motorcycle & powersports news, july 2014

JULY

2014

V

OL. 40 N

O. 7

07.2014

Plusw Destination Dealer:

BMW of Ventura

w OEM Update: Yamaha Viking VI

w Keeping Up Appearances: Cleaners & Polishes

w Product Focus: UTV Accessories

What you should stockand how your staff

should talk about it to improve the bottom line

C1 Cover MPN 07 1_Layout 1 7/8/14 1:49 PM Page C1

C2 VP Racing MPN 7/8/14 1:48 PM Page C2

01 Vega MPN 7/8/14 1:04 PM Page 1

2 July 2014 | Motorcycle & Powersports News

Contents

Volume 40 Number 7MotorcyclePowersportsNews.com

EDITORIAL

Editor – Brendan [email protected]

Editor-at-Large – Robin [email protected]

Managing Editor – Greg [email protected]

Columnists & Contributors

Eric AndersonSteve Dodds IISteve JonesAlisa ClickengerJim WoodruffCJ PedlerC.R. Gittere

ART

Graphic Designer – Kelly [email protected]

Official Publisher of the AIMExpo Show Daily and Show Directory

Dealership OperationsThe Brotherhood of Bikers..............................................................................................................................4The Road Ahead by Brendan Baker

Shifting Gears ............................................................................................................................................................................12All the News that Fits by Robin Hartfiel

Holding the Line...................................................................................................................................................................14NPA Pre-owned Monthly Recap by Jim Woodruff

Gibbs Launches 2014 Model Line-Up ..............................................................................22PWC Update by Gibbs Amphibian

BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County ...............................................................................24Destination Dealership by Alisa Clickenger

Dealer New Units in Stock ..........................................................................................................................26Inventory Report by ADP Lightspeed

Yamaha Viking VI ................................................................................................................................................................28OEM Update by Robin Hartfiel

The Absolutes of Parts Department Discounting ..............................42Dealer Management by CJ Pedler

Mid-Summer Sizzle.....................................................................................................................................................44Service Manager by C.R. Gittere

May Sales Department Performance ..............................................................................46Best Operators Club by Steve Jones

Five Keys To Finding Your Next Big Lender......................................................50Finance & Insurance by Steve Dodds II

Kurt Caselli Foundation Fundraiser ...................................................................................56Pit Pass

Accessorizing the Adventure RiderHelp Your Customers Escape the Shackles of Civilization

By Alisa Clickenger

MPN (ISSN 0164-8349) is published monthly by Babcox Media, Inc., 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333 U.S.A. Phone (330) 670-1234, Fax (330) 670-0874. Periodical postage paid at Akron, OH 44333 and additional mailing offices.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MPN, P.O. Box 13260, Akron, OH 44334-8660. A limited number of complimentary subscriptions are available to individuals who meet the qualification requirements. Call (330) 670-1234, Ext.242, to speak to a subscription services representative. Paid Subscriptions are available for non-qualified subscribers at the following rates: U.S.: $69 for one year. (OH residents add 5.75% sales tax) Canada/Mexico: $89 for one year.Canadian rates include GST. Other foreign rates: $129 for one year. Payable in advance in U.S. funds. Mail payment to MPN - Circulation, P.O. Box 75692, Cleveland, OH 44101-4755.

Adventure/Touring Gear ..................................................... 18Keep your customers looking sharp

UTV Accessories..................................................................... 32What customers can add on to their UTVs

Cleaners and Polishes......................................................... 36Bring out more than just a shine

Cover photo provided by Alisa Clickenger

Product Focus

02 contents_July 7/8/14 1:04 PM Page 2

3 Kuryakyn 7/8/14 1:03 PM Page 3


One of the things that makes thisindustry so special is the brotherhood

that is prevalent among fellow bikers –whether you are a moto dude, cruiser guy orscooter girl – we all stick together and helpeach other outwhen the chips aredown. Can youimagine ifcorporate Americaacted with thesesame principles?Ah, but I digress.

A few weeksago I set out on myvintage café racerfor a spirited ridethrough thecountryside to mygrandparent’s house. I wasn’t going for the“Ton” or anything of that sort. I was simplytrying to get some miles in and enjoy thebeautiful weather we were having, but thatturned quickly when my bike ground to ahalt halfway to my destination. We’ve allexperienced it, but it had been a while sinceit happened to me. I was testing out a newhelmet and jacket so I didn’t even have toolswith me. I generally keep a pocketful oftools in my customary leather jacket. I can’teven take the seat off without a 6mm allenwrench. Of course, the battery is under theseat, so I have to call for help.

While parked on the side of the road, carafter car passed by with no one evenblinking at me and my stranded bike. Afterseveral cars drove by, a guy on a TriumphSpeedmaster stops to ask if I need help. He

didn’t have anytools, but mainlywanted to talkabout his bike andask about mine.That was great andall, but I was stillstranded. When mybrother finallyshowed up with afew tools, we gotthe seat off anddiscovered the 12amp glass fuse had

blown, cutting the power from the battery.We didn’t have a fuse, however, at just theright moment, Brian on a Harley Street Glidecame to the rescue. He lived a few minutesaway and had a glass fuse at home and saidhe’d be right back. A few minutes later,there he was with the fuse in hand. He eveninstalled it for me, and I was off and runningagain. The generosity of bikers plays outover and over in our industry with ridersfrom adventure bikes (which we highlight inthis issue) to a little old CB350 wannabe caféracer. I told Brian I would pay it forward, andI intend to keep my promise. t

AHEAD

THE

RoadBy Brendan Baker

ADVERTISING SALESPublisherGreg Cira [email protected]

(330) 670-1234 ext. 203

Associate PublisherSean Donohue [email protected]

(330) 670-1234 ext. 206

Display Advertising Sales

Roberto Almenar [email protected](330) 670-1234, ext. 233

Tom Staab [email protected](330) 670-1234, ext. 224

Bobbie Adams [email protected] (330) 670-1234, ext. 238

Doug Basford [email protected] (330) 670-1234, ext. 255

David Benson [email protected](330) 670-1234, ext. 210

Dean Martin [email protected] (330) 670-1234, ext. 225

Jim Merle [email protected] (330) 670-1234, ext. 280

Glenn Warner [email protected](330) 670-1234, ext. 212

John Zick [email protected] (805) 845-1400

Don Hemming [email protected] (330) 670-1234, ext. 286

ADVERTISING SERVICES

Advertising Services Amanda Wingerter [email protected]

(330) 670-1234 ext. 223

CIRCULATION SERVICES

Circulation Manager Pat Robinson [email protected]

(330) 670-1234, ext. 276

Circulation Specialist Star Mackey [email protected]

(330) 670-1234, ext. 242

For show publications advertising information call Sean at 330-670-1234 , ext. 206.

AFTERMARKET MEDIA NETWORKBabcox Media Headquarters

3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333(330) 670-1234 Fax (330) 670-0874

Babcox Media California735 State St, Suite 409, Santa Barbara, CA 93101(805) 845-1400 Fax (805) 324-6015

CORPORATE

Bill Babcox, PresidentGreg Cira, Vice President, Chief Financial OfficerJeff Stankard, Vice PresidentBeth Scheetz, Controller

Copyright 2014, Babcox Media, Inc.

Official Publisher of theAIMExpo Show Dailyand Show Directory

The Brotherhood of Bikers

Brendan Baker, Editor

04 road ahead_July 7/8/14 1:03 PM Page 4

5 Vee 7/8/14 1:03 PM Page 5


Yamaha Follows Up Success of

FZ-09, Introduces FZ-07

Last year Yamaha introduced thebeginning of a new breed of motorcycleswith the all-new FZ-09. So how do youfollow up a first act as profound and gamechanging as the FZ-09? Introduce the all-new FZ-07.

Powered by a fuel-injected, 689ccliquid-cooled, parallel twin “CrossplaneConcept” engine, mounted in alightweight diamond-type high tensilesteel frame, the FZ-07 delivers an ear-to-ear grin the first time you twist the throttle.The FZ-07 will be available in threecolors – Liquid Graphite, Rapid Red, andPearl White – and will retail for just $6990.

MotoGP is Changing More Than

Just Its Tire Manufacturer

Following Bridgestone’s announcementthat it will be leaving MotoGP and thatMichelin will fill the void in 2016, theGrand Prix Commission has nowconfirmed that in addition to themanufacturer change, regulation wheelsize will be altered as well, increasingfrom the current 16.5-inches to 17-inches. The new announcement addsanother layer to the series rulemodifications planned for 2016, whichalso includes a move to spec ECUhardware and software across the board.

The Grand Prix Commission met on June 14 and made the followingdecisions:

Technical Regulations effective 2016.Following the successful bid fromMichelin to be the official MotoGP classtire supplier it was agreed, at the requestof Michelin, that the rim size from 2016will be 17”. This required a change to theregulations which currently specify an

exclusive rim size of 16.5”.Postponement to implementation of a

Technical Regulation. Current regulations require all wheels

to be homologated with effect from2015. In light of the regulation changeabove it was considered unfair to requireteams to buy new, homologated wheelsfor 2015 and have to replace them with17” wheels for 2016. The Commissionagreed that the implementation ofhomologation requirements for theMotoGP class will be postponed until 2016.

The requirement for wheels for Moto3and Moto2 machines to be homologatedfrom 2015 remains in place.

IndustryInside the

Getting Electrified

Great overview on the EV motorbikemarket. I think you gave just enoughinformation for the MPN reader/dealerto get a better idea of where things areheading with EV's today. The progress ison a fast track now that batteries aregetting better and cheaper. The nexttwo-three years will be very interestingto see how the everyday motorcycle rider embraces thetechnology. Now that Harley is in the game it might pushHonda, Yamaha and others (even KTM) to develop morerealistic and affordable bikes.

– Sam VanderhoofSolar Cowboyz Consulting

Tucker Rocky/MAG Merger

(In response to the news article in theApril issue of MPN about Tucker Rockybuying MAG). I own a motorcyclebusiness in Colorado and spend$800,000 a year with Tucker, Drag andWPS. We buy from these companies andthen they compete with us. I think allaftermarket shops should be up in arms

about this. It would be great to see MPN do an article on thetopic of mergers.

– Marty Wineland, Thunderbird Motorcycle,Wheat Ridge, Co.

MPN: From what we know, the deal has not closed yet, and weplan to do a follow-up story after that time. Mergers of thistype are nothing new to the industry, but it is understandablethat they can be cause for concern. We are told, however, thatwith J&P Cycles and Motorcycle Superstore as part of the“family,” Tucker really can’t compete on a direct sales frontwith its dealers. If anything, this will force TR to service itsdealers better, not sell directly against them.

Yamaha Introduces the FZ-07

Kudos Yamaha! You've done it again!– Mort Brkr (MPN website comment)

Editor’s note: We are doing our best to make MPN relevant to its readership. If there are industry issues that we should be addressing, please feel free to let us know. Please send yourletters to [email protected]. t

RE: BACKFIRE

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MotorcyclePowersportsNews.com 7

Harley-Davidson Reveals First

Electric Motorcycle

Harley-Davidson has revealed its ProjectLiveWire – the first Harley-Davidsonelectric motorcycle.

While not for sale, Project LiveWire isspecifically designed for the purpose ofgetting insight into rider expectations ofan electric Harley-Davidson motorcycle.The Project LiveWire Experience invitescustomers to test ride, provide feedbackand learn more about the story of themotorcycle.

A 2014 U.S. tour – kicking off with ajourney down Route 66 – will visit morethan 30 Harley-Davidson dealerships nowthrough the end of the year. In 2015, theProject LiveWire Experience will continuein the U.S. and expand into Canada and Europe.

“This builds on many recentreinvention successes for Harley-Davidson,” said Matt Levatich, presidentand chief operating officer, Harley-Davidson Motor Company. “In just the

last few years, we’ve broadened ourreach to serve an increasingly diversesociety, as well as reinvented ourapproach to product development andmanufacturing. This has resulted incutting-edge products and this reveal ofProject LiveWire.”

