Virtual Reality Is Coming… And Your Dealership Is Going!
There are already several plays by start-ups to build online powersports dealerships that sell and finance motorcycles nationally rather than locally. A few are focused on pre-owned motorcycles, but we all know that pressure will eventually force a paradigm shift in the traditional franchised business model.
Kawasaki Agrees to $5.2 Million Penalty for Failure to Report Defective ROVs to CPSC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., of Japan, Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A., have agreed to pay a $5.2 million civil penalty.
Honda Announces First 2018 Off-Road Models
Just in time for spring, Honda made its first off-road announcement of the 2018 model year, starring a mix of fun and popular trail bikes—the CRF125F, CRF110F, and CRF50F.
Dealer Software Continues to Evolve
Running a motorcycle and powersports dealership today is like running at least four separate businesses under one roof. You’ve got to deal with vehicle sales, parts & accessories, a service department and an accounting department. It is virtually impossible to manage all of these areas without some sort of computer system in place, and preferably
Retail Ruckus: Big Boxes Stores Bite the Dust!
Golfsmith filed for bankruptcy… Sports Authority and Sport Chalet both went out of business. The Big Box retailers are shutting down stores and cutting back staff at record rates. It isn’t just the sporting goods guys: Macy’s, J.C. Penny, Sears, K-Mart, The Limited, American Apparel, CVS and Victoria’s Secret are all pulling back brick and
Goodbye 2016, Hello 2017
Our latest survey of powersports dealers indicates that the retail sales environment improved sequentially but on balance remained weak to close out the year. For many powersports and motorcycle dealers, the end of 2016 couldn’t arrive soon enough, as end-markets were choppy and consumers were generally more price sensitive than at any point since the
The Storm… Before The Calm
Time To Reverse Your Thinking You’ve probably heard the expression “The Calm Before The Storm” before. However that logic is backwards. Technically, calm is a result of the storm… which means it comes afterward – not before the storm. Time to forget what cliches the TV weatherman may be using and reverse your thinking! Martha
’16 was not so Sweet, but ’17 Could be Better
[dropcap]F[/dropcap]or most motorcycle and powersports dealers, 2016 was anything but sweet. In fact, we would venture to say that it was a year most dealers would rather forget. Much of the volatility that plagued the end of 2015, carried over into 2016 and pressured not only sales, but more importantly, weighed on profits. Issues that
Lead Us Not In To Indecisiveness
It doesn’t matter if you are a dealer, a product manufacturer, a service provider or a distributor – Who is in charge of making the really big “decisions” in our industry, our businesses and our dealerships?
Bonnier Motorcycle Group to Launch HighPipe Festival in 2017
Fans of scrambler motorcycles will now have a dedicated event all to themselves, thanks to the inaugural HighPipe festival, which was announced by Bonnier Motorcycle Group. The three-day adventure, planned for June 9-11, 2017, will be based at China Peak Ski Resort in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains.
Shifting Gears: Printing All The News That Fits
Catching some heat? In the wake of the recent RZR recall, Polaris Industries named Senior Engineering Director Joel Houlton VP of global safety and quality. Houlton reports to CEO/Chairman Scott Wine and Ken Pucel, EVP of operations, engineering and lean. “The safety and quality of our products must be our number-one priority as a company,”
Everyone Should Have Two Bikes to Ride
[dropcap]D[/dropcap]ear Ma, I just returned from the 76th annual Black Hills Rally in Sturgis, SD. This was my 30th Sturgis Rally in a row. I’ve been every year consecutively since 1987. This year was good, although it was not as crowded as the last few years. My pal Joe T. bought a beautiful home up
Weather Improves But Sales Slow in May
According to our latest research in the Off-Road Vehicles market, the slowdown that dealers reported in April magnified last month as survey respondents noted that the weakness accelerated.
Indian Motorcycle Engineers Share ‘A Passion for Speed’
in a seven-episode video series titled “A Passion For Speed”, Indian captures a glimpse of what happens in engineer’s creative sessions as the team prepares an Indian Scout and Indian Chief Dark Horse for land speed racing in El Mirage, Calif.
In the Palm of Your Hand
How DMS Solutions Make Dealership Operation Easier and More Mobile-Friendly Many of you got into the powersports industry because you are an enthusiast who loves the sport and you wanted to try and make money doing what you love. However, you may have found that running a dealership in this industry can be quite challenging
Ducati Warms Up for its 90th Anniversary Celebrations
To officially open the celebrations for the 90th anniversary of Ducati, the Mayor of Bologna, Virginio Merola, opened the doors to the Sala Rossa, one of Bologna’s most beautiful representational halls at the Palazzo D’Accursio. Claudio Domenicali, Ducati’s CEO, presented the initiatives Ducati has planned for its 90th anniversary.
