Issue #5 May 2022

DN 2.0 #5

STATE OF THE STATE NPA’s Jim Woodruff Addresses The Industry

NPDA DEALER NEWS

Milestones & Goals

DEALER PROFILE:

Bergdale Harley-Davidson

CONTENTS 06 WORLD’S LUCKIEST MAN 08 EDITOR’S NOTE 10 LETTERS+ 12 NEWS+ 16 SHIFTING GEARS+ 20 DEALER PROFILE+ 24 MIC MAY DAY 28 PERFORMANCE+ 32 INDUSTRY RESEARCH+

Bob Althoff On Where Are Your Customers’ Yachts?

Don Musick Balancing Act, Redux

Top Gun Edition

Watts Up?

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

LiveWire Launches Del Mar, Rambo Draws First Blood

Who’s Who… And Where?

Bergdale Harley-Davidson Making It Look Easy What Is Washington Doing For Motorcycle Month?

Mark Rodgers Talks To “Dangerous” Dan Stern, Part II

National Powersports Dealer Association Celebrates 1 Year NPA Steps Up NPDA Support

National Powersports Auctions’ History 5 Minutes With NPA CEO Jim Woodruff

Dr. Paul Leinberger On Q2 Recap

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

Robin Hartfiel On Too Big To Fail?

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36 INDUSTRY RESEARCH+ 38 INDUSTRY RESEARCH+ 40 INDUSTRY RESEARCH+ 43 eDEALERNEWS 44 CURRENTS+ 49 NPDA DEALER NEWS 50 MEETING MINUTES 52 NPDA PARTNER PROFILE 54 NPDA LIVE!

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OUR TEAM Bob Althoff World’s Luckiest Man

57 SHOWTIME! 62 DIVERSITY+ 100 WOMEN IN POWERSPORTS 63 TOP

IMS Cancelled, NVP Returns, Hollister Rally Goes Virtual Godspeed Linda “Jo” Giovannoni

#powerwomen Class Of 2022 Continued

64 MIC RIDE REPORT 66 PERSONNEL FILES 68 ADVOCACY+

What Does The MIC Do For You? Alex Baylon On Attrition Rates Scot Harden On What IMS Means To The Industry

70 ADVOCACY+ 72 CONFESSIONS OF A CUSTOMER 74 GEAR+ 78 PRESS PASS+ 80 VALE+ 81 AD INDEX 82 BACKFIRE Don Amador On Monument Men

EDITORIAL Robin Hartfiel Editor

Eric Anderson On 8 Types Of Customers

Gus Stewart Creative Director

Phoenix Rising

Brenda Stiehl Production Manager

Don Emde On Trailblazers

CONTRIBUTORS Don Musick Genesys Technology Solutions

Ave Atque Vale Dick Lechien

Dr. Paul Leinberger Denny+Leinberger Strategy

This issue Brought To You By…

Eric Anderson Vroom Network

Scott Cox On Shows… We Don’t Need No Stinking Shows!

Jim Woodruff National Powersport Auctions Mark Rodgers Performance Consulting Lenny Sims NADA Appraisal Guides Scot Harden AMA Hall Of Fame/Harden Offroad Hector Cademartori Illustrations William Douglas Little Unique Powersports Charlie Williams Off Road Editor Marq Smith Holeshot Motorsports, Canada Alisa Clickenger Women’s Motorcycle Tours Don Amador Quiet Warrior Racing Joe Bonnello Joe B Photography Uncle Paul Wunsch Love Cycles The Anonymous Dealer ADVERTISING Robin Hartfiel Publisher (949) 489-4306 robinhartfiel@gmail.com Blake Foulds Account Executive (760) 715-3045 Blakefoulds@dealernews.com Brenda Stiehl Production Manager brendastiehl@dealernews.com John Murphy Publishing Consultant johnmurphydn@gmail.com

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

© Copyright 2022

MAY 2022

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like they have in Milan. Hundreds of thousands, not tens of thousands, in attendance. A week-long extravaganza of all things powersports.

Most importantly, make the show a place for the public to attend.

Oh, yeah, those folks. You know, the ones who write all of our paychecks! Where are they supposed to go now to explore the incredible products our OEMs produce? Where can they learn about the latest from our booming aftermarket? How and where can they enjoy the camaraderie and community this industry is the best in the world at providing?

In short, where are their yachts?

World’s Luckiest Man

By Bob Althoff

IF A RISING TIDE FLOATS ALL BOATS…

We forget the public at our peril. When we put them first in every decision, we win as an industry, and they win as enthusiasts. The proverbial win-win really does happen… if we remember who this industry is supposed to be serving.

Dealernews has always been AIMExpo’s biggest cheerleader. That goes back to the Dealer Expo days in Indy and Cincinnati. We will continue to donate whatever resources we can to promoting the trade — to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars in time, publicity and hard dollars meant to draw our entire industry together, in person, yearly. Yes, of course, AIMExpo needs Dealers in attendance to be successful.

Where Are The Customers’ Yachts?

But to be super successful, we need the Customers!

ack in 1985, an author by the name of Fred Schwed wrote a book that was hailed as the most penetrating view of Wall Street ever written. It was titled, Where Are The Customers’ Yachts?

Bob

B

We are not in the boating industry, so that is not a question we tend to ask...

But we should! And what is the converse of a rising tide? Does an ebbing tide anchor all of the industry?

The recent news of the demise of the International Motorcycle Shows’ 2022 season was a real blockbuster for us industry types. My immediate reaction to the news was: “Well, that won’t be viewed as a sign of a healthy industry” by many observers. Will our windfall industry gains get blown away by this ill wind?

However my next thought was mind-blowing: ”Wow — what an opportunity for AIMExpo!” I’ve always thought that AIME should be held hot on the heels of EICMA in Europe and serve as the premier showcase of our fabulous industry. Everyone there, trade and consumer

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forward to watching the powersports industry grow and evolve.” I hope she is right but if a series as large as IMS can cease to exist overnight it serves as a reminder that no industry is too big to fail.

In addition to the myth of the “too big to fail” concept is the reality that the show must go on. “Something will fill the void,” asserts Cinnamon Kernes. Prior to taking over AIMExpo, she was with IMS parent company Advanstar and knows the show game better than anybody I know.

However I also know she had already planned to roll out the next phase of the Ride.With.Us. ridership initiative at the 2022 IMS venues and has had to pivot… as have all the vendors. Adding a couple of the Overland Expos has been a stop gap, but are there enough rallies and local events to fill the gap left by the only national motorcycle show series we have ever had?

Editor’s Note

By Robin Hartfiel

TOO BIG TO FAIL… But The Show Must Go On

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oo big to fail” is a theory in banking and finance that asserts that certain corporations, particularly financial institutions, are so large and so interconnected that their failure would be disastrous… however that didn’t prove the case during the 2008 housing market crash. Bear Stearns, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citigroup, Lehman Brothers and a litany of other “big” players had to turn to the Federal Government for a $700 BILLION bailout when the market collapsed.

Now comes word that the 2022 International Motorcycle Shows are off the schedule after a 40-year monopoly of bringing customers, OEMs, aftermarket and dealers together in key regional markets. After announcing the new schedule of 10 IMS Outdoors events set to launch in Colorado on June 10, the entire series has been “suspended” effective immediately. Unfortunately it is doubtful the Federal Reserve will bail out IMS. Full disclosure, I worked down the hall from the IMS team for the better part of 13 years and I have attended at least one show each season since 1990… I am a fan of consumer events, to say the least.

“Collectively, we brought the love of two wheels to so many cities across the nation,” says IMS Outdoors Senior Vice President Tracy Harris. “While suspending the IMS tour for the foreseeable future was a difficult decision, we believe in the resiliency of this industry and look

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The same week that IMS was suspended came word the Parts Unlimited, Drag Specialties and Parts Canada were teaming up to present the rebranded and revamped North American NVP Expo after a three-year hiatus.

“With this collaboration, exhibitors will have the best of all teams in one location to roll out new products and programs and to educate both dealers and sales reps alike,” claims LeMans Corp.

AIMExpo also returns to the traditional time slot of the old Dealernews Dealer Expo during the week of Presidents’ Day/Valentine’s Day — gotta love it! At least in terms of trade shows. As Bob notes in his column, the traditional trade-only events like NVP and AIMExpo do not take into account the folks who pay the bills for dealers and OEMs alike.

Instead, the unwashed masses of enthusiasts have been left to attend events like Daytona Bike Week or do it in the dirt at the 50th season of Motocross Nationals as the locals enjoyed at Fox Raceway in Pala, California, in May. While STACYC demo rides and vendor midway at a National are nice, they don’t serve the same purpose IMS did… at least not in their current form.

How will this industry evolve and adapt to fill the void and bring the industry together with the customers?

Add consumer days to AIMExpo? Expand into Overland’s adjacent events? Blow up the demo area and vendor row at the races? After all, at an estimated $15 Billion, the U.S. powersports industry is too big to fail, right?

Former Editor-in-Chief and publisher of Dealernews circa 1990-2003, Robin returns to the magazine. In addition to having been instrumental in creating the Dealernews Top 100 program (still the industry’s ultimate accolade for a motorcycle dealership), Hartfiel has worked for most of the B2B publications in the Powersports arena. Prior to the trade side, he worked as a beat reporter for a local newspaper and was an editor of publications ranging from All About Beer to VW Trends.

TOP GUN, PART II Obviously Mr. Cruise rides, but I’m sure contractual obligations kept him from doing it while filming. Check out the closeups in the original movie and the Ninja is on a trailer… you can even see the tie downs.

Scott Holbrooks, VP Motorcycle Marketing & Development Simpson Performance Products

TOP GUN REDUX Lo o ks l i k e t he Top G u n: Ma ve ric k partnership with Kawasaki is off to a flying start. Here’s to hoping Ninja sales see a similar take-off. Historical note, the film industry at the seemed more bent on using our bikes as “perks” for key members of their staff rather than giving the exposure we expected. The original Top Gun was not too much different. They wanted 3 bikes at no charge. Told them I’d sell them 3 at dealer net. They said, “we’ll go to Honda then.” I graciously told them I’d give them the phone number.

WOW! Just wow. Exceeded every expectation I had. “Smoke in the air… break right!”

The best part was Abi yelling at the screen, “You never leave your wing man!”

Sam Dantzler Garage Composites Via Facebook

GOOD SHOW! My oldest and I saw it last night in the new 4DX theatre which is like a ride simulator with moving seats, air blown at you from different locations, and they even offered a “water effect” which we still felt a little bit (from other chairs) despite turning that off on our chairs. That with the big IMAX screen and sound systems really added to it all. What a great movie. We were wearing our new Kawasaki LE Top Gun T-Shirts which had special meaning to me since I owned that same original Ninja 900 (mine was the Red/Grey 1984 1st edition) motorcycles shown in both movies. What was also cool was knowing I watched the original movie at about the same age as my daughter is now (well by 2 years) and she loved this one too. Great job by Tom Cruise and the crew on this sequel so many years later and still offering everything and more of what people expected.

Good show!

Kevin R. Dunn, General Manager Capital Powersports Wake Forest, NC

A few days later they came back and accepted the deal. I’ve heard that Tom Cruise insisted on a Ninja. Don’t know why they needed the additional bikes.

Of course we were punished, they removed the Kawasaki logo. However in the end I was happy, sold 3 bikes and got the Ninja name out to the right demographics.

Later at Triumph I did another deal on a Mission Impossible movie. They came to us up front, told us the story line, and everything went smoothly. Even got the bikes back!

Mike Vaughan, Former Dealernews Publisher Kawasaki & Triumph Exec Via Facebook

TOP GUN RECAP Top Gun: Maverick outperformed expectations taking in $248 million on opening weekend. It marks the first time a film starring Tom Cruise has broken the $100m mark on opening weekend and makes it the highest-opening non-superhero movie released since the pandemic began, following Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and The Batman. It also attracted a demographic higher than those Marvel and DC films, with an estimated 55% of the audience over 35. The film screened at a record 4,732 cinemas in the U.S. and approximately 19,000 locations around the globe. Top Gun: Maverick was initially scheduled to open in summer 2020 but was delayed several times because of the pandemic.

See the official trailer here if you missed it opening weekend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giXco2jaZ_4

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SOUND OFF! Dealernews is indeed back. Join in the conversation via e-mail: Editor@dealernews.com Check us out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dealernews/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DealernewsFan/ Follow along on Dealernews.com Tune into the new YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ Dealernews50/featured

CAN’T FIND TECHS? DEALER GROUP TRAINS ITS OWN

Like most dealers, the Windy City Motorcycle Company has been searching for trained techs. However, unlike most dealers they decided to do something about it by teaming up with a community college and top tier trainers. Then again, when you are the size of Windy City — 15 locations in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin employing approximately 350 people, teaching about 2,000 students to ride annually and retailing more than 6,000 motorcycles per year — you can think out of the box and create your own tech school!

The School has honored their first graduating class of eight motorcycle technicians. The graduates successfully completed 360 hours of hands-on training and classroom sessions to become wrench-ready for their technician careers. An amazing 87.5% of these graduates were immediately placed into fulltime roles in surrounding dealerships.

“The chemistry of the students with the instructors in this course was truly inspirational” said Doug Jackson, Woodstock Harley-Davidson/KTM/Triumph General Manager, and Midwest Motorcycle Mechanic School Leader. “The students have all improved greatly in proficiency and have vastly increased their knowledge of the motorcycle service industry. The difference in the student’s skills prior to this course versus today is nothing less than sensational.”

“After my dad surprised me with my first bike, I fell in love with riding,” says Class of 2022 graduate Amber. “I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. When I picked up a wrench, it just felt right.”

Slated to start in Fall 2022, Midwest Motorcycle Mechanic School is now enrolling students for their next class at the Woodstock, IL campus. For more information on the Midwest Motorcycle Mechanic School enrollment, click here: www.mchenry.edu/motorcycletech Know an aspiring tech in need of financial support? Please visit www.mchenry.edu/ncscholarshipscampaigns/94109/respond

MSF ADV SCHOOL ANNOUNCED

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation will help adventure and dual-purpose riders looking to learn fundamental off-road skills through its newest offering, the AdventureBike RiderCourse (ADVRC). The course features 12 exercises and an adventure prep discussion that will help riders better understand and control their motorcycle so that they can gain off-road riding confidence and be ready to take on bigger adventure challenges, more advanced training, and participate in more tours, events, and rides.

“Adventure and dual-purpose motorcycles open a whole new world of riding possibilities,” notes Erik Pritchard, president and CEO of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. “Sales in this category have increased more than 46% since 2019. Creating a course to help those new, or a bit rusty, to riding off-road is a need we are excited to meet.”

“The AdventureBike RiderCourse will make core off-road skill building available nationwide and help these riders explore the capabilities of their motorcycles,” adds Corey Eastman, director of rider education expansion. “We hope riders take this knowledge and go on to discover thousands of ADV riding opportunities.”

In fact, more than 100 MSF coaches are working to become certified to teach the AdventureBike RiderCourse by year’s end. The msf-usa.org site will be updated regularly as new training sites come online.The MSF AdventureBike RiderCourse is currently available in 12 states through various private- and MSF-run training sites, and under the Adventure Touring Rider Course name through participating Harley-Davidson Riding Academy locations.

The course is a single-day experience taken on a student’s personal ADV or dual-purpose motorcycle. All instruction is done on an MSF-recognized riding range under the guidance of MSF-certified ADVRC rider coaches. As availability of the course spreads nationwide, it will be easier than ever for riders to gain core off-road skills.Click here for more details: https://msf-usa.org/AdventureBikeTraining.aspx#active-facilities-link

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“This is an extremely important milestone for Suzuki,” said Kerry Graeber, Vice President, Division Manager MC/ATV Sales and Marketing. “Suzuki is very proud to have built KingQuad ATVs in America for the past 20 years. The performance, toughness, and durability of Suzuki ATVs represent the commitment, hard work, and dedication of the people who build them in our Rome, Georgia facility.”

Suzuki, the inventor of the 4-wheel ATV, has been building the award-winning KingQuad ATVs in this multi-million dollar, 35-acre manufacturing facility since 2002. The SMAC facility is located in the center of the biggest ATV market in the world, allowing access to real-world rider feedback for product refinement and timely delivery of KingQuad ATVs to Suzuki dealers worldwide.

FIRST ON FOUR WHEELS, SUZUKI CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF QUADS

Suzuki Motor USA commemorates 20 years of manufacturing KingQuad ATVs at its Suzuki Manufacturing of America Corporation (SMAC) facility in Rome, Georgia. The first KingQuads rolled off the assembly line back in May of 2002 and have continued to be built exclusively in the United States ever since.

First On Four Wheels - Suzuki has been an innovator in engineering since the company’s founding in 1909. This commitment to engineering excellence in the early 1980s saw Suzuki lead the industry with the creation of the first ever four-wheel ATV in 1983. Always committed to innovation, and attentive to the needs and desires of riders, Suzuki was literally First on Four Wheels.

The SMAC facility is one key to the continued success of Suzuki’s global ATV business and Suzuki KingQuad ATVs built there are shipped to U.S. Suzuki dealers and nearly 30 countries worldwide.

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to discuss an exit strategy and their succession plan. Shortly thereafter, we were hired to move forward with a sale.”

Continued from page 13

“After speaking with several buyers, we ultimately negotiated a deal with Steve and Anne Deli of American Road Group. With the help of Brian Daly, CFO of American Road Group, and my Associate, Courtney Bernhard, we were able to work through agreements and negotiations to successfully reach an outcome where both parties were happy.”