The bike offers a visceral ridingexperience with tire-shreddingacceleration and an unmistakable new sound.

“The sound is a distinct part of thethrill,” said Mark-Hans Richer, senior vicepresident and chief marketing officer,Harley-Davidson Motor Company. “Thinkfighter jet on an aircraft carrier. ProjectLiveWire’s unique sound was designed to

differentiate it from internal combustionand other electric motorcycles on the market.”

Longer term plans for retail availabilityof Project LiveWire will be influenced byfeedback from riders along the ProjectLivewire Experience tour.

“Because electric vehicle technologyis evolving rapidly, we are excited tolearn more from riders through theProject LiveWire Experience to fullyunderstand the definition of success inthis market as the technology continuesto evolve,” said Richer.

Motorcycle Icons Pierre

Karsmakers and Tom White

Elected to AMA Motorcycle HOF

Pierre Karsmakers, one of the firstEuropean motocross champions to bringhis expertise to America, and Tom White,acclaimed racer, White Brothers CycleSpecialties founder and a lifetimeadvocate of motorcycling, have bothbeen elected to the AMA Motorcycle



Hall of Fame Class of 2014.A three-time motocross champion in

his native Holland, Karsmakers came tothe United States to gain wider exposureand attract the attention of the Japanesemotorcycle makers. Racing for Yamaha in1973, Karsmakers won the 500ccmotocross national championship series,scoring 2,659 total points. Karsmakersalso was the winner of the inauguralAMA Supercross Championship in 1974.He retired from racing in 1979.

“It’s been a long time since I raced, soit means a lot that America stillrecognizes me as one who broughtmotocross to the United States,”Karsmakers said.

Tom White first tasted motorcycling atthe age of 15. By the time he was in hisearly 20s, White was ranked among thetop 100 motorcycle racers in America,earning AMA National No. 80. Soonafter, he founded White Brothers CycleSpecialties in 1975, which became one ofthe top off-road motorcycle accessory

companies in America. Today, White feeds his passion by

racing motocross, as a race announcer,and as owner and curator of the EarlyYears of Motocross Museum in in VillaPark, Calif., which features 160motorcycles and related displays.

“There is no higher honor inmotorcycling than being inducted intothe AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame,”White said. “This is special because it

comes from your peers in the industryand existing Hall of Famers. I amhumbled to think that my heroes, thesegreat people of the sport, believe that

I’m worthy of this acknowledgement ofmy life and career.”

The 2014 AMA Motorcycle Hall ofFame Induction Ceremony will be heldon Friday, Oct. 17, as part of the AMANational Convention in Orlando, Fla.

Dominion and NPA Team Up to

Boost Dealer Pre-Owned

Profitability

Dominion Powersports Solutions andNational Powersport Auctions (NPA) areteaming up to provide unprecedentedaccess to powersports marketinformation that will boost dealerprofitability on pre-owned units. Theenhanced access to market data givesdealers using Dominion Powersports’Traffic Log Pro lead manager/CRMsystem real-time access to NPA’s ValueGuide, an online database that providesup-to-the-minute wholesale values onpre-owned powersports vehicles. Withthis step, Traffic Log Pro is ensuring asales department has instant access to

Inside the Industry

White

Karsmakers


9 emgo 7/8/14 1:00 PM Page 9

critical market data for a trade-in or usedunit purchase.

NPA’s partnership with Traffic Log Promarks the first time this rich database willbe available to dealers outside thenationwide auction provider. The feature,now available in Traffic Log Pro, comes atno additional expense to dealers. TrafficLog Pro is the industry’s only leadmanagement/CRM company to providethis critical data.

“By offering the NPA Value Guidethrough Traffic Log Pro during the trade-in process, dealers are given a real-timesnapshot of the wholesale market onmore than 26,000 different models ofpowersport vehicles,” said Jim Woodruff,NPA’s chief operating officer. “With thisnew addition to TLP, dealers can bettermanage their pre-owned expendituresand accept trades they would historicallyturn away due to unfamiliarity with avehicle model or its market value.”

The NPA Value Guide provides adealer’s sales department with critical

information about the actual wholesalevalue of a particular model by location,condition, time frame and mileagebreakdown. A salesperson can give acustomer an approximate value of theirtrade-in, enhance customer service andimprove the speed and success rate ofthe sales process.

“Providing dealers with instant,accurate information on wholesale valuesis incredibly important, and that’s whywe’re so excited to partner with NPA to provide dealers this new level ofaccess to pre-owned unit data,” said Paul Newman, general manager of Traffic Log Pro.

Namura Technologies Opens

New Headquarters

Namura Technologies Inc., a supplier ofpistons and gaskets to MX and ATVriders, has a new world headquarterslocated in a suburb of St. Paul, MN. Thenew location more than doublesNamura’s current inventory capabilities.

The 23,000 sq. ft. facility is located onfive acres with ample room for a smalltest track and future expansion.

Motor Trike Announces Trike for

Triumph Rocket III Touring Model

Motor Trike, Inc. has announced therelease of an all-new trike, which pairs itsIndependent Rear Suspension (IRS) withthe world’s largest motorcycle production engine.

The Triumph Rocket Trike features oneof the biggest trunk door openings in theindustry and utilizes the Triumph ignitionkey to make locking and unlocking a cinch.Stopping the Triumph Rocket Trike will notbe a problem as Motor Trike uses theirmulti-piston calipers on each rear wheel.

Inside theIndustry



The 2014 Triumph Rocket Trike willmaintain the full Triumph factory warrantyand can be ordered directly through yourTriumph dealer. It features an all-newbody design, which integrates many ofthe classic Triumph design cues from theoriginal motorcycle, using both the

taillights andturn signals.

The TriumphRocket Trike fitsthe 2014Triumph RocketIII and is

available for $27,999 (plus tax, title,license and freight). Units orderedthrough Triumph dealers will maintain thefull Triumph factory 2-year warranty.

Fast Dates Calendar Celebrates

20 Years With Czech Republic

SBK Grid Girls

The FastDates.com Calendars andproducer/photographer Jim Gianatsishave announced an agreement with SBK

World Superbike and the internationalmodel agencies PetrasAngles.com andUmbrellaGirlsUSA.com to bring beautifulCzech Republic SBK grid girls JitkaPralinka and Petra Ruzinka to the UnitedStates this July to appear at the MazdaRaceway Laguna Seca United States SBKWorld Superbike and AMA National race

weekend July 11-13th, and the LACalendar Motorcycle Show in Malibu onJuly 20th.

It was 20 years ago in 1995 that SBKWorld Superbike first came to LagunaSeca, and Jim Gianatsis first provided thebeautiful FastDates.com CalendarKittens, who pose with top factory World

Superbikes and serve as the officialSBK grid and podium girls on raceday.

Jitka and Petra are professionalsupermodels who hail from Prague,and have been featured on SBKworld TV race broadcasts and in theFast Dates World SuperbikeCalendar the last three years.

Fans will get to meet them inperson, pose with them forprofessional pictures and purchaseautographed copies of the newcalendars at the LA CalendarMotorcycle Show. t

Inside the Industry



Aftermarket executive of the year,now a free agent! In a tersely wordedstatement from Paul Stroud, Triumph’sdirector of sales & marketing, Internetrumors were confirmed. “I write toadvise you that Greg Heichelbech is nolonger the CEO of Triumph MotorcyclesAmerica. I would like to take thisopportunity to thank Greg for hisleadership of the company and I wishhim every future success. Lookingforward we will continue to work toprogress our business in line with thedirection as outlined at our DealerConference. Reporting through tomyself, Matt Sheahan will remain asCOO, and Don Carleo as the CFO of our operations.”

••••Just in time for this issue’s look at UTV

accessories, STI Tire & Wheel announcedthe launch of its revamped website. Ledby bolder product photos and easy-to-navigate categories, the new site is saidto give visitors a more detailedpresentation of the features and benefits.“Our original website helped us deliver awide range of news and informationcovering a smaller product mix,” saidSTI’s Jamie Chisholm. “The new site isdesigned to further promote our growingcatalog of tires and wheels for UTVs,ATVs and off-road motorcycles.” Withtwo main drop-down categories for tiresand wheels, the site includes complete

sizinginformation,and visitorscan also viewand downloadtech info. Thesite is built on

a responsive design that works as well onmobile devices and tablets as ondesktop computers and laptops. Thenew site – www.stitireandwheel.com –also connects STI’s Facebook andInstagram pages.

••••Saddlemen is also sitting tall in the

saddle with a new site. “We listened toour customers and redesigned our site toprovide them with a better way to search

for the products theyneed,” explainsSaddlemen CEODavid Echert. “Nowthey have thefreedom of browsing

our site from their favorite mobile deviceor desktop computer, along withsearching for products based on make,model and year.” The new Saddlemensite offers a number of enhancements,including improved navigation, dropdown menu options and downloadabledetailed instructions for any Saddlemenproduct. Visit www.saddlemen.com toexperience the new site and to learnmore about Saddlemen’s line of seats,luggage and accessories.

••••KTM North America, Inc. has hired

Scott Buxton as North East Region areasales manager. A powersports industry

veteran, Bruxton bringsmore than two decadesof motorcycle parts,accessories andapparel experience tohis position with KTM.He is also a motorcycleriding instructor and23-year member of the

New England Sports Committee. “I havealways admired KTM for its off-roadsuccess and legendary history,” saidBuxton. “I am looking forward toimplementing a new vision and directionalongside my new colleagues in the KTMsales department – some of the mostbrand-focused and motivated people Ihave had the pleasure of working with.”Scott’s proven sales expertise at thedealership, distribution and OEM level,combined with his appetite for success,made him a clear choice for the KTMteam, according to East Coast RegionalSales Manager Brooks Hamilton.

••••On the chain gang! Robbi Roberts is

the new national sales manager for RK Excel America. A former motorcycledealership owner in Indiana, Robertsraced motocross, supermoto androadracing since 1972, earning an AMA

CCS Championship in 2009. “We arehonored to add such a skilledprofessional with the RK Excel Americateam,” said company President Frank

Miyake. “Robbiis very familiarwith dealershipoperations ashe was himselfan owner of adealership formore than 10years. Robbi’spassion for themotorcycle

industry along with his real world dealerexperience is exactly what RK ExcelAmerica needs to further develop andimplement our future business plans.”

••••Running wide open with no brakes:

California speedway racing legend GregHancock is now the Troy Lee Designsdistributor for Sweden. “Our dadspreviously worked together, and Gregand I spent a lot of time together backthen as kids,” said Troy Lee. “We havesupported Greg throughout hisspeedway racing career and I’m proud tocontinue our relationship with him in thebusiness world.” Hancock Distributionwill offer the complete TLD Moto, Bikeand Sportswearcollections, aswell as theentire Sevenracewearcollection. “Thisis an amazingand long-awaitedopportunity,”said Hancock. “I’ve known Troy since Iwas a kid, and have had a great passionfor the TLD brand since the early days of its establishment. I look forward to awinning partnership with Troy LeeDesigns while building the brandthroughout Sweden.” HancockDistribution is based in Älvsjö, Sweden.For more information, visitwww.troyleedesigns.se and follow onTwitter @TLDSweden. t

SHIFTING GEARSPrinting All The News That Fits

By Robin Hartfiel

12 shifting gears_July_Layout 1 7/8/14 12:59 PM Page 12

13 NPA 7/8/14 12:58 PM Page 13

By Jim Woodruff

Holding the Line: TheMonth of May ShowedStrong DemandR

eca

p

Pre-owned monthly


The powersports market has held strong this yearas spring comes to a close. This time last year we

saw the seasonal decline in Average Wholesale Price(AWP) begin in May across the majority of productcategories, with an abrupt drop in all categories lastJune. Through May of this year only three out of thenine categories we measure have declined over theprevious month. What is causing this relative stability?

We believe several factors are at play. Perhaps themost significant is the late but temperate spring thisyear; some regions of the country have only beenselling for a few weeks, but the appetite for productis strong. A secondary reason is the continuation ofhistorically low default rates. Although auctions donot solely depend on repossessions for inventory,low defaults contribute to a less plentiful supply ofwholesale product. The classic combination ofstronger demand and suppressed supply, especiallyfor off-road product, explains this year’s strongerpricing. We are pleased to see signs of stronger retaildemand for our dealers and continue to expect amore gradual seasonal curve than previous years.

