THE OLD 80/20 RULE Some good stuff in Dealernews’ first edition of 2021 including multiple articles on the topic of a National Dealers Association. It would be great to see if they can get some traction on a national body to represent powersports dealers. While the OEMs have their organization, voices of the dealers are mostly drowned out and we are excluded from most of the conversations that really matter. There are a lot of hurdles to overcome, including who would carry the torch… and handle the heavy-lifting. As with a lot of these groups, in the end, 20% of the dealer body will do 80% of the work, and carry 80% of the costs. While that sucks, that’s just the way it normally works out. If we aren’t careful, the OEMs will soon be selling direct to consumers, and all the work we have done over the years to build those brands will be lost. I’m interested to see how this plays out. Mark Sheffield, Strategic Advisor Woods Indian Motorcycle New Braunfels, TX
CHEAP CHARLIES I attend the SEMA show every year. That association has a tradeonly show, scholarships, training, endowments... you name it! For years I’ve wondered, “Where’s the powersports industry on this?” Thanks for bringing the subject to a head. I just hope all the CheapCharlies and Charlenes out there don’t kill this with muffling about “dues”. Nothing good is free. Again, thanks. It’s about time. Norman Gaines New Age Cycle Via The Internet
MANAGEMENT VS. LEADERSHIP Eric Anderson, you said it perfectly, “Experts from the outside don’t understand the nuances of a recreationally-based, relationshipdriven industry.” I have heard this complaint over and over from different industry personnel. This is what causes some of these companies to lose their “Magic” in my opinion. Great article! Nicole Allen, Country Manager Akrapovič d.d.
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YOU’VE GOT ME ALL EXCITED ABOUT NPDA I’m Steve Shankin – president of Seizmik, a UTV accessory company. In the spirit of full disclosure, I’ve got two primary drivers that are causing me to be interested in the NPDA. Generally speaking, this industry thinks of itself as the “motorcycle” industry, but there’s more UTV units sold, more UTV dollars, and it’s been growing for years (even pre-COVID bump). The lack of attention on UTVs hurts ‘the industry’ and many dealers. I’ve done tons of seminars on this, and I’ve spent years studying UTV customers and trying to educate dealers on how they’re different from motorcycle customers and why it’s in everyone’s best interest to treat them differently and appropriately. I’ve had the opinion that most powersports dealers haven’t adapted very well to the impact of internet shopping pre COVID, and the dynamics of the pandemic are making that worse. There’s plenty of data that supports this – and I’m not aware of anyone talking about it or making suggestions what to do about it in any substantial way, either pre or post pandemic. I’ve had both of these opinions for quite a long time – not just since the pandemic started. It’s in my best interest to have a healthy powersports dealer base and not just have all the sales done online. And it’s also something that I just want, because I want it. I’m interested in helping in any way I can. Obviously I’m not a dealer so I know that I don’t fit in the organization, but I’ve got some data, experience, knowledge and a track record that can possibly add value. Regards, Steve Shankin, President Seizmik UTV Fuquay-Varina, NC
