Motorcycle & Powersports News, January 2014

MotorcyclePowersportsNews.com

JAN

. 2014

V

OL. 40 N

O. 101.2014

• Harley Debuts Street 750 At EICMA

• Dudley Perkins Company: 100 Years of Harley

Plus:Eric Anderson

Joins the

MPN team!

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2 January 2014 | Motorcycle & Powersports News

Contents

Volume 40 Number 1MotorcyclePowersportsNews.com

EDITORIALEditor – Brendan Baker

[email protected]

Editor-at-Large – Robin [email protected]

Associate Editor – Gina [email protected]

Assistant Editor – Matthew [email protected]

Columnists & Contributors

Eric AndersonCyclepedia PressSteve Dodds IIC.R. GittereSteve JonesMark RodgersMargie SiegalJim Woodruff

ART

Sr. Graphic Designer –Tammy House

[email protected]

Official Publisher of the AIMExpo ShowDaily, Directory and Souvenir Program

Dealership OperationsHighlighting The Best ..................................................................................................................................................4The Road Ahead by Brendan Baker

Dealer New Units In Stock..........................................................................................................................12Inventory Report by ADP Lightspeed

P-selling To P-sychosConfessions of a Customer by Eric Anderson...................................................................................14

Rising Demand And Rising Product AvailabilityPre-owned Monthly Recap by Jim Woodruff ......................................................................................16

Dudley Perkins Company:100 Years Of Harley-Davidson...........................................................................................................42Destination Dealership by Margie Siegal

Work Hard And Win: Part Two ...........................................................................................................44The Service Manager by C.R. Gittere

November 2013 Service Department Performance .....................46Best of Practice Club by Steve Jones

Body Language Spoken Here: Part Two ............................................................................48Peak Dealership Performance by Mark Rodgers

Industry Vet Launches PWC Content Site, E-Commerce Storefront...................................................................................................................................50PWC Update

The Two Most Misunderstood Legal Regulations..............................51Finance & Insurance by Steve Dodds II

Liquid Cooled Engine Care ........................................................................................................................52Tech Tips by Cyclepedia Press

2014 Off-Road Seasons Kick Off In January .................................................56Pit Pass

EICMA 2013: Inside theWorld’s Largest MotorcycleTrade Show By Robin Hartfiel

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

V-Twin Expo PreviewPrepare for the Big Show in Cincinnati......................................... 22V-Twin ApparelFashion and Protection ................................................................. 24V-Twin Parts and AccessoriesStock Your V-Twin Section ............................................................. 28

V-Twin Focus

Best of the WebTop 25 Products of 2013

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Afew weeks ago, I recieved an email from a concerned reader saying, in short, thatour position on Independent We Stand was flawed. He nailed a number of points

right on the head, like the fact that there are thousands of powersports dealers who tietheir financial well-being to international companies such as Honda, Yamaha, BMW,Kymco, along with the many fine aftermarket companies we have all grown accustomedto in the U.S.

My point is that as powersports dealers, you sell products from all over the world.While V-Twin dealers may sell a larger share of American made products, for manymulti-line dealers this is not what their customers want. While buying American may bea noble cause, we know that many of you have a much more international approach.We would agree that it is a complex issue for dealers who want to support the localcommunity and be viewed as a small business when you sell such a variety of productsfrom around the globe.

But as a small business, you likely put more dollars back into your local communitythan some of the big box chains. Yes, buying American made products is a great idealto uphold when the choices are clear and a decision can be made one way or anotherin your dealership. We agree with our reader that this is an issue without an easy answeror cause to support.

Speaking of things American, the 14th Annual V-Twin Expo is just about to get un-derway in Cincinnati starting Feb. 8. The show is reporting increased dealer registrationplus a strong list of exhibitors. Dealers will be able to meet with industry leading V-Twinmanufacturers, builders, designers, distributors and more during the two-day show atthe Duke Energy Convention Center. In addition to the exhibitors on hand, you willhave access to highly interactive seminars and working sessions geared to make yourbusiness more profitable and efficient. Starting on page 22, we offer a preview of theshow and some of the many products available in this thriving market.

Products are a big part of what you offer and what we highlight each issue, and weare proud to announce our second annual Best of The Web award winners, starting onpage 32. We don’t pick the winners; instead we compile the list from our most-readitems on our website, www.motorcyclepowersportsnews.com.

And finally, we would like to announce that longtime powersports entrepreneur Eric Anderson has joined our team. We’re very excited to be working with Eric as he hasbeen a stalwart in the industry for many years promoting dealer education and training.And this is, we believe, one of the biggest building blocks to a successful dealership.We have many great things planned with this new partnership and he will have a stronginfluence in the coming months along with Robin Hartfiel and I on the newly formededitorial advisory board. Please give Eric a warm welcome next time you see him. Orbetter yet, reach out and congratulate him on the ‘net! t

Brendan Baker, Editor

Highlighting The Best

AHEAD

THE

Road

By Brendan Baker

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IndustryInside the


Indian Motorcycle Partnerswith Jack Daniel’s on‘Operation Ride Home’Indian Motorcycle announcedit’s donating a custom 2014Chief Vintage motorcycle tosupport “Operation RideHome,” a partnership programbetween Jack Daniel Distilleryand the Armed Services YMCAdesigned to help junior-enlisted servicemembers and their families travel to their homes across the country this holiday season.

For 2014, the inaugural year for the Indian Chief built in Spirit Lake, Iowa, thefirst 1,901 units were badged with com-memorative serial numbers. The “No. 7”serial number off the line was a Red IndianChief Vintage model donated by IndianMotorcycle to the Operation Ride Homeprogram, which will benefit military fami-lies. The artists at Klock Werks in Mitchell,S.D., led by Brian Klock added just theright touches to create a unique motorcy-cle. Hand-laid pinstriping, Jack Daniel’slogos, the Operation Ride Home logo anda customized seat combine to reflect thespecial nature of this custom motorcycle.

The No. 7 Operation Ride Home custom bike was unveiled to a crowd of

press and dignitaries at the International Motorcycle Showin Long Beach on Friday, Dec. 6.On hand for the unveiling cere-mony were U.S. Marines LanceCorporal Johnny Cornejo Jr., abeneficiary of the OperationRide Home program, and John Baer, San Diego chapterboard member for the Armed

Forces YMCA. “For the third year in a row, we are

honored to play a leadership role insponsoring this important campaign insupport of the fiercely loyal men andwomen of our Armed Forces and theirfamilies by helping assist those memberswho otherwise might not be able tospend precious time with their familiesover the holiday season,” said DaveStang, marketing manager for JackDaniel’s. “We anticipate an even greateroutpouring of support for this campaignin 2013 and we sincerely welcome thepartnership and support of our friends atIndian Motorcycle.”

The bike will be auctioned by Barrett-Jackson at its Scottsdale, Ariz., auction,which runs Jan. 12-19, 2014. The No. 7Indian Chief Vintage motorcycle will beon display at the International

Motorcycle Shows tour, beginning Dec. 6in Long Beach, Calif., where motorcyclefans will have a chance to view it. Pro-ceeds from the charity auction will be donated to support the “Operation RideHome” program administered throughthe Armed Services YMCA.

“All of us at Polaris Industries areproud of our decades-long support ofour U.S. Armed Services personnel andtheir families, and the Indian Motorcyclebrand has an even longer heritage ofsupporting the United States military dating back to World War I,” said SteveMenneto, vice president of motorcyclesfor Polaris. “Today we are pleased to extend that relationship by partneringwith our friends at Jack Daniel’s and theArmed Services YMCA in support of Operation Ride Home. The Old No. 7label in black and a red Indian Chief aretwo of this country’s most iconic symbols,so we are honored to donate the No. 7unit of our history-making new 2014 Indian Chief motorcycles for the benefitof our hard-working and dedicated mili-tary personnel and their families.” t

One-Wheeled Microcycle from RYNO Available for Pre-OrderRYNO Motors announced that the com-

By Robin Hartfiel

A New Year and new columns. This issue marks the first appearance of the NPA Pre-Owned Monthly Recap as MPN has partneredwith National Powersport Auctions to provide our readers with a comprehensive recap of pre-owned wholesale results. Since NPA isthe largest provider of pre-owned powersports vehicles in the world, selling an average of 5,000 units each month, they have a realhandle on what is happening with used motorcycle sales. Be sure to check out NPA COO Jim Woodruff’s column in this issue andlet us know what you think on Facebook (facebook.com/MotorcyclePowersportsNews), Twitter (twitter.com/MPNMag) or email ([email protected]).

Starting in this issue, industry veteran, dealer advocate and educator Eric Anderson is bringing his wit and wisdom to the pagesof MPN. “My Confessions of a Customer dealer column is just one of my commitments to the industry,” he says. “Others includemy perpetual retail sales training efforts and service to the MIC Board of Directors.” His column forces retailers to look at their businesses through the eyes of the changing modern customer … not their own views from behind a sales desk or parts counter. “It may ‘sting’ to read sometimes, but it’s always authentic material authored by the often uncomfortable forces of change,” notes Anderson. “Partnering with Babcox Media will also allow my Vroom Network’s e-learning and training experiences to be more fully utilized. I am excited about MPN’s future … and mine!” Dealers may remember Eric from his days with Intersport Fashions West ormore recently for creating the Scorpion Helmet line.