By The Numbers

May’s AWP pricing showed fluctuations in mostcategories vs. 2013. The AWP for the domesticcruiser category was the most consistent withaverage trends, with only a two percentdecrease compared to 2013. Metric cruiser andsport AWP actually strengthened in May vs.April, opposite most year’s trends, likely due tofluctuations in product mix and dealersneeding to restock after warmer spring weathersales. The AWP for all types of ATVs remainedstronger in May over last year with a fourpercent increase, while MX vehicles stayedunusually strong due to limited supply atauction with an 11 percent increase. t

Data includes all live and online transactions from all four NPA locations.Closed OEM auction data is excluded.

All data provided by National PowersportAuctions. For more information, please visitwww.npauctions.com or call 888.292.5339.

14 NPA recap_July 7/8/14 12:57 PM Page 14

15 AIME 7/8/14 1:32 PM Page 15


By Alisa Clickenger

Adventure motorcycling is bigger than ever. Whether it’slocal trail riders or those riders wanting to escape the

shackles of civilization for a weekend or longer, getting off thebeaten path on a motorcycle just keeps getting more and morepopular. Because of the extreme variety of places one can ridea dual sport motorcycle, the potential for accessory sales ishuge. What your dealership stocks and how your sales staff talkabout it is your key to a better bottom line.

Gear Up and Ride

Rene Cormier, founder of Renedian Adventures, specializes inmotorcycle tours of Africa. His experience is that the majority ofriders arrive for his tours with almost entirely new gear. After all,it’s human nature: who wants to go on the trip of a lifetime withold, crunchy gear? You’re selling memories to them by convincingthem to do big trips. And they will, on their own, make theconnection, ‘This is the trip of a lifetime. Why am I going to go onthis trip with old boots, old gear, and a leaky rain suit?’

“If you can convince riders to do bigger, more life-changingtrips, the consumer will make that connection on their own,”

says Cormier. “If the dealer can convince the riders to go onbig rides, or organize larger trips themselves, the more timethat these guys ride together on these events that are reallyquite special, maybe even trips of a lifetime, they will buy new gear.”

It’s the best possible sell – a soft one. Your dealership is in a great position to inspire your customers to bucket-listadventures while at the same time selling more accessories.The reasons for riding are endless. Co-market a tour with acompany such as Renedian Adventures to bring your customerson the adventure of a lifetime. Hire engaging speakers forevening slide shows to inspire your customers towards theirown two-wheeled dreams. Screen movies in the non-ridingseason or on rainy days. Improve upon your shop’smerchandising by looping riding videos on your displays.

BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County is building a solidcustomer base by offering great motorcycle rides. (See theirprofile in this month’s “Destination Dealership” article on page 24). There’s a reason why popular websites such asADVrider.com, HorizonsUnlimited.com and others are so

Accessorizing the A16-20 Aventure_Gear_Layout 1 7/8/14 1:31 PM Page 16


heavily used. People want inspiration, orat least to hear how someone just likethem was able to go on amazing rides.It’s a heroic opportunity for yourdealership to make money and serveyour customers well.

Walk the Talk

“If you really want to get into this, knowyour stuff,” says Wolfman MotorcycleLuggage founder Eric Hougen.Salespeople need to be experienced inthis genre of riding. They need to havesome experience with the equipmentand have some of their own adventurestories. Is a product good because it’sgood, or is it good because themarketing is telling everyone it is good?

It’s easy for a dealership to stockwhatever is popular, but in the long run

that’s not serving your customers as wellas you can. “Dealer credibility is incrediblyimportant,” says Grant Johnson, founderof HorizonsUnlimited.com. Sales staffneeds to not only to have an interest inthis type of riding, but also they have todo it themselves in order to be effective.That’s not to say that the entire dealershiphas to buy into the lifestyle, but you needstaff dedicated to this type of riding sothey can talk effectively to the customer.

There’s no question that there’s a typeof vanity in the adventure crowd. Whileruggedness is the vogue, it also meansthat the accessories have to have bothform and function. Your typical adventurecustomers are older, more established,have higher incomes, and chances arethey’re already sold on something beforethey walk into your dealership.

Between the Internet forums, ridergroups and magazines, most tend toknow what they want, and already knowthe questions that they need to ask. Anadventure riding salesperson will need tohave experiences of their own to be ableto back up alternate productrecommendations, and hopefully theproduct knowledge to talk effectivelywith the customer. If what your sales staffsays doesn’t match what your customersare reading online, chances are you’lllose the sale.

Jeremy LeBreton, president ofAltRider, encourages dealers to takeadvantage of product sheets andinformational literature from accessorymanufacturers. Helping your sales stafflearn more about how things aremanufactured, why those specific

Adventure Rider16-20 Aventure_Gear_Layout 1 7/8/14 1:31 PM Page 17


materials are used to make products andhow they are mounted will come full-circle. It will help your staff in the overallsales process of selling motorcycles bytheir knowing more about designefficiencies and what can be done tomaximize performance of the machines.

Less is More

While selecting adventure accessories tostock it pays to choose items that fitacross the widest range of motorcyclespossible. “Certain brands are very, veryfocused on these [adventure] bikes, anddealers only have a limited amount ofshelf space so it pays for them to look forsomething that works across the boardso they can have one set of gear,” saysMichael Walshaw of BritKit, LLC, the USdistributor for Kriega products. “Thereare a number of brands, Kriega included,that can pretty much suit any bike withthe same amount of shelf space.”

Grant Johnson spent many yearstraveling around the world on amotorcycle. He suggests that dealers

counsel their customers to keep theirpacking light, keep it simple and to notcarry excessive amounts of stuff. “Thecustomer who hears this from their dealerrealizes later that the dealer was right,and then loves that dealer because hesold them the right thing,” says Johnson.

Customers can pretty much geteverything they need online. Why go to adealer? Because of your expertise. Yourshop is the only place where customerscan attend packing seminars, touch, feeland play with the equipment they’ve readabout online, and meet other travelersand “experts” that they can learn from ina fun, interactive environment. It’s theonly place where they can get socialfulfillment from picking the brains ofother informed enthusiasts, and in theireyes your staff are “experts.” Make surethey are.

Rene Cormier sums it up best. “A lotof riders are looking for someone theycan turn to for informed decisions. Theywant advice based on real worldexperience. If the dealer can deliver

that, they will have a loyal customer for life.” t

Adventure/Touring Products

A Motorcycle Adventure

of a Lifetime

‘Round the World motorcycletraveler and University of GravelRoads author Rene Cormier nowleads tours in Southern Africa.Partnering with adventuremotorcycle dealers, he offerscustom, co-branded motorcycletrip-of-a-lifetime motorcycle ridersthat are plug and play for dealers.For a dealership presentation onhis motorcycle adventures or toinquire about private label tours,contact Rene [email protected].

Renedian Adventures LtdSuite 305, 11020-99 AveEdmonton, Alberta, CanadaT5K 2M2(780) 707-7363www.Renedian.com

A staple in the Maxxis lineup, theMaxxcross IT is known as a very long-wearing intermediate motocross tirethat performs exceptionally well incommon intermediate to hardpackconditions. Its knob design offersprecise steering for a wide variety ofsoil conditions.

Maxxis International/USAwww.maxxis.com

Firstgear Torrent waterproof luggage is made with strength anddurability to withstand the rigors of on and off road use. They areprecision cut and sonically welded to ensure optimal seamintegrity. They come in multiple sizes and capacities andincluded webbing straps. Retail price: 70-liter $89.95, 40-liter$79.95, 25-liter $59.95.

Firstgear/Distributed by Tucker Rocky

www.firstgear-usa.com

The SleepRite camping cot sets up quick and is comfortable. Under 5 lbs., it is smallenough to fit on a motorcycle. Set up is intuitive and simple, and when it’s time tohit the sack, this ultra light bed is wider, taller and longer thanmost other camping cots. Open: 78”x 30”x6”; Closed:18”x 7.5”x 5.5”; Cot height: 6”;Weight: 4.95 lbs.; Weight capacity: 300 lbs. Retailprice: $197.99.

TravelChair Company

www.TravelChair.com

16-20 Aventure_Gear_Layout 1 7/8/14 1:31 PM Page 18

19 Sullivans_Joe Rocket Alter Ego 7/8/14 1:31 PM Page 19


A ’round-the-world contender, Giant Loop’s Siskiyou Panniers combine the convenienceof hard panniers with all of Giant Loop’s performance advantages. This bag is rugged,rackless and lightweight. Secures to passenger footrest mounts and rides on rear rackand/or pillion seat, and you can still ride two-up. Mounts/dismounts in minutes andbacked by a Limited Lifetime Warranty. Retail Price: $700.

Giant Loop LLC

www.GiantLoopMoto.com

Adventure/Touring Products

The AltRider Hemisphere Saddlebag offers a sizablecapacity of 45 liters, compatible with most dual sportbikes. 1050D nylon construction and military gradestitching on all seams ensure long term abuse of ridingspecifically designed for durability.

AltRider

www.altrider.com

Heavy gauge stainless steel skid platewith integrated polyamid nylon railsthat absorb impact, protect bolt headsand provide a sliding surface forovercoming obstacles. Available forthe BMW F800GS, R1200GS and KTM1190. Retail: $329 - $450

Touratech-USA

www.touratech-usa.com

The Ballistic Revolution jacket by JoeRocket is highlighted by an 840Dballistic nylon reinforced RockTex600 chassis and backed by CEapproved armor (shoulders andelbows) plus removable high-density spine pad. TheRevolution also features state-of-the-art environmentalprotection with an integratedwaterproof mid-liner, Cynixinsulated full-sleeve liner,and a hi-capacity VariableFlow ventilation system,providing one of the widestriding climate ranges available. To ensure that all this protection stays in place are ride-specific tailoring and an integrated 10-point SureFitadjustment system. MSRP: $199.99; Sizes: Small - 3XLarge;Colors: Black/Black, Black/Grey, Black/Red, Black/Hi-Viz.

Joe Rocket/Distributed by Sullivans Inc.

www.joerocket.com

The Scottoiler eSystem motorcyclechain oiler increases the life of chainsand sprockets by up to 7 times. It fitseasily and quickly onto motorcycles andgives the user control over flow rate.Plus, it improves performance andsignificantly reduces the need formotorcycle chain maintenance. Retail price: $279.95

Scottoiler Distribution USA. LLCwww.ScottoilerDistributionUSA

Kriega bike pack motorcycle bags aredurable, functional and adaptable. TheUniversal System enables quick andeasy fitting / removal withoutmodification or additional mountingequipment. These waterproofmotorcycle bags are designed to fit alltypes of motorcycles. The newOverlander soft pannier systemsprovide the capacity of hard cases, plusoffer the ALP quick-release mountingsystem. Kriega motorcycle hydrationkits are designed to withstand extremeconditions, and have been used incountless off-road competitions such asthe Dakar Rally and the Baja 500.

Kriega US/Distributed by BritKit LLC

www.kriega.us

16-20 Aventure_Gear_Layout 1 7/8/14 1:31 PM Page 20

21 Sullivans_Joe Rocket Phoenix 7/10/14 10:22 AM Page 21


The Gibbs Quadski, billed as theworld’s first high-speed sports

amphibian, gets a new front-endappearance and a Quadski XL modeladded to its lineup for 2014.

Compared to the standard Quadski,the new Quadski XL offers seating fortwo, has 11.8 inches of additionalwheelbase, is nearly a foot longer andoffers increased storage capacity as well.

The Quadski XL’s longer wheelbasedelivers a smoother, more comfortableride on land and greater stability onwater. Under-seat storage includesadditional space for a second helmet andsafety gear, supplementing the storagebin and glove box already available onthe single-seat Quadski.

