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With an expansive lineup of products that continues to grow, Bobcat will help you better serve your existing customers and expand into new markets. In addition to our breadth of products, we’ll back you up with dealer support that is second to none.
Robin Hartfiel Editor/Publisher
Bob Althoff World’s Luckiest Man
Gus Stewart Creative Director
Brenda Stiehl Production Manager
Don Musick Genesys Technology Solutions
Dr. Paul Leinberger
Eric Anderson Vroom Network
Jim Woodruff National Powersport Auctions
Mark Rodgers Performance Consulting
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
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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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Did you notice the RV industry got lost this summer? Some manufacturers are admitting sales were off 35%-50% going into Q3. The car market appears to be crashing and facing a strike simultaneously and even some segments of the marine industry are taking on water. Guess what, we are not immune, either. The winds of change are blowing… and we are down wind from an outhouse!
But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can grow our Industry, Sport, Brand, Community!
It is well past time for us in powersports to admit we forgot to “tell our story” well enough; widely enough and consistently enough to foster the growth we all know is out there. COVID taught us that consumers still aspire to join our ranks. And join, they did! Customers for life? Maybe not so much.
Now is the time to honestly assess where we went astray. And more importantly, determine what we can do to fix things. If not us who? Dealers have long waited for the OEMs to mount national ad campaigns. Yes, there was “waste” in most mass market ad buys as only a tenth of the North American population was our target. But surely only the OEMs had the expertise and purchasing power to mount powerful messaging and to sustain it over the long haul? Or so we thought.
Once you met the nicest people on a Honda, letting the good times roll… but that was half a century ago. We also
had a boost from Bruce Brown telling our story with On Any Sunday… 50 years ago! Now is the time to tell our story, build our brand, expand our sport and welcome more people to the motorcycling community. If not now, when?
The National Powersports Dealer Association (NPDA) sees it that way. Since its earliest days the member dealers have sought to take in the view from 40,000 feet and translate that to ground zero at the dealership level. NPDA POV is that it is up to them, not the OEMs to tell our story better.
The OEMs exist to design, engineer and manufacture the machines that look so spectacular tooling down the road, safely and reliably at 80 miles per hour. Their competencies are seen in the products they supply us.
Dealers, however, are charged with creating the final demand for Powersports products. It is we who are ultimately required to market the product. So it follows that we as Dealers need to step up and do what we do best — Tell our stories; share our passion; invite the masses to join us!
How then does the NPDA propose to accomplish the task?
We have a compelling story to tell: What we sell will thrill; it is fun; it is a community you will feel welcome in. However, only “mass market” outreach will get us out of our “echo chamber” and in front of new-to-sport customers. But how do dealers get their message.to the masses?
In the absence of the aforementioned Bruce Brown and movie theaters, there exist new opportunities to efficiently deliver our rich content into millions of American homes. It is called Free Ad Supported Streaming Television (FAST Channels) and this business is booming. It delivers highly focused audiences (affinity groups) to advertisers who can precisely measure the results of their “ad buy.”
What if we had a 24 x 7 x 365 place to experience the full gamut of Powersports in America? Exclusive powersports content; presented in an agnostic way that fairly represents all corners of our sport (on and off road), all brands; focused on community; showing Americans of every race, creed or status enjoying our products; showing the “intenders” how to learn to ride; how to gear up; how easy it is to join the fun.
The NPDA believes it is Dealers, and those from around the industry who will join us, who can — and must — get this job done. It is not an OEM or Dealer issue… it is a “We” issue! “We” simply must stop bouncing along the road from boom to bust. It is time to deliver consistent growth.
Only great content like ours, consistently presented to our 9 million strong endemic active riders AND the larger American public that won’t be able to resist our messaging, can win the day.
For the past 18 months NPDA has held extensive discussions with content creators in our space; with media companies who specialize in FAST channel creation; and identifying “verticals” like ours who can attract strong advertising support; and the distribution platforms who can quickly put us into tens of millions of American homes.
NPDA, in conjunction with our paid consultants and strategic advisors have put together the first of its kind compendium of exactly how much of our content is out there that is of sufficiently high-definition broadcast quality. We now have identified thousands of hours of content… and it is great!
We have the content...
We have assembled the team...
Now is the time to tell our story! The NPDA, representing American Powersports Dealers, is ready to act. Are you? Join us.
Let’s do all in our collective power to “make what we love, last.” If not us who? If not now, when?
The Royal Navy’s wartime terminology is an appropriate warning for the powersports industry in North America. “Action Stations” is equivalent to “general quarters” in the USN. Both replace the outdated “battle stations!” In business “action stations” klaxon is used to tell people to get ready immediately to do the particular jobs that they have been given to do. So who is on duty in your dealership?
According to The Encyclopedia of War, “In naval service, the phrase ‘beat to quarters’ indicated a particular kind of drum roll that ordered sailors to their posts for a fight where some would load and prepare to fire the ship’s guns and others would arm with muskets and ascend the rigging as sharpshooters in preparation for combat.” Bob’s column this month is banging the drum for all of us to do a better job of communicating our collective story. Rather than climbing the rigging, we all need to be shouting our stories from the rooftops and broadcasting them through FAST channels.
“COVID taught us that consumers still aspire to join our ranks… Now is the time to honestly assess where we went astray,” suggests NPDA Chair Althoff. “And more importantly, determine what we can do to fix things. If not us who? Dealers have long waited for the OEMs to mount national ad campaigns.” Having
served a couple of terms with the MIC, I can tell you the OEMs are fighting battles on multiple fronts.
While standing on the deck of the HMS Belfast moored in the middle of the Thames River adjacent to the Tower of London for Triumph’s launch this year, I was reminded of a time when British Bikes ruled the world! Like their Royal Navy counterparts Pax Britannia market dominance was backed by a fleet of mighty brands from Birmingham, Redditch and Coventry.
More recently, seeing the pantheon of British bikes being liquidated at Mecum’s Auction of the National Motorcycle Museum’s collection and watching BSA (short for British Small Arms), Royal Enfield (Made Like A Gun) and Brough Superiors (made famous by war hero Lawrence of Arabia), go under the gavel served as a reminder that the sun has indeed set on the British Empire.
It would appear that the same could be said of the once glorious Harley-Davidson Empire, and with it, the weakening of the entire motorcycle market. CEO Jochen Zeitz may claim that Harley is “the most desirable brand in the world,” but in terms of cash paying customers, you meet more nice people on Honda two-wheelers around the globe (and rumor has it Harley has slipped from the top sales slot in the U.S. this quarter, but I haven’t seen the final numbers yet). I do know that the winds of change are blowing… and we do not want to find ourselves downwind from an outhouse!
Back to our action stations… we need to communicate the message better, all of us. Many a military action has been decided by a breakdown in communications… In fact it is standard operating procedure in the army (and apparently to a growing extent, our industry): SNAFU — Situation Normal, All Fouled Up! Just as in times of war, communication is key! Everyone needs to know their action station and be prepared to engage in their assigned role.
According to Bob Althoff, the klaxon is already sounding! Dealers, man your stations!
Tell your stories, engage that next generation of riders, keep your existing customers coming back and please for all our sakes, don’t give up the ship!
Former Editor-in-Chief and publisher of Dealernews circa 1990-2003, Robin returns to the magazine. In addition to having been instrumental in creating the Dealernews Top 100 program (still the industry’s ultimate accolade for a motorcycle dealership), Hartfiel has worked for most of the B2B publications in the Powersports arena. Prior to the trade side, he worked as a beat reporter for a local newspaper and was an editor of publications ranging from All About Beer to VW Trends.
Great article and excellent points Brandon! The most important one there is making sure your soldiers have the weapons they need and understand how to get beyond price. Can’t tell you how many times I have heard that a dealer is unable to sell accessorized units so they end up taking things off. It’s about building the value in the time saved. It’s about getting what the customer wants in one stop. It’s about making it exciting to buy.
Jeremy DeFelice, Powersports Management Professional Jiggs RDT Sarasota, FLselling. Cutting the price undermines the entire business!!!
Jason Upchurch, Outside Sales Professional 24 Years As Owner/GM Talladega Cycle Sales Talladega, ALGreat article Brandon. Keep up the good work. We all try to get the proper word out on how to do it right!
Sincerely,
Kevin R. Dunn, GM Capital Powersports Wake Forest, NC
PAINT?
Back of my head, I thought that a couple of weeks ago there was an article or newsletter that included a blurb on a company that did some paint work on vintage tanks and fenders. Was trying to find that, anyone know what the heck I’m talking about?
Mark J. Sheffield, Strategic Advisor Woods Cycle Country New Braunfels, TXGreat article! Brandon Prokupek’s “Backfire” commentary in the August issue hits the nail on the head! Hopefully more dealers will adhere to this type of
Nice Sunday evening read! Brandon Prokupek offers solutions and insight to many topics that come up at dealer meetings. Stay in the loop and read up on how successful dealers are navigating today’s industry.
Sid Humphreys, Regional Sales Manager ZiiDMS
As supply increases and demand weakens it’s important to know how to combat the “best price” objection. There’s always more to the story than just price.
People are looking for a place to call home and a place they feel comfortable. We should all learn how to handle this objection so we can best take care of our clients and have them coming back year after year. — Brandon Prokupek
The GEAR Section in April featured KBS coatings which offers fuel resistant sealant, color-matched paints and tanks specific clear coat:
issuu.com/dealernews/docs/issue_4_ april_cfc5c9f9477792/78
www.kbs-coatings.com/kbs-maxx.html
We also shared the work of BD Cycles who had done a Kawawaki-specific tank and fenders restoration on Facebook and some of our other social media channels:
Join
“Don’t miss this opportunity to partner with a brand that’s all about quality, innovation and family fun,” is what Torque founder (and a dealer himself) Kenni Smartt says. Now powered by a 14-horsepower 429cc Kohler engine, the TQ440 series comes in three levels of trim with MSRP starting as low as $4,365.
Learn more about this fun way to bolster the bottom line: www.torqueoff-road.com
Noting the price is right, “QJMotor has models that are right for the U.S. market and hit some key price points and model segments,” says Greg Blackwell, SSR’s new VP of Sales & Marketing. Already renowned for its pitbike offerings, SSR Motorsports has stepped up as the distributor for QJMotor products in the United States. After a soft launch at the 2023 AIMExpo, the product range has been finalized and the street models complement SSR’s range of motorcycles and UTVs.
Zhejiang Qianjiang Motorcycle Co., Ltd.— better known as QJMotor — is the parent company of Benelli Motorcycles. In fact, current Benelli customers can count on SSR for any necessary warranty work and replacement parts through SSR’s national dealer network. The initial QJ lineup features 11 models, from the SRF135 street mini to the SRT750X adventure bike.
“Dealers are signing up with SSR to sell QJ because we can supply dealer demand; we have the inventory ready to ship,” adds Blackwell. “We’ll also help the dealers promote QJ in their own market…QJ models look great and perform even better.”
Click here to become a dealer: www.ssrmotorsports.com/store/dealer_application.php
After solving some supply chain issues, Torque Off-Road is back on the road, literally; the Torque team is on the road delivering units to dealers in Connecticut and New Hampshire this week. With improved performance, generous dealer margins, freefreight and made-in-the-USA, there is little more to be said about the fast-moving fun machines.
Rupert Dance has sold Freedom Cycle, the dealership he founded in 1977 to Joel Wheeler from MOMS Motorcycle group. In those years Freedom has grown to become a full-service dealership serving central New Hampshire and boasting the largest indoor showroom in New England. After 45 years in business, Dance decided to leave his legacy to the MOMS dealership group to carry on the dealership’s mission of providing the highest degree of product knowledge of motorcycles and snowmobiles to its consumers.
“It is with much appreciation and gratitude that we helped Rupert Dance retire after 45 years of successful ownership at Freedom Cycle Center along with the help of my partner, Courtney Bernhard.” says George Chaconas. “When I first met Rupert and his partner Leslie, Rupert brought his dog Ruby whom he adored and had spent many years at the dealership by his side until her passing. Rupert knew he didn’t have a succession plan and I am grateful for the opportunity to guide Rupert in liquidating his largest asset and pass his legacy to Joel Wheeler and the team at MOMS. I wish the MOMS team success as they continue building their powersports portfolio in New England.”
MOMS, a leader in New England powersports, has been familyowned and operated since 1973. The MOMS family has expanded their business across New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Maine, currently operating 10 locations. “I want to personally thank George Chaconas and Courtney Bernhard of Performance Brokerage Services for introducing me and our team at MOMS to acquire Freedom Cycle,” says MOMS President, Joel Wheeler.
The dealership will remain at its current location at 110 Manchester Street in Concord, New Hampshire.
with the addition of “RIVA Space Coast” located in Titusville, Florida. This is RIVA’s 4th location in South Florida. This new location will allow RIVA to service the rapidly developing Space Coast and Central Florida motorsports markets.
To achieve this expansion, RIVA acquired Spaceport Cycles, a longtime Titusville-based Yamaha, Suzuki and KTM Dealer. In fact, the experienced staff of Spaceport Cycles has joined the RIVA Space Coast team under the leadership of general manager Shane Hildy.
“We are excited to expand our business into the Space Coast/ Central Florida market,” said Dave Bamdas, President of RIVA Motorsports. “We have plans to grow the PWC and marine side of this dealership while respecting the off-road legacy and community connection created by former Spaceport Cycles owner Conrad Eigenmann over the past 30 years.”
This acquisition marks a key step for the RIVA Motorsports Group as it grows its footprint within the industry while delivering a high level of service to the area. More information about RIVA’s newest location can be found at: www.rivaspacecoast.com
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After months of video teasers, the world finally got to see Triumph’s MX machine in action! The much anticipated 250cc motocross bike “dropped” into the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in California during the SuperMotocross World Championship Final on Saturday, September 23. The date for the full reveal of the new bike was announced as November 28, 2023 on giant screens around the stadium.
A pair of production-spec bikes rocketed down LA’s legendary Peristyle piloted by Jeff ‘Six Time’ Stanton — who won his last Championship at the Coliseum and is the current manager of Triumph’s Adventure Experience in the US — and the GOAT, Ricky Carmichael. “I’m so happy to finally show the fans what we’ve been working on for the past 4 years,” said Carmichael. “The bikes feels great, it looks great... and it’s fast! I’m really pleased with what we’ve delivered and I can’t wait until we can share the final details on November 28th.”