The dealership will retain the name Pocono Mountain HarleyDavidson and remain at its current location at 110 Hill Motor Lodge Road in Tannersville, Pennsylvania.

DEALER NEWS: A PAIR OF EX-EXECS PICKS UP POCONO HARLEY

Jim and Linda Schlier have decided to retire and sold Pocono Mountain Harley-Davidson of Tannersville, Pennsylvania, to Steve and Anne Deli of American Road Group. The Deli’s are certainly familiar with The Motor Company: In 1985, Steve Deli was Managing Director at Dean Witter Reynolds in Chicago, and was asked to refinance Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

After successfully completing the refinance, Deli went on to build HDMC, now known as Harley-Davidson Financial Services.

Anne was hired by Harley-Davidson as a consultant and went on to become the Vice President of Global Brand Management & Marketing, making her the first female Vice-President at HarleyDavidson Motor Company.

In 2000, Steve and Anne Deli decided to take their combined experience and become dealership owners. They formed American Road Group and purchased a Harley-Davidson dealership in Orlando, Florida. For the past 20+ years, they have built an extremely successful family of Harley-Davidson businesses across the United States.

Meanwhile the Schliers started as a blue collar couple with a shared love of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. They bought Pocono Mountain Harley-Davidson in 2013, which was then located in Snydersville, Pennsylvania. In 2020 the Schliers decided to build a new facility in Tannersville, Pennsylvania. Nestled on the side of a mountain, no detail was left out, including an outdoor patio overlooking the Pocono Mountain landscape.

“We would like to thank all of our family, employees, customers, and suppliers from our businesses throughout the years,” said the Schliers in announcing their retirement. “If it wasn’t for all of you, our success and drive would have never been attainable.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank and will miss every single one of you. Ride safe and see you down the road.”

“I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Jim Schlier for more than 10 years,” notes George Chaconas of Performance Brokerage Service. “I previously helped him buy fixed assets from a dealership in New Jersey, which I also helped permanently close. Jim invited me to meet with him and his lovely wife, Linda,

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HEADS UP!

Bell Splits With Bullets Division Heads up! Bell Helmets parent company Vista Outdoor announced it is splitting its Outdoor Products (Bell, CamelBak and Giro) and Sporting Products (Federal, Remington, CCI, Speer, Estate Cartridge and HEVI-Shot ammo brands) into two independent publicly traded companies. “This strategy has delivered incredible results and has built a strong foundation for Outdoor Products and Sporting Products to unlock further tremendous value and succeed on their own as separate and distinct independent companies,” explains CEO Christopher Metz.

As part of the plan, the Outdoor Products segment, to be renamed at a later date, will be led by Metz as CEO; and Sudhanshu Priyadarshi, Vista’s current CFO, will serve as CFO. Other members of the Outdoor Products leadership team will be announced at a later date. In addition to Bell and Giro helmets, the business unit includes Camp Chef, Bushnell, Bushnell Golf, Foresight Sports, Stone Glacier and QuietKat with sales of $1.3 billion in FY22.

“Each company will have a single strategic focus with resources to support specific operational needs and growth drivers,” claims Metz. “Additionally, each company will have tailored and discrete capital allocation priorities that are better suited to support its distinctive business model and long-term goals.”

Vista Outdoor plans to distribute 100% of the stock of the Outdoor Products company to its current shareholders as Outdoor Products becomes a new, independent, publicly traded company. The distribution is intended to be tax-free to U.S. shareholders. The company said it expects the transaction to be completed in 2023.

News of the planned separation came as Vista reported another strong quarter, with sales up 36 percent in the fourth quarter to a record $809 million. Sales topped Wall Street’s consensus estimate of $764.6 million.

“We are proud to include Automatic as part of our distribution family,” Nelson-Rigg’s Director of Business Development Deb Drinan said of signing the new distribution agreement for 2022.

“Both companies share a common focus and want to ensure powersports enthusiasts across the country have the equipment needed to take on any adventure, rain or shine.”

Products now in Automatic’s system include Rigg Gear Trails End LITE Tank and Trail bags, Rigg Gear Hurricane luggage and Solo Storm waterproof rainwear to enable riders to get the most of their trips.

AUTOMATIC ADDS NELSON-RIGG

Covering The Aftermarket Automatic Distributors expands its “coverage” of the aftermarket accessories market by adding motorcycle covers, luggage and rainwear leader Nelson-Rigg to its expanding portfolio of brands.

Nelson-Rigg brings more than 40 years of product innovation and world-class quality to Automatic Distributors’ dealer network.

“Nelson-Rigg USA has a deep history of driving innovation and designing some of the highest quality motorcycle riding accessories on the market,” noted Automatic Distributors President Jeff Graham. “Their passion for powersports and dedication to delivering exceptional customer experiences aligns perfectly with the Automatic values. We are excited to join forces with them and help bring Nelson-Rigg products to our dealers around the country.”

The complete lineup of Nelson-Rigg products are available now and ready to ship to Automatic dealers across the nation. For more information on how to become an Automatic dealer, click here: www.autodist.com

FORMULATED FOR SMOOTH SHIFTS AND EASY RIDES V-Twin Transmission Oil with ShockProof® dampens transmission noise and shifting “clunk,” helps to find neutral and lowers temperature, provides thicker oil film between gear teeth and resists throw-off.

Designed for all H-D® trans and aftermarket versions like Baker, Jims, S&S and others.

FOR PRODUCT INFORMATION VISIT REDLINEOIL.COM

Brought To You By MotorcycleIndustryJobs.com

Ride Vision’s mission is Saving Riders’ Lives. Since our inception we’ve been working diligently on creating the first of its kind 2-wheelers specific, collision avoidance product that fulfills this mission,” says CEO and co-founder Uri Lavi. “With a growing demand of our customers: riders, fleet operators, insurers and OEMs (manufacturers) we are growing and expanding to deliver the best safety, experience and safety profiling technology for all.

So it comes with a great pleasure to welcome our new VP Marketing, Abi Solomon who joins Ride Vision to bring our extraordinary mission to the next level. We are excited to have her join our team.” See more of Ride Vision here: https://ride.vision/

Ahoy Amata! National Powersport Auctions has brought industry veteran Matt Amata aboard to set a course for NPA’s RV & Marine Sales. “Matt Amata is the perfect

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person to help us grow our RV and Marine business,” said NPA CEO Jim Woodruff. “His experience and knowledge in the national marine industry will expand the resources, customer service and asset values our clients have come to expect from NPA,” “We are confident he’ll do a great job growing the business and supporting our customers and clients.” Amata has been involved in the marine industry for over 20 years, serving as president of National Liquidators for the last decade. Prior to that, he successfully founded, managed, and sold a telecommunications company and earned his MBA from Arizona State University. He is an active member of Marine Industries of South Florida, International Yacht Brokers Association, Lake Erie Marine Trades Association and the Marine Trade Association of Maryland. Matt has served on the board of directors of both the National Marine Lenders Association and the Propeller Club of America. “I am pleased to have joined the team at National Powersport Auctions to lead our RV and Marine efforts,” Amata said. “NPA’s values, integrity, investments in infrastructure, technology, training, and unparalleled customer service have consistently set them apart as leaders in the industry. While NPA has been present in the RV and Marine space for over two decades, they are committing all the resources needed to grow and expand this market and I am excited to lead that charge!” Based in Cleveland, Amata will be responsible for the growth and expansion of NPA’s RV and Marine business nationwide.

Translating more business. Kenny Ladoucer is now with Highsider USA. Based in Morgan Hill, California, Highsider is the U.S. arm of Paaschburg & Wunderlich, the German gear supplier

(and part of the POLO stores legacy in Europe). “I have been involved with the powersports industry for the past 10 years in various roles and capacities, including product development, global sourcing, marketing and sales,” says Ladoucer. “I was at Küryakyn from 2013-2020, so it is an easy transition.

We are making massive investments into our development team, process and tools, resulting in an increased line of exciting new products. We ride and we get it!” As the Product Marketing Manager for Paaschburg & Wunderlich, he has been tasked with product management, marketing, tech support and sales responsibilities. While HQ is in California, Ladoucer is strategically located in Blaine, MN.

“I am excited to announce that I accepted a position as Director of Dealer Operations with Motos America Inc.,” says Christopher Bronstorp. “I want to thank Vance Harrison for giving me this amazing opportunity to oversee Motos America Inc., BMW, Ducati and Triumph Dealerships throughout the United States.” Most recently BMW Motorrad’s Area Manager in the Pacific Northwest, he was formerly GM for a couple of BMW dealerships in New Mexico. “It was tough to leave BMW Motorrad USA and I am very grateful for the opportunity the BMW Group provided, so thank you!

I was so fortunate to work with such an amazing group of passionate people, and lucky enough I will still be able to work with many of them in my new role. My drive and passion for people landed me where I am today, but I am very grateful to those individuals that have mentored me and given me the opportunities to grow in my career.”

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Brought To You By MotorcycleIndustryJobs.com Continued from page 16

Carving out a new role: Parts Unlimited is promoting from within as Greg Stilwell is the distribution giant’s new Sales Team Development & Training Manager. Stilwell has been with LeMans Corp. for more than 5 years, most recently as the Dual Regional Sales Manager for the Central Region.

Before joining the Parts Unlimited team, he was on the other side of the counter as sales manager in a dealership. His first bike was a Triumph Bonneville in 1977 and he currently rides a 2006 Springer Softail. In his spare time, Stilwell also enjoys kayaking, hunting, scuba diving, mountain biking and wood carving to relax.

Stepping up into the Dual Regional Sales Manager for Parts Unlimited/ Drag Specialties Central Region vacated by the recently promoted Greg Stilwell is Greg Matter. Prior to the Central Region posting Matter had been a Drag Specialties rep in the West Region covering V-Twin dealers in the greater Phoenix area for more than 15 years. He had previously been a General Manager for a couple of HarleyDavidson dealerships. In his free time, Greg enjoys riding and spending time with his family.

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Team building is a big part of what American Landmaster is all about.

For more than 50 years, the Indianabased UTV manufacturer has been building its team and developing a network of independent dealers.

To accelerate that process, American Landmaster has hired industry veteran Joe Klosterman as VP of Sales and Marketing. Klosterman brings 30 +years of powersport experience to the position.

“Joe has an extensive background in hiring and developing DSM/RSM teams,” says ALM President Jeff Bannister. “His expertise in directing sales teams to bring outstanding customer service and relationship building will be instrumental in leading ALM dealer growth initiative.” According to Bannister, ALM plans to double their dealer network over the next 24 months. “This is a big win for this organization, and we look forward to Joe leading the company’s dealer sales strategy.” The organization is investing in supply chain and plant capacity expansion to support this growth.

Joe K. Retires from AHRMA magazine and Steph steps up: “After several weeks of struggle and soul-searching, I have decided to step aside as Publications Editor of the AHRMA MAG, says Joe Koury. “My wife, Sheri, wants me ‘retired,’ and I agree with her. I have really enjoyed my role here at the AHRMA MAG… I could not have pulled this off without the help of Kevin McIntosh and Steph Vetterly, and I thank you both for your contributions and teamwork. The Mag is in good hands with Steph behind the handlebars.

Thanks to Cindy McLean for her guidance and providing the glue that keeps the whole ‘behind the scenes’ AHRMA machine intact. Now where’s my box of Kleenex?”

After joining the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association in June 2021 as the AHRMA MAG Associate Editor, Steph Vetterly takes over as editor. After being introduced to the mototrials community in 2015, Vetterly realized there was an opportunity to help document the niche sport through her love of photography. She became the official photographer of her local club, and later expanded to social media management and video production.

After providing photographic services for numerous clubs and organizations including AHRMA, AMA, BSA Owners Club and the North American Trials Council, Steph realized that she wanted motorcycles to be a bigger part of her life, so she left an 8-year career in chemical manufacturing.

APPEARANCES CAN BE DECEIVING Behind The Scenes With Bergdale Harley-Davidson

By Alisa Clickenger

B

ergdale Harley-Davidson is nearly a century old, which is hard to imagine when you enter Bergdale’s upmarket, modern location beside I-90 in Albert Lea, Minnesota.

Launched the year the Great Depression began, Bergdale has managed to remain on the cutting edge of retail, while never forgetting its legacy of serving its customers. They don’t sell motorcycles on-line, but they are quite successful at marketing to Millennials… bottom line appearances can be deceiving!

The dealership dates back to 1929, when Tom Vandergrift started by selling bikes door-to-door. Vandergrift expanded his business model by selling motorcycles to young men after World War II. Working with his wife Pearl, who was also an astute business visionary, the pair set about cultivating a community of Harley-Davidson riders and racers, and then organizing and promoting races. With no other dealerships in the area, the Vandergrifts sponsored seven different motorcycle clubs in Minnesota. And racers being racers, they pitted themselves against each other and ultimately expanded the dealership by selling more parts and creating more motorcycle fans.

Bergdale brothers Duane and Vince purchased the eponymous dealership in 1985, and that’s when its name was changed.

Duane and Marlene bought Vince out some years later.

Duane’s wife Marlene plays a pivotal role in the dealership’s continued success as the manager of the MotorClothes section

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of the business, which is the root of the dealership’s revenue.

Marlene’s acumen with identifying trends and deep-pocket stocking has contributed to Bergdale’s reputation of always having great goodies in stock.

This ‘Harley-Davidson always-in-stock’ philosophy has cemented Bergdale’s destiny as a destination and not just a dealership. General Merchandise contributes to nearly half of the dealership’s revenue. The destination designation no doubt in part comes from Bergdale’s location just off I-90 next door to a nicely furnished AmericInn — They moved to a new location off I-90 in 2000 and have been there ever since.

The 16,000 square foot retail emporium is open seven days a week, year-round, which should tell you something about the power of their MotorClothes department because riding in Minnesota is on a six or seven month calendar. Even with the shortened riding cycle, Bergdale’s sales environment is not a high pressure one. Instead, the employees use a low-key form of mirroring with their customers. They let people get in the door, watch where they’re drawn, then move with them in that direction.

Many customers come for multiple days to partake in the Bergdale shopping experience. Other dealership strategists may find it interesting to note that Bergdale’s offers no online sales — it’s strictly an in-person business. General Manager Keith Van Beek describes their business model as “thorough and consistent,” admitting that they’re a slow-paced familystyle dealership where transparency and honesty are the hallmarks of their relationship with their community (see sidebar).

Most powersports dealerships would be disturbed if they only had five units on the floor. When I met with Van Beek, he was very proud of the fact that there were only a handful of bikes on hand. Of course, many of the recent sales have been due to the pandemic, but in 2021 Bergdale sold more bikes than they had in the prior two years. Yet even knowing that there aren’t many units on the floor, customers continue to flock to the dealership because of the friendly atmosphere and the amazing array of PG&A. The Albert Lea location is also a popular stop on folks’ way to Sturgis where moto travelers choose to overnight and partake in the Bergdale shopping experience. The Bergdale family is always at the dealership, but they let people do their jobs without micromanaging them, according to the GM. “They’re very into freedom of thought, and if someone proposes a new idea, they have a ‘let’s try it’ attitude,” adds Van Peek.

For instance, Bergdale Harley-Davidson hosts a motorcycle show at a tattoo shop. A few years ago Bergdale also got involved with Chapel Con, Albert Lea’s first-ever comic con featuring comics, collectibles, art, even celebrities from the comic world. The entire Bergdale team get very creative in thinking of the unusual and offbeat places to show up to evangelize motorcycling and the motorcycle lifestyle.

The dealership is quite creative and flexible with their marketing events, always changing it up and always evolving.

Halloween is a very busy (and profitable) time of year for Bergdale Harley-Davidson. They invite in Mr. and Mrs. Snow around the winter holidays, and their “Pancakes With Santa” days are a huge success, as is their involvement with the Wounded Warrior Project. The entire month of December they hosted and advertised a Humane Society Giving Tree, where folks from the community could stop in and donate goods for shelter animals. They raised $500 in cash, plus a Jeep full of supplies.

In recent years the powersports industry has become hyper focused on bringing new and younger riders into the sport. While the “M” word strikes fear into the hearts of most motorcycle marketers, what’s highly impressive about Bergdale Harley-Davidson is that they’re spot on the money with marketing to Millennials. “We just talk to them, we don’t pre-judge them,” explains Van Beek. “When that individual walks in the door, we don’t sign off and dismiss them as a young person who is not going to buy anything.

“Fact is, most Millennials have disposable income. If they’re willing to drop $600 on a tattoo or a video gaming system, they most certainly have money. You just have to look at what they’re doing and be there with them.” In order to accomplish this, Van Beek takes his marketing show on the road to the places less popular in traditional marketing methodology.

Continued on page 22

MAY 2022

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Continued from page 21 This year they are going to experiment with animal adoption days as well. “We are trying to focus on giving back to the community... rather than just driving people into the dealership for sales we’re trying to be the good guy and bring awareness as well,” says Van Beek. In addition to their feel-good activities for animals, the dealership also walks its talk. Bergdale H-D is a 100% pet-friendly environment.

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The bottom line? For everyone at Bergdale Harley-Davidson, Harley culture is motorcycle culture and they want to share it with everyone they meet, everywhere they can meet them.

Luckily, they’ve got the perfect location and perfect team to share that culture with a heck of a lot of people.

905 E Plaza St Albert Lea, MN 56007 Phone: (830) 896-2453 www.bergdalehd.com

Duane Bergdale. So when Van Beek was looking for a career challenge, where better to apply his talents than Bergdale Harley-Davidson?

After managing a treatment center for teens, and a full career of customer service for the Hy-Vee Supermarket company, Van Beek was hired into the dealership’s parts department in 2017. Then in 2021, he was promoted to General Manager of Bergdale’s. “In a way, you could say, the Vandergrifts and the Van Beeks have a long history of riding together,” he says.