Speaking of helmets, Shoei source Helmet House is hiring. “Recently, our national sales manager resigned to start a new businesswith his wife outside the powersports industry,” says VP/Director of Products Mark Gandy. “We are looking for a veteran with provensuccess leading a national sales force. The ideal candidate will be someone who has excellent problem solving skills and can motivatea sales staff.” Duties include sales program planning, recruiting, training, team building, heading annual sales meetings, public speak-ing and occasional travel. Does this sound like you? Send your resume and cover letter to: [email protected] t

Shifting Gears – Printing all the news that fits

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MotorcyclePowersportsNews.com 7

pany will start to accept customer depositsfor the RYNO, a one-wheeled electric microcycle. Customers can guarantee thatthey receive a RYNO with a fully refundable$150 deposit. The company expects tobegin production later this year.

The self-balancing electric RYNO is designed for city errands, commuting towork and for personal transportation withinlarge campuses and industrial facilitieswhere people need to move quickly and efficiently over short to medium distances.The RYNO is small enough to be broughtinto offices and elevators, and it mingleswell with pedestrians.

“The RYNO is a fun, efficient and convenient way to get from place toplace,” said Chris Hoffmann, CEO andfounder of RYNO Motors. “It’s half the bikeand twice the fun.”

To operate a RYNO, the rider must balance the RYNO from side to side in thesame way as any other bicycle, but the forward and back balance is managed bythe electronics on the vehicle. As a self-balancing form of transportation, the RYNOmoves forward when a rider leans forward,and stops when a rider leans back. It gener-ally takes a new rider about one hour tobegin to get comfortable riding the RYNO,and a few days to achieve intuitive and natural control.

With a top speed of 10 miles per hour,the RYNO is suited for use in bike lanes andon sidewalks. It produces zero emissions, is easily charged in a normal AC outlet and costs under a penny a mile to ride. According to the company, initial pricing isexpected to be $5,295 per cycle. t

Polaris Accuses Arctic Cat of Violating Side-by-Side PatentPolaris Industries sued Arctic Cat on Dec.



20 for patent infringement. The suit statesthat Arctic Cat’s Wildcat SxS vehicles infringe on a Polaris patent filed in 2006and updated in 2010. The patent is listedas patent No. 8,596,405.

According to the complaint, Arctic Cathas manufactured and sold side-by-sideall-terrain vehicles, and still is, includingWildcat side-by-side vehicles, whichinfringe the ‘405 patent.

The complaint also states that ArcticCat had knowledge of the patent sinceDec. 3, 2013, when the U.S. patent officeofficially approved the application. t

AMA Announces Little as 2013 Motorcyclist of the YearThe American Motorcyclist Association

(AMA) has announced the recipient of its2013 Motorcyclist of the Year award: AMAlife member Larry Little. Little, vice presi-dent and general manager of Marketplace Events, created AIMExpo, a U.S. motor-cycle show that debuted in2013 and brought buyers and sellers together in a bold, new way, according tothe association.

The AMA Motorcyclist of the Year recognizes the person or persons who hadthe most profound impact within the motorcycling community in the previous 12 months.

“While most in motorcycling viewed thecataclysmic changes brought about by theeconomic crisis as disastrous, Larry Littlesaw an opportunity to improve the situation

while fulfilling a long-held passion to launcha motorcycle show for manufacturers, distributors, dealers, consumers and mediain America,” said AMA President and CEORob Dingman.

“When we step back and look at the excitement, exposure and interest that theAmerican International Motorcycle Expobrought to the motorcycling industry in thepast 12 months, it is fitting that we recog-nize Larry for his innovation and drive,”Dingman added.

Little, the formerpublisher of CycleWorld magazine,sought to bring theEuropean motor-cycle show format toAmerica starting inthe early 1990s.However, that format, which combines new motorcycle model year introductions withaftermarket product reveals, media involve-ment and consumer access, wasn’t accept-able at that time to major U.S. motorcycledistributors, who preferred to introducenew bikes at exclusive dealer meetings.

In the wake of the recent economicslowdown that tightened manufacturers’marketing and business developmentbudgets, Little revitalized his plan as a cost-effective solution. Companies agreed,and the inaugural AIMExpo was held Oct. 16-20, 2013, at the Orange CountyConvention Center in Orlando, Fla.

“While history will judge the ultimatesuccess of the AIMExpo, there is no ques-tion that the show represents a dramaticdeparture from what has been done in the

Inside the Industry

In news from our neighbors, Canadian-based BRP BRP has built a new manufacturing facility in Querétaro, Mexico. BRP assembles Rotax engines for its Can-Am off-road vehicles, assembles the Sea-Doo Spark watercraft and manufactures comp-osite hulls and decks for Sea-Doo watercraft. By 2015, the entire Sea-Doo watercraft lineup will be produced in the Querétaro facility. Once completed, the project will represent an investment of more than $100 million (Canadian)and employ 1,100 people by 2015.“Mexico is a competitive global product delivery hub for BRP, thanks to the commitment, dedication and good work of allour employees,” said BRP CEO José Boisjoli. “We believe that through a combi-nation of Mexico’s outward-looking trade strategy based on its diversified network of trade agreements and BRP’s export business model, we can competemore effectively in various markets and continue to grow our volumes.” t

Shifting Gears



past,” said Dingman. “The short-term impact has been significant, however, and ifthis show format takes hold as anticipated,it will offer tremendous benefit to everyonewho loves motorcycling.” t

Fulmer Introduces Shiro Helmets to the U.S.Fulmer Helmets is introducing Shiro Helmets to the U.S. market. Fulmer’s factory direct sales force has forged strongrelationships with its dealers, which will be backbone for the U.S. launch of the European brand, said the company. Fulmeralso noted that dealers will enjoy the samehigh margins they are accustomed to but ata higher price point with Shiro Helmets tomaximize their bottom line across theboard.

Shiro was established in 1993 and is currently celebrating its 20th year. Thebrand credits its growth to its research teamand rider inspired helmet designs. Shiro hasa strong presence in the world-racing sceneand utilizes the feedback of their riders tocontribute to every aspect of helmet design and functionality. This collaborativeapproach to innovation has allowed Shiroto remain true to its mission of providing innovative designs that are safe and com-fortable for the rider at a reasonable price.

When asked why Fulmer elected topartner with Shiro, the answer was shock-ingly simple: it was all about meeting theneeds of dealers in a difficult market.

“Our dealers love our no-Internet policyand all the steps we take to protect theirbusiness and their bottom line, but onething they were asking for was the samebusiness model for higher price point helmets so they can compete with the

online outfits in that arena and maximizetheir margins across the board,” said NickLoMonaco of Fulmer Helmets.

“Both organizations share a common vision of protecting the independent brickand mortar dealers from the undercuttingof Internet sales. Shiro seemed like a natu-ral fit and the perfect solution to meet ourdealer’s needs,” he added.

The initial wave of Shiro Helmets will hit

Inside the Industry

Oh Canada? Heads up, Canadiandealers: AFX Helmets, le premiernom en matiere de casques, arenow available north of the border.Contact CDI International director ofsales Mark Kashetsky at (514) 327-7994 for more information or headover to www.cdi-int.com/afx in cyberspace. t

Shifting Gears



stores in early 2014 in the form of fourmodels: full-face, off-road, modular anddual sport. Shiro Helmets range in pricefrom $149-$349 and will be available in authorized Fulmer Helmet dealers acrossthe U.S. in 2014. t

Date Change for AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days at Mid-Ohio SportsCar CourseIn a move that will help Midwestern motor-cyclists get more out of their summerevents, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and Mid-Ohio SportsCar Course have worked together tochange the date of the 2014 edition ofAMA Vintage Motorcycle Days.

AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2014 willbe held July 11-13, one week earlier thanpreviously announced. The new dates prevent a conflict with another event heldin Wauseon, Ohio.

“Providing a date for AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days is never easy, given that itoften can only be set after many otherdominoes get lined up, including schedulesfor MotoGP racing in this country, WorldSuperbike races here, and AMA Pro Racingevents,” said Jeff Massey, AMA vice presi-dent of operations. “We never like to windup in competition with other motorcyclingevents nearby, and some years it’s unavoid-able. But in this case, we were able to workwith other groups in an effort to find a newspot on the calendar for AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days that makes the mostsense for the fans.”

The move sees Mid-Ohio Sports CarCourse’s popular AMA Pro Racing eventmove to July 19-20, track officials have an-nounced.

“It wasn’t easy getting all the dominosto fall the right way, but in the end, this

change will be received well by the fans ofAMA Vintage Motorcycle Days,” saidMassey. “By changing these dates, we create the opportunity for a better fit in themix of motorcycling attractions in the region next July.”