“The new Quadski XL expands theenvelope of go-anywhere recreation withan even greater capacity for freedom,flexibility and fun,” notes Noel Lane,president and CEO of Gibbs SportsAmphibians. “Our dealers are excitedabout the addition of the XL to their high-speed amphibian line-up.”

Both 2014 Quadski models havelarger sponsons (stationary rudders)integrated into their hulls to provideadded stability and help improve overallmarine handling.

In addition, the 2014 Quadski andQuadski XL each feature larger hood-mounted air scoops that boost enginecooling and overall performance, along with new, more resilient frontbumper systems.

Both models have durable, light-weight composite hulls; utilize patentedwater-jet technology, and are equippedwith a 1.3-liter BMW Motorrad engineand transmission. The four-cylinder,water-cooled engine is considered the

lightest power plant in its segment andfeatures electronic fuel injection, dualoverhead camshafts and dry-sumplubrication. Producing 140 horsepower,the engine enables Quadski and QuadskiXL to reach speeds of 45 mph on bothland and water.

“Our high-speed amphibians feature aunique retractable suspension systemthat provides a superb ride and nimble

handling on land, and retracts in secondsafter entering water,” Lane adds. “It’s apatented design that allows Quadski totransition between the two environmentsin less than five seconds.

“Quadski attracted crowds at auto,boat and powersports shows throughoutthe U.S. last year. We expect to build onthat success with the addition of our newQuadski XL – a two-seater that researchindicates will be popular with an evengreater number of prospective buyers. Ournewest high-speed sports amphibians willgo on sale at dealerships later this month.”

The Gibbs Quadski currently isavailable at 23 dealerships throughoutthe U.S. (including 33 retail stores) and 14international distributors. Built at a54,000-square-foot assembly plant inAuburn Hills, Mich., the Quadski will carrya manufacturer’s suggested retail price of$41,125 for standard models and $47,650for the all-new XL.

The Quadski XL has an overall length

of 140.2 inches, compared to 128.3inches for a standard Quadski. Its curbweight of 1,437 pounds is about 100pounds heavier and its wheelbase of 82.3inches is nearly a foot longer.

“The Quadski is the result of millions ofresearch dollars and years ofdevelopment work in the U.S., the U.K.and New Zealand,” says Alan Gibbs,founder of Gibbs Technologies and GibbsSports Amphibians. “Quadski representsan entirely new form of transportation. It isthe only sports amphibian of its kind inthe world.” t

Gibbs Adds New Modeland Appearance To Its2014 Quadski Lineup

PWCUPDATE

22 PWC Quadski_Layout 1 7/8/14 1:29 PM Page 22

23 Gibbs MPN 7/8/14 1:29 PM Page 23

DealershipDESTINATION

Story by Alisa Clickenger

BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County

From the outside, BMW Motorcyclesof Ventura County (BMWVC) looks

like any other BMW dealership. Inside,however, the feeling is closer to a clubhouse than a highly successful businessgeared towards selling motorcycles andaccessories. This particular mojo worksfor them, and it works well; in 2012 theywere one of seven dealerships to win the“BMW Dealer Excellence” award.

There’s a coffee bar, a comfortableseating area and nicely lit cardboardcutouts of classic motorcycles. Flashyposters line the walls, yet these aren’tprofessional stunt riders performingremarkable feats with large bikes; theyare enthusiastic and accomplishedBMWVC customers. How does adealership collect so many good riders?By crafting a good, loyal customer baseand by building a strong ridingcommunity.

Shortly after Gary and Nina Clarkopened the dealership 10 years ago theirteam started planning, organizing andexecuting interesting and challenginggroup rides. The first was a Great DivideRide in the summer of 2006, longbefore the route became as popularas it is today. Taking customers onadventures built excitement, ahealthy riding population andbrand fidelity for the

dealership. It also cemented BMWVC’sreputation as a rider’s dealership.

Creating community has becomeBMWVC’s central business philosophy. “It was clear that the Ventura market hadbeen underserved for quite some time. Itwas nearly three years without a localBMW dealer until we opened the shop inJanuary 2005,” said Gary Clark. “We feltthat there was a market to be served,and we wanted to bring the communityof BMW Motorcycles to the riders ofVentura County.”

BMWVC’s philosophy is simple: buildcamaraderie and trust with customers inorder to gain loyalty and repeat business.Adapting to changing customer desires,after running the Great Divide Ride forfour years, BMWVC now offers shorteradventures, and there is some type ofgroup ride offered almost every weekend.Generally, the first Saturday of themonth is a street ridewith a “Gear Up

Getaway” campout, with a small amountof dirt roads. The second Saturday of themonth is often an intermediate toadvanced dual sport ride, at times with an“easier” route to encourage newer ridersto come along.

The third Saturday of the month is astreet ride, this one is usually led byBMWVC customer Don Hobson. As wellas his monthly rides, once a year Hobsonalso leads an extended weekend trip forthose who want to take on a larger groupadventure. Hobson isn’t the only oneleading longer rides – the dealership alsooffers many other three to four day rides


Community as a Way of Creating Sales

24-25 destination_July_Layout 1 7/8/14 1:28 PM Page 24

throughout California, led byBMWVC staff or othercustomers.

“We work hard to getpeople involved,” saidBMWVC General ManagerMichael Spencer. “We’ve builta community of enthusiasticpeople who like to ridetogether.” Spencer himself leads a semi-annual beginner’s dirt ride called the

“Ground Breakers” trip. Thegroup riding is what Spencercredits for their terrific growth.In 2013 BMWVC was BMW’s21st ranked dealership in newbike sales volume, and this is inspite of their relatively small market.

Building loyal customers hasserved them well: when BMWMotorrad sent its dealers achallenge to bring riders to a

publicity event at RawHyde Adventures,BMWVC and its customers answered thecall. While other dealers from largermetropolitan areas showed up with ahandful of customers each, BMWVC had so many riders they had to organizethemselves into three separate riding groups.

Among the innovative ideas at thedealership are its ‘Venture Riders’program and ‘GS Venture Challenge.’The Venture Riders are a group of

customer-riders turned productadvocates. These riders enjoy the ridercohesion at the dealership and want togive back to the community by leadingrides and mentoring other riders.BMWVC, in turn, supports its VentureRiders through discounts and otherworthwhile perks.

Customer and Venture Rider NeilReynolds called the dealership one of themost proactive dealerships in the country.“This is a personal kind of place,” saidReynolds. “I’ve been riding for 50 yearsand this is a great place for motorcyclingand a sense of community. It’s aboutfriendships as well as riding.” Trueenough. Reynolds’ wife had justconspired with BMWVC to hold Reynolds’surprise birthday party at the dealership.

BMWVC’s GS Venture Challengecustomers pay a $75 registration fee, forwhich they receive their own number flag,a special shirt and club-exclusive deals.Challenge riders also receive free tirechanges up to four times per year betweentheir street and dual sport tires, in additionto free tire storage. Joining the Challenge

also nets customers a wider area offree pickup for bike service at thedealership. Subscribers thenparticipate in a number of specialrides, for which they earn creditstowards a highly coveted jacket.

While the program did take stafftime, energy and organization, it cost

the dealership very little in terms ofcapital outlay. What it did, however, wasgenerously help the dealership with itsbottom line. BMWVC saw a 31 percentincrease in parts and accessories salesover the previous year. “I’m sure a smallpart of that had to do with the increasingeconomy, but I know a couple of newmotorcycle sales were a direct result ofthe GS Venture Challenge,” said Spencer.

Another way that BMWVC attractsbusiness is by being brand-inclusive.Anyone can join the club and ride withthem, and BMWVC will perform serviceon all makes and models of motorcycles.Led by a BMW Master Technician, manyof BMWVC’s technicians have servicecertifications for other brands.

Even in the land of perpetual sunshinesome rain does fall, and BMWVC turnsthose days to their advantage as well.They pull down the large overheadscreen and loop the classic motorcyclemovie On Any Sunday throughout theday. And who better than MalcolmSmith, Mert Lawwil and Steve McQueento help sell motorcycles? t


BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County830 Tourmaline DrNewbury Park, CA 91320(805) 499-3770

24-25 destination_July_Layout 1 7/8/14 1:29 PM Page 25


ADP Lightspeed DealerManagement Solutions aredesigned to help manage dealeroperations by tracking and storingdata from every department anddelivering information that willassist dealerships in makingsuccessful business decisions.

Every night, more than 1,800Lightspeed powersports dealersautomatically transmit theirinformation to a collective databaseheld at the ADP Lightspeed officesin Salt Lake City, Utah. Summariesand aggregated reports areavailable to dealers for both currenttracking and historical research.This helps dealers know how theirdealership is performing comparedto other dealers across the country.

Parts and major unit inventoryinformation is gathered and used inthe highly successful LightspeedDealership Locator program. Thisprogram is designed for dealers topost obsolete inventory, allowingother dealers from across thecountry to locate hard-to-find partsand units.

ADP Lightspeed stands ready towork with all parties to move theindustry to new levels ofunderstanding, and ultimately tomore efficient and profitableoperations.

For questions regarding thisreport or to inquire about acustom report, please contactLightspeed Data Services at (800) 521-0309.

www.adplightspeed.com

Powersports Dealer New Units in Stock

June 20141,870 Lightspeed Dealers, Distribution of Units by Type and Model Year

Utility Vehicle

Scooter

On-Road Motorcycle

Snowmobile

ATV

Off-Road Motorcycle

Prior to 2013 Model Year 2013 Model Year 2014 Model Year

9%

18%

73%

12%

21%

67%

11%25%

64%

15%

34%

51%

12%

18%

70%

4%

10%85%

26 adp report_July_Layout 1 7/8/14 1:28 PM Page 26

27 ADP Lightspeed 7/8/14 1:42 PM Page 27

YamahaOEMs


By Robin Hartfiel

Yamaha Goes Big With Viking VI

28-30 OEMs_Yamaha_Layout 1 7/8/14 1:41 PM Page 28


When Yamaha first rolled out the Rhino back in 2004,it revolutionized the industry. A decade later,Yamaha Outdoors is doing it again with the

introduction of the 2015 Viking VI six-person Side-by-Side(SxS). Since everything is bigger in Texas, the hill countryoutside of Austin was the perfect place to give select dealersand the media a sneak peek at another category creatingmachine. Initial feedback from the media and dealers alikewould indicate that bigger just might be better when it comesto serving the SxS market.

First a little bit of backstory on the market positioning.Although there were some utility vehicle Side-by-Sides on themarket at that time, the Rhino made everyone rethink thenotion of what a SxS vehicle could be. Instead of a workhorse,the Rhino added a recreational component from their ATVs atthe time (they even called the Rhino “the world’s largest ATV”at the press launch and introduced the concept of a “sporty”SxS). Fast-forward to last summer. Yamaha introduced thethree-person Viking and targeted it at the largest segment ofthe SxS market – the multi-purpose, multi-passenger segment.

Contrary to popular belief, utility models still make up themajority of the ATV and UTV sales. Given that the Grizzly 700remains the best selling 650-799cc class Utility ATV, andbuilding on its reputation for its durability and coretechnologies, it made sense to base the Rhino successor onthe big Grizzly, including its class leading Electric PowerSteering (EPS) system. Executives promised that Yamaha wouldcontinue launching new models to cover all of the popularsegments as part of the Viking introduction last year and thebig VI definitely covers some key market segments!

“There’s no doubt that Side-by-Sides are thegrowth segment in our industry,” says SteveNessl, Yamaha ATV/SxS group marketingmanager. “We are tapping into that growth withthe Viking VI. We expect to see it workingranches and hauling hunters from Texas toCalifornia, Oregon to Pennsylvania… andeverywhere in between.” However, Nessl didindicate one of the reasons for launching the

six-seater in Texas was because oil crews and large ranchesneed a vehicle that can comfortably and conveniently

haul a crew of workers along a fence line or out to aremote oil rig. In fact, the dealers who did the bestwith the original Viking sales were concentrated in acorridor leading straight up from Texas throughOklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa.