This “riding together” mentality extends to the entire staff.

Van Beek applauds the Bergdales for doing a fantastic job of making the work environment feel like family. “They pay all employees very well and maintain old-fashioned work values.”

However, they hire right in the first place.

RIDING TOGETHER

K

eith Van Beek was one of the young motorcyclists Tom Vandergrift influenced. The day after he graduated high school, Van Beek purchased his first motorcycle, a 1973 Harley-Davidson X-90, from Vandergrift in 1979. Later on, Van Beek bought his first road bike, a 1989 Sportster, from

“The hiring process is very thorough, with several employees of the dealership talking to candidates. The candidates need to fit precisely into the Bergdale jigsaw puzzle, the lack of turnover contributing to their bottom-line success.” The process works… in addition to Van Beek’s career trajectory, their service manager has been with the dealership for 17 years, and their master technician has been there for seven years.

This sense of family and riding together covers the customers as well. “Since 1929 it’s all been about relationships and community, about transparency and honesty. We’re not going to blow smoke at someone,” says Van Beek. “The same holds true for the service department, we very seldom have callbacks to our service department.”

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MAYDAY! MAYDAY!

Washington Recognizes Motorcycling

By Scott Schloegel, Senior Vice President Government Relations Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF)

D

uring Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), government entities and riding enthusiasts strive to place extra emphasis on the need to obtain proper rider education & training, wear appropriate gear and raise public awareness of motorcyclists among the general public on the roadways.

Dealerships are also at the forefront of this messaging.

We appreciate the work you do year-round in running MSF courses, communicating with riders about motorcycle safety and outfitting riders with appropriate helmets and clothing to keep them safe. For that we say THANK YOU DEALERS! Thank you to Dealernews for spreading the word and here is to a safe and enjoyable 2022 riding season!

PREAMBLE May may be Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, but sobering data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s 2020 motor vehicle crash report https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ ViewPublication/813266 shows there is still much work to be done. Crashes across all vehicle types increased in 2020, rising to a 20-year high. Fatal crashes involving motorcycles increased 11% while motorcycle crashes causing injuries decreased only slightly.

NHTSA identified three behavioral factors that contribute to the most crashes-- alcohol, speed, and — on the auto side — not wearing seatbelts. Similarly, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is placing a focus on

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increasing the use of safety gear, increasing use of safety technologies like ABS brakes and eliminating riding under the influence of drugs and alcohol as part of their NTSB Most Wanted List: https://www.ntsb.gov/advocacy/mwl/Pages/default. aspx MIC and MSF continue to expand our work to also raise awareness. In 2021 MIC and MSF incorporated presentations from NHTSA and NTSB as part of our education efforts to rider coaches and at our Board meeting. Likewise, the Government Relations Office participated in webinars and information gathering events sponsored by those same agencies. This ensures that our associations have a seat at the table during critical policy and decision-making opportunities, which benefits our industry as a whole and works to achieve our common goals.

The MIC and MSF Government Relations Office also worked with NHTSA and the White House to secure a letter from the President supporting Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. And, we worked with the bi-partisan House Motorcycle Caucus on the congressional Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month Resolution H.R. 1082: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/ house-resolution/1082 The following op-ed from the Motorcycle Caucus, and the President’s letter here in Dealernews capture the shared passion and commitment of our lawmakers to raise visibility for motorcycle safety with car and truck drivers and within our riding community.

MAY 2022

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Motorcyclists can be harder to see on the road due to the smaller vehicle size and due to blind spots. For that reason, every driver and rider should focus on driving and riding by eliminating distractions, such as cell phone usage. It is clear from research, and by witnessing it firsthand every day, that many drivers do not realize the danger posed by distracted driving.

Riders, too, can make a big difference when it comes to increasing their safety. There are some simple steps that can easily save lives, whether you are a first-time rider or a seasoned veteran: never drink and ride, obtain the proper license, and know how to safely operate your motorcycle.

Experienced motorcyclists can improve their safety by taking occasional refresher training sessions or advanced courses. All riders benefit from skills practice and a review of important real-world street strategies.

MAY IS FOR MOTORCYCLES

M

ay is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, an annual 31 days designated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as a time for all motorists to focus attention on reducing risk for riders across the country.

Each of us has our own story about what attracted us to motorcycling. Senator Ernst has been riding for decades, crisscrossing Iowa’s highways on her black 2009 Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe. After riding in college, Congressman Burgess renewed his love for motorcycles when he became caretaker to his son’s motorcycle while deployed to Turkey as part of the Armed Forces.

Congressman Walberg’s passion for riding nationally and internationally has spanned over 50 years—from his first motorcycle, a 1964 Honda Dream, to his current one, a 2002 Harley Road King. Senator Peters started a newspaper route at age 11 in order to save up and buy his first mini-bike – and shortly after was able to buy his first motorcycle. He rides across Michigan as part of his annual motorcycle tour to meet with folks directly and discuss the issues that matter to them most.

With warmer days approaching, May is an ideal month for car drivers, truck drivers, and motorcyclists to work actively and collectively on safely sharing our public roads. Motorcycling is a great American tradition enjoyed by an estimated 30 million people across all 50 states.

Last year, for a second consecutive year, new motorcycle and scooter sales were up by double digits. In 2021, Motorcycle Safety Foundation RiderCourse enrollment increased by nearly 50%. This growth of motorcycling in the United States shows no sign of slowing down.

Fortunately, there are a number of simple things that all motorists can do that will lower the risk to riders and help to make every ride safe and enjoyable. All motorists should always maintain awareness of traffic laws and individual limitations. We must give each other space on the roadway so that all motorists can react quickly to changing road conditions and traffic.

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Another critical safety component of Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month is the need for other road users to be aware of motorcycles. Serving as the co-chairs of the House and Senate Motorcycle Caucuses, we join the motorcycling community to educate other motorists and increase their awareness of motorcyclists on the road.

Riders can do their part by having their headlight on (even during daylight hours), wearing bright and noticeable safety gear, and riding responsibly. In addition, all road users can increase safety by being cautious and always “taking a second look” before pulling out or turning.

On the road we are all one community, and we need to look out for one another. Let’s make this Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month the start of a fun and safe summer.

Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Tim Walberg (R-MI), co-chairs, Congressional Motorcycle Caucus https://motorcyclecaucus-burgess.house.gov/

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STERN WORDS: THE QUEST FOR TALENT Dan Stern Tells All

By Mark Rodgers

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n this episode of conversations, I speak with “Dangerous” Dan Stern about talent. Here, he shares his perspective that smarter employees make better decisions, and those better decisions lead to more successful dealerships. Dan shares pragmatic approaches to help you do just that. I always say that talent retention is the new acquisition, you know, if we could keep somebody we wouldn’t have to go find somebody.

Dan, tell me about how your idea about the three W’s and how setting employee expectations actually leads to staff retention.

To me staff retention, really, comes down to a simple, ‘let’s communicate as effectively and clearly as we can.’

So the three W’s we used for many, many years. And it’s this simple: this is what I want; this is why I want it; and this is when I want it. If you don’t communicate on every task, using those three W’s, you’re not really communicating well. What I want, and when I want it?

That’s easy to understand, but taking the time to explain why — that’s the critical part. So here’s why I want you to do this: it will generate more profit by making a happy customer, that happy customer is going to tell his friends, and more profit means I’m going to pay you more. My goal is to pay you more, and if I’m able to if I pay you more, that means I’m making more. So if you train your staff to manage each other using the three W’s, the stress goes down. When the service department

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saying, ‘hey, I need this part,’ they need to explain exactly why they need it when they need and what they need, of course, and then pretty soon they just get it and understand the why. That really helps reduce stress.

The communication helps everybody know what they’re doing, but really explaining why you’re doing it and how that will benefit that employee. It opens up a whole new world.

I always say that the why is the titanium rule of persuasion: if you can tell me why titanium is worth more, I’m more likely to buy into that. I am fascinated by you saying “I’m trying to pay you more money.” Because not too long ago, we knew of a dealership who had an F&I guy who was killing it, and he had a fair plan — the plan was not outrageously generous. Yet when we came back to that dealer a year later, the guy was gone! I asked what happened to your person? And the dealer said to me, “he was making too much money.} except that he was 100% commissioned! The dealer said he was making too much money… I couldn’t pay him that much money.”

That’s completely ludicrous. My attitude was always the opposite. It was probably the strangest thing any employee ever heard from me, but I would kind of yell at them: ‘Why aren’t you making more money?” And the reason you’re not making more money is because you’re not doing something that will allow us to make more money which would allow me to pay you more money. It doesn’t make any difference how much they are making. I don’t care what they were making then. If they are making more, I’m making more, right?

You’re a huge proponent of open book management.

Can you explain how you did that in your store? How you did it with your employees? What specifically were you doing? Were you showing them income statements? Did they know what everybody was making in the store? How did it work?

Exactly what you just talked about — when I would tell them I want to pay him more, I need to educate them about that. The way to do that was using a profit loss statement. But let me back up for a second. Your new young employees that are counting down their cash drawer at night, they think all that money in that drawer goes directly to you. They don’t know any different and they don’t teach cost of goods or profit in school. They just think you’re getting all this money. Most importantly, they don’t have an idea where their paycheck comes from. So it’s your job to educate them. I’ve already heard this a bunch of times dealers saying, “Oh, no, I don’t want to show them my profit and loss statement. I don’t want them to see how much money I’m making!” We would put up our profit and loss statement on the wall… and we did twice a year for all employees to see. All our employees, including our part-timers got to see it. And then I created a P&L right next to our dealership P&L. That was the personnel’s P&L. We had rent and I would write what do you guys pay for rent? Here’s your rent.

We have gas and lights, what are you guys paying for gas and lights. We would create their P&L right next to our P&L and I would explain to them, you’re running a business at home, just like we are. That education was really critical. The key there, and this is probably the number one reason why I did this, was they could see all these expenses are rigid. If we, as a team, control these expenses, money flows down to that little column called salaries… and I have more money to pay you. But first, I would tell them all the time, Pacific Gas, Light & Electric gets paid before you get paid. You see the rent guy? Oh, yeah, he gets paid before you get paid. If you want to get paid, you can control these things. Start turning lights off, quit using a red shop rag every 10 seconds. Let’s really focus on that. Well, when you did their P&L right next to our P&L, it had a huge impact.

You answer your question on salaries? No, I pulled the salary line out. And I said, look, it’s none of your business. That’s not part of the equation. But — here’s where everybody’s gonna go, ‘Oh, my God, I can’t do this’ —here comes a profit. Here’s this chunk of profit at the end of the year. And I said, ‘Look, I’m taking half this profit, I own the store. I’m the one taking all the risks. But here’s the other half. And I’m going to put out a couple of suggestions where we can invest this money. Do you want more vacation? Or maybe we should start a rental department? The staff chose the rental department because they could see that was gonna make us all more money, which in turn would make them more money than last year.

Hold the phone! In this meeting, you said to them I’m going to take half of it… Fair enough. The farmer should make more than the farm hand. But then you

actually said to them, ‘what do you think we should do with the rest of it? Would you like more vacation time? Or do you think we should start a rental department?”

Yep, they chose a rental department. I swear to God. They chose their own part because I showed them if we invested that money into rentals, that was going to generate more money, more money means more salary.

They knew that I was always willing to give them more.

I’m going to tell you in the times of our worst recession ever, I didn’t lay one person off. I NEVER laid people off. I didn’t lay people off in the winter or during the recession, so I built a rapport with them and they trusted me. So the next year when we had profit, same thing. I said, I’m taking half. And here’s some ideas… Do you want more vacation or more sick time? Or how about a 401k. They all went for the 401k. Because they got educated they understood what business was they understood what expenses were, and that if they controlled that, they would get paid. And you know, honestly, when the store was sold the first words out of the mouth from the new guys that were buying it were “Wow, you pay your people really well.” I said yes, I do. But I’ve had a lot of staff that had been with me for 10+ years, that were good, what they did. I created smart, educated employees using open book management. I don’t know how you can train otherwise.

So what would you tell a dealer — maybe there’s someone out there right now watching this — What would you tell them that they should do prior to launching an open book management policy at their dealership?

If you’re not comfortable with everybody seeing it — and I’m sure most are not as comfortable as I was — then I bet those dealers are not even showing it to their managers. Many department managers don’t really know how they are getting paid. But the department manager needs to know… not what his profit margin is, they all do that. That’s fine. But he really needs to know where his paycheck comes from. Where his budgets come from. Let him in on that. Let him look at what your overhead is. I have no problem saying this out loud: My overhead was $220,000 a month to put the key in the door. When I would say that number even to my friends, they would freak out! I don’t say hey, you remember that April when it rained 22 days out of the month, it still cost me $222,000 to put the key in the door. But when you educate your staff, when they really know what it costs to run that store, they’re just smarter, and they’re going to understand — and they are actually going to take ownership. Start small, but really teach them how to read that P&L; teach them where their paycheck comes from, and show them the path to make more money. Because a lot of times, I always say this, ‘if you can’t control the top line, you can control the bottom line.’ Reduce expenses, if you can. Maybe you can find a better credit Continued on page 30

MAY 2022

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Continued from page 29

card processing people, right? Get everybody involved in that kind of thinking. You have to start somewhere, bottom line.

I love the way you put it, that is smarter employees make smarter decisions.

Every time! If a customer comes in wanting to return a part, you have two choices. If you’re smart, if you’re educated by me, you’re going to take that part back, and you’re going to explain to the guy next time he puts a derby cover on, don’t use a hammer. Or you could be the other guy that says ‘I’m not taking a part back because you did this… Well, guess what? That customer is never coming back. We train the staff, no matter what, you need the customer to come back. Now at some point, maybe some customers you don’t want back. Very rare.

Very rare. But most of you want coming back. Well, if you’ve educated this staff about what profit is, what long term profit is, and why we want these people coming back. And let’s look at how much money our average customer spends a year. We used to talk about that all the time. You know, what is it? What’s our goal? We wanted to sell a customer five bikes in his lifetime. What does that mean to you personally? That was the key.

So lifetime value of the customer. Did you ever do average income of employees? Did you ever sort any numbers like that out?

You know, we didn’t. We kind of had a range, which again, didn’t hold them back. We kind of had a starting platform.

But we always laid out — again, I’m a big proponent of this — we laid out and always talked about where their future was. Not so much money, but responsibilities.

But we always made this very clear — responsibilities and pay go hand in hand. So if I have to manage you, meaning I have to tell you every time I walk in to wipe this down, or wipe that down, I’m burning time. And if I’m burning my time, then I can’t afford to pay you more. But if you just pick up these tasks, and you’re running with them, you’re more valuable to me. Was it a little lopsided in some departments? Yes. Because the employees that I had to manage less got paid more.

police department. Why? When was the last time you got pulled over by the police and you got a discount?

Then I look at the Metric dealers, and their margins are so low. All I could think of was they’re either discounting all the time or they’re not downloading price lists. But mostly it was lack of inventory control. I’m appalled at the horrible condition and the inaccuracy of the inventory in those stores. None of these stores take inventory errors seriously. I’ll call another store and say, I’m looking for this part. “Oh, a computer says I have it, but I can’t find it” Click. They didn’t fix it. We trained our staff that inventory equals cash. So if they weren’t able to sell that part because we couldn’t find it that was lost profit, which meant possibly less paid for them and certainly not more pay for them. I’m telling you, every store I’ve ever been in their inventory is a wreck! Now back to the point a little bit more, they pay too much for freight, even before the pandemic. I saw it all time, air freight, red label, blue label on stuff… freight is killing them! They’re not taking advantage of the trade orders, they’re not taking advantage of regular discounts. I will say, I charged more per hour in the service department than any one in my market. I did charge more for PDI than any one in my market, because we did a time study.

My service department was booked all the time, and I charge more than anybody. And I charged more for PDI because that’s how long it took us to do that. People questioned it, but we would explain that in our service department, I send all my people out for training. They’re all up to speed. And I’ll say, during that time we never had an accident, we never got sued, we never even had a buyback. I charged more so I could train more. Margins went up not that I took advantage of it, but because I just charged what I thought was accurate… And I didn’t discount.

Interesting. What’s your adjusted pricing?

take today’s market

You know, consumers are not dumb. That’s the bottom line. They know how much a motorcycle costs. I’m a price list kind of guy. I don’t ever want to give anybody a feeling that they’re getting charged more than they should.

Now you had some of the highest profit margins in The Motor Company’s history. But you were not marking up your products. You weren’t marking up your motorcycles over list. How did you do it?

Don’t you think that at some point when things do normalize that this will have a negative rebound effect? Don’t you think customers might seek revenge?

It is not rocket science, but diligence. Obviously, open book management showing the P&L meant employees were actively involved in keeping expenses under control. But we didn’t discount anything. Yeah, we did the occasional sales like everybody else did. But we would train our staff that when a customer asked for a discount, to politely say ‘we don’t discount to anyone.’ I walk into other stores, they discount to HOG members, they discount to the fire department, they discount the

It’s having an effect now. My feeling was to create customer loyalty. Loyalty was based on honesty and integrity. Say what you’re going to do and do what you’re going to say... It’s a long-term game. I think that market adjusted price sort of thing falls into a short term trap.

You know, let’s make as much money as we can now because we can… I don’t go for that. I’m not that guy.

In the long term I’m going to make more money than you because the customer is going to keep coming back to me. And he’s going to buy that crazy $50 sweatshirt because he wants to.

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Two approaches, three W’s: What, Why? When? What do we need to be done? Why is it important? When can it be reasonably accomplished? When your people have answers to these questions, big things happen for your dealership!