Added Mid-Ohio Sports Car CoursePresident Craig Rust, “We’re happy to workwith the AMA and AMA Pro Racing tocome up with a reformatted schedule thatwe believe will benefit everyone, includingthe great fans who support these events.”

Advance tickets are available to thepublic at www.midohio.com. In addition,AMA members should stay tuned for newsof a special ticket discount only for AMAmembers available directly through theAMA offices. t

Scorpion Hires Wilkinson as Director of DevelopmentScorpion Sports Inc. has brought veteranmotorcycle apparel developer EdwardWilkinson on board as director of development.

John Kim, vice president of business operations, stated, "We are incredibly fortunate to bring Edward on board tooversee and expand our developmentteam. Not only is he an avid motorcyclist,he is also a materials and production expert. He was the innovator behind Klim'ssuccessful dual sport line and we are excited to bring his broad range of skills, experience and enthusiasm to the Scorpionfamily. Scorpion’s vision is to offer high-end,technically advanced motorcycle apparel ata reasonable price, and adding Edward toan already experienced and seasoned development team will help solidify our position to do just that."

"After looking at several brand opportu-nities, I felt that Scorpion has the most

potential as well as the unique resources toenable them to bring advanced technolo-gies to market in a way that no other company can," said Wilkinson. "I am excited and honored to be a part of such a dynamic and dedicated team, and I amlooking forward to bringing consumers awhole new range of ground-breaking andtechnologically advanced riding gear."

Scorpion Sports USA has a warehouseand corporate offices in Santa FeSprings, Calif., and a distribution centerin Louisville, Ky. In addition to motorcycleapparel, the Scorpion factory also manu-factures helmets. t

Inside the Industry

No love for the glove? Unfortunately, Held North America has ceased operation.After no tweets to their lightly trafficked Twitter feed for 10 days during the holiday selling season and their website defaulting to the online store with a"closed" sign, confirmation of the company’s closing was finally delivered inearly December. “With much regret, I must inform you Held North America Inc.will be closing its business on Dec. 20, 2013,” said HNA’s Tommy Kincaid. “We have enjoyed working with you during the past nine years.” Held BikerFashion GmbH should have new representation for the U.S. shortly; howeverthere was no word from Germany at press time. t

Shifting Gears

Want to stay up to datewith the latest motorcycleand powersports news? Be sure to visit our websiteand sign up for MPN’sweekly newsletter.


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

Every night, more than 1,600Lightspeed powersports dealersautomatically transmit theirinformation to a collective databaseheld at the ADP Lightspeed officesin Salt Lake City, Utah. Summariesand aggregated reports areavailable to dealers for both currenttracking and historical research.This helps you know how yourdealership is performing comparedto other dealers across the country.

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

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

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

www.adplightspeed.com

Powersports Dealer New Units in Stock December 20131,744 Lightspeed Dealers, Distribution of Units by Type and Model Year

Scooter

On-Road Motorcycle

Off-Road Motorcycle

Snowmobile

ATV

Utility Vehicle

Prior to 2013 Model Year 2013 Model Year 2014 Model Year

13%42%

45%

7%

25%

68%

19%38%

43%

23%52%

26%

13%

21%

66%

26%

58%

16%

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Psychographics is the study of personality, values, attitudes, interests and lifestyles. It is nothing like the more commonly

known statistically-driven demographics. Face it: your customersare not just a number, so don’t treat them like one. Human beingsride motorcycles primarily because they are fun, convenient andrepresent a lifestyle with which we want to be connected. That vibecannot always be maximized by a statistical model. The machinesyou offer represent an emotional commitment and lifestyle expres-sion to us — unlike the European and Asian scooter markets wherethey are purely tools for transportation. Harley-Davidson doesn’tsell motorcycles; it sells a lifestyle, which in turn brings the parts,pieces and ingredients along for the ride. So what are you selling?

With the help of a study conducted by the Motorcycle IndustryCouncil via Experian Marketing Services, we have a taste of severalcustomer psychographic categories, along with a summary of thelifestyle they are pursuing. What does this psycho-babble mean toyou? Simple — sell their lifestyle and you will sell more of the prod-ucts that fit that lifestyle. More information is available to MICmembers, which now includes dealers, manufacturers and relatedtrades (details can be found at www.mic.org). Remember, your pre-judgments and opinions aren’t important by comparison towhat we customers think of ourselves. The better you understandus (customers) and know how we “think,” the better you will beable to sell and support us.

Stop pushing your products onto us regardless of our back-grounds. Instead, help us understand how your products enhancethe lifestyle we already envision ourselves leading. Based on thefollowing psychographic profiles from Experian, ask more ques-tions and lead us to our own discoveries.

Stock Cars And State ParksRural, middle class between the ages of 35 and 64. Working adultchildren are often living at home bringing the household incomeup above average. Fishing, hunting, boating and camping are purefun, while sports and potluck dinners bring family together. Trucks,SUVs and full-sized vans are the vehicles of choice, often with 4-wheel drive and usually made in the U.S. Classic rock and countrymusic are their favorites. They shop for discounts, but they tend tospend more than they can afford on passion-driven purchases.Those can include what you have to sell — dirt bikes, UTVs, PWCsand cruiser motorcycles.

How To Sell: Think like Cabelas or BassPro. Proactively engage this customer type with e-blasts or at sports-related

functions. Invitations, special events, contests, open houses andseasonal specials are all on their radar. Be able to deliver orship it to their door — way out in the country — because yourdestination store is more expensive to visit than a UPS deliverycharge. If it’s a vehicle they want to buy, make it part of a spe-cial event with a personal e-invitation or snail mail, if that’s theway your customer base still operates. Justify the asking pricewith their assumed need for improved recreation, comfort andfun with the family. Don’t just sell the man of the house; sell theentire family ... even if they are not present.

BirkenstocksUpper middle class couples living in small towns and cities usually between ages 45 and 65 years old. This “crunchy gra-nola” crowd wears those cool silver lensed- or white-framedsunglass brands and is drawn to smaller weekend and vacationgetaways far from the maddening crowd. They are not alwaysattracted to the latest designer fashions, but more to func-tional, long lasting brands and looks. They tend to express theirstatus through their cars and claim they like domestic autobrands, but the cars in the garage show a fondness for importbrands. The boutique shopping experience is more importantto them than jamming into a mass retail environment. Offerspecial shopping experiences, product category consultantsand events in order to make them feel special. Invite them —exclusively — and they will come.

How To Sell: Talk to them without making them feel antago-nized or ignorant. Emphasize the long-term investment, family funand reliability of the products you offer. It’s not about a discountedprice with this crowd. Be sure to deliver your message and dealer-

By Eric Anderson

P-selling To P-sychosCrazy Talk!

ConfessionsOF A CUSTOMER

(DUCK DYNASTY)

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ship value proposition to their laptop ...which is the communications center of theircareer and leisure activities. “Adventure”has many meanings to many people, butthe word is attracting this segment morethan any other. Verbally and visually paintthe picture of new horizons, new friends,new machines … and you will sell more tothis group.

Boomers And BoomerangsThe oldest postwar babies are now ap-proaching retirement but still have thehighest household income. Their single-family homes in suburban areas now in-clude a wage earning child over 25 whohas recently returned to the nest. Mainlywhite and college educated, these cus-tomers still have the most earning power,but obviously seem interested in rollcage-covered UTVs instead of their ’70s motorcy-cles. Some are coming back to motorcyclesa second time — thus boomerang — nowthat more time is available after the child-rearing years are over. Others want to include more family this time around, thusthe UTV and trike growth spurts we are see-ing. It’s tough to get us inside your storebecause we don’t shop like we did in theold days, so get creative.

How To Sell: Connect with their highprofile in Internet, mobile and wireless de-vices. They are heavily committed to pre-mium channels on TV while also doing as

much business as possible online to pre-serve private time after working crazy-longhours at their jobs. Sell convenience, timesaving, personal appointments, value andsmiles-per-mile. You gotta love those week-ends at the cabin, desert, river or moun-tains ... without spending it fixing andmaintaining stuff in the garage.

Jet-Set UrbanitesChild-free, cash rich. They belong to thehigh end clubs, but don’t like classic shop-ping experiences, preferring upscale retail-ers, boutiques and online businessesinstead. Your destination dealership is noton their list of places to visit, so you needto go to them or where they go — movietheaters, malls, shows, online experiences.They see themselves as progressive sophis-ticates who seek the adventuresome pathand thus, spend time and money keepingfit and dressing well. Your definition of “ad-venture” is likely more hardcore than theirs,but paying more for high quality brands isnot an issue — in fact, it adds value to theentire experience.

How To Sell: Be online! Be presentwhere they visit or shop! The industrial busi-ness park where your dealership is locatedis not it. These people are successful, busyand don’t want to veer far from their routinepathways. If you are difficult to visit, reachor deal with, you will become rapidly irrele-vant in their lives. On the other hand, theyare intrigued with the adventure machinesyou sell. Most of their livelihood and inputcomes through men’s magazines and theInternet, so make sure to offer all yourproducts, demonstrations, purchases andprograms via an ethernet cable or Wi-Fi enabled device. If your SEO (search engineoptimization) is in the toilet(#OEM/model/UTV/motorcycle/etc.), yoursales with this segment of customers will

also be swirling the bowl because theydon’t know you exist. Think Range Rovermeets Starbucks and then add some cargovests, safari chairs and smartphones.