These successful Viking dealers were brought in rightafter journalists from the farming, ranching and hunting

journals had put the Viking VI through its paces.While we generally leave the product testing to the consumer

publications, we do have to say it really does seat six comfortably.The middle seats are reclined five-degrees and mounted on aslightly different plane. This means three good-sized editors at



large (or in my case, maybe that should beXL) can sit without having their shouldersand elbows interfering with each other. Theairlines should take note of what Yamahahas done with its three-wide seatingarrangement.

Creature comforts include eight cupholders, sealed storage containers underthe front seats, two DC power outlets…and the ride itself. The extendedwheelbase (115.6 inches) helps smoothout the ride, while 8.1 inches of wheeltravel soak up the bumps. The longwheelbase makes the Viking VI lookdeceptively low-slung, however there is asubstantial 11.4 inches of groundclearance… and a full length steel skidplate further improves what Yamaha calls

“terrainability.”Like theoriginal Rhino,looks can bedeceiving when itcomes to off-roading. Thecombination of EPSpower steering, On-Command 4WD andYamaha’s provenUltramatic automatic transmission makes operation intuitive andsurprisingly capable.

Despite the long wheel base, theViking VI is relatively nimble on the trail.If you put it in 4WD, the front wheelsactually help pull the machine through

the turns. Journalists and dealers alikewere even encouraged to take thestandard Viking out for a directcomparison to the six seater and therereally was no spot on the trail that biggerversion felt ungainly. The Ultramaticsystem means no jerky transitions andbetter yet, the sprag clutch engages fortrue engine braking when going downhillor decelerating.

All play and no work, leaves theViking VI out of a job. The Viking is evenbetter as a workhorse, starting with itsstamped steel dump bed. Unlike thethermoplastic beds found on some UTVs,the steel bed is designed for seriouswork. Eliminating the wheel wells meansthere is a true 14 cubic feet of storage

space and the bed is rated to haul 600pounds of gear. It features four standardtie-down hooks to help make sure cargostays securely strapped in place and itcan accommodate a standard pallet.Speaking of work, a standard two-inchreceiver hitch means the Viking VI cantow an additional 1,500 pounds.

Work or recreation, the Viking VI iscompetent off-road, capable of carryingsix, confidence inspiring to drive and inshort, has the potential to create a cultfollowing for an entirely new category ofSide-by-Side. Hopefully for Yamahadealers, history will repeat itself and wewill see high watermark sales surpass theRhino back in its glory days. t

(See Yamaha Sidebar on page 45)

YamahaOEMs


31 SEMA 7/8/14 1:40 PM Page 31


Quadrivator 70” UTV/ATV Tandems DiscIf you are looking at planting food plots, the Quadivator 70”

UTV/ATV tandems disc is an implement that should not be over-

looked. Weighing in at over 600 lbs. (with weight kit) this is not a

toy. That’s over 100 lbs. per foot of down pressure. The Quadriva-

tor is capable of busting grass areas, while also having the

control of covering small seeds at the shallow depth needed. The

four disc gangs each have five notched blades that can be

adjusted to change the cutting angle with the pull of a pin. It

takes an ATV or UTV of 700cc to pull.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.Quadivator.com.

Stop & Go Tire PluggerThe Stop & Go Tire Plugger allows for an “on the spot” and “on

the wheel” repair to virtually any tubeless tire. It seals the

puncture on the inside. The Plugger is a spring-loaded gun that

drives the plug into the hole. The shaft of the plug expands

under pressure to fill the puncture. The mushroom head of the

plug seats on the inner wall allowing no air to escape. This

ensures maximum reliability from its revolutionary design. And

it's easily stored - so you're always prepared. The vinyl zippered

pouch measures 6" x 9" x 1" and weighs just under two lbs.

Included is: the plug gun, nozzle, probe tool, reamer/rasp tool,

retractable blade, 25 rubber mushroom plugs, and detailed

instructions.- - - - - - - - - - - -Retail Price: $44.95

For More Info: www.stopngo.com.

It’s no longer a secret that the UTV / Side-by-Sidemarket has been growing over the past coupleyears. In fact, the use of UTVs has growndramatically over the past 10 years, making UTVsone of the most popular segments in thepowersports industry. That growth means that morepeople will be looking to accessorize their UTVswhether they use them for sports, multipurpose orutility reasons.

Did you know that 82 percent of UTV ownerspurchase accessories? Or that the average UTVowner spends about $1,700 outfitting their UTV?From better quality seats and doors to a variety ofroofs, grilles and exhausts, consumers are looking toadd accessories to their UTVs. So, do you know whatthe hottest UTV accessories are?

In this month’s UTV Product Focus we identifysome of the accessories your customers might belooking to add to their rides.

UTVAccessories

Two Brothers Racing Polaris RZR 1000 ExhaustA machine as exciting as the Polaris RZR1000 deserves to squeeze out every bit

of power when the pedal hits the floor, and the Dual S1R stainless steel slip-on

exhaust system from Two Brothers Racing will have your customers feeling every

part of the powerband. Through extensive testing and racing developments, TBR

has produced top-level performance that you will instantly notice with evident

horsepower gains. As with all TBR S1R off-road stainless exhaust systems, a

removable U.S. Forestry Service approved spark arrestor is included to keep your

riding areas safe, without sacrificing any horsepower in the process. Peak

Horsepower: +2.45 to 68.4 hp / Peak Torque: +.23 to 41.63 ft.-lbs.- - - - - - - - - - - -MSRP: $699.98

For More Info: www.twobros.com.

32-34 UTV Accessories_Layout 1 7/8/14 1:40 PM Page 32


DragonFire Adjustable High-Back Seats for RZR XP 1000Both DragonFire's original GT and new XL

series of HighBack seats upgrade the

factory XP 1000 seats without

compromising the OEM slider/adjustment

capabilities. These seats keep the

adjustment lever tucked up out of the way

compared to the highly vulnerable stock

location. DragonFire also shaved the bolsters back to accommodate

larger waistlines and the lowered design makes for more legroom. HighBacks bolt

directly to the OEM base plate, making installation a snap.

- - - - - - - - - - - -HighBack GT Seats: $499.99 / HighBack XL Seats: $439.99

For More Info: www.dragonfireracing.com

All Rite Products X-HandleModel XH1The X-Handle is a unique utility grab

handle that is attached at only one spot

on a railing or bar. The X-Handle can be

rotated 360 degrees for a custom,

comfortable fit. The Master Block

mounting system has patented micro

grooves to prevent slipping and can be

positioned at any point around any bar

or rail up to 1-3/4" in diameter. The

X-Handle comes with all hardware

required to mount on either UTVs

or ATVs.- - - - - - - - - - - -MSRP: $14.95

For More Info:

www.allriteproducts.com

Moose Racing Polaris Ranger 900 XP RoofThe Moose Racing Polaris Ranger 900 XP

Roof fits on full size Ranger 900 models from

'13 – '14. It features a two-piece design made

from durable polyethylene with UV

stabilizers. The roof incorporates a molded

water run off area. Installation size is

63.5 inches wide by 35 inches long by

5.25 inches high. - - - - - - - - - - - -MSRP: $192.95

For More Info: www.mooseracing.com



DragonFire HiBoy DoorsDragonFire introduces its popular HiBoy doors for the Can-Am Maverick and

Commander. These are not your typical fab-shop doors with a simple aluminum skin

roughly cut out to fit the frame. Instead, DragonFire doors have been specifically

engineered and laser cut for a precision fit. All panels are backed by frame braces for

strength and added durability. Aesthetically, the custom bends match to OEM lines.

DragonFire goes one step further by integrating its automotive-style 'Locked & Secured' slam-

shut latch setup and incorporating built-in limiting straps. DragonFire doors also feature a stylish

black powdercoated finish for anti-corrosion purposes. The HiBoy doors are easily removed with

upper lock-down hinges, rubberized backing and delrin striker pin bushings for reduced trail noise

and solid frame-anchored mounting points with built in adjustments. HiBoy doors fit all two-seat

Can-Am Maverick 1000, Commander 1000 & 800 models- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.dragonfireracing.com

DEI Flexible Titanium Pipe ShieldDEI now offers a better form of protection from searing exhaust heat; a flexible heat shield

solution. This enhanced performance starts by joining two durable materials together

forming a dual-layer design. The outer layer is made from pulverized and stranded lava

rock (basalt) made into a proprietary tightly woven weave for durability and strength.

The inside material is a special high temperature resistant fabric (89 percent silica)

designed to withstand 350 degrees F more than glass fiber. The result is a product

with unmatched thermal performance good up to 1,350 degrees F. This proprietary

fiber technology combined with DEI’s unique shield standoff bracket design provides

an air gap between the shield and pipe that together provides the maximum potential

for cooling and heat dissipation. In addition to protecting legs and boots, Titanium Pipe

Shields act as a barrier between the exhaust and plastic bodywork, suspension

components, or electrical harnesses.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.designengineering.com

Accessories

T-Rex Grilles X-Metal and TorchSeries GrillesT-REX Grilles has announced five all-new part

numbers for the 2014 Polaris RZR XP1000. Both the T-

REX Grilles iconic X-Metal series and Torch series high

power LED lighted grilles add the perfect blend of

strength, performance and style to the new UTV.

The T-REX Grilles X-Metal series grilles are available

in polished or black finishes while the Torch series is

available in a dynamic matte black powder coat finish

and includes the mounted 6” LED light bar. All grilles

styles for the XP1000 feature T-Rex's top of the line

X-Metal studded perimeter with woven mesh giving

the RZR a mean look. All T-REX Grilles are backed

by T-REX Products' industry leading Limited

Lifetime Structural Warranty and 3-Year Limited

Finish Warranty.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.trexbillet.com


35 deltran 7/8/14 1:39 PM Page 35


Cleaners & Polishes

Riders today are focused on taking better care of theirbikes. With more and more custom work being done andpeople becoming more concerned about return oninvestment, keeping your machine clean bothmechanically and aesthetically only helps accomplish that.To keep customer’s rides looking like new, cleaners andpolishes are where they need to turn. Just as with anytechnology where speed, function, durability andaesthetics constantly improve year after year,manufacturers of cleaners and polishes for thepowersports industry are focused on much of the same. The advancements found in this “liquid science” arefocused on creating cleaners and polishes that are morecapable, more durable and work on a variety ofapplications. Stronger chemicals and tougher waxespromise to improve upon cleaning products of the pastto keep customer’s bikes clear of residues and dirt build-ups, and keep them shining longer. Cleaners and polishestoday work on multiple surfaces, giving customersincreased function and a bike that all-around looks better. In this month’s Cleaners and Polishes Product Focus wehighlight several of the industry’s top shine creators.

Wizards Products All Wheel & Tire CleanerWizards Products has developed another innovative product to brighten your ride. Wizards' new All

Wheel & Tire Cleaner is a perfect addition to round out your customer’s detailing bucket. This product

safely removes stubborn road grime, brake dust and general scum without staining or etching wheels.

Safe on factory as well as custom wheels – polished aluminum, roughcast, uncoated, anodized, chrome,

clear coated and PVD. Wizards guarantees outstanding results on black walls, whitewalls and raised

white letter tires as well. Wizards All Wheel & Tire Cleaner is non-acidic, non-caustic and biodegradable.

All Wizards Products are VOC compliant and made in the USA. Wizards All Wheel & Tire Cleaner is

available in 22 oz. and gallon sizes. - - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info:

www.WizardsProducts.com.