Open Book management. With the right context.

The right framing can make this one of the most

powerful management approaches available. But do we have the confidence? Do we have the courage?

Do we have the skill to pull it off? A question only you can answer.

We’ll be spending more time with Dan, but for now, go sell something, will you.

Be sure to tune into: SALES SUCCESS IN 60 SECONDS OR LESS as sales expert and award-winning Dealernews columnist Mark Rodgers shares how to accsellerate® your sales. Watch Mark explain the guiding principle of how to succeed in the motorcycle business even in these stormy times. (FYI, Mark only counts the content after the whizbang video open in his time limit, so start your stopwatches then!) Mark Rodgers is an awardwinning speaker, best-selling author, and sought-after consultant, who has spent 33 years working in the Harley-Davidson industry. Check out his 60-second sales tips twice a week at Dealernews social media channels or contact him via e-mail: Mark@RodgersPC.com Copyright ©2022 by Mark Rodgers. All Rights Reserved.

Most “expert” commentators predicted that the dramatic rise of e-commerce would obsolete brick-and-mortar stores. Why trudge to the store if you can buy it online with one click? However, they were wrong. Partially because of pent-up demand – we had been prisoners in our own homes for close to two years – consumers craved the experience of shopping in stores again. Yet most commentators speculated, once the initial appeal wore off, consumers would re-embrace their new e-commerce habits.

As it turns out, in-store spending has recovered – with 8% year-over-year growth through March 2022, compared to 5% in early 2021. Consumers are saying: “We want both— the convenience of shopping online and the experience of shopping in-store.” Three out of four consumers now say they are shopping both online and in stores. And the new twist: many are participating in omnichannel activities (such as buying online and picking up in store, using apps/ websites for same day delivery or using curbside delivery).

Dealernews Research

By Dr. Paul Leinberger

2022 JUST GOT BETTER

4 Big Take-Aways For The Quarter

C

ongratulations! You have reason to celebrate!

Consumers are more interested in you – and what you are selling – than at any time since the 1950s and ’60s. The fact that powersports sales are at an all-time high is NOT news to you – you have been riding that wave since the pandemic hit. What is news is that consumer attitudes have changed dramatically and the changes that have taken place put you in a better position than ever before… and the numbers confirm it.

The latest consumer studies show that across America people are simultaneously embracing new behaviors and reverting to old ones – but with an important twist. Two years into the pandemic, consumers have discovered that while they like the convenience of shopping online, they also want to shop in-store. When the pandemic hit, consumers began shopping online in droves when they didn’t have much of a choice. However, they discovered they liked the convenience and ease of online shopping and have no intention of giving it up, even as brick-and-mortar stores have reopened. Year-on-year e-commerce growth through March 2022 is up 27% (the total growth of e-commerce from the onset of the pandemic through March 2022 was 33%). Projections are that by 2025, e-commerce sales could be almost a quarter (24.5%) of all retail sales (eMarketer, 2022).

32

SOCIAL MEDIA’S INFLUENCE Influencers, indeed! Adding to the omnichannel equation, 45% of consumers say social media is influencing their purchases. It is worth noting that the pandemic had a dramatic impact on social media usage. Pre-pandemic, there were 223 million social media users in the United States. Then, in 2021, the number of social network users jumped – dramatically – to 295.5 million users, up 72.5 million in one year.

Although it is still early days, already one in ten of these omnichannel shoppers say they’ve made purchases directly from social media (McKinsey & Company, March 2022). So how do you stay ahead of the curve? The answer to this question is another series of questions. Ask yourself: What do these dramatic changes in consumer attitudes and behavior mean for you? There are four areas to focus on.

FIRST: As e-commerce continues to grow, what impact will it have on you? Which of your brands will be most affected?

What impact will it have on your sales and revenue? How does e-commerce fit into your overall sales strategy?

SECOND: The next evolution of e-commerce is DFM (direct-from-manufacturer). Direct-from-manufacturer is the practice of manufacturers bypassing you and selling directly to the consumer. Increasingly, brands that historically did not sell directly to consumers are getting into the game. They have no choice. They must compete directly with e-commerce brands and the only way to do so is to compete head-to-head. The consensus opinion is that companies that want to thrive in 2022 and beyond will need to aim for 20% DFM business or higher. What will the move of manufacturers into the DFM business have on you?

Which of your brands are most likely to move into DFM? How will such a change impact your store?

THIRD: Social commerce (buying directly from social media) is growing fast. Consulting firm Accenture estimates social commerce will be a $1.2 trillion market worldwide by 2025. Social commerce is the future of online retail and the most important consumer trend of 2022. Yet very few retail executives understand the role of social media and its

importance in reaching and selling to consumers. Do you have a social media policy and are you engaged in social selling? If not, now is the time to start social selling.

FOURTH: DFM and e-commerce are fundamentally changing the role of your store. When your customers no longer need to come to you in order to buy the brands and products they wish to buy, what will happen to your store?

Continued on page 34

Continued from page 33

BOTTOM LINE To be successful, you must become a destination where consumers want to spend time. You need to give them a reason to shop in-store. Make your store a destination – the place they want to go. Make it a place of discovery. A place of constant change; an experience that can’t be replicated online.

anytime” your brick & mortar store becomes just one more way to do business with you – part of your omnichannel strategy. “In store” and “online” are NOT two separate ways of going to market; they are two ways of selling, and they are dynamically interconnected.

And make sure it is easy to shop with you. According to recent research from Podium, a communications and payment platform for local businesses (May 2022), the No. 1 reason why consumers shop one store over another is “ease of doing business” (60%). Reason No. 2 was “retailer expertise” and No. 3 was “store reputation” — is this your dealership?

Here is how Jeff Gennette, Macy’s CEO puts it: “The role of stores has evolved with customer shopping habits. The interplay between our digital and physical assets is critical, and we remain focused on sustainable omnichannel sales growth.” Here’s why: “Macy’s omnichannel shoppers spend 1.5 to 3.5 times more than consumers who only shop in one channel. They also shop with 3.0 to 3.5 times more frequency compared with single channel shoppers.” (Macy’s quarterly report to shareholders, March 7, 2022).

Further, instead of thinking of your store as a place, think of it as a media channel and/or a marketing channel. Since your customers now expect to be able to “buy anywhere,

If you give consumers what they want – the convenience of shopping online and a unique in-store experience – 2022 will prove to be the best year you have ever had.

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

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APRIL ‘22 VS AVG OF PRIOR 3 MONTHS AVERAGE WHOLESALE PRICE CHANGE

7%

5%

PWC

SIDE X SIDE

MX

DUAL SPORT

SPORT

-5%

-8%

SNOWMOBILE

-10%

METRIC CRUISER

-5%

ATV

0%

0%

-15%

APRIL ‘22 VS APRIL ‘21

AVERAGE WHOLESALE PRICE CHANGE

120%

+40% 30% 20%

12% 6%

-2%

-10%

SNOWMOBILE

-3%

PWC

3%

0% -10%

10%

9%

SIDE X SIDE

10%

-20%

*All data provided by National Powersport Auctions includes live and online transactions from all NPA locations. Closed OEM auction data is excluded. For more info visit NPAUCTIONS.COM

8%

7%

ATV

As the weather around the country improves, so do the opportunities to go riding. The sunshine and warm days continue to push consumers into dealerships in search of new and used product. Dealers report strong retail demand, solid margins, and abundant retail finance options despite the continued supply chain challenges and new inventory crunch. As the market approaches the spring apex, expect May AWPs to show more of the same trends.

7%

MX

Warming Up

10%

DUAL SPORT

Auction volumes are up this spring as usual, but the product mix is different from last year.

Metric Sport inventory continues to grow as a percentage of the total product mix, reaching the largest percent share of auction volume in four years. Domestic Cruisers and SXSs saw subtle dips over the same period.

Despite the shift in product mix, we continue to see overall model age trending older.

12%

SPORT

Product Mix Shakeup

15%

METRIC CRUISER

The On-Road wholesale market continues to show strength, with AWP (Average Wholesale Price) trending up as the second quarter of 2022 gains steam. Domestic Cruisers, Metric Cruisers, and Metric Sport AWPs increased ~7% compared to previous three-month averages. Similarly, nearly all Off-Highway segments are showing increased pricing, with SXS, ATV, and Motocross up as much as 12% versus the prior 90 days. Dual Sport product was a lone category with negative AWP trends, which can be attributed to a rougher, older mix of units in April.

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Still Hitting the Stride

86%

+20%

DOMESTIC CRUISER

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Dealernews Research

By Lenny Sims

BY THE BOOK

J.D. Power Valuation Guide Powersports Market Industry Overview Spring has sprung and things continue to heat up heading into Summer. It is not just powersports products either.

The supply chain issues continue to buoy boat sales, PWC, cars and trucks and even RVs. Average retail is higher than Q2 of last year and JD Power/NADAguides traffic has rebounded from a December dip.

As a whole the used vehicle market remains exceptionally strong, wholesale prices grew slightly for the second consecutive month, which helped elevate the Valuation Services Used Vehicle Price Index by 4.2-points to 214.1.

April’s increase helped keep the index and used prices near December 2021’s all-time high of 223.6. As a result, used prices ended the period 42% higher than they were through the first four months of 2021.

Specifically for the motorcycle market, values for the most recent 10 model years of cruisers averaged 0.7% lower in

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the first half of 2022 compared to Q4 2021. Positive yearover-year continues as values were 13.1% higher in the first quarter of each year. While Sportbikes brought 3.1% less money this quarter, they continue to deliver 11.7% more money year-over-year.

In the side-by-side category, values for the utility segment averaged 2.5% lower in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of 2021. Year-over-year, values were 14.6% higher in the first quarter of each year. Sport sideby-sides averaged 2.6% lower this quarter, and 23.4% higher year-over-year.

Wholesale prices at the industry level for all ICE vehicles grew by 1.3% in April, which was the strongest performance for the period in the past 20+ years.

Generally, wholesale prices are flat to down slightly in the April period. Additionally, on the retail side, the used-tonew ratio remains elevated, as dealers continue to rely on used units to help meet consumer demand.

J.D. Power Specialty Valuation Services (formerly NADAguides) is a leading provider of specialty vehicle valuation products and services to businesses.

The team collects and analyzes tens of thousands of wholesale and retail transactions per month, and delivers a range of guidebooks, web service data, analysis and digital data solutions. J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world’s leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

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

Dealernews Research

By Don Musick

BALANCING ACT REDUX An Autonomous What?

I

s it a car (eg. Google Waymo, GM Cruise, Tesla, Zoox link)? Maybe a delivery robot (eg. Amazon Scout, Nuro, Starship - link)? Perhaps a last-mile drone (eg. Kroger Drone Express - link, Amazon Prime Air - link)? Nope, none of the above!

A few months back, a colleague had reached out for information about the dealer networks of series 3 compact tractor OEMs (think Mahindra). I thought cool, since we already profile many of the OEM networks in the tractor space, this could be fun! But there was a twist! This tractor was electric! OK, other manufacturers are exploring electric tractors too (eg. Solectrac (link), so where’s the twist? Turns out that this puppy is autonomous too!

Monarch Tractor (link) is the first to market with an AIcontrolled completely autonomous electric tractor (you can still ride shotgun if you’re so inclined)! Peppered with cameras, sensors, GPS and an on-board weather station, the Monarch MK-V not only gets the job done (yes there’s a PTO for attachments), but it’s also a big-data harvesting beast! Partnering with Case New Holland (CNH Industrial) their future looks like a home run!

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But, since tractors aren’t the focus of this article, I won’t belabor the benefits of autonomous vehicles in the farming industry (and there are many). However, I would like to mention that Monarch’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed by competitors. At CES 2022 in January of this year, John Deere revealed their diesel-powered autonomous tractor as well (link).

I ROBOT After a bit of poking around in the autonomous vehicle space, I was curious to see if there have been parallel efforts in powersports? Well, well, well… it turns out that there are!

At CES 2019, BMW unveiled its self-riding motorcycle!

Based on an R 1200 GS, the bike used non-gyroscopic balancing technology with the capability to independently start, accelerate, counter steer in turns, slow down and stop. Balancing is accomplished by mimicking the inputs that an actual rider would make. Apparently BMW has no plans to build an autonomous motorcycle but rather this prototype was meant to showcase their advanced riderassist features which will improve rider safety in future models.

That said, it’s genuinely freaky to see this bike in operation.

You can see it in action on this (link). As BMW’s automotive group recently announced the availability of level 3 autonomous technology by the second half of 2025 (link), it’s not too surprising to see it bleed into the Motorrad group as well.

But wait… there’s more! Autonomy aside, BMW has also revealed another self-balancing electric motorcycle concept, the “VISION NEXT 100” (link). There’s not a lot of detail available on this concept, but self-balancing is a central feature.

From his first motorcycles (a Honda S65 and an S90) when he was 16 to 50 years later, Don Musick has never stopped twisting the throttle. Although his accomplishments in the research arena have surpassed his MX career Don has over 25 years experience with major manufacturers in the Powersports and Automotive industries specializing in e-business solutions for retail distribution networks. His solution portfolio includes the development and implementation of manufacturer/dealer extranets, consumer-direct commerce portals, manufacturer/dealer e-channel integrations as well as development of web-based sales force automation tools. For most of his career, Don has been fascinated (his wife would say obsessed) with geographic market analytics, dealer location planning and sales territory optimization.

He founded Genesys Technology Solutions (GenesysTech) http://www.genesystech.com/ to develop new tools and market intelligence products to help manufacturers understand the competitive landscape of their industries, recognize opportunities and grow their businesses. A Spartan to the core, Don earned a B.S. in Physiology and PhD in Biochemistry from Michigan State University. Contact: dmusick@genesystech.com

MAY 2022

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e

GONE IN 60 SECONDS...

LiveWire Launches Del Mar Page 44

ZERO INTRODUCES CX Customer Experience Prioritized

Page 46

FIRST BLOOD

Rambo Bikes Roll Out Page 47

CURRENTS+

LIVEWIRE LAUNCHES DEL MAR

LiveWire successfully launched its all-electric S2 ARROW platform with the first 100 units selling out in 18 Minutes! The production version S2 Del Mar will be delivered immediately after the launch edition in the spring of 2023 with a $15,000 target MSRP. Specs for the S2 Del Mar call for 80 horsepower (59.6 kW), and less than 440 pounds of weight, delivering projected 0-to-60 mph times of 3.5 seconds or less. Range is targeted at 100 miles of city riding.

“The S2 Del Mar model represents the next step in the evolution of the LiveWire brand,” notes Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson. “The ARROW architecture underpinning the Del Mar, developed in-house at LiveWire Labs, demonstrates our ambition to lead in the EV space and establish LiveWire as the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world.”

Del Mar is designed as an Urban Street Tracker, according to Zeitz. “Del Mar presents a street-tracker stance on 19inch front and rear wheels equipped with custom developed LiveWire Dunlop DT1 tires equally capable on paved and dirt surfaces.” The slim seat tops a short tail section. A trackerstyle handlebar fronted by a thin flyscreen places the rider in an upright position for a comfortable and controlled riding experience.

Although the advanced ARROW Architecture with proprietary battery, motor, charging and control systems was designed at LiveWire Labs in Mountain View, California, all LiveWire S2 Del Mar motorcycles will actually be assembled at Harley-Davidson Vehicle Operations in York, PA. The ARROW architecture is intended to be modular and serves as the central component of the motorcycle chassis for the Del Mar and other as yet unnamed variants.

Only 100 examples of the Del Mar Launch Edition models were made, ensuring their exclusivity. The paint scheme – in a choice of Jasper Gray or Comet Indigo – is applied by hand using a process that takes 5 days to complete. Also note the intricate pattern of the 19-inch PCB cast-aluminum wheels... intended to evoke the dense patterning and framework found on printed circuit boards.

To learn more about the LiveWire S2 Del Mar Launch Edition motorcycle visit: livewire.com/delmar

44

VOLCON SIGNS 100 DEALERS

ePowersports Dealer Development Accelerates

As of the end of May, Volcon ePowersports has officially signed 100 dealers to sell its electric vehicles in North America. “The quality and innovation that Volcon brings to its products make it a no-brainer for prospective dealers as we grew the dealer network from zero to 100 in just 6 months,” notes National Sales Director Dave Auringer. “It has been a pleasure building the dealer network starting off with some of the biggest and strongest powersports dealers in the country.”

“We recently had the chance to ride and experience the Volcon Grunt and it blew us away,” adds Kyle Hughes, owner of H&W Powersports. “The more we dug into Volcon as a company and we discovered who works there and who is behind the brand and products, we just saw win after win and did not hesitate to sign up to sell Volcon products at our four locations in Texas and Louisiana,” explains Hughes.

“This past weekend we brought the Grunt to a bass fishing tournament. The response from the crowd and participants at the event was overwhelmingly positive. It’s been great to introduce them to Volcon’s electric products which they see as a great vehicle to support their various outdoor lifestyle activities like hunting and fishing.”

With an increasing focus on electric alternatives to transportation and recreational vehicle options, Volcon was quick to sign up a solid list of experienced dealerships in North America. Dealer deliveries began the second week of May 2022 with every dealer in the network having placed orders as part of their onboarding process.