Note: the common denominator toreaching all these groups is to break out ofthe traditional business model you haveused for years. Crazy talk of psychographicsnotwithstanding, doing business the sameold way doesn’t work anymore. The clinicaldefinition of insanity is doing something thesame way over and over and expecting adifferent result. Times have changed. Hasyour business model?

These examples are obviously oversim-plified and just a taste of who is walkingthrough your front door … or should bewalking through your front door. An MICdealer membership will allow you to gainadditional insight into more of the ExperianPsychographic Customer Groups in orderto become a more effective seller to evolv-ing groups of customers and their shop-ping habits. Have you been payingattention to the various ways to attract andp-sell to p-sychographically categorizedcustomers? t

The long-running Confessions of a Customer™ is one of columnist Eric Anderson’s commitments to the industry,which includes his retail sales training efforts and service to the MIC Board of Directors. He has built several well-knownaftermarket brands and is the founder ofVroom Network, an industry-specific con-sulting company specializing in marketing,training and brand development.

(PORTLANDIA)

(MODERN FAMILY)

14-15 confessions_Layout 1 1/13/14 1:07 PM Page 15

By Jim Woodruff

Rising Demand And RisingProduct AvailabilityR

eca

p

Pre-owned monthly


For the last five months, we haveseen the normal decline in pricing

due to the lack of demand in the sum-mer months. November is the firstmonth since spring to show an uptick inaverage wholesale price across a major-ity of categories. NPA feels this upwardtrend in average wholesale price willcontinue into the spring of 2014.

November’s average wholesale priceis up over previous months in severalcategories but overall, the monthly av-erage wholesale price in 2013 remainsbelow the monthly average wholesaleprice in 2012. This has been a trendthroughout 2013 for most categories,and NPA feels this is due to several con-tributing factors including a soft spring,slow summer and the launch of newmodels later in the year.

Overall, live auction bidder participa-tion is up in November as well com-pared to the prior three months, basedon the ratio of bidders to availableproduct. The November conversion rate(units sold vs. units offered) on NPAeSale has also improved over the priorthree-month average along with a risein units sold. NPA considers these assigns of both rising demand and risingproduct availability heading into spring,reinforcing the belief that the wholesalemarket will continue to rise in a normalseasonal fashion.

Pre-Owned ForecastNPA expects to see pre-owned valuesrise for the remainder of 2013 and into2014. NPA also expects a gradual in-crease in repos along with a rise in

dealer demand as we near the springbuying season of 2014. NPA feels thatthese positive early indicators show astrengthening market and will ultimatelyresult in a strong Q1 and Q2 of 2014. t

MPN has partnered with NationalPowersport Auctions to provide ourreaders with a monthly recap of pre-

owned wholesale powersport sale re-sults. National Powersport Auctions isthe largest provider of pre-owned vehi-cles, selling approximately 5,000 eachmonth. We hope you enjoy this newsegment.

16 recap 1/13/14 1:07 PM Page 16

17 vroom 1/13/14 1:08 PM Page 17


During the time of Caesar, they said, “Allroads lead to Rome.” For the modern

motorcyclist, all roads lead to Milan for theannual EICMA show. Officially known as theEsposizione Internazionale Ciclo, Motociclo& Accessori, the event in Italy has grown tobecome the world’s largest motorcycleshow. By “big show,” we mean literally andfiguratively, since EICMA encompassesmore than 3 million square feet. Simply put,if you are serious about being in the motor-cycle market, you have to be at the Milanshow. Period.

Despite the fact that the domestic market has been down in recent years, particularly on the scooter side, EICMA itselfis truly on a roll as attendance was up nearly10 percent for 2013. With more than half amillion consumers and virtually every motorcycle media outlet in the world onhand for the five-day show, there really is nodenying EICMA is the “capo di tutti capi” ofmotorcycle events.

Since 1914, the OEMs and aftermarkethave been assembling in Milan for EICMA.Originally held during alternating years withrival shows in Germany, France and theU.K., EICMA has evolved to become an annual motorcycle event. According to organizers, the 71st International Motorcycle Exhibition exceeded theirwildest expectations in terms of attendance,

Inside The World’s EI

CM

A 2

013 Largest

18-20 eicma story- _Layout 1 1/13/14 1:08 PM Page 18


number of exhibitors and major announcements from the OEMs utilizingEICMA for their world premiers of multiplenew models. Space is too limited here tocover all the major new model announce-ments, let alone the countless aftermarketproducts that made their debut, but BMW,Harley and Honda really upstaged home-town heroes like Aprilia, Moto Guzzi andMV Agusta.

BMW Blows Minds In MilanSince the INTERMOT trade fair in Cologne,Germany, is held every other year, BMWdecided not to wait for the hometownevent to bust out some big news. The OEMtitan used the EICMA show as the stage topay tribute to its past while rolling out twobrand-new models that will define the company’s future. Consumers were treatedto seeing the S1000 R four-cylinder roadster and the all-new R1200 RT touringbike juxtaposed against the Concept 90tribute bike that California designer Roland Sands helped design. State-of-the-art rider equipment technologyrounded out what is new for 2014.

However, there were plenty of otherhighlights on hand. Billed as “the newbenchmark in extreme motorcycle touring,”BMW’s 2014 R 1200 GS Adventure captured the attention of the hardcores,

while the R nineT roadster’s combination ofclassic design and modern technologyshould appeal to the cruiser crowd. For thefuturists and green-minded customers,BMW shared its all-electric C evolution e-scooter as well as exciting special edition versions of the C 600 Sport maxiscooter and C 650 GT scooter.

Based on recent momentum working inconjunction with a forecast for these keynew models, BMW is banking on recordsales worldwide this year. “Milan was theperfect time and place for the brand toshow its comprehensive and expandingmodel lineup, as it looks forward to an exciting future in all market segments —from e-mobility to six-cylinder luxury touring, and just about everything in between,” proclaims BMW.

For a video unveiling of the street models, visit: www.bit.ly/EICMA_BMW.

Harley Heads In New DirectionNot since the V-Rod with its Porsche-designed powerplant and metric fittingshas Harley made such a dramatic departurefrom its venerated air-cooled V-Twin roots.EICMA saw the introduction of not one, buttwo small-displacement, liquid-cooled machines. However, given the tiered-licensing system in Europe and the worldeconomy in general, Harley’s “heresy”

actually makes sense. The night before EICMA exclusively

opened to the media, Harley previewedthe first all-new bikes released in 13 yearswhen it showed the Street 500 and Street750 models. Powered by the “RevolutionX” liquid-cooled SOHC 60-degree twin,these bikes will be marketed to non-traditional Harley riders around the world.

Most of the 750 Street and 500 Streetbikes, on sale this spring for $7,500 and$6,700 respectively, will be made in Harley’sKansas City plant; however, bikes producedin India will fuel the company’s overseas expansion.

Honda Has “Automatic” AcceptanceAlthough Honda held out on the news of the Valkyrie’s return for the U.S. announcement at the Long Beach, Calif.,International Motorcycle Show, they rolledout a host of Euro-spec products in Milan.We won’t see the new Integra, CBR300R,CB650F or the CBR650F in the U.S. rightaway, but we will get a couple of the newHondas in domestic dealerships, namelythe CTX1300, three CBR500 variants andup-spec CBR1000RRs.

Honda’s hallmark for Milan was the auto-matic transmission option. More than 30percent of all Hondas sold in Italy last yearfeatured DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission),

t Motorcycle Trade Show

By Robin Hartfiel


and this option is available on five machines: the VFR1200F, Crosstourer, Integra (the first model to have the systemas standard), NC700X and NC700S. First

released on sale in 2010 for the VFR1200F,DCT is said to offer seamless shifting inboth manual and its two automatic modes.

The crowd was also treated to the firstpublic look of the HRC 450 Rally bike that isracing the Dakar this month. For the fullpresentation from Honda in Milan, go to:www.bit.ly/Honda_EICMA.

The Best Of The RestWhile the massive displays by Aprilia,

Ducati, Moto Guzzi, MV Agusta, Vespa andothers do the Italian industry proud, no tripto Milan is compete without seeing thedreams and visions that most of us wouldnever otherwise see. From Borile andCaterham to the return of the Brough Superior (www.bit.ly/MPN_BroughSuperior)and the Ossa marques, EICMA is a field ofdreams for anyone in this industry. Some visionary U.S. aftermarket companies werelooking to expand the American motor-cycle dream, most of them congregated in the Parts Europe Pavilion and the American Pavilion.

