Dealernews Issue#7 May 2019

DN 2.0 #7

THre! I W u

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C Y C A T S

t Fu P e U Th

’S p On T HA A Jum

Wetting G

eDEALERNEWS+

Shocking Developments

DEALER PROFILE+

Musselman’s Matriarch Still Going Strong

INDUSTRY RESEARCH+ Charting Your Course By The Numbers

HIGHWAY21.com

WINCHESTER JACKET

THIS IS OUR CRAFT.

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CONTENTS 06 THE VOICE OF REASON 08 EDITORS NOTE 10 LETTERS+ 12 NEWS+ SHIFTING GEARS+ 16 20 DEALER PROFILE+ 24 INDUSTRY RESEARCH+ 26 INDUSTRY RESEARCH+ 28 INDUSTRY RESEARCH+ 31 SHOWTIME!

Bob Althoff On Stealth Trade War

Robin Hartfiel On Prime Time The Industry On Dealernews News For Dealers

Who’s Who & Who’s Where

Mussleman Honda On Building Community

32 THE SHOP 34 AIMEXPO UPDATE 35 E-DEALERNEWS 36 E-NEWS 40 STACYC 44 OPINION+

News & Notes #ColumbusRolls #AIMExpoRocks & #ColumbusRolls

E-News & Notes

Watts Current In E-bikes?

Jumping Into The Future

Dale Spangler On Dirtbikes

48 OPINION+ 50 STICKER SHOCK 54 OPINION+ 56 PERSONNEL FILES 58 NORTHERN EXPOSURE

The Anonymous Dealer On Profiling Nikola eNews

William Douglas Little On Back Hair Alex Baylon On Getting A Job Marq C. Smith’s Letter To His Northern Neighbor

60 DIVERSITY+

Streetmasters On Cornering

by Alisa Clickenger

Dr. Paul Leinberger On C2B Part II Lenny Sims NADAguides On Q1 Right Foot Red, Part II AIMExpo Updates

Mussleman Honda circa 1959

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OUR TEAM

62 CONFESSIONS OF A CUSTOMER 64 MIC RIDEREPORT 66 ADVOCACY+ 68 ADVOCACY+ 72 WÜNSCHISMS

Eric Anderson On We Can Order It For You What Does The MIC Do For You?

Don Amador On The Tortoise & The Hare Scot Harden Asks If E-Bikes Are Ready For Prime Time

Uncle Paul On Negotiating With An Alien From Another Planet

78 GEAR+

CABDR Tested Tough By Eric Anderson

84 GEAR+

Heads Up FLY’s Formula For Success

86 PRESS PASS+ 88 PRESS PASS+ 90 VALE+ 91 AD INDEX 92 BACKFIRE+

MDA Ride For Life Tomac On A Mission At Pala Ave Atque Vale Burritto This issue Brought To You By… John Murphy On Mentors

Bob Althoff Dealer/CEO Eric Anderson Vice President Stan Simpson Vice President SALES/FINANCE John Murphy Publisher Alan Landry CFO EDITORIAL Robin Hartfiel Editor Gus Stewart Creative Director Brenda Stiehl Production Manager CONTRIBUTORS Don Musick Genesys Technology Solutions Dr. Paul Leinberger Denny+Leinberger Strategy Lenny Sims NADA Appraisal Guides Scot Harden AMA Hall Of Fame/Harden Offroad Hector Cademartori Illustrations William Douglas Little Unique Powersports Charlie Williams Off Road Editor Marq Smith Holeshot Motorsports, Canada Alisa Clickenger Women’s Motorcycle Tours Don Amador Quiet Warrior Racing Joe Bonnello Joe B Photography Uncle Paul Wunsch Love Cycles The Anonymous Dealer Dealer Advisory Board Bob Althoff Chairman Joey Belmont Big #1 Sports Jim Boltz Lynnwood Cycle Barn/WMDA Jim Foster Killeen Power Sports George Gatto Gatto Harley-Davidson Malcolm Hunter Deeley Harley-Davidson Robert Kay Star City Motorsports Bob Kee Destination Cycle Jerry Lenz Beaverton Motorcycles Kurt Mechling Performance PowerSports Don Owens Dothan Powersports Mark Peterson Southwest Superbikes Sandy Stroope Boat World Honda Polaris ADVERTISING John Murphy Publisher (949) 463-4319 johnmurphy@dealernews.com Tigra Tsujikawa Sponsorship Manager (949) 861-0863 tigratsujikawa26@gmail.com Blake Foulds Account Executive (760) 715-3045 Blakefoulds@dealernews.com Dealernews Magazine P.O. Box 73640 San Clemente, CA 92673 Phone (949) 463-4319 www.dealernews.com

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© Copyright 2019

So, we are promising our sources anonymity on this one.

If we can see anything around this corner, you’ll be the first to hear. While this topic may in fact become a really big story — it may be that it is a story only whispered about. Meanwhile, we have our ears to the ground in your behalf.

Some of the first rumblings came from Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), in a letter to President Trump. Closely parallel to powersports the $887 billion outdoor recreation economy makes up over 2% of U.S. GDP. OIA has already called out some of the hidden impacts that the proposed tariffs will have on the U.S. economy.

Reason For Being

By Bob Althoff

THE STEALTH TARIFF

J

ack Welch, the legendary leader of General Electric, once said something to the effect that he hired leaders “who could see around corners.”

No one but Clark Kent can actually “see around corners” — but you get the drift. Those whose experience, insight, ability to synthesize information and apply a “considered judgment” about what is to come are valuable to any organization… and critically needed by the powersports industry in these tumultuous times.

It is with that in mind that the Dealernews team has been inquiring about tariffs (“trade wars” they call it) and their possible impact on us as Dealers.

However, trying to get the OEMs to share, for the record, their honest reflections and projections may be next to impossible. No CEO wants to relive Matt Levatich’s nightmare of Presidential ire tweets and general criticism when he admitted to The Motor Company’s long-standing plans to produce overseas to serve his European customers and avoid EU imposed tariffs.

Polaris boss Scott Wine has also been pilloried specifically for his comments regarding tariffs being “catastrophic” for business back on May 5. “When we are hit with tariffs, that’s what I mean by impact to employees,” he said. “Through no fault of our own, one-third of our net income could go away.” On May 7 President Trump tweeted he would raise the current 10% tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25%. However Wine didn’t win many friends when he added the solution would be to shift more production to Mexico.

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“These tariffs negatively impact outdoor companies that produce Made in the USA goods and create the incentive to shift production overseas in order to remain competitive with foreign competition,” wrote OIA Executive Director Amy Roberts to President Trump.

“This means less money for new domestic jobs and the design and development of innovative new products. It may also force small and medium-sized businesses to shut their doors.”

“We look forward to a successful conclusion of the negotiations with China and the immediate removal of the punitive tariffs that affect America’s Main Street businesses,” wrote Roberts. “We stand ready to work with you on passage of the United States-MexicoCanada Agreement (USMCA) and additional bilateral agreements that will provide significant benefits to outdoor companies and consumers.”

However that is only half the problem… there is still the proposed tariff’s on EU-made motorcycle components, gear and accessories to the tune of $11 billion.

Powersports takes collateral damage from the feud with EU-based Airbus and U.S. based Boeing. What the rarified air of aircraft giants has to do with motorcycles is not really clear, but our dealers are the ones who end up in the line of fire.

Time to to start looking around corners before we are all blindsided!

Bob Althoff Dealer Principal, W.L.M.

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waiting for the market to develop.” That certainly sounds like bad news. Maybe… maybe not.

“From automotive to marine, aviation to UTV practically every OEM involved with motorized vehicle production, sales, and distribution in business today is not debating “if” but “when” to get into the EV business,” adds Harden. “Significantly reduced powertrain maintenance, low operation costs, reduced sound and emissions, fantastic power delivery, and acceleration are all noted as ownership experience advantages promised by EV technology.” Put like that, it just may be the time to plug into an emerging market? Maybe?

However we have been down this road before. Back in 1972, Mike Corbin set the Electric Motorcycle Land Speed Record at Bonneville with “Quicksilver” running lead/acid batteries and twin aircraft starter motors to a two-way LSR of 101 mph. This marked the first time an electric motorcycle had broken the ton and was hailed as the start of the electric motorcycle age. Meanwhile Mike refitted the bike with silver/zinc batteries and in 1974 set a new record of 165.397 mph that stood for over 30 years… Corbin’s record predated SNL by a year and lasted 25 years beyond the Not Ready For Prime Time Players… with Corbin’s success, rampant gas prices and tariffs it would have seemed that maybe the U.S. market would have been ready for an electric motorcycle… just maybe?

Editor’s Note

By Robin Hartfiel

The Not Ready For Prime Time Players

O

n October 11, 1975 television history was made when Saturday Night Live launched with an ensemble cast o supporting characters, including Dan Akroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris and Gilda Radner. This unknown crew was known as “The Not Ready For Prime Time Players” and they electrified late night TV in the late 1970s. Producer Lorne Michaels’ vision combined with the Players lunacy captured lightning in a bottle and changed the broadcast industry. And it would appear that is where we are with the electric vehicle market. Maybe.

Trying to ID the EV contenders is a real challenge these days. It would appear there are plenty of EV players who are not ready for prime time from Alta and Brammo to Vectrix and ZAP, the earlier generation of e-pioneers has charged off into the sunset leaving only the smell of ozone and some fried financials in their wake. Now we have would-be prime time players like Nikola with an $80,000 UTV on the books Zero motorcycles’ SR/F “backed by 13 years of innovation and iteration, setbacks and what-ifs, our next evolution will be the first of its kind,” (their words, not mine). “Effortless power. Precise instinct, This is the future of motorcycling.” Maybe.

Are dealers being given an opportunity to sell the sizzle of of electric vehicles (finally) or is the industry being set up for the next round of fizzle? I asked Scot Harden to figure out which is which and which will be vaporware vs. hardwired hardware? Selling the sizzle of EVs or waiting for the next round to fizzle? After a decade of experience in the EV market with Zero and an electric truck company, Scot is definitely a student of the electric market. He has ridden all the products, consulted with many of the start-ups and is currently employed by none of them, so his straight answer when pressed on if electric vehicles are ready for prime time at your dealership?

Maybe.

“An indication of just how tough it is for electric motorcycle startups is the recent demise of Alta Motorcycles who — despite an impressive design and some racing success — ceased production a few months back for lack of funding. The simple truth is that no OEM is making money on electric motorcycles at this point… and those that remain in business, do so only by incurring huge losses

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We weren’t then and maybe we aren’t yet ready for an electric motorcycle. But what about Kids EV products? Here the value proposition works in favor of EVs. “Because range is not as much an issue, Kids motorcycles are much different from full size motorcycles,” Harden explains. “Electric powered Kids bikes are already selling quite well. Osset is doing a tremendous job selling Kids Trials bikes, and some of the smaller European and Chinese companies are starting to offer similar products. The beauty of these is that they are great entry-level products, no gears or clutch to master and can be ridden literally in the backyard.” As a direct bonus of jumping in to this sector, you can help rebuild the industry from the ground up, so maybe it really is the right time… maybe.

The bottom line is that EVs will play an increasingly important role in the future of our business. It’s just a question of timing. Once the leading OEMs start delivering product to the market With the 2020 Harley-Davidson LiveWire the KTM eFreeride and Husky youth models are all set for dealer delivery this fall. “It should be a good indication they believe the timing is getting very close,” Harden hints. So is the 2020 model year that SNL moment when the switch is flipped? Maybe!

Rather than the GP-spec Energicka or the just announced Arc Vector a futuristic all-electric café racer built to order from £90,000, maybe the EV market should take SNL stalwart Steve Martin’s advice and get small? Retailing for $699 and with 35 points built in for the dealer, STACYC (Stability Cycle) for kids 3-9 years old may be the way to go. Maybe.

“One thing for sure is that electric motorcycles offer a great ride experience and on that basis alone have real appeal,” proclaims Harden. “I’m bullish on their market potential over the long term, and I am incredibly bullish on the potential for Kids EVs today. My two-year-old grandson is already riding a STACYC and well on his way to his first minibike as a result,” says the Plus1 Rider initiative founder. “And, as you know, I’m for anything that helps us get the next generation of riders started!”

Maybe the time really has come for these formerly not ready for prime time player… Maybe?

Former Editor-in-Chief and publisher of Dealernews circa 19902003, Robin returns to the magazine. In addition to having been instrumental in creating the Dealernews Top 100 program (still the industry’s ultimate accolade for a motorcycle dealership), Hartfiel has worked for most of the B2B publications in the Powersports arena. Prior to the trade side, he worked as a beat reporter for a local newspaper was an editor of publications ranging from All About Beer to VW Trends.

DN 2.0 #6

We Interrupt This Program To Bring You...

Top 100 Leaders In Powersports

LADIES FIRST What a surprise - and an honor! I’m humbled to be listed among these leaders in our industry. Such an impressive and positive step for Dealernews to take pushing us all to be better and do more to sustain the sport we love. Thank you so much!

Marilyn Stemp Iron Trader News Sturgis, SD SHOCK & AWE Well you can imagine my shock at being on this list – I can’t imagine what criteria you guys used that included my name with the likes of Travis Pastrana, Malcolm Smith and Wayne Rainy (not Roland Sands??). In any event, thank you for including me, I hope I don’t bring down the quality of the list LOL!!!!! Now I just have to see if I can clear my calendar to make it to Columbus LOL!!!

Cinnamon Kernes, VP & GM AIMExpo Irvine, CA You are in good company, Cinnamon.

For the record, Roland Sands and Summer (Sands) Hoover made the Top 100 list as part of the family dynasties.

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DIVERISTY+ OMG! Listed in the Top 100 Leaders in Powersports? I’m humbled… And I thank you. Thank you for more wind beneath my wings so I can elevate the industry even more. Ride with us in the most influential motorcycle ride across America in 2020.

Alisa Clickenger, Founder www.WomensMotorcycleTours.com www.CentennialRide.com Simi Valley, CA

#GOODJOB! What a surprise and honor to be on this list of amazing people who make this industry great. Cheers to these guys and gals! I hope for another 28 years.

UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL? What an honor to be considered one of the top 100 Powersports industry leaders.

I can remember wanting to be a leader at the local restaurant I bussed tables at as a kid. Today I’m truly honored to be considered a leader of an entire industry, sharing this prestigious list with the likes of Harley-Davidson CEO Matt Levatich, Polaris Industries CEO Scott Wine and an impressive list of others.

Today a dream of mine came true. Now if we could only get these 100 people to all work together, then we would see real industry growth.

Adam Sandoval ScootinAmerica New Richmond, CA

SLOW DAY IN THE NEWS ROOM? Seems the fine folks a t Dealernews Magazine included me in their “Top 100 Leaders in Powersports” list. I’m super honored to be included with so many other great people in the industry... (and plenty more missing).

It’s nice that the work we all do on our projects (large and small) is appreciated enough to be included. I know what we do in the industry is not really any company’s priority in these tough times but to be noticed like this humbling.

I want to thank Robin Hartfiel, Bob Althoff, John Murphy, Brenda Stiehl and the rest of those involved in the process... We’ll keep trying to raise the bar and contribute as we can.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE I just breezed through the latest issue of Dealernews and much to my surprise saw my name on the Top 100 Leaders list! I don’t think I deserve it any more than the 101+ other passionate people who move our industry forward every day, but I appreciate your belief in me, and by proxy the entire NPA team. We’ll keep doing everything we can to make a difference.

Warm regards,

Jim Woodruff, COO National Powersport Auctions Poway, CA PS: You left Althoff, Hartfiel and Murphy off the list. Please place them at the top of the list as soon as possible.

SAY WHAT? I’m speechless! Thank you for the recognition.

Scott Wallenberg, Publisher Racer X Boise, ID

Alex Baylon, Founder MotorcycleIndustryJobs.com Carlsbad, CA Well... it must’ve been a slow day in the motorcycle industry news room?

Seriously, good job Alex.

Todd Huffman Pipeline Digital Media Fullerton, CA ADVOCACY+ Thanks again for creating an advocacy section in Dealernews! I hope that it gives readers/dealers some insights into what we do in the advocacy arena.

Also, thanks for the unexpected listing in the Top 100! Leaders… Wow. What a list of folks. An honor to be listed with many of my powersports heroes. A real surprise and true honor for me. What a surprise to come home from the Fools Gold Enduro and find myself listed with top 100 leaders... many of which are my powersports industry heroes. Thanks Dealernews for thinking of me and for giving me the opportunity to write for you guys!

Happy Trails, Donald Amador AMA District 36 Government Lead Quiet Warrior Racing Mendocino, CA

ANOTHER ADVOCATE My latest Advocacy column is out in Dealernews along with a lot of other great information and insight into the Powersports Industry. I encourage all my Motorsports friends to give it a read.

By the way I’m very honored to have been included in the Dealernews Top 100 List of Industry Leaders. It’s a great honor especially when I look at the other names listed.

Scot Harden Harden Offroad Temecula, CA

AMERICAN IRON HONORED I am quite surprised and honored to have just been named one of Top 100 Leaders in Powersports by Dealernews magazine.

A bit humbled, especially when I see the others on the list. WOW! No way I could do what I do without an amazing team at American Iron Magazine and #GarageBuildMagazine.

FOR THE LOVE OF MOTORCYCLES Very humbled and honored to be on the list, thank you! I’m lucky to have spent so much of my life with soooo many people that love motorcycles!

Terry Baisley, VP of Sales Western Power Sports Boise, ID

Buzz Kanter American Iron Magazine Stamford, CT

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

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EX IS NOW AN EX-SERIES…

EnduroCross promoter WHR Motorsports has tapped out for the 2019 season according to the American Motorcyclist Association. AMA has been informed by the series promoter that there will be no national championship-level EnduroCross racing in 2019.

MILESTONE FOR THE MOTOR COMPANY

On May 8th 2019, Harley-Davidson made history when the 5 millionth motorcycle rolled off the assembly line at the York, PA facility. The story of Harley’s Vehicle Operations in York actually begins on the cusp of World War Two when the U.S. Navy commissioned a factory to meet the urgent demand for anti-aircraft guns.

In 1973, Harley-Davidson motorcycle production moved from Milwaukee to York and Ironhead Sportster and Shovelhead FL models filled the production lines. When a group of HarleyDavidson executives bought The Motor Company back in 1981, York stayed in the family.

“Today workers stamp the sheet metal for tanks and fenders, form and weld our motorcycle frames, apply painted finishes that are the benchmark of the industry, and staff a final assembly line that is the embodiment of our commitment to state-of-the art manufacturing technology and world- class quality standards,” says The Motor Company.

“York has changed over the years, evolving to meet the challenges of the times and seize the opportunities ahead.

We’re charging forward by bringing LiveWire, our first electric motorcycle to life. It’s the first in a line of electric two-wheelers that will lead the electrification of riding and change the future of Harley-Davidson.”

York is growing, and the majority of Harley-Davidson motorcycles sold world-wide roll off American assembly lines, including every Harley-Davidson motorcycle sold in the United States.

See it happen here: https://www.dealernews.com/Home/post/harleydavidson-makes-history/2019-05-23

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The series has been canceled “Due to unforeseen circumstances” and no word about 2020. “The extreme off-road racing discipline is very important to the AMA as an organization and to many of our members,” says AMA Director of Racing Kevin Crowther.

“We will continue to work toward securing a promotional partner that meets the requirements for operating an AMA extreme offroad national championship series.”

A long-time event producer from Kent, WA, WHR Motorsports had announced a deal to take over from Bonnier Motorcycle Group back in December. The 7-round 2019 EnduroCross series was supposed to kick off July 6 in Orofino, Idaho and conclude in Nampa, Idaho on October 26.

CHECK THAT! ENDUROX LIVES!

Although the EnduroCross series has been declared dead, Arenacross promoter Tod Hammock and the series original creator Eric Peronnard are looking at all possibilities keeping INDOOR extreme off-road racing alive.

Hammock has been promoting Arenacross races across the United States since 1995, totaling over 300 successful events.

His most recent achievements include launching a national television partnership with Fox Sports for the 2019 National Arenacross Series. In 2004, Eric Peronnard brought the first ever EnduroCross to life. His resume is full of experience working in the Motocross, Supercross and the X Games worldwide. His knowledge and passion for off-road racing/riding is unparalleled.

Hammock and Peronnard are the ideal team to successfully keep INDOOR extreme off-road racing alive in the short term and grow it in the long term. Key people, including track builder Shane Schaeffer, long-time EX race director Mike Hathaway and Cycle News publisher Sean Finley have already been tabbed as part of the new team.