“It has been an incredibly rewarding and exciting time to be with Volcon,” adds Auringer. “I have been in the powersports industry for 40 years and seen many evolutions of powersports products and new product launches as well as emerging brands come and go. We have been hearing that the future is electric for a while now, but the future is here with Volcon. We have a strong future and are looking forward to delivering these high-quality, high-performance products to our dealers now and in the future as the Volcon lineup grows. We couldn’t do it without the great work from our sales team; Ken Cook, Southeast Regional Sales Manager, Johnny Hayes, South Regional Sales Manager and Steve Christian,Northwest Regional Sales Manager.”

transportation in urban areas. All the riders compete on specially built S1-X eSkootrs powered by two 6kW motors and capable of speeds over 100km/h. With the course split between a floodlit route inside the former largest printing press in Europe and a sunlit cobbled track outside the building, the riders come from a mix of sports such as freestyle scooter riding, snowboarding and motorbike racing.

A packed crowd lined the 12-turn, 470-metre course laid out in and around the industrial setting of Printworks in Surrey Quays. The London venue played host to a series of knockout races contested by 30 professional male and female athletes who hailed from a diverse range of backgrounds to compete in this inaugural event.

TIME TO SKOOT

Although COVID caused a 1-year delay in the launch, the firstever winner of the brand-new eSkootr Championship (eSC) has been crowned after a thrilling series of races in London.

Swiss racer Matis Neyroud (PLYR:1) took the lead at the start of the final and led all eight laps to beat British rider Dan Brooks (Nico Roche Racing) by just 0.777 seconds. Joining them on the podium was Carlin’s Indian-born rider Anish Shetty.

Ten teams featuring three riders make up the 2022 grid.

The squads running the S1-X include traditional motorsport teams such as Carlin, to new enterprises led by professional sportsmen, including two-time heavyweight champion of the world Anthony Joshua, Formula 1 driver Nico Hulkenberg and former professional road cyclist Nico Roche.

The next round takes place in the Swiss venue of Sion in two weeks. Cut to the chase on what to expect from the eSkootr Championship here: https://official.esc.live/

The eSkootr Championship marks a new era for micromobility in sport with an emphasis on sustainability, road safety and

NO MINIMUM ORDERS TOP MARGINS BEST IN CLASS CUSTOMER SERVICE 952-283-0777

CURRENTS+ SPEAKING OF ZERO…

Instant torque, seamless acceleration and... fresh beignets?

Through some hard work, Zero has officially landed in “The Big Easy” — New Orleans! Mike Cunningham, VP of Sales for the Americas at Zero Motorcycles, says, “Our dealer network is growing and we’re thrilled to welcome these North America dealers to the Zero family: New Orleans, LA - Moto Julia Toronto, ON - Flying Squirrel Motorcycle Pittsburgh, PA - Gatto Cycle St. Louis, MO - Dave Mungenast Motorsports

ZERO INTRODUCES CX DEPARTMENT

Zero Motorcycles made a strategic shift to Customer Experience (CX). As the primary point of contact, dealers are the integral component in the new program, being supported by a new in-house team. The new CX team will oversee streamlining and enhancement areas of concern for riders everywhere, including lead engagement, service requests, and creation and distribution of service manuals creation, among other duties.

“We’re proud of having the best dealers in the business carrying Zero Motorcycles and aim to provide world-class, unmatched training and support for two wheeled electric vehicles. That’s why the new CX team at Zero has been designed from the ground up to effortlessly integrate into our dealer network’s operations,” explains Mike Cunningham, VP of Sales for the Americas at Zero Motorcycles. “The new CX improvements range from an improved online training platform, new field service staff, and a growing archive of training tools that will all fit seamlessly into powersports dealerships’ existing systems.

The new department will be split between the creation and distribution of technical training materials and the public-facing service handling for the global dealer network and owners alike. Balancing the two areas of focus will be a pair of industry veterans with a host of dealer and OEM experience spanning a total of more than 40 years and with proven excellence in service, sales, and marketing capacities; Garrett Johnson and Chris Langlois.

“The sum total of our experience with customer contacts includes more than just our dealer network and current owners, that’s why we’re thrilled to have leaders in place with expertise managing issues that can arise anywhere in Zero’s global footprint that spans into dozens of countries,” adds Cunningham. This change took place internally in April. Now the newly organized department is introducing new technical training to dealers as well as client relations training to the Zero teams in public facing roles.

46

TORROT’S NEXT CHAMPION GLOBAL SEARCH

Some lucky kid will become the next factory sponsored rider at the conclusion of the Torrot Rider Of The Year contest. Although the contest is open to youth riders around the world, Torrot Global Sales Manager Lee Westbrook is betting the winner will come from North America. “I think that’s where our winner will come from, to be honest because there are more kids starting to race in the U.S. than in Europe… but whoever wins, I think it’s a cool campaign.”

In addition to the grand prize of being a 2023 factory sponsored racer, Torrot is awarding a host of monthly prizes, according to former MX racer Westbrook. I can’t ever remember another manufacturer doing this, hopefully it will raise our brand awareness world wide.Every month we will choose a winner and send out some awesome Torrot merchandise. At the end of the year, we will compile our favorite clips ‘n’ pics before choosing an overall winner. One lucky rider will be given a brand new Torrot bike of the rider’s choice, along with a brand new set of 2023 race kit. In addition to this, the winner will be our cover kid for 2023 and will receive a full sponsorship package for next season.

Visit torrot.com/awards or go to @torrotelectric on Instagram and click on the link in the BIO. Upload pics or videos of the kid riding Torrot. Enter as many times as you like, there is no limit.

RAMBO DRAWS FIRST BLOOD

Rambo Bikes is driven to provide the ultimate transport machines to people who love the outdoors. This new way of thinking about travel was the inspiration for the Krusader, billed as “the first all-wheel drive eBike in the hunting realm.”

From its TrueTimber Viper camo to twin 500-watt motors, the Krusader is like the fictional movie hero… Rambo may not draw first blood, but the bikes are more than capable of entering rough situations, improvising, adapting and overcoming all obstacles!

Based on the success of the original Krusader, Rambo Bikes has upped the stakes for 2022, unleashing the Megatron! Dual 1000 watt motors with on demand front wheel- rear wheel- or all-wheel-drive modes, Megatron quadruples Krusader’s power.

“Megatron gives the rider the ultimate hunting machine,” claims the crew from Centerville, Iowa HQ. “Grip it and Rip It!” If you are ready to come to grips with the EV market in your dealership, check out all 15 models in the 2022 Rambo lineup featured in their glossy 48 page catalog. Note the fact that there are no minimums on dealer orders, top margins, a wide array of accessories, plenty of point of purchase items and a robust social media presence to have customers hunting for you.

Can’t wait for hunting season to learn more about the first AWD eBikes specifically outfitted for the hunting and fishing folks?

Make like Rambo and kick some ass at: www.rambobikes.com

B R O K E R A G E

S E R V I C E S

TRANSACTION ANNOUNCEMENT

OPEN ROAD HARLEY-DAVIDSON FOND DU L AC, WI Acquired by Matt Chiappetta & Bruce Miner from Pete Johnson & Lori Thiel

This transaction was exclusively facilitated by our Powersports Division.

“George Chaconas is very experienced, and we were always impressed with his professionalism. When the time was right to sell, how we went about selling our dealership was as important to us as who would become our successors. Staying in touch with George and his Associate, Courtney Bernhard, was beneficial in so many ways, with their great knowledge of the Powersports business and being wellnetworked. The favorable introduction to the buyers resulted in a great fit for our market and our succession plan. Courtney was onsite at the closing and made sure the entire process was seamless. We strongly recommend this duo of high-integrity professionals if you’re thinking of buying or selling.”

LORI THIEL | SELLER “Having known George Chaconas and being in the business for years, he was the go-to guy and knew I wanted to buy in Wisconsin. In a very short period of time, George identified Open Road Harley-Davidson, and the rest is history. I would like to say thank you to George and Courtney Bernhard of Performance Brokerage for helping provide a smooth transaction, and look forward to George and Courtney helping us continue to grow.”

MATT CHIAPPETTA | BUYER For a confidential consultation and complimentary estimate of value on your business, please contact us: Powersports Division George C. Chaconas, Partner, CBI/M&AMI 813. 245. 2535 | george@performancebrokerageservices.com Courtney Bernhard, Associate 813. 753. 7262 | courtney@performancebrokerageservices.com 2102 West Cleveland Street, Tampa, Florida 33606

B R O K E R A G E

9 4 9. 4 6 1. 1 3 7 2

S E R V I C E S

P E R F O R M A N C E B R O K E R AG E S E RV I C E S . C O M

CALIFORNIA | UTAH | TEXAS | OHIO | FLORIDA | VIRGINIA | NEW JERSEY | CANADA

DEALER NEWS A MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIRMAN

DEALER ASSOCIATION REACHES MILESTONE

A CALL TO ARMS Open Letter To Dealers

Page 44

SPONSOR SNIPPETS

Vendors Step Up

Page 46

NPDA DEALER NEWS NPA PARTNERS WITH NPDA “NPA believes that dealers are critical to the future of powersports,” says National Powersport Auctions CEO Jim Woodruff. “They are at the front lines of the consumer experience that fuels our industry and we are committed to helping them be the best they can be.” Already a strong supporter and trusted advisor to the National Powersports Dealer Association, NPA has expanded its efforts to engage with dealers in meaningful dialog and mutually beneficial actions.

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

M

ay 24th officially marks the one year anniversary of a band of dealers getting together in Texas to form a Board of Directors, elect officers, determine bylaws, file articles of incorporation, create a bank account (and reach deeply into their collective wallets fund it), apply for 501(c) status and a host of other things necessary to launch the National Powersports Dealer Association. According to NPDA Secretary/Treasurer Kim Harrison, there are now more than 185 dues paying dealers of the association.

There is also a burgeoning number of strategic partners stepping up their support of the association (see the NPDA Partners page 52).

“Five years ago, a National Association dedicated to retail excellence and dealers wasn’t unthinkable… Now is a reality,” notes NPDA Chair Bob Althoff. “it is a little bit of a historical accident that we are not among the 15,000-30,000 trade associations in the United States. However NPDA is here to correct this historical oversight by providing real value to the nation’s Dealers. We are honored to see many top tier Dealers flying the NPDA colors at their stores.”

“I think it would be great to have over 200 members as we celebrate this initial milestone,” adds Harrison, who has signed up both her dealerships. “Please take a moment and call someone you know who is not currently a member.”

NPDA’s online membership link is https://npda.weblinkconnect.com/atlas/forms/1

50

“NPA is the industry’s authority on pre-owned and the largest provider of powersport auction services,” he adds.

“We share NPDA’s PURE vision and belief that our industry is better when we all work together.” NPDA continues to bring dealers in under its PURE banner (Promote, Unite, Represent, Educate).

“Partnering with NPDA is a true commitment to the longterm excellence and success of powersports dealers and we are eternally grateful for the support, leadership and friendship that Jim Woodruff and NPA have extended the Association,” states NPDA Chair Bob Althoff. “Mr. Woodruff was the very first advisor to support this crazy notion that dealers could come together and strive for retail excellence, and he has been in our corner from day one. Without Woodruff’s sage counsel and NPA’s support, NPDA would still be stuck on the drawing board.”

NPA is joined by a growing number of industry supporters for NPDA, including Find It Now, Garage Composites, Law Tigers, LiquiMoly USA, MaxOpp Marketing, Performance Brokerage Services and VinData. At the recent AIMExpo, it was announced Arrowhead Engineered Products, the parent company to All Balls Racing, Vertex, Hot Cams, Pivot Works and most recently Western Power Sports, has also stepped up at the highest level of support as a Strategic Partner.

NPDA continues to gain traction as a unifying force for the entire industry. The Mission and Vision statements have been articulated, Articles of Incorporation finalized, 501c6 status issued, bylaws have been adopted and more than 150 Dealerships are dues paying members. “We are grateful that NPA and all of our partners share the vision and support the mission of NPDA,” concludes Althoff.

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“2004 was another turning point,” explains NPA CEO Jim Woodruff. He notes that is when NPA began actively accepting consignment units from dealers. “It has taken time to get everyone up the education curve, but our Dealer Consignment program now plays a key role for both us and the industry.”

That is also the year NPA expanded again, adding a Dallas facility to its repertoire.

And by 2006, NPA initiated the industry’s first online dealer exchange with HDDX for Harley-Davidson dealers. The next four years were watershed moments for NPA and the preowned market. “I’m not sure if we changed the market singlehandedly, but we sure influenced the direction it took,” Cliff states.

National Powersports Auctions

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riginally created as Cycle Express in 1990 in San Diego, California, National Powersport Auctions (NPA) now serves lenders and dealers throughout the nation.

Offering a complete range of auction-related services was a concept largely unheard of when motorcycle enthusiast Cliff Clifford and the Lomas family began this adventure.

“Big changes with the OEMs and the advent of retail financing lead us to where we are today,” says NPA founder Cliff Clifford. “Bear in mind that I am getting older, but here is my best recollection. If it wasn’t for the vision of Kawasaki Motor Corporation (KMC) there is a good chance NPA wouldn’t have started when it did... or even exist at all!” Around 1989, KMC announced National Retail Financing with their “Good Times” Credit Card — this card could be utilized for new purchases and/or services and accessories. Before that, dealers had to source financing on their own, with local banks or small financing institutions, which was a disjointed and cumbersome exercise at best.

With the success of KMC gaining market share through its creative financing program, it wasn’t long before the other OEMs followed their lead. Dealers suddenly had options to offer customers financing on bikes and accessories.

Advertising campaigns promoting easy payment plans started to be mainstream with OEMs supporting market dominance through financing options. NPA’s role in moving recovered financed vehicles back into the dealer network followed shortly thereafter, with NPA selling 150 units at its first live dealer-only auction in San Diego in 1991.

With growing demands for auction NPA opened their second facility in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1997. In addition to expanding its physical facilities, NPA began honing its tools. In 2001, NPA’s Auction Management System technology platform was born, followed by the first commercial online powersport auction platform with NPA eSale in 2003.

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In 2007 the very first NPA “Simulcast” sale took place, quickly followed by the first Simulcast Factory sale for Yamaha Motor Corporation. In 2008, NPA had to expand again, opening the Cincinnati location. By 2010, NPA was serving all the major powersports finance companies, OEMs and dealers through every live and online auction channel imaginable, selling a record 90,000 units in one year!

In order to increase dealer awareness of this paradigm shift, the first auction was held at Dealernews Dealer Expo in Indianapolis in 2011. “We’re not ones to rest on our laurels so we decided to continue raising the bar,” explains Cliff of the 2012 launch of NPA Insurance | Total Loss™ exchange and NPA Mobile™ technology for smartphones and tablets.

In 2013 NPA expanded NPA Value Guide and launched NPA Black Market™ for parts and apparel, as well as new dealer exchanges for Indian Motorcycle, Victory Motorcycles and Penske Automotive Group.

After years of researching the industry and exploring facilities, NPA found a new home just north of Philadelphia in Bristol, Pennsylvania. This would make NPA’s fifth location. NPA has always had an eye on the East Coast because of the high population density and strong dealer network. NPA found that there are many top operating dealers in the region, despite the seasonality. This would prove to be true as Philadelphia is already outgrowing the space and looking to move across the street to a bigger warehouse; not even a year after the first auction was held.

Today NPA works with all the biggest lenders, Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Synchrony, Honda Remarketing, GE Commercial Distribution Finance, Capital One and Sheffield Financial; a majority of the OEMs, including Yamaha, HarleyDavidson, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Polaris, Honda, Ducati; and the nation’s largest dealers and dealer groups. “I’m not sure this is what KMC had in mind when they introduced the Good Times Credit Card, but we have been happy to let the good times roll since 1990,” concludes Cliff.

In June of 2017 NPA was acquired by Copart. “We are thrilled that NPA is now part of the Copart family and believe the team’s expertise will enhance our capabilities,” says Copart’s Chief Executive Officer Jay Adair. “NPA is the leader in the powersports auction industry and shares our ownership mindset, commitment to challenging the norm, and focus on delivering results.” Cliff adds, “We are very excited about teaming up with Copart. Leveraging Copart’s resources and capabilities with NPA’s industry expertise and market leadership will allow us to kick NPA into high gear. We’re looking forward to taking NPA to a whole new level of growth and success.”

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Our Vision is for the NPDA to advance our industry by elevating Dealers to be well prepared, sustainably profitable, and exceed the expectations of a growing Powersports customer base.

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and things like that. We’ve packaged all of that into what we announced here at the show: Value Guide Pro. The Pro version www.npauctions.com/cp/NMValueGuidePro can provide a value on any vehicle for any condition or mileage that vehicle might have. It can show all of the details of the transactions that we might have on that vehicle, just like our traditional value guide does today. So dealers are super excited about it, we’re looking forward to getting it out and letting them start using it. We provide one more tool to help them basically buy better and run a better business.

One of the things that we’ve been addressing at the MIC Board level because you are a board member on top of having a real job — and here the show is the buzz about the EV market. How does the new ValueGuide system AI and machine learning address EVs?

NPDA PARTNER PROFILE 5 Minutes With NPA’s Jim Woodruff

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s NPDA continues to bring dealers in under its PURE banner (Promote, Unite, Represent, Educate), it is important to acknowledge some of the folks who helped get the Association up and running. National Powersports Auctions CEO Jim Woodruff believes in NPDA and he has been a trusted advisor since Day 1. “We share NPDA’s PURE vision and belief that our industry is better when we all work together.”

We caught up with Woodruff at AIMExpo to get his perspective on the state of the industry, the role of trade shows and the ways NPDA intersects with the industry.

Here we are at AIMExpo Day Three, finally winding things down. How was the show for NPA? It has been great. The first thing that I would share is that after not being able to see my friends in the industry for two years, and our dealers that we work with all the time, it’s awesome to be back here at an in-person show. I’m seeing folks I haven’t seen in some cases for 10 or 20 years. I think the flow has been good. And we’ve had a lot of interest in the things that we’ve been doing.