However, there is simply too much tosqueeze in here. To paraphrase Julius

Caesar’s vidi, veni, vici commentary, “Wecame, we saw and we were conquered bywhat was on display in Milan.” For the powersports industry, all roads really dolead to Milano! t


AIME/EICMA BY THE NUMBERSAIME EICMA

Total square footage: 732,64 4 3 million

Exhibiting Companies: 392 1,408

Total Attendance: 13,219 551,404

Dealers/Industry Professionals: 2,417 45,806

Consumer Attendance: 7,781 500,000+

Countries Represented: 49 100+

Media: 223 6,896

EICMA BY THE NUMBERSNothing But The FactsThe recent AIMExpo event generated considerable buzzwithin the U.S. powersports industry and by all accounts,was a great first-time effort. Exhibitors welcomed thousandsof attendees inside Orlando’s Orange County ConventionCenter this past October. The folks at Marketplace Eventswho created the show have unabashedly admitted that theyaspire to become the American version of the EICMA show,and they have even partnered with the Italians to make surethey get it right. However, the Italian show does have a 100-year headstart.

The 71st International Motorcycle Exhibition had morethan a half-million attendees (an 8 percent increase over lastyear for those keeping score). The exhibit halls and “Moto-Live” outdoor arena covered 280,000 square meters (morethan 3 million square feet). A total of six massive aircrafthangar-sized show halls featured 1,408 exhibitors from 38different countries, while outside, the MotoLive tracks fea-tured 11 international competitions, with more than 600racers, stunters and other motorized mayhem.

Even before the spectacle of the public days, EICMA was“eminently successful in terms of B2B opportunities” duringthe media and trade-only days. Nearly 7,000 journalists, TVcrews and photographers were on hand for the media daythat kicked off the five-day show. More than 45,000 tradevisitors were on hand for day two, with the number of deal-ers and trade types from outside Italy increasing 20 percentthis year. Breaking it down, 7 percent came from the U.S.;72 percent came from Europe; 18 percent from Asia; 2 per-cent from Africa; 1 percent from Oceania.

No matter how you break it down, these numbers areimpressive, to say the least. Mark your calendars for boththe 72nd Esposizione Internazionale del Motociclo Nov. 4-9,2014, and the second annual AIMExpo Oct. 15-19, 2014, atthe Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.


21 marketplace 1/13/14 1:09 PM Page 21

At the V-Twin Expo, attendees can expect to meet with industry leading V-Twin manufacturers, builders, designers,

distributors and more during the two-day show at the Duke Energy Convention Center. In addition to the exhibitors, atten-dees have access to interactive seminars and working sessionsgeared to make their businesses more profitable and efficient.There will be no shortage of things to see and do at the V-TwinExpo. Attendees will have the chance to: Meet the first woman to go over 200 mph, holder of 10

Land Speed records, and see the bike she did it on Check out a cool V-Twin powered boat Enjoy live music by Jasmine Cain at the Industry

Welcome Party & Awards hosted by veteran motorsportbroadcaster Griff Allen

See the Vance & Hines championship winning Pro Stockmotorcycle

“We work hard to produce a good show for good people!Having done so for nearly 14 years, we think it validates ourdedication to the industry and its dealers. We continue to servethe wholesale V-Twin market only and maintain our locationyear after year,” said Jim Betlach, show producer.

Each year, V-Twin Expo attracts thousands of dealers fromthe U.S., Canada and around the world.

For more show details and to register as a V-Twin dealer orexhibitor, visit www.vtwin-expo.com.

V-Twin Expo Seminar Schedule

Friday, Feb. 73-4 p.m. V-Twin Exclusive - Social Media Marketing

Best Practices Workshop – Exhibitors OnlySaturday, Feb. 88 a.m.-6 p.m. On-Site Registration and Badge Holder

Pick-Up8-9 a.m. Scanning Tools – Diagnostics and Tuning

Aids9 a.m.-6 p.m. Exhibit Halls Open9-10 a.m. Power Vision – Flash Tuning Made Easy,

Professional Results with Autotune Basicand Pro

10-11 a.m. V-Twin Exclusive – Event Planning MadeSimple

11 a.m.-12 p.m. The “All New” ThunderMax AutoTune12-1 p.m. 1:1-6-Speed Designs and Applications

1-2:30 p.m. V-Twin Exclusive – Search Engine and Social Media Marketing Best PracticesWorkshop

2-3 p.m. S&S Cycle Presents: Products, People,and Service

3-4 p.m. The “All New” ThunderMax AutoTune6-7 p.m. V-Twin Expo Welcome Party Show Floor –

Duke Energy Convention Center

Sunday, Feb. 98 a.m.-5 p.m. On-Site Registration and Badge Holder

Pick-Up9 a.m.-5 p.m. Exhibit Halls Open10-11 a.m. Viola V-Twin Presents: Products, People

and Service11a.m.-12 p.m. V-Twin Exclusive – Legal Issues

Surrounding Websites and Social Media


The following are some of the V-Twin companies that will be exhibiting at the show:

ACCEL ..............................................................................691AMSOIL ............................................................................362BAKER Drivetrain .............................................................555Biker's Choice ..................................................................645Brad Penn Lubricants .......................................................327Cardo Systems, Inc ...........................................................352The Carlson Company .....................................................711Cometic Gasket Inc. .........................................................471Continental Tire ...............................................................749Custom Chrome ..............................................................715Custom Cycle Supply ......................................................321Deltran Corp. ..................................................................705Design Engineering, Inc. ..................................................333Drag Specialties ..............................................................420Dunlop Motorcycle Tires .................................................493Dynatek ...........................................................................600Dynojet Research ............................................................501EBC Brakes USA .............................................................779Hawg Halters Inc. ............................................................437K & N Engineering, Inc. .................................................466KB Performance Pistons .................................................322National Powersport Auctions .......................................361Spectro Oils of America .................................................328Standard Motor Products ...............................................663SuperTrapp ......................................................................209Two Brothers Racing .......................................................475Vee Rubber Tires .............................................................637Vega Helmets .................................................................674Wiseco ...........................................................................754Yelvington Trikes ............................................................675Yuasa Battery ........................................................... 523

V-Twin Expo: Gearing Up For The ShowWith increased dealer registration, the 14th Annual V-Twin Expo is gearing up for a greatevent in Cincinnati, Ohio, Feb. 8 and 9, 2014.

22 vtwin expo_Layout 1 1/13/14 1:10 PM Page 22

23 motortrike 1/13/14 1:10 PM Page 23


Roamer JacketREV’IT!The Roamer is a timeless motorcycle jacket constructed from high-quality Max

cowhide that’s not only soft but also durable and abrasion

resistant. The leather will not age or become damaged

through wear and even has an elegant texture. The

jacket can be worn on or off the bike due to its

stylish nature, but it does not lose its credibility

as a true motorcycle jacket. It features CE-ap-

proved protectors at the shoulders and elbows

and a pocket ready for back protector insert

upgrade. It can also be connected to jeans

with the incorporated jeans loop or to

leather trousers with the connection zipper.

The Roamer comes in sizes L34-44. The

retail price is $429.99.- - - - - - - - - - - -

For More Info: www.revitusa.com

V-Twin D-WPDaineseBuilt of soft cowhide, this V-Twin boot combines technical

aspects with a high level of comfort while still showcasing a

unique design. The boot contains adjustable buckles, tem-

perature adjustment, a waterproof D-WP insert, nylon

inserts on the anklebones and a non-slip rubber sole to

ensure your riders functionality and comfort. The retail

price of the V-Twin D-WP is $229.95.- - - - - - - - - - - -

For More Info: www.dainese.com

FX-76 Metal FlakeHelmetAFX Helmets (Parts Unlimited)The FX-76 provides a throwback to the disco

era of the ’70s with its metal flake design.

The helmet features an open face model

made from an aerodynamic shell constructed

from Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic, providing

protection and durability while still remaining

light. The helmet also features a liner made

from hypoallergenic and antimicrobial nylon

to ensure comfort as well as a D-ring reten-

tion system. Shields and visors can also be

attached via snaps. DOT and ECE 22.05 certi-

fied, the FX-76 is available in black, silver or

gold metal flake and in sizes XS-2XL (black

XS-4XL). The manufacturer’s suggested retail

price is $109.95.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.afxhelmets.com

CVP Club Vest with Pistol PocketsFulmer HelmetsThe fully lined, heavy-duty leather CVP Club Vest with Pistol Pockets creates a combination

of style and function. The CVP features two rugged leather interior pistol pockets that can

house anything from handguns to tools without damaging the vest. The front of the jacket

also offers two additional storage pockets. With a five-snap front, the CVP also features a

large one piece back to accommodate patches. The CVP is available in black in sizes small

through 4XL. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price ranges from $159.95 to $199.95.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.fulmerhelmet.com

V-Twin Apparel

24-31 vtwin 1/13/14 1:11 PM Page 24

25 vee 1/13/14 1:11 PM Page 25


Men’s Shredder Skull andWomen’s Angel Heart T-shirtsHot LeathersThe men’s classic 100 percent cotton, heavyweight, black

T-shirt features a jumbo-sized bold, angry skull for riders

looking to edge up their motorcycle attire. This shirt comes

in sizes medium-5XL and retails for $19.95. Hot Leathers

also offers a full-length women’s T-shirt that is also 100

percent cotton and showcases angel wings forming a heart

on the front and the wings unfurling on the back. This shirt

is available in sizes medium-2XL and retails for $19.95.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.hotleathers.com