“The Coliseum is a special place for me, and to be back here on the Triumph is an absolute honor for me,” added Stanton. “The new graphics look like nothing else in the paddock and give the bike a really sharp and distinctive new look that I think the fans are going to love.”
home to the original “Superbowl Of Motocross”, Kawasaki brought back past champions from Brad Lackey all the way up to Ryan Villopoto for a special unveiling of the 2024 KX 450. “Over the last 50 years, the Kawasaki KX brand of motorcycles has helped pave the path to championships for some of the most popular motocross racers of all time,” Team Green told the assembled media.
Standing on the floor of the Coliseum looking up through the legendary peristyle jump was the perfect context... the OG Team Green box van bringing out the bike, complete with Jeff “Chicken” Matiasevich riding it out onto the track was over the top! “Today, the KX family remains one of the most dominant motocross and supercross brand of motorcycles available, with the all-new KX 450 once again raising the bar...”
To commemorate the celebration and success of 50 years of the KX brand, Kawasaki is pleased to announce the release of 50th Anniversary Edition motorcycles. Equipped with a limited retro-inspired KX shroud graphic, a Uni-Trak swingarm graphic, blue seat, silver wheels and white fork guards, the 2024 KX250 50th Anniversary Edition and the KX450 50th Anniversary Edition motorcycles will spark nostalgia and tug at the heartstrings of motocross enthusiasts across the globe.
NPA kicked off its Golf Cars 101 series of live educational webinars, specifically for the fringe market. Today’s online seminar covered how to get started bidding and buying golf cars at an NPA auction. “Auctions are an excellent way for dealers to manage inventory,” explains NPA Marketing Representative Mckenna Eiler. “Live and simulcast auctions quickly move down a lane from unit to unit. For newcomers, the auction action can be intimidating.”
“We’re excited to offer the first NPA Golf Car Auction 101 webinar to help dealers with auctioning,” adds VP of Marketing Ryan Keefe. These live webinars will take viewers through the auction buying process, from previewing inventory to bidding, winning, paying, and transporting their purchases. “NPA strives to make the auction experience fun for all. The easy-to-follow webinar should achieve that for first-timers and seasoned participants.”
Against the backdrop of the iconic Los Angeles Coliseum,
The next Golf Car Auction 101 webinars will be on October 18 and again on November 15. “Our available pre-owned golf car inventory has grown exponentially,” concludes NPA VP of Business Development Tony Altieri. “We want to make it easy for golf car dealers to do business with us. Having online sessions made sense to be able to reach everyone.”
For information about future October 18 and November 15 golf car auction webinars and topics, click here: www.npauctions.com/cp/golf-cars
Fans consider the Hans Muth-designed Katana a work of art… commemorating the uprated 2024 model is a collectible 24”x24” KATANA digital lithograph of renowned Japanese artist Makoto Endo’s illustration originally featured in Cycle World, plus two years of complimentary service at their
local dealer. U.S. buyers can reserve the Katana package via special order through the Suzuki dealer of their choice through October 20th, 2023. Availability is limited and reservations are accepted on a first come, first served basis.
“Like a bladesmith folding the steel to craft a samurai’s cherished sword, the KATANA reflects Suzuki’s ongoing commitment to fine engineering, precise craftsmanship, and a dedication to performance, so every KATANA detail delivers on these goals,” says Suzuki. For 2024, KATANA key new product updates include:
* The 999cc, GSX-R-based engine has more peak power than the 2020 KATANA, with strong torque in the low- to mid-range that is smoothly controlled by new, Ride-by-Wire electronic throttle bodies for a stimulating sportbike experience.
* The latest version of the Suzuki Clutch Assist System (SCAS) smooths shifting and engine braking and gives the rider’s clutch hand a rest with the new Bi-directional Quick Shift system.
* The KATANA now features the Suzuki Intelligent Ride System (S.I.R.S.) that includes the three-mode Suzuki Drive Mode Selector and the updated, five-mode Advanced Traction Control System, plus the popular Easy Start and Low RPM Assist systems.
Suzuki launched a dedicated microsite to support the 2024 Katana: www.suzukicycles.com/katana
Deep in the heart of Texas, Massimo Motor Sports, LLC, has hired Dave McMahon as Chief Media Officer. McMahon brings extensive powersports industry experience to the newly created role and will aim to elevate the brand at the dealership level. “We are excited to have Dave on the Massimo team,” said Massimo founder and CEO David Shan. “He brings enthusiasm to a new role that will benefit all of our products and partners, including helping our brands attract quality dealers in all segments that we do business in. Of course, his knowledge of the powersports dealership landscape will go a long way in contributing to the growth with our dealership partners.” McMahon served as Content Director for 11 years at Powersports Business, he also was editor of Outdoor Power Equipment Business magazine. Most recently, McMahon was Channel Marketing Manager at Volcon ePowersports, where he served as a liaison between the company and its dealer partners. “If you can’t get excited while walking through Massimo’s nearly 300,000 square-foot assembly facility in Texas, you need to have your pulse checked,” McMahon said. “First, you want to hop aboard one of the dozens of UTVs that are lined up in the shipping bay, heading to a dealer or retail partner. The innovation and diversity of the product lineup here at Massimo is one-of-a-kind and gives our growing list of partners a competitive advantage. There’s plenty for dealers to like about the brand’s floorplan and retail financing options as well.” At Massimo, McMahon will use his industry expertise to contribute to the growth of the Massimo portfolio of brands and products, including Massimo Motor, Massimo Marine and Massimo Electric.
USMC and powersports industry veteran Ginger Calhoun has enlisted with the Motorcycle Industry Council . Effective immediately, Calhoun is serving as MIC’s membership manager , tasked with developing and delivering more member benefits. General Orders call for her to continue to add more companies and dealerships to the association’s roster. “Ginger brings years of experience working in our industry which will enable her to quickly add value to our membership,” explains Cinnamon Kernes , VP of market expansion & events. “She is also a genuine enthusiast and her knowledge extends to a first-hand understanding of our customer base .” “Having filled different roles in the industry as a rider, a business owner and a teacher, I fully appreciate the community that our industry has developed,” Calhoun adds. “I strongly believe that the work the MIC does is vital to the health of the industry and to being a resource our members find beneficial. I’m looking forward to helping strengthen MIC’s membership growth initiatives and continuing to provide our members with the support that they have come to count on.” Calhoun comes to the MIC from LS2 Helmets U.S. , where she provided support to more than 20 outside and inside sales reps and their dealers , as well as acting as an internal hub to facilitate interdepartmental continuity. She also has served as vice president and co-owner of SpeedMob, Inc. , the director of operations for Geared Up Powersports LLC and the product information manager for LeoVince USA . A United States Marine Corps vetera n, Calhoun once instructed at the She’z Moto Cam p, a three-day, all-female dirt training event.
Speaking of MIC adding to the ranks, Deanne Metz has joined the MIC Events Department as event operations manager. Metz will work as part of the AIMExpo staff. Her extensive experience in event operations include working to support the SEMA sales team. And while at Freeman Expositions she served as the electrical production coordinator, supporting electrical needs at convention centers from Los Angeles to San Diego. “Deanne has a love for the motorcycle industry after working as the marketing coordinator at Orange County Harley-Davidson for three years,” says Cinnamon Kernes. “She is excited to start contributing to the AIMExpo team and is grateful to work in an industry she is passionate about.”
With the goal being to ““Provide quality powersports products at an affordable price with premier customer service,” SSR Motorsports announced that Greg Blackwell has been hired as the company’s new VP of sales & marketing. Blackwell has 30+ years of experience in the powersports industry, including positions with Hisun Motors, KTM North America, LeMans Corp./Parts Unlimited and Metzeler Motorcycle Tire North America . “Greg brings exceptional knowledge and powersports experience to this important leadership role based on his strong dealer and interpersonal relationships, and the fact that he is, at his core, a true powersports enthusiast,” explains SSR founder William Li. “With his experience, he’ll hit the ground
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running and have an immediate impact.” In this new role, Blackwell will be responsible for leading the national team of district sales managers and marketing staff. Support of the current dealer network will be complemented with new dealer appointments in open markets. SSR values its partnerships with its national dealer network and Blackwell has invested countless hours and miles, visiting dealers in nearly all 50 states. Li believes Blackwell’s passion for nurturing mutually beneficial relationships with the dealer network is key to supporting the growth of SSR dealers and the company’s family of consumers.
Group as Associate Publisher of Hot Rod, Publisher of Hot Rod Deluxe and Senior Account Executive for a multitude of magazine titles. Before that he was with Buckaroo Communications as an Account Executive on Street Rod Builder, Super Rod, Truck Builder and 4x4 Builder. But don’t let his automotive expertise throw you, he started with Rider Magazine back in the day, riding his street-legal XR600 to work. “Editor Mark Tuttle gave me my first street bike helmet when I got the gig,” says Cox. These days he has upgraded to a new KTM and looks forward to pushing into the UTV space, hence Wilwood’s stop at the Sand Sports Show.
congressional campaigns in his home state of North Carolina before moving to Washington D.C., where he served in the congressional offices of Representative Mark Walker from North Carolina and Representative Warren Davidson from Ohio. Most recently, Farmer served as the Director of Congressional Affairs for the Council for Opportunity in Education, a non-profit organization that advocates for first-generation, low-income college students. “This is an exciting opportunity to advocate for the interests of the AMA in Washington, D.C.,” Farmer said, “and ensure motorcyclists have a prominent presence in policy-making discussion.”
Wilwood was stopping traffic at the recent Sand Sports Super Show with the addition of Brian Cox as their new Media Relations Manager. Cox joins the marketing/ advertising team with a focus on his long-standing relationships in off-road/racing/automotive media while forming new ones in this ever-changing landscape. “Wilwood has been the go-to braking option for so many editorial and project vehicles for decades now,” notes Cox. “In this new in-house role, I will do my best to ensure this remains true for many more years.” He will use his years of media experience to optimize media ad buys, ad campaign creative and more… a role he is uniquely qualified for given his history. With more than 25 years in the media and the aftermarket industry, Cox most recently served as the Marketing Manager at Vortech Superchargers in Oxnard, CA. His extensive experience includes stints at the Motor Trend
The American Motorcyclist Association bolstered its Government Relations Department with the additions of Washington Representative Zach Farmer and Central States Representative Nick Sands. “The addition of Zach and Nick is a huge step in our drive to adjust our government relations strategies in order to more effectively protect our members,” Government Relations Director Nick Haris said. “Both of them bring firsthand legislative experience, as well as a love for motorcycles, that will only further the vision of our department and ensure the rights of motorcyclists are protected at all levels of government.”
A lifelong rider, Farmer brings extensive government experience — alongside his love for motorcycles — to the AMA. After his graduation from High Point University, Farmer worked on statewide and
Sands, a native of Warsaw, Indiana, completed his undergraduate degree in political science at Earlham College in 2019 before moving to Colorado to begin his career in politics. While in Colorado, Sands started out as a legislative aide at the Colorado General Assembly for then-Representative Hugh McKean Working at the Colorado House Minority office since 2021, Sands was elevated to Chief of Staff ahead of the 2023 legislative session. As AMA’s Central States Representative, Sands will primarily focus on protecting the rights of motorcyclists across the Central United States at the regional and state level. Like Farmer, Sands is also a motorcycle enthusiast and enjoys riding in his free time. “As a rider from Indiana and current resident of Colorado, I understand the prominence of motorcycling (both on and off-road) within the Central United States,” Sands said. “With that in mind, I look forward to fighting for the rights of motorcyclists between the coasts at regional and state levels.”
How do you make a small fortune in the motorcycle business? Start with a large one! Bad jokes aside, you would think of all people, a CPA would understand being a dealer is a hard way to make an easy living. Sure, there are fringe benefits like riding the latest and greatest toys in the world… but the newest member of the National Powersports Dealer Association Board of Directors didn’t grow up racing motocross or riding to Sturgis every summer (see NPDA sidebar). Donald Meyers, Jr. has had a wild ride to reach the cover of Dealernews this month.
Although he has been an established Dealer for the better part of two decades, Meyers took a circuitous route to powersports success. A self-admitted late bloomer, he didn’t even start riding until after he was already onboard with a dealership. “My first bike was purchased in 1990 — a Kawasaki 750 Ltd. — that I rode solo periodically,” he admits. “I really was not part of the riding community until I joined Harley-Davidson of Baltimore.” So how do you go from being a casual rider with a real career to running a passion-driven dealership?
Blame it on Jim Foster!
“I was employed in public accounting in 1979 and became a CPA in 1983. Joined a CPA firm as a partner in July 2005 and worked at growing our CPA practice… pretty straight forward career path,” according to Meyers. “In 1987 I met James ‘Jim’ Foster, Jr. who was referred to me to review his offer to purchase Harley-Davidson of Baltimore. Ultimately Jim purchased the dealership, and I became his accountant.
“I worked professionally with Jim to grow the business and ultimately relocate the dealership from Baltimore City to
more suitable location in Baltimore County, Maryland. Jim was looking ahead to a succession plan and somewhere during a lunch conversation he announced he had an idea…”why don’t you buy this business?” We discussed the possibility for a while and Jim provided a LOT of insight as to the management demands of the day-to-day business.
“On July 1, 2005, I joined Harley-Davidson of Baltimore as the General Manger with the intention of purchasing the dealership over a period of years. The recession that followed put our buyout plans on hold until we could right-size the business to match the economy. Finally in 2012, Jim and I rearranged the buyout plan whereby I became the Dealer Principal and 100% owner.”
Never having been on the sales floor or worked behind the counter would seem to be counterintuitive to being a successful Dealer Principal. Perhaps it is his financial mindset and outside the industry perspective that helped Meyers see the business in a different light… or maybe he just found his calling in life a little bit later (like getting his first motorcycle)? Regardless of the twists and point of view, the dealership has expanded to include three brands and 30 employees spread over the Royal Enfield/LiveWire/Harley store.
“We currently have 30 employees who serve all three of the brands we represent. Staff are cross-trained to sell and support each brand,” The operative term here is “support.” As a leader you have to be a good listener and a better team builder, according to Meyers.
“My desired leadership style is to work with honest people, build consensus on issues, empower those people, stay out of their way and move forward together to accomplish a goal. For this to work, I have tried to focus on being a better listener. To first seek to understand, before trying to be understood. I focus on the John Maxwell maxim that “leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.”