Preparations for a three-race series for 2019 are in the works, with plans for a full series in 2020 and expansion of the number of races in the future. Proposed races and dates for 2019 are: August 24th, 2019 | Prescott Valley, Arizona

October 19th, 2019 | Denver, Colorado

October 26th, 2019 | Boise, Idaho

CHANGING HANDS

After 26 years of serving Carolina customers, Ken Lipack has sold Harley-Davidson of Charlotte in Matthews, North Carolina, to fellow dealer Tim Brown in a deal brokered by Performance Brokerage Services. Established in the early 1920’s, the dealership underwent a number of ownership changes and relocations before it was bought by Ken and Ron Lipack on February 2, 1993. Ken began his love of motorcycles on a dirtbike at age 12 and worked in the motorcycle industry since graduating from college, pursuing his dream of one day owning a Harley-Davidson dealership.

HOT NEWS

According to our ADVOCACY+ columnist Don Amador, the Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance (PWORA) is now an Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501 (c) (3) charity. “The IRS confirmation allows us to obtain corporate insurance, receive grants/donations and complete agreements with land agencies. It is a significant accomplishment that will enhance our capacity building efforts as we address the ongoing impacts of the 2018 wildfires and head into the 2019 wildfire season.”

Formed in response to California’s 2018 devastating wildfire season, PWORA serves as a central clearing house and oversight organization for post wildfire/natural disaster recovery of trails and related recreation facilities. “PWORA has a professional Board of Directors that is augmented by business supporters, volunteers and professional advisers helping to restore OHV trail opportunities that were destroyed by wildfires and other natural disasters,” adds Amador. “Recovery work can also include routes that provide motorized access to non-motorized recreation.”

“PWORA looks forward to working with our civilian, agency, and industry partners as we grow both our professional and volunteer workforce to assist in recreation recovery efforts both during and after the wildfire or other natural disaster,” Amador concludes. Current members of the PWORA board are Del Albright, Don Amador, Jeff Blewett, Matson Breakey, Art Crofts, Cam Lockwood, and Eric Lueder.

Harley dealers will know Ken as a past President of HarleyDavidson’s Dealer Advisory Council. He has also served for several years on Harley’s International Retail 20/20 Dealer Engagement Group and served as a Board Member of the Carolina’s Harley-Davidson Dealer Association. After achieving his life-long goal of being a dealer, Lipack was looking for an exit strategy. “George Chaconas was referred to me by a very close friend that he successfully helped sell his dealership. I was not sure if we could get enough money to retire, so George prepared a complimentary evaluation for us and the numbers worked.”

“Within 30-45 days, we had multiple offers and went on to negotiate with a well-qualified and motivated buyer. We had a very successful and smooth closing. I want to thank George Chaconas and Performance Brokerage Services for their professionalism, tenacity, commitment, discipline and perseverance to get this deal done for me and my family.”

“As a long-time partner with Billy Weaver of Harley-Davidson of Greenville, SC before buying him out, I really wanted to buy another Harley-Davidson dealership,” says new owner Tim Brown. “I love the brand and the Charlotte market area.

George Chaconas made the purchase really simple even though it was a very emotional sale for the Lipack family.”

The dealership will operate under its new name, Independence Harley-Davidson, and will remain located at 9205 East Independence Boulevard in Matthews, North Carolina.

MAY 2019

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ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

Say it ain’t so! After more than 100 years, Motorcyclist Magazine will no longer be in print as of the July/August issue according to Bonnier Corp. “Like other enthusiast-content segments, motorcycle readership has evolved to a truly digital audience,” said Andy Leisner, SVP Managing Director of the Bonnier Motorcycle Group. “There have been substantial shifts in consumer content preferences as well as advertisers’ desire to reach motorcycle consumers on these growing digital platforms.”

The brand will continue online at motorcyclistonline.com and across all social and video platforms.

Leisner claims the digital audience for Motorcyclist has grown substantially, led by the 1.18 million enthusiasts who interact with Motorcyclist’s social channels, including 630,597 Motorcyclist YouTube subscribers. In the past two years, Motorcyclist’s YouTube views have grown by 239%, and subscribers have grown by 494%. All existing Motorcyclist staff and production resources will be shifted to address the growth on these channels.

“Did anyone shed a tear for Blackberry when Apple released the iPhone? NO. The only thing guaranteed in this life is change,” says long-time lensman for Motorcyclist and Cycle World Jeff Allen. “This announcement is NOT sad news, it is JUST news. Are you a fan of the current folks at Motorcyclist Mag? Great. There has been no, as in zero, change in the MC staff. So, now instead of going to your mailbox to interact will the good people of MC Mag, you will go to your phone or computer. As you are right now. Look for all the great stories and video you love at YouTube and motorcyclistonline.com.

630,000+ YouTube subscribers! And the audience is growing.

Here’s to another 100 years!”

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NPA EXPANDS BIG FOOTPRINT IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Following on the heels of NPA’s 7th auction facility going live in Sacramento, CA, they are making their big footprint event bigger by expanding into Sasquatch territory — the Pacific Northwest. NPA Portland is the second strategically located satellite processing center intended to simplify transportation and logistics and enhance the convenience of buying and selling for NPA dealers.

“The Pacific Northwest has a great powersports scene, and frankly it has been underserved from a pre-owned perspective,” says NPA COO Jim Woodruff. “With our NPA Portland satellite facility we can better serve dealers in Oregon, Washington and even Canada… and do it more cost effectively.”

Serving as feeder to NPA’s new Sacramento facility, NPA Portland can accommodate up to 300 units a month.

Everything from NPA’s class leading condition reports and standard services to repairs and online auctions are available on site. “Our satellite facilities have the capability to handle all the functions of our seven live auction facilities, including NPA eSale, other than the live auctions themselves,” explains Woodruff.

“NPA is here to better serve both buying and selling dealers throughout the Pacific Northwest and the entire country,” notes Woodruff. “Our new satellite facility in Portland, the success of NPA Sacramento, and the future expansion plans we have in the works are all intended to make it easier for our customers to do business.”

Big footprint indeed!

BIG NEWS FROM WPS… LITERALLY

When we were in town for WPS (Western Power Sports, Inc.) national sales meeting earlier this spring, CEO Craig Shoemaker hinted some big news was coming… well the other shoe has dropped! Construction of an additional 105,500 sq./ft. of warehouse space is wrapping up at its Boise, Idaho, HQ. “The new space will be used for overstock to feed the new expanded pick module,” explains Shoemaker. “This will help get more products out faster and meet the continued growth demand. This will bring WPS headquarters to more than 380,000 sq./ ft. with the new office expansion being completed spring of 2020.”

But wait, there’s more?? Stay tuned for other expansion news throughout the U.S. later this summer,” says Shoemaker.

The American Motorcyclist Association opposed the lifting of the summertime ban on E15 sales, submitting formal comments and testifying at an EPA field hearing in Michigan, along with the Motorcycle Riders Foundation and members of ABATE of Michigan.

“We are extremely disappointed that this significant and controversial change is being made,” said AMA VP for Government Relations Wayne Allard. “The restrictions that had been in place served as a protection for motorcyclists and for the environment.”

This regulation is tied to Reid Vapor Pressure, a measure of how quickly fuel evaporates. In 1990, Congress provided a 1-psi RVP volatility waiver to 10% ethanol blends, allowing E10 to be sold year round. The EPA has now extended that waiver to E15 fuel.

None of the estimated 22 million motorcycles and ATVs in use in the United States is certified by the EPA to operate on fuel containing more than 10% ethanol. And some vintage motorcycles will not operate efficiently on fuel containing any ethanol at all.

AMA: EPA OKS E15

American Motorcyclist Association On Passing Bad Gas Year-Round

On May 31, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency granted a waiver allowing E15 fuel sales year round. E15 fuel contains as much as 15% ethanol —150% of the ethanol found in E10, the most common fuel available in the U.S. — and the only ethanolblended fuel approved by the EPA for motorcycles and ATVs.

“Riders must use extra care when fueling their motorcycles this summer, because fuel with more than 10% ethanol can cause damage to engines and fuel system components and void manufacturers’ warranties,” Allard warned.

The EPA acknowledged, but rejected, calls for better misfueling protections from the AMA and others when issuing this final rule.

MAY 2019

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Brought To You By MotorcycleIndustryJobs.com

Laurent Beaudoin has stepped down as Chairman of the Board for the Canadian company and current President/CEO José Boisjoli steps up!

“I look forward to assuming my new responsibilities as Chairman of the Board and I intend to ensure that we continue to grow and to maintain our momentum,” says boss man Boisjoli. “On behalf of the Board and all of BRP’s employees, I would like to thank Laurent for his guidance, expertise and support over the past 16 years.” Meanwhile, Michael Hanley, an independent director since 2012, becomes Lead Director for BRP’s Board. His responsibility is to ensure the Board carries out its responsibilities effectively and efficiently. Beaudoin, who has played a critical role in BRP’s business since its creation in 1963, has been named Chairman Emeritus and will not stand for re-election. “It has been an honour for me to serve as BRP’s Chairman of the Board for the past 16 years, but the time has come to step down from active duty while remaining a mentor and advisor to the management team,” Beaudoin said. “As BRP’s President and CEO as well as Chairman, José’s tremendous knowledge of the powersports industry and his insights about the company will greatly benefit the Board.”

BMW brass trading places as Michael Peyton moves over to the driver’s seat of the MINII division and Trudy Hardy takes on BMW Motorrad

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USA responsibilities. Former Ford exec and Harley-Davidson dealer development head, Peyton previously ran BMW’s motorcycle business in the Americas, but will lead Mini’s North and South America operations starting July 1. Meanwhile MINI marketing exec and motorcycle rider Trudy Hardy replaces Peyton as VP of BMW Motorrad of the Americas. She is responsible for Motorrad operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina, and Latin America Direct Market Operations.

Since 2013, Hardy had served as VP of marketing for BMW of North America since 2013, and began her career with the BMW Group in 2001 as one of the original Mini launch team members.

Over the course of her 20-year career, Hardy has received a number of distinguished honors ranging from Gold Lions and Gold Effie awards to being named one of AdWeek Magazine’s Brand Geniuses in 2014. Peyton and Hardy will report to BMW of North America CEO Bernhard Kuhnt and serve as members of the company’s executive management team.

Fuel Capital Group Inc. is on the gas for 2019 having partnered with more than 150 dealers in 20 states, with new states and dealers being added regularly. Helping to twist the throttle even more, the board of directors has appointed Stephen Pietrowicz as senior VP of sales & marketing. “We are fortunate to have someone of Steve’s caliber and experience step up to lead Fuel Capital Group’s sales and marketing initiatives,” says President/CEO Peter Wasmer. “We are at a critical moment in our development and we need sales leadership to successfully implement our strategy and take advantage of the market opportunities ahead. Pietrowicz has a solid understanding of our products and market potential.” Fuel

Capital’s mission is to help their Dealer Partners sell more bikes faster and easier by putting more riders on more motorcycles with remarkably simple processes. “I believe Fuel Capital Group’s leasing machine matters today and has far reaching potential – it matters to our current Dealer Partners, and it will matter to the broader markets long into the future,” adds Pietrowicz.

Interested in learning more about leasing? Visit www.fuelcapitalgroup.com

Money matters! American Cycle Finance says it has added five more states to its footprint, spurred in part by the lender’s new national sales manager Bruce Katz. Since Katz joined the company they have extended their reach to 22 states, most recently Alabama, Iowa and Kansas.

ACF is a second-chance lender offering loans for powersports vehicles to customers with limited or poor credit or past credit turn-downs. “Our marketing plan and communications have already generated a lot of interest from dealerships in newly added states,” claims Katz. “In fact, we are having to create a ‘waiting list’ of dealers who are seeking to sign up because we are not currently doing business in their states.”

ACF has also teamed up with AFT to become The Official Motorcycle Finance Company of American Flat Track. “Our fans are active motorcycle enthusiasts and we look forward to American Cycle Finance being able to assist them in the process of purchasing their future dream bikes,” adds AFT CEO Michael Lock.

Continued on page 18

Brought To You By MotorcycleIndustryJobs.com Continued from page 16

Just in time for Americade! Paul Gomez is back in the saddle at National Cycle and will be based at the Maywood, Illinois, factory. Gomez gets the gig as Sales & Marketing Manager of the National Cycle Aftermarket sector, while Ann Willey will focus on Operations and Special Projects. “I am very excited to be returning back to National Cycle in this new role and working with a great team of experts,” says Gomez. “National Cycle has been setting the standard for innovation, technology and manufacturing for more than 80 years. Looking forward to being part of the team that continues the legacy in the powersports industry and beyond!” Willey adds, “Paul has made a 30+ year career in the powersports industry and has an in-depth knowledge of our product, our process and many of our customers. Paul first joined our sales team in 2009. Even after moving to California three years ago, Paul continued as an independent rep for National Cycle in North America.”

Motoz Tyres are on a roll! Pacific Powersports, distributor of Motoz, Zac Speed International Backpacks, Falco MotorcycleBoots, HaanWheels, Ventura Motorcycle Luggage and Quad Works/ Cycle Works seat covers, has moved into a new 15,000 sq./ft. warehouse in Ontario, Oregon. “We are on the gas growing the brands and now we have the space to stock more product, process orders quicker, and better serve our dealers across the US,” says VP Bill Michels. If interested in becoming a dealer, contact Pacific Powersports at 951719-3663 or e-mail info@pacificpowersports.com

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Heads up! Industry insider Jennifer Hayhurst joins Mayhem! Most recently marketing coordinator with Schuberth Helmets, Hayhurst has a new position as Director of Sales & Marketing at Mayhem Industries, Inc. working towards reinventing the image and lifestyle of the #1 source for Officially Licensed apparel for Honda, Yamaha, Repsol, Yoshimura, and racers including Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez, and many more!

Dealers may remember her from her days with MSR, ProTaper, FMF Racing and RK Excel America where she held a variety of racer management/event coordinator roles.

Malcolm Smith’s ghost writer Mitch Boehm moves from American Flat Track to Thunder Press. The veteran motojournalist is now on top of the masthead for a V-Twin enthusiast publication. “When I think back on all the motorcycle-related stuff I’ve done – from riding, racing, repairing and customizing motorcycles since I was ten (palm calluses and greasy fingernails included), writing about motorcycles professionally for 35 years, arranging, writing and editing Malcolm Smith’s autobiography – there’s actually some solid connections to the incredibly unique, occasionally weird and always entertaining American V-Twin world,” writes the former Motorcyclist, Cycle World and Moto Retro editor. “The great Hunter S. Thompson once wrote, “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.” Well, I’ve been to Sturgis, to Daytona, and to a few LA biker/gang rallies, and I took in nearly 100 Grateful Dead shows before Jerry kicked. So, I’ve seen some weird. And I like it.”

Al Roof back on the trail! “Calling upon my 48-years of experience in the motorcycling community and industry, Trail Rider Magazine EditorIn-Chief Kurt Flachbart has enlisted my services as Advertising Sales Agent for the nation’s oldest off-road motorcycling magazine. With approximately 22,000 readers per month (print and digital combined), Trail Rider Magazine aspires to cover all forms of grass-roots off-road motorcycling, vintage and modern. Our readers ride, a lot, most owning multiple bikes. Therefore, we strive to the be the riders’ magazine, by riders, for riders.

I hope you will consider Trail Rider Magazine as one of the most effective venues for making off-road riders aware of your product line.”

More magazine mayhem: Ryan Whisner has been named editor of Green Industry Pros. Whisner has worked as a reporter and editor at the Daily Jefferson County Union newspaper in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin for the past 20 years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a print emphasis and a second degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

A consummate storyteller, Whisner is looking forward to helping landscape contractors and dealers find ways to grow their businesses while expanding the magazine’s brand within the market.

His previous experience in the newspaper industry will help guide him in learning the audience while working to further develop diverse digital content and a social media presence for the Green Industry Pros brand.

MR. & MRS. TUCSON

Musselman Honda: Building Community for 80 Years

By Alisa Clickenger

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ver the years, motorcycles have changed. The industry has also faced numerous challenges during the past century. One constant for local enthusiasts has always been there, though. Musselman Honda continues to be a motorcycle Mecca for Arizona riders.

Their secret is simple: strong community ties, generosity and an excellent consumer satisfaction record.

Few motorcycle dealerships can trace their history as far back as Musselman Honda, a Tucson bike shop where four generations work together. Musselman Honda, started in 1945, has weathered nearly 80 years in business and continues to make an impact on local riders to this day. The dealership sells the full range of Honda ATVs, side-by-sides, street motorcycles, dirtbikes and scooters as well as Honda parts, accessories and power equipment.

Musselman Honda does have one priceless asset that no other dealership will ever hope to rival: Helen Musselman, the heart of the operation.

Helen, or ‘Granny’ as the family refers to her, started the business with her husband Darvin “Pappy” Musselman, as an Indian Motorcycle franchise. They added the BSA franchise in 1955, which Helen recalls “was a better seller

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than all the others.” In 1959 Honda entered the American market, and Helen and Pappy became one of the very first Honda dealers in the United States. To this day Musselman Honda is still located in the same historic building where they started in 1945. Helen Musselman, aged 102, still works at the dealership every day from Monday to Friday from nine to five. For Helen, this isn’t a business – it’s a way of life.

Helen’s History Helen grew up on a farm in Iowa with no modern conveniences, walking a mile to a one-room schoolhouse every day, milking cows and mowing lawns in her spare time. She dreamt of being a bookkeeper when she grew up, but she had to quit school because her parents couldn’t afford her uniform. After Helen left school, she married Darvin “Pappy” Musselman in 1930 and gave birth to her daughter Donna shortly afterwards.

At the time Darvin was an elevator boy in a hotel, but he was always working on his motorcycle and learning everything by himself. “He always wanted to open a motorcycle store,” says Helen, still sharp as a tack. During World War II Pappy enlisted in the army and Helen worked at the military base in Douglas, Arizona, selling uniforms to army cadets. As a side hustle, Pappy was fixing people’s motorcycles and cars to make ends meet.

When Pappy mustered out of the military service, he and Helen moved to Tucson, where they acquired an Indian “Motocycle” franchise and jump-started their dealership dreams. Helen was new to motorcycles before meeting Pappy, but she readily embraced his passion. The couple would go on motorcycle rides near Tucson and Phoenix, and they gradually got to know the local motorcycle community, meeting people at the races and other events.

Because many of the locals preferred Harley-Davidson motorcycles, selling Indians was a struggle, but Pappy and Helen managed to change the stubborn minds.

“Back then, motorcycles were bought by working class people, and it would take weeks to persuade somebody to buy an Indian instead of a Harley,” says Helen. “After Indian went bust in the early 1950s, we started selling Norton, BSA and Royal Enfield. Pappy would build a race bike out of these brands, and we’d go to the races. This was our way to advertise locally.

“Back then, Tucson was a small town, and business was very slow at first. We worked all the time, going to races in the evenings in Phoenix and around Tucson,” she explains.

Darvin Musselman raced bikes till the end of his time, earning the nickname “Pappy” because he was always the oldest racer on the track.

You Meet The Nicest People On A Honda “My husband always said that once you got a motorcycle, you’d always be addicted to it!” laughs Helen. In 1959, Pappy and Helen were among the first American dealers to get a Honda franchise, which was a considerable risk at the time.

“At first, people didn’t trust Japanese bikes, but as customers realized that these bikes were remarkably sturdy and reliable, the little Hondas gained popularity. It felt like the market had changed almost overnight. With Honda, we got the type of customers we always wanted to reach. The little Honda Cubs even became popular among local kids who would deliver newspapers on them, as back then, you could get a motorcycle license at the age of 14.”

With their famous “You meet the nicest people on a Honda” ad campaign, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer did something unexpected. Instead of marketing motorcycles to returning GIs and blue collar workers, Honda aimed at urban families and college students – and the strategy worked, says Helen.

Continued on page 22

MAY 2019

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Continued from page 21

Click the arrow to play Todd Huffman’s video for Honda: Honda Kokoro #2 - Helen On Wheels. Ride back to 1959 to see Helen Musselman’s original Honda dealership.

Building Community Today Selling motorcycles isn’t just a way to make a living for any of the Musselman family. It’s about connecting and being a part of the local community. Mark Kingsley, Helen’s grandson and Musselman Honda’s General Manager, has inherited and expanded on this philosophy. Kingsley takes after his grandfather and is very mechanically minded… he also shares Pappy’s belief that the service department is the lifeblood of the dealership.

Further building community, Kingsley also runs the nearby MC Motorsports Park, an off-road park and motocross track hosting local races and helping kids get into motorcycling. “I set up the off-road park and MX track nine years ago, and I did it under my own name rather than the dealership’s because I wanted all local dealers to get involved.”

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Honda soon became a popular choice among younger, college-educated people. “As Honda progressed, producing 100cc, then 250cc, 450cc bikes, and finally, the Gold Wing, so did we, and we never looked back.”