Icon 1000 Women’s CatwalkLeopard Long Gloves

Drag SpecialtiesThese bold gloves allow women to unleash their fashionable, wild side

while still gaining the essential functions of a motorcycle glove. The

palm of these leopard print gloves is constructed from abrasion

resistant premium grade Battlehide goatskin and contains a zipper

and strap closure combination that ensures a comfortable, snug fit

for all hand sizes. A printed calfskin chassis with chrome knuckle

trim and integrated knuckle armor complete the gloves. The Cat-

walk gloves are available in women’s sizes XS-XL, and the manu-

facturer’s suggested retail price is $95 per pair.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.dragspecialties.com

IS-MAX BT SprintHJC Helmets

The IS-MAX BT Spring modular helmet

from HJC Helmets comes with built-in

recesses for the ChatterBox XBi2-H for

Bluetooth communications. Its advanced

polycarbonate composite shell is light-

weight and features CAD technology for

fit and comfort. The smoke-tinted, three-

stage adjustable SunShield deploys

quickly and easily. A single-button chin-

bar/faceshield release opens with one

hand even with gloves on. This helmet

features 95 percent UV protection and

ACS, HJC's full front to back ventilation

system. The IS-MAX BT Spring is DOT-

certified and has a MSRP of $219.99. - - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.hjchelmets.com

Feeling GloveRacer Gloves USAMade with a combination of Indonesian sheep leather and premium

tanned goatskin, the Feeling Glove provides both functionality and

comfort. Offering Schoeller Keprotec Kevlar lining in the palm and

double closures on the wrist for a secure fit, the glove delivers

abrasion protection and an intensified feel of the controls. Soft

armor is featured across the knuckles, and hard protectors are

placed on the fingers to ensure comfort and the right protection.

The Feeling Glove is available in black in both men’s and women’s

versions. The glove comes in sizes XS-3XL and retails for $109.99.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.racerglovesusa.com

Ace Leather JacketSpidi

Featuring a retro design with strong references to the café

racer look, the Spidi Ace Leather Jacket resembles a

classic motorcycle jacket while still remaining

completely functional. The jacket contains a pocket for

a Warrior back protector that is EN1621-3 Level 1 certi-

fied, EN1621-1 certified Forecetech protections on the

elbows, EN1621-1 certified Multitech protections on the shoulders and three external

pockets. The 0.8-millimeter sheep leather construction along with the removable 80 gr

hollow fiber quilted lining make this jacket guaranteed to be comfortable. Additionally, the

jacket features a snap clip for attaching pants and retails for $549.95.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.spidi.com

Direct Air JacketPilot

This jacket is constructed of Pilotex fab-

ric, which includes 210D Micro Mesh and

600DNPF overlay panels at the shoul-

ders and elbows with triple- and double-

stitched seams for increased strength.

The removable CE-approved armor in

the elbows and shoulders absorbs and

disperses impact, while the jacket’s Red-

Tab visibility system and 3M Scotchlite

strips allow for 360-degree visibility.

Other features include adjustable Velcro

waist, wrist and snap-down sleeve

straps; a plethora of zippered and cargo

pockets; and room for an optional Pilot

Core chest protector. This product comes

with a two-year warranty.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.pilotusa.com

V-Twin Apparel

24-31 vtwin 1/13/14 1:11 PM Page 26

27 bendpak 1/13/14 1:12 PM Page 27

V-Twin Mineral Engine OilMaxima Racing OilsSpecifically formulated for V-Twin engines, this high-quality mineral

based motorcycle oil contains industry-leading anti-wear and

extreme pressure additives that protect critical engine components.

Additional protection is provided by the advanced polymer system

that resists mechanical shearing and heat breakdown of the oil,

offering a high level of viscosity retention. The superior additive

package keeps engines clean, protects against sludge and allows

for trouble-free operation. The V-Twin Mineral Engine Oil meets all

warranty requirements for Harley-Davidson engines and does not

void new motorcycle warranties. The oil comes in 10W-40, 20W-50,

and 25W-60 and retails for $7.95.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.maximausa.com


PowerDrive 6TransmissionsRivera Primo Inc.The PowerDrive 6 Transmissions offer a

choice of finish in either polished, chrome

or black wrinkle. The transmissions also

feature a 32-tooth final drive pulley and

forged and back cut gears for positive

shifting. The PowerDrive 6 fits 1993-’98

touring models and comes completely

assembled with a black wrinkled oil pan

and a billet aluminum oil fill spout that

accepts the stock filler cap. Additionally,

the transmission comes in two versions: a

standard offset for stock bikes with stock

width rear tires using a 5/8 inch

swingarm pivot shaft and a 1/2 inch offset

for customs with wide tires and utilizing a

3/4 inch pivot shaft.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.riveraprimoinc.com

Keihin FCR Carburetor KitsSudco InternationalThe Keihin FCR Carburetors are acknowledged in the four-stroke racing world for their per-

formance gains from their precise metering, high flowing

flat slide throttle design and adjustable accelerator

pump for quick response. Each kit includes a pre-jetted

Keihin FCR 39 or 41 mm carburetor that is ready to run

for most applications and is equipped with the correct

linkage to work with stock cables. It also includes

an air cleaner/cover adapter with or without a

K&N chrome filter. The manufacturer’s suggested

retail price is $598.50.- - - - - - - - - - - -

For More Info: www.sudco.com

Bagger Ape HangersWild 1 Inc.Bagger Ape Hangers are designed

specifically for 2014 models and come

in 10 inches, 12-½ inches and 14

inches. The hangers are drilled for

internal wiring and are also diamond

knurled. The hangers also come TBW

ready. They are available in show

chrome or a satin black powdercoat.

The retail price is $224.95.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.wild1inc.com

V-Twin Parts & Accessories

Golden 4 (Semi-Synthetic) 20w40Spectro Oils of AmericaRecommended for Victory and Indian

motorcycles, Spectro’s 20w40 syn-

thetic blend is formulated specifically

for wet clutch transmissions and pro-

vides high-quality, high temperature

protection. It offers smoother shifting,

high-quality shear stability and a high

level of endurance. The Spectro

Golden 4 20w40 exceeds all known

motorcycle manufacturers’ warranty

requirements plus A.P.I SL/ JASO

MA/MA2. The retail price is $12.36.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.spectro-oils.com

24-31 vtwin 1/13/14 1:11 PM Page 28

29 MTA west 1/13/14 1:13 PM Page 29

Super-Stretch Motorcycle LiftRanger/BendPakThe RML-1500XL portable lift can support up to 1,500

pounds and features built-in retractable swivel casters,

side decks, a cheater ramp, automatic safety locks,

support poles, removable tool and parts tray, and a

single hydraulic lifting cylinder and retracting rear

wheel deck. A secondary drop-in deck features rollers

that makes easy work out of wheel rotations and turns

the lift platform into a motoring test simulator.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.bendpak.com


Twin Cooled Head GasketCometic Gasket Inc.

Designed specifically for the new liquid cooled Harley heads, the

Twin Cooled head gasket offers the same benefits of the regular

Multi Layer Steel Twin Cam head gasket along with new em-

bossing to seal off the liquid between the head and cylinder. The

head gaskets are available in all the common bores from 3.875

inches through 4.250 inches and in different thicknesses from 0.18 inches

through 0.140 inches thick, allowing for maximum adjustability. Additional features of the gas-

ket include a better heat transfer over a composite head gasket and no scraping of the gasket

material should disassembly be necessary.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.cometic.com

SAS Air SuspensionCustom Cycle ControlThe SAS air suspension system provides the abil-

ity to raise or lower the rear end of a bike at the

touch of a button. Easy to install, the SAS simply

replaces old shocks, eliminating the need to mount

a compressor or run any pressure hoses. It fits all Softail Harley-Davidsons as well as cus-

tom production bikes. It is also water resistant for any riders wanting to enjoy weather

rides. The SAS is also equipped with a three-year, all encompassing warranty. The manu-

facturer’s suggested retail price is $1,395, and the dealer cost is $1,116, with special prices

depending on how many you purchase.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.customcyclecontrols.com

Extra Long Billet Bag ExtensionsCycleSmiths Inc.Constructed of strong aluminum, the Extra Long

Billet Bag Extensions fit all 1993-2013 Harley-

Davidson touring saddlebags (except for Road

King Classic and CVO stretched bags). They ex-

tend saddlebags by 4 inches and come with

stainless bolts and washers as well as ny-lock

nuts. The Extra Long Bag Extensions are available

in various finishes and can come with or without

grooves. They fit up to 4.5-inch diameter dual

and single mufflers, and the starting retail price

is $349.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.cyclesmiths.com

Joker Machine Flip-Up Gas CapsDrag SpecialtiesCNC-machined from solid 6061-T6

aluminum, the fuel cap gives bikes a

high-tech aviation look. All other compo-

nents are aircraft-grade stainless steel,

and the cap contains flip-up mechanics

making it easy to use. The Joker’s pre-

cise machining makes for a positive seal

and smooth operation with no rattles or

leaks. The caps also install quickly and

easily into the stock tank fuel cap loca-

tion using just three screws; it even in-

cludes an Allen wrench. The caps are

available in Smooth or 2 Tech style with a

raw, black anodized or chrome finish that

fits 1996-2014 XL models. The suggested

retail price is $200.95.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.dragspecialties.com