NPA has rolled out a new program for dealers here at the show, how has the reception been?

We are always working on things to help dealers, asking what can we do besides offering a marketplace to buy and sell their vehicles…. and technology is one of the key ways that we do that. NPA’s Value Guide has been around for years now, and it’s essentially the de facto standard for any dealer taking a trade in or valuing a piece of inventory. They use it every day hundreds if not 1000s of transactions a year. But there are some things we can do to improve it. For example, what happens when there is a vehicle and we haven’t sold that particular model? What does our traditional value guide produce in that case? Well, nothing because we don’t have any data! So we’ve been working the last couple of years on a machine learning AI neural network-based algorithm that has analyzed the last 20 years of auction data, and has even learned seasonality trends and the variations that occur with condition, mileage

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That’s a great question. I think if you ask anybody ‘what’s an EV going to be worth’ a year or two or three from now? Or what is their depreciation characteristic, etc. they won’t know. From a valuation perspective, I don’t know anybody that can actually give you a good answer, just because there’s so little data available. However EVs were included in the training set, and the system will produce a value for those. But the variability is going to be higher than it would be for a traditional vehicle.

So far, what we’ve seen is for the EVs that have come through, that are from a major manufacturer, they’re performing similarly to traditional motorcycles. As the EV market grows, and the demand grows for those vehicles, I believe that they will ultimately perform very similar to what we’ve seen. So they are included in the model. But you know, time will tell, as the AI engine learns, as we get more transaction volumes, you know, we’re where they go in terms of their performance.

Just as a little aside, congratulations to a couple of women at NPA, who made the Dealernews Top 100 list. Not only is the market changing but the role of women in our industry is shifting and growing.

We are proud of everybody at NPA and all the folks that work so hard in this industry. And you know, Mandy has been with us, I think, a couple of years now. But Buffy Huffman has an amazing story. As you said, she started, gosh, almost 20 years ago with us now and has worked your way up to now running one of our facilities. Our largest facility in Atlanta, is under Buffy’s wing and I couldn’t be prouder of her and what she’s done. It’s been amazing to see her grow… seeing what Buffy has done is amazing.

From AI to EV and women and the launch of NPDA, the industry has certainly seen some changes in the past couple of years.

The industry is going through, I think, some very healthy, interesting evolution right now. I’m excited to see how it turns out and see it unfold. And I’m happy that folks like you and I as MIC Board members and the other projects we’ve got going on are able to help facilitate those things in a healthy way. I think at the end of the day, the industry has undergone a lot of challenges over the last couple of years, but we have been presented with a lot of opportunities as well. My personal opinion is that those are going to continue with all the new riders that have entered the industry in the last couple of years. They are not all going to go back to what they did before the pandemic, they’re going to keep riding. The powersports industry is one of the most exciting things that anybody can do.

And I’m glad that a lot of people have discovered this. Whether it’s EVs or whatever happens with the products that come out in the following years, it is going to be great for consumers and I think it’s gonna be great for the industry.

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INTERNATIONAL MOTORCYCLE SHOW TOUR 2022 Detour

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PARTS UNLIMITED NVP RETURNS Bigger & Better Back In Madison

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HOLLISTER RALLY CANCELLED But Lives On Virtually

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including the Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show.

Any tickets purchased or Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show registrations paid for 2022 events will be refunded to the credit card used for purchase within 7 business days. If you have not received your refund within 7 business days, please contact service@tixonlinenow.com We greatly appreciate your attendance and loyalty over the years and will miss sharing your love for motorcycling with you.

MOTORCYCLE SHOW TOUR DETOUR

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he 2022 International Motorcycle Shows and IMS Outdoors events have been suspended, effective immediately. After announcing the new schedule of 10 events set to launch in Colorado on June 10, the entire series has been postponed and most likely permanently cancelled. Although no official press release was issued, Tracy Harris, SVP of IMS Outdoors had this to say: “We could not be more thankful for the IMS community and the continued support each and every one of you have shown over the past 40 years. Collectively, we brought the love of two wheels to so many cities across the nation — while suspending the IMS tour for the foreseeable future was a difficult decision, we believe in the resiliency of this industry and look forward to watching the powersports industry grow and evolve.”

“After 40 years of producing The International Motorcycle Shows and IMS Outdoors, we have made the difficult decision to suspend the IMS Tour in 2022,” added Lauren Lloyd, PR Director, North America Informa Markets, parent company to IMS. “Unfortunately, as you are aware, the powersports industry is at a crossroads with where and how brands promote their products amidst the continued manufacturing and sourcing delays associated with the pandemic.”

“We hope to return the tour in the future, but at this time, we are suspending the events. We greatly appreciate your continued support, loyalty and partnership over the years and hope to work with you in an editorial capacity again in the future.”

The announcement to dealers and advance ticket purchasers here: Dear IMS Fans, We have some news to share today with our IMS Family. After 40 years of producing The International Motorcycle Shows and IMS Outdoors, we have made the difficult decision to suspend the IMS Tour in 2022.

The powersports industry is at a crossroads with where and how brands promote their products amidst the continued manufacturing and sourcing delays associated with the pandemic. These current hurdles that our brand partners are facing would have made it difficult for us to produce an IMS that would meet your, and our, expectations. Therefore, we will not be moving forward with the planned 2022 events,

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NVP BACK IN THE ROTATION!

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fter a three-year hiatus, Parts Unlimited, Drag Specialties and Parts Canada are once again teaming up to present the rebranded and revamped National Vendor Presentation (NVP). Dealers mark your calendars for August 20-21 for a return to the traditional Madison, Wisconsin, venue for the 2022 NORTH AMERICAN NVP EXPO. “It has been three years since we last gathered in Madison for our NVP,” notes LeMans Corp. CEO Mike Collins. “It’s great to be back and what better way to do it than with our Parts Canada team.”

“The last time Parts Canada got together with the Parts Unlimited team was to celebrate our 20th anniversary… and it was a complete success,” adds Parts Canada President James Danyluk. “NVP offers our dealers an opportunity to see the largest powersports distributor expo in North America and we can’t wait to see our customers and suppliers in person.”

This Expo will unite the three companies to introduce the fall buying season. With this collaboration, exhibitors will have the best of all teams in one location to roll out new products and programs and to educate both dealers and sales reps alike.

The North American NVP kicks off Friday, August 19th exclusively for exhibitors and the Parts Unlimited, Drag Specialties and Parts Canada Sales Force. On Saturday, August 20th the Expo opens to dealers for 2 full days with a new, expanded expo floor.

The expanded layout allows the space needed to introduce new vendors and increase the overall expo experience. Dealers will have the opportunity to connect and engage with even more of the industry’s leading brands on the expo floor, through dealer training sessions and socially at the Meet & Greet/Bike Show.

“I’m looking forward to seeing old friends and new; vendors, dealers and reps. It’s long overdue and needed, concludes Collins. “See you soon.” Dealers check with your Parts Unlimited and Drag Specialties reps for more details.

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HOLLISTER RALLY LIVES ON… VIRTUALLY

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“

ey Johnny, what are you rebelling against?” Johnny: “Whaddya got?” Marlon Brando made the Hollister Rally a landmark with The Wild One, however local politicians are still opposed to having bikers invade the otherwise sleepy little California town and have once again cancelled the July 4th event. While it is not the first time the Hollister Rally has been cancelled, it may be the last.

After 25 years of supporting the Hollister Motorcycle Rally — and Birthplace of the American Biker — Mike Corbin is throwing in the towel. “We’re not hosting anything at our shop this year,” says Corbin Marketing man, Greg Hurley. “We’ll be open on Saturday for ride-ins, just like every other Saturday, but that is all. No vendors. No music. No bike show.”

“However, kind of as a goof, a couple of us decided to make an online version of the Hollister Rally,” Hurley explains. Partly to keep the name alive for posterity, but also since the whole world is abuzz with the “Metaverse.” We know this isn’t the best way to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of The Wild One, but it’s all we got. We’ll do what we can with Live Feeds, Vendors, Online Bike Show and a lot more coming at ya soon and Going Live in Hollister on June 27, 2022, because…

YOU CAN’T CANCEL JOHNNY! Click here for the virtual Hollister Rally: https://mcrally.us/rally/is-this-a-jo

AMA VMD STILL A BFD

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s Bob Althoff suggests in his column this month, the industry can’t forget about the customer… you know, the folks who pay all our salaries! Certainly the American Motorcyclist Association hasn’t forgotten where their bread is buttered and is celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Vintage Motorcycle Days, Presented by Royal Enfield next month at Mid-Ohio in Lexington, Ohio.

Every year, tens of thousands of enthusiasts join the AMA and the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, and nearly 1,000 independent vendors at vintage motorcycling’s biggest bash.

The event includes racing, the country’s largest motorcycle swap meet, seminars, stars from the sports past and present, bike shows and more, all designed to recapture a simpler time and remind us what’s fundamentally cool about riding motorcycles.

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The three-day motorcycle fest is set for July 22-24, 2022. click here for more: https.vintagemotorcycledays.com

Pioneering Woman

--By Cris Sommer Simmons

Linda “Jo” Giovannoni was my hero. She was my mentor, riding partner, and best friend for many years. She was an “influencer” before there was a thing called the internet or social media. A woman who rode a motorcycle was a very rare thing back when I started riding in the ’70s. She was the voice of women riders.

Throughout her involvement with the magazine Jo became a wellknown spokesperson and voice of women motorcyclists. In 1991 Jo was featured in the documentary film about women riders called She Lives To Ride directed by Alice Stone, debuting at the Chicago Art Institute.

In 1992, Jo and I were proudly included in the American Motorcycle Association’s Heritage Motorcycle Museum’s “Women in Motorcycling” display. Jo also appeared on one of the HarleyDavidson People collector cards. In 1996 Jo was inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame. In 1998 she was inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame and became the 5th woman inducted into the National Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

By Alisa Clickenger

GODSPEED LINDA “JO” GIOVANNONI

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Beginning in 1999, Jo helped program and occasionally host Gina Woods’ Open Road Radio, a nationally syndicated motorcycle talk show. She also became a well-known contributing writer for the motorcycle section of the Daily Herald, Illinois’ third largest newspaper...

Read the whole story at WomenRidersNow.com https://womenridersnow.com/tribute-jo-giovannonipioneer-for-female-motorcycle-riders/

he Class of 2022 honored amazing women from all segments of the motorcycle industry, but perhaps no single woman had as much of a profound impact on female motojournalists as Linda “Jo” Giovannoni. Not only did she create a magazine specifically for female riders called Harley Women, she inspired an entire generation of riders who were touched by her pioneering journey. Her legacy lives on to this day in the form of WRN. We turned to the women who continue to live her legacy, the crew of WRN and Jo’s best friend Cris Sommer Simmons: It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of a pioneer in women and motorcycling, Linda “Jo” Giovannoni. Jo’s humble spirit had her flying under the radar most of her motorcycling career which is why her name may not be familiar to most of you.

But we here at WomenRidersNow.com (WRN) have a deeply held connection to this visionary woman.

Jo Giovannoni co-founded Harley Women magazine in 1985, along with her friend and business partner Cris Sommer Simmons. Harley Women was the first magazine dedicated to female riders. Harley Women later changed its name to Asphalt Angels, and that’s when WRN’s Genevieve Schmitt got involved.

Genevieve took over the reins as editor in 1998, and two years later rebranded it by calling it Woman Rider magazine. That lasted four years as a print magazine. At a time when the Internet was just gaining momentum, Genevieve continued the legacy of the magazine aimed at women motorcyclists by launching WomenRidersNow.com in 2006.

We are forever grateful to Jo Giovannoni and her efforts in keeping Harley Women and Asphalt Angels alive in what was a challenging publishing environment. To celebrate Jo Giovannoni’s life, we asked Cris Sommer Simmons to share some memories.

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Alisa is a two-wheeled world traveler, author, tour operator, and event producer. She has been featured in a variety of media outlets as a woman pursuing a life of adventure and helping others to access their inner wisdom and be free to lead lives they are passionate about. Her book Boost Your Confidence Through Motorcycling: A Woman’s Guide to Being Your Best Self On and Off the Bike became an Amazon.com #1 Bestseller. In 2019 Alisa was also named to Dealernews TOP 100 People in Powersports. Her personal mission is to empower women through motorcycling and adventure while being a strong advocate for the powersports industry at large. Alisa’s motorcycle touring company is www.WomensMotorcycleTours.com.

Mandie Fonteyn-Albert — Indian Motorcycles Account Rep, The Brand Amp Riding since she was 6, Fonteyn-Albert definitely has an affinity for the industry.

“Some of my greatest memories growing up are of camping in the desert and going to the races with my dad when I started racing off-road. I always knew I wanted to turn my passion into a career in the motorcycle industry and luckily I’ve been able to accomplish that.” After 9 years honing her skills with American Honda’s HRC factory race team, she joined the team at National Powersport Auctions in 2020 as Director Of Marketing.

“NPA plays a key role in many different aspects of the motorcycle industry, so it was a great opportunity to broaden my knowledge base.” After AIMExpo this year, Fonteyn-Albert was given an offer she couldn’t refuse to amp up Indian’s marketing and communication efforts with The Brand Amp.

Britney Gallegos — Team USA ISDE Britney Gallegos enjoyed her best test of the week the final day of the 2021 Six Days as Team USA took top honors when that charge moved her up two spots to 15th in the final women’s-class overall. This was her 4th ISDE, but not her day in the saddle. “At about age four my dad put me on a four-wheeler and it quickly turned into a dirtbike. From there we just started riding and then I wanted to hit some races. So at about six, we were racing locally in Colorado, and from there I was winning everything locally at my age group. So we decided to go national. I had several national championships as an amateur and I came up pretty well in the sport.”

Chera Gibb —Senior VP Marketing, NA, Arrowhead Engineered Products/All Balls/WPS “A healthy industry requires a healthy dealer channel with a common voice,” says BRP exec turned aftermarket marketing maven, Chera Gibb. After a high-flying corporate career — literally, she was General Manager & Efficiency Leader for Bell Helicopters — she shifted gears to a director of marketing gig with Textron Specialized vehicles before going on to becoming BRP’s Manager Global Retail Operations & Dealer Marketing back in 2018. In 2021, she joined Arrowhead to spearhead their entry into powersports with All Balls Racing Group, Vertex and most recently acquiring Western Power Sports.

Jill Giglio — Dealer Principal, Windy City-Fox Motors Back in 2000 Jill and Ozzie Giglio bought Villa Park Harley-Davidson with a vision in mind. Jill coined the name Wild Fire with the belief that if they provided a world class customer experience their new-found friendly reputation would spread like “wildfire.” And over the first couple years, that is exactly what happened with the re-named Wild Fire Harley-Davidson and the expanding Windy City-Fox family of dealerships. “Our priority is providing a ‘World Class’ customer experience.” Jill Giglio concludes, “We didn’t necessarily strive to become the biggest, just the best. We’ve grown the way we have by successfully maintaining the ‘Mom & Pop’ feel at our stores while heightening customer service levels and offering fair prices.”

Vicki Golden - Free Rider Free spirit Vicki Golden says, “I am not a freestyle rider, but I do stunts. Not a racer but I’ll line up for a gate drop.” She is an inspiration from the prime time Evel Live 2 event on the History Channel to the latest video from Bell Helmets. Golden was one of the select few athletes invited and the only female to compete at Red Bull’s 2021 Imagination 2.0 event. The cameras followed her around as she was Going For Golden! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb8vuByUDEE

Mercedes Gonzalez Natvig — Off-Road Program Coordinator, Honda Rider Education Center From motocross champ to mentor, Mercedes Gonzalez-Natvig continues to pay it forward every day at the Honda Rider Education Center. While racing and raising a family, her day job was Sales – AXO Sport America (circa 19861994), but she found her true calling in 2006 running rider training. “Introducing off-road riding to all,” is my passion and profession. Seeing the joy, sense of accomplishment and empowerment, and the fun of riding a motorcycle it gives to people! Giving back to a sport that shaped my life!”

MAY 2022

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LAND USE Outdoor Recreation Getting a Big Bipartisan Boost in Congress

The Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources unanimously passed America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2022 this month. This legislation, beneficial to the off-highway powersports industry and OHV enthusiasts, was introduced by committee chairman Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia and ranking member Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming.

The landmark package also included several groundbreaking recreation bills: the Colorado Outdoor Recreation & Economy Act, the Simplifying Access to Outdoor Recreation Act, the Recreation Not Red-Tape Act, the Gateway Community and Recreation Enhancement Act, the Federal Interior Lands Media Act, and the Biking on Long Distance Trails Act. Read More

ELECTRIFICATION Outdoor Recreation Roundtable Hosts Electric Vehicle Summit

While much of the focus on electric vehicles surrounds on-highway transportation and commuting, the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable is diving into the world of EVs and public lands and trails. Late last month, the ORR held its first-ever Electric Vehicle & Next Generation Technologies for Outdoor Recreation Summit to examine consumer demand, industry readiness, charging infrastructure, and what it can mean for business. Read More

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How Can A Dealership Find Its Attrition Rate?

Now that you’re familiar with what an attrition rate is and what it could mean for your dealership, how do you determine your dealership’s attrition rate? Luckily, there is a very simple formula for doing so. In short, the formula is: attrition rate = (# of separations/average # of employees) x 100.

Personnel Files

By Alex Baylon

STAFFING ISSUES Dealing With Attrition

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ttrition is something many industries deal with in the best of times, but the COVID crazy era dealers really can’t afford to lose anyone. As Dan Stern tells Mark Rodgers in this issue employee retention is the new form of recruitment. But how do you combat attrition… Do you even know how to determine an attrition rate?