Did somebody say “influencer?” Meyers was an early adapter of social media. This dealership was early online and early to embrace the pre-owned market circa 2010! “We have expanded our ‘previously enjoyed’ motorcycle inventory in the last year,” Meyers told a trade publication 14 years ago. “And have enjoyed a significant rise in ‘previously enjoyed’ motorcycle sales and financing opportunities.”
“Communication is a big thing right now,” Meyers said at the time. “The world is changing very rapidly, and we must work every day to keep up with those changes. You need to be constantly reaching out to your customers.” The more things change, the more they stay the same. HarleyDavidson of Baltimore stays in constant contact with its customers through social networking sites. They had almost 2,000 friends on their MySpace page and almost 1,000 fans on their Facebook page. So MySpace didn’t exactly pan out, but Harley-Davidson of Baltimore now has more than 23,000 Facebook followers!
You would think that a CPA’s definition of success would be the bottom line? Not so with Meyers. Instead he has a formula of three simple items that add up to his definition of a successful business. “Success is in the eye of the beholder. My dream was to control my own destiny and create an environment where our team can enjoy their job, help customers, enjoy the product, and build long-term relationships.
“I believe to make this happen each of us need to order our personal priorities in the proper order to succeed. We tell everyone who comes to work here that the first 3 priorities should be aligned as follows:
1) God comes first
2) Your Family comes second
3) Your Health comes third
After these three we all have varying priorities depending on our personal circumstances,” concludes Meyers. “This seems to work for our team and we have to support those first three priorities in the decisions we make in operating our dealership.”
Now that is a bottom line that adds up!
The September addition of Donald Meyers Jr.to the National Powersports Dealer Association Board of Directors was unanimous — and strategic — as the growing organization has nearly reached the 400-dealer mark and is targeting 500 members by AIMExpo 2024. Since its founding in May 2021, the NPDA has quickly added new Powersports Dealer members, including Harley-Davidson and metric dealers and independent (non-franchised) shops. The Board of Directors of 12 men and three women are dealers from Alaska to Virginia, Ohio to Texas.
“My expectation of this role on the Board is to be on the forefront of issues that may affect Dealerships,” Meyers explains. “The varied backgrounds of board members is a valuable asset and can provide the membership a return on their dues investment. Thus, I believe the primary goal is to make the association a relevant force to all Dealers.”
This certainly isn’t his first association rodeo: Meyers has been involved in Dealer leadership for nearly two decades, and his store currently includes Harley-Davidson of Baltimore, Royal Enfield of Baltimore and Livewire of Rosedale (NPDA bylaws require Board members be a Dealer Principal). He is Past President of the Maryland Motorcycle Dealer Association, and has also served as a member of the NPDA’s HarleyDavidson Dealer Council since 2022.
Please explain why you want to serve on the NPDA Board and what you would like to accomplish:
I have participated with the NPDA H-D Council for more than a year and I have learned a lot about current dealer challenges. Based on our discussions, I have learned that our challenges will only change when we get more involved at the state level while fostering direct communication with OEMs as well. I have worked as the President of the Maryland Motorcycle Dealer Association, which has now been absorbed into the Maryland Auto Dealer Association, and feel I could bring more of the dealer issues to the state level in Maryland.
Please provide a brief biography and your experience in dealership work:
I have worked at H-D of Baltimore since July 1, 2005, first as
the General Manager and minority owner. December 12, 2012 I negotiated a purchase agreement for full ownership and took over as the Dealer Principal. The early years were spent learning the operations and managing through the 2008 recession. Post-recession focused on growing the business. As Dealer Principal I was elected to the H-D Dealer Advisory Council and served three years from 2016 thru 2018. I participated with the Eastern H-D Dealer Association and have served the Maryland Motorcycle Dealer Association (MMDA) as President.
Please provide some insight into your leadership style and your participation on other boards:
My participation on other boards, present and past are as follows:
Currently, Board of Directors for Carroll Lutheran Village President of Maryland Motorcycle Dealer Association
Past Member of the Boumi Shriners Board of Trustees
Past Member of the Maryland Masonic Home Board of Trustees
Past President and Council member of Grace Lutheran Church
Various other roles over the years that would only serve my ego if presented here.
Explain your understanding of why NPDA exists and its mission and vision:
My understanding of NPDA is to promote our industry and assist the members in providing the best possible products and services to our customers with a healthy and viable financial foundation. To promote honesty and respect with our customers and brand representatives. To create an environment that allows us to identify, discuss and resolve challenges that may diminish the future of the powersports industry.
Please explain your participation within NPDA’s programs and services:
I have been involved with the H-D Dealer Council of NPDA and have participated in the most recent AIMExpo held in Las Vegas in February 2023.
Describe the qualities and strengths (knowledge and skills) you would bring to the NPDA Board:
My contributions to the board will be largely derived from my experience managing my dealership, participation with the H-D Dealer Advisory Council, participation with the Eastern Harley-Davidson Dealer Association, participation with the Maryland Motorcycle Dealer Association, and my current work with the Maryland Auto Dealer Association and their Lobbyist/Director. My goal is to provide meaningful work on behalf of the members that will improve their business. In particular their relationship with the OEM and their state/ local governments.
Please describe your understanding of the role of the NPDA Board of Directors:
My expectation of this role is to be on the forefront of issues that may effect dealerships. To assist in identifying the issue, research and understand the issue, and ultimately define a path to resolve the issue. The varied backgrounds of board members is a valuable asset and can provide the membership a return on their dues investment. Thus, I believe the primary goal is to make the association a relevant force to all dealers.
I think Don is a fantastic addition to our group. He’s a great operator and has been helping out and interjecting his thoughts since he first heard of us. — Gail Worth, Gail’s Powersports
Don is a fully engaged dealer… and a great addition. — David Pearson
Iwas in a 20 group with Don for many years, and he took my seat on the HD Dealer Advisory Council. Don is also a member of the Eastern HD Dealer Association and on our NPDA HD Dealer Council, which he is very active. We have had the opportunity to work together and been great friends for many years. He is level headed, numbers oriented (he was a CPA), extremely intelligent, and has very high moral and ethical standards. Most of all he cares about the industry as a whole. —
George Gatto, President Three Rivers Harley-DavidsonDon would be a great addition to any great team. I’m so happy he has offered this time and talent to NPDA. I wholeheartedly support him. — Bob
Davidson Althoff,NPDA Chair/Farrow Harley-
Back in August, Honda announced big news in their miniMOTO range. Not really a surprise, the Monkey and the Super Cub made the cut. Dealer deliveries of the 2024 Super Cub are set for October, in fact. From new riders to retro fans the iconic Monkey and Super Cub continue to appeal to a wide variety of customers. Honda is a pioneer and leader in this category, and the brand’s collection of approachable and fun pint-sized two-wheelers has never been stronger.
Super Cub production has continued unabated since its introduction in 1958. In fact, by 2017 total production had surpassed a stratospheric 100 million units (compared to ~21 million VW Beetles). That gives the Super Cub the title of being the highest volume motorized vehicle ever produced in history! Placed head-to-tail, that’s enough Super Cubs to circle the globe nearly five times or reach halfway to the moon!
The best-selling Super Cub continues to offer convenient and efficient performance for around-town riding. Both models draw on Honda’s rich two-wheel heritage while benefiting from the modern advancements that allow for an enjoyable, safe and comfortable ride.
Holding the crown of the most popular motor vehicle of all time, with over 100 million units sold worldwide since its introduction in 1958, the Super Cub offers an unparalleled
combination of practical simplicity and retro styling. A stepthrough chassis, clutch-free four-speed transmission and lightweight design inspire confidence, while the 124cc fourstroke engine delivers impressive fuel efficiency and plenty of power for zipping around town. Plus, convenient features like front-wheel ABS, fuel injection and an electric starter contribute to the Super Cub’s iconic status.
ENGINE TYPE — 124cc air-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke BORE AND STROKE — 50.0mm x 63.1mm
COMPRESSION RATIO — 10:1
VALVE TRAIN — SOHC; two valves per cylinder
INDUCTION — PGM-FI; 24mm throttle body
TRANSMISSION — Four-speed semi-automatic
FINAL DRIVE — #420 Chain; 14T/ 35T
FRONT SUSPENSION — 26mm telescopic fork; 3.9-inch travel
REAR SUSPENSION — Twin shock; 3.6-inch travel
FRONT BRAKE — ABS Single 220mm hydraulic disc
REAR BRAKE — Single 110mm hydraulic disc
FRONT TIRE — 70/90-17
REAR TIRE — 80/90-17
WHEELBASE — 48.9 inches
SEAT HEIGHT — 30.7 inches
CURB WEIGHT —238 pounds (Includes all standard equipment, required fluids and full tank of fuel)
FUEL CAPACITY —1.0 gallon
MSRP — $3,899
Color: Pearl Gray
Available: October 26
When Honda first introduced the Cub, it changed the way the whole world looked at motorcycles... and along the way it became the best-selling motor vehicle on the planet. According to the 1959-1988 Honda Motorcycle Guide, the fledgling American Honda Motor Co. (AHMC) recorded its first sale in August 1959. By the end of the first fiscal year, they had reported sales of 1,732 units from a network of 15 dealers.
Then they expanded the dealer network to more than 400 by 1961. Two years later AHMC annual imports topped 150,000 units! With their dominance in the Japanese domestic market (65%) and newly found success in America, they began billing themselves as the “World’s Largest Motorcycle Manufacturer.” Globally Cub sales continued unabated from then on… except in the U.S.
Super Cub exited the US market space in 1983 and went on hiatus until 2018. Interest exploded when the return of the C125 was announced. There is even an EV Cub on the books — Honda presented their concept EV Cub at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show (although recent EV headlines have been grabbed by Honda’s “Compacto” eBike in a box commuter).
One thing hasn’t changed: for getting from place to place, a Cub makes as much sense now as when it first rocked the world. It’s simple, reliable and economical — plus it’s a ton of fun! It’s light and easy to handle, and the step-through chassis is a big plus in traffic. The four-speed semi-automatic transmission means there’s no clutch to worry about, and features like front-wheel ABS and electric starting keep it thoroughly up to date.
Gas prices? When you’re riding a Cub, you’ll laugh at the $7 a gallon costs in California. The Cub was a great choice when we first introduced it, and it’s an even better choice today.
With authentic retro styling and a smile-inducing character, Honda’s Monkey is back with a new Pearl Black color for 2024 (plus the popular Pearl Nebula Red from last year). Originally introduced in the early 1960s for a Honda-owned Japanese amusement park called Tama Tech, Honda’s Monkey remains true to its roots, with a fun-yet-practical character.
Its authentic retro styling is contrasted by state-of-the-art performance, thanks to features like programmed fuel injection, ABS brakes, plush suspension and a capable 124cc engine. Designed to maximize smiles per gallon, the Monkey’s small stature, lightweight and practical performance combine to deliver an approachable, enjoyable riding experience for a wide variety of riders.
The Monkey uses the same engine as the 2024 Grom. New for the Monkey is upside down forks, shades of the CBR sportbikes! It also gets the upgraded ABS brakes: “The Monkey ABS gives you an Anti-Lock-Braking System designed to help with controlled stops in less-than-ideal conditions. Whether it’s on wet pavement that’s slipperier than a banana peel, or compromised road surfaces, the Monkey ABS helps you ride with confidence,” claims the brochure.
Nobody can match our reputation for engines, and even though the Monkey may be compact, it’s a giant in terms of performance and reliability.
ENGINE TYPE — 124cc air-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke BORE AND STROKE — 50.0mm x 63.1mm
COMPRESSION RATIO —10:1
VALVE TRAIN — SOHC; two valves per cylinder
INDUCTION — Programmed fuel injection (PGM-FI); 24mm throttle body
TRANSMISSION — Five-speed
FINAL DRIVE — #420 Chain; 14T/ 37T
FRONT SUSPENSION — 31mm inverted fork; 4.3-inch travel
REAR SUSPENSION — Twin shock; 4.0-inch travel
FRONT BRAKE — ABS, Single 220mm hydraulic disc
REAR BRAKE — Single 190mm hydraulic disc
FRONT TIRE — 120/80-12
REAR TIRE — 130/80-12
WHEELBASE — 45.0 inches
SEAT HEIGHT — 30.5 inches
CURB WEIGHT — 231 pounds (Includes all standard equipment, required fluids and full tank of fuel)
FUEL CAPACITY — 1.5 gallons (including 0.5-gallon reserve)
MSRP — $4,299
Colors: Pearl Nebula Red; Pearl Black
Available: Now
Is the new Honda Super Cub better than the Grom, Monkey and Dax? Some do consider the Super Cub 125 as a scooter, due to its semi-automatic transmission but it’s not a fully automatic setup, so you still have to change gears but without a clutch so it’s one of the easiest motorcycles to ride that’s for sale at dealerships today! This 125cc motorcycle, is one of many new mini bikes that Honda has released over the last few years with a retro / vintage style as a throwback to some of their earlier motorcycles with the Trail 110 (CT110), Trail 90 (CT90) etc. With Honda also paying homage to some of their other earlier bikes, thanks to the new Honda Monkey 125, Super Cub 125 and Dax 125. The semi automatic transmission definitely helps to make it one of the easiest motorcycles to ride and that’s why a lot of beginner riders, training motorcycle courses like MSF etc love these mini bikes. Plus another upside is if you love to modify your bikes, the accessories and modifications for the Trail 125 / CT125 are on another level! ~ HondaPro
Kevin
The Monkey and Super Cub have rich histories that instantly touched off deep feelings of nostalgia for riders who were around in the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. The new versions remained true to the styling and design of the originals while featuring plenty of modern comforts, from LED lighting and LCD instrumentation to better brakes, suspension, and transmissions. The Super Cub is more of an elevated scooter design that we found easy to ride and fantastic for surface street commutes during our first encounter back in 2019. ~
Byron Wilson MotorcyclistRiding the world’s friendliest motorcycle! The Super Cub reminds me of the simpler times just cruising, not pushing the bike for peak performance or overthinking things—and I love it. It’s the fun, timeless experience that we all remember from getting started and now it’s just as affordable and approachable as ever. Honda has done a great job of modernizing this legendary little bike. Hopefully more riders of all levels will be compelled to throw a leg over, or rather, through, the Super Cub.