In 1961, Helen and Pappy went to Japan to meet Soichiro Honda himself. “They called us Mr. and Mrs. Tucson over there,” she remembers. Although taking on the Honda franchise in the early years was a risk, it more than paid off in the long run.

Together we rise? “This is about the community and getting young riders into the sport,” Kingsley explains. MC Motorsports Park is used by local riders and kids, and it’s a beloved spot for the local motorcycle community to meet, train, race and just enjoy motorcycles together.

Nowadays Honda is once again gaining popularity among younger people, especially college students who can’t get enough of the Grom, and Musselman Honda continues to support rider training in the nearby Pima Community College. “Tucson is small, and rider training is a great way to bring new riders in and create a new generation of dedicated motorcyclists,” Kingsley adds.

Grateful Generations Thanks to the family’s dedication to the local community, Musselman Honda has become not only a familiar landmark in Tucson but also a place to get everything and anything motorcycle-related, just like generations before. “About 40% of our customers have family that have purchased a bike from us. Everybody in Tucson knows us,” claims Kingsley. According to him, the main attraction is still, without doubt, Helen.

Over the years Helen has accumulated a collection of antiques and memorabilia which now make up a small museum inside the dealership. “People come to see the museum and talk to Helen from all over North America and even Europe. For example, we recently had some Swedish riders drop by simply because they’d heard about Helen.”

However, it’s not just historical curiosity and habit that draws people to Musselman Honda. Pappy and Helen were convinced that the customers’ needs came first, so they always had plenty of spare parts on the shelves, and their mechanics readily worked on any bikes, however old or beat up, so that people could continue to ride.

“To an extent, we still do this today. We have more parts, including older parts, in stock than most dealerships, and we happily work on older bikes,” says Kingsley. Enabling people to keep riding their beloved bikes seems to be a solid strategy to keep generation after generation of motorcyclists coming in.

“This is also why Helen still comes in to work,” concludes Kingsley. “For us, this is a way of life, it’s just what we do.”

Helen celebrates her 102nd birthday on June 20th, 2019!

Musselman Honda 2302 N Stone Ave Tucson, AZ 85705 (520) 622-7491 https://www.musselmanhonda.com/ MAY 2019

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Dealernews Research

By Dr. Paul Leinberger

IT IS A C2B WORLD

So What’s Your Digital Strategy?

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ast month I talked about the fundamental change that has taken place in the way we do business.

We now live in a “C2B” world — a “consumer-tobusiness” world rather than the B2C world many of us grew up with. “C2B” means that consumers are now in charge of every aspect of our relationship with them. We no longer control the terms of engagement, the customer does! If we meet their (ever-changing) needs – and on their terms — we win. If we try to get them to conform to our systems and our way of doing business, we risk losing their business.

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Consider how the concept of convenience has changed.

Not long ago, if a customer came into your dealership and found a product they wanted to buy but it was out-of-stock, you could tell them that you would be happy to order it and it would be there in a week… or two. The customer might have grumbled a bit, but he/ she would have accepted the delay. Then along comes Amazon and Amazon Prime.

Amazon Prime guarantees free delivery in two days or less – in some markets they offer same day delivery. According to one estimate, as many as 76% of American households now have an Amazon Prime membership (Statista December 2018). That means that in today’s consumer-driven environment, twodays is the MAXIMUM amount of time a customer is willing to wait. So, the customer who wants to buy from you now but has to wait a week… and even then has to come back to your dealership to pick up the product? Really? What chance do you have of making that sale? That’s what it means to live in a “C2B” world.

Technology made the “C2B” world possible and that means we all need a digital strategy. Having a digital strategy means more than selling online; it means developing a detailed understanding of how consumers want to connect with you – online and in-store, across devices, and through a variety of channels.

In today’s C2B retail environment, a strong digital strategy can make a major difference in driving sales.

There are many aspects to building a strong digital strategy; one of the most important is an online rating and review system.

As a powersports dealer, you know that customers rely on you to answer many of their questions about what products to buy and why. However, today’s customers also want third party reviews and, increasingly, these reviews take place online.

Amazon was one of the first online sellers to offer verified customer ratings and reviews and the concept caught on fast. Today, online reviews are fundamental to the shopping experience. According to a recent study of 2000 consumers (Bazaarvoice, March 2019), 64% of shoppers consider online ratings and reviews second only to recommendations from friends and family.

If you add a Q&A section, shoppers have a chance to ask you questions and raise concerns (as they might have had they been shopping at your dealership). When you personally respond, you build trust, promote shopper confidence, and, ultimately, drive sales (a 114% lift in conversion and a 120% lift in revenue per visitor according to Bazaarvoice).

Further, consumer ratings and reviews can actually drive shoppers to purchase. “Product pages with at least one review experienced a 354% increase in conversion rate and a 446% lift in revenue per visitor (RPV) compared to product pages with no reviews…” (Bazaarvoice, March 2019, p. 10).

Amazing! And retailers understand the benefit. A full 86% of retailers who have added customer ratings and reviews to their websites believe that consumer reviews drive online sales and 53% believe customer reviews have a positive impact on in-store sales as well.

As you build your digital strategy, consider adding two other features. First, add a question-and-answer (Q&A) section. Shoppers to your site don’t want their shopping experience with you to feel one-sided. They want shopping to feel more like a human interaction and not just a transaction.

Second, make it possible for customers to add photos and videos. The internet is becoming increasingly visual (moving from text to photos and from photos to video) and 1 in 3 consumers report that photos and videos of products posted by customers are important or very important in their decision to buy. Photos and video create a more engaging shopping experience and, like a Q&A section, deepens consumer trust.

Bottom line: When building your website, make sure to add a rating and review section, a Q&A section, and finally, make it possible for customers to add photos and video. Together they build a stronger customer shopping experience and a deeper sense of customer engagement.

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

MAY 2019

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Dealernews Research

By Lenny Sims

BY THE BOOK

NADAguides Market Insights Power The Market Values

L

ast month we noted that the powersports market looked strong going into the prime selling season. Values were holding their own in the key Side-by-Side categories and something of a surprise, sportbike values are seeing multiyear highs. Cruisers are also looking more positive than the previous two years. This month we illustrate value vs. traffic at NADA for April 2018 through March 2019.

According to the most recent data, cruisers continue to lag behind 2015 and 2016, but are now running slightly ahead of 2018, with further positive directional movement expected.

Employment and wage growth in 2018 continue to attract new buyers. Sportbikes are also seeing an uptick, bringing

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6.2% more money than this time last year. Those prices are expected to appreciate into the summer selling season.

The utility segment of Side-by-Side sales is slightly behind 2018, but has actually lost very little value in the first quarter.

In fact, values are about the same YTD. Meanwhile sport Side-by-Sides continue to enjoy a multi-year high, averaging 1.3% ahead of where they were in 2018.

Tariff concerns are a wild card for new unit sales, but with unemployment figures approaching record lows, values should continue to hold their own. While the economic picture is somewhat less rosy than in early 2018, discretionary spending should remain healthy going into the prime activity months.

About NADAguides.com NADAguides.com, the largest publisher of the most market-reflective vehicle pricing and information available for new and used cars, classic cars, motorcycles, boats, RVs and manufactured homes, offers in-depth shopping and research tools including a broad range of data, products and service and informational articles as well as tips and advice. NADAguides. com also produces electronic products, mobile applications, raw data, web services, web-syndicated products and print guidebooks. NADAguides.com is operated by National Appraisal Guides, Inc., a division of J.D. Power.

J.D. Power/NADA Guides, Inc. 3200 Park Center Drive, 13th Floor Costa Mesa, CA 92626 (800) 966-6232 Fax (714) 556-8715 www.nadaguides.com/Motorcycles MAY 2019

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Dealernews Research

By Don Musick

RIGHT-FOOT RED II

Playing Industry Twister With The Big Kids

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he past couple of issues we have visited the “Twister mat” that is the UTV industry. We have seen how some non-traditional approaches have helped Vector UTV and others carve out total market share via big box chains. We took a look at how they were distributed across the United States. So, in our game of OEM Twister, where does a brick and mortar shop get a toehold? Just take a look at how many lawn mower and OPE repair places go in around “Big Box Depots” — they might be able to sell units from a mega-store, but they farm out the service work.

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Given the disparity in store locations between the two retail chains, it should come as no surprise that Tractor Supply Co. (TSC) retail sales of Massimo follows the same pattern as their store distribution as shown in Figure 6.

As before, the dot-density map represents individual units sold (black dots) with a heat map overlay for volume emphasis (yellow to red color ramp). However, what does come as a surprise is the local retail distribution (Figure 7). Most notably, the absence of retail activity near major population centers including Chicago, Detroit and New York.

This would suggest that TSC stores are more rurally located and might service a different population of customers. In fact, an examination of local populations for each retail chain by MCD (Minor Civil Division=county subdivisions such as city, township, village, town etc.) reveals an average population of 46,801 for all TSC stores vs 326,354 for Home Depot. While the relative retail volume of Vector and Massimo UTVs for each chain is similar, TSC has a larger suite of UTV product offerings which may indicate greater strength in rural markets.

Figure 6: TSC Massimo UTV Retail Map.

Figure 9

Figure 7

So, having examined “Where’s your Massimo, Maximo”, let’s take a look at the “When” on TSC’s retail timeline. As was done with Vector UTV, aggregated relative inventory levels and interpolated retail volume for Massimo product is shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8 With the exception of November-December 2017, the retail profile once again shows a late spring peak with an additional late summer uptick not observed with Vector. Another striking feature is the overall reduction in inventory to below 25% of initial levels by year end. Inventory level can also be seen to increase in advance of the upswing in early spring retail.

By comparison, Vector ending inventory had only fallen to ~75% of initial levels. Inventory reduction (and hence carrying cost) may be a reflection of TSC’s outright purchase of Massimo product vs Home Depot’s consignment approach to Vector (as covered in the previous issues).

Back to the November-December 2017 exception… what’s going on here? Clearly retail during the same period in 2018 is nowhere near as strong. Well, it turns out that TSC had a major “Black Friday” push on the MSU-500 (Go Green!) which likely played a significant role in boosting retail through the holiday season (Figure 9).

Of course, as with most holiday retailers, “Friday Only” sales can come with a wink and a nod to help product fly off the shelves (or off the floor in this case) well beyond a single day.

Figure 10 So whether it’s “Where’s your Vector Victor” (left foot-orange) or “Where’s your Massimo Maximo” (right foot-red) the exposure of Hisun-manufactured product through big box retailers (Home Depot, Tractor Supply Co), adjacent market retailers (Cub Cadet) and independent dealer networks (Hisun, Massimo, Bennche) collectively serve to strengthen the brand’s prospects of success moving forward.

Finally, while feeling totally contorted in this game of UTV Twister, I have yet to fall or touch the mat. I think that a glass of wine (or two) will fix that!

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

MAY 2019

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North America’s Most Important Powersports Tradeshow and Industry Gathering •

See new products from 500+ OE's, distributors, aftermarket manufacturers and service providers

•

Powerful dealer education designed to make your business more profitable

•

New floorplan, lifestyle features and schedule make it easier to access the products, tools and education that are most important to the growth of your business

YOU are key to the future success of our industry - Together We Rise

Register ONLINE at aimexpousa.com

+

SHOWTIME

Time To Go Shopping?

The Shop Set For AIMExpo 2019 PAGE 32

13th Annual Feria de las 2 Ruedas For Everyone!

PAGE 33

The Ale Trail PAGE 33

inspiration. On trade days, topics will focus on buying trends and content designed to help dealers better connect with their customers. On consumer days, the talks will focus on lifestyle trends and what’s new for V-Twin/Custom segment.

Each Shop Talk will have an opportunity for Q&A with the presenting industry leaders.

All work and no play makes for a dull show, so DJs will create a unique mix of music for each neighborhood, designed to reflect the passion and energy of each segment. Show attendees can enjoy local craft beer as well as artisan coffee while immersing themselves in the specific culture of the lifestyle segment.

The Shop will provide the perfect meeting place for visitors who want to take a break from the show floor, grab some food and a drink, listen to some inspiring conversation and immerse themselves in the V-Twin/Cruiser and Custom culture.

READ ALL ABOUT IT! AIMExpo News & Notes Time To Go Shopping!

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art of AIMExpo presented by Nationwide’s strategic reimagination of what a show should be has been a split into three key sectors. Reinvigorating the event for its 2019 return home to Columbus, OH on September 26-29 the show’s evolution includes more focus on the specific lifestyles that drive the passions of the motorcycle and powersports industry.

“We’re excited to bring the diverse lifestyles that create powersports culture to the show floor,” said Andre Albert, Director, Sales and Marketing, MIC Events. “AIMExpo will focus on uniting the industry to ensure that Together We Rise. It is our mission to create a stronger industry that is united in its approach to engage the consumer through product showcases, education, customer service and immersive experiences.”

New for 2019, the showfloor will embrace three of the main lifestyles that influence today’s consumer buying decisions.

Each “neighborhood” will feature its own “community hangout” focusing on the chosen lifestyle segment: The Alley for Urban and Street culture; The Camp for the two- and fourwheel Adventure and Off-road enthusiasts; and The Shop is dedicated to the V-Twin/Cruiser and Custom community.

A key component for the custom community will be The Shop Builders Invitational, curated by returning ambassador and renowned custom builder Kevin Dunworth of Dunworth Machines. Entries will be among the best Custom machines from across the country. Each entry will showcase the builder’s skillset and will be eligible to win the grand prize.

The New Product Showcase is another key draw for The Shop. Industry Ambassadors will select some of the latest and greatest new parts, gear and accessories. If you’re a dealer, discover what your customers will be looking for in your shop. On Saturday and Sunday consumers will find what they can’t live without!

Who needs Ted talks? Each neighborhood will host intimate conversations with industry experts to provoke thought and

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“Exhibitors can take advantage of the themed neighborhoods to present products to their target audience,” adds Albert.

“Companies specializing in the V-Twin/Custom market can focus their activities on their target consumers. Similarly, dealers looking for new products will be able to find suitable suppliers more efficiently. And, of course, the public will know exactly where to look for the motorcycles, parts, gear and accessories they’ve been searching for.”

“We hope the neighborhoods we’re creating will allow exhibitors and visitors alike to have a more invigorating experience at the show,” concludes Albert.

Pre-Registration Progress The initial numbers are in for AIMExpo’s early bird dealer registration process and the return to Columbus is a good thing according to these facts and figures. Pre-registrations are up 14% over Las Vegas and a whopping 22% more dealers are registered than Columbus 2017.

“If you are serious about growing your business in the powersports industry you need to exhibit at AIMExpo,” says Jim Woodruff, COO of National Powersport Auctions.

“In the span of 4 days you are able to meet with over 500 exhibitors including all the major OEMs, Distributors, dealers from around the country and thousands of retail customers; providing valuable customer feedback. NPA’s team is able to get a month of meetings, new partnerships and product strategies accomplished in the 4 days of AIMExpo. See you in Columbus!”

AIMExpo Goes Global!

At 20 weeks out from AIMExpo’s return to Columbus on September 26-29, the industry’s show continues to gain traction. A total of 17 countries are already represented with both trade attendees and exhibitors. Pavilions from the Italian Trade Association, Taiwan and China. Preregistrations have come in from dealers in 42 states — up 14% over Las Vegas and a whopping 22% more preregistered dealers than Columbus 2017 at the 20 week mark.

With the increase in dealers comes more business. “A great example of why I attend AIMExpo was last year when we were able to view and directly talk with two new vehicle lines, Vanderhall and ROXOR,” says Iron Pony President Chris Jones. “We are proud to now carry both lines at our dealerships. Being able to see actual models and talk one on one with the factory personnel made all the difference in our decisions to pick up both of these manufacturers.”

13th Annual Feria de las 2 Ruedas For Everyone!

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peaking of going global AIMExpo’s counterpart in Colombia just wrapped up their successful Feria de las 2 Ruedas show at Plaza Mayor Medellin, Colombia, May 2-5, 2019. The Colombian promoters are looking forward to Columbus. Already one of South America’s largest motorcycle trade show fairs, the partnership with AIMExpo will further strengthen the relationship with international businesses and consumers. Feria de las 2 Ruedas even has a similar message to “Together We Rise” with their “For Everyone” tagline.

“We proudly present the Feria de las 2 Ruedas, the most important international event in the motorcycle industry in Latin America, which continues to grow and position itself as one of the most important business meetings in the world of motorcycles. For 2019, the venue will again be the Plaza Mayor Medellín, where this important event will take place for the thirteenth time from May 2 to 5.

There we host more than 60,000 visitors from 30 countries who come to enjoy the commercial proposals of 400 exhibitors located in an area of 37,000 square meters, in addition to the exhibitions, we will have more than 200 motorcycle and bicycle athletes using 6,000 square meters of track intended for demonstrations and competitions.

Prisma Gestión Empresarial, organizing company of the 2 Ruedas Fair, works with discipline and objectivity to continue offering an opportune scenario for business, innovation and development of the motorcycle industry.

Feria de las 2 Ruedas is, without a doubt, the perfect space to be noticed in the local and international scope, besides being the right place to show the united, dynamic, active sector and with the new tendencies and technologies in products and services.

For the next version, we will continue to innovate in services and benefits for exhibitors and visitors, which will allow the conclusion of business and the approach to users and lovers of motorcycles, with its attractions and special programming.” – Guillermo Leon Pagon Carmona, Director of Feria de las 2 Ruedas.

For more details click here: www.Feria2Ruedas.com

THE ALE TRAIL

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here are 52 reasons to visit Columbus according to The New York Times travel writer Sebastian Modak who sang the praises of the city in a recent feature, part of his tour of all the cities in the newspaper’s “52 Places to Go in 2019.” Why did NYT choose this midwestern metropolis above international destinations like Switzerland, Spain and Chile? The Times notes Columbus’ booming city center and revitalized riverfront, as why it’s becoming the nation’s fastest growing cities. However, right at the top of the list is # 2. The Columbus Ale Trail!

Boasting nearly 50 craft brewery locations the Columbus Ale Trail brings back Dealer Expo flashbacks. The old guard may remember the time the powersports industry literally drank the the town dry the year the show moved from Cincinnati to Indianapolis; or the Industry Party that was held across the river at the Oldenburg Brewery in Kentucky (if you have been in this industry since the 1990s).

According to our friends at Experience Columbus, the local beer scene is booming — more than half of the 46 breweries here have opened in the past five years alone. The Columbus Ale Trail is a fun way to explore them! AIMExpo attendees and exhibitors can pick up your FREE copy of the Columbus Ale Trail Volume 5 books at any participating Central Ohio brewery.

Out-of-towners can get a stamp their passport books to earn free swag as you progress on the Ale Trail. Your first four stamps will earn an Ale Trail glass… however it might be a bit much to hit 23 sites for a custom Ale Trail bottle opener since the AIMExpo is only in town September 2629. For those who do manage to get it stamped at all 46 locations, a limited edition Columbus Ale Trail art print by Nick Nocera will be waiting at the end of your journey.

Bring your book to the Experience Columbus Visitor Center in the Arena District (277 W. Nationwide Blvd.) or inside the Greater Columbus Visitor Center (400 N. High Street) to redeem for glasses. You can collect your bottle opener at either The Ohio Taproom (291 W. 3rd Ave.) or from the Experience Columbus locations: http://www.cbusaletrail.com/

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We Respect the Ride For forty years, Yuasa has set the standard by which all other powersports batteries are judged. It’s why more OEMs — in the US and worldwide — choose Yuasa.

yuasabattery.com/find-a-dealer / #WhatDrivesYu

YEARS OF

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Watts Current With eBikes Page 36

STACYC Getting A Jump On The Future Page 40

Nikola Sticker Shock!

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Cover Story

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very year EICMA commissions unique artwork for the world’s largest motorcycle trade fair. Credit where credit is due: The 2018 key visual component was created by an artist named Cristiano Rinaldi. “Here is key art I did for EICMA 2018, the 76th edition of the most important showcase in the world for the two-wheel industry.” It certainly captivated the motorcycle world last fall and help set the tone for a focus on our industry’s future.

AGENCY: Agenzia YES! ART DIRECTOR: Giuseppe Nurat Pantano

KTM Ready To eRace

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hown off last fall at the EICMA show in Milan, KTM USA has confirmed their youth model e-bike is about ready to eRace the competition in the kids class. “Combining class-leading knowledge in youth motorcycling with years of development work in the e-sector, the KTM SX-E 5 is based on the incredibly popular 2-stroke KTM 50 SX with a highend chassis powered by an electric motor,” claimed KTM in Italy, “The mission was clear: to create an ultra-competitive machine that is also easy to ride, even for pure beginners.”

The KTM SX-E 5 enjoys the advantage of zero emissions, low noise and minimal maintenance, which makes it ideal for youngsters looking to make the first step into the world of motorcycling and thanks to its dynamic design, it is ideal for the growing rider with its adjustable seat height.