AV&V Brand HardPart SelectionGoodson Tools & SuppliesGoodson Tools & Supplies for Engine

Builders has recently added more

sizes of AV&V brand hard parts to

its existing V-Twin and metric

engines. Goodson carries a full line

of performance-proven AV&V brand

valves, guides, springs, seals and

seat inserts for a wider range of

applications including Buell, Harley-

Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, S&S,

Screaming Eagle, Suzuki,

Ultima and Yamaha.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.goodson.com

V-Twin P&A

24-31 vtwin 1/13/14 1:11 PM Page 30

Premium Micro-Glass Oil FiltersEMGO InternationalEMGO Premium Micro-Glass Oil

Filters come in standard and

17-mm socket heads for Harley-

Davidson and metric models. The filter’s micro-glass synthetic media stops particles

over 10 microns compared to the regular filter media that traps only particles over 20

microns. The EMGO Premium Micro-Glass Oil Filters retail at $9.95 and up.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.emgo.com


Lockstraps G3Lockstraps Inc.Lockstraps G3 act as the third generation of

the product featuring tougher locking cara-

biners constructed from heat-treated, No. 64

hardened steel. The Lockstraps are built from

a stainless steel cable sewn between double

nylon straps and contain tough galvanized riv-

ets to keep the dual combination carabineer

locked in place at both ends. Riders can

change the combination of the locks with

each use and set their own personal combinations on either carabineer. Each Lock-

strap is sold individually at a retail price of $44.95.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.lockstraps.com

Windshield BracketLeader Motorcycle AccessoriesConstructed from machined aluminum then

show-chrome plated, the Leader Windshield

bracket complies with almost any windshield

but is ideal for those with a brace or strut. All

one has to do to install is simply remove one

of the studs on the brace and thread the

bracket onto his or her windshield. Leader’s

patented U-shaped slot-and-lug design

accommodates a variety of devices including

a GPS, phone, iPod and satellite radio and

includes a drink holder. The bracket mounts-

devices onto the handlebar or brake/clutch

reservoir. It also mounts the devices higher

and closer to eye level.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.leadermotorcycle.com

Marshall Racing Clutch KitsMarshall DistributingConstructed from JIS #G3141 carbon steel,

the steel plates included in Marshall’s Rac-

ing Clutch Kits are equipped with precise

flatness to prevent cable adjustment loss.

Additional parts featured in the kit are

heavy-duty coil springs and cork-based

clutch plates, which are impregnated with

aluminum plates. The anti-swell, alloy

impregnated, heavy-duty cork based facings

provide smooth clutch take-off and allow

modulation, unlike paper clutches. The man-

ufacturer’s suggested retail price ranges

from $55.50 to $170.95, according to fitment.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info:www.marshalldistributing.com

24-31 vtwin 1/13/14 1:11 PM Page 31

Featherweight Lithium BatteriesWestern Power SportsThese batteries feature lithium ion polymer tech-

nology and a lightweight design. All components

are designed, manufactured, assembled and

packed in one location, assuring high quality and

consistency. The batteries can be brought up to

a 90 percent charge within six minutes, and have

a shelf life of one year before recharging is

required. They’re made without hazardous

materials and include a one-year warranty.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.wps-inc.com

At MPN, we constantly strive to deliver our readers the

latest in powersports apparel, P&A, OEM units and tools and

equipment. Some of these items stand above the rest,

garnering extraordinary popularity on our website.

We’ve rounded up the most-clicked itemsfrom the Web, presenting you with the

Top 25 Products

of 2013

1.32-41 top 25 1/13/14 1:15 PM Page 32

Barfly JacketRoland Sands DesignShowcasing a vintage flat-track racing style, the Barfly

jacket includes zip-closed cuffs and pockets as well as a

rolled collar. Containing perforated leather interior trim,

the Barfly jacket is constructed from hand-finished, washed and

oiled/waxed top grain cowhide, ensuring longevity. The jacket also

incorporates arm vents, stretch mesh interior cargo stuff pockets,

and armor ready shoulder, elbow and back protector pockets into its

design. It is available in either black or tobacco in sizes ranging from

small to 3XL. The manufacturer's suggested retail price is $480. - - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.rolandsands.com

Big Iron UTVXY PowersportsThe Big Iron UTV features a SOHC single-cylinder,

4-stroke engine with 33.3 horsepower. It also features

29.5 foot-pounds of torque, a towing capacity of 1,000

pounds and a fuel capacity of 9.2 gallons.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.xypowersports.com

2.

3.

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Camper/TentElite ProductsThis camper features an all-aluminum welded bodywith a full-length hot-dipped galvanized chassis. Thefree-standing tent is a rip-stop canvas that can easilybe set up in less than three minutes. Inside the tentis a queen-size bed with a 3-inch, high-density foammattress.- - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.eliteproducts.com.au

4.

FF396 Carbon HelmetLS2 HelmetsLS2’s FF396 Carbon Helmet is comprised of a carbon Kevlar shell andfeatures a double D-ring closure system. The anti-scratch/anti-fog, 3-D, optically-correct visor allows for maximum visibility. The helmetalso contains an anti-odor, anti-bacterial, removable and washableliner and meets DOT and ECE standards. The retail price is $349.95.- - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: ls2helmets.us

5.

Headset/IntercomSena TechnologiesWith an innovative new shape and slim profile, the SMH10RBluetooth Stereo Headset and Intercom offers eight hours oftalk time, seven days of standby time and more than one-half-

mile talk distance on intercom. The SMH10R utilizes the latest Bluetoothv3.0 technology and incorporates a stereo headset with long-range

Bluetooth Intercom designed specifically for your riders who pre-fer a smaller form factor for maximizing their riding perform-ance. With this new technology, your riders can makehands-free mobile phone calls, listen to stereo music or voiceinstructions of GPS navigations by Bluetooth wirelessly andhave intercom conversations with up to three other riders.The SMH10R retails at $219.- - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.senabluetooth.com

Motocross & GNCC Enduro TiresVee RubberVee Rubber offers three styles of motocross and GNCC Enduro tires.The 140 is an intermediate and soft terrain tire available in motocrossand GNCC, which has a taller sidewall for Moose and Tire Ball applica-tion. The 229 is a hard-intermediate terrain tire, perfect for hard-packed terrain. The 300 is more of a rocks and roots tire, and the mostpopular tire used throughout the entire season.- - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.veerubber.co.th

6.

7.


Twisted 50 ScooterTomos U.S.A.The Twister 50 scooter features a 49cc air-cooled, single cylinder,

four-stroke engine and can reach a maximum torque of 2.3 foot-

pounds at 6,500 rpm. It also features a fuel capacity of 1.3 gallons

and weighs 263 pounds. The scooter has a wheelbase of 52 inches

and comes in both red and graphito grey.

- - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.tomosusa.com

8.Motorsport SheltersSpeed-Way Motorsport SheltersSpeed-Way Motorsport Shelters are custom, se-

cure and private miniature motorsport garages

with a retractable roll top feature that allows for

fast, immediate and easy access to the cycle.

Speed-Way Shelters are weatherproof, easy to as-

semble and are constructed of durable, long-last-

ing materials. The shelters come in two different

sized models — a standard size for sport bikes and

a larger size for touring bikes. The MSRP for the

standard size model is $325.95, and the MSRP for

the larger size is $425.95. Speed-Way Motorsport

Shelters are distributed by Tucker Rocky/Biker's

Choice and Western Power Sports.

- - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.speedwayshelters.com

9.32-41 top 25 1/13/14 1:15 PM Page 35

Harley-Davidson Replacement RadioASA ElectronicsThis radio is designed to fit into the factory opening of a

Harley-Davidson without the use of any special mounting kit

or brackets. The Harley-Davidson Replacement Radio

(HD1BT) contains a waterproof face and has been tested

against extreme temperatures and vibration. The factory

harness plugs directly into the back of the JENSEN radio

and can be operated by the factory handlebar controls. The HD1BT is compatible with Bluetooth, iPhone

and iPods, and features audio and source control, an AUX-in port, AM/FM radio and weather band.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.asaelectronics.com

36 January 2014 | Motorcycle & Powersports News 36 January 2014 | Motorcycle & Powersports News

10.

Lithium BatteryEarth X MotorsportsThe Earth X Lithium Battery is designed to be a drop-in replacement of a standard

12-volt lead acid battery. It has four times the lifespan of a lead acid battery and

weighs 70 to 80 percent less. The battery can be fully charged in less than a half

hour, and the internal Battery Management System monitors each cell's charge

level, protecting them from overcharge. No special charger is required, and batter-

ies are available for a variety of manufacturers, including Polaris, Can-Am, Arctic

Cat, Yamaha, Harley-Davidson, Buell, BMW, Honda, Suzuki and more.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.earthxmotorsports.com

12.