~
Much like the other Minimoto bikes in the Honda Lineup, the Super Cub makes excellent use of all 9.7 hp from the 123.9 cc air-cooled, single-cylinder engine, and a slick 4-speed semi-automatic transmission. You shift gears on a Super Cub with a normal motorcycle up/down toe action, but there is no clutch to worry about. A huge part of the Super Cubs appeal is the classic step thru styling, low comfy seat, and large 17” wheels. Now the stylish classic looks hide so many secrets, for example, the smart-key ignition, or electronic seat release. Others are a bit more obvious like the LED lighting, or digital instrument cluster. What isn’t a secret is just how beloved the Honda Super Cub is around the world. ~ Jared Northcott, Web Bike World
Attempting to escape Libyan terrorists, Marty McFly hit 88 mph in Doc Brown’s DeLorean time machine and vanished in a flash of light! Another flash and the DeLorean was plowing through a cornfield crashing to a stop in a barn. Marty found himself still in Hill Valley, but it was Hill Valley in 1955!
Around the same time in nearby Los Angeles, retailers were being visited by men driving white pickup trucks with toy motorcycles tucked in the back. These retailers included places like sporting goods stores, hardware stores, hobby shops and lawn mower repair stores. What about motorcycle dealers? The motorcycles that dominated the late 50’s were typically larger displacement brands like Harley-Davidson, Indian, Triumph, BSA and Norton. And their riders were often stereotyped as delinquents, rabble rousers and outlaws. So, these boxy toy motorcycles had very little appeal for that audience.
But the men were persistent with the others, often leaving behind a demo or two for a follow-up visit a few weeks later. Initially, Honda provided their fledgling dealers with inventory on a consignment basis. The idea was to encourage signups by minimizing the risk of taking on an unknown product with an unknown customer base.
Like Johnny Appleseed, the men sprinkled their toy motorcycles around L.A. hoping that they would take seed with a less jaundiced audience. The sprinkles included models like Super Cub, Benly and Dream (Oh My!). Led by a determined Kiachiro Kawashima (who would later become the President of the American Honda Motor Co.), the sprinkles began to take root. However, engine failures with the Benly and Dream models and parts shortages left only the little Super Cub to lead the charge!
At first, Kawashima considered the Super Cub to be unsuited to the American market with its meager 50cc engine and non-traditional appearance (he called it a sidekick to the bigger models). But that perception of weakness became a strength as a new youthful audience found its unintimidating looks, low cost and light weight as a fun way to get around town. Adding to its appeal, the Super Cub also featured a clutchless three-speed transmission with
an easy-to-use foot shifter. The Super Cub (or C100) soon became the vanguard to a nascent market segment.
According to the 1959-1988 Honda Motorcycle Guide, the adolescent American Honda Motor Co. (AHMC) recorded its first sale in August 1959. By the end of the first fiscal year, they had reported sales of 1,732 units from a network of 15 dealers that represented an overall loss of $54,000. Unfortunately, the sprinkles that were taking root lacked the “Jack and the Beanstalk” performance they were hoping for. Again, according to the AHMC Motorcycle Guide:
“The company faced numerous problems: overcoming a parts order backlog by developing a parts-picking system. Handling cash flow problems because of the consignment payment plan. Struggling to expand the dealer network. Fighting the inferior quality stigma that ‘Made in Japan’ held at that time. Redesigning motorcycles made for Japan’s slower, winding roads to handle America’s higher speeds. Selling fuel economy in a nation that cared little for the concept. Coping with high staff turnover.”
Persevering with their vision for America, they expanded the dealer network to over 400 by 1961. Two years later AHMC annual imports topped 150,000! With their dominance in the Japanese domestic market (65%) and newly found success in America, they began billing themselves as the “World’s Largest Motorcycle Manufacturer”. Fortune seemed to be smiling on AHMC!
But something was still missing.
In 1963 Mike Curb, an undergraduate at Cal State Northridge (later becoming the 42nd Lieutenant Governor of California) had created a marketing concept for a class assignment. The concept caught the attention of the creative director of Grey Advertising, Robert Emmenegger. The concept? “You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda”!
If you think that Mike Curb was short-sheeted credit by a big advertising company, consider this. In addition to his political career, he also founded the Curb record label at 18 which would later go on to launch the careers of many of the top West Coast artists of the time. Also, as a prolific song writer and producer, Curb was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in Tennessee in 2014. So, who cares about a little tag line and jingle?
Well, that tag line and jingle lasted for 12 years and helped establish Honda as a household name! But back to the Super Cub.
Super Cub production has continued unabated since its introduction in 1958. In fact, by 2017 total production had surpassed a stratospheric 100 million units (compared to ~21 million VW Beetles). That gives the Super Cub the title of being the highest volume motorized vehicle ever produced in history! Placed head-to-tail, that’s enough Super Cubs to circle the globe nearly five times or reach halfway to the moon!
Not all Super Cubs were manufactured in Japan as shown in the sidebar of the graph on page 30 (countries no longer in production are grayed out). It’s likely not a coincidence that the hockey stick ramps up dramatically when manufacturing began in China in 2002.
In the U.S., the Super Cub label identifies with three engine displacement groups as shown in the table on the right. Rounding to the nearest 10cc they were referred to as 50’s, 70’s and 90’s. After 1973, there was a six-year hiatus of Super Cub models before the Passport emerged in 1980 for its four-year run. The absence of a Super Cub model during this period is a bit puzzling since its cousin, the CT90 Trail 90 (sharing the same underbone frame design as the Passport) continued to be produced. In non-U.S. markets the Super Cub was also available with engine displacements of 65, 86,100 & 110cc’s.
From his first motorcycles (a Honda S65 and an S90) when he was 16 to 50 years later, Don Musick has never stopped twisting the throttle. Although his accomplishments in the research arena have surpassed his MX career Don has over 25 years experience with major manufacturers in the Powersports and Automotive industries specializing in e-business solutions for retail distribution networks. His solution portfolio includes the development and implementation of manufacturer/dealer extranets, consumer-direct commerce portals, manufacturer/dealer e-channel integrations as well as development of web-based sales force automation tools. For most of his career, Don has been fascinated (his wife would say obsessed) with geographic market analytics, dealer location planning and sales territory optimization. He founded Genesys Technology Solutions (GenesysTech) http://www.genesystech.com/ to develop new tools and market intelligence products to help manufacturers understand the competitive landscape of their industries, recognize opportunities and grow their businesses. A Spartan to the core, Don earned a B.S. in Physiology and PhD in Biochemistry from Michigan State University. Contact: dmusick@genesystech.com
Depression or recession? Crash or market correction? New normal or return to traditional seasonality? No question the financial turmoil is confusing our customers and confounding our industry experts! However, the good news is that powersport values continued to hold steady, with most segments still depreciating mildly and tracking ahead of 2021.
Compare that to an adjacent market like RVs — Thor Industries’ (not to be confused with the moto gear guys at THOR) fiscal year EPS fell 32%! According to the headlines, Thor Industries’ profits tumbled 67.9% on a 28.4% revenue decline in the fiscal fourth quarter ended July 31 (but both came in above analyst targets). The RV maker predicted sales will decline about 3% in the current fiscal year, following a 31.8% slide this past fiscal year.
In the motorcycle segment, values for the most recent 10 model years of cruisers averaged 4.5% lower in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period of 2022,
and continue to correct back towards pre-pandemic trend. Compared to RV’s losing their way, this is a minor course correction!
Sportbikes also averaged 2.4% lower in the current period than year-prior. Crotch rockets continue to hold their value nicely going into the second half of the year. Although we are seeing some signs of stagnation in Q3, single digit slowing could be attributed to the traditional seasonality cycle.
In the side-by-side segment, the Utility and Sport subsegments have performed differently in recent periods. Utilities are showing 5.7% lower values compared to the same period of 2022, while Sport side-by-sides are only 2.4% lower.
Looking forward, economic headwinds continue to increase, but analysts have been saying that for a year now, and the market remains elevated. We’ll continue to watch employment figures and consumer debt metrics while monitoring auction sales for notable movements.
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.
While the seasonal trends continue to place downward pressure on Average Wholesale Pricing (AWP), signs of stabilization in the market have begun to manifest. Sell-through rates, or conversion, of auction units have improved over the last 60 days. This is also apparent when reconciling the differences in short-term and yearover-year (YoY) pricing fluctuations. While we’ve been referencing the softer YoY comparable from the fall and winter of last year, the 90-day trends are also beginning to stabilize and trend in a more positive direction.
While most segments performed negatively versus the prior three months, the differences in the larger volume segments have become more muted. Most on-highway segments shifted 1-3%, with the only outlier being Metric Cruisers. Generally, this category trends older in model year compared to the other on-highway segments, making it more susceptible to seasonality. While Domestic Cruiser AWP dipped slightly in August versus the last 90 days, AWP did come in above July prices. Off-highway categories experienced mixed results, largely influenced by the levels of new inventory available in each segment. More seasonally influenced categories like Snowmobile and PWC performed as one would expect.
As we leave summer and head into fall, we expect pricing to continue to “bump along,” shifting 1-3% in either direction month-to-month. Additionally, the fall and winter pricing we saw in 2022 should help current AWP performance versus longer-term trends. Expect new inventory levels to continue to influence dealer demand for pre-owned. While manufacturers continue to have “spotty” availability in high-demand models, some categories are seeing new unit inventories begin to age. The best thing proactive dealers can do is to sell inventory as quickly as possible in the current market. Short-term losses on retail and wholesale transactions to increase inventory turnover velocity will pay massive dividends as we approach the end of the year.
Start offering the Synchrony Outdoors Credit Card for powersports purchases like service, parts, gear and other accessories to help your business achieve:
Increased traffic: Attract customers with another payment option.
Higher tickets: Customers can easily upgrade their powersports accessories.
Repeat sales: Welcome cardholders back to shop with their dedicated line of credit.
Plus, all cardholders have access to 6 months promotional financing on purchases of $199 or more. * You can also offer longer promotional financing terms for bigger purchases, during sales or simply to drive more traffic.
To enroll, scan the QR code to visit syfenroll.com and enter the code Outdoors23 or call (866) 209-4457 and select option 3.
More for U.S.? Seattle-based Rad Power Bikes reported it will close its EU operations in 2023 to focus on the North American market. The company had been selling its bikes in Europe since 2018.
In a letter posted on the Rad Power Bikes European website, CEO Phil Molyneux wrote, “Over the past several months, we have conducted an in-depth evaluation of our business globally to ensure that we are on a successful path. After an extensive review of potential scenarios, it has become apparent that in order to sustain our competitive edge and achieve long-term success, we must close our operations in Europe and focus our resources and efforts on growing our North American operations.”
North American operations can be viewed here: www.radpowerbikes.com
Speaking of exotic offerings, dealer inquiries are welcome for the self-stabilizing eTrike from XOTO (pronounced ex-otto). Featuring front wheel, this scooter comes at mobility from an entirely different angle of attack. “It is a totally different riding experience,” claims creator Tim Huntzinger. “The mechanism gives stability in a turn even at lower speed. This means you can lean at the full range no matter what your skill level.”
Pointing out the patented self-stabilizing mechanism delivers astonishing control, maneuverability, stability and safety while preserving all the fun of leaning into the curves of the road. “Riding XOTO feels different. It’s safer than a motorcycle and easier to ride, so it removes the barriers that hold a lot of people back. It’s easier to carry a passenger or cargo than an e-bike so it should be more useful for most people. In many states, you don’t even need a motorcycle license to ride it.”
XOTO will begin building their dealer network immediately. This effort will be led by industry veteran and technology advocate Mike Shell. “Our aim is to revolutionize the way people move by offering cutting-edge electric motorcycles that combine style, sustainability, through the power of electric propulsion,” says Shell. “As the savvy customers look for better ways to navigate their cities and reduce their commuting costs, we expect to reduce the number of automobiles in urban centers… and we are looking for dealers nimble and innovative enough to replace the auto infrastrure.”
XOTO’s new 3-wheel electric scooter features:
•A top speed of 45 MPH with a 3000W brushless hub motor
•Front wheel drive that delivers better control and stability on the road
•An advanced modular lithium-ion battery that carries you up to 45 miles on a single charge
•An optional second battery that can be swapped out in a moment to extend your range
•A spacious and ergonomic seating position that can support up to 350 lbs.
•LED headlight / taillight, USB port and storage rack
•Optional: geo-tracking, geo-fencing, Bluetooth sound system
XOTO’s 3-wheel electric scooter is available for qualified dealerships and fleet orders now, with MSRP starting at $7499, Deliveries to CA, AZ, UT, and NV started last month. Click here for more: www.xotoinc.com/about-us
Davis shares Stag production updates, touches on the arrival of some exciting Stag accessories and trim packages and teases the upcoming launch of the Stag LTD (Limited Edition). If you didn’t make it to the Sand Sports Super Show in Costa Mesa, California, September 15th - 17th, Davis says the four levels of trim offer something for everyone.
“From the Utility focused Stag GL to the high performance XR, there is a Stag for everyone,” he says. “We are proud to now offer a wider range of selections to meet a broader set of interests and applications.” There is also a corresponding range of horsepower with the GL speed limited to 55 mph with 110 horsepower on tap. The GL+ is punched up to 125 hp and 80 mph; the LTD is bumped up to 140 hp and the XR is a whopping 185 hp.
“Over the past couple of weeks we have been talking about the
Volcon’s sales team is currently connecting with dealers and distributors to place pre-orders, while simultaneously modifying convertible notes. “The overwhelming majority of dealers are committed to selling Volcon products and are excited that the Stag is finally coming to market,” says CEO Jordan Davis. The Company is also working with a finance company to obtain a facility that will allow Volcon to place Stags with dealers for small cash outlays allowing the company to generate cash to reinvest in additional dealer placements. This facility will allow dealers to finance their Stag purchases.
On September 14, 2023, Volcon announced it was modifying the terms of its convertible notes and implementing cost reduction strategies to provide the company greater flexibility. The note amendment with its convertible noteholders pursuant to which the lenders agreed to, among other changes, extend the maturity of the outstanding convertible notes from February 24, 2024 to January 31, 2025 and modify certain covenants to allow Volcon to execute its business strategy as it works toward the launch of the Stag.