The KTM PowerPack can provide more than two hours of riding for a beginner – or 25 minutes for the faster junior racers – and with its external worldwide charger, full power is restored in approximately one hour. Coming from the READY TO RACE company, the KTM SX-E 5 will set a new benchmark within the electric-minicycle market in terms of performance, rideability, safety and serial standard and will be available in North American dealerships in fall 2019.

The Sound Of Silence

There are already electric bikes in the minicycle market, including the GasGas Enduro 1 and Husqvarna EE and the advantages for new riders are obvious — less sound and adjustable power make them less intimidating for new riders. Will KTM’s new SX-E 5 be competitive racing against gas-powered 50s? That could eRace the competition from petrol=powered minis.

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erman Helmet company Schuberth was looking for a way to get traffic stopped at their EICMA display so they turned to Urban Motor of Berlin to make a real head-turning electric motorcycle. Peter Dannenberg and his crew started with a KTM Freeride E and reimagined what they see as the future of the motorcycle. New bodywork was designed digitally, before being 3D printed. The team used Windform LX 3.0—a composite polyamide-based material, reinforced with fiberglass. There are just four main pieces: one on each side, a top panel, and the headlight shroud.

The design’s a clear departure from the KTM’s stock plastics, but it’s not a classic vibe either. The idea, according to Peter, was to take cues from the blocky battery, rather than try to disguise it. They called it “Enjoy the Silence” this electric KTM is a fantastic glimpse into one possible future… but it is currently street legal as well.

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Vespa Elettrica

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he iconic Vespa popularized the scooter market in the 1950s and now the classically styled scooter comes as an “Elettrica” version. It is not just a new electric scooter,

it is Vespa Elettrica. At the heart of matters is the power Unit capable of delivering continuous power of 3.5 kW and peak power of 4 kW: values that, combined with a torque of over 200 Nm — performance said to be superior to a traditional 50cc gas scooter, especially in terms of acceleration and uphill power. Vespa claims this results in an agile and enjoyable ride on urban routes in total silence.

Vespa Elettrica also guarantees a maximum range of up to 100 km thanks to the lithium ion battery and an efficient Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), which charges on deceleration. To charge, simply pull the cable from the seat compartment, where the fuel cap is usually located, and plug in to a normal wall outlet or one of the growing number of public charging stations in big cities. The standard time required for a full charge is 4 hours (220V power outlet).

The maintenance-free battery is good for up to 1000 full charging cycles. This translates into a range of between 50,000 and 70,000 km, equivalent to approximately 10 years of operation for a vehicle intended for urban commuting.

Even after the thousand charging cycles, the battery still maintains 80% of its capacity and is perfectly usable. Located under the helmet compartment, the compact battery pack does not compromise the functionality of the Vespa Elettrica seat compartment, which can hold a Jet helmet.

An X hybrid version of the Vespa Elettrica is scheduled for release at some point during 2019, with a range of almost 200 km thanks to its gas-powered generator. To make room for the generator and its fuel tank (3 litres), Vespa Elettrica X gets a smaller battery pack that has a range of up to 50 km.

The generator adds another 150 km to the range, bringing it up to 200 kml. The generator kicks in automatically, when the battery charge level falls below a certain threshold or the rider can start it manually by selecting the Extender mode.

Tacita Expands

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he Italian motorcycle manufacturer of off-road and street electric motorcycles is building its new manufacturing facility in Torino, to increase the production capacity of their electric motorcycles. The Tacita Cruiser is also scheduled to roll out later this summer.

“We are moving from the facility we started using for R&D back in 2009,” says co-founder Pierpaolo Rigo. “We have decided to use an old building and recycle the structure to build a high-tech, 100% green design. The new factory is needed in order to comply with Tacita’s vision and principles.”

The new facility increase the production capacity for the TACITA T-Race off-road and racing electric motorcycles.

A separate production line will jump start Tacita’s street product line with the first release of the TACITA T-Cruise, announced last year.

The new facility will be installed in an old building, which has been renovated to house CNC machinery, electro erosion cutting, 3D printers, design and testing technology. “This is the first step in the future of TACITA electric motorcycles,” says Rigo.

BECOME A DEALER TODAY!

To get involved, head to www.ubcobikes.com/us/become-a-dealer/ fill in the online form and we will be intouch.

WORK PLAY RIDE EXPLORE COMMUTE HUNT FARM

New rules requiring re-certification of all existing vehicles under FAME-II (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles) guidelines to protect the environment. Of the 20 or so lithium-ion battery powered electric two-wheeler models available, the product range has shrunk drastically. From sales of more than 6,000 units in March, the number was down to almost nil, according to ET sources.

One Indian OEM added that under the second phase of the FAME programme, the vehicles have become costlier, owing to a lower subsidy. Only lithium-ion battery electric twowheelers are eligible for subsidy under FAME-II guidelines.

Fuell Going With The Flow

“April was a washout,” said Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV) director general Sohinder Gill. “Only three models were certified by government agencies towards the end of the month. But there were no sales under FAMEII. In May too, the industry will end up selling a few hundred units… It is only in August that sales may gain some pace.”

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enegade engineer Erik Buell is back in the saddle again, this time in the eBike biz. Teamed with well-connected French tycoon François-Xavier Terny, who will serve as CEO of the concern and fellow engineer and businessman Frédéric Vasseur, who comes from the F1 and the new Formula E electric racing series. The trio gives Fuell a solid base in engineering, management and funding necessary to launch their vision of two-wheelings future, both in pedal assist bicycles and motorcycles.

FUELL’s “urban mobility” positioning led to the creation of several machines to cover all the needs and styles of those who choose two-wheeled electric mobility. FUELL’s initial offer is centered around two products, the Flow motorcycle and the Fluid eBike. The Flow comes in 11kW (125cc equivalent) or 35kW (motorcycle license) versions.

Both combine practical aspects for the urban journey, including an integrated 50 liter/13 gallon internal storage, technological innovations (proprietary wheel-motor) and a connected dashboard.

For the pedal-assist people the Fluid offers up to 125 miles thanks to its two removable batteries with a total of 1,000Wh) and generous torque (100Nm), virtually maintenance-free with its carbon belt and internal hub gears. Fluid is offered as a Pedelec (max 20mph) or S-Pedelec (max 28mph, requiring helmet and insurance in most States).

Harley pulled the plug on the Buell experiment back in 2009 as the motorcycle industry was hammered by the Great Recession. A month after the split from H-D, Erik Buell Racing (EBR) was launched with the 1190R series, $46,000 streetlegal track weapons. He also partnered India’s Hero to produce electric bikes, but the deal short circuited and EBR went into receivership in 2015 after producing a limited number of bikes.

e-Sales Slow In India

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ven though India has supplanted China as the #1 PTW (powered two-wheelers) market in the world. They are still finding their way with the evolution of the eV market.

According to the Economic Times of India sales of electric two-wheeler ground to a halt May.

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Torrot To Challenge Youth Market

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panish-made Torrot has completely revamped its KIDS ONE and KIDS TWO trial, enduro and supermotard e-bikes. All of them come with removable electric batteries. Torrot says they plan to establish themselves as the best proposal for initiation to off-road for the very youngest riders, thanks to its parental control device. Upgrades include an aluminium hydraulic front fork, Mitas tires and a Torrot Electric programmable motor and controller, as well as throttle grips with charge and consumption indicators, among other new features.

Torrot’s you movement gas gone global: More than 2,500 children from 8 countries in Europe and America have been trained on the “Kids” models of electric bikes at the Torrot “Kids School” In just over a year and a half of activity, 30 motorcycle schools located in Spain, Germany, Andorra, England, Lithuania, Romania, Colombia and Mexico have joined the training project and have helped more than 4,000 mums and dads see their children’s dreams come true.

The goal for next year for Torrot’s ‘Kids School’ and the GasGas ‘School of Champions’ is to continue growing, both in Spain and internationally. To grow both in terms of numbers and quality of schools, consolidating the project as the number one benchmark in the training of youngsters in electric off-road riding and also to create the “Challenge School of Champions”, with several social get-togethers among the schools associated with the project.

To that end, STACYC currently designs, markets and sells its range of EDRIVE models for kids ages 3 to 7 years old.

Better yet, Harley wants to share the wealth. Existing STACYC dealers are grandfathered in and non-Harley dealers are welcome to sell non-Harley branded STACYC products.

BACK TO THE BEGINNING It was in 2010 when Ryan Ragland was living in Southern California and working as an engineer in R&D at KTM. “Motorcycling is my passion. It’s what brought me to California, lead to my meeting my wife, you name it, I owe everything to motorcycling. Anyway this was in 2010, and it was at this time that I decided to leave KTM, and to design medical equipment to support a growing family.

“One afternoon, I was watching a Supercross race with 1 1/2 year old Robby on my lap, when all of a sudden, when the gates went down, little Robby went nuts! He jumped off my lap and ran over to the TV and was ecstatic with joy, watching the racing! I could tell, right then, that I had found my riding buddy.”

STACYC TAKES OFF “

Harley Acquisition, News Hires, New Opportunities For Dealers

By John Murphy

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o go back to the beginning of the whole deal, it began with the family,” says STACYC CEO Ryan Ragland. “I’ve got four kids, and my oldest daughter I taught to ride a PW 50 when she was little, but she got into horses. My 13 year old is a great baseball player, and that’s his thing, and we totally support him in this, but man, I didn’t have a riding partner yet,” says the lifelong moto guy and former KTM engineer. “And then along comes my son Robby in 2010 and STACYC (STAbility CYCle) is born.”

Well, sort of. STACYC actually entered the market in 2016 and met with immediate success. However recent acquisition by Harley-Davidson, Inc. is really going to accelerate growth… and help Harley meet its ambitious goal of growing 2 million new riders! The two brands share a mutual desire to fasttrack the small company’s growth trajectory in an effort impact youth ridership at a much faster pace… and they want to take everyone along for the ride.

“The acquisition of STACYC expands Harley-Davidson’s electric portfolio and reinforces its commitment to lead in the electrification of motorcycling,” according to The Motor Company. “Harley-Davidson will launch LiveWire — a premium, high-performance electric motorcycle — later this year and future lightweight and middleweight electric motorcycles at various price points starting in 2021. The STACYC electric two-wheelers will provide an entry point for the youngest riders to enjoy the thrill of riding.”

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At the time, I was working with 10 engineers designing medical devices. These are all high powered corporate engineers, and not one of them is into motorcyclists, but somehow we get involved with RC cars to pass the time at lunch, Ragland recounts. “We’d race them around the parking lot and before long I had quite a collection of RC cars and assorted parts… but no riding buddy.” Yet. “I’ve got this little guy at home who wants to race motorcycles, but he weighs 29 lbs., and can’t reach the ground on the PW 50 in the garage. I’ve got all this RC stuff sitting around the garage — suddenly I get a wild Idea: I start piecing together the first STACYC out of some power-tool motors and some RC car parts. A few days later, I roll it in to show Robby, and his eyes, just about popped out! It’s taped together, with wires hanging out all over, but Robbie has got his first motorcycle.

As an engineer, with some resources at my disposal at the time, we built up a real prototype of the first production STACYC. I brought it home and Robby wouldn’t get off it, blasting around the yard and up and down the street. I lived in California at the time, and in what would be termed, a politically correct neighborhood. So I was fully prepared for the worst when I saw the three elderly ladies approaching me one afternoon as Robby was ripping around, expecting to get taken to task for allowing my son to have so much fun.

To my surprise, they asked, “Where did you get that bike, and where can I buy three of them; one for each grandchild!” It was then that I knew that we had something.”

I decided to find out just how cost-effectively we could produce the STACYC. We sat down and did an analysis to see if there was, in fact, a viable business there. That was in early 2016, and we started to get some stuff produced out of Taiwan. The first 164 STACYC’S arrived a week before Christmas, 2016, and my wife and I hand-delivered them throughout San Diego County.

To Share Our Love of Riding with Our Kids I’m an engineer, not a marketer. As I said, I had left KTM a few years prior, but while at KTM, Jon-Erik Burleson was president of KTM NA and coincidentally lived four houses down from me in San Diego County. It’s 2016 now, and Jon-Erik has left KTM, so I reach out to him for some ideas. It was at this same time, that I was introduced to our VP Mike Dettmers, and we

all sat around, and decided that the entire reason that we were creating this whole venture, was to share our love of riding with our kids.

We launched our company at the AIME Show in 2017. It was at the Show where we heard Matt Levatich, the CEO of HD, announce their vision to bring two million new riders into the sport. Mike and I looked at each other, and both agreed, this guy is on the same page as we are.” Ragland says things have been a blur since then as things ramped up quickly!

“We’ve put out 6,000 bikes to date, and we’re seeing 2 1/2 & 3 year old kids doing amazing things on a STACYC. We thought that Robby was some Kid Phenom, but it turns out, just about any kid can master the STACYC. They all have the motor skills. A consistent theme that we see is that people are number 1: amazed that their kids are so good so quick on the STACYC’s, but that, Number 2: how wonderful it is to have these young children join in with the rest of the family on outing, riding their own bikes. We are finding that kids have a much easier time learning to ride a STACYC, than conventional pedal bikes.”

It’s opening up a whole new layer of opportunities for families to do things together. Unlike bicycles, where a small child will tire out from pedaling after awhile, the STACYC’s keep on going. “The skill level of this next generation of riders is going to be amazing. My son, Robby, won’t get off his, and it’s the same way with all these kids.”

...And Now It’s Getting Real...HD Acquisition.

We had a ton of interest from the major OEM’s after we launched at AIME in 2017 & again in 2018, but it was Matt Levitich’s message that resonated with us. HD wanted to bring in 2,000,000 new riders, and we we’re committed to expanding the sport, too, so it seemed a natural fit. Anyway we had a lot of interest, but the other OEM’s all wanted a proprietary branded STACYC, and did not want us to be able to sell outside of their respective distribution channels.

HD made a phone call to us last July, and we went back to Milwaukee, and brought up what Matt had said a few years prior. Our first goal was not to sell out 100%, but after discussions, it was decided that HD would be a natural fit.

HD will have it’s own branded STACYC’s, but we will also market other STACYC models to all powersports retailers.

This is a whole market approach that really showed us that HD was serious when they said two million new riders!

Continued on page 42

MAY 2019

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Continued from page 41

TEAM WORK MAKES THE STACYC DREAM WORK

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fter humble beginnings in founder Ryan Ragland’s garage, STACYC, Inc. has taken off! Company headquarters has moved to Fort Worth Texas, Harley-Davidson has purchased the brand, a strategic plan for dealers has been put into place and now key personnel are being brought on board. The rheostat for the electric balance bike has been twisted wide open! And the plan calls for dealers and future riders to join in the ride!

“We’re excited to announce that our team is growing rapidly as we accelerate our mission to Create the Next Generation of Riders,” explains CEO Ryan Ragland. “We have an exciting opportunity to put great people in positions that will impact the future of our business and effectively ridership within our industry. Our immediate goals are to bring on the key players that will allow us to move quickly and accurately into the next phase of our company.”

With plans to scale nationally within the Harley-Davidson, powersport, and high-end bicycle channels, STACYC leadership is building a strong management team that will thrive in a fastpaced environment and deliver the company’s mission.

First to join the team as General Manager of STACYC is Tim Pritchard, formerly VP of Sales and Marketing for Tucker Rocky Distribution. Tim has over 30 years of experience in the powersports industry and has been on various sides of the business, including over 10 years as a dealer principal for a multilocation dealership. Most recently, Tim has been involved in various start-ups both his own ventures and in advisory roles for brands new to the industry.

Humbling It’s incredible for me to think this, much less say it, but I think we are poised to make a big, if not huge, impact on the motorcycle/powersports industry. We have a chance to change the course of the industry, by training new riders at these incredible ages.

We have testimonials from dealers stating that they are seeing younger, and younger children back into their stores, buying their first 50cc bikes, and all the accessories, at a much younger age, after being exposed to a STACYC. Once that child is engaged, they keep coming back.

HD will have their own line of products. We have a couple of hundred HD dealers signed up now, with the first shipments on the water, now, with first arrivals to dealers in August.

We have a cool Activation Kit, that HD dealers can purchase, that is a little track set up with cones, and a dealer can set up a demo area, similar to the track set-up seen at AIME. Roughly half of the HD dealers who have ordered STACYC’s, have ordered the track package.

Now, with HD investments, we will be able to visit all kinds of events nationally to demo STACYC’s, and with this track/ demo package, we will have hundreds of HD dealers demonstrating STACYC’s.

But, I want to come back full circle, to the family. If we can get a 2 1/2 - 3 year old to keep up with the 7, 8, 9 year olds, your mom’s and dad’s are just happy to see everybody getting along. And what was once an occasional thing, turns into an every other night thing, I can’t think of a better reason to be in business.”

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“You can tell immediately that Tim has a soft spot for the powersports industry.,” says Mike Dettmers VP of Sales and Marketing for STACYC. “He truly believes in what we are doing as a brand. Working with Tim to place the pieces of the puzzle in the right place the first time will allow us to move quickly. We’d like to see our little brand make as big of an impact as possible and professionals like Tim will help keep the boat pointed the right direction!”

Also joining the team is Lee Whithers as U.S. director of sales. Lee comes to the team with over 15 years of sales and leadership experience from within a few different industries. Lee will be working to build out a national sales force that consist of 7 inmarket territory managers as well as a team of inside account managers here in the Ft Worth headquarters.

“With a focus on bringing STACYC’s to more kiddos around the country, we know that filling the holes within the current dealer network will be vital,” adds Dettmers. “Lee shares our vision and passion for two-wheels and is excited to help dealers all over the country engage younger riders in their markets.”

Rounding out the management team is Jamie Beckett, who will serve as Director of Product. Jamie is an extremely well-rounded product manager who has held positions at Fox Head and more recently at Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

“Jamie’s experience will help us ride forward into the future taking Ryan’s product plan and designs and bringing them to life,” said Dettmer. “Development, sourcing and procurement are the lifeblood of a cutting-edge company. STACYC is looking into the future and will continue to build products that allow kids to engage in riding two-wheels more often and in more places.”

Assembling the management team sets a solid foundation for the future, we are continuing to fill roles within the organization.

Territory Managers, Account Managers and well various other roles are posted on the job board on the Harley-Davidson website. Link below will take you to specific listings. https://jobs.harley-davidson.com/search/?createNewAlert= false&q=stacyc&locationsearch=

DO IT IN THE DIRT Off-Road = More For Your Money

By Dale Spangler*

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paradigm shift seems to be happening at present in the dirtbike scene. As numbers dwindle at many local motocross tracks, and as the cost of four-stroke dirtbikes continue to creep ever-higher, more-and-more riders have decided to turn their attention (and dollars) toward off-road. This is evident through the huge turnouts at off-road racing series — a typical GNCC weekend will see 800 riders in virtually every class! This surge is not only the national level, but also at the regional and local levels. The reasons for this popularity are quite simple.

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For one, off-road provides so much more for the money.

Riders fed-up with exorbitant sign-up fees, four laps of practice, and all-day wait times for two four-lap motos at the motocross track have realized they can instead head to a local hare scramble or enduro, get in two hours of racing, and still be home before dinner!

Then there’s the social aspect and sense of camaraderie that’s such an integral part of off-road and that happens less often in the ultra-competitive world of motocross. Offroad riders seem less obsessed with results and instead focus more on having fun on their dirtbike in picturesque settings with good friends.

And there’s the fact that the two-stroke is alive and well in the off-road world. Two-strokes may be even more on a major comeback trail than off-roading. With its less intimidating power delivery, easier maintenance, and cheaper overall operating costs, what’s not to like about 2-strokes.

The OEMs have taken notice of this shift. As a result, we’ve seen more off-road-specific dirtbike and adventure models introduced to the market in the last few years than in a long time. If you think back just five years (2012) would you have ever thought a major OEM would bring-to-market a fuel-injected two-stroke dirtbike? I think a lot of people (including myself) thought it was possible, but were still surprised when it happened.

The off-road segment could be a saving grace for the powersports industry. It’s hard enough for a new rider to take up the sport of dirtbiking because of the initial outlay for bike, gear, fuel and transportation. But even harder is for a new rider to learn how to ride, build confidence, and hone his/her skills without feeling the competitive pressure of the motocross track.

That’s where the accessibility of off-road riding becomes clear: for a new rider to be able to ride without the pressure of competition in a comfortable setting is essential for them to build confidence and create an environment of fun instead of fear.

Continued on page 46

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

Remember, Respected Access is Open Access.

THIS PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT IS POWERED BY

Continued from page 44

Brands like GasGas and Beta are already looking toward the future by building user-friendly kids’ electric e-bikes in order to attract a new generation of young riders to the off-road market. Let’s face it, in order for us to continue to enjoy the sport we love, our industry needs to attract a new generation of riders.