BritKit V2 Visor Cleaner SpongeThe Visorvision V2 Sponge is unlike other cleaners. The V-shaped

sponge does not rely on potentially damaging chemicals. Moistening it with a small splash

of water before a ride is all that’s required. Packing the latest developments in micro-cell

material technology, the reusable cleaner glides over smooth surfaces, while microscopic

fibers slice into dirt and bug remnants, effortlessly lifting them away. A wipe with one of the

supplied lint-free cloths ensures a smear-free, optically clear surface. Cleaning power is

further accelerated by the unique slash-cut leading edges, which take inspiration from the

sweep of a jet plane wing, to deliver seven percent more effectiveness than a square sponge

of similar size. This also makes the sponge easy to grip when in use, and simple to slip back

into the supplied watertight ‘Pocketpack’ for stashing just about anywhere. Under normal

conditions, a V2 Sponge will handle approximately 12 cleans (but often many more) and can

be purchases individually for $6.99, with savings on packs of three, six or 12.- - - - - - - - - - - -Retail Price $6.99

For More Info: www.visorvisionusa.com

36-41 Cleaners_Polishes_Layout 1 7/8/14 1:37 PM Page 36

37 Star Brite 7/8/14 1:33 PM Page 37

Bike Brite's Windscreen Rain Coating Bike Brite's windscreen rain coating is especially formulated

for motorcycles. Bike Brite's rain coating can be used on

windscreens, helmet visors, riding glasses, and goggles.

The windscreen rain coating makes beads of water

disappear on windscreens or face shields. It gives improved

vision in the rain, drizzle or misting conditions and increases

reaction time by allowing a clear view through the

windscreen that would be normally obstructed by rain. No

peaking around the windscreen or looking over the top in

order to see ahead. Exceptional for touring bikes with

windscreens. Add to touring bike rides as a safety item. Safe

on windscreens made of Plexi-Glass, Lexan, Polycarbonate,

and Acrylic.- - - - - - - - - - - -Retail Price $8.99

For More Info:

www.bikebrite.com


Maxima SC1 Clear CoatSC1 Clear Coat is formulated for the racing industry. SC1

conditions and polishes plastic, fiberglass and painted

surfaces. Makes the clean-up process easier. It is

excellent for use as a clear coat, on inside fender wells

and along bodywork to prevent mud, dirt and rubber from

adhering to the body panels. SC1 repels water and leaves

a long lasting luster. Buff SC1 for outstanding shine

without attracting dirt and dust. Available in 12oz cans.- - - - - - - - - - - -Retail Price $10.50

For More Info:

www.maximausa.com

Wizards Products Mystic Spray WaxWizards’ Mystic Spray Wax combines recently

developed nano-technology with the brand’s

proprietary synthetic formula to raise the bar and

take detailing products far beyond outdated carnauba

waxes, according to the company. Developed to be

more compatible with today’s advanced clearcoats,

Mystic Spray Wax performs excellent on all paint

types providing an instant bond with incredible gloss

and depth after application and sustained water

beading and slickness wash after wash. This easy

application spray eliminates hazing and white filmy

residues. It can be used on any hard surfaces

including glass, chrome, polycarbonate, fiberglass,

gel-coat, plastics and rubber trim to safely removes

dust, bugs, bird droppings, road grime, oily

fingerprints and light water spotting.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info:

www.WizardsProducts.com



Maxima Speed WaxSpeed Wax is a specialized

all-in-one detailer that

conditions, shines and

protects painted surfaces,

chrome, anodizing,

windscreens and plastic.

An advanced formula

blends conditioners with

color enhancers to produce

a brilliant shine. Easy

application and removal –

Speed Wax is designed to

minimize effort and

maximize shine and is the

quickest way to detail your

ride. Soothing wax sets up

quickly and easily wipes

from smooth surfaces.

A single application is all it takes.

Available in 15.5oz cans.- - - - - - - - - - - -Retail Price $10.50

For More Info:

www.maximausa.com .

Silkolene Pro-Prep2Silkolene's Pro-Prep2 is

a high-quality, hard

surface coating

especially formulated

for motorcycles, ATVs,

UTVs as well as multi

usage on cars and

trucks. Pro-Prep2 helps

restore the color and

finish of plastics and

painted surfaces while

leaving a clear film that

makes subsequent

cleaning much easier.

Pro-Prep2 prevents metal corrosion and for

off-road use inhibits the adhesion of dirt

and mud. The new fine mist spray tip

applies an elusive “factory finish”

appearance and also ensures smooth

operation of plastic moving parts. Pro-

Prep2 also helps to waterproof

and insulate ignition systems in wet

conditions. Unlike most other silicone

sprays, Pro-Prep2’s exclusive proprietary

formulation only contains a limited amount

of silicone so you have all the protection

while avoiding that heavy greasy residue.- - - - - - - - - - - -MSRP $11.50 per 12.5 oz. can.

For More Info:

www.silkoleneUSA.com


Scottoiler FS365Scottoiler FS365 protects the motorcycle

from corrosion throughout the year

making cleaning easier and reducing the

effects of corrosion. FS365 is formulated

using mild alkalis and chemical

compounds known as pH

buffers that reduce the

acidic elements. FS365 is

designed to be used all year

round. Simply spray over

your motorcycle after

use. It's proven

protection for paint,

chrome and alloy.

Most manufacturers

plate their wheel

spokes to slow

down the rate of

corrosion. However

corrosion

resistance of OEM

wheel spokes is

generally not good.

FS365 is a favorite

among European

riders to keep hard

to clean wheel

spokes looking good and corrosion free.

Available in 1-liter spray.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info:

www.ScottoilerDistributionUSA.com.


MPN Product Spotlight: CleanersULTIMATE Bike Guard with PTEFStar brite’s Ultimate Bike Guard with PTEF® lets your customers detail and

shine their bike in minutes while also adding a protective PTEF polymer

barrier against damaging UV rays and grime to keep it looking good. Spray it

on, let it dry to a haze then lightly buff to reveal a clean,

shiny, “bike show quality” finish. Ideal for cleaning and

enhancing the appearance of all stainless, chrome and

painted surfaces, as well as plastic, rubber and leather.

Simply spray on and wipe off to enhance the shine of painted surfaces and polished

metals. The protective PTEF polymers bond to the surface to help repel dirt and UV damage.

Star brite’s Ultimate Bike Guard is safe for all clearcoats, wraps and metalflake paints. It

removes light road grime, bug debris, greasy fingerprints and more.

Star brite ULTIMATE Matte Finish is a spray detailer/waterless cleaner formulated

specifically for use on flat, matte, denim or other non-glossy finishes and surfaces. It won’t

“clog” or otherwise affect non-shiny surfaces.

ULTIMATE Xtreme CleanUltimate Xtreme Clean is the one product you can absolutely rely on to blast away the

toughest, grimiest, nastiest bug bits, mud, grease stains, oily fingerprints and any other

dirt or schmutz that finds its way onto the bike. The unique formula utilizes special

chelating agents that break the bond between grime and the surface without the need

for heavy scrubbing. Xtreme Clean is safe for use on plastic, fiberglass, leather, vinyl,

polished metals and painted surfaces. Simply spray it on, let it work in for about 30

seconds then wipe or rinse clean.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.starbrite.com


Cycle Care Formula22 Spray, Rinse andRideThe Spray, Rinse and Ride

Formula 22 from

Cycle Care provides a fast, safe

and effective way to clean

motorcycles. The spray, rinse

and ride method of cleaning is

very desirable among

motorcycle riders and Cycle

Care Formula 22 is just as safe

as water. It will not strip

polish, etch or stain aluminum

and will not harm clear

coat/paint, black powder-coat

engine or leather accessories.

Frequent cleaners may use the

product effectively at 50/50 solution. Cycle Care

Formula 22 is available in a 1 quart bottle with a

suggested retail price of $16.95 or a 1 gallon

bottle for $49.95. This product is made in the

U.S.A.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info:

www.dragspecialties.com


Slipstreamer Windshield CleanerSlipstreamer's windshield cleaner restores, cleans

and maintains optical clarity on all plastics. This rich

cream is the best final for all plastic surfaces. Leaves

an original, like-new shine and protective finish after

each use. Excellent for the removal of bugs, tar,

adhesives, etc. and it is safe to use on all OEM

windshields.

- - - - - - - - - - - -Retail Price $10.95

For More Info:

www.slipstreamer.com

S100 Cycle Care SetThe S100 Cycle Care Gift Set includes

five top sellers including S100 Total

Cycle Cleaner, S100 Detail+Wax, S100

Finish Restorer and S100 Corrosion

Protectant; everything to make a

valuable bike last longer and look

better. There’s even the S100 Drying

Towel for that surprise rain shower. It’s

all packed in a beautiful acrylic

organizer, too! Find this terrific set at

your local dealer.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.s100.com



Deciding how much discountingshould happen in the parts

department is like trying to decide who’sgoing to win the next World Series.There are a dozen different possibilitiesand all of them sound somewhatreasonable in theory.

So let’s stick to the absolutes:Regardless of whether we discount orhow much we discount, we need tomake it easy for the shopper to buy andeasy for us to discern the price they paid.

Easy buying and easy reporting ofdiscounts should be our ultimate goals.Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

Certainly the buying part can bechallenging. When’s the last time youwalked into a store, selected something,took it to the register with a 20 percentcoupon in hand, and then waited 10minutes for the parts person to findsomebody who could approve thecoupon in their system?

Why did you wait? It’s not uncommonfor discounts to be approved only by theparts manager or the general manager.As it happened, the former was at lunchand the latter was on the phone. So youwaited. And waited.

This scenario wouldn’t happen insome of your dealerships because you leteverybody in your parts departmentdiscount items. Everybody – includingthe gal who just started last week andthe guy who treats discounts like candyat Halloween.

This is precisely why some dealer

management platforms are now lettingdealerships customize an employee’sdiscount limit based on that employee.The guy who treats discounts likeHalloween candy may be extremelypopular with your customers, so we’llallow him up to 10 percent discounting.We’ll still make it easy for the customerto buy – no waiting on the parts manageror general manager – but let’s reel in Mr.Scary Discounts Parts Guy. At the sametime, allow the No. 2 person in the partsdepartment greater leeway – perhapsdiscounts up to 15 percent – to ensureour best customers and riding groupmembers are handled swiftly andaccurately.

More importantly, let’s ensure we canidentify how much discounting hasoccurred at the parts counter.

There are a number of us who onlylook at the parts department budget as awhole. If they’re meeting weekly ormonthly profit goals, we bypass thecloser inspection of the discounting levelthat’s occurring. Why stick our noses intosomething that’s working, right?

Wrong! A goal should be obtainable but not

viewed as an economic peak. You don’treach the summit, then hope you canhang on. Keep climbing! Keeping asharp eye on discounting will certainlyhelp that ascent.

The good news is there is now adealer management platform called DX1that allows you to set up discount

MANAGEMENTSOLUTIONS

DealerBy CJ Pedler

The Absolutes of PartsDepartment DiscountingMake it easy for the customer and your staff

42-43 Dealer Management 7/8/14 1:33 PM Page 42


reporting once, and then have itdelivered to your in-box as often as youwould like. Want to check out the extentof parts department discounting everyweek? No problem.

Daily? Itwill be in your in-box by closing time

each and every day.Just don’t make the mistake a dealer

friend of ours made and assumediscounting is not happening. If youallow it, it will happen – and probablymore than you think.

Our dealer friend failed to examinethe level of discounting in the partsdepartment, believing a prior discussion

on discounting had solved whathad been a problem.

“I told these guys not to

discount,” he told me.“Mind if we check to see if they’re

following through?” I asked.We checked.Eighty percent of the parts

department invoices had discounts.Eighty percent!

That’s $2,500 in discounts in a fewweeks’ time, and they were on pace to

hit $50,000 for a year.An expensive lesson, but an important

one. Make it easy for your customers tobuy, but make sure you’re constantlychecking to see what they paid. t

CJ Pedler is director of customersupport for Dominion PowersportsSolutions, the provider of DX1, theindustry’s only end-to-end businessmanagement platform. Pedler has spent more than 15 years setting up and providing training for dealermanagement systems. He can be reachedat: [email protected].

“A goal should be obtainable but notviewed as an economic peak. You don’treach the summit, then hope you canhang on. Keep climbing!”

42-43 Dealer Management 7/8/14 1:33 PM Page 43

It’s mid summer and depending on theregion of the country you are in it’s too hot

to ride or busier than ever because thetemperature is just right for a Sunday rip.Either way, it’s always good to take amoment and reflect on ways to drum upmore business in your department.