The amendment is subject to completion of a security agreement establishing a security interest in the assets of the company for the benefit of the noteholders. “We appreciate the support of our noteholders in making these amendments in order to give us the flexibility to raise capital to support the launch of the Stag and the growth of our business,” Davis continued, “With our Stag launch closing in, our ability to obtain funding to support manufacturing and to market the Stag to the public to generate consumer demand are key factors to our success.”
The company recently implemented further cost reduction initiatives and is continuing to evaluate its cost structure to identify incremental savings. Davis notes, “We continue to build upon our previously announced cost reduction measures, such as closing manufacturing operations in favor of outsourced production and reducing headcount in various areas of the company to support our vehicle development strategy.”
Volcon has also reduced cash expenses by agreeing to eliminate cash bonuses payable to the company’s officers in favor of stock awards and the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer have voluntarily agreed to reduce their salaries by 10%. The board of directors has also agreed that all future quarterly board cash fees will be payable in the form of stock awards as well. Davis notes, “The Management Team and the Board know how important the Stag is to our company, and we recognize we need to personally support the cash reduction initiatives to ensure our success.”
To further facilitate retail sales, Volcon now has two lending firms providing financing to consumers, Synchrony Bank and Octane Roadrunner Financial.
Go Kart Gets Guinness World Record!
Launching for 0-100 km/h in just 0.956 seconds, students from ETH Zurich and Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts have broken the previous world record for acceleration with their hand-built electric racing car, Mythen. Guinness World Records has confirmed that Mythen broke the previous world acceleration record for electric vehicles. On the Switzerland Innovation Park in Duebendorf, Switzerland, directly opposite the students’ workshop, their rekart accelerated from zero to 100 km/h (zero to 62.15 mph) in just 0.956 seconds, accomplishing this feat over a distance of merely 12.3 metres. At the wheel was Kate Maggetti. This beats the previous world record of 1.461 seconds, set in September 2022 by a team from the University of Stuttgart.
“Working on the project in addition to my studies was very intense. But even so, it was a lot of fun working with other students to continually produce new solutions and put into practice what we learned in class. And, of course, it is an absolutely unique experience to be involved in a world record,” says Yann Bernard, head of motor at AMZ.
All of Mythen’s components, from the printed circuit boards (PCBs) to the chassis and the battery, were developed by the students themselves and optimised for their function. Thanks to the use of lightweight carbon and aluminium honeycomb, the race car weighs in at only around 140 kilos (309 pounds). Four-wheel hub motors that the students developed themselves and a special powertrain give the vehicle its impressive power of 240 kilowatts, or around 326 hp.
The little go-kart sucks… for real: “Power isn’t the only thing that matters when it comes to setting an acceleration record – effectively transferring that power to the ground is also key,” explains Dario Messerli, head of aerodynamics at AMZ. Conventional Formula One cars solve this through aerodynamics: a rear or front wing pushes the car to the ground. However, this effect only comes into play when the car has reached a certain speed. To ensure strong traction right from the start, the AMZ team has developed a kind of vacuum cleaner that holds the vehicle down to the ground by suction.
The AMZ team had set the world acceleration record for electric cars twice before – in 2014 and again in 2016. In the following years, their record was broken by a team from the University of Stuttgart. Now the world record is back in Swiss hands, and the ETH Zurich students are confident they will not relinquish it again any time soon.
November 5 - 7, 2023
Dallas, Texas
February 6 - 8, 2024
Las Vegas, Nevada
Presented by:
Welcome to the September 2023 newsletter from the NPDA! We appreciate each of the 390 Dealers who have joined us in our Mission: “To advance our industry by elevating Dealers to be well prepared, sustainably profitable and exceed the expectations of a growing Powersports customer base.”
The National Powersports Dealer Association serves as an advocate for our members and the Powersports industry. Working to support Dealers includes promoting the Industry we serve, and building bridges among OEMs, aftermarket companies and consumers. Together we work to restore steady growth in Powersports.
As such, the NPDA had the opportunity to support an important, annual Powersports industry event held last week at the American Motorcyclist Association.
Among its many roles, the AMA works to preserve the history of motorcycling, and each year holds its Hall of Fame induction ceremony, one of the most prestigious events in all of Powersports.
This year’s ceremony September 14 immortalized five inductees. We are especially thrilled that one of those honored – Grant Langston - is one of us, a Dealer (Langston Motorsports in Perris, California)! Others include Ryan Dungey, Rita Coombs, Barry Hawk and Travis Pastrana.
We’re having a great 2023, but we aren’t resting on our success: The NPDA has set a goal of 500 total Dealer members by the end of 2023.
We are sitting at 384 as of this moment, and have significant marketing outreach underway to build on that total.
We always say there is strength in numbers, and if you are not yet a member, join the ONLY nationwide Dealer organization fighting for your rights and working to help you grow your business - Visit www.npda.org and sign up for $395 for a single rooftop, and only $195 for additional ones.
~ From NPDA and our Partners
FREE F & I Webinars from NPDA Partner Protective Asset Protection, October 4 & 5
In cooperation with our Partner Protective Asset Protection, we’re holding a pair of webinars to help your business become financially stronger.
In a unique approach, we’ll hold two webinars on consecutive days, Wednesday & Thursday, October 4 & 5. Any questions, please send an email to info@npda.org
“Wealth Creation Through F&I Profit Participation Programs - The Engine”
Wednesday, October 4 at 2 pm EST
FINAL Offer: FREE Registration For the PowerSports Finance Summit, October 30-31, Las Vegas
YOUR NPDA has yet a great perk to offer Dealer members interested in attending or sending an employee to the 2023 PowerSports Finance Summit, being held Monday & Tuesday, Oct. 30 & 31 at the Bellagio Las Vegas – FREE Registration!
FINAL Offer: FREE Registration
For the PowerSports Finance Summit, October 30-31, Las Vegas
We have a handful of VIP passes to distribute among our Dealer members. Interested in one of these FREE event registration offers? Send an email to info@npda.org.
Special thanks to our friends at the PowerSports Finance Summit for their support of the NPDA.
LeadHelm
A division of dealer entrepreneur Scott Fisher, LeadHelm was Designed with dealers in mind. “We know you need a consistent operating process that is fast, efficient and improves customer experience and communication,” says COO and co-founder Aaron Barney. “Our streamlined lead management platform centralizes your leads in one intuitive dashboard that ensures your sales team is always plugged into what’s going on in your dealership’s pipeline.”
Backed by a robust business intelligence core, integrated communication platform, simplified user dashboard, and training academy, LeadHelm guarantees more appointments, more digital sale conversions, and more satisfied customers.
Powering dealer success for 40+ years: Digital Lead Performance, the industry’s largest digital lead follow-up service, introduces LeadHelm. Our in-house digital sales solution software helps dealers scale with the evolving digital landscape. Join our community of dealers serving dealers.
Business Summary/Overview About Lead Helm:
After its launch in 2019, Digital Lead Performance grew to be the largest business development company in the Powersports industry, serving more than 100 Dealers with more than 50 agents. Today, Digital Lead Performance helps Powersports Dealers become more profitable and scale their digital sales business through our two products, LeadHelm and Helm Academy.
LeadHelm is a digital sales solution software that makes it easy to influence the customer’s buying journey and expedites sales cycles. LeadHelm is powered by a robust business intelligence core, integrated communication platform, simplified user dashboard and training academy. In short, LeadHelm ensures more appointments, more sales, and more happy customers.
Why Does Lead Helm Partner with the NPDA?
Industry Expertise
Networking and Collaboration
Education and Training
Industry Benchmarking
Community and Support
Thought Leadership
Promotion and Visibility
How Can NPDA Members Best Benefit fFom Our Partnership With Lead Helm?
• LeadHelm has industry experts that can contribute thought leadership content, articles, or presentations that showcase our expertise and benefit the association’s members.
• LeadHelm drives innovation within the Powersports industry. LeadHelm can bring fresh ideas and perspectives that can help the industry evolve and adapt to the changing market dynamics.
• LeadHelm can provide resources such as data, specialized training, and technology, that can help members make informed decisions and stay competitive in the marketplace.
• LeadHelm can contribute to educational programs with NPDA, helping members improve their skills and knowledge.
• LeadHelm, as a product, can help Dealers capitalize on their digital sales opportunities.
LeadHelm
Year Founded: Digital Lead Performance, of which LeadHelm is a product line, was started in 2019
Number of Employees: 14
For more details on how LeadHelm can help your dealership chart a course for success, click here:: www.leadhelm.com
In less than five months, the next NFL Super Bowl Champion will have just been crowned in Las Vegas – February 11, 2024 to be exact. But that’s not the most exciting thing happening that week in Vegas... at least not to the NPDA.
That’s because to us, the 2024 Powersports’ “Super Bowl,” AIMExpo, https://aimexpousa.com/ takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center just before the NFL extravaganza being held at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders. Our big game celebrates its 10th Anniversary in 2024 and is also NPDA’s “birthday” — the Association’s public debut, at least.
AIMExpo, February 6-8, promises to be a great event, with all the key players in our industry gathering to “Connect, Engage, Unite.”
The NPDA has our own “super” plans for the show. Not only will we once again have a show booth, but we’re working on plans to host a Member meeting, Dealer gatherings and a strategic planning session with partners and industry leadership.
For Dealers, AIMExpo registration is free. The biggest challenge may be securing a place to stay since the show dates parallel activities occurring around Super Bowl Week, so reduce your travel stress and book your hotel now – the AIMExpo website has lodging info.
You’re going to learn more from us in the coming months about our plans for the AIMExpo, and we hope you will join us for what promised to be a great event for the Powersports industry regardless of which team wins the Big Game.
As roadway deaths continue to climb, Motorcycle Safety Foundation Vice President of Training Systems Dr. Ray Ochs and the MIC’s Scott Schloegel attended the Governors Highway Safety Association annual meeting in New York City in August, where they met with and heard from a number of national leaders.
Schloegel, MIC senior vice president at the Government Relations Office, secured a meeting with Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman and Associate Administrator Nanda Srinivasan of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They discussed the importance of reconstituting the Motorcyclist Advisory Council, which was reauthorized by Congress in late 2021.
”The NHTSA officials agreed on the importance of the MAC,” Schloegel said. “They indicated that they were getting close to announcing the applications and formation of the council in the very near future.”
Later in August, Schloegel also met with NHTSA’s Michelle Atwell, chief of the Safety Countermeasures Division, and her lead motorcycle safety staff LaCheryl Jones and Aleigh Jerome, to discuss motorcycle safety coordination and the importance of the MAC. They also indicated the MAC formation notice will be coming soon.
The MIC’s Ride With Us Moto Intros recently drew a lot of media attention during the famed Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota – with coverage of the activation and local journalists riding for the first time themselves, on a dedicated range with the assistance of Motorcycle Safety Foundation-certified coaches.
Tyler Louder from KELOLAND TV covered Ride With Us on opening day with his own first ride, not far from all the downtown action at the rally.
“Even first-time riders can pick this up,” Louder said in the report. “Within 30 minutes, these hands-on coaches, working one-on-one with you, will get you from being scared of getting on a bike to feeling comfortable about taking a ride all on your own.”
Reporter Samantha Johnson sampled Ride With Us and NewsCenter1 later aired coverage of her experience, also running a separate first-person account she produced. Kayla Henderson and Juliana Alford from KOTA-TV covered the Ride With Us activation and also enjoyed their first rides.
”While the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is traditionally thought of as an event for bikers, the Ride With Us Intro program is all about introducing non-riders into the lifestyle and culture,” Henderson said in her report.
Besides fielding TV interviews, Cinnamon Kernes, MIC vice president of market expansion and events, later joined HomeSlice Media for a radio program that day. Andria Yu, MIC director of media relations and an MSF RiderCoach, also guested on “The Roadhouse with Amy and Brandon” and stayed for the entire hour-long show. Both Kernes and Yu talked about the Moto Intros and how non-riders can get their first taste of riding a motorcycle the right way, on a small bike, with MSF coaching.
How do you make a small fortune in the powersports industry? Start with a large one! The vast majority of us enter this business with our heads in the clouds, hearts on our sleeves… and very little thought to the bottom line.
As we all know the motorcycle industry in this country started more than 120 years ago. Our founders were largely enthusiasts, racers and people who are passionate about motorcycling — not necessarily business people setting out to get rich. Fast forward a century and we have had many companies and dealerships purchased by businesses for the sole purpose of nice looking profit & loss statements and better Balance Sheets. (See Eric Anderson’s Confessions column last month).
The good news is that this industry is still primarily run by passionate people who hung up their leathers and decided to open a small accessory outfit, repair shop or even a dealership. As a matter of fact I recently met an enthusiast who is in the process of opening his first shop as I write this article. This is happening across the country all the time.
The purpose of the column is to focus a little on helping new dealerships and start-up companies find experts to help them grow. I’m speaking to those individuals who have been thinking about expanding their business but are a little intimidated with finding and hiring the right person to create your new website, handling your social media marketing, or maybe you’re just getting your business started and you need a logo. As a small business owner myself I have used a couple websites for dozens of projects and never had any issues. Let me tell you about Upwork.com and Fiverr.com
Upwork gives you access to thousands of freelancers around the world. For example, I searched “logo design” and there are hundreds of people with examples of their work and prices ranging from $7 an hour to $75 an hour. You can submit a job for a flat rate… for example if you’re only willing to pay $50 for a logo, then designers apply to do the job for your flat rate price. It’s really incredible that you can have access to tens of thousands of skilled people from all over the world.
Upwork is an online marketplace that connects businesses and individuals with freelancers from around the world. It offers a wide range of services, including web development, graphic design, digital marketing, writing, bookkeeping and more. Upwork provides a platform where clients can post job listings for free, review freelancers’ profiles and proposals, and hire talent for various projects. Freelancers on Upwork include skilled professionals in diverse fields, making it a valuable resource for businesses of all sizes.
The benefits of using Upwork include access to a global talent pool, cost efficiency, flexibility in scaling your workforce, customization of services, efficient project management tools, quality assurance through reviews and ratings, secure payment processing, and the ability to tap into a diverse range of skills and expertise. Whether you need a one-time project completed or ongoing assistance, Upwork offers a convenient and reliable way to find skilled professionals to meet your business needs.
Fiverr, on the other hand, is an online platform known for its fixed-price, gig-based services. It offers a wide array of services, ranging from graphic design and content writing to social media management and video editing. Fiverr operates on the premise of “gigs,” where freelancers offer specific services at predetermined prices. Clients can browse these services, view freelancer profiles, and make direct purchases.