Harley-Davidson has faced this challenge on the street side as its original base of riders continues to grow older and they’ve been forced to build new models that interest the younger generations. Let’s hope the popularity of off-road continues and we begin to see even more new riders get out and enjoy the sport we love.

* September 13, 2017

Although Dale is a content marketing manager for a major distributor, this commentary is his own two cents worth and was written independently as a look into his crystal ball… however what was true September 13, 2017 still resonates as truth. We poached it with permission off his LinkedIn account: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalespangler/

You can also follow his Instagram account for a fresh take on his view from inside the industry: https://www.instagram.com/dalespangler

About Dale Spangler: Growing up in northeast Ohio my father introduced me to two wheels at the age of eight, and I began racing motocross at age 12. Like many, I chased the motocross dream as an amateur and was able to progress to the professional level where I raced Supercross and Outdoor Motocross through 1995 where after some injuries I decided to hang up my boots.

After racing, I began my career in the powersports industry where I’ve spent the last 26 years as a marketing professional. Now living back in Boise, Idaho, in my free time I spend countless hours watching motorcycle races, reading as many books as possible, honing my writing craft, quaffing craft beers, and hanging out with my wife, two Boston Terriers, and Chiweenie.

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Anonymous Dealer

PROFILING IN THE POWERSPORTS INDUSTRY Is Your Staff Guilty?

T

here are many types of prejudice in this world. Racial, age, educational, sexual, gender… the list goes on. I’m sure that none of you tolerate racism at your business, but what about the subtle types of prejudice? Is your staff serving everyone equally?

Granted it is human nature to want to deal with people like ourselves. When we start dealing with others who have had the same experience as us, whether it’s coming from the same neighborhood, or the same school, or maybe the same branch of the Service, we know what the thinking process is.

Years ago, I worked with a fellow who seemed to be a great guy. He was funny, smart and well liked. But I noticed after a few months of working with him that all of his clients were just like him; not one of them were out of his socioeconomic world. Also none of them were visible minorities.

I realized that he wasted little time on people unlike himself.

He didn’t seem to be racist; he treated everyone well, no matter their background or race, but still, none of them were his customers.

Finally, over a beer, I brought this up. He had a simple philosophy. He always looked for a link with a client, and when he found one, the sale went well. But he found those who were outside of his experience hard to deal with. He didn’t want to waste time talking to someone who looked

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like he couldn’t afford a bike. It was pointless, he said. He was of the opinion that many immigrants look on bartering as a blood sport, and so wasted little effort on them. He believed they just took too much time to close.

I learned from that conversation that he was clueless and lazy. After that, I concentrated on every down-and-out looking client that came in the door. I treated everyone from another culture like they were my brothers. Consequently, I had some very interesting experiences from this. I sold three ATVs to a guy whose clothes were a mess; it looked like he’d fallen in to a mud pit, and like he’d been wearing the same jeans for several months. He just happened to be running a construction company that did many millions in business. He’s since bought many more machines from me.

There was a group that my clueless friend was talking to first, but their English was atrocious, and they were dressed oddly. When they came in the following day, I asked him if he wanted to talk to them. He told me that they were a waste of time; go ahead.

So, I did. Most of them turned out to be employees of a multi-national company, and one of them was the owner.

We had a great time trying to figure out what we were talking about, but somehow got our messages across. It took some time, but he bought six bikes off of me. Some of them he kept here, and some he shipped home. He has bought many more from me over the years. His English is still horrible. We still have fun.

Clueless moved on. I eventually bought the shop, and built it up. I’ve had great success by treating everyone well, no matter what they looked like. Most salespeople do.

However, I have noticed that my salespeople, from time to time, will make choices about people before contact is made. I guess its human nature. I try to talk to these people myself, and I often make a sale. I let the staff, sales manager included, know what happened, and try to make it a teaching point.

So, without letting your sales staff know what you are doing (something that’s often difficult to do), watch what’s happening on the floor. Are they leaving the ones that they consider too much trouble to their own devices, or are they approaching everyone equally? Is there profiling going on?

If a sale is made to a customer who seems odd, or too young, or too foreign, bring it up to the staff as a brilliant job! If every sales person sells a few more bikes every month to people that other shops are ignoring, everyone will do better.

Of course, not only is that the bottom line, it also increases your bottom line. And there’s a goal line worth crossing!

Yes, our international man of mystery is a real dealer; no we are not going to tell you who he is. Saying the things that you are thinking, without risking getting the franchise pulled. The Anonymous Dealer has more than three decades experience at the dealership, in every position from porter to dealer principal.

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Nikola Motor Company Electrifies Industry With Zero-Emission Vehicles

By Patrick Saunders & Mike Miner, atvpt.com

N

ot unlike Kevin Costner’s character in Field Of Dreams, “If you build it, he will come,” Nikola Motor Company founder Trevor Milton has a dream and he is building his own version of reality. Since childhood, Milton’s dream has been to create vehicles unlike anything ever seen before. This vision has sent him on a crusade to gather funding to make his dreams of zero-emission vehicles a reality.

Charismatic Milton has surrounded himself with like-minded people and companies that share in his dream of a world dominated by zero emissions vehicles thereby providing a cleaner, healthier environment for the future. We can see the vision, but we weren’t allowed to actually experience it…

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While attending the Nikola World 2019 Event, we were introduced to a plethora of futuristic working models from hydrogen-powered over the road trucks, electrified watercraft, to stealthy electric UTVs for the military and e-powered hot rods for consumer usage. We were wowed with the demonstration of the fully autonomous UTV, the Reckless. The military grade electric tactical UTV was driven remotely on to the stage in front of a crowd of well-heeled investors and military attaches from 12 countries. With nearly noiseless operation and no heat signature Reckless sets the bar for stealth… and secrecy as we were not allowed to get too close to the machine itself.

The Reckless and its hot-rodded consumer counterpart, the NZT, were our primary reasons for making the trek to Nikola World with promised numbers never seen before in any UTV lineup. Claims for the civilian version NZT include the equivalent of 590 horsepower and 0-to-60 miles per hour times of 4 seconds. Range will be up to 150 miles on a single charge, while running on a 125-kWh lithium ion battery pack.

The Reckless military version numbers were very closely guarded, but we were told it would go from 100 kilometersper-hour in just over three seconds, with a range of almost 200 miles.

NZT specs include Fox 3.0 Factory Series Internal Bypass shocks with 18” of travel, dual speed compression, 7 compression stages and 4 rebound stages with bottom-out control. Dash layout includes a 13” infotainment display with over-the-air software updates. The NZT comes standard with 4 independent motors, one at each wheel. These Nikoladesigned e-axles integrate the inverter, gearbox and e-motor into a single unit. These e-axles are the heart of the Nikola NZT… And don’t worry about getting them wet. The IP67 rating means these electric motors are completely waterproof!

Milton has brought on many other companies with similar visions to help him bring his dreams to fruition but Pratt & Miller (https://prattmiller.com) out of New Hudson, MI, stands out as the company that took Milton’s dream and turned it into working prototypes. We were told that Pratt & Miller were the people who created and assembled the vehicles we were seeing at West World.

Our main reason for attending was to drive, video and to critique the new UTVs, but unfortunately that did not happen.

We were told there were only two working prototypes of the NZT at this time. Our only choice was to go on a one lap ridealong at the West World test track if we wanted to stand in line, which we graciously declined. Worse, the static displays at the event was declared off limits to media… maybe I should have pulled rank and told them about my military service so I could get a seat in one?

Even the civilian models were shrouded in a veil of secrecy, which left a lot of questions unanswered. A quick trip to Nikola’s web site provided me with more answers than the trip to Nikola World. At the end of the day there is no doubt these vehicles will be making an impact on the future of offroad vehicles, but when?

Talk is cheap, the Nikola NZT is not! Starting at $80,000 you can put in a pre-order for the projected 2021 build date. But you better hurry because pricing is very quickly taking a futuristic jump to a much higher plateau than in the weeks leading up to the Nikola World reveal. If a waterproof, instant torque, direct drive, a low center of gravity 590 hp UTV sounds like a dream, Milton is going to need to build it before the market will come.

You can check out the specs on the Reckless at: https://nikolamotor.com/reckless, and the NZT at: https://nikolamotor.com/nzt

MAY 2019

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WHAT THEY SAID The NZT’s price, 5,250-pound curb weight, and acceleration figures line up roughly with the Tesla Model X, although the Tesla SUV has about twice the NZT’s range. However, you wouldn’t want to drive your Tesla X in the places the NZT can go nor would you want to drive or ride in the NZT on regular paved roads for any distance, even if it were legal. ~ Bruce Brown, Digital Trends Those are big claims, especially on the battery side of things. The most expensive Teslas have battery packs with 100kWh of capacity, and most other EVs currently in production offer less than that. How Nikola plans to put that much battery capacity into such a small package is a question we’ll try to answer while out here in Arizona. (The sky-high sticker price, massive 5,250 pound weight, and 2021 production date offer some clues, though.) ~ Sean O’Kane, The Verge The price on the NZT is definitely steep, considering the average price of a fully loaded UTV is in the $30,000 range. But there isn’t a gas-powered UTV that can even touch 590 hp on the market right now. We will no doubt keep an eye on the NZT, as it could change the future of the side-by-side market. ~ Shaun Ochsner, FourWheeler

At the end of the day, the NZT is a whole lot of promise. Whether you like it or not, whether it’s too expensive or the range is too limited, it’s an indication of things to come. Nikola is doing something no one else has done before.

Whether the NZT is great or not isn’t what matters, what really matters is what comes after that. What matters is the first high performance electric UTV that anybody can afford. Watch out — soon the electric hum of gasless UTVs will find its way onto the trails and make the ride parks quiet. ~ SuperATV.com

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Continued from page 51

GRASS IN YOUR BACK HAIR

By William Douglas Little

W

hen approaching the mid-century mark in life — even for those of us who are happily married to our soulmate — a man still likes to think that he has the ability to turn the head of a cute little 20-something.

This is why so many of us flirt shamelessly when younger ladies are present. As my wife will attest, I’m lousy about this, although in my case, this isn’t an age-onset affliction.

I’ve pretty much been a shameless flirt my entire life. A decent psychiatrist would probably tell me that it’s an overcompensation for hidden low self-esteem and a need for constant reassurance. (That’s another reason why I don’t see a psychiatrist).

Anyway, I was recently at my doctor’s office for, among other things, a cortisone shot in my shoulder. Before the doctor came in, the young and very fetching 20-something nurse asked me to climb onto the exam table and remove my shirt, which I was eager to do. After all, I’m not in perfect shape, but I had lost some weight after last year’s heart procedure and my off-road riding and work-out routine has somewhat buffed-out the remaining dough into something not horribly offensive.

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And so, with my self-esteem on the line, you can imagine my horror when I removed my shirt and the young lady made a startled sound, followed by laughter!

I just sat there, jaw-dropped, wondering what she could possibly find so shockingly funny about my nakedness.

Finally, through continued chuckling, she offered an explanation…

“You have grass stuck in your back hair,” she said! “And, it’s not just stuck, it’s all entwined in your back hair like you had it braided in there,” she continued. “At first I thought it was a bunch of green worms all over you, but… haha… it’s… haha… grass!”

Now, not that I wanted a shot with this nurse or anything.

God knows that I wouldn’t have known what to do with her had I been a single guy — but still, when you’re the only person half-naked in a room with someone half your age of the opposite gender, and that someone finds grass braided into your back hair — there’s no coming back from that.

The explanation was perfectly simple. Earlier that morning I had jumped out to mow the grass before getting on with my day. Though it was windy out, it was also a humid, sticky Spring morning and the dew was still heavy on my lawn, which had gotten way too long before I got around to the first mowing.

I removed my shirt as I often do while mowing, because apparently, I’m an exhibitionist of some kind, (just realizing that now that I’m telling this story and yet another reason to avoid seeing the psychiatrist), but also to take advantage of the cooling wind. Well, that same wind that blew grass all over me while I was mowing, causing me to have to take a shower before heading to the doctor’s office.

And, while in the shower, I noticed that the wet grass was really hard to scrub off of my chest and legs, getting entangled in the body hair there, so I employed the use of a long-handled brush that my wife has hanging on a hook in the shower.

Consequently, this was also the first time I’d found a use for that brush.

Anyway, it was then when I noticed that using a circular motion only made things worse. The grass got wrapped in the hairs, making it all but impossible to remove. Evidently you have to use quick, straight strokes to remove the grass.

Unfortunately, when brushing your back, all you can really manage are small circles, which apparently made my back look like Snoop-Dawg’s hair after a tagteam wrestling match with Willie Nelson and Cheech & Chong. (Like what I did there? It’s all matted and intertwined with grass… get it?)

You see, this is just one of the cruel, new realities that we all face when we reach that mid-life crisis point. It’s a hurtful punishment that life throws our way at a time when we’re already vulnerable, looking back on our achievements and struggling to believe that we’re still young enough to accomplish more. And, for those of us who’ve spent decades involved with powersports, I believe it hits harder than the average computer programmer or chess player. After all, we’re all ego-maniacs to some degree. Adrenalin junkies from a time before Pastrana and company made that a thing.

For us, the reality of having more hair on our backs than on our heads is an egobruising that we just can’t easily overcome. Especially when we realize that we’ve been walking around with grass-infested, back hair cornrows all day!

Combine that with the aches and pains of a lifetime of destroyed knees, broken vertebrae and ankles, dislocated shoulders and an every-morning glance at the pain pill bottle in the medicine cabinet before choosing to “tough it out,” and it’s no wonder that so many of us feel that need to buy a new bike every couple of years; just to prove to ourselves that things are still good.

Of course, there’s a bright side… something you can try at your dealership. Give your aging customers a renewed vigor and chance to prove themselves to their peers. Try an “Old Man’s Tough Guy Challenge.”

A women’s hair removal company, Epilady, makes a little device called the “Epilady Coil Tweezer.” This little, pen-shaped device has an exposed spring on the top that, when you push a plunger, spreads apart. The idea is that you insert this into the nostril or ear, then release the plunger, which re-coils the spring and grabs every hair growing there. Then, with a quick yank, you remove all of those troublesome nose and ear hairs by the root, (which also sends a shock to every nerve ending in your entire body, instantly making you wish you were dead).

Pick one of these up before someone smart outlaws them for good, then advertise a challenge exclusive to us mid-century, hairy-nosed/eared men.

The only rule of the challenge is to be able to withstand this everyday female grooming procedure without wincing, flinching or shedding a tear. Heck, make the prize a brand new full-dress cruiser! I’m betting you’ll never give that bike away…

William Douglas Little is a former radio personality, stand-up comic, an auctioneer, a former multi-line dealership owner an author and a father of three. He lives on his farm in rural Missouri with his wife Beth. Find William’s book, “Mexican Bowl Fishing: And Other Tales of Life” on Amazon.

MAY 2019

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Personnel Files

By Alex Baylon

LOOKING TO BREAK INTO THE MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY? Here’s How!

A

fter 28 years of working in the motorcycle industry, I have become a student of the game. Common traits and a shared passion for powersports seem to bond the industry players together.

It also amazes me how many people got their start. When asked, most of my colleagues all have one thing in common… and that’s a dealership.

From parts, sales, shipping and receiving or just being the “gopher.”

Once you have your foot in the door, these jobs end up being stepping stones toward other jobs. After years of moving around and up, my colleagues eventually landed their dream motorcycle industry job.

It’s interesting to see just how many great influential industry leaders got their start in a dealership. It is also exciting to know that anyone can make their start the same way, just by following the footsteps of others who have succeeded. Rarely does it happen overnight, not to say it doesn’t happen. A little off topic, but one of the highlights of my career with MIJ

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was getting a phone call from a recent college grad, who landed his dream job of being the rider support guy for Alpinestars. He called to thank me for creating MIJ and allowing people a way to break into the motorcycle Industry.

This industry is always hungry for people who have passion, who are willing to work hard, and who have an outgoing personality. Honestly, it’s that simple! That’s why if you are interested in breaking in the motorcycle industry and your passion is motorcycles, you should seriously consider working at a dealership. Start where there’s an opening — any opening — and prove to management that you live and breathe motorcycles. Guess what will happen? You’ll interact with other motorcycle enthusiasts on a daily basis, and you’ll be networking with future opportunities without even realizing it.

For those already working in a dealership, your workplace is a hotbed for networking. Think about how many people from the industry step foot in a motorcycle shop. On any given day there are OEM District Managers,

Brand Managers, Distributor Representatives, and many more — all who could be a great contact in the future for all types of industry jobs.

Now don’t get me wrong, dealerships offer some amazing opportunities — and some of the highest wages I’ve heard about (depending on the job) — so please don’t think that only good jobs are outside of the motorcycle dealership. This Personnel File is about getting your foot in the door and in my opinion motorcycle shops offer the best chance to get your foot in the door. The possibilities are endless for someone who is motivated, excited, and willing to do whatever it takes to break into the motorcycle industry.

When I hear dealers talk about employees who don’t seem interested or engaged, I think about the old days when kids worked at motorcycle shops just because they loved everything motorcycle-related. I think about those same kids who spent every hour working on motorcycles for someone else just so they could afford their own riding habit. Those are the guys and gals who started turning wrenches for

fun, then one day realized their motorcycle passion could be so much more than a hobby. I hope those guys and gals still exist; I really do.

If you are one of those people who still dream about working in the motorcycle industry, a good resume will get you into the door. If you don’t have a lot of work experience, and are going for an entry level position, make sure your passion for motorcycles shines through in your cover letter.

Start volunteering, do anything in the motorcycle industry.

Hear of a motorcycle event in your area, even a fundraising ride? Go volunteer. You’ll not only have something motorcycle related to put on your resume, but you’ll also meet a lot of people who ride and share your passion. You’ll even run into people who already work in the industry…so don’t wait for a dealership job to start networking.

Once you get an interview, again, show your passion.

Dealerships should always ask why a potential employee wants to work in the industry, so make sure you have a good answer for that question. Just remember, once you get a job at a dealership, don’t forget that every day you are there is a day to prove your worth.

Dealers are concerned about the quality of people they have working for them. They complain about their lack of motivation, how their employees don’t seem to care, and how some have negative attitudes. Don’t let yourself be included in that group!

In order to succeed, you’ll need to stand out... and you’ll need to take every opportunity you get to prove that not only do you deserve to be there, but you also WANT to be there. By doing that, you may start your motorcycle career taking phone calls and scheduling motorcycle service appointments, but years from now you may be the one chatting me up about how you broke into the industry and have been living your dream!

But please, if we do meet years from now and you’re the top dog of the motorcycle industry, remember your roots.

Remember all those things you had to do to succeed. Don’t forget that kid who applied for a job who had no experience and just passion was YOU once.

Never forget the reason you got into the motorcycle industry. Appreciate the hard work you put in, be proud of it and your success… but don’t let it go to your head. If you do that, you’ll forget the passion that brought you to the motorcycle industry in the first place!

MIJ Industry #PROfiles

Dealernews is honored to work with Motorcycle Industry Jobs to recognize the people who make up this great industry.

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

In addition to recognizing industry pros, Dealernews is also working with MIJ to create a job ticker tape of the latest positions opening in the industry at the Dealernews.com site. Check it out at: www.dealernews.com/Industry-Jobs “Tell us your story,” adds Baylon. “We would love to feature you! Click here to fill out the questionnaire: www.motorcycleindustryjobs.com/industry-profiles/

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

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

MAY 2019 57

Northern Exposure

By Marq C. Smith

Request From One Northern Neighbour To Another

D

ear Santa; I know that it’s a bit early, but I thought I’d get my requests in now, as I know that these things I’m asking for can take time to organize. So here is my list for Christmas this year, and I hope you can make my dreams come true!

First of all, how about a truly lighter touring bike? I know, I know; the new Gold Wing is trimmed down, and is not only lighter, but feels even lighter. That’s great… but what about something with even less weight?

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My wife and I toured North America on a 1983 Gold Wing Aspencade. We never had a problem cruising at 80MPH. All day. Two up. Loaded. It weighed around 700 lbs. It had only 80 Horsepower. The luggage capacity was just enough for the two of us for the duration of the trip. We had no need for more luggage space, as were careful what we packed, and what we bought along the way.

If we look at the new Wing, it’s now 840 lbs. Better, but still large. Some people say it hasn’t enough cargo room. How much frickin’ stuff do you want to take with you? However, I really believe that a smaller, less appointed Gold Wing with

While you are at it, how about the 650 V-Twin engine from the V-Strom? That seems to be a great, lightweight engine that could do the job. Maybe that design could be turned into a parallel twin? We don’t need any more fat, heavy, cruisers with barely enough power to pull their large weight around, and little or no ability to go around corners a good clip.