USMC Motorcycle GaugesMedallion Instrumentation SystemsMedallion Instrumentation Systems has released a line of Officially Licensed

United States Marine Corps motorcycle gauges for 1996-2012 Harley-Davidson

touring models. The Marine Corps dress uniform and famous “Eagle, Globe and

Anchor” trademark are the inspiration of the graphic design. The gauges are a

showpiece during the day and feature stunning backlighting at night. The

gauges can fit all touring models with and without fairings with few exceptions.

The Medallion USMC Gauges are sold through Medallion, Kuryakyn and J&P

Cycles.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.medallionis.com

11.

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2-in-1 Phantom HelmetVega Helmet

The 2-in-1 convertible Phantom helmet is the latest addition to

Vega's Stealth line of helmets. The helmet design features a

fully removable and washable comfort fit liner made with anti-

microbial Wick-Dri fabric, as well as forehead, chin, cheek and

rear venting to minimize fogging. The helmet switches from an

open-face style to a closed-face helmet and includes a jaw piece

that attaches for additional wind, rain and dust protection. For

improved visibility, the Phantom includes an optically correct

and scratch-resistant clear outer shield with replaceable

Smoke, Light Smoke or Amber-tinted interior drop-down sun-

shields. The Phantom meets European ECE standards and U.S.

DOT standards and retails at $119.99 for solid colors and

$129.99 for the graphic option.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.vegahelmet.com

Monokey & Monolock Trunk for 2011GIVI USA Inc.The compact GIVI B33 travel trunk is available in both

Monokey and Monolock latching systems. This 33-liter top

trunk made from a combination of ABS and polypropylene

molded plastic offers spacious storage capacity in a mod-

ern, stylish and compact trunk solution. The Monokey

version adds a smaller, more streamlined and stylish top

trunk to this premier range of GIVI cases. It is offered in

flat black and retails at $229 for the Monokey series and

$189 for the Monolock series.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.giviusa.com

13.14.

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FX-120 HelmetAFX North America Inc.The FX-120 air pump street helmet utilizes a patented full-perime-

ter air bladder final fit comfort system that can be adjusted for a

comfortable custom fit. The composite FRP-alloy shell creates a

lightweight yet durable product. An oversized ear cavity is also

implemented in the helmet to make room for communication

speakers. For additional comfort, a hypoallergenic and anti-micro-

bial nylon liner and cheek pads are included in the helmet’s con-

struction, both of which are removable and washable. Other key features of the helmet consist of

a multi-point ventilation system and an optically correct, compound-curved, scratch-resistant

shield. A one-touch, drop-down inner sun shield also protects your rider from UV rays. The

helmet is finished off with a protective clearcoat and an adjustable cam buckle-style, quick-

release retention system. This helmet meets DOT and ECE-22.05 standards and is available in

sizes XS-XXL in solid and graphic designs. The suggested retail price ranges from $149.95 to

$159.95.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.afxhelmets.com

Quick Draw UTV Overhead Gun CarrierMoose RacingThe Quick Draw UTV Overhead Gun Carrier holds two guns securely in the UTV’s inside roof area

with upper roof frames measuring 58 – 71 centimeters (23 – 28 inches) front to

back. The carrier features soft rubber gun clips that provide easy access and se-

cure transport. Its mounting system makes the carrier easy to install in minutes

without any drilling or bolting. The Quick Draw UTV Overhead Gun Carrier’s MSRP

is $119.95, and the product is not for carrying loaded guns.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.mooseracing.com


15.

16.

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SOA V2 ClubFulmer HelmetsThe SOA V2 Club from Fulmer Helmets, the only officially

licensed helmet of the television show “Sons of Anarchy”

(SOA), is adorned by the show’s iconic reaper graphic on the

right side of the helmet and the SAMCRO (Sons of Anarchy

Motorcycle Club Redwood Original) stamped logo on the left

side, both set in grey print on a flat black shell for an authen-

tic SOA appeal. The custom interior that wraps the inside of

the helmet is fully branded SOA fabric complete with SOA let-

tering and skulls that generously cover the liner. The interior

is accented with deep red stitching. The helmet comes in

sizes XS-2XL, and its MSRP is $139.95.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.fulmerhelmets.com

PW3028 Pressure WasherYamaha Motor Corporation, USAThis 3,000 PSI pressure washer has 2.8 gallons per minute

of flow for cleaning requirements frequent users demand,

combined with unique features such as a five-in-one nozzle

tip, a fold-flat handle for storage and maintenance-free, non-

pneumatic wheels to handle any terrain. It's powered by a

powerful 192cc, four-stroke Yamaha engine and backed by a

factory three-year warranty. The retail price is $749.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.yamaha-motor.com

18.17.

ExtremePerformance Series BatteriesODYSSEY Battery by EnerSysThin-plate pure lead (TPPL) technology and rugged con-

struction enable these batteries to offer a 3- to 10-year serv-

ice life and storage of up to 2 years without recharging. Their

welded intercell connections enable them to withstand ex-

treme vibration, and their absorbed glass mat (AGM) design

eliminates spills, enabling them to be installed in a variety of

positions.

- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.enersys.com

19.

32-41 top 25 1/13/14 1:15 PM Page 39


Advanced LED Powersports Driving LampsPIAA Corp. U.S.A.PIAA's new 1100LED driving lamps offer high output illumination for optimum sighting and visibil-

ity. Designed as aftermarket replacement driving lamps for motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs and snowmo-

biles, PIAA 1100LED lamps feature innovative computer-controlled Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)

technology that provides optimal thermal protection for longer life and greater performance. The

lamps, with 3-mm high-impact clear glass lens, illuminate road surfaces with a brilliant bluish-

white color. The PIAA 1100LED two-lamp kit includes aluminum housings, chrome-plated trim

rings, clear glass lens, and three four-watt LED bulbs in each driving lamp. The wiring harness is

included in the kit.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.piaa.com

Lucky Sucker Softail Conversion KitCustom ChromeThis kit from Custom Chrome turns a run-of-the-mill Softail into something

cool that will turn heads and grab attention. The kit consists of a

custom gas tank, tank adapter, a solo seat kit, swingarm

mounted "rigid-style" rear fender and fender struts. Start-

ing with a standard Twin Cam Softail, the kit requires

minimal modifications to the stock frame.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.customchrome.com

22.

23.

VX-PRO3 Arai Helmet Americas, Inc.The Pro3 features Arai’s Emergency Release Cheek Pad System,

which allows the helmet to be easily removed from an injured

rider by trained emergency personnel. The helmet’s shell is

rounded instead of ridged, which, along with the rounded chin

bar, reduces its chance of digging in and twisting in a spill. Other

features include diffusing ventilation technology throughout and

a new “Nitrous” graphic. This helmet comes in sizes XS-XXL.

Solids retail at $559.95, while graphics ring in at $689.95.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.araiamericas.com

3LOGY Modular HelmetSuomyThe base of this helmet features a stylish open-face design. With the addition of a re-

movable chin guard, the 3logy can be transformed into a DOT-approved full-face street

helmet. A third configuration converts the helmet into a mobile communications center.

The helmet’s carbon/Kevlar composite offers lightweight durability, resulting in a design

that’s ECE 22.05- and DOT-approved.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.suomy.com

20.

21.

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ForceFlow Cylinder Head CoolerJIMSExcessive heat and operating temperature can be an engine’s

worst enemy. The patent pending JIMS ForceFlow literally

forces the heat away from the engine by pushing high-velocity

air through the cylinder fin pack in a wide flow pattern,

directed at the head gasket surface. Powered by a cooling fan

that was designed to cool brakes in NASCAR, the JIMS Force-

Flow can lower head temperatures up to 100 degrees. The

ForceFlow can either be activated by a thermostat (included), or

wired for a manual on/off switch. This unique design also relo-

cates the horn inside the ForceFlow’s streamlined housing, and

gives the horn mount or “left side” of the bike a much needed

new look. The ForceFlow comes with all necessary hardware

and wiring, and is available in black or silver for $420.- - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.jimsusa.com

24.

Locked & SecuredLoboy DoorsDragonFireDragonFire's 'Locked &

Secured' Loboy doors, originally designed for the military and

U.S. Border Patrol, now provide an added measure of security

with their slam-shut automotive style latch. The mil spec and

standard LoBoy versions have a reinforced steel frame with

multiple anchor points to keep the doors securely mounted.

For precarious situations on the trail, these doors have incor-

porated a locking lever to ensure that the doors stay shut at

all times. Bump stops, rubberized backing and rattle-proof

Duralin coated strikers keep trail noise to a minimum. - - - - - - - - - - - -For More Info: www.dragonfireracing.com

25.

32-41 top 25 1/13/14 1:15 PM Page 41

If you walk into the Dud-ley Perkins dealership,

now located just south ofSan Francisco, you will seea scattered collection oficonic Harley-Davidsonsfrom the past 110 years ofthe manufacturer’s history.The Dudley Perkins Com-pany has sold most of themotorcycles on display atone time or another. