enough. What might be? A personalized test ride, a behind-the-scenes tour of the dealership, or invitation to a prospect to see a brand-new product.

Bottom Line: Free up the brakes.

5) Create A Short, Fast-Moving Action Plan Most people take way too long to start an initiative. “Well, before we start doing our follow up calls, we need to decide how this will fit with our dealership brand and our overall positioning in the marketplace, so let’s have a meeting and talk with our marketing coordinator next month before we do anything.”

Huh? Look, some projects require a blue-ribbon commission, weeks of planning and a couple of Gantt Charts… and some don’t. The key is not to treat every plan as a nail and your only tool a hammer. The key is to figure out which project requires what approach.

Whether your improvement initiative is large or small, the key is to start doing something fast. Start reading relevant information. Talk to a trusted advisor about your plan and create a bullet point outline of these steps. I like to work out first thing in the morning because then that way I’m doing it before I realize I don’t want to, and then … well, I’m already in the gym, and I might as well finish.

Bottom Line: Do something now!

What’s the one aspect of performance that will lead to improvement? Taking bold action. If you do and you’re successful, do more of that. If you do and you aren’t successful, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, learn from your experience, and try something else!

Don’t ask for the job to be easier, ask how you can make yourself better. That’s the key to accSELLerating your career and your success.

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 SEPTEMBER 2021 57 Copyright ©2021 by Mark Rodgers. All Rights Reserved.

By Alisa Clickenger

DEALERS ARE DIVERSIFIED

NPDA Represents A Real Cross Section Of Our Industry

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his Spring I wrote an article extolling the virtues of a National Powersports Dealer Association (NPDA). I commented that things move quickly when folks are committed, and by now you know that the NPDA is officially up on its own two wheels. What you may not know is exactly how incredibly diverse the founding board members are.

The nine founding board members just happen to span the country — from Alaska to Nebraska, the coasts… and everything in between. Everything is bigger in Texas with two dealers, ditto for the Commonwealth of Virginia, while Dia Matteson counterbalances the geographical duplication by owning multiple dealerships in two different states — Alaska and Arizona. The founding board also happens to be 30% women, which is far better than our current 19% representation among motorcycle owners.

These three women bring considerable experience to NPDA. Combined these ladies own and manage a whopping 11 dealerships. Dia Matteson with four stores in Northern Arizona and three in Alaska, my friend Kim Harrison with two in Virginia, and Gail Worth in between with two stores in the greater Kansas City area.

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Diversity doesn’t stop with gender on the NPDA board.

There are four Harley-Davidson dealers (Dia, George Gatto, Bob Althoff and Maurice Slaughter); four multiline metric stores (Bob Kee, Kim Harrison, Robert Kay, and George Gatto); Maurice Slaughter even has a Ducati store mixed in with his Bar & Shield brand; and two independent shops (Gail Worth and Mark Peterson). There is even one former bicycle dealer/ NBDA board member, and two MIC Dealer Advisory Council champions.

Why is diversity important? Beyond the obvious benefits of different points of view on the industry, coming from different markets, different brands and with different management styles, this is just the beginning of the vast resources the NPDA is building for members. In the business world at large, diversity has proven to bring many benefits to the workplace, including higher creativity, higher productivity, higher societal satisfaction and more economic power.

The NPDA founding board members are the movers and shakers of the powersports industry — those willing to stand up and support fellow Dealers using their precious free time to enlighten, empower, educate and enhance the combined knowledge base for everyone. They raised their hands, opened their wallets and put their money where the mouth is for no other reason than the greater good.

Each board member is a highly successful business person with years of experience. Their combined vision is for the NPDA to advance the industry by elevating all dealers to be sustainably profitable and be well prepared to exceed the expectations of a growing powersports customer base.

Join the NPDA. It’s a small investment to leverage a huge knowledge base and network for better bottom line ideas. As the website says, “associations do for us what we can’t do alone.” Click here: www.NPDA.org Alisa is a two-wheeled world traveler, author, tour operator, and event producer. She has been featured in a variety of media outlets as a woman pursuing a life of adventure and helping others to access their inner wisdom and be free to lead lives they are passionate about. Her book Boost Your Confidence Through Motorcycling: A Woman’s Guide to Being Your Best Self On and Off the Bike became an Amazon.com #1 Bestseller. In 2019 Alisa was also named to Dealernews TOP 100 People in Powersports. Her personal mission is to empower women through motorcycling and adventure while being a strong advocate for the powersports industry at large. Alisa’s motorcycle touring company is www.WomensMotorcycleTours.com.

949.874.2645 piloteeragency.com

LET’S DO THIS!

WE’RE PILOTEER, A FEARLESS MARKETING AGENCY WHO PERFORM ALL OUR OWN STUNTS.

Personnel Files

By Alex Baylon

TO RECRUIT OR NOT TO RECRUIT, THAT IS THE QUESTION

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don’t know him, but I suspect that William Shakespeare guy must have run a dealership… bemoaning the pain and unfairness of life but acknowledging that the alternative might be worse.

It is true now more than ever that good help is hard to find, or as old Bill so eloquently said,

“The insolence of Office, and the spurns That patient merit of th’unworthy takes…”

However, you don’t have to be Hamlet and consider ending it all… you just need to consider the tools that are available.

There are plenty of employers out there that are not aware of their options for finding staff. In a more contemporary reference than classic literature the question becomes “who you gonna call?” There are different options you have as an employer looking to find those hard-to-find A-Level techs. In this era

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of digital technology there are plenty of options ranging from the old school “Help Wanted” sign in the window (hey, it still works and you know you won’t have to pay relocation fees if a customer takes the gig) to hiring a professional recruiter to go out there and find the specific A level master tech Unicorn or even a GM or President.

There are different methods to finding the staff you need and some work better than others, particularly for specific job titles. To keep this on the shorter side, we will be shipping the cashiers, bookkeepers, receptionists, porters, etc and focus on “industry experience preferred job titles.

Right now more than ever we are dealing with a job seeker market and employers in all industries are scrambling to find employees for every position starting from burger flippers and going up to C-Suite execs who want to continue to work from home. What are the best options? Let’s start with Recruiters because they are experts at making matches. Whether you want to find a job candidate who will take your team to the next level or you are a job-seeker looking for a rewarding career opportunity, the Recruiters job is to connect the dots… the assistance and insight you can get from a recruiter can give you an edge.

A professional recruiter can help identify your needs, launch a search, evaluate candidates, and reduce the time and stress associated with finding new employees. In these challenging and hectic times, having an expert in your corner to assist with these critical tasks can also be a huge relief.

First, lets start with a clarification: Both employers and would-be employees can work with recruiters.

Recruiting companies typically charge a fee to employers to find them candidates, but many don’t charge job seekers for their placement services.

When, Who, How, Why you should use a recruiter to help you?

Employers in need of a recruiter will want to make sure that the head hunting company can check the boxes in these key areas:

Industry Experience – You’re not likely to find the right job candidate if a professional recruiter doesn’t truly understand your business or the nuances of the employment market.

Client lists – Ask to see a list of companies/dealers the agency or recruiter has worked with and take time to read testimonials from customers. Better yet, you can call a few of their references. The ideal recruiter will have a successful track record of working with businesses exactly like yours.

Pricing – There are various industry recruiting agencies with pricing ranging from flat fees of $1000s all the way up to 30% of the candidate’s yearly wages! I highly encourage you to interview more than one agency if you plan to go this route.

Hiring a recruiter can be a costly experience, but most recruiters won’t charge you until they find the right candidate, so normally there’s no obligation.

When is the right time to hire a recruiter? There is a few different reasons to hire a recruiter and probably the biggest is when you have exhausted all your other options. The other is when you’re trying to keep a new hire on the down low and confidential because you may be replacing a current employee.

A recruiter will help you find those hard to fill or

critically important positions that require a specific expertise and can no longer wait for them to come to you.

As Shakespeare said, “Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,” That is the question…

The answer is: If your Help Wanted sign in the window, Craigslist ad, MotorcycleindustryJobs.com ad or MIJ’s resume browsing service didn’t help you find a candidate, this might be a good time to reach out to a recruiter.

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/

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.

SEPTEMBER 2021

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WOMEN IN POWERSPORTS MIC Breakfast Meeting in D.C. Fuels Ideas and Passion More than a dozen women in powersports gathered last week to discuss current industry efforts to help grow ridership and to share ideas on ways to inspire more women to ride.

The Women’s Business Meeting Powered by the MIC was held during the in-person Women’s Motorcycle Festival and Conference, hosted by Alisa Clickenger in Arlington, Virginia, right by the nation’s capital.

“This was a great opportunity for women in the industry to exchange ideas with one another and to network,” said Andria Yu, MIC director of media relations.

Yu gave a brief industry overview, sharing positive sales trends through the second quarter from the MIC Retail Sales Reporting System. She also talked about the MIC’s Ride With Us Moto Intro, which gives non-riders their first motorcycling experience within 45 minutes.

Breeann Poland of Royal Enfield talked about the company’s investment in women and flat track racing, and Sylvia Henderson of MindTeam Solutions, Inc., shared ways to develop leadership skills.

“I was really encouraged by the passion that everyone showed, and how excited everyone was about getting more women riding more,” Yu said. “There were a lot of fantastic ideas about mentorship and coaching, and I look forward to seeing some of them come to life.”

RIDE WITH US Moto Intro Rolls by Chicago and Heads to Colorado Next The MIC’s Ride With Us Moto Intro brought its first taste of two-wheeling to the Chicagoland area during last weekend’s IMS Outdoors, providing closed-course experiences for potential motorcyclists. And this weekend the program will expand into the complementary, fast-growing overlanding market during Overland Expo Mountain West® just outside Denver.

Mountain West attendees with no motorcycling experience can enjoy their first ride on dirt bikes, in Loveland, Colorado, with the help of Motorcycle Safety Foundation certified coaches, in less than 45 minutes.

“Since spring we have helped more than 300 people, including 100-plus this past weekend at IMS Outdoors, experience the exhilaration of their first ride,” said Cinnamon Kernes, MIC vice president of market expansion. “The sheer joy these new riders exude when they take their helmets off is truly inspirational. While we know there are many strategies and tactics that will introduce non-riders to the two-wheel lifestyle, there is no doubt Moto Intros are key to inspiring people to take their next steps toward becoming a rider. We have eight more stops on our nationwide tour this year and we can’t wait to get more people to Ride With Us.” The Ride With Us Moto Intro experience in Colorado this weekend will be free to attendees purchasing general admission tickets, available at Overland Expo®. Participants must either be at least 18 and possess a driver’s license, or age 16 and up and able to provide a parent’s signature. The riding gear, the motorcycles, and the coaching are provided.

Moto Intro 2021 Dates and Background

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OUR INDUSTRY’S MARKET EXPANSION INITIATIVE. JOIN THE MOVEMENT. HELLO@RIDEWITHUS.COM

See it in its entirety here: Link I sent the following note to the State Park Leadership that day following the Hearing where SB 227 died: During my public comments at the Aug. 27 OHV Commission meeting, I stated my concerns about SB 227 being killed by the Assembly Appropriations Committee Chair when she put a hold on the bill on Aug. 26. I think our collective failure to get SB 227 over the finish line reflects poorly on the administration, legislature and the historic “can do” attitude of the collaborative partnership that existed between Parks and the OHV community.

THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED RIP SB 227 August 26, 2021

By Donald Amador

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ust as the music world suffered in 1959, the off-road community has lost something precious with the death of SB 227 on August 26, 2021. The collaboration and spirit of cooperation between the competition community, the conservation groups and even the willingness of the Parks service leading up to the day the music died had been amazingly positive. Now it has been silenced… and it is the public who will be the loser in the years to come.

The bill stated: Existing law generally requires motor vehicles that are operated or used exclusively off the highways to be issued and display an identification plate or device issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Under existing law, certain vehicles are exempt from this requirement, including 4-wheeled motor vehicles operated solely in organized racing or competitive events upon a closed course, as specified. Existing law permits a motorcycle issued a special transportation identification device to be transported on a highway to and from a closed course. Existing law authorizes a special transportation identification device to be issued upon payment of a fee.

This bill, effective January 1, 2023, would repeal provisions relating to special transportation identification devices for motorcycles and corresponding fees, and would make other related conforming changes. The bill would additionally provide that competition all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are not exempt from identification, pursuant to vehicle identification requirements prescribed by the bill.

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I am still in a state of disbelief as I think about the message we are sending to the competition community and even the conservation groups who supported the bill as it would have continued to fund important OHVrelated law enforcement and resource management efforts.

The competition community will survive — and most likely flourish – but not because of anything we did to help them remain engaged in supporting managed OHV recreation on public lands in California.

Sincerely, Don Amador KEY BULLET POINTS ON WHAT NO SB 227 MEANS FOR 2022 & SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS: • Can be ridden 24/7/365 at private land venues (MX tracks, private property, etc.)

• Can be ridden in competition events on private lands and lands managed by local, state and federal agencies • They cannot be registered nor get a title from the CA DMV • They cannot be ridden for practice or general recreation on public lands in CA

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

Please tread lightly and travel only on routes and in areas designated open for motor vehicle use.

Remember, Respected Access is Open Access.

THIS PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT IS POWERED BY

and Asian riders. We tend to be much more recreationally focused Stateside, thus looking for longer distance weekend riding instead of daily commuting shorter distances through city traffic. E-bike sales aren’t really happening here due to the high cost of entry, range anxiety and frankly, the lack

Confessions Of A Customer®

By Eric Anderson

Ridership and The Shared Economy

— double whammy or double opportunity?

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efinition of “Ridership” — the number of persons who utilize a specific form of transportation.

Definition of “Shared Economy” — a peer-to-peer (P2P) based activity of acquiring, providing or sharing access to goods and services facilitated by a community-based, on-line platform. Example: Uber, Airbnb and now the powersports industry. By definition the new www.ridersshare.com is “Shared Ridership” or a rider-to-rider (R2R) economy.

It is commonly accepted that we have pretty much skipped over and lost most of the Millennial generation when it comes to motorcycling. There are any number of reasons, but the fact remains they are not showing up in dealerships buying new bikes. Customers in Europe, Asia and India are purchasing between 7% and 13% more new motorcycles than last year, but the American numbers are much, much lower. A few young Americans purchase pre-owned bikes at a better value, then personalize them inexpensively leaving new unit sales flat… or worse! Others may invest in an occasional one or two-cylinder scrambler or café machine, but the bloom is off the rose in the other larger, triple or inline 4-cyllnder street motorcycle categories formerly aimed at younger riders.

Nor does the electric motorcycle trend seem to satisfy the Americans like it does the more urban-centric European

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of mechanical excitement… except maybe for an Alta on a closed MX course. Now even that thrill is no longer available.

The next demographic opportunity for targeting is the younger pre-street licensed generation with the dirtbike experience. Put (smaller and younger) “butts on seats” earlier than was done with the Millennials… in a variety of ways to set the hook of 2-wheeled excitement before we lose it once again.

Influencing teenagers and young adults is more difficult (and expensive) since recreational habits are usually already set.

This means increasing off-road motorcycle experiences for modern-day youngsters who may never have had parents (X or Y Generations) who routinely load up the pickup truck and head out to the local MX track, forest or desert. This means we are not only attempting to influence the children of the day to adopt motorcycling; we are also asking their parents to adopt “supporting their child’s sport” despite it costing significantly more than local age-group football, baseball or hockey teams. It still appears an uphill and expensive challenge, but with a worthwhile ROI. Would offroad riding super-hero comic books (OK--digital graphic novels), video games and toys aid the cause?

Another challenge to increasing sales numbers on the horizon will be the shared economy of motorcycles (and ATVs or UTVs). I personally will soon be considered a selfish dinosaur with four motorcycles and two UTVs in my garage — a street-tourer, an ADV bike, an enduro/trail bike, a vintage MX machine, plus a family-sized MULE, and a ROXOR for good measure. No, I cannot possibly ride or

drive all of them in a single weekend making for enormous waste in ownership costs, garage space and maintenance, right? No urban-based young person or family would ever consider this excessiveness when they could share the cost of a motorcycle (or ATV/UTV) with a couple of neighbors in the same geo-location connected by an app on their smart phone with an alternating weekend, time-share style co-op agreement. If in doubt, rent it!

My aviation-oriented neighbors co-operatively own an airplane with two other couples. Farmers share cotton gins and storage silos in a co-op. Co-op boat and motorhome owners share costs as well. Disagreements are “headed off at the pass” by agreements that cover maintenance, rental rates, storage and scheduling protocols. Imagine how a “community” Harley touring motorcycle or a pair of UTVs on a trailer might be shared within a cul-de-sac community? It certainly cuts down on the “dead time” such machines would spend in a single owner’s garage, as well as mitigating the costs should he own one of each for his own personal use.

As an empty nester, I too need fewer machines which I ride/ drive less and less since the kids are out of the house. See where this is going? The industry’s sales and profits were previously based upon building “personal transportation devices” for Baby Boomers and their children… which are now going to soon become “shared transportation devices” like Lime, Jump and Bird scooters/cycles for younger generations. This appears to be a “double whammy.”

Back to ridership for a minute. There are at least 8 active movements in the industry right now, all seeking to increase participation at all age groups. Add more not mentioned here if you like… in a quick note to the editor at Dealernews.

We would like to hear about them so we could possibly create some “universal” synergy between them all. But the leaders as I see them include: MIC’s RiDE at Feld Entertainment’s Monster Jams, bringing a new family audience to motorcycling U.S. Motorcycle Coaching Association (USMCA) from JonErik Burleson, Mark Blackwell and Jeff Emig Plus1 from Scot Harden and profiled in the last issue Give A Shift from Robert Pandya Discover The Ride at the 2018/2019 International Motorcycle Shows Harley-Davidson’s goal of 2MM new riders in 10 years, articulated by Matt Levatich before he was ousted.

STACYC Demo program & World Cup competition at shows and special events Strider’s Kindergarten Charity Program increasing younger, 2-wheeled interest

Motorcycle rentals have also been here a long time, but can you imagine how that business might evolve into the future as well? What started as a “Fly and Ride” program decades ago might become more local instead of global. I used to fly across the country and rent a motorcycle near the airport. Soon, I could simply rent a motorcylce for 10 weekends a year… near my house instead of buying one. That way I avoid the monthly payments, insurance, maintenance and garage clutter. I know that doesn’t sound like “little ‘ole me,” but times change and so do incomes, family sizes and needs.

Have you thought of renting your pre-owned fleet to local customers and their visiting friends? Rentals may become a new (local) revenue stream with which metrocentered EagleRiders cannot keep up. And now there is the paradigm shifting www.riders-share.com “Motorcycles are ridden less than 2,000 miles per year, compared to 12,000 for cars,” according to Riders-Share. “At the same time, there are about 30 million licensed riders and just under 10 million motorcycles in the United States. There are millions who would occasionally ride motorcycles if it wasn’t for the steep prices of motorcycle rentals. So by “sharing”, we really mean you can now start a motorcycle rentals business — all you need is a motorcycle. We want to put those unused motorcycles to good use; connect them to people who want to ride but can’t afford it. It’s a peer-to-peer motorcycle rentals marketplace.”

It is frightening to look into the crystal ball not knowing how we will all cope with the impending change. Then again, we also thought that about the onslaught of emissions regulations in the 80s, the Internet and discount mailorder in the 90s, the lead ban in the 2000s and the Great Recession after that. There will always be something… and we all have a choice to look at it as a problem to our old business… or as an opportunity for some new business.

You Don’t Sell Stuff… You Solve Problems!

“Business is solving problems. Without problems there would be no businesses. And if it were easy, everyone would be doing it.” ~ John Wyckoff Never forget this quote when impending doom approaches because it almost NEVER ends up being as bad as you think it will be. Solve the problem and you will do more business, according to my late mentor’s model.

That is because we are all better business people than we think we are… as long as someone wakes us up from our comfort zone from time to time. If you have been around 20 or more years in powersports business, you likely have the smarts to thread your way past this next set of challenges.

Become a better “problem solver” by working on your business instead of in it. Buckle down… and look outside of your self-constructed box!

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PAN-AM TAKES FLIGHT!

Since taking flight in February, the Pan America 1250 Special adventure touring motorcycle has become the #1 selling ADV bike in North America, claims Harley-Davidson. “Having sold out of our 2021 allocation, we are excited about what the future has in store for Pan America and for the Adventure Touring category at Harley-Davidson,” says Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, CEO and President, Harley-Davidson. “With the Pan America Special now the #1 selling ADV motorcycle model in North America, we targeted a selective expansion into adventure touring as part of the Hardwire Strategy with the goal to reach new and existing Harley-Davidson customers.

“Pan America is squarely built on our mission to deliver a timeless pursuit of adventure for our riders,” Zeitz adds.

“Taking inspiration from our heritage, we wanted to create a motorcycle that redefined the adventure touring category and most importantly was designed and built in America.

Those who now own or have tested one of our Pan America’s absolutely love this bike.”

Diversity Editor Alisa Clickinger just completed her Suffragists Centennial Motorcycle Ride on the Pan America and Confessions Columnist Eric Anderson tested it at the 10th Annual Giant Loop event earlier this summer, so look for a full report in a coming issue of Dealernews.

Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson

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VANCE & HINES DIRTY SECRET

Vance & Hines is sounding off with its ADV exhausts for the new HarleyDavidson Pan America motorcycle. The Pan Am application precedes products being designed to fit other popular ADV models. “This is an important launch for Vance & Hines,” notes company President Mike Kennedy. “In addition to being a great exhaust for an outstanding motorcycle, the new Adventure Hi-Output 450 product moves us into a whole new category. In the coming months we’ll be delivering greater exhilaration to riders of all the most popular ADV bikes in the market.”

V&H’s Adventure Hi-Output 450 delivers an increase of 5 foot-pounds of torque and more than 5 horsepower. It reduces the overall weight by nearly 6 lbs. A 4.5” stepped, high-output canister constructed of 304 grade stainless steel with a brushed finish and a ceramic-coated, CNC-machined, billet aluminum end cap. The riveted badge showcases a new laser engraved logo graphic which will be used on all Vance & Hines ADV and off-road products. The system delivers Vance & Hines’ signature exhaust note while meeting the SAE Standard J2825 sound levels and maintaining the bike’s 50-state emissions compliance. A US Forestry Spark Arrestor will be available as an add-on for riders traveling off road. Dealers will have Vance & Hines Adventure Hi-Output 450 Exhaust System for Pan America in October. Retail price is $599.95. See the video here: https://vanceandhines.com/products/hd-adventure-hi-output-450

PAN AM RIDING HIGH

Perhaps the new Harley ADV bike is a tad too tall for some of your aspiring adventuring customers? The Wizards at Corbin are ready with a Low seat. “Harley created a genuinely excellent Adventure Bike with the Pan America, and Corbin has been a big part of that world for decades,” Mike Corbin notes. “Despite the remarkable tech and great bike design, the tush cushion from the factory turned out to be somewhat less than exemplary... Not that we’re complaining!” Getting the ergonomics right on this one is challenging. Adventure bikes are tall by nature, and that creates a reach issue for a lot of riders. But in this case, the peg distance is a bit cramped while the reach to the bars is long, so having the correct body placement is critical. This predicament is complicated further with the admirable adaptive ride height feature.

Despite the complications, the Wizards worked their magic and created a functional alternative for $481 MSRP. Get details here: https://www.corbin.com/harley/panamerica/hdpas.shtml

LADIES FIRST

“Want to know about the new Harley Pan-Am? I just rode one across the entire country,” says Dealernews’ Diversity Editor Alisa Clickenger. At the culmination of her ride she released her second book: Get Started Riding Motorcycles: The Definitive Guide For Women. A compendium of Clickenger’s most insightful and experientially-based advice for women who want to ride, the book was unveiled at the Women’s Motorcycle Festival & Conference in Arlington, Virginia, August 19-22, 2021. A sponsor of the Women’s Motorcycle Festival & Conference, Can-Am’s Women of On-Road also supported Alisa’s new book as the brand’s mission is to democratize the open road. “Can-Am On-Road is committed to address the staggering deficit of women riders in the riding community,” explains Martin Ethier, Director, Global Marketing, Can-Am On-Road. “Our team and Alisa share the same mission of inspiring more women to join the riding community so it was all natural for us to join forces.” Copies of the print book can be ordered at: https://alisaclickenger.com/get-started-riding-motorcycles/

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A PATH DEFINED

One of the most galvanizing figures in powersports, Ed Lemco actually wrote his autobiography more than 15 years ago. He gave the original manuscript to his wife Velma Lemco Marshall to edit and publish, asking her to wait for some time before publishing. His daughter Laura says the time has come and the book was released in September of 2021. In A Path Defined Lemco tells of growing up in New York City and Australia, of his years in the Army, along with his formative years in business and how they shaped his outlook on the dealers. ”Ed Lemco seized every opportunity to learn… and document his experiences,” Laura explains. “In 1981 he took the opportunity to share some of his insights with a few fellow motorcycle Dealers and became a staunch Dealer advocate, a management trainer, a mentor and most often a friend.” He even came up with a name for what he did. “Above all, he cherished the title only he could have bestowed on himself — that of Peddler.” Contact Laura Lemco to order copies of A Path Defined at (303) 994-6919 or click: https://dealershipvaluations.com/ed-lemco-autobiograpy/

MISSION CONTROL

“As someone with a mechanical engineering background, and who has used other dampers, I can tell you that the MSC Moto steering dampers are designed with the highest quality standards and deliver superior performance,” said Andres Escobar, President of Lindeco Genuine Powersports. “We feel incredibly proud to have been named the exclusive distributor of MSC Moto products and can’t wait for our customers and Dealers to ride and race with MSC Moto steering dampers and products.”

MSC Products Australia started back in 1995 when Mark Cumming was told that he could not make a steering damper! Mark succeeded in making his first steering damper and has steadily progressed from a hobby business to full-time production of steering dampers in their state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. Lindeco Genuine Powersports is looking to deliver the same premium quality and service that they have done with LATAM customers since 1957. To learn more about MSC Moto Steering Dampers click here: https://mscmotoamericas.com/

CAVEAT ADVENTUOR

Traveling to far flung places often comes with its caveats, one of them being a lack of fuel. Another is the lack of space to carry fuel in a conventional “jerry can” type container. Jerry cans take up valuable space and, when empty, become a liability. However the adventurous crew at Twisted Throttle has outfoxed the fuel system caveat with the Desert Fox fuel bags. Available in 3L, 6L and 20L derivatives, the Desert Fox fuel cells can easily be folded or rolled up when empty, saving weight and space. Now Pan America explorers can really extend their range. Starting t $100, this is the first add-on for any ADV rider, especially one on a big V-Twin heading into the outback! Click here for more details:https://twistedthrottle.com/product_brands/desert-fox

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MOTOCROSS REVIVAL

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oing back to the past to pay it forward for future generations of motocrossers and a worthy cause, The Motocross Revival had something for everyone. D-Day was June 6th, 2021 at Glen Helen Raceway as MX legends like David Bailey, Broc Glover, Gary Jones and Ricky Johnson gathered to recapture The Golden Era Of Motocross. Their Championship bikes and vintage box vans were on hand in the old school pit area and there was a full display of Works Bikes straight from the vaults of private collectors and the OEMs.

But this was more than a static display! A full slate of American Retrocross classes meant you race against Jeremy McGrath… or at least bench race with the other legends and bid on raffle items to support the Max Matters Mental Health initiative (see sidebar). Originally established in 2020 through fundraising efforts by Doughty and the American Retrocross Club, it focused on bringing awareness to the broad spectrum that is behavioral health. Spirited bidding on some amazing items resulted in more than $20,000 being raised for the cause

Originally intended as an extension of Rick Doughty’s American Retrcross fundraising efforts, the Motocross Revival concept really came together when veteran photojournalist David Dewhurst joined the party.

Already in the process of interviewing the legends from the Golden Era of Motocross for his new book, Dewhurst wanted an event that was more than just a race to rekindle the magic. Mission accomplished as proof pages of Dewhurst’s forthcoming book were also on display (see sidebar).

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The ultimate photo bomb? Kayo Kevin’s son shoots the gap!

That is quite a roster of champions! Jeremy McGrath, Gary Jones, Ricky Johnson, David Bailey and Grant Langston.

Honda and Kawasaki busted out the Works bikes!

The ultimate dinosaur? There were a couple of KX500 2-strokes roaming Glen Helen.

Jason Gearld gets presented with his trophy by childhood hero Bad Boy Rick Johnson.

Phoning it in? Three photojournalists, zero cameras... just saying!

Broc Glover signs in for the Motocross Revival.

However, a series of problems finding a suitable historic venue even before the COVID crisis almost caused a DNS until he collaborated with Doughty. The two were able to prove the sum can be greater than its parts… and this is just the beginning. “We want to celebrate all things off-road, vintage bikes and new, even ATVs and UTVs,” added Doughty. “It will be back in an even bigger and better form.”

For more information on next year’s event go to: www.americanretrocross.org

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THE GOLDEN ERA

By David Dewhurst

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s if I didn’t have enough to do, I joined forces with my friend Rick Doughty of Vintage Iron fame to promote The Vintage Revival Race at Glen Helen Raceway. It was a huge project to run an event that was more than just another race for vintage bikes. We were aiming to bring back some of the simple fun of races in the 1970s and 1980s.

We hoped to create an event that everyone would remember, and not just for the races. With that in mind, we had a vintage bike show and raised money and awareness for a great cause. Honda and Kawasaki kindly brought out some of their famous old championship bikes to display. We also had a great selection of championship bikes owned by enthusiast Hugh Parker.

Better yet, we had champions to go with the bikes.

David Bailey, Rick Johnson, Broc Glover, Grant Langston, Jeremy McGrath and Gary Jones were among the heroes of the era on hand to sign autographs and talk with the fans about the good old days. Best of all, McGrath and Gary Jones raced the event and put on a show of how it’s done. Unbeatable in the first moto on a beautiful KX500, McGrath decided to wait until the field had almost completed one full lap before taking off. He still caught up and passed some pretty fast riders to win going away!

More than 200 riders entered this first-time event and we raised over $25,000 for Road2Recovery. Next year we plan on even bigger events with big names, big bikes and even bigger fun for everyone. In the meantime,

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you can still donate money to help racers with serious injuries. Take a look at the Road2Recovery website to see the amazing work they do.

In the meantime, for progress reports on the book, click here: https://www.motocrossthegoldenera.com/

Master metal worker Evan Wilcox hand-hammered the tank on his Berkshire 100 Penton.

Not a Falta, but a tasty CZ nonetheless!

Road 2 Recovery ran the silent auction and more than $20,000 was raised for Max Matters.

Phoenix Handlebars in the house! Vendor row and food trucks were welcome.

Handmade signage classed things up (thanks Kim!). Classes for bikes and riders of every age were rewarded with unique trophies.

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Current members of The Max Matters Mental Health Initiative Committee include Rick Doughty, Dr. Reiman and Dr. Bodnar of the Alpinestars Mobile Medical Unit, MX Sports Pro Racing executives Tim Cotter and Roy Janson, Andrea Leib, Lesley Roberts, Mandie FonteynAlbert, and Lori Armistead. Individuals or groups interested in being involved in the committee, or would like to support the initiative, please contact Lori Armistead at Lori@Road2Recovery.com

GOING BACK IN HISTORY TO PAY IT FORWARD Max Matters To MX Sports Pro Racing

F

ollowing the introduction of the Max Matters Mental Health Initiative at the Motocross Revival, the Road 2 Recovery Foundation (R2R), in conjunction with MX Sports Pro Racing, announced the launch of the opening phase of the initiative at the MX National at Pala Raceway.

The website will be going live October 9 and support group meetings will begin November 9th, 2021.

“The Max Matters Mental Health Initiative is being built around the foundation that all resources are geared to assist athletes at any stage of their career,” said Lori Armistead, Road 2 Recovery Director of Marketing & Public Relations. “It’s extremely important to us that we create each program using proper guidance from qualified professionals, doctors and counselors while keeping professional athletes in mind at all times.”

Max Matters was first established by Vintage Iron and American Retrocross founder Rick Doughty in October 2020. After the tragic loss of his son Max to suicide in 2019, Doughty partnered with R2R to create a change in narrative regarding this concerning pattern in our racing community. This past May, R2R announced the creation of an advisory group for the Max Matters Mental Health Initiative consisting of specially qualified professionals, industry leaders, current and past pro riders, and dedicated advocates. This group will continue to organize additional programs and make them available for athletes and the racing community.

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Working in collaboration with medical professionals and industry leaders, R2R has also spearheaded the efforts to establish programs for support group meetings and a website resource portal, which will both begin in the fall. The website resource portal is expected to launch on October 10 through the Max Matters Mental Health Initiative link on Road2Recovery.com. The page will serve as a resource for detailed information on all matters of mental health and will be broken down into detail with direct links for more efficient navigation—Insurance Assistance, Screening, Support Groups, Tools for Support, and more.

Additionally, the portal will provide direct access to a vast resource of certified therapists and counselors. Interactive capabilities to detail which mental health professionals are accepting new clients, sorting filters to organize by state and other preferences, as well as a linked list of therapists and counselors that offer low hourly rates for uninsured clients. The web portal will also provide a list of 24-hour hotline numbers that offer mental health assistance through the convenience of a mobile device.

The first support group meeting will take place on November 9 and will continue the second Tuesday of every month. The meetings will be conducted anonymously and will last an hour at a time, with attendees provided the option to use online, phone, or chat features. A “Group Break Out” feature will also be available for one-on-one conversations. Every meeting will be mediated by licensed and trained therapists and counselors, with specific topics for each respective session. Meetings will be free for anyone to attend and will allow for individual follow up through a hotline number.

Access to the meetings and more details can be found at: https://road2recovery.com/shop/max-matters/

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VALE YVON DUHAMEL 1939-2021

T

he old saying “#17 in your program, #1 in your hearts” certainly applied to the legions of Yvon DuHamel fans on both sides of the border.

Known as “Superfrog” because of the green Kawasaki leathers as much as his Québécois patois, DuHamel was a winner in any language… and in every discipline he raced in!

DuHamel carried the No. 1 plate in every form of motorcycle and snowmobile racing in Canada from dirt track to roadracing – in most cases, a number of times. He won the White Trophy, the highest award in Canadian motorcycle racing, five times. He won the 250cc Daytona Classic in 1968 and again in 1969, won a World Championship race at Assen, Holland, in 1974, and the Grand Prix of Canada in 1981.

Then there are his snowmobile accomplishments, which include a World Championship in 1970 on a Factory Bombardier. In 1971 he won in the 500-mile Winnipeg to St. Paul cross-country race. And in 1972 he set the world speed record on a sled, clocking 127 mph on ice!

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Even after he retired from racing full time, he still had a need for speed. In 1988 he competed in the 24Hour World Championship Bol d’Or Endurance race in Magny-Cours, France, with his sons Miguel and Mario.

For many years he continued racing in Vintage events, including Daytona Speedweek – on the very track he scored one of his first huge international victories.

He then went on to compete in the Harley-Davidson 883 Sportster Series, earning top-10 finishes and proving he could still be competitive, even in his 50s.

But he still wasn’t done, and in 1999, at the age of 60, he participated in a vintage race at the Dutch TT in Assen.

Yvon DuHamel was inducted into the Snowmobile Hall of Fame (1988), Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame (1999) and the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2007.

#Godspeed #17!

AMA SALUTES YVON DUHAMEL

By Mitch Boehm

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he AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame offers its condolences to the family, friends and fans of the outgoing and talented Yvon DuHamel, a member of the Hall of Fame Class of 1999 known for riding the temperamental and brutally fast Kawasaki H2R in AMA roadrace nationals in the 1970s. The French-Canadian racer is best known for representing team Kawasaki green and competed in every style of motorcycle racing from motocross and dirt track to road racing and drag racing. He was 81 when he died on August 17.

DuHamel competed in numerous world championship motorcycle races during his active career. His spirit for racing infected his sons, Miguel and Mario, who became renowned road racers during the 1990s, with Miguel winning the AMA Superbike title in 1995 and becoming the all-time leading AMA Superbike race wins leader in 1998.

Born in Montreal on October 17, 1939, DuHamel was an avid bicyclist and established a small shop when he was only 13. At 15, DuHamel bought his first motorcycle, a 500cc Triumph T-100. At age 17, he began ice racing. By 1959, and at the age of 19, DuHamel began his racing career in earnest on a BSA Gold Star.

By the mid-1960s, he began competing in the Daytona 200 and the Laconia Classic in New Hampshire. In 1967, Fred Deeley Yamaha offered DuHamel a chance to race at Daytona in the Lightweight (250cc) class on one of the new Yamaha GP bikes. He finished eighth. In 1968 and ’69, DuHamel returned to Daytona and won the Lightweight class both years. He also won the 250cc class at Indianapolis

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in ’69. During the 1968 Daytona 200, DuHamel finished second behind Harley-Davidson’s Cal Rayborn and became one of the first two-stroke riders to make a Daytona podium finish. In 1969, he earned the pole in the Daytona 200 with the first-ever qualifying lap above 150 mph.

By the 1970s, Duhamel was considered a roadracing specialist and helping to solidify his reputation was the fact that Kawasaki hired him in 1971 to be one of its factory riders. The company was known for making fast, three-cylinder, two-stroke racers, and Kawasaki needed an expert rider to handle the explosive and narrow powerband. DuHamel proved to be one of the few riders in the world who could tame Kawasaki’s H2R. DuHamel earned Kawasaki its first AMA national victory in 1971 at Talladega. From 1971 to 1973, he was the winningest rider for Kawasaki, earning five national victories for Team Green during that period.

By the mid-1970s, DuHamel was busy racing overseas, competing in the 250cc Grand Prix. He was also a factory world endurance racer who competed in the famous LeMans and Bol d’Or 24-hour endurance races on modified versions of the popular KZ1000 street bike. In the United States during the mid-1970s, DuHamel won a slew of production races for Kawasaki on its Z-1 in races that would eventually become AMA Superbike. By the late ’70s, DuHamel began to scale back his racing schedule.

Soon, his sons were beginning to get involved in racing and DuHamel gave them full support. However, he never completely retired from racing and Yvon, Mario and Miguel DuHamel competed together in the 1988, 24-hour world championship endurance race in Bol d’Or. The three became the first father-and-sons team to compete in that event.

Motorcycle Industry Jobs (MIJ).............................. 17 National Powersport Auctions (NPA)................... 49 On Any Sunday........................................................ 77 Performance Brokerage Services......................... 41 Piloteer Agency....................................................... 59 Royal Enfield.............................................................. 7 Tread Lightly............................................................ 65 Triumph Motorcycles America................................. 9 Tucker Powersports................................................ 19 Twisted Distributing/Denali Electronics................45 Unfiltered Marketing..................................................31 Western Power Sports.......................................... 2-3

Shameless Plug – For the most up to date dealer news, check on the news feed at Dealernews.com, be sure to like us on Facebook and click on Dealernews’ monthly digital editions: www.dealernews.com

SEPTEMBER 2021

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Alisa Clickenger, one of Dealernews’ Top 100 industry leaders and our Diversity+ columnist, has just published her first book. Boost Your Confidence Through Motorcycling became an Amazon.com #1 bestseller in its first week. Boost Your Confidence Through Motorcycling contains ideas and inspiration for both experienced and inexperienced riders, and uses examples from Alisa’s own personal journey learning to ride.

A Special Event Promoted by Scot Harden and Johnny Campbell Scot Harden

A private party/reception with presentations, interviews and an autograph session celebrating the Baja/Desert motorcycle fraternity with champions from across all generations followed by a private screening of On Any Sunday commemorating its 50th Anniversary. Plenty of bench racing, camaraderie and good times.

“We want to bring the Baja/Desert motorcycle racing community together in a way never done before. We want to honor the heritage and legacy of the sport and pay tribute to those who have dedicated their lives to it. Here’s your chance to visit with past SCORE/BITD/D-37/D-38/MRAN and ADRA champions, friends and associates from the 60’s, 70’s, 80s, 90s, 00s and today along with some of the bikes that made history.” Johnny and Scot.

Johnny Campbell

All activities to be based out of the spectacular Doffo Winery in Temecula, CA Reception / Party / Autograph Signing and Movie: $49 per ticket (Includes taco plate, drink coupon, movie and $10.00 donation to the Kurt Caselli Foundation)

Optional Dual Sport Ride - Includes Reception, Party and Movie: $85 per rider (limited to 75 riders). (Includes GPs route, taco plate, drink coupon, $10.00 donation to The Kurt Caselli Foundation)

When: Saturday October 16th, 2021 Dual Sport Ride: Starts 8:30am - Finishes 3:00pm Reception / Party / Autograph Signing / Movie: 4:00pm - 9:00pm Where: Doffo Winery, Temecula, CA How: Register Online at www.harden-offroad.com Contact: 951-491-1819 or scot.harden@harden-offroad.com

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