I would also like to see a V-Strom 750 that weighs the same as the 650, but with 90 hp. I realize that the DL650 is a great seller, but I think it’s time. You could bump the DL1000 to 1100ccs (or not), but a slightly stronger V-Strom than the 650 would be my personal wish. And, I believe, it would sell like beer at a BBQ. fewer doodads on it has a large market. I just want a lighter, but still comfortable, bike that will do highway speeds, but with not as much stuff on it.

Maybe a 1200 flat four with 100 hp and a weight of 700 lbs. Something that one could handle easily, but still be able to effortlessly cruise all day. And no, I never want to tow a trailer. If I wanted that much stuff with me, I’ll get a convertible, or maybe an RV… or a dump truck!

I would also like some lighter cruisers, with parallel twin engines that are nimble and powerful. Maybe with Honda’s Africa Twin engine, or the powerplant from Yamaha’s MT07.

Forget those silly Sugar Plum Fairies, I still have dreams about an XS700, all chromed up and ready to go!

Speaking of the MT07 motor, when the Hell are we going to get the mythical Tenere 700? Sorry about the language, Santa, but it’s got me all riled up. Here’s a seemingly well targeted machine that we’ve been teased with for two years now. Let’s have it already; I could sell ten right now! I know you can do it, Yamaha! Please?

And maybe some basic, 300cc motorcycles that are built for training schools to use. A low tech, simple-to-build bike that novices could learn on, with adequate protection in case it fell over. Make it easy to maintain and reliable enough to last several years. And with the ability to lower it, if need be.

Better yet, give us two models; a standard and a cruiser model. Make it inexpensive and available to any motorcycle training facility anywhere through the dealers. Maybe the marketing departments could absorb some of the costs.

Imagine the sales of current bikes that would sell because the new riders are riding your brand, and like them. Would they not buy your machines, or at least look favourably on it? I believe so.

And while we are at it, Santa, let’s get some electric motorcycle for us to sell. I realize that every OEM is working on it (or should be), but we need some beautiful $8,999 EV bikes that will go 250 miles at highway speeds, and charge in 20 minutes or less. Maybe the technology isn’t there yet, but this is my letter, and that’s what I want.

I’m sure I have forgotten something, but let’s leave it at that.

Please get your elves working on this right away. I hope to see some good news in the next few months.

Thank You, Santa!

Marq C. Smith has been involved in motorcycles since he was 17 years old. He worked for Canadian HarleyDavidson importer Trev Deeley as well as being the dealer principal for his dealership Western Powersports (not to be confused with the American Distributor Western Power Sports) for 21 years. He currently works at Holeshot Motorsports, in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. He taught rider safety courses for 10 years, and still is involved in making sure new riders get proper training. When he is not working in a dealership, he tours all over North America by motorcycle. He does plenty of dirtbiking and ATV riding as well. Famous Last Words: “I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.”

MAY 2019

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One of the first things instructor and Streetmasters coowner Walt Fulton taught us was that we fix our mistakes as we go along. And I was doing just that by attending. Fulton knows a thing or two after logging more tthan 1,000,000 miles of motorcycling on the road and track. Walt’s also been the editor of three motorcycle magazines, a motorcycle journalist, a BMW Legends racer and a professional motorcycle accident reconstruction expert, plus working for Kawasaki. Ladies, looking to learn from another woman have access to Nancy Foote, who has been riding for more than 30 years and Colleen Kevany, a retired motor officer.

They can help show women how easy it can be to become a confident rider.

We started the day with a classroom session, which proved a great way to ease into the theory of cornering techniques.

Streetmasters teaches the art of the delayed/late apex, and I found the theory, as well as the drawing the delayed/late path of travel on paper, extremely helpful for my visuallyoriented learning style. The moral of the story? Stay as wide as you can for as long as you can. To quote Fulton, “Apex is everything.”

By Alisa Clickenger

Streetmasters

S

ome riders may innately know it all (or at least think they do), however ignorance doesn’t discriminate!

Fortunately, neither does Steetmasters as our class was a diverse mix of riders Male and female. Slow, look, lean and roll. That’s what I was taught by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation when I first started riding motorcycles more than 20 years ago. A whole lot of miles later, and a whole lot of motorcycle training later, I found myself in a Streetmasters Precision Cornering Class wondering why it had taken me so long to get there.

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After the classroom session we headed for the track. The class was held at Horsethief Mile at Willow Springs, where the Streetmasters team already had a parking lot course set up for us to practice cornering drills and tight maneuvers before entering the track. Each exercise of the day build upon the next, until we were footloose and bad-apex-free on the track on our own.

Each exercise, for me, added layers of confidence. Each exercise also showed me how much learning — and practicing I still have to go. Majority co-owner Nancy Foote was also onsite encouraging us, keeping us safe, and at times cajoling us to keep at it until we mastered each exercise. Foote worked with us fixing common problems such as lack of head turns,

linking each corner to the next, and adding speed to the exercises as we mastered new skills.

The entire Streetmasters team worked like a seamless unit bringing our disparate group of students on all makes and models of motorcycles, as well as a wide variety of skill levels, together as a tight-knit group early on in the day. Enthusiasm was high, and the “team effort” spirit was infectious. Even we students cheered each other on and gave open encouragement as we each improved dramatically both in the drills and on the track as the day progressed.

Streetmasters has been training riders since 2004, and has gathered a top-notch team. Just like the pinstriping analogy

they used to execute the perfect set of curves, painting from point to point to point, so built my skill and confidence throughout the day. Linking up new habits and overriding old, bad ones became a relaxing endeavor linking one corner to the next.

Ignorance may be bliss, but I much prefer being a more confident and competent rider. I’m definitely going to practice what Fulton taught us about fixing our mistakes as we go. I am also going to register myself in another Streetmasters class this Fall.

Streetmasters PO Box 1252 Corona, CA 92878 +1 (951) 549-1717 https://streetmasters.pro/

MAY 2019

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I’ve calmed down… now that I have your attention. Chill, because here’s the good part. Customers, even ones like me, really do want to buy from you, especially after we made the (first) trip all the way into your store. You educated us a bit on what it was we needed or wanted… so don’t let us escape to the Internet simply to save ourselves from a second “retrieval trip” to your parts counter.

If you think our real “objection” is related to shopping for a better price at BigBobsBlowout.com, think again! You would be wrong at least 75% of the time making this assumption.

Shopping and surfing the “net” takes time — log-ons, passwords, spec comparisons, pop-ups, freight charges, endless data fields and cryptic “not a robot” verifications — plus, we may not be aware of the latest product options or fitments like you are, Mr. Dealer. Online, we’d generally see the old crap clogging the warehouse on close-out. Things have changed over the years, eh?

Confessions Of A Customer®

By Eric Anderson

“WE CAN ORDER IT FOR YOU” Six Words I Hate

S

ome pimply-faced kid at my local shop recently told me: “We can order it for you,” when I needed a new speedo part for my (older) Blunderbuss 950 SuperEnduro. My standard reply to this horribly agonizing statement by parts & accessory staff is always the same — I can order it for me… online. How about I give you my money now after you help me be sure it’s the correct part… and you figure out a way to deliver it to my house? Save me the second trip back, please.”

Am I feeling a tad testy today? Damned right I am! I’m just like everyone else who doesn’t have enough money, gasoline or time to waste driving around “shopping” for parts. Unfortunately, most P&A managers are befuddled by my attempt to save the extra trip back to their store for a wasteful “pickup” task.

Do the employees really think it’s convenient for me to drive here… twice? Well, it’s not, damn it! Cheap gas and personal time are really, really hard to come by these days.

Make UPS do the driving instead. I will gladly pay the extra freight charge from your store to my house in exchange for one thing — the correct part — unlike what e-comm players would never do.

I am reassured dealing with your brick-and-mortar store that if it is the incorrect part, I can take it back without any hassles of doing it via mail order. Plus, I know when I order through you, it has a much smaller chance of being the incorrect part anyway because I spoke to a real human being at your counter instead of scanning the horribly ineffective FAQs on a website.

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How about putting a sign in the parts and accessory department that states: “IF WE DON’T HAVE IT IN STOCK, WE’LL GET IT SHIPPED TO YOUR DOOR.” Years ago, Walt Schmidt of Malcolm Smith Motorcycles in Riverside, California, first suggested this concept to me when I needed a specialized rear sprocket while driving through town on the way to the desert. His reply mimicked the title of this article with one key addition: “and we can have it on your doorstep Thursday.” Zounds!

Although this sounds like mail order talk, it is really a smart, brick-and-mortar dealer telling me I don’t need to waste time net-shopping or making the “milk run” all the way back to his store on Thursday. I lived 50 miles from MS and won’t be back there soon, but I knew Walt had exactly what I needed on order. Make it so, #1! Here’s my shipping address.

Thanks for turning me around, Walt. I was certain I was going to have to begin the cyberspacial quest for satisfaction until you showed me the light and made my life simple once again. Now, I am officially spoiled and expect every out-ofstock dealer in the nation to begin substituting the words “ship to you” instead of “order for you...” especially that pimply faced kid at (name has been withheld to protect the guilty).

Four Strategies To Success

H

ere are a few concepts to consider for increasing customer satisfaction and capturing more P&A sales at the same time:

1) Save them the trouble by capturing their order: Order it for them as a service, save them a return trip while guaranteeing fitment. “Let me save you the trouble of ordering it on the Internet.” It may sound like a “sales pitch” to you, but it’s actually great customer service. You are a destination store and customers took the time to drive out of their way to come see you for a reason. They’re lying if they say, “Just looking.”

2) Focus on service first and logistics second: Figure out what they really came in for and then just make their life simpler. If it’s not convenient to buy from your store, customers will go elsewhere — there are lots of choices nowadays. Satisfy them on the spot —

after all you have the living, breathing customer inside your store and not at the end of an inanimate computer mouse. Interact. Engage.

3) Get into the shipping business: everyone else has. It’s called “crossdocking”— receive the package in the morning, re-label it and ship it out in the afternoon. You may be used to seeing UPS bring your products in the back and customers walking out with them in the front. Change your thinking — you can ship out the back too… as long as you have a credit card number. NOTE: Some distributors “drop-ship” direct to retail customers saving you the “cross dock” hassles.

4) Explain how you know a customer’s “needs” better and work a keyboard faster: You order hundreds of products a day... your customers might order twice a week from their computer.

When it comes to computer ordering,

you’re a laser-focused sniper-shopper while I’m just a frenetically distracted, blunderbuss hunter hoping to bump into a shiny bauble or... squiiiirrrrrel on the Internet.

Offer free tech advice, guaranteed satisfaction, proper fitment and returns: You can be competitive!

Avoid customers tapping you for the information then leaving to buy it elsewhere. Remind us of the obvious.

Another sign perhaps? I can guarantee all your customers have experienced “mail order disappointment” from ordering the wrong part. Ignorance costs time and money — we know this, but we need it continuously pushed back into our faces.

MAY 2019

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COMMUNICATIONS Motorcycles.org Partners with a Rock ’n’ Roll Kid Maddox Kennerson is a cool 12-year-old from Orange County, California, who can absolutely shred on electric guitar, and he has a following of more than 20,000 fans on Instagram. Better still, “RockstarMadman” loves motorcycles and he’s happy to share his two-wheel passion with a growing audience.

“We spotted Maddox on Instagram last year and set up a meeting with him and his parents,” said Juliane Eger, communications specialist with Motorcycles.org, the industry’s media outreach program. “We hit it off with the Kennersons and have looked for ways to help Maddox with his riding ever since. And, in turn, Maddox is really helping show the world that motorcycle riding is a great family adventure, and helping us to inspire the next generation of riders.” Read More

COMMUNICATIONS Members, Help Spread the Buzz!

When the MIC launches a major news release or the Motorcycles.org media outreach program scores a big story placement, social media support from manufacturers, aftermarket member companies and dealer members is greatly appreciated.

For example, when the MIC announced that a record 8 percent of U.S. households have a motorcycle, Suzuki helped spread the word with posts on Instagram and Twitter. Honda helped give Popular Science a boost by posting about its coverage of the new Monkey. Read More

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mic.org

THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE Slow And Steady Really Does Win The Race

by Don Amador

I

t is no secret that governmental agencies move at a very deliberate pace. Of course, racers know that you have to be good on the brakes to be faster at times, but many of us still have a hard time making a mental transition for race pace to legislative pace. It looks as if Aesop’s tortoise and the hare is continuing to play out… and the off-road community is winning in the long run.

At the recent Fools Gold Enduro held on the Eldorado National Forest in Northern California, I had the opportunity to visit with leads from the Trail Partners of Marin County (TPMC). This is a non-motorized trail ethic organization with a goal to promote safe encounters between equestrians, mountain bikers and hikers. Their message is “slow & say hello” regardless if you are on foot, hooves or wheels.

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Initially I found it a bit odd that this quasi-environmental group had set up an educational outreach booth near the sign-up tables for a dirtbike event. However, my curiosity was soon replaced by pride in the powersports industry’s long-term support for various trail advocacy programs after receiving several compliments from the TPMC group about how offroad motorcyclists lead the way in respecting non-motorized users.

Those kudos were a sincere acknowledgement of the decade’s long commitment and partnership between the powersports industry, OHV advocacy groups, and land agencies to promote sustainable motorized recreation opportunities and a responsible “Share the Trail” land-use ethic. The fable is true: the tortoise wins the long game.

For almost 30 years, successful OHV advocacy efforts have embraced the collaborative process as a strategy to bring land agency staff, conservation groups, local government, other diverse stakeholders and the trail-based recreation community together. The common goals of both protecting resources and providing a high-quality outdoor experience are something that unites all of us.

Trail Partners is a collaboration of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, the Marin Horse Council and the Marin Conservation League. While it may sound like strange political bedfellows for OHV folks, their common goals of Trail Safety and Resource Protection resonate with our “side” as well. They are supported by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Marin County Parks & Open Space, California State Parks, Marin Municipal Water District and Point Reyes National Seashore. Learn more at: https://www.safetrailsmarin.org/

Even more refreshing is the fact unlike the divisive politics portrayed daily in the mainstream media, the environmentalists and the enduro racers were respectful of each other… we really can gain more ground by working together. TPMC’s goal to promote safe encounters on the trail

and acknowledgement of our efforts to share the trail should be the stuff of headline news.

Their unsolicited thanks given to the OHV community at a motorcycle event is validation of our ‘’The Tortoise and the Hare’’ approach to promoting our sport and that slow and steady wins the race. Also take to heart their “slow and say hello” message when encountering anyone on the trails.

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 19942000. 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

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ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES — PRIME TIME OR PREMATURE? Can Electric Motorcycles Charge Up Business Or Short Circuit Operations?

By Scot Harden

F

irst, Harley-Davidson is now very close to launching the much-anticipated LiveWire as a 2020 model and has also purchased electric BMX startup company STACYC. Zero Motorcycles, the largest and most experienced electric motorcycle manufacturer, continues to make steady progress with its impressive new SR/F. In addition, Honda has released info on a new motocross model under development.

Lightning has resumed limited production of its high-tech sportbike and Energica continues to fight the good fight even after the disastrous fire that took out the entire MotoGP exhibition fleet, albeit with minimal sales to show for it. Fellow Italian electric motorcycle manufacturer Tacita is producing amazing prototypes but still has to deliver serial production in quantities.

KTM tested the waters in the U.S. with its electric Freeride in 2017 and is now moving forward with additional units for release in 2020 as well as a major push with electric versions of its mini-line. In fact, KTM is quite bullish about its kids line of electric mini-cycles in the short term and the future of electric in general. All the other OEMs have at least some sort of electric motorcycle development program in place just biding time until they believe market conditions are right.

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How Tough Is It? An indication of just how tough it is for electric motorcycle startups is the recent demise of Alta Motorcycles who despite an impressive design and some racing success ceased production a few months back for lack of funding.

The simple truth is that no OEM is making money on electric motorcycles at this point. Those that remain in business do so only by incurring huge losses waiting for the market to develop.

On a broader scale, the long-promised conversion to electric vehicles remains a hot button topic not only for motorcycles but also for every form of motorized transportation and recreation today. From automotive to marine, aviation to UTV, practically every OEM involved with motorized vehicle production, sales and distribution in business today is not debating “if” but “when.” Significantly reduced powertrain maintenance, low operation costs, reduced sound and emissions, fantastic power delivery and acceleration are all noted as ownership experience advantages promised by EV technology.

Butting heads with those real advantages are some genuine challenges as well. Premium retail price points, range anxiety, recharge time and charging infrastructure, battery development and lack of sound are all noted by motorcycle consumers as current barriers to entry. From a dealer’s perspective, it’s tough to know if and when the time is right to enter the market and add an electric vehicle line in the hopes of bolstering your bottom line.

The View From The Trenches Having spent six years in the trenches of the electric motorcycle business, talking to dealers and customers on a global basis, learning a lot about the technology, and more importantly, the kinds of riders attracted to the technology, I have some strong opinions. I also have some advice on whether or not the time is right for you as a dealer to get in the game. So, is it the right time?

Yes… and no! Based on what I’m seeing and hearing from the marketplace, it depends on the segment of the market you are considering entering, your dealership’s current status, customer base, location and last, but not least, your tolerance for market development and expectation for ROI. Under the right conditions, I would say we are getting closer by the day, and some dealers are already having real success selling electric motorcycles. However, the current market for electric motorcycles must be viewed from several different perspectives.

First, which segment of the market are you considering entering? Are we talking about full-size motorcycles?

Scooters? Kids bikes? Where is your dealership located?

Are you located in an urban or rural market? What are your expectations for ROI? Can you afford the floor space?

Are you prepared to invest in training? Are you willing to offer demo rides? These are all separate topics that must be taken into consideration collectively to arrive at the best decision for your dealership.

MAY 2019 Continued on page 70

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Continued from page 69

The Market For Full-Size Electric Motorcycles Let’s start with the market for full-size electric motorcycles, which now almost ten years after I first joined Zero Motorcycles is still less than one half of 1 percent of the overall global motorcycle market. Aside from some very real, time-honored beliefs about what constitutes a “real” motorcycle in the minds of the riding public, the main challenge remains the value proposition, range and recharge times.

The bottom line is that there is a significant premium to be paid for a full-size electric motorcycle — currently it can be as much as a 30-100% premium compared to a comparable ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) motorcycle. This remains the biggest challenge to widespread consumer adoption.

Zero’s and Harley’s flagship model offerings range anywhere from $19,000 - $30,000, and at these retail levels cost significantly more than a comparable ICE bike.

Zero’s new SR/F model yields an advertised 161 miles of range in the city and 82 miles on the highway and retails for $18,995. Using the stock re-charge system, it takes 4.5 hours to re-charge to 95%. The Premium SR/F model with Optional Charge Tank at $20,995 MSRP can recharge in 2.5 hours using Level II charge systems. For anyone in the market for a motorcycle other than those looking strictly for a daily commuter or a bike to take on short weekend rides the advertised range and recharge specifications do not meet most customer’s expectations, at least their perceived needs.

The truth is that most daily rides fall within these ranges, and therefore, these products even at their current stage of development, would be more than sufficient for 90% of the customer’s needs daily. However, most consumers don’t understand this, and it’s a tough sell when positioned against ICE products that have similar performance, much longer range and, more importantly, much shorter refuel profiles (after all it only takes a few minutes to refuel a gas tank) at much lower price points.

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Who Buys Electric Motorcycles?

As it is, electric motorcycles are currently appealing mainly to early adopters, engineers, riders with a technical background, members of academia and the environmentally conscious crowd. As a result, the overall market potential for full-sized electric motorcycle sales is limited, and the primary reason why the majority of the OEMs haven’t jumped headlong into the market. The Japanese and most European manufacturers are waiting for the economics of battery costs and energy density to come more in line with consumer expectations. Some analysts suggest this will only take place when we have the next breakthrough in battery chemistry, and it’s in full production.

As a result, my advice to dealers considering entering the market now remains the same as it was eighteen months ago. Make sure you put yourself in the best position possible to be successful… and understand up front what you are getting yourself into. Although volume is hard to come by, some dealers, especially in urban markets, are having real success selling electric motorcycles. Depending on ownerships’ level of interest and commitment it can be an excellent addition to their existing franchise lines.

I would tell any dealer interested in adding an electric motorcycle to the line to make sure they have a designated EV specialist on the sales team and invest in sales training.

EV customers are very sophisticated, tech-oriented consumers. They are very knowledgeable about EV products and the underlying technology. The benefit to the dealership is the opportunity to attract a whole new customer base, perhaps. I’ve seen first-hand that electric motorcycles appeal to first time and, returning riders who want the latest and greatest in technology. It could be an opportunity to widen your consumer base.