The benefits of using Fiverr include affordability, quick turnaround times, access to specialized expertise, transparent pricing structures, a wide variety of services, and the ability to connect with freelancers who focus on niche tasks. Fiverr is especially suitable for businesses with budget constraints or those seeking rapid and specialized solutions. It offers a straightforward and accessible way to access professional services for various needs without the complexities of negotiating prices or extensive vetting.
Here are just a few ideas of what you can find or do via these websites.
1. **Website Development and Maintenance**
- Hire web developers and designers on platforms like Upwork to create and maintain an engaging and userfriendly website for the dealership or company.
- Ensure the website is mobile-responsive and optimized for search engines (SEO) to attract more online traffic.
2. **Content Creation**
- Contract freelance writers to create high-quality blog posts, articles, and product descriptions related to motorcycles, riding tips, and maintenance advice.
- Create engaging videos or hire videographers and video editors to produce promotional videos showcasing motorcycle models, dealership events, and riding experiences.
3. **Graphic Design & Branding**
- Hire graphic designers to create eye-catching graphics for the website, social media and marketing materials.
- Develop a consistent visual identity for the dealership, including logos, banners, and social media graphics.
4. **Digital Marketing**
- Engage digital marketing experts to run online advertising campaigns, including pay-per-click (PPC) ads and social media advertising, to reach a wider audience.
- Collaborate with SEO specialists to improve the dealership’s search engine rankings.
5. **Social Media Management**
- Employ social media managers to curate and schedule posts across various platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
- Enhance the dealership’s social media presence with engaging content, including photos, videos, and customer testimonials.
6. **Online Sales & E-commerce**
- If the dealership wants to expand into online sales, consider hiring e-commerce experts to set up and manage an online store.
- Ensure the website’s e-commerce functionality is userfriendly and secure for customers to make purchases.
7. **Customer Support & Live Chat**
- Utilize freelance customer support representatives to manage website live chat, answer customer inquiries, and provide assistance.
- Ensure prompt and helpful responses to customer questions and concerns.
8. **Data Analytics & Reporting**
- Contract data analysts to monitor website traffic, analyze customer behavior, and provide insights to optimize the online experience and marketing strategies.
9. **Administrative Tasks**
appointment scheduling, and email management to virtual assistants on platforms like Upwork.
10. **Event Planning and Promotion**
- Collaborate with event planners and promoters to organize and market dealership events, such as bike shows, test ride events, or charity rides.
11. **Legal & Financial Services**
- Engage legal and financial experts on platforms like Upwork for advice on contracts, licensing, and financial planning related to dealership operations.
12. **CRM & Customer Database Management**
- Hire specialists to set up and maintain customer relationship management (CRM) systems to track and engage with customers effectively.
13. **Online Reputation Management**
- Employ reputation management experts to monitor online reviews and ensure a positive online reputation for the dealership.
These are a couple of great options for business owners who might be a little intimidated by technology or fear the cost… or people who just don’t know where to start. Something as simple as getting your logo or listing your business on Google or Apple maps by a professional can cost as low as a nice dinner. Personally I have had brochures, banners, logos, accounting, SEO and more done by online service providers.
By tapping into the freelance talent available on Fiverr and Upwork, your dealership can access a wide range of skills and expertise to enhance their online presence, marketing efforts, and overall operational efficiency, ultimately helping you reach and engage a bigger customer base.
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/
- Outsource administrative tasks such as data entry, 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.
As we ramp up for another election cycle, the political rhetoric ramps up for “people to pay their fair share,” as Washington seeks to gin up more tax revenue. That is the nature of the beast. I hope that I am not the skunk of the party here, but QWR has long believed that registering your motorized off-highway vehicle and properly displaying your state’s particular vehicle identification decal in the required manner is an important part of sustainable OHV recreation in the 21st Century.
Many of those identification programs use fees collected from registration and estimated gasoline taxes from vehicles being used off-highway to pay for OHV recreationrelated management activities such as trail construction or maintenance, restoration, conservation, law enforcement and safety education. This is money well spent by people paying their fair share for OHV use (when those funds get appropriated for other usages is rant for another time).
In 1971, several OHV and conservation leaders recognized the need to pass bipartisan legislation that created the CA State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation (OHMVR)
Program. Better known as the “Green Sticker” program, these registration decals generated revenue intended to fund efforts that provide high quality OHV recreation to millions of residents and visitors while protecting important natural and cultural resources. Many states have similar programs in place to sustain OHV recreation.
On the Federal level we also have sustainable legislation. Created in 1993 by Congress, the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) — which also relies on gas tax monies generated by off-highway recreational use — has a grant program issued to states to help them manage and maintain recreation facilities for both non-motorized and motorized activities.
As the former chair of the CA OHMVR Commission, I have seen how those RTP and Green Sticker gas tax monies and registration fees have kept OHV areas open. These funds pay for recreation staff, facility maintenance, post-storm damage repair and law enforcement at various county and Federal sites. Bolstered by private industry initiatives like Yamaha’s Outdoor Access Initiative (OAI quarterly grants to the tune of $5 million in the past 14 years are dedicated to those who work and play outdoors) and the T.R.A.I.L.S. program from Polaris. Standing for Trail development, Responsible riding, Access, Initiatives, Lobbying, Safety, T.R.A.I.L.S. was launched in January 2006 with two main objectives — promoting safe and responsible riding and preserving access. Funds can be used by organizations for trail development and maintenance projects, safety and education initiatives, lobbying and other projects to increase and maintain land access. Polaris contributed $230,000 in 2022 and more than $3 million since the program began.
However, over the past 6 years, QWR has stated its concern about the growing use of electric motorcycles and other eOHVs recreating on public lands and trails with no similar registration or identification program that allows the customers to support management efforts where they ride.
Given the ongoing staffing challenges at many land agencies, I believe that a serious discussion with a subsequent action plan needs to occur within the electric OHV vehicle industry and community. EVs are currently exempt from many of the mechanisms we use to fund OHV usage in my area, and most likely yours, too.
It does not serve our sport well to have an entire class of OHVs using public lands without having a method to support their impact on trails and natural resources. In other words, it is time for these EV folks to “pay their fair share” — not to sound like a politician!
Don Amador has been in the trail advocacy and recreation management profession for almost 29 years. Don is President of Quiet Warrior Racing/Consulting. Don served as a contractor to the BlueRibbon Coalition from 1996 until June, 2018. Don served on the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission from 1994-2000. He has won numerous awards including being a 2016 Inductee into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame and the 2018 Friend of the AMA Award. Don currently serves as the government affairs lead for AMA District 36 in Northern California. He may be reached via email at: damador@quietwarriorracing.com
Keeping trails open is everyone's responsibility. By working together as one motorized community, we can keep our trails open, healthy and beautiful for generations to come. Do your part by riding responsibly, keeping trails clean and trash-free, and volunteering with organizations that are working to keep access open for everyone.
Do your part, support Tread Lightly! and it's mission by becoming a member at treadlightly.org.
I RIDE, I DRIVE, I OFF-ROAD, I TREAD LIGHTLY!
Human lifespans are finite, but a brand’s or business’s life could be relatively infinite… at least before an outside VC adecides to “optimize” a historic brand (see last month). This continuum forces the founding humans to “exit” a brand’s or business’ life because they eventually will retire and ultimately die. Morbid, yes, but realistic — the business and its associated “brand DNA” must move to the next generation.
Based on the huge response the last Confessions column “Is Venture Capital Killing Our Industry’s Passion” had on Dealernews readers, I suspect it’s time to recollect our thoughts on what is a “natural progression” for our industry. The one answer everyone will agree to is that it will… change! Belly aching about the “good old days” is not allowed since we need to look ahead, not back! Use what you learned in the past as a springboard to move ahead with an open mind.
It’s a peculiar time in America with “gray hairs” and “Millennials” from both inside and outside the industry vying for positions in the marketplace. Are you a mature company looking to sell and retire soon? Or are you a new company looking to make your “mark” on the American powersports marketplace? The Baby Boomers want “out” and youth wants “in” — the problem is the oldsters want big money and their kids don’t have it. Hell, many Millennials are still trying to pay off their student loans while living at home with their parents. This feels like a classic Catch-22.
Whether you are a dealer celebrating your 40th year in business or a cottage-industry aftermarket manufacturer doing the same, the problem remains: do you sell it off to family, employees, an outside investor or just close the doors? Has the industry rebounded enough for you to get out without losing your shirt? Will the financial folks ease the restrictions enough for the youth to get into the game?
Exit or entry, everyone is still asking the same question: Where do we go from here?
It is a tough situation because the buying market was pretty darn small in the powersports arena. Fortunately, some of that is changing for our little ol’ industry with venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) firms sniffing around for retail, distribution, and manufacturing opportunities. Consolidators and “category killers” are also doing “due diligence” research on powersports and personal mobility opportunities. In any event, what’s your five-year exit plan? Do you even have one and is it written down somewhere? Show me!
When you clean up or detail your car before selling it, you might remember the fleeting thought was “Wow, this really looks good, maybe I should keep it?” You may also have detailed your house before selling it — sometimes called “staging” by real estate brokers — all to emote the same feeling of possibly keeping it. You similarly need to “detail” your business NOW! Clean it, groom it, hone it, focus it, sharpen it… and then sell it! Done properly, that process can take three-to-five years, so start planning immediately.
To build your mature business you must be rigid and disciplined. To reposition it for sale, you will need to be more open minded. If on the other hand you are a new (start-up) business, you can learn from others’ mistakes and skip those steps (“hint-hint” to incoming PE and VC). Pioneers never have it easy because they risk the most perilous pathways FIRST…
Meanwhile the next generation can leapfrog those hazards by learning from their predecessors.
Use what you learned in the past…but move ahead with an open mind.
It’s never too soon to decide your exit strategy. Investors in new businesses want to know their exit strategy even before they start. Take the hosts on TV’s Shark Tank for example. If you want their money, you must play their game! Whether you are getting involved with the industry or getting out… get more involved working ON your business and less IN it.
Most passion-based powersports people tend to see their business or dealership as a dream destination… In the “real world” successful entrepreneurs are said to have an exit plan already drafted before the launch plan is announced! Is it time for this industry to grow up and for the founding fathers to finally retire? What’s your five-year exit plan? Do you even have one… and is it written down somewhere?
It’s tough to be honest with yourself after all these years of “faking it to making it.” Can you tell it like it is about your business — dealer or manufacturer? No two businesses are alike, so you might consider calling in an expert assessor, just like you would for your house. We have taken some of the guesswork out of it with the Vroom Network “Brand Strength Diagnostic” test. Even if you are not planning on selling out, at least go through the process. If you want a more personal review, please send it to me at eric@vroomnetwork.com after you self-score it.
The view from a higher altitude will make refinements more easily justified when you have a specific roadmap. Exit or entry? Avoid the conundrum by building a clear roadmap forward to making your dream happen. Continued
Take the “Brand Strength Diagnostic” test to see what time it is!
Either locally or nationally, your business is a “Brand” — someone in their 50s or 60s starts thinking about selling the brand and faces the same question: Who is eligible to buy it? Employees? Relatives? Category killers? Angel investor? Venture capital? A wealthy hobbyist or group of doctors?
In any event, you need to maximize your brand’s value just like you would for a used motorcycle or house before you post any ads. Get out the tire black and ArmorAll, replace the battery and lube the cables… that’s all worth at least an extra 15% in value right there. Before you find a broker to help you sell your business, you need to be able to answer these questions:
• Can you succinctly state your top 5 unique brand attributes?
• Can you quantify your brand’s SEO, relevance, social media & mobile device presence?
• Have you developed an honest roadmap for where you are going in the next 5 years?
• Can you come up with a competitive value/price for your current assets?
Answer these questions, spend more time working ON your business rather than IN it — and in three to five years you might be able to sell it without losing your shirt!
…it’s tough to be honest with yourself after all these years of “faking it to making it.”
Isaac Newton stated for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The “Confessions Corralary” is that for every one of the old guard exiting the powersports space, there is some dreamer who has been bitten by the morobug and is willingly to blindly jump in!
What do you Millennials want to be when you grow up and get into the business world? Is this a true start-up or an established import brand? Is it a service, product, or retail business? Whatever path you choose, it’s new to the American market and will need infrastructure and marketing. Start by building a three-to-five-year business plan... or find someone to do that for you.
If you need an investor to “kick-start” your innovative program, you might search for powersports-specific angel investors or venture capitalists who know the space. They are realistic about powersports business opportunities, so don’t think “pie-in-the-sky” when you assign values to your Big Idea — there are graveyards full of big ideas! Before you can build your business, you need to be able to answer these questions:
• What is your unique IP (Intellectual Property) status? Are you truly unique and protected?
• Is your business plan detailed, solid and complete?
• How detailed is your “go-to-market strategy?” Or is it just a pipe dream?
• Are you well-funded enough to get a foothold in the market?
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Ifirst became aware of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation in late 1989 – not by choice, but by order. At the time, I was a United States Marine serving my duty in the Philippines, doing all the things a good Marine likes doing: “swinging through the jungle with my M16” as the running cadence goes. I had joined the Marine Corps late in life. I was 24 years old when I enlisted, having worked almost 10 years in a motorcycle dealership up until that point. I had also been racing motorcycles from the time I was 8 years old. To this day, I still have the first trophy I won when I was 10 in 1974. But now I was going to be attending a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course whether I wanted to or not.
As it turned out, a friend of mine with whom I went to high school was commissioned as a Marine Corps officer several years prior to my enlisting. He’d heard through a mutual friend that I had enlisted in the Marine Corps, and he began the search to find me and bring me back stateside because he was looking for an instructor to take over the United States Marine Corps combat motorcycle operators program. He knew me well, and he knew that I had spent the majority of my life working in motorcycle
dealerships and racing motorcycles, so he figured I would be a good candidate.
He found me and had orders cut for me to report. I didn’t want to do it. I remember telling my commanding officer that I was not interested in this job. But as you might expect, that argument didn’t end in my favor, and the next day I was on a plane back to the U.S. to meet with the Commanding Officer of the First Marine Division, Division Schools. It was a move that would have profound implications for the rest of my life.