We spent last week moving our officesfrom one end of town to the other so thatgave me tons of time to listen to the localradio stations. I do not do this very oftenso it was interesting to hearadvertisements from the local car dealers.The local Mercedes dealer was offeringfree car washes for life if you bought a newcar. My guess is they have a couple ofguys they pay minimum wage to wash carsafter they service them to make sure theyoffer a premium experience. These sameguys will wash your car if you bought itthere even if you do not have a serviceperformed. It probably takes 30 minutesto give a car a quick visual wash, whichequates to $8 - $12.

I often wondered why motorcycledealers don’t offer this. If you think about itmotorcycle dealers are a perfect fit for

something like this. Maybe it takes 30 - 45minutes to wash a bike and you are payingsomeone around $11 per hour. By the timeyou pay benefits and the payroll tax youshould be right about $10 to $11 to wash abike. While you are spending $11 to wash abike and build rapport with the customerthere are a couple of things that could bedone in the background to offset the cost.Try these five tips:

1. Run the VIN for safety recalls.2. Teach the lot tech how to look for

worn brake pads, leaky fork seals, worntires, etc. This is a great way to findsomething that needs fixing.

3. Teach the lot tech how to recordmileage in your contact managementsystem. This could be used to schedule orsuggest future service.

4. Have your lot tech or service advisoralert the parts department sales reps thatthere is someone in for a bike wash andidentify the individual. This person has a 30-40 minute wait, so your parts departmentshould focus a little attention on them.

5. Copy number four and alert your unitsales team as well.

In the grand scope of things, if you washa couple of bikes a week, it would not takethat much to pay your overhead. Let’s lookat the math; $11 per hour lot tech at 40hours per week is $440 per week. We knowthat the lot tech will not spend a full 40hours washing bikes and he can be used forother operations around the dealership.Maybe if things get really cooking hespends 40 percent of his time washingbikes. So if we leave benefits and payrolltax out of the equation, you would needthe lot tech and parts department to clear$200 per week in gross profit upsells to payfor this. If the customers spend $200 inparts at 40 percent margin, that gives you$60. This leaves $140 in gross profitneeded from labor. Now if that lot techspent 40 percent of his time washing bikesbased on a full week and washing one bikeevery 30 - 45 minutes, he should be able towash 20 - 24 bikes per week. That seemsreally easy to me. If the lot tech washes 20bikes per week and has a 5 percent closurerate on finding something that needs repairor service that is two extra bikes per weekin for service. You should be able to clear at

MANAGERService

By C.R. Gittere

THE

Mid-Summer SizzleHow is your dealership cooking up more business?

44-45 Service Manager 7/8/14 1:46 PM Page 44

least one hour per bike on anyservice or repair. If your labor rateis $85 per hour that puts an extra$170 a week in labor sales.

Now I am not sure if this willwork for all departments in allmarket areas, but why not try it?Summer is a great time to hire ayoung kid with some mechanicalskills who is home from college.You might even choose to getcreative and put the bike washeron commission if he finds serviceor repair work that needs to be performed pay him part of the sale.

However the numbers work ordon’t work for your dealership, themain thing I am getting at is try tofind a way to get the customer tocome back in the door. The moreyou get the customer in the doorwith their unit the better chanceyou have at selling themsomething. That something mightbe an hour of labor, parts ormaybe even a new unit. t

C.R. Gittere and the ServiceManager Pro team specialize inservice department efficiency,elevating customer service andincreasing departmentprofitability. His monthly columnfocuses on best practices andunique ways to get the most outof your service department. Moreinformation about ServiceManager Pro can be found atwww.servicemanagerpro.com.

Assembled inthe USAYamaha’s Viking line has Georgia on its mind

The first hint of something big came whenYamaha quietly phased out the Rhino and

launched the 3-person Viking in 2014. “Yamahawill be announcing another new utility SxS modelthis summer, and is gearing up for more newproduct launches with an accelerated productplan,” was the follow-up message from Yamaha’sATV/SxS group VP, Mike Martinez. “We will stay onthe gas throughout 2015 and beyond.” Facilitatingthis aggressive product schedule is an expansionof its manufacturing operation in Newnan,Georgia. Originally a golf cart operation, the plantoutside of Atlanta added watercraft production,ATVs and later SxS over the years. Now nearly allYamaha’s personal watercraft and ATVs aremanufactured in Georgia, as is the new Viking and Viking VI.

“Having all of our production in Newnancontinues to increase our efficiency and promotemore coordination and collaboration with thefactory so we can make adjustments and comeup with new products that our customers want,”explains Martinez. “The company continues toinvest in the Newnan factory to ensureproduction capability for the future andstrengthen its commitment to the ‘Assembled inUSA’ message.”

While some of the engines and a fewelectronic components are still coming in fromoffshore, virtually everything else is made inNewnan. However, they are still legally obligatedto say “assembled” rather than “made” in theUSA – “Proudly built Real World Tough andassembled in Newnan, GA, USA” is the marketing

spin to get around the technicalities. More of theViking is made in Georgia than anywhere else andnow marketing and R&D will be done in Georgiaas well.

Part of this shift to Georgia – Martinez calls it an“alignment” – includes moving ATV/SxS marketingand R&D from Southern California to Newnan. Bythe time this issue goes to press, most of thepersonnel will already be calling Georgia home.“Yamaha is aligning its ATV and SxS vehicleproduct development and market operations moreclosely with its manufacturing facilities,” heexplains. “The alignment will increase efficiency,coordination and collaboration, which will make itpossible to support accelerated new productdevelopment and more vehicle launches.”

So does that mean we will be seeing a raceversion of the Viking or a new sport ATV coming asa direct result of the alignment? “Yamaha willcontinue to give our customers and our dealernetwork exiting new product,” says Martinez… toocagey to commit to a sport machine of any type. Itbecomes a function of sales numbers. While utilityvehicle sales dominate, high performance andsport machines have always been Yamaha’slifeblood, especially on the ATV side.

“We’ve said it for years – as the economy turnsaround, so will the sport ATV market,” saysMartinez. “We’re already seeing that happening.Last year, sales of sport-oriented vehicles were upover the previous year, and Yamaha’s leadershipposition in this category has us well positioned tocontinue dominating sport ATV sales as theeconomy continues to improve.”

Like Ray Charles sang, we will have Georgia onour mind through this alignment process.However, Martinez still won’t say when we will beinvited to Newnan to see the new sport machinesroll off the assembly line! t

– by Robin Hartfiel

44-45 Service Manager 7/8/14 1:46 PM Page 45

This article contains actual dealer dataobtained from GSA's 20-group

reporting system. 20-groups consist ofdealers from non-competing marketswho meet 3 times a year to sharefinancial and best practice information.Their goal is to grow and improve theirbusinesses profitably.

In Chart 1, total store gross marginsare still light for this group while the Top5 and National Norm dealers are hittingthe benchmark of 25 percent. That said,the group’s margin is much better thanlast year at this time. The National Normrepresents the average for all the dealersin the 20-group.

The contribution numbers areinteresting. Overall, the group is gettingabout 40 percent of its gross profit fromunit sales, which means the rest iscoming from finance & insurance (F&I),parts & accessories (P&A) and service.The National Norm average is around 44percent. One of the facts we know is thatduring a recession, dealers who have ahigher percentage of their gross profitcoming in from P&A and service, sufferless impact. This is because they can stillpay the bills even when unit sales aredown. Something to keep in mind –don’t spend all your time focused onselling units only.

The Top 5 are making a lot of profitwith preowned. If you doubt this, look atthe preowned vs. new margins in thenext set of numbers.

Part 1 shows decent increases in unitsales for the group, but not so much forthe National Norm dealers (Chart 2). Inmargins, it looks like this group has somediscounters in new units and both theyand the National Norm dealers areleaving money on the table in theirpreowned deals. I was just in a store with

By Steve Jones

BESTOperators

CLUB

May Sales DepartmentPerformance

CHART 1GROUP TOP 5 NATIONALNORM DEALERS NORMTotal Store Stats for May 2014

Total Store Sales Year To Date $3.1 mil $5.4 mil $4.1 mil

Total Store Gross Margin Percentage 23.2% 28.5% 25.0%

Gross Margin Percentage for Prior Year 19.3% 26.0% 23.2%

Contribution to Total Store Gross Profit: New Sales 24.8% 26.3% 30.5%

Contribution to Total Store Gross Profit: Preowned Sales 14.4% 35.2% 13.8%

Door Swings: Percentage of Change from Previous Year 17.3% *NA 11.2%

Cost Per Door Swing $26.48 $50.49 $31.45

Gross Profit Dollars per Employee Year To Date $39,519 $55,491 $56,723

GROUP TOP 5 NATIONALNORM DEALERS NORM

New and Used Unit Sales (Part 2)

Sales Personnel Expenses Per Vehicle Sold $397 $188 $275

Total Advance & Promotion Per Vehicle Sold $51 $18 $105

Flooring Expens Per Vehicle Sold $138 $52 $128

Average Customer-Facing Staff Year To Date 4.14 5.96 5.22

Gross Profit Dollars Per Sales Dept. Employee $60,660 $97,933 $88,363


GROUP TOP 5 NATIONALNORM DEALERS NORMNew and Used Unit Sales (Part 1)

CHART 2

New Units Sold Percent Change from Previous Year 38.4% *NA 16.5%

Preowned Units Sold Percent Change from PY 32.9% *NA 11.0%

Total New Units Gross Margin Percentage 11.3% 15.1% 14.5%

Total Preowned-Units Gross Margin Percentage 19.4% 25.6% 19.3%

Change in Total Selling Margin Percentage from PY 0.7% *NA -0.8%

New Inventory Turn 1.7 2.8 2.6

Preowned Inventory Turn 5.8 10.9 5.2

Preowned to New Ratio 0.70 1.59 0.57*Top 5 numbers are not included in percent changesince they may represent different dealers each year

CHART 3

Top 5 numbers are not included in percentage of change since they may representdifferent dealers each year.

46-47 BOC_July_Layout 1 7/8/14 1:46 PM Page 46

a 1.7 preowned-to new ratio. They arevery aggressive about buying bikes fromthe local riders, car dealers and auctionsand they hold over 25 percent grossmargins on these units. This is a real-world example of how to make goodmoney in unit sales.

Turns are a critical measurement as well.You’ve got to buy the right product for yourmarket and get it out the door quickly tohold down flooring and free up cash flow.

In Part 2 we find that the group ispaying the most to employees to gettheir units sold (Chart 3). The Top 5 arepaying less, and getting more ROI for it.

It would be interesting to explore themedia each of these categories is usingfor promoting their businesses. The

National Norm dealers are spending farmore per unit than the stingy Top 5 oreven the group dealers. According to allthe statistical evidence, most of thetraditional media is not working wellexcept in a few selected market areas. Ingeneral, local events, social media,websites and emails are having a farmore positive return.

Flooring costs are pretty high for thegroup and National Norm dealers, butkeep in mind that many of the Top 5dealers may pay cash for their inventory.They also turn it at a good rate. Bothfactors influence their flooring expenses.

As usual, there is quite a difference inthe productivity of the staff for thesedealer groups. The Top 5 pull in

significantly more gross profit peremployee. This indicates they probablyhave better quality salespeople andprovide them with ongoing training.

So where do you stand in comparisonto these figures? t

Steve Jones, GSA senior projectsmanager, recaps critical measurementsused by the leading 20-group dealers.Access to GSA’s Voyager 5 data analysis& comparison system is available for anydealership for a nominal fee. For moreinformation on Voyager, managementworkshops, dealer 20-groups, on-siteconsulting or training, send an email [email protected] or visitwww.gartsutton.com.