Demo Or Die However, make no mistake you have to know how to sell electric motorcycles. The conversation with the consumer is much different from a traditional ICE customer. One issue I stress with every dealer considering adding an EV line to the dealership is that you must be willing to offer demo rides. The only way to sell EV products is to let the customer experience it for him or herself. The experience of riding an electric motorcycle is without question the most compelling sales tool you can use.

What about Kids EV products? What are the sales potential today? Where is that market headed? Here the value proposition works in favor of EVs. Because range requirements are much different from full size, electricpowered Kids bikes are already selling quite well. Osset is doing a tremendous job selling Kids Trials bikes, and some of the smaller European and Chinese companies are starting to offer similar products. The beauty of these is that they are great entry-level products, no gears or clutch to master and can be ridden literally in the backyard.

With retail prices ranging from $1299 and up, these are great products that not only offer real profit potential from a dealer’s perspective, but perhaps a road map to a whole new customer base. Even more compelling, and the company making the most noise recently is STACYC (Stability Cycle) for kids 3-9 years old. Retailing for $699 and with 35 points built in for the dealer, this company is on a real path forward to volume sales. STACYC has hit on a new product category and concept and built a product almost every kid will fall in love with. It could be a whole new product category driving new motorcyclists to our sport, hence its recent acquisition by Harley-Davidson.

Do Scooters Count?

In regards to electric scooter sales, here is another area with real potential but not how you might think. One of the things I learned from my experience with EVs and the scooter market, in particular, is just how different it is from the motorcycle market. Most scooter buyers are price sensitive. Since most scooters are purchased to meet a specific urban transportation need and appeal to a younger demographic, I would suggest that to be competitive electric scooters must be extremely price competitive as well. Here is where battery costs come into play. The only scooter manufacturers are currently swimming at this end of the pond are some of the Asian manufacturers.

The other big challenge for electric scooters in an urban environment is where to charge the vehicle at night.

Unless the scooter has a removable battery that can be taken inside to charge, this presents real challenges for widespread adoption. Electric scooters make the most sense in a shared economy or rental program such as the one created by Scoot in San Francisco.

Scoot is a very innovative company that has hundreds of their little red scooters deployed all over the streets of San Francisco. For a small annual membership fee and rental fee based on each use, you can have access to transportation almost anywhere in the city on command.

Now I’m not suggesting that a dealer should try to set-up a similar rental program in their market, but if one is offered and my dealership is located in the city, I would make sure I at least had a pick-up and drop-off point located at my dealership.

Companies like Scoot are introducing new people to twowheeled recreation and transportation daily. Since my interview 18 months ago, more and more scooter rental companies have emerged around the world. I would try to take advantage of that.

The Bottom Line The bottom line is that EVs will play an increasingly important role in the future of our business. It’s just a question of timing. Once the leading OEMs start delivering product to the market, it should be a good indication they believe the timing is getting very close. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t opportunity right now.

One thing for sure is that electric motorcycles offer a great ride experience and, on that basis alone have real appeal. Just on performance alone, I’m bullish on their market potential over the long term, and I am incredibly bullish on the potential for Kids EVs today. My two-year-old grandson is already riding a STACYC and well on his way to his first mini-bike as a result. And, as you know, I’m for anything that helps us get the next generation of riders started!

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Scot Harden has enjoyed a nearly 40-year career as one of the world’s top off-road racers and compiled a set of records that few can match. From 1971 until his final professional race in 2007 — at the age of 51 — Harden mastered a wide range of off-road disciplines.

He also has compiled an impressive executive management resume within the motorcycle industry as a brand builder, race team manager, sales professional and product planner with such companies as Husqvarna, KTM, BMW, Zero Motorcycles and Best in the Desert. Harden also is owner of Harden Offroad, a business consulting practice. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2008.

MAY 2019

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Wünschisms

By Uncle Paul

Negotiating With An Alien

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------A Close Encounter Of The Third Kind

his latest installment covers the things that need to happen once your Alien From Another Planet has survived your 180-day trial period. The really cool thing about this trial period is that it tracks Wünschism #11 perfectly: “Mankind judges itself not on what is capable of being accomplished, but what actually occurs.” Now that you have determined what actually occurs, you have to get to the nitty-gritty of negotiating with an Alien. Uncle Paul has a few hints on how to expedite the process. Speaking of the process, I want you to cut out these pearls of wisdom each month and set them aside in a special folder. About a year from now, you will have a comprehensive operations manifesto for running a service department.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

T

Reward Package I was guilty of it myself, once. Entry-level Aliens get dis, line mechanics get dat, high commanders get doz.

One size fits all… with bonuses? You can’t use a cookiecutter to design a reward program for your Aliens From Another Planet (a.k.a. mechanics). I won’t get into all the goofy systems devised by consultants that sound good but don’t work.

72

The fact is a good reward package should be customtailored to each individual. It should be easy to understand, maintain and monitor. That’s why it’s not only a dollar amount or percentage of gross labor receipts. Them days is over, and they didn’t work that well, anyway. There are no quick formulas, no set rules, no blanket system or pay package that fits all service shops and all mechanics. No need to try. No need to pucker up, either. Check out the following drizzles, then use your own brain-like think device.

The trial period (covered last issue) is super important.

It allows a hard look-see on what you’re negotiating for ¾ what Alien offers. Remember back when we were romancing the newbie for him to contract for the trial period? Remember we promised darn near any scale, any wage amount he wanted for this try-out… ‘member dat? Heyyy. After six months on line — the full trial period — I can now look at the hand I’ve been dealt. It’s time to hold’em or fold’em; Texas Whip-Out. All Aliens would like to get 50% of the gross labor; this is their magic figure… It would also be magic if a show could afford to pay it. What difference does it make what rate I charge the customer, anyway? Does any Alien you’ve ever met even suspect what it costs to build and maintain a business nowadays? I think not! So I tell the arrogant idiot, “I ask you, kind Sir… If I charge $40 as my hourly shop rate, you would like for me to give you half of that? You will earn it, you say? What if I raise my rate tomorrow to, say, $60 per hour? Do I give you a $10 hourly rate raise, also? What exactly did you do for that additional one-third wage increase? Can I expect a one-third increase in production or efficiency? My point exactly…” The value I place on actual hourly production and efficiency is how Uncle Paul determines what the Alien is worth to me. Actual production, not hours on the job, must be the basis and foundation of cash pay-outs (wages) involved in any reward package. Aliens don’t get paid on what gross figure I am able to get from a perfect job.

Establish the Alien’s annual financial goals. At Love Cycles, we usually look at entry-level techs grossing $25-30k after one year. High Commanders will pull $50k or better after six months with us. We can’t concern ourselves with his take-home pay, child support payments or the amount the government takes: “Not our problem, man.”

Gross annual wages, that’s what we’re interested in.

For sure, if the Alien sets a reasonable annual wage goal and doesn’t attain it, it’s gonna be our fault. No matter what, it’s our fault. That’s why management will conduct wage and performance reviews twice annually.

If the Alien isn’t counseled at least twice a year, his production and pay will drop, and you’ll lose because he wasn’t making what he was promised. No, we won’t promise him a goal, we don’t do dat. What we will do is near anything in our power to see that he is able to

achieve his goals. Dropping line hours, low productivity, excessive time off and tardiness, poor work habits…

All these things will show up on his weekly paperwork (Mr. Memory Sheet or the WO). If the production killers continue, we can either jack him up, change his goals, or run his non-performing butt off.

Again, the number of dollars grossed (in the form of wages paid) is linked directly to the actual hours of production (collectable hours) generated by the mechanic. At Love Cycles, there are also indirect financial enhancements in the form of “bonus hours” made available to him as his career progresses. Bonus hours are a form of profitsharing where the shop shares the “juice” on jobs that come in under budget — kind of a reverse flat-rate.

Some shops talk about their “base wage” or “safety net,” so when they run outta work, the Alien can survive.

That’s pasture poop! Cash flow slows, occasionally, but if management is tending their business, there’s no reason I can think of to “be out of work.” Somebody’s not doin’ their job up on the throne level, here. Uncle Paul’s answer to the unthinkable? “Shut this bitch down, hitch up the off-shore boat, grab some beer and a grill. We all be fishin’ by noon!”

requirements, Alien experience and/or shop specialties.

Scale one ($40 per hour) is used for entry-level job functions such as routing servicing, tire changes, driveline replacement, etc. Scale two ($60 per hour) includes diagnosis, in-and-outs, electrical troubleshooting, engine/trans rebuilding, tuning, etc. Scale three ($100+ per hour) includes dynotuning, certain performance work, fabrication and modifications, frame straightening, machining activities, blueprinting, etc. These are rules of thumb, not commandments carved in stone. If the job requested can’t be compared to any of your standard job functions, if racing credentials are involved, or maybe it even requires the application of special skills your competitors lack, Uncle Paul recommends getting creative in the pricing department.

I hate giving you this, for fear you’ll use it to establish pay scale, but Love Cycles pays out 32-42% (to hard labor costs) of each collectable hour, based on the three labor charge scales we’ve established. Love Cycles attempts to maintain around a $60-per-hour labor charge average.

Non-income-producing work performed for the shop pays a straight $8.50 per hour. This is “shop time,” and we try to avoid this as much as possible.

You’re damn sure not in the scooter-fixing business if you haven’t got bikes to service. When we bring a new Alien aboard, management has implied the promise of steady work/steady wages, year round. The mix of work offered and the abilities of the Aliens should be the only real limits to earnings. It’s up to the mechanic to generate labor hours, but management must provide the work.

You’re damn sure not in the scooter-fixing business if you haven’t got bikes to service. When we bring a new Alien aboard, management has implied the promise of steady work/steady wages, year round. The mix of work offered and the abilities of the Aliens should be the only real limits to earnings. It’s up to the mechanic to generate labor hours, but management must provide the work. Ensure at least 10 jobs “circling” each mechanic (in various stages of completion) at all times. Without this, the cash reward portion of the package becomes unpredictable and uncontrollable. Wage bases, safety nets and minimum guarantees? That’s telling the Alien you won’t do your job, but you will pay him when you don’t do it. You’ll be sending mixed signals.

Whenever the shop contracts scale-three work, or the mechanic comes in under the hourly estimate, the Alien earns the usual collectable hours, plus extra bonus hours. Our shop splits unearned bonus hours 50-50 (at scale). At the end of each week, Aliens turn in their Mr. Memory sheets, the work orders are reviewed for scale hours as well as bonus hours, and both bonus bucks and wages are reflected on their confidential pay record.

If the shop receives extra money for a job done more quickly than expected, or loads the job to the customer’s ability to pay (like lawyers and doctors), we share our good fortune with the guys getting us there, the Aliens From Another Planet.

Love Cycles has no “blanket” or “all-inclusive labor rate.” We have three general labor rates we charge as estimates for hourly work. This is based on job skill-level Continued on page 74

MAY 2019

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Continued from page 73

Uncle Paul is not sold on the idea of expense-paid forays to factory service schools or special training. Sure, make them available to the Aliens and encourage their attendance, but I’m not sure about footing the bill or ever getting cost recovery from this effort. Some of it has to do with the mind-set of Aliens. Some of it has to do with the classroom environment. Some of it has to do with what’s offered by the manufacturers. Some of it has to do with our society’s mind-set: “Little Johnny isn’t stupid; we can’t fail him because he’s got a learning disorder.”

Sounds stupid to me. This schooling business will need to be tightened and tuned by the manufacturers before it has much real value to a shop. It’s one of those thronelevel enigmas we best not get into here. Special schooling can be part of your pay package, a benefit. We just need to figure out a way to reimburse the Alien a year later, if he survives the experience. I’m not kidding.

Medical coverage is pretty important now that insurance companies and lawyers have crawled into bed with each other. Figure out a way to pay for and provide this, but make the Aliens do the research and decide what they want and who they want it from. Do not get involved, except as paymaster. They’ll think you’ve got a kick-back scheme going if you recommend a particular program or company.

Don’t forget, Aliens add real value to your business.

They are doing a job you’re unwilling or unable to do.

Exploitation isn’t part of the equation. Reward them for the application of their knowledge, skills, their continued desire to do well and their productivity. Stay away from the wage-to-flat-rate shell game. Perks and benefits are as much a part of the reward package as that of wages.

Like a tick on a Tennessee hound, maintain tight controls on your reward package.

Negotiate Coming up with a fair compensation plan is not the high drama you might expect. Prepare to negotiate a reward package that benefits both Alien and shop.

Before you get the actual day of negotiation, pull out the Alien’s file folder you’ve been maintaining. The folder should contain six months of good, hard input on where this mullet needs improvement, what it’s gonna take in time to maintain him, and what you’re willing to do with him. Do you keep him as a temp and star the process over, or look for someone else? Keep him and dedicate more resources to bring him up to the level you’re looking for? Or do you cut him? You’re the one doing the hiring, so you’ve got options. We aren’t looking for

Don’t forget, Aliens add real value to your business. They are doing a job you’re unwilling or unable to do. Exploitation isn’t part of the equation. Reward them for the application of their knowledge, skills, their continued desire to do well and their productivity.

There are caveats. Don’t allow direct labor costs to exceed 42% of what the mechanic generates. This includes all hard costs related to perks and benefits.

Force yourself to review each Alien’s Mr. Memory sheet at each pay period to ensure his particular financial goals are being met and the job-juggler is mixing shop work and job scales to achieve those goals. Don’t be afraid to share good fortune with the Alien, in the form of bonus bucks. Keep these bonus hours separate from regular line hours in the Alien’s pay records. Bonus bucks are a good negotiating tool, as well as a reminder that these are from management and “unearned.” Pay on the 1st and 15th of the month, if possible, to reduce paperwork and accounting load. Payday should fall on Tuesday, if you pay weekly. That gives the Alien’s ole lady time to burn up his paycheck before he has the weekend to get into trouble. If you chose to pay a salary, you will still need Uncle Paul’s production formulas to stay on track of who’s screwing whom. Again, keep information concerning each mechanic’s pay and scale confidential.

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mechanics, we’re looking for a particular individual to perform mechanical work.

Pull his WO’s and Mr. Memory sheets. Most of the data you need to review was recorded in the last three months he’s been with you. This timeframe should give you a clear picture of his current production capabilities. You know what it costs your shop to maintain the average Alien, don’t you? How much do you think, more or less, this new guy’s gonna cost you? What are your production goals? Can he perform to the levels your shop needs to achieve to make a profit? How did he perform the last 90 days? These are hard facts and figures. No need to guesstimate; you’ve got all you need to know in his confidential file folder. You didn’t forget to write it all down, did you?

When you make your hard offer, first cover perks and benefits. Make a big deal out of each thing you’re giving him. Don’t forget to remind him that these are gifts Continued on page 76

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Continued from page 74

coming from management; he isn’t “earning” this stuff.

Then tell him what he’s worth to you in hard currency, the pay portion of rewards. Don’t ask him if it’s okay.

What you offer will never sound like enough. Approach his hourly wage from billed (collectible) hours expressed as gross annual wages. Maybe you’ll have to explain to him that the financial goals he set early on in the Close Encounter Of The Second Kind appear to you as overly generous or unrealistic. You base this on his current production figures and line hours. Have hard facts on hand to back up each reason for your pay offer. Base everything on sound business principles and production.

Inform the Alien that everything you agree on now may change at a later date. We have semi-annual Alien/management reviews to take care of this natural realignment process. Make sure the Alien understands the nuances of shop policies and procedures. Does he understand how he can bring about change? Make him a part of the program; set priorities and goals. Re-cap his last six months with you: What you liked and the areas he needs to work on.

Let him know of your open-door policy, and that the door swings both ways. If something occurs that affects his performance, or that of the shop, you want to be informed. We’ve got a team effort here. Agree to treat the Alien fairly and honestly, and tell him you expect the same courtesies. We want him on our team. We want to keep him here. There, that didn’t hurt, did it?

The Contract Nothing in writing! Not for the trial period, not for permanent employment. Sure, take all of the notes you want, and keep them in the Alien’s confidential file. I recommend it, in fact. You need to keep a handle on promises made, put-n-take, etc. But never have a written, signed contract.

How would you enforce one from your end, anyway?

Gonna sue the Alien From Another Planet? You say you’ll hire a lawyer to draw the papers? What incentive do attorneys have for doing anything correctly? Hell, their careers revolve around screw-ups, theirs and ours.

Kinda like that “sexual harassment” definition Bill Ley (an attorney form Austin, Texas) explained: “It’s not what you said, or even what you meant. And it’s not even what she thinks you meant. It’s what 12 total strangers think she thought you meant.” See? Clear as mud.

Written contracts are trouble down the road — fodder for the legal system. If you can’t bind a promise with a handshake, you’re best off not doing it with those you’re doing it with. Don’t get Uncle Paul started on catfish in pinstriped suites.

Show Me When you think of the trial period, remember Wünschism #11: “Mankind judges itself not on what is capable of being accomplished, but what actually occurs.”

Without a 180-day look-see trial period, we expose our business and mental health to a whole lot of liability problems and heartache. I’ve yet to be blindsided when I employed these hiring techniques… and took many a hit when I didn’t. Keep very detailed, daily notes on times and events. Constantly access and appraise the newbie throughout the trial period. It’s a pain in the butt to go through all this, isn’t it? But Uncle Paul would rather go through all this, than hand a mechanic a paycheck with resentment in my heart.

See ya next month when we’ll ‘cuss and discuss ways to keep Aliens from getting happy feet after six months on the job… Believe it or not!

I’ve yet to be blindsided when I employed these hiring techniques… and took many a hit when I didn’t. Keep very detailed, daily notes on times and events.

Constantly access and appraise the newbie throughout the trial period.

*Paul Wunsch was the owner of Love Cycles, a service-only shop located in Houston, Texas. “Wunschisms” are truisms that, according to the author, are often plagiarized or modified clichés – statements quoted so often that the employees of Love Cycles have numerically designated the most popular. Paul passed away November 21, 2003 but his wit and wisdom live on in the pages of Dealernews.

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Continued on page 78

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Gear To Go On

By Eric Anderson

D

ealers always need another reason to get their customers together and ride. These events can be open houses, bike washes, poker runs, geo-caching, enduros, scavenger hunts or a holiday run with toys for the children. HarleyDavidson figured out why HOG (Harley Owners Group) was so successful in the 1980s when they realized “it” wasn’t about their bikes, but more about motivating their customers toward usage and the associated social benefits of hanging out with friends having similar interests.

Along comes adventure riding, the fastest growing segment in the motorcycle sector (although statistically it’s still a smaller number than HOG, they spend money like the V-Twin crowd). Unlike those 90s Harley riders who were afflicted with “chrom-it-itus” the ADV rider suffers from “widgetit-itus.” The disease is essentially the same as it spreads to “alpha buyers” pressuring them to acquire what their riding friends don’t have yet. It’s a race!

I discovered I’m infected… BAD! while prepping for CABDR — the California Backcountry Discovery Route in May. I needed to “out-tech” my riding buddies with widgets, navigational equipment, camping gear and luggage for fun and functionality.

I don’t mind spending the dough as long as it makes me more comfortable on the trail and creates envy in the group… who, of course, will never admit to such a thing. Hell, I even brought along homemade firestarters (vaseline & cotton balls), the latest solar-powered Luci light… and a cocktail umbrella!!

Beat that, buddies!

Here are some of the essentials for our Backcountry Discovery Route expedition which you might help your customers plan this season. Could you even help them book hotel rooms if they don’t camp?

How about shuttling them one-way to the launch point? Maybe an evening navigational training would be helpful. Whatever it is, be sure to take advantage of your local adventure riders’ desire to add-on widgets and learn more about getting off the grid. There is profit and fun to be mined here.

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GIANT LOOP GAS BAG™

Suited up and ready to roll on the CABCDR. Note the auxiliary fuel tank on the back left making use of the Giant Loop 1-gallon Gas Bag Fuel Safe bladder only necessary on the longest sections. What’s great about it is that it takes up very little room when empty. It can strap anywhere with the molle-style loops and a couple of carabiners which I added. The 1-gallon Gas Bag was combined with Giant Loop’s Coyote bag and Possibles Pouch carrying most all my personal items. https://www.giantloopmoto.com/product/gas-bag-fuel-safebladder/

GIANT LOOP POSSIBLES POUCH & COYOTE BAG

The Possibles Pouch can fit almost anywhere and carry small, readilyaccessible items like cell phones, neck gaiters, snacks, tire repair items, etc. The Giant Loop rack-less saddlebag luggage system is one of my favorites because you don’t wreck your calves on the front of those aluminum panniers while paddling through mud or sand.

This Coyote model is equipped with a water-tight rolltop and a very secure tie-down system.

NEED DEALER ORDERING HELP? Please read our handy guide or contact us here: sales@giantloopmoto.com or call 458-206-9113

STEELCORE CABLE

This Steelcore locking system is a lot lighter than a heavy chain lock and secures your luggage when you leave your bike for a hotel room or restaurant. Fully weatherproof, the strap is woven with a wire core and cannot be cut with a knife. For the retailer, there is a generous margin and point of sale materials.