After returning to Camp Pendleton and reporting as ordered, I was transferred to the location where the combat motorcycle operators course was taking place. There were already a couple of Marines there who had part-time jobs teaching Marines how to ride off-road motorcycles for tactical reconnaissance. The current program started with a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Motorcycle Rider Course, and in order to teach that course you had to be an MSF instructor, which I was not. Another way out, I thought. Not so fast—I was off to become a Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor shortly thereafter.
In those days, there wasn’t anything that was truly formal about the combat motorcycle operators course other than the MSF Motorcycle Rider Course. After that, everything was off-the-cuff and done however the guy there that day felt like doing it. The Marine Corps wanted this course to be more formalized and that was my new job. The problem was that no Staff NCO anywhere on Camp Pendleton would take me seriously, so I struggled to get anything I needed—from corpsmen to provide medical support, to parts, to the time of day. As soon as they found out I had anything to do with motorcycle operations, I was quickly kicked out of their office. Along with my assistant instructor, I taught a few classes, but nothing was ever taken seriously—that is, until August 1991, when Iraq invaded Kuwait.
I didn’t know it when I was struggling for support back at Camp Pendleton, but it turned out that the Chief of Staff of the First Marine Division was a huge motocross enthusiast and fan of everything motorcycles. He was the one behind the push for combat motorcycle operators in the Marine Corps, and I would report directly to him in Saudi Arabia. After I arrived, my orders were to immediately begin training combat motorcycle operators.
Now keep in mind, we were in the middle of the Saudi Arabian desert—not exactly the easiest place to teach a new rider how to ride a motorcycle. Students were arriving, but they weren’t my normal Marine Corps students; there were British Royal Marines, there were U.S. Army Special Forces—there were even some guys in civvies who wouldn’t tell me who they worked for. Everyone you can imagine was showing up to become a combat motorcycle operator. Suddenly, I was important. On January 16, when the war started, I was assigned to be an actual combat motorcycle operator in a theater of operation. I, along with 15 other Marines, became the commanding officers’ personal go-to guys for everything from sniper insertion to route reconnaissance to forward observation to messenger service. The Commanding Officer proved what he knew was true: Motorcycles could be used in a combat theater very effectively.
After the war ended and we returned stateside, things sped up for Combat Motorcycles. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation, along with the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, were tasked with assisting us in developing a formal combat motorcycle operators course. That course would later come to be known as MILMO, Military Motorcycle Operators. My enlistment in the Marine Corps was coming to an end, but it wouldn’t be the end of my relationship with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.
I wanted to finish my college degree, but I needed a job to supplement the GI Bill so that I could make ends meet. I moved down to San Diego and met with the owner of the Academy of Motorcycle Training, who already knew who I was due to my work with the MILMO program. She quickly hired me to be an MSF instructor for her company. At that time, the Academy of Motorcycle Training controlled all of the MSF ranges in San Diego County. They also had the contract to teach MSF courses at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center – 29 Palms.
It was a busy place, and classes ran seemingly nonstop. On the weekends I would teach a range session on Saturday morning, and another one on Saturday afternoon, then again on Sunday morning, and on Sunday afternoon. As I became more seasoned with teaching civilians, I was put in charge of all classroom operations and began teaching on Wednesday and Thursday nights to an audience of up to 100 students who would all attend classroom in one location and then disperse to the various ranges on the weekends.
I did this for about two years while I worked on my college degree. As you can imagine, teaching that many classes without having much of a break and going to school fulltime will wear you out. So I started looking for another job in the motorcycle industry and was lucky to land my first real industry job with Shoei Safety Helmet Corporation. I moved to Los Angeles, and soon my career in the powersports industry was off to a great start. I spent two years at Shoei and then was hired at American Honda, where I spent the next 25 years, ultimately retiring as the manager of Experiential Marketing.
I’m still involved in the powersports industry as a contributing editor for Cycle News, where I travel the world riding and writing about new motorcycles. Had I not become a Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor all those years ago, I’m certain that my life on two wheels would never have turned out so wonderful.
With half a century of best practices and research under the belt, and esteemed partnerships with over 30 DMVs and the US military, Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) continues to improve the ride for riders across the nation. Education is equal parts competence and confidence, and those elements inspire freedom to command the saddle and savor the journey.
Today, 45 states and all branches of the U.S. military use the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Basic RiderCourse (BRC) curriculum for their motorcycle safety and education programs. The BRC is MSF’s primary learnto-ride curriculum for traditional two-wheel and threewheel motorcycles, involving approximately 3 hours of online instruction, 5 hours of classroom activities, and
10 hours of hands-on skills development on a paved lot. More than 8 million motorcyclists have enrolled in MSF RiderCourses since 1974. More than 400,000 students now take the course annually, at nearly 2,700 sites, with 9,900 MSF-certified RiderCoaches available to guide them.
Course graduates are often eligible for insurance discounts and incentives from motorcycle distributors for course tuition or fees. In many cases, they can obtain a waiver for the riding skill test and/or written knowledge test portion of their state’s license exam requirements.
Military or the motorcycle industry, learn more about MSF here: msf-usa.org/about
Determined to support the sport, LeMans Corp. pulled out all the stops for the 2023 North American NVP Expo. From AFX and Alpinestars to Z1R, the breadth and depth of parts on hand was (almost) unlimited. Longtime NVP vendors like EMGO putting the OG into the mix commingled with newfangled EVs from Intense and iGO… and the Drag Specialties guys were not ignored, either From the Fatbook bike builds in the foyer of the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison, Wisconsn to Paul Yaffe and Cory Ness personally presenting their wares, there was literally something for everyone in the powersports industry at the National Vendor Presentation.
“The 2023 Madison North American NVP was a huge success, with dealers, reps and vendors giving it positive feedback,” says LeMan’s CEO Paul Langley. “The weather for the Saturday evening Meet & Greet Bike Show was ideal, and we had a full house.” (See the full interview with Langley in this issue for what was going on behind the scenes).
LeMans’s took over the town August 17th-20th, kicking the show off with the traditional rep training regime. Starting on Thursday, the Parts Unlimited, Drag Specialties and Parts Canada Sales Teams were back to school ahead of the UW Madison kids. Final exams for the reps continued into Friday and then they were able to take their top dealers from booth to booth demonstrating their new-found product knowledge throughout the weekend. On Saturday and Sunday,
Dealers were treated to a wealth of show specials and new product unveils.
Note that this was a “North American NVP” so there was a strong contingent of Canadians, eh? “The 2023 Madison NVP in my view was a complete success, says James Danyluk, President, Parts Canada.” All the Canadian dealers I talked with said it was a fantastic show and well worth it to come. A fitting way to close out the Madison venue. Looking forward to Milwaukee in 2024.”
Wait, what? NVP in Milwaukee? “Although many participants have cherished the Madison expo for many years, we have simply outgrown all available floor space and downtown hotel room capacity,” concluded Langley. “Therefore, we are excited to announce that the 2024 North American NVP will move to the newly renovated Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with the preferable dates of September 7-8, 2024.”
In the meantime, there was plenty to see and do at the Monona Terrace this year. Including eBike demos, 300+ house brands and outside vendors, bike show and industry party on the roof… and yes, it was UW Madison move-in time!
Performance Machine’s Chris Lindstrom shows off something trick! The final word from LeMans Corp president Mike Collins: “This was the largest family reunion I have ever attended. It was also the best. We set the bar very high with this one.Back in the day, Fred Fox launched the NVP (National Vendor Presentation) to show off his state of the art racking, packing and shipping efficiencies. National Sales Manager Jet Johnson rallied the troops as road warriors were enrolled in an intense product boot camp during the week… A Marine Corps officer before he was with Kawasaki, Jet Johnson implemented the “uniform of the day” so vendors and dealers could tell a Parts Rep from a Drag Rep the length of the Monona Terrace away!
Then the fun began, as dealers flooded the college town of Madison, Wisconsin, (sometimes during UW Madison move in week) and the Great Dane dive bar would see college freshmen and the bikers mingling after hours. Then it was on to the Fox Den to see THOR and Moose racers rip it up on the private motocross track. With the exception of the impromptu Supercross, this year it was the same as it ever was to help the industry realize the Pandemic is over and it is time to get back to normal…
Except next year the NVP moves to Milwaukee! The Drag Specialties reps and V-Twin vendors will be in motorcycle Mecca for the 2024 edition of the trade show.
Wait a minute... Rob Buydos was in the house? He left his belt behind. Actually Slyfox was showing off some of their hardware at NVP.
Farrah and Atsushi working on the chain gang! RK/Excel has been exhibitors since the very first NVP.
Mustang Seats was sitting pretty at NVP having just done yeoman’s work in Sturgis.
I spy with my little eye the legendary Primo Marotto showing off in the Scott USA booth.
Fred had these expressions that we all took to calling Fred-isms,” said Paul Langley, CEO for Parts Unlimited/ Drag Specialties and LeMans Corp. “My favorite was: ‘A secret means you can’t even tell your dog, because if he tells the neighbor’s dog, it won’t be a secret any more.” With his characteristic candor, Langley addressed the elephant in the room rather than attempting to keep secrets.
“Certainly it is no secret that Parts Unlimited had some serious IT issues leading up to NVP,” Langley told the assembled reps, dealers and vendors (not to mention the media hacks hounding him). He also admits that he is responsible for the current situation, no bones about it.
“To help understand the situation you have to realize we are a large corporation with some very dated technology… In fact, when Fred hired me I told him we had to update the IT system.” As innovative and cutting edge as Fred Fox was, the company had been operating for many years on a mainframe computer — IBM technology straight from the 1960s. “It was super reliable, and totally outdated. It was housed in its own giant server room with no connectivity like modern systems,” Langley explains.
“We needed to switch off the mainframe and have the data moved to a new system… And we did that on April 27. It converted over the weekend, and we were shipping the first day… but we’ve had quite a few problems.” Hidden somewhere in the millions of lines of code is a bug that has made the new system a real challenge. In Langley’s defense, the exact same connected system has been running without a hitch in Germany since Fred launched Parts Europe and it works for Parts Canada as well… but both those systems don’t have to handle the sheer volume of the old mainframe.
“There were frustrated dealers for sure,” he readily admits. “We’ve had to fix all that.” That is on the frontend, but there is also an insidious problem behind the scenes with re-orders, Langley fesses up. “We’ve had some challenges with the connectivity to purchasing. So I expected there to be some serious grumbling from vendors and dealers at this show… but everybody has been very positive!They understand that we’re resolving issues with it in order to be as consistent as we were for the past 30-40 years. So it’s been a positive show.”
Business as usual? “There’s concerns about the economy, but there’s still business to be done,” says Langley. “And for the most part, the dealers are optimistic.”
When Langley accepted the job, he discussed the future of LeMan’s with Fred Fox extensively. He brought in new board members, implemented more frequent meetings to keep them apprised of the business conditions and related issues (like IT, as painful as it has been). Committees for financial planning, strategic planning, talent development, corporate governance and priority initiatives for 2024 were created.
“Fred hired me to take the company forward, but I also have two standing orders: 1) No matter how big LeMans may get, it will remain headquartered in Janesville. 2) Be fair!” Despite some major acquisitions in the industry, Langley is clear in his mission to stay the course. “We are a privately held, family owned business… And plan to stay that way.”
“When I came on board, Fred had already retired from the company, but he still said, ‘I need you to do what I used to do.’ So we would spend time discussing ‘life after Fred.’ His objectives to me were very clear. The company remains headquartered in Janesville, Wisconsin at all cost, because of what happened in the past. Back in the day, Parker Pen was a big employer in the area, but it moved out of Janesville, and devoted the community. Fred always cared about the workforce. So we will stay in Janesville.”
His second objective was to be fair! “Be fair to employees, be fair to partners and vendors, and be fair to dealers… that was very important to Fred and that doesn’t change moving forward. The business model may change, but we will always be fair. And secondly, we remain focused on who we serve — We serve Dealers and we don’t want to consider any other options at this time.”
Langley states that the mission is clear and there is a vision of how to achieve it:
Mission: In the spirit of Fred Fox LeMans Corp. competitively serves the powersports industry with integrity and steadfastness.
Vision: To be the leading omnichannel logistics partner for the global powersports industry perpetuated by superior execution.
“That is my mission and vision for LeMans… and my commitment to my friend and mentor Fred Fox,” concludes Langley.
We have the summer show in Madison and we have the winter show which is in Louisville, Kentucky,” notes CEO Paul Langley. “Louisville has a much bigger footprint than Madison where we have space for more vendors and more vendors means more dealers. Madison, we’re full, there’s just no space here. Next year, we will move to Milwaukee where we will have a bigger footprint in the revised Convention Center.” But that is just the beginning.
Even with two shows of their own, Langley says they will be in Las Vegas for AIMExpo again in 2024. “We are Parts Unlimited and we support the sport. In the past, Fred used to serve on the MIC Board I believe, but for some reason he pulled out the Motorcycle Industry Council. But we were back last year and we will be at AIMExpo 2024. This industry needs a national trade show!
“We believe in tradeshows and our Spring and Fall NVPs are proof of that. Opportunities to learn about new products, market trends and the chance to build relationships within the industry are priceless.”
Did you catch all the new faces in the crowd at NVP this year? There were also plenty of people shifting gears with familiar faces in new roles at different vendors. Against this changing backdrop, Drag Specialties treated new Northeast road rep Jeff Hunt to his trial by fire. Fortunately he passed the initiation in Madison, Wisconsin, with flying colors! Hunt is now covering V-Twin Dealers in the Long Island, New York , territory. After running his own motorcycle shop in Pennsylvania for a few years and riding since he was 7 years old, Hunt already had an idea what to expect on the other side of the counter. When he is not calling on Harley-Davidson and Indian dealers on Long Island, you can probably find him pursuing his new passion for roadracing with a private club or fettling with old bikes and classic cars.
When the powersports world rolled into Madison for NVP, it was a great opportunity for dealers to meet Parts Unlimited’s new AMS Brand Manager Dale Kiley-Schaefer . Dale comes to Parts Unlimited with sales and parts management experience at the dealership and retail levels. He also has asphalt circle track racing history and his current ride is a 2023 Kawasaki ZX 4RR . In his spare time, Dale enjoys racing cars, ATV and motorcycle riding, golfing and disc golfing.
manning the display at NVP with the good news. Dealers from Texas may remember him from his time with another distributor and he also served a hitch on the dealership side with Freedom Powersports . Mutual friend Lewis Hill made the introduction for Burmeier to join forces with PJ1 prior to NVP.
Slick stuff! PJ1/PJH Brands is celebrating 50 years of innovation with a new brand advocate in place. Industry veteran (and USMC vet as well) Dustin Burmeier was
All Balls Racing Group (ABRG), showed up at Parts Unlimited’s NVP with a pair of familiar faces — Mark Davis returned as a Senior National Account Manager and industry veteran Greg Reich becomes ABRG’s newest National Account Manager. “All Balls Racing Group is proud to have Mark back as a key member driving us into the future,” says Jeff Wilson , Director of Creative Services NA for ABRG parent Arrowhead Engineered Products . Davis joined ABRG originally in 2017. His return brings more than 15 years of cumulative powersports industry, dealership and eComm retailer knowledge and expertise to ABRG. “Mark’s love for powersports started at the age of 9 when he began racing off-road.” He continues to ride today and enjoys sharing the experience with his wife and two kids. “Maintaining and repairing his bike for decades, Davis has developed a hands-on mechanical experience that brings added value with first-hand usage, installation, and testing of ABRG parts straight to our customers,” adds Wilson.
Bringing more than 20 years of powersports industry knowledge to ABRG, Greg Reich is a lifelong motorcyclist and a veteran of the industry having worked for some of the industry’s largest names. Reich started as Continental Tire’s North American Sales & Marketing Manager for motorcycle tires back in 2000 where he remained for 15 years. In 2015 he continued his industry growth moving on to Magura as their North American Powersports Manager until 2020. From 2020 through 2021, Reich was a District Sales Manager with KTM/ Husqvarna Motorcycles before coming to Arrowhead Engineered Products and working as a Technical Account Manager in rotating electrical parts. “Greg now brings his motorcycle knowledge and industry expertise to ABRG and our customers,” says Jeff Wilson. “All Balls Racing Group is excited to have Greg as the newest member of our team.”
Parts Unlimited introduced iGO Bikes from Canada and added Earlin Rosa to the eTeam. An expert in the emerging eBike sector, Rosa will serve as the new Eastern e-Bike Category Manager for the distribution giant. Rosa comes to Parts Unlimited with channel development experience in specialized bicycles and powersports products. He is also credited with starting the GNCC E-Bike Race Series and has personal racing experience as well. In his spare time, Rosa enjoys hunting, cycling, fishing and politics. Of course he also enjoys motorcycles! If you missed the demo rides around Lake Monona at NVP, get the holeshot on iGO Bikes here: igoelectric.com
Also joining the LeMans team leading up to NVP this summer is Ben Johnson. As Parts Unlimited’s newest sales rep, Johnson is calling on dealers in the Central Region covering ND, SD and MN. Johnson’s industry experience includes a stint as a parts manager at the dealer level. He grew up on dirtbikes and has been riding motorcycles for more than 20 years. He also helps plan and run a few motorcycle events in the Fargo area, dontch
Just in time to ride to Harley’s 120th and get acclimated Rudy Muller joined the Drag Specialties sales team roster. He is currently covering V-Twin Dealers in Colorado. Muller joins the aftermarket distribution giant after several years as a mechanic at a dealer and gaining sales rep experience at the vendor level. He also has a racing history of motocross and most recently, the Super Hooligan series. In his free time, Rudy enjoys all things motorized in CO, from cruising the hills on his Harley to snowmobiling and riding single track in the mountains.
The go-fast guys from Wisconsin were in full force at NVP, Jeremy (JJ) Braun now managing key accounts for S&S Cycles. Braun comes to S&S after spending the last few years driving sales in the automation space and before that, a decade at HarleyDavidson. “JJ brings solid experience, a passion for motorcycles and the aftermarket and a rider’s perspective that makes him a perfect fit for S&S,” says VP of sales Eric Bondy. A biker to the core, Braun currently rides a custom Cross Bones and a late model Bagger. Like all S&S faithful, he is already eyeing performance parts for both his bikes.
“So what is the coolest thing you have seen at the show,” questioned S&S VP Eric Bondy before demonstrating half a dozen innovations from the go-fast guys based in nearby Viola Wisconsin. Drag Reps were impressed with the innovations for the Milwaukee 8 engines, Parts people were checking out the pipes on the UTV in the booth and media types were overwhelmed… and that was just one vendor at the National Vendor Presentation! Only 299 others for attending dealers to get through in two days of the show.
In addition to the aforementioned goodies from S&S, there was nearly an unlimited supply of parts to pick from. While it would be hard to top the trick bits Bondy had in hand (literally with the new cam follower), there were plenty of show stoppers from the addition of Arai into the LeMans stable to the latest Better Brakes from SBS. From EV to V-Twin every aspect of powersports was well represented with technological innovations and bold new graphics.
Old favorites from Warn and RK/EXCEL to first-time exhibitors like iGO e-bkes from Canada filled two levels of the Monona Terrace in Madison, Wisconsin, drawing in dealers from every state, plus a large contingent of Canadians, eh? After sorting through a backpack full of show specials and culling a couple hundred booth images, what follows are our editor’s picks to click from NVP. So what did he miss that you found noteworthy at the show?
Less than a year ago Arai landed in the Parts portfolio and it seems to be exceeding the reps and LeMans dealers expectations. “I believe we have found a strong partner in LeMans Corporation,” said Akihito Arai, VP Arai Helmet, Ltd. and grandson of the founder. “The strength of Parts Unlimited and Drag Specialties, combined with their focus on dealer service, is what Arai needs to reach more consumers looking for the opportunity to experience the Arai difference firsthand.” “Our two companies share two very important attributes: family-owned and enthusiast driven,” claims Mike Collins, President of LeMans. “Combine this with Arai’s commitment to premium quality helmets and our commitment to premium quality service to our dealers, creates the perfect synergy for a great partnership.”Mission accomplished!
For more than 50 years EMGO has been a supplier to OEM, distributors, private label and the motorcycle trade at large. In an era of instant gratification and catalogs delivered via QR code on your smartphone, EMGO remains consistent in its belief that trade shows are for doing business the good old fashioned way! Paper catalogs, show special pricing and handshake deals… EMGO is about business as usual! However they know Gen Next is out there and they do have a website highlighting the latest happenings. “EMGO is expanding our line of aftermarket parts and accrues for classic and current motorcycles, scooters and ATV/UTV vehicles,” is what it said on the NVP materials.
“We started with Intense eBikes a couple years ago and I was brought onboard in June of 2022,” says John Korsog, E-Bike Key Account Rep & Product Specialist for LeMans Corp. Korsog comes to Parts Unlimited with more than 20 years of managerial and sales experience related to powersports. “Just before NVP, we added Earlin Rosa and the iGO bikes from Canada.” (See Shifting Gears sidebar). Although his focus and first love is for eMTB and road bikes, iGO’s casual commuters have caught his eye… he even snuck out on a demo ride before returning to his post to inform reps and dealers the USPs of Intense.
Jessica Shine and Crystal Pedersen were putting the luster on Better Brakes from SBS and stopping dealers in their tracks. Back in 2021, SBS Friction A/S, the Danish manufacturer of brake pads announced a strategy to produce sustainable environmentally friendly binders. The first products in the new SBS Better Brakes-series were the popular SBS HF, SP, HS and MS ranges… now in stock at Parts Unlimited. If you missed NVP and AIMExpo, you can still stop by our YouTube channel for the facts on “Better Brakes” straight from Scandinavia!
Hardware vs. vaporware — S&S showed some pretty trick components at NVP. “Something as simple as a cam follower can be made better. Take these tappets, noted S&S VP Eric Bondy at NVP. “Precision machined and 100% tested to ensure a precision fit. Equipped with a low mass, bearing grade silicon nitride check ball and optimized check ball spring for fast, reliable pump up, low noise operation, and higher rpm capability.” Don’t even get him started on the Exhaust system, Billet Fuel Rail and adjustable clutch kits for the KRX 1000 UTVs.
“We are very proud of our Torsten Hallman Original Racer heritage,” says THOR’s Josh Shorter. “However the market has moved on from the OGs and the future is now. Hence to cool colab with Haiden Deegan and pushing the brand into the future.” Shorter admits some of the styling may not be for everyone… and some of the gear may not be made available to anyone! “We are going to push some boundaries… however, the fit, finish and level of protection will remain on point! THOR is #BuiltForThis!”
Earl W. Bowlby, 89, of Logan, passed away at his home on Saturday, August 5, 2023. He was born in Logan on October 27, 1933, the son of the late Charles E. and Thelma “Bess” (Hood) Bowlby. He was married on September 4, 1953, to the late Shirley Jean (Swaim) Bowlby.
Earl was passionate about motorcycles. He was a leading American Motorcyclist Association – AMA Hillclimb competitor during the 1970s and ‘80s. During his 25-year career, Bowlby earned 10 national hillclimbing titles. He is the only Hillclimber to win the Triple Crown; overall points leader, US National Champion, and Canadian National Champion all in the same year. He is also an AMA Hall of Fame Inductee. He and his wife, Shirley, traveled by motorcycle to 49 states, including twice to Alaska, as well as most of Canada, covering countless miles.
Earl is survived by his sons, Richard “Dick” (Dixie) Bowlby, Gary (Tina) Bowlby, and Brian (Elly) Bowlby, all of Logan; daughters, Kathy (Gregg) Russell of Logan, Christy Auker of Rockbridge, and Karen (Gus) Morris of Glouster; grandchildren, Mark, David, Scott, Kenny, Michael, John, Tiffany, Kiera, Brandon, Zachary, and Aaron; great grandchildren, Christopher, Benjamin, Ian, Emily, Tyler, Broc, Braylon, Briele and Sophia; brothers, Carol (Mary Jane) Bowlby of Logan and Wayne (Anita) Bowlby of Logan; and sister-in-law, Eloise Stivison of Logan.
The family suggests donations to the AMA Hall of Fame Museum, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147 or to your favorite charity.
The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame sends its condolences to the family and friends of Earl Bowlby, a 10-time AMA national hillclimb champion, who passed away Saturday, Aug. 5. He was 90 years old.
Born on Oct. 27, 1933, in Hocking County, Ohio, Bowlby’s love for motorcycles began as a teenager as he rode his paper route aboard a Whizzer motorbike during the 1940s. Bowlby’s racing career didn’t get started until the late 1950s, but instead of hillclimb, he first dabbled in drag racing.
In 1960, Bowlby established his own motorcycle dealership in Logan, Ohio, and began to ramp up his racing activities. Bowlby tried a variety of disciplines, spanning from enduros to hare scrambles, but ultimately found his true calling: hillclimb.
Earning his pro license at 32 in 1966, it took only two years for Bowlby to claim his first national victory with a win in Muskegon, Mich., in 1968. From that point forward, Bowlby dominated the national hillclimb scene, claiming 10 national titles across his 25 years of professional racing, a record that stood until 2021.
In addition to his 10 national titles on the AMA hillclimb circuit, Bowlby also added six Canadian national championships to his trophy case during his career. In 1984, Bowlby became the first competitor to complete the triple crown of hillclimb by winning the national invitational at Muskegon while claiming the AMA and Canadian national titles.
As a result of his illustrious racing career, in which he captured more than 80 AMA national hillclimb wins, Bowlby was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999 and remained a steadfast supporter from that point forward. In February 2023, Bowlby donated his 1967 BSA 650 to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame collection.
See Earl Bowbly’s Hall of Fame posting here: hof.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail. aspx?RacerID=16
In March of this year, the National Powersports Dealer Association issued a Position Statement calling for the end to OEM Surcharges put in place during the COVID Pandemic. Written on behalf of the organization by Board Member Mark J. Sheffield, the Statement can be found here: www.npda.org/_files/ugd/f1e82a_4cb6046a1b3c48a59f7 f69b53206f8aa.pdf
In response to actions to rescind surcharges in 2024 by two leading OEMs, Yamaha and BRP, Sheffield has written, again on behalf of the NPDA, a follow-up Position Statement on this important industry matter. “It is with genuine appreciation that the NPDA extends its public commendation to Yamaha
Motor Corporation and BRP for their pioneering role in the industry, marked by their decision to eliminate surcharges for the forthcoming year, 2024 …
… Although tardiness seldom aligns with trends, there remains ample time to rectify the situation. The NPDA emphatically urges the remaining manufacturers to emulate this positive trajectory by rescinding surcharges for the upcoming year, 2024.”
Read the full follow-up Position Statement below the break, or click on the NPDA website: www.npda.org/_files/ugd/f1 e82a_43ec71e599aa4086a56c8a13b4aa425f.pdf
The Powersports industry operates within a framework that is far from a zero-sum paradigm. Collaborative efforts between Dealers and Manufacturers hold the potential for achieving remarkable outcomes. It is imperative that neither party approaches this collaboration with apprehension over perceived territorial losses, fearing the advancement of the other.
During the apex of the pandemic, the justification for incremental costs tied to commodity prices and freight expenses was evident. However, as cost normalization took effect, these supplementary surcharges persisted. Regrettably, these incremental costs evolved into a source of contention among both consumers and dealerships.
As the unified voice of dealers, the NPDA assumes the responsibility of soliciting and aggregating feedback from its esteemed members, subsequently discerning the issues that warrant concerted attention. The onset of 2023 witnessed a notable influx of discourse within our membership regarding OEM surcharges. Consequently, the NPDA elected to prioritize this matter, issuing a resolute stance that the era of surcharges should come to an end.
It is with genuine appreciation that the NPDA extends its public commendation to Yamaha Motor Corporation and BRP for their pioneering role in the industry, marked by their decision to eliminate surcharges for the forthcoming year, 2024. This decisive action is poised to yield benefits for all stakeholders involved: consumers, dealers, and manufacturers. The NPDA firmly believes that adept sales personnel will harness this opportunity to drive increased sales for these esteemed brands.
Although tardiness seldom aligns with trends, there remains ample time to rectify the situation. The NPDA emphatically urges the remaining manufacturers to emulate this positive trajectory by rescinding surcharges for the upcoming year, 2024. The discerning consumer base has grown weary of incremental charges eroding the value of each purchase. For the manufacturers who have not yet rescinded surcharges, choosing unwisely in this matter would invariably lead to a competitive disadvantage throughout the remainder of the present model year.
NPDA Position Statement, featuring Lead Author & Board Member Mark J. Sheffield
