The Traditional Wind Down Period
Bottoming Out August and September traditionally mark the bottom of the wholesale market as dealers wind down their selling season and new models are introduced. This year is right on track with the norm as Average Wholesale Prices (AWP) fell once again in August from the prior three-month average. Cruisers fell ~6% from the prior
More Imagination, Less Drugs
Dear Ma, I hope you’re well up in Heaven, we are good here in Dallas! Things are busy and we are building several really cool bikes. Recently I was giving a tour to some people, and at the end of the tour, a lady asked me where I get my ideas from. She laughingly insinuated
Apparel Pro: Touring Apparel
This spring I was lucky enough to spend over two months in both Western and Eastern Europe touring my motorcycle. Not only did I ride through very diverse seasons, spring into summer, but I also rode in very diverse geographic locations and weather conditions. Two months to myself gave me a lot of helmet time
Good News: Pre-Owned Market is Normal
Recent reports on new unit sales have been less than optimistic. The good news is that for pre-owned motorcycles and ATVs, everything is as good as or better than prior years. Average Wholesale Prices (AWP) declined in July from their prior three-month average, and they did so right in-line with what we’d expect this time
The Black Hills, Cats with Money and Einstein!
Dear Ma, I hope you’re doing well up there in Heaven. Things are groovy down here in Dallas. Well, actually, things are more “funky” than “groovy.” Ya know, life is funny and I don’t mean funny “ha ha,” I mean funny “strange!” My business has changed so much over the last 20 plus years. For
Upselling Brakes
In the early days of motorcycling, brakes were applied by sticking your foot out to stop. Then in 1902 Steffey Motorcycles of Philadelphia employed a spoon brake on the front wheel. This system essentially pressed a steel plate against the tire to slow the bike down. It was not very efficient but it was better
Summer Wholesale Pricing Has Arrived
Summer Slide It’s official – summer wholesale pricing has arrived. Average Wholesale Prices (AWP) declined for most major powersport product categories in June, right in line with typical seasonal behavior. Compared to the prior three months, domestic cruiser AWP declined 7%, metric cruisers declined 12%, sportbikes declined 2% and off-road was roughly flat except for
Horny Toads & the Budweiser Flu
Dear Ma, I hope you’re doing well up there in heaven. We are doing fine down here in Dallas. We have been really busy lately. I have been going crazy trying to manage all my employees. We own six businesses and employ 80 people. Managing all these people is the hardest/worst part of what I
Passing the Spring Peak
While pre-owned powersports unit sales continue to be a shining star for dealers, the wholesale market has crested its peak. Dealers are still in their selling season and need good inventory from the auction, but they are maintaining their inventory levels rather than building up in anticipation. This is typical for May as the market
‘What If’ Scenarios Playing Out In My Head
Dear Ma, I hope you’re well up there in Heaven. We are doing fine in Big D. Ya know, life is a struggle, it really is. I absolutely LOVE the motorcycle industry and I guess that makes the struggle bearable for me. Sometimes I think about some of the decisions I’ve made over the years
Pre-Owned is Heating Up
Average Wholesale Prices (AWP) rose again in April, in many cases outpacing average prices from the same time last year. Dealer appetite for comparable product rose again in April for all categories as consumer demand continues to rise as we near the peak of the selling season. Many dealers report that they can’t get enough
Looking Back, Looking Forward & Trying Not to Cry!
Dear Ma, I hope you’re doing good up there in Heaven. We are extremely busy down here in Big D. Things are really hectic around here this time of year and I am very grateful for that!