46-47 BOC_July_Layout 1 7/8/14 1:46 PM Page 47


Gear Essentials Gear

TAW Performance Marchesini Genesi Wheels TAW Performance, the exclusive importer for Marchesini wheels in North

America, offers the company’s full range, including the popular Genesi,

available in both aluminum and magnesium. The wheel is available for

most European and Japanese sport bikes in three colors. Due to the FEM

calculated design work the mangesium wheel will offer further weight

reductions (around 10 percent) when compared to the current aluminum

product range. The cush drive has been redesigned to use the MotoGP style

round cush rubbers. - - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info:

www.tawperformance.com

Willie & Max Leather Swingarm BagsNew from Willie & Max, these compact Swingarm bags are

constructed using 100 percent full-grain Brazilian leather shaped to

accent the unique Softail or Sportster swingarm. They’re perfect for

storing essentials when on the road while maintaining the

uncluttered flow and style of the frame. The tough hand-sewn leather

exterior gives them strength and makes them highly weather

resistant. They’re engineered to withstand cold, heat and water for

use in all road conditions. The new leather offering measures 10.5” x

11.5” x 4.5” with two fitments sizes: one for Harley Softails, Yamaha

Road Star, Kawasaki Vulcan 900, Suzuki C50 and other similar

models. The second fitment is designed for the Harley Sportster style

or custom hard tail style bikes. Both fitments are offered with a

matte black buckle or a chrome buckle. Installation is quick and easy

with the added Speedwrap Hook and Loop ties provided with the bag.

Willie & Max swingarm bags are made in Wisconsin and come with a

Dowco limited warranty.- - - - - - - - - - - -Retail Price $149.99

For More Info:

www.willieandmax.com

48-49 Product Essentials 7/8/14 1:45 PM Page 48


Bell BullittA modern take on its classic full-face Bell

Star design that dominated the

motorsports landscape throughout the

‘70s, the new Bullitt conveys Bell’s

history, while serving up a stylized

contemporary helmet design. The Bullitt

features an ultra low-profile fiber

composite shell, a multi-density EPS

liner and a removable, washable and

anti-bacterial interior. The perforated

micro-suede interior fabric has leather

trim, and the padded chin strap with

stainless steel D-Ring closure has a

leather pull tab. The Bullitt has a three

shell, three EPS system as well as five

metal mesh intake vents with one rear

exhaust vent. The 3D-cut cheek pads have

speaker pockets and accessory shields

are available to personalize the look. Bell

offers a five-year warranty on the Bullitt,

which is DOT certified.- - - - - - - - - - - -MSRP: $399.95

For More Info:

www.BellHelmets.com

Mustang Solo Seats For Yamaha BoltMustang's Spring Solo for the Yamaha Bolt gives you both an old-school

look and 21st-century comfort. Supported by a pair of seat springs

installed on a solid steel frame cover, they serve a functional purpose

rather than being just a cosmetic afterthought. The solo has a high-

quality vinyl cover, marine-grade fiberglass baseplate, and Mustang's

controlled density molded foam for maximum support and comfort. A

matching underseat stash pouch is optionally available as well. A hinge

at the nose of the seat makes accessing the storage pouch a snap.

Although it looks old school cool, it still offers a reasonable amount of

comfort. Priced at $199 US, the Solo

Spring seat also has a retro price tag.

Pouches priced at $29 and Solo Spring

hardware is available for retrofit and

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48-49 Product Essentials 7/8/14 1:45 PM Page 49

Since the 2008 banking crisis, nationallenders have changed and tightened

their criteria for lending, which has leftmany dealers and customers in the lurch.One solution for dealing with this is tocircumvent the big banks and establishrelationships with local lenders.

Community banks have a differentbusiness model than national banks, whichengaged in risky business practices foryears. Most community banks, credit unionsand local lenders invest in the communityby lending to local businesses; writingmortgages on local properties; and makingpersonal and luxury vehicle loans – usuallyto account holders. Historically, locallenders have had tighter lending criteriathan national lenders. That statement is notnecessarily true now. So many loans wentbad that many national lenders are takingno risks with the new loans they are writing.However, the local lenders who have nottaken the same losses may choose to takemore risks.

In addition, you have a better chance tobuild relationships with community banksthan you do with national banks, and thatwill help you get approvals for customerswith marginal credit.

So, how do you win a bank over?1. Find a local source. When customers

come in with a check from a local bank,make a note of the bank. See if thecustomer can refer you to a contact personand call them after the customer leaves.When you contact a bank, make sure you talk with the person who can make the decisions.

2. Create a lender presentation. Createa professional-looking booklet to give tobank representatives when you meet withthem. You need to gather some facts aboutyour customer demographic: average age,average credit score (that you have gottenfinanced in the past), average income,

percentage of male and female, averagedown payments, average loan amount –any customer statistics you can think of.Also, research and include percentagefigures for your sales in street, dirt, waterand snow vehicles.

Include information about the programsyou offer in your finance office. If you sellmore than one brand, include whatpercentage of your business is in eachbrand. Include a dealership bio and somefinancial information about the dealershipto show financial stability. For a samplebooklet, e-mail [email protected] I’ll send you one.

3. Make an appointment and prepare.Call to make an appointment. Offer tomeet for lunch or coffee. You can havethem meet you at the dealership if theyhave never seen it, but never hold themeeting at your dealership or their office.You want to devote all your attention tothem, and you want the same in return.Before the meeting, prepare a list ofquestions for your potential lender.

4. Have the meeting. Start off by goingthrough your printed presentation andtalking about the dealership. Be sure toanswer all their questions as fully aspossible. If you don’t know the answer, findout the answer and get back to him or her.

Next, you want to ask your questions.Do you know about our maintenanceprogram (be prepared to explain thebenefits when you ask this)? What productswill you let us add over and above theapproval? Do you typically require a downpayment? If so, how much? What is theturnaround time on your approvals? Arethere some dollar amounts you canapprove in the branch, and higher amountsthat need to go to a central branch? Whatare your hours of operation? Will you let ushave the loan signed at our dealership?After we contract a deal and send it to you,

how long will it take to get it funded? Whatcan we do to help the approval or fundingprocess go more smoothly? Ask anythingelse you think is important.

At the meeting, it is most important tobe professional. The more professional and prepared you seem, the better yourchances of acquiring them as a finance source.

5. Keep in touch after the meeting.Follow up with a card thanking your contactfor their time. Continue to follow up withhim or her by phone until you get a definiteanswer. If the answer is yes, you might havefound a great source that will help sell a fewmore vehicles. Even if the answer is no,continue to follow up quarterly just to checkin. Lending guidelines and personnel canchange, and if they decide to start makingloans on recreational vehicles, you want tobe the dealership they think of first.

This takes work. You will only get anappointment with one out of five or 10 ofthe banks and finance companies that youapproach, and fewer than half of those willbe willing to finance vehicles for you. Iworked as a finance manager for 10 years.When I started devoting between one andtwo hours a week to finding new banks, Iwas amazed at the results. I followed thisformat, and my success was huge.

You will never be a bigger hero to yoursales staff, sales manager and generalmanager than when you find that newfinance source that allows you to sell morebikes and helps you make more profit. Takethe time to be that hero, and find morelocal banks. t

Steve Dodds II is a moderator, trainerand consultant for Gart Sutton andAssociates with experience in all sales andfinance positions. If you have questionsabout what he can do to help you meetand exceed your goals, contact him [email protected].


By Steve Dodds II

Finance&Insurance

Five Keys to FindingYour Next Big Lender

50 F&I_July_Layout 1 7/8/14 1:44 PM Page 50

51 MTA 7/8/14 1:44 PM Page 51


As Yamahalaunches its Viking VI, we look back to

1982 when MPN featured an interviewwith Yamaha Motor Corp. USA’s thensenior vice president of sales andmarketing, Merle Karst.

The interview covered Yamaha’s pursuitof Honda at the time as the No. 1 OEM inmarket share. Karst explained that Yamahaand Honda’s competition was healthy for

the market and created a sense ofexcitement. In 1982 Yamaha had itsbiggest marketing effort to date at that time. Despite that strong effort,Honda’s pockets seemed to be evendeeper that year.

Karst goes on to explain that whilesome of the company’s advertising spendwas directed toward first-time buyers, amajority of it was thrust at the enthusiast.

The topic of high-performancemotorcycles was also brought up, to whichKarst replied that the American mentalityis looking for that excitement which high-performance offers.

Lastly, Karst talks about how Yamahagoes about opening new dealers, by notresponding to the market today, but bytaking the temperature of how the marketmay eventually be. t

Yamaha Thenand Now

Yamaha’s IndustryOutlook in 1982

www.MotorcyclePowersportsNews.com/BuyersGuide

StartHere

The MPN Buyer’s Guideincludes manufacturersand distributors in the POWERSPORTS INDUSTRY.With more than 9,000 listings, we cover it all!

Check out the MPN Buyer’sGuide Online and find manufacturers and distributorsalphabetically or by productcategory in the most extensive searchable databasein the industry.

Searching for products?

52 40yr Rewind_July_Layout 1 7/8/14 1:43 PM Page 52

53 Yuasa 7/8/14 1:43 PM Page 53

MarketPlace

TO ADVERTISE IN CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE

CALL Roberto Almenar330-670-1234 ext. [email protected]

54-55 Classifieds_July 7/8/14 1:51 PM Page 54


Find out more about the classified advertisers in this issue online at www.motorcyclepowersportsnews.com/resourcecenter.

ww

w.m

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ersp

orts

new

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Ad IndexADP Lightspeed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

ASA Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Competition Chemicals . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Deltran/Battery Tender . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Dominion Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

EMGO International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Fulmer Helmets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Gibbs Technologies Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . .23

K & L Supply Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 4

Kuryakyn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Marketplace Events/AIMExpo . . . . . .15

Mattracks, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

MBA Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Motor Trike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 3

MTA Distributing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Mustang Motorcycle Products . . . . . . .8

Namura Technologies . . . . . . . . . .44, 45

National Powersport Auctions . . . . . .13

Red Line Synthetic Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Rizoma USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

SBS Friction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

SEMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Service Manager Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Spectro Oils Of America . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Star brite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Sullivans Inc/Joe Rocket . . . . . . . .19, 21

Vee Rubber America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Vega Helmet Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

VP Racing Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 2

Wizards Products/RJ Star Inc . . . . . . .41

XY Powersports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Yuasa Battery Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

Zep Inc./Original Bike Spirits . . . . . . .39

54-55 Classifieds_July 7/8/14 1:51 PM Page 55


Kurt CaselliFoundationFundraiserHow better to honor the life of a desertracing champion than to go on a ride?The destination of Doffo Vineyards inTemecula’s wine country is a stone’s throwaway from KTM and Husqvarna’s NorthAmerican headquarters, just down theroad from the Metal Mulisha compoundand Glen Helen Raceway – in short, themoto epicenter of America. No strangerto the powersports industry, Dofforecently hosted KTM demo days withrides starting at the vineyard as well ashaving a Honda Gold Wing media eventon site.

Guests weretreated to a spectacular day, a

great ride and a chance to see thecollection of historic motorcycles thatwine maker and Moto Giro d’Italia racerMarcello Doffo has gathered in his barrelroom… and all for a worthy cause! Ashowing of the Caselli 66 Ride The Dreammovie, guest speakers and an auctionwere among the other highlights drawingindustry VIPs and Caselli fans alike.America’s first 500cc National ChampMark Blackwell, former Dakar competitorChris Blais, Team Geico HondaSX/motocross racer Zach Osborne, RedBull KTM desert racer Ivan Ramirez andKTM North America president Jon-ErikBurleson were among the hundreds ofindustry types who turned out to supportthe cause. In fact, the entire managementteam from National Powersport Auctionsrode all the way up from their Powayfacility as well.

With the simple goal of “protectingand supporting the livesof off-road riders” the

Kurt Caselli Foundation was establishedin 2013, after the tragic passing ofFactory KTM racer/Dakar Rally competitorand all-around American Legend. In Kurt’shonor, the foundation has a three-partmission that encompasses safetyprecautions for riders before, during andafter a racing career.

1. Before racing, we are committed toencouraging, developing andstandardizing safety precautions that will help minimize risk outside of therider’s control.

2. During racing, we are committed to developing, establishing andencouraging the use of safety equipment and policies to increase the safety of the riders.

3. After racing, we are committed toproviding a safety net that allows andencourages former racers to further theireducation and reach career goals forthemselves and their families.

To learn more about the foundation,visit www.kurtcaselli.com. t

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motorcycle & powersports news, july 2014

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