First things first, an attrition rate is a type of metric employed by human resources to measure the number of employees lost over time and ultimately not replaced.

Shown as a percentage, it is then compared to the total workforce to determine the exact number of vacant or eliminated positions. Also known as a churn rate, attrition rates describe when a person retires or otherwise leaves their position and, in turn, the company does not seek to fill the vacancy. While it might sound like an employee turnover rate – an attrition rate differs as it focuses on permanent and semi-permanent employee loss and how the company is impacted by said loss over time.

While attrition can save on staffing costs, the manager is then left to shift the responsibilities of that position, increasing the workload of the rest of the team.

Comparing car dealerships, the average attrition rate of US dealerships is at an all-time high of 46% — a much larger rate than the US national attrition average of 20.1%. Thanks to factors like slow population growth and higher rates of retirement, ongoing and worsening labor shortages are likely to occur. And while many of these impacts could be rather short-lived in several industries, all signs point toward recruiting becoming more challenging in the long-term for any dealerships – not easier.

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What this means is you take the number of full-time employees who have left each month (also known as separations) and divide it by the average number of employees and multiply the resulting figure by 100.

Furthermore, you can also opt to calculate your year-todate and annual attrition rates. Simply add all 12 months together to get your answer.

Naturally, once you have your attrition rate, you’re going to want to lower it as much as you possibly can. While that can seem challenging at first, there are a few steps you can take to effectively reduce it. These include: Focus On The Hiring Process – create clear and concise job ads to ensure you’re hiring the right people for the job.

Train Effective Leaders – To create a strong team, management must be effective. When employees don’t feel like they’re being heard or effectively managed, they’re much more likely to leave the business.

Offer Incentives – Invest in your employees’ success by offering professional development opportunities.

Practice Open Communication – While it might be impossible to avoid problems in the workplace altogether, the way you manage said problems is what matters most. And when employees can communicate openly with management regarding problems and concerns, employee satisfaction rises, and they are encouraged to remain in their positions.

Provide Clear Work Objectives – As human beings, we always like to know how we’re performing in a professional capacity. And when employees are unaware of their duties or how their work efforts are measured – their morale tends to decrease. By setting clear objectives and goals that are regularly discussed, employees are motivated and in full understanding of their role, objectives, and progress.

Value A Work/Personal Life Balance – When employees feel as though their jobs are affecting their personal lives, they are likely to seek alternative employment. By being less rigid with work hours and offering various forms of flexibility (i.e., discouraging management from contacting employees in the evenings and on weekends) employee satisfaction rates grow.

Finding The Right Employees In A Reasonable Amount Of Time For many hiring managers, filling vacant positions within a dealership seems easy enough – especially when you consider our access to technology like www.motorcycleindustryjobs.com and other more generic job boards online, recruiting is more convenient now than it was even 20 years ago.

However, if you’re hoping to successfully fill an open position in a matter of days simply by posting online, you should be aware that according to SHRM, the average time it takes to find and hire a new person is 36+ days…

And that’s if you’re lucky. To ensure your hiring process doesn’t run any longer than it needs to, it’s always wise to enact the following best hiring practices: • Define your company identity

• Form a standard hiring process • Tailor your hiring process to the size of your business • List realistic job requirements • Seek referrals • Limit the # of applicants • Get to know your candidates • Ensure candidates remain informed Combating Attrition As you can see, if you feel as though you could do more to reduce employee attrition within your dealership, it can be easy to get on the right path. From concentrating on employee engagement to encouraging respect and recognition within your organization – your employees will benefit from open communication and strengthened skill sets. And with hundreds of recruitment tools available, you can effectively build – and keep – a fantastic crew of workers that value their jobs and reflect that in their work efforts.

MIJ Industry #PROfiles

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

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

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

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

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

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to blame COVID as the past couple of years have been a huge challenge with large events suffering from the closure mandates and negative press. But once again, that wouldn’t tell the whole story. As I have heard repeatedly, it seems like our industry is at a crossroads, so maybe now is the perfect time to discuss what comes next. Here are some thoughts to get the conversation started:

PROCESSING THE LOSS OF MOTORCYCLE SHOWS

Thoughts On The IMS Tour Suspension

By Scot Harden

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’m still processing the news that broke recently that the 2022 IMS tour has been “suspended.” It’s kind of like finding out that a family member has terminal cancer.

They might technically still be breathing, but the long-term prognosis is, well, not good so, at least for this year, there will be no IMS Tour. So, how did we get here? This was the question I posed to some of my industry insider friends and colleagues. And while it would be fair in some way to say that it all came down to dollars and cents, strictly a business decision by Informa, it would not tell the whole story.

According to Tracy Harris, the IMS Tour’s Sr. Vice President, it mainly came down to the tour’s ability to meet its mission statement and the quality of the experience it provided.

The IMS Tour represents our industry’s best foot forward with the public at large, the place where people come to see everything the industry has to offer and given where the industry is today with supply chain issues, new model availability, and the OEMs abilities to deliver product to its dealers; the decision not to move forward with anything less than a full complement of OEMs makes sense. Factor in the fact that even in a good year, the OEMs question ROI, not enough visitors to justify the expense, and you have two strikes against it. Similar feedback has come from many of the aftermarket vendors as participation there has been waning as well, so strike three. It would be easy

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1.) Yes, the OEMs have been complaining for years about the expense and the attendance numbers. Honestly, it seems it’s been that way since the first IMS Show. Every year, each manufacturer looks at their marketing budgets, and one of the single biggest line items is the IMS Shows, so quite naturally, it’s going to be dissected, and reviewed from every angle. I had to make recommendations and ultimately make decisions to attend for several OEMs over the years, so I know. It all comes down to what other alternatives exist to get your product in front of many people. Until now, those other opportunities just didn’t exist, so the status quo remained. It also in some ways reflects the changing of the guard internally at many of the OEMs. Many of the older, more senior marketing and corporate execs have left the industry, and the next generation of leaders have assumed control without any nostalgia or personal connection to the IMS platform as a marketing vehicle. It would seem everybody is searching for a path forward.

2.) As mentioned above, regarding other opportunities to get in front of many people, has been satisfied in many corporate minds with a combination of social media, brands ambassadors, influencers and private touring demo fleets. There is no arguing that sending out a touring demo fleet satisfies and, in some cases, is preferred by many OEMs as a demo experience since the focus is 100% on the respective brand. Forget that many of these touring demo fleets’ budgets were partially underwritten as part of the company’s IMS Tour plan (semis visiting dealers and other events between IMS Shows). Now 100% of the cost will be a stand-alone marketing exercise. The part about social media picking up the remainder of the slack of creating a real brand relationship instead of touching and feeling a real motorcycle is more questionable. Is our industry ready to “tweet” its way to a brand identity/experience? For those who have argued that social media fills this need, we will soon find out.

3.) Point 2 speaks to the much more extensive discussion/ analysis of where we are in 2022 as far as marketing/ communication strategies go and whether the paradigm has shifted, that today’s consumer no longer requires or prefers an old school show environment experience. We see this every day in conversations related to other industries besides our own. It seems we are at a crossroads between what worked in the past and a new communications/ activation plan. Does this mean AIMExpo, the Overland Expo, and other consumer shows are riding on borrowed time? Should they be canned as well?

Call me a traditionalist, old school, a dinosaur, I’m just bummed to see something that was traditionally such a big part of our industry go away. I would feel a lot better about it if I knew what would take its place. Are we being shortsighted? What happens a year from now if demand

isn’t quite so strong? What opportunities are there going to be for potential new riders to go out and learn about all the great products our industry offers, sit on, and even ride a new motorcycle? What other platforms do we have to get initiatives like the MIC’s New Ridership Program “Ride With Us” in front of a large number of consumers?

Well, at least we still have dealerships they can go to. Wait a minute. Aren’t those under attack as well? Aren’t some in Powersports questioning whether that model is broken as well? Will it only be a matter of time before they are viewed as replaceable? I would be very curious to hear your thoughts and comments. Seems like we are at a great place to have a discussion.

PS: A huge thanks and unending respect and admiration for everyone connected to the IMS Tours, especially Tracy Harris and Mike Ausec. They along with many other people worked very hard to keep the shows going these past couple of years — wishing them and the other staff at IMS all the best.

Scot Harden is recognized as one of the best off-road racers ever produced by the United States. From 1971 until his final professional race in 2007 — at the age of 51 — Harden excelled at the toughest races in the world including the Baja 1000, Baja 500, Las Vegas 400, Mint 400, Dakar, B to V and the ISDE. He is a Desert/Baja specialist and the first American to win an African Raid Rally. He also possesses an impressive executive management resume as a brand builder, race team manager, sales professional and product planner with such companies as Husqvarna, KTM, Zero Motorcycles and Best in the Desert. Harden owns and operates Harden Offroad, a Powersports business consulting practice.HehasbeeninductedintotheAMA(2008),Trailblazers(2020),HotShoe(2021)andMRANHallofFames(1996).

Commuter Tank Bags Dual Mounting Magnetic & Strap

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powersports dealers and OHV organizations since those plans eliminated or severely restricted off-road use of roads and trails. Often those plans caused bitter battles between motorized recreation and conservation groups.

After those tough fights, a few organization leaders on both sides of the aisle realized there had to be a way to find common ground to protect natural resources and secure access to sustainable high-quality recreation for both motorized and non-motorized activities.

That common ground commitment was finally realized at the 2016 Dedication Ceremony of the Berryessa-Snow Mountain National Monument held at a popular BLM recreation site just a few miles east of Clearlake, California. The dedication event was unique because OHV recreation was featured as a key partner in development of the plan to enhance both conservation efforts and existing/future non-motorized and motorized recreational opportunities within the Monument boundary.

Today, motorized recreation continues to thrive at several destination OHV areas within or adjacent to the Monument.

OHV clubs and individuals will also continue to be an important volunteer workforce to help maintain current and new trail opportunities.

As new National Monuments proposals start to emerge, it is important their proponents and off-road leaders alike can continue a similar collaboration moving forward.

MONUMENT MEN Facing Some Monumental Decisions

By Donald Amador

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n recent years, the powersports industry and its customers have become increasingly aware, the President of the United States has broad executive powers to designate federal land units and areas as National Monuments. Said power is housed in the Antiquities Act of 1906. Unfortunately the Antiquities Act has resulted in contemporary closures of wide swaths of “public” lands. That makes acknowledging our wins appealing.

The Act was originally created to grant the President authority to create National Monuments to protect important sites such as historic battlefields, pioneer homes, sacred Native American Tribal areas and discrete lands with unique scenic values. Think Yellowstone and Yosemite.

When dysfunction started to rule the day in Congress.

Historically most land use legislation occurred after committee hearings with vigorous debate and subsequent votes and then signed into law or vetoed by the President. However conservation and environmental groups switched to using the more streamlined National Monument process which only requires the signature of the President.

In the 1990s, National Monuments were proposed in the West and some were created with little, if any, support from

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Don Amador has been in the trail advocacy and recreation management profession for almost 29 years.

Don is President of Quiet Warrior Racing/Consulting.

Don served as a contractor to the BlueRibbon Coalition from 1996 until June, 2018. Don served on the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission from 1994-2000. He has won numerous awards including being a 2016 Inductee into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame and the 2018 Friend of the AMA Award. Don currently serves as the government affairs lead for AMA District 36 in Northern California. He may be reached via email at: damador@quietwarriorracing.com

WHEN TRAILS CLOSE WE ALL LOSE Do Your Part / Don't Lose Trails

Keeping trails open is everyone's responsibility. By working together as one motorized community, we can keep our trails open, healthy and beautiful for generations to come. Do your part by riding responsibly, keeping trails clean and trash-free, and volunteering with organizations that are working to keep access open for everyone.

Do your part, support Tread Lightly! and it's mission by becoming a member at treadlightly.org.

I RIDE, I DRIVE, I OFF-ROAD, I TREAD LIGHTLY!

Time Optimizer (11.6% Of Respondents) You can guess this is a commuter who saves time and parking space by using a motorized 2-wheeled vehicle. Pick a moped rider in Florence or a lane splitter in L.A. and you could qualify them both as time optimizers. It’s not about the bike, but about saving time first and foremost. Sure, they could be commuting on a trashed Triumph or a spiffy sportbike, but that’s secondary to the purpose of economizing time during the commute to work of the grocery store. They have other things to do, and a motorcycle will allow them to do more of those.

Multi-Modal Rider (11% Of Respondents) Next to their hybrid car, SUV and truck in the garage, sits a motorcycle. It is just one of the transportation arrows in this person’s quiver. Not necessarily the favorite for a vehicle nut, but it represents its place in the collection. Are they an avid motorcyclist? Not necessarily, but as a motorhead—ICE or EV—they are obliged to have something with 2 wheels to be motor-balanced.

Confessions Of A Customer®

Unconditional Rider (9.5% Of Respondents) No matter the time of day or weather, these people ride.

These are the die-hards who you would likely regard as your best customers because they wear out tires and chains while visiting regularly for service and a dose of socially inspired moto-culture. There just aren’t enough of them, however.

THE 8 TYPES OF MOTORCYCLE RIDERS

Tactician (18.2% Of Respondents) This category keeps all his or her vehicular options open, only riding a 2-wheeler when it suits their fancy or the situation. Yes, “opportunist” would seem a more fitting label, but note this is the second largest category of the 8. How can we encourage these “temporary tacticians” to step up the moto-opportunities a bit more? I am guessing they don’t have a buddy to ride with, exerting peer pressure to “go riding tomorrow.”

By Eric Anderson

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research group in Belgium called “Vias” recently revealed why riders take to two wheels. Some 3,000 motorcyclists over the age of 16 were asked how they enjoy motorcycles. From the data collected (presumably in Europe), the firm determined riders fall into 8 categories. Only 8? Who are they and how do they apply to American riders or your potential new customers?

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Good-Vibe Seeker (14.2% Of Respondents) It’s all about enjoyment and putting a smile on their face. Not function. Not necessarily fashion. Just a big smile (and maybe a couple bugs in their teeth) coming from the wind in their face.

Any old motorcycle might do for this crowd, so don’t expect them on the latest model with the newest gear. But you will see them on the backroads on a Sunday just looking around for a good time.

Time-For-Me Rider (18.8% Of Respondents) Escapists. Get out of town and leave the stress behind. This is the largest share of the study’s subjects, so pay attention to the motivation here. This harkens to the adage, “Have you ever seen a motorcycle parked outside of a psychologist’s office?” The motorcycle is a device for delivering escape, some adrenaline and adventure. Maybe this explains surging ADV sales?

Daily User (7.5% Of Respondents) It’s too bad this is such a small portion of the whole of motorcycling. Many of us industry-types fit into this category and simply don’t understand why more people don’t think like us. It’s because we work here. Do you think those who work in the golf industry play golf much? These people are like the Unconditional Rider, the difference being they may not choose to ride in bad weather “unconditionally.”

Lifer (9.2% Of Respondents) These riders have ridden since they were young and will continue on 2-wheels for as long as they can. They may not ride every day or in every kind of weather, but they will always have a motorcycle or motorcycles in their life one way or another. Likely, their parents taught them how to ride and now it is being carried forward from one generation to the next.

What’s to learn here? Take these “types” and see how they apply to newcomers in the world of motorcycling… and new to your dealership. You may not be booking any “Lifers” soon, but perhaps you can begin to better typecast your customers and make a better recommendation on the bike for them?

Not everyone wants the latest, hottest new model you read about in Cycle News this week. It’s more likely they are looking only for something to add to their fleet, escape the drudgery of work, add to their personal “cool factor” or minimize commuting time. Dig for the deep-down motivation in your customers, then satisfy their desires over yours to sell them what you like personally.

BTW, which rider type are you… and which type is the next person walking in the front door?

Combine 8 Types Down To 4

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f I combined similar categories of the 8 rider types mentioned above, I could get it down to 4 basic groups of current and/or new customers. Where do you think the biggest opportunity for growth is in your store?

Omit #1 since they are already committed, but where could you target market 2, 3 and 4 as prospective newcomers to convert into motorcyclists? Motorcycle Safety Foundation graduates?

Mountain bikers? Hot Rodders? Hikers? Gym rats? College students? Business owners? Veterans? 4x4 drivers? Focus on new customers in your community and market to them where you never have before.

Unconditional/Lifer No opportunities to make many more of these except starting with kids and STACYCs. Time-For-Me/Good-Vibe Seeker This is where the biggest opportunity lies! Seek out fun people wherever they are. Escapists, remember? Where do they hang out?

Multi-Modal/Tactician They may not be super dedicated, but they have money. Give them a reason to spend. How about $6 a gallon gas? That is a strategy which should appeal to the Tacticians.

Time-Optimizing/Daily User They are efficient. Help new customers rationalize how a motorcycle improves life and work… and did I mention $6 a gallon gas?

One more for the road: When was the last time you invited new MSF Rider Course students or graduates to visit your store as their homework assignment? Enter your zip code here for the course nearest you: https://msf-usa.org/

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PHOENIX RISING

Rural Indiana isn’t exactly the epicenter of motocross activity, but back in1985 Jason Gearld’s mom brought home the June issue of Dirt Bike magazine and an obsession began. “Later that year I got my first dirtbike, a1985 Honda XR80, and like so many others, I would ride until it ran out of gas.

“Over the years, I lived in pages of MXA, Dirt Rider and Inside Motocross. I dreamed of being a professional racer like Ricky Johnson and Damon Bradshaw. I would read stories on the founders of brands I admired like Geoff Fox of Fox Racing. Without even knowing it, I became a student of the motorcycle industry. So when my college career ended a few years sooner than imagined, I started working in a local motorcycle shop called Stoughton Cycle Ranch. We took it far more seriously than simply a job. It was the beginning of my ‘real world’ education.”

Fast-forward to 2016 with stops at dealerships, Fox Racing, Hammerhead Designs and Malcolm Smith Racing along the way.

“It was time to take my doctorate in motocross and create my own brand. Phoenix Handlebars was to become my passion to help remind people how cool dirtbiking is. If my little handlebar company can somehow remind you what we do is rad, then I’m stoked. You don’t need to use Phoenix products to have fun… you simply need to ride. And that is all we ask — go ride, smile, re-live it and ride again.”

Pop Quiz! Phoenix taking the guesswork out of bar choices for your customers: https://phoenixhandlebars.com/pages/find-your-bar-bend

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78 HANDLEBARS

The standard clamp size of 7/8” (22.2mm) has been on motorcycles for decades. “While some prefer the larger diameter bar, some feel the 7/8” to still be a more comfortable ride,” notes Phoenix founder Jason Gearld.

“To us, a straight handlebar is a great handlebar. Just bolt them up so we can get loaded up and go!” Laser-etched cut-lines on the ends of the bars help for those that are dodging tight trees and need to shave off metal. Or maybe you simply feel the 800mm (31.5”) width feels too wide. Measure twice, cut once, install grips, go ride. Rise options: 70mm - 80mm - 90mm - 100mm MSRP $74 https://phoenixhandlebars.com/products/78-handlebars

118 HANDLEBARS

Elbows up! Keeping your elbows up is critical to control. All Phoenix bars feature a 57mm/14° sweep that helps put riders in the proper attack position. With 1 sweep and 4 rises, Phoenix keeps it simple and yet makes it possible to tailor bars to the majority of your customers.

The oversized clamp area is 1-1/8” (28.6mm) to allow for a tapered design that creates strength while eliminating the crossbar clamp to allow added flexibility. What that means is your arms take a little less punishment and your day of riding goes on a little longer. Options: 70mm - 80mm - 90mm - 100mm MSRP $94 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHnzYK4g-6s

BAR PADS

Did you catch the cover of the latest Motocross Action? Phoenix bar pads were on every single bike in the shootout… and in the face of the entire moto world for a full month. While your customers may not be MXA test riders, they can certainly freshen up old bars or even just rock a new color with a new pad cover. Both 78 and 118 pads feature the same MSRP $18 https://phoenixhandlebars.com/collections/pad-covers

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50/50 GRIPS

A key point of contact on any motorcycle is the humble hand grip. The Phoenix 50/50 grip features a traditional waffle grip on one side for traction and smoother on the top half for protecting pummeled palms.

Not too soft, not too hard, the medium compound rubber is just right for feel and durability, while the ample thickness helps make vibration less noticeable. Oh, and all grips come with gold safety-wire. Three grooves can be found… you know the one that is too close to the inside flange on average grips? Yeah, the one that the pliers hit the flange with every revolution. The groove has been moved 5mm away and still works perfectly. MSRP $14. See more here: https://phoenixhandlebars.com/products/50-50-grip

GRIP DONUTS

The Lawrence Bros domination at Pala has put everyone in mind for donuts! Phoenix 5mm foam and lycra grip donuts may not taste as sweet as a 1-2 sweep at the first National of the season, but for riders suffering the dreaded “Yama-Thumb” these goodies are a must -have! “It’s crazy how that little blister on your thumb can make a day of riding a lot less fun.

Sliding a donut to the inside of your grip will help alleviate that blister and make your session way better,” claims Jason Gearld. While a grip donut might be priceless, Phoenix MSRP is only $5 https://phoenixhandlebars.com/products/grip-donuts

APPAREL & ACCESSORIES

“Kind of like Hank Hill and propane, our products are handlebars and grips for motorcycles,” says Gearld. “We started this brand to sell bars. But it was also to connect with people. We like to think we are accomplishing that mission.” To spread that message Phoenix has expanded its range of logo apparel designs… and don’t forget stickers! “Decals are the currency of the moto market.” Phoenix more than bars, it Is a way of life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diQK4k8RdB0&t=94s

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This banquet would not have happened without their time and hard work since that last banquet. Also, thanks to Lee Durlach of the Motorcycle Industry Council for his assistance with my stage and video presentations, plus sponsors including Colleen Barnett-Taylor and her husband Mike Taylor from Barnett Engineering, Chris Carter from Motion Pro and motorcycle manufacturers Honda, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki and Yamaha. There were many more who pitched in with assistance, including Rod Lake, Mark and Randy Zimmerman, Chris Steward, Gail Waller and Vickie Green, Kenny Buchanan, John Flanders, Debbie Bailey, Brian and Evan Bell, Todd Peterson, singer Sandi Johnson-Weidler, Luke Colombero, Morgan Williams, Jeff Emde, and thanks to Todd Huffman for use of a short clip from On Any Sunday.

We had a great contingent of veteran photographers in the house. Thanks to Denis Suter, Jim Gianatsis, Howie Zechner, Mitch Friedman, Richard Haight and Scott Heidbrink. And as he did last year for Eddie Mulder, artist Dave Maestrejuan again made a painting of the Dick Hammer Award recipient Mert Lawwill. I feel that this is now becoming one of our banquet traditions and we thank Dave for his generous contribution to the event. With the last of the LA County COVID restrictions being lifted just the day before, it was nice to finally be able to be close with our old friends, shake hands, even get a hug or two.

TRAILBLAZERS 2022

Behind The Scenes: My Thoughts About The 77th Annual Trailblazers Banquet

By Don Emde, Photos by Scott Cox

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hen I took the stage at the Carson Center on Saturday night to emcee the 2022 Trailblazers banquet, it had been 216 days since the last one, which was held in Anaheim in August of 2021. Normally we have a full year to get everything ready for our long-running event, but thanks to COVID we had moved the previous event to August and now wanted to get back to our old event date in April.

Despite the reduced schedule and many hours of work to prepare and produce all of the necessary materials, I have to say personally that I have never felt as satisfied with the end result of our Trailblazers banquet as I am right now. Sure, in the coming weeks, the Board of Directors will have a “shake down” meeting to discuss what is often called the “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.” Based on my own observations as well as the many other Facebook reports I have seen already, I don’t think there was too much, if anything, that went bad, and I certainly am not aware of anything ugly.

First off, a word of thanks to those Trailblazers Directors Ernie Aragon, Norm Bigelow, Joe Colombero, Kathy Cruz, Nancy Emde-Steward, Kevin Foley, Paul Flanders, Bill Getty, Tom Horton, Keith Lynas, Steve Storz, Tom Seymour, Devon Sowell and Duane Teevans.

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I was inside the banquet hall most of the afternoon preparing my presentations, so I was not able to be out at the bike show very much but did enjoy one lap around and saw a lot of you.

As always, we had some very unique and notable motorcycles brought in for the show, which was presented this year by Tom White’s Early Years of Motocross Museum. Great to have the family of our dear-departed friend Tom White involved again with the Trailblazers. Most of the other Trailblazers board members were hard at work at the many stations outside to cover the activities going on, including badge Will Call, bike show judging, the Silent Auction, T-shirt sales and more. And thanks again to all of them for their dedication to our purpose and giving up their own opportunities to go hang out with their friends.

Attendance this year was intentionally lower than our last banquet at the Carson Center in 2019 when we had a record 800 attendees. Even without factoring any “social distancing,” it was felt back then that 80 tables of 10 was just too tight and overcrowded. So this year we changed to 76 of the smaller 8-seat tables which totaled 608 seats. I think everyone would agree it was much more comfortable. There are always a few no-shows of people who had bought tickets, but I would estimate there were probably about 575 in attendance, still a nice size party.

Like it was at the first Trailblazers banquet in 1940 when motorcycle racing greats such as Ralph Hepburn and Freddie Ludlow were in the house, this year was amazing. In addition to Mert Lawwill and the other 2022 honorees, we had racers from all aspects of the sport including Roger DeCoster, Brad Lackey, Broc Glover, David Aldana, Chuck Miller, Jeff Ward, Mitch Payton, Danny LaPorte, Jim Odom, Chuck Sun, Donny Emler, Ralph White, Jim Wilson, Thad Wolff, Dave Hansen, Sonny Nutter, Keith Mashburn, Mercedes Gonzales (Natvig), Bob Bailey, Eddie Wirth, Mike Bast, Harry Klinzmann, Chuck Palmgren, Chance Darling, Scott Burnworth, Rob Morrison, Chris Carter, Rod Lake, Eddie Castro, Tom Clark, Don Dudek, Bryon Farnsworth, Walt Fulton, Bryar Holcomb, Mark Homchick, Tom Horton, Chip Howell, Mike Konle, Debbie Matthews, Shawn McConnell, Bruce McDougal, Danny Perkins, Goat Brekker, Todd Peterson, Chris Steward, Buddy Stubbs and more who I am surely forgetting (my apologies). There were of course many other friends and families, journalists, and both current and former race tuners, mechanics and managers in the house including Dennis Mahan, Ron Heben, Rob Muzzy, Ed Scheidler, Jim Perry and Jim “Bones” Bacon, to name a few.

I was very proud to make the award presentations to this year’s group of honorees. The awards started with the bike show winners and also a special presentation to Rod Lake of the Trailblazers President’s trophy. His support of the motorcycle sport is quite unique and far-reaching and it was presented as a thank you for all that he has done for others.

The sadness of the passing of Kenny Clark at the end of 2021 was made a little brighter for his daughter and attending family when Broc Glover, Scott Burnworth and Ed Scheidler joined us on stage and had some nice reflections of their times working with Kenny.

The others were all in attendance, including Norm Bigelow who received the Earl and Lucile Flanders Award, plus Hall of Fame honorees Sue Fish, Donnie Hansen, Sel Narayana, Reg Pridmore, Tom Seymour and our final award presentation to Mert Lawwill for our highest honor, the Dick Hammer Award.

What a night. Mark your calendars to Saturday, April 1st, 2023 and we’ll be back at the Carson Center for the 78th annual Trailblazers banquet and bike show.

TRAILBLAZERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB, INC. P.O. Box 6118 Laguna Niguel, CA 92607 www.trailblazersmc.org

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VALE DICK LECHIEN 1936-2022

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ick Lechien lived his life chasing horsepower and speed.

The founder of Maxima Racing Oils, Dick Lechien, peacefully passed away March 10, 2022 at his home in Arizona at the age of 85. Dick is the father of AMA Motocross Champion and AMA Hall of Fame racer Ronnie “The Dogger” Lechien. Dick is survived by his wife Pat, son Ronnie, daughter Lorrie and his two grandchildren Josh and Justin.

Rest in peace GODSPEED DICK LECHIEN Sorry to report on the passing a week ago of Dick Lechien.

The founder of Maxima Racing Oils, Dick lived his life chasing horsepower and speed. He peacefully passed away March 10, 2022 at his home in Arizona at the age of 85.

Having grown up in the San Diego area, I first knew Dick and his business partner Roland Reed when they owned and operated Lemon Grove Honda, which they built into one of the leading motorcycle dealerships in San Diego County. That was a fun place, and they were all involved in the sport. Their support and participation in Baja racing helped get that on the map back in the 60s and 70s.

Lemon Grove Honda was a place where things were always going on. I remember being there once and seeing an odd three-wheel vehicle that I believe was an early prototype of a Honda ATC that they were testing.

Lechien is the father of AMA Motocross Champion and AMA Hall of Fame racer Ronnie “The Dogger” Lechien. Dick is survived

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by his wife Pat, son Ronnie, daughter Lorrie and his two grandchildren Josh and Justin.

Danny Massie, president of Maxima, released the following: “Dick was an instrumental part of what Maxima is today, and was also a mentor to myself. He will always be held in the highest of regards for what he accomplished in life and for his contributions to his family, to Maxima, the motorcycle industry and all of those that he touched. We will miss you my friend.” — Don Emde

WE WENT FAST ON THE PASSING OF DICK LECHIEN Dick Lechien, husband of Pat for 60+ years, father to Lorrie and Ronnie, entrepreneur, has died. Dick was a mini parent, an involved volunteer at Barona Oaks Raceway, loved fishing, started companies, shut down companies, and started more companies.

Interviewing Dick was an absolute joy. When I wrote Making Of The Machine: A Ron Lechien Story for We Went Fast, we got off topic and we went deep into why he founded Maxima and some of the hilarious mistakes he made in the beginning… Not so hilarious at the time but funny to talk about now. Like the time he sent 22 drums of castor up to Los Angeles to be filled and cased. 25,000 bottles total.

“I don’t know why, but I pulled a couple of bottles and opened them and saw dirt in the bottom of the cans,” Dick said in a 2019 interview. “The filling company admitted they spilled some of the oil and picked it back up off the floor.”

“It’s just a few,” the company rep told him.

Exasperated, Dick said, “How am I supposed to know which ones are dirty and which ones aren’t!” He got a pump and a filter system, emptied every single bottle — all 25,000 — back into the drums and filtered all the oil. It was an exhausting and time-consuming process but he saw no other choice. Not if he was going to successfully get his business off the ground.

That business was Maxima USA.

And, of course, Dick helped his son navigate his racing career and life as both an amateur and professional. — Brett Smith, We Went Fast

“Until 1982 we didn’t make enough money to pay my salary,” Dick said. “I was on unemployment and Pat was working.

We tested our products on Ronnie’s bikes. We learned a lot.

Devoted a lot of time to all that.”

For that story, check out “Making of the Machine: A Ron Lechien Story” available @wewentfast and also on the podcast channel: https://www.wewentfast.com/2019/12/07/ep-5the-making-of-the-machine-a-ron-lechien-story/

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MAY 2022

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Not sure when that all happened, but like me, every one of us who served time in the show exhibitor “hole” can easily recite a hundred “Reasons Why Not To Show.” The list is long and includes deal killers that we have all been too afraid to confront (true for me), like all that costly staff time away from the business (CHECK), the immense burden of travel, meals, rental cars (CHECK) the late nights, no sleep, enormous bar tabs and the pounding headache we’d all try to drown at the Starbucks with our fellow tradeshow dummies who signed up for the beating... year after year CHECK). Then there’s the show handouts, catalogs and last minute UPS Red Label and FedEx shipping expenses... beyond highway robbery!

(CHECK). Then when we’re trying to put up the booth, we get hosed for drayage and crate storage, electricity, and Internet to our booths (Holy shit, how much just for my booth, not this entire freakin’ hall?! CHECK!!!) and wandering around trying to find out where the F*CK your show samples and cartons of last-minute literature ended up as it occurs to you that the show doors open in :45-minutes (CHECK MATE!!!).

SHOWS? WE DON’T NEED NO STINKING SHOWS!

By Scott Cox

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ell that sucks. Rest In Peace International Motorcycle Shows. Sad to scratch IMS SHOW off my “Must do fun stuff” planning calendar. Oh, well, I’ve always agreed that there are more than a million reasons to avoid attending shows, especially for industry veterans like myself… and a whole lot of you.

To be honest, who needs a tradeshow, right? Especially in the digitally over-connected lives we live in 2022, we don’t need no steenking shows to conduct our business, right? And no consumer worth his or her ApplePay account needs to waste time walking the aisles to see the latest motorcycles and helmets and goggles and oils and hard luggage and MX boots. Why not? Because it’s right there on your damned smartphone!

Imagine all the wasted time riding or driving or flying to a motorcycle show and paying $25 for parking and $15 for a beer and standing in long lines to get in. Yuck! We can all do without expensive time-wasting activities. Apparently the “experts” believe that actual (not virtual) industry shows and tradefairs of any kind have become a waste of time not just for customers, but for the major OEs and the aftermarket brands. Interesting.

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Personally, as much as I often pissed and moaned and swore “NEVER AGAIN!” prior to and often during every show I ever detailed, I consider myself very damned fortunate to have survived the experience and even more blessed that I was able to do it when OUR shows here and abroad were big, and frequent and exciting and fun and always (always!) far too much work, and far more expensive than we ever thought it would or should be! And then on the final day (of every show) when you’re spent from talking too much and sleeping too little and you’re a 3-days hung over suffering from the 12 oz flu and still reeking of St. Elmo’s Shrimp Cocktail Sauce… you’re looking at all the other clowns like yourself sitting in their booths watching the clock creep toward 3pm teardown and hoping only to get a jump on packing up your shit so you can somehow make that 5:30pm Delta flight that you already knew was gonna be near impossible to make when you booked it 30-days ago. Tick...tick... tick... come on 3-o’clock... tick...tick...tick...

Finally, your booth is packed and stacked (for the most part), labeled and staged for the shipping guys and you jam for the taxi line. The traffic sucked and you just barely cleared airport security and sprinted to your gate and all you wanted to do was put your ass into the seat.

“Sorry, sir, no aisles available... Yes, I am well aware that you’re a million-mile Zircon Encrusted Card Club member, but I don’t have an aisle seat for you.... sir, I am the supervisor, so please step aside, thank you. Oh, well, show’s a near distant memory, you’re on the plane now, stuffed between two clowns bigger than you but you really don’t care because even after all the hassles and goofs and inconveniences and discomforts the “big show” foisted upon you, you made your flight and though your discomforts are fresh and you haven’t responded to email in days and that folder full of paperwork you were going to find “a spare hour during the show” to complete never made it out of your backpack....

That is when you sit back and smile and start getting pumped for the next show and the next opportunity to spend special show-only time with friends and colleagues old and new and customers and random celebrities only because you stayed the course and were smart enough to attend another damned show.

RIP IMS!

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