Phone (760) 715-3045 www.STEELCORE.com

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GARMIN 276CX

The new Garmin 276CX is the choice of rally riders and is related to the original Garmin 276 c used in Dakar. It is not a “touch screen” but requires using the axis button and menu to make your selections. The new technology for plotting courses is now on what Garmin calls Base Camp, pretty much making their old Map Source out-of-date. The ultra, uber-engineered Touratech 276CX mount isn’t cheap at $185, but it sure is solid and makes swapping from bike to bike easy. https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/539722

TOURATECH GPS MOUNT

Those German engineers at Touratech don’t know how to do anything simple, but they sure know how to build them strong. My Garmin 276cx pops into this lockable carriage in under 10 seconds which is exactly the way I like it… even if it takes an hour to wire, assemble and install the mount. https://touratech-usa.com/Motorcycle-GPS-Mounts-andDevices

INREACH

My preference of tracking devices is the inReach, now owned

by Garmin. You can actually text through it when summoning emergency services… or just a loved one. You can also set it up to track you and send periodic messages to the family on where you are along the trail. Then there is always the SOS button which you hope you never need, but it there when you do. It’s worth the $12/ month activation and usage fee. Giant Loop’s Tracker Packer holds your SPOT or InReach satellite device solidly in place and within a satellite’s view. https://inreach.garmin.com/en-US/Account/LogOn

CJ DESIGNS RACK

You’re going to need a study rack with a reinforced sub-frame system to carry all the extra weight. This is a CJ Designs to which my water and camping gear are attached. That’s a Saddleman Adventure seat and a Wolfman Enduro tank bag which carries quick access goggles, rags, cell phone… and never gets in the rider’s way. https://www.cjdesignsllc.com/products/cj-designs-tail-rackktm-950990-adventuresuper-enduro/

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OLD RELIABLES

Yes, my checklist is well used. But it works! Everything has been pared down, fitted into soft luggage and all strapped down securely.

One rider had a topbox which popped open and deposited his gear over half the desert. As trick as my new Giant Loop soft bags are there are some old reliables like my Wolfman tank bag and its contents that move from bike-to-bike!

WOLFMAN BAGS

The Wolfman Enduro Tankbag has lasted years and 20,000 off-road ADV miles. In tandem with the tank bag is my old reliable Wolfman Drybag. It’s bombproof and waterproof. The tent, sleeping bag and thermo-rest all went in here so one never needs to get into it except at the end of the day. The anti-flap straps and clips on both Wolfman and Giant Loop keep you from looking like the Beverly Hillbillies! https://wolfmanluggage.com/products/enduro-tank-bag

CHAIN & SPROCKET

The SuperSprox are tougher than bear’s teeth and the color-matched anodizing also look awesome! I love this sprocket and along with a DID O-ring chain, the tandem has withstood tough abuse over 1000s of off-road miles this season. Of course, I still have a master link and chain breaker stashed away in the Wolfman Tankbag just case… an insurance policy I have not had to use in years.

MOTION PRO TI WRENCHES

Saving weight is always a goal and Motion Pro’s titanium open end wrenches help achieve that goal. Plus, you can impress your riding friends when they need to borrow a wrench and you hand them one of these. Each one is lighter than air and comes with this blue pouch to keep them from floating away. https://www.motionpro.com/c/titanium-wrenches

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An additional 30 helmets were sent to SATRA Technology, where three helmets of each model were tested according to ECE standards with impacts in both crown and front-side locations, totaling 60 individual impacts. All impacts were recorded, plotted, charted, and analyzed by scientists from RHEON LABS and SATRA to ensure that the data was not only accurate, but also completely unbiased.

FLY Racing took time to review the information and organized it for dealers, customers, and the industry. FLY Racing has chosen not to name the other competitors explicitly in the test.

The purpose of testing is to learn and understand how to improve helmet safety, to know where FLY Racing stands among the best technologies that exist today and what can be done in the future to further evolve impact mitigation.

To see the information, check out https://formula.flyracing.com/

FLY’S FORMULA FOR SUCCESS

T

hey say seeing is believing… and from the first glance at the press launch back in January, the media was seeing FLY’s vision for the innovative technology that it has built into the Formula helmet. Having had a opportunity to wear it for a couple of months, we can attest to its light weight, but fortunately haven’t had a chance to crash test it. Fortunately multiple labs have been testing the technology independently and have announced the results of their findings.

One point is that the Formula is not a traditional helmet designed to protect against high speed linear impacts, it is a comprehensive energy management system. “Our primary goal with the FLY Formula Helmet was to create a highly advanced energy management system that would reduce energy transferred to the brain over a wide range of real The Head Injury Criterion (HIC) equation measures the risk of head injury. An impact with a HIC score of 3000 is representative of a world impact scenarios.”

To prove a point, FLY Racing spent a considerable amount of time, money and resources to validate and benchmark the Formula against the top nine, “best of the best” helmets on the motocross market ranging from $500-$700+. To ensure that the Formula stacked up fairly against competitors, FLY Racing purchased six identical premium helmets from each brand for a total of 60 helmets at an estimated retail value of $30,000.

Testing was conducted by two separate test facilities. RHEON LABS is a materials technology business servicing the sports equipment industry, which has developed high energy absorbing materials with advanced testing methods for helmets to replicate real world scenarios.The second lab, SATRA Technology, is a third-party independent research and testing organization based out of the United Kingdom certified in ECE testing.

The first 30 helmets were sent to RHEON LABS to record rotational and linear impacts. Each of the 10 helmet models was hit in three different locations and these tests were then repeated on three identical helmets of each model. A total of 90 individual impacts were recorded.

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99% probability of severe brain injury. At an impact with a HIC score of 1000 that probability drops to an 18% risk of severe brain injury and down to 5% at a score of 700.

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Ride For Life 2019

But there is more to Ride For Life than fun field games. The Muscular Dystrophy Association is leading the fight against muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases. These debilitating degenerative disorders cause immeasurable pain to sufferers and those who care for them; their goal is to help lessen the pain.

In a field 30 years ago, the Eastern Harley-Davidson Dealers Association (EHDDA) decided to do something about the neuromuscular disorders that were claiming the physical strength, independence, and lives of people all over the country and the world. They didn’t know then that the event they created would span 3 decades, host over 50,000 participants and – most importantly – raise over $21 million to fight degenerative muscle diseases.

W

e may have come a long way from the old Jerry Lewis telethon’s, but the need for to combat Muscular Dystrophy remains. Ride for Life, now 32 years strong, has raised more than $23.5 million to help children and adults live longer stronger lives. Since 1980, HarleyDavidson has been a national sponsor of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Each year, thousands of riders participate in MDA rides and share the freedom of the road with kids at MDA Summer Camp.

Ride for Life is a unique partnership between the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Eastern Harley-Davidson Dealers Association. Over the past decades it has evolved into the single, largest purpose-driven Harley-Davidson fundraising ride in the world. It now contributes more than a million dollars each year to support MDA local families in ten states.

More than 2,000 riders participated again this year, representing 10 states including Pennsylvania, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Maryland, District of Columbia, New Hampshire and Michigan… and Dealernews columnist Alisa Clickenger. This year’s MDA Ride for Life took place May 2-5, 2019 at Seven Springs Mountain Resort located about an hour south-east of Pittsburgh. Daily activities included lead rides, pre-GPS regional rides, live music, entertainment, great food, wine & beer tastings and an amazing group atmosphere!

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Over the years, Ride for Life has become the world’s largest Harley-Davidson fundraising event to benefit MDA. Each Ride for Life event brings riders and H.O.G. Chapter members together, partnering them with families and kids living with neuromuscular diseases. The weekend-long celebration is the culmination of a year of fundraising by Harley-Davidson dealerships; it’s a chance for MDA Goodwill Ambassadors to be rock stars and for client families to spend an unforgettable, action-packed weekend with friends and supporters. Mark your calendars for next year: http://www.mdarideforlife.org/

COAST TO COAST SUMMER - 2020

Every Rider Has Her Own Story

This Ride Honors the Story of WOmen Host a Women of the Road SCMR2020 lead up event at your dealership and bring more female customers to your door: - Includes an interactive presentation about long-distance touring - We’ll show a cool video about the Van Buren Sisters ride in 2016 - Includes information tailored for your dealership and riding areas Inspire and encourage women riders and passengers, as well as families, to ride more and be involved in the event.

Ready to bring more customers to your door?

CONTACT US NOW: Events@CentennialRide.com @CentennialRide @SCMR2020 www.CentennialRide.com

The Suffragists Centennial Motorcycle Ride (SCMR2020) is a multi-route cross-country motorcycle event and it will be the most inflFLuential ride in 2020 inspiring riders before, during, and after the ride.

Presented by Alisa Clickenger

Marvin Musquin added to the international flavor as his 3-2 were just enough to edge Roczen’s 2-3 as the French rider took second overall. But neither of the international racers had anything for Eli Tomac at the end of both motos. Doing it in front of the Kawasaki brass was a nice payback for his recently signed extension.

Monster Energy Kawasaki has signed the two-time AMA 450MX Champ to a multi-year contract extension. After joining the team back in 2016, Tomac now sits 7th on the alltime 450MX Class win list with 14 overall wins and 27 podium finishes over the past three motocross seasons. “I’m thrilled to continue the relationship with Kawasaki,” Tomac says.

“I feel we have an outstanding team in place, an excellent KX450 motorcycle and a common goal of winning races and championships. Let the good times roll!”

“Eli is an impressive athlete and an exceptional asset to the Monster Energy Kawasaki team,” added Kawasaki Senior Manager, Racing, Dan Fahie. “It has been a pleasure working and winning together with him and his family and we’re all excited to continue this relationship and the successful route we’re on.”

What If Trade Shows Had Racing Former Kawasaki front runner Ryan Villopoto was also As A Sideshow? racing… but now he competes on a Yamaha 2-Stroke… still ince SoCal serves as base for the OEMs, media outlets the battle between RV and Josh Varize during the 125 All Star and aftermarket players, many of the riders treated the race provided the perfect start to the day at the Fox Raceway Lucas Oil Pro Motocross series return to Fox Raceway National. in Pala like a home game. It was also a great setting for a de facto trade show as series sponsors and Fox hosted dealers However, the highlight of the day had to be the kids who and VIPs alike, while the future generation was turned loose snagged a couple of the STACYC’s and went AWOL from on the STACYC demo track… makes you wonder what if trade the demo area to go ride a little track down below the shows had nationals as a sideshow to doing a little business? grandstands. While Tomac was putting on a clinic in the second 450 moto, these kids were having the time of their

With Fox Raceway sitting less than 100 miles from American lives on two wheels!

Honda’s Torrance headquarters, a number of powersports products were brought out to display, including Talon 1000R and 1000X sport side-by-sides, a Monkey, an Africa Twin Adventure Sports and a CRF450L. KROC also looked to be dialed in after his win at the Hangtown season opener in the mud, but he said the track was “gnarly” — still the folks from Fox and Honda had to be happy with his holeshot and leading most of the first moto before ending up third overall on the day. His rabid fans from Germany certainly sounded off every lap!

TOMAC MAN ON A MISSION!

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88 Photos by Brandon Davis

Photo by Joe Bonnello

Ave Atque Vale Burritto — Gene Romero 1947 – 2019

By JC Agajanian

T

he motorcycle industry couldn’t be sadder. Another champion is gone.

Gene Romero, husband, father, best friend, legend and Champion.

Born Gene Ronald Romero, May 22, 1947 in Martinez California, Gene called San Louis Obispo home. He cut lawns and cleaned pools to get his first motorcycle. His father, Gene senior, was a tough and proud man who imparted the traits of hard work and honest living to Gene and his two younger brothers, Carlos and Terry.

Their mother, Emma was a saint. She had the intolerable job of raising these three, rough and tumble boys, while keeping up with the demands from the patriarch of this respectable Romero family. Her German lineage added a meticulous, sensible and loving aspect to their upbringing. But just don’t get between any of the Romero brothers (or senior) because chances are you may find yourself on the losing end of the stick.

Always the cool one, Gene had those Elvis Presley good looks. He had class, talent, determination and the best sponsors you could find. He was one of America’s greatest motorcycle racers.

He changed the course of professional motorcycle racing when he brought non-motorcycle-oriented sponsors into the sport from outside the industry.

When local sponsors like Bill’s Muffler shop or Joe’s Garage seemed to be the

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only available course, Gene pursued and landed national sponsors including Busch Beer, Ocean Pacific, Evel Knievel and factory Yamaha.

Romero honed his racing skills on dirt and scrambles tracks in the Central Valley of California. As an amateur, Romero used his scramble skills to become a top TT Steeplechase Rider.

Not surprisingly Romero’s first pro finish came at the age of 19 at the Castle Rock TT in July 1966. He adopted the nickname “Burritto” with two Ts instead of the conventional spelling with one T. His first national win was two years later in Lincoln, Nebraska, riding a Triumph.

Romero had won 12 AMA Nationals during his 16-year racing career and received AMA’s most popular “Racer Of The Year” Award.

His greatest moments may have come in 1970 when he became National Champion of the AMA Grand National Championship Series and in 1975 when on a completely different style of motorcycle, he became the winner of American road racing’s most coveted prize, the king of them all, the Daytona 200. That would be the equivalent of winning the IndyCar Championship and the Indianapolis 500…. an analogy unintended as patronizing… in fact it is

flattery. More than once you’d hear his Indy 500 racing car cronies say, “Gene, you motorcycle racers are crazy!”

Chris Agajanian recalls Gene always having a unique way of expressing himself and not soliciting sympathy from others, like when he had a sixmonth stint in a full body cast.

“He was a huge personality. An old school spirit and akin to his pal ‘The Intimidator’ — the other #3. Don’t cross him or you’d wish you hadn’t. He did it his way ‘til the very end. He had those Elvis Presley good looks and some of the best witticisms around.

Lying there in a full body cast and asked how he was doing, he quipped, “It’s no problem, I’ve had worse things in my eye.”

Still, his best quote was memorialized in the greatest motorcycle movie of all time, the Academy Award nominated documentary On Any Sunday. At the time, Gene needed a third place or better finish at the Sacramento Mile in order to be crowned the 1970 AMA Grand National Champion. He remarked when interviewed; “I don’t

want to hurt anybody — but I’ve got to get third no matter what… I’m going to get third or come see me in the hospital — I dig carnations.”

The Agajanian Family is shaken and saddened at the loss of our dear friend Burritto. You are forever in our hearts.

Elvis has left the building and Gene has left the racetrack — with the checkered flag.…..Chris Agajanian

Just seven years after his amateur race at Ascot Park in Southern California he became the youngest AMA Grand National Championship titleholder in the sport’s history at age 22. Gene was so dominant that year that he sealed the championship by winning the Sacramento Mile with two races remaining on the schedule.

After 16 years of racing, Romero retired. Following his retirement, American Honda Motor Co decided to take on Harley Davidson at their own game. Harley had that scene pretty well sewed up with its aluminum XR750, a bike that every year became more and more intimately adapted to dirt. Honda’s philosophy was; it takes people who understand racing, backed

AIMExpo........................................................................30 Beta...............................................................................67 Big Bike Parts..............................................................11 Harden & Associates...................................................85 McGraw Powersports.................................................43 Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC)............................65 Motonation (Apparel)...........................................CVR 4 Motonation (SIDI)........................................................93 Motorcycle Industry Jobs (MIJ)..................................17 MOTOTV.........................................................................83 National Powersports Auctions (NPA)...................... 9 Racer X..........................................................................75 ROXOR...........................................................................19

by R&D. For Honda, one such person was Gene Romero. He was hired to manage Honda’s dirt track program.

From 1984 to 1987, Honda took home the No. 1 plate and became the series king, winning four championships in a row.

Gene raced cars briefly before becoming a promoter and creating the west coast flat track series, which over the years, has given novice and semi pro riders a place to race at more than 30 venues stretching from Southern California to the Pacific Northwest.

He was inducted into the Trailblazers Hall of Fame and soon after, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998. He died just 10 days short of his 72nd birthday and leaves behind his loving wife Cheri and 23-year-old son, Geno.

The family is besieged with prayers and good wishes. Cheri and Geno would like to thank you all for your wonderful thoughts and care. Please understand the sorrow and the despondency, a loss such as theirs, can have on all of the Romero Family. He was a real champion on and off the dirt. Please respect their privacy and peace.

R.I.P. Gene Romero #3 “Burritto”

SHARK Helmets...........................................................47 STACYC..........................................................................39 Steelcore.......................................................................63 Suffragists...................................................................87 Tread Lightly................................................................45 Trilobite........................................................................49 Tucker Powersports....................................................53 UBCO..............................................................................37 Vanderhall....................................................................... 7 Vroom Network...........................................................77 Western Power Sports.............................................2-3 Yuasa.............................................................................34

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

Backfire

By John Murphy

TO BE A MENTOR… OR TO FIND A MENTOR? That Is The Question!

I

just read an article on a website called PJ Media by a man named Mark Rippetoe. The title of the article is: APPRENTICESHIP: REGAINING ITS RIGHTFUL POSITION AS THE BEST PATHWAY TO A REWARDING CAREER. Seems like the powersports industry needs some help fight its way these days.

In the article, Mr. Rippetoe describes his career path. He graduated from college in 1983 with a degree in Petroleum Geology — which just happened to coincide with a collapse in the price of oil. A glut of oil beginning in the early ‘80s stripped the job market for exploration people. What was once a good plan for a career quickly vanished.

He had to move to a “Plan B” so he did what he loved: he bought a gym, and taught himself how to run it. He had to teach himself, because he didn’t have anyone to teach him how to run a barbellbased strength and conditioning facility back in the then. As he looks back on his early days in business, his trail of trials and tribulations would have been smoother if he had been able to access to mentor, or a “pro” to point out some of the pitfalls. Much smoother!

This is true in our powersports world, too. Rippetoe points out, “Every kid who gets a job working for a plumber, an electrician, a stonemason, a carpenter, a house framer, a heavy equipment operator or any other master tradesmen, has a great opportunity to learn the skills necessary to become successful businessmen.

Some of these apprenticeships are formalized — electricians have done it this way for decades — and some of them are informal relationships between older professionals and younger kids, who have enough sense to know a good opportunity when they see one.”

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This type of “Apprenticeship” is the default setting that currently exists in the powersports industry. While there is technical training for mechanics and some sales courses/management workshops by trainers like Garage Composites, there is no 4-year college degree available in “Powersports Dealership Management” and there are no “Powersports 101” courses offered in any Community College that I know of (with apologies to our friends at PowersportsU free brand training: https://www.powersportsu.com/).

To my knowledge, no school in this country prepares a student to work effectively in this industry. That makes it imperative that successful practices be shared, by those “self-taught” successful individuals, to those kids who, “Have enough sense to know a good opportunity when they see one.”

So, let’s start doing this! Rippetoe lays it out for his gym business, and we might take a few tips from his successes:

* His gym franchises offer paid Apprenticeships as a staffing model.

Interested young people are put through a hands-on experience directed course of study, under a mentorship of experienced coaches.

He has an on-line coaching subsidiary, which provides a back-up for home study, as well as for people who want to coach in the online sector of the market. * Some professions are best prepared for by working in a profession at an entry level, that escalates as competence is developed.

“Education, experience and an intimate understanding of the details of a profession are seldom, if ever, adequately provided for by a college or university degree,” says Rippetoe.

You may already be doing this now by starting young employees on the parts counter or stocking supplies out back. They can gradually work their way up the food chain as their competence levels are achieved.

“Apprenticeship is regaining its rightful position as the best pathway into a rewarding career, and it is in a position to bolster an eroding secondary education environment,” explains Rippertoe.

Find that bright kid on your staff and show him or her the ropes.

Think back to that guy or gal who showed you the tips of the trade… the one who took you under their wing and told you the truth about the way they saw things. Remember how they helped you “open the curtains a little wider” to see more clearly.

Leave the School Of Hard Knocks for other industries! Our business needs mentors, and we need “smart kids with enough sense to listen, learn, and then act.”

Dealernews exists to share best business practices for survival and growth. We’ll keep our senses keen, our minds open, and our eyes looking forward, so we can continue to help each other succeed.

John Murphy started his Powersports career selling booth space for the original Dealernews Dealer Expo back in 1983. He then went on to become Publisher of the magazine from 1990 to 2000 before retiring from Dealernews 18 years ago when he was diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis. He retired and raised his two children with wife, Patti (former production manager for Dealernews back in the day). But John has beaten the odds. The doctors were correct when they said he would never ride again, and that he would be in a wheelchair, but it ends right there. “Ironsides” Murphy is back in the saddle again and ready for the challenge of ushering Dealernews into the next 50 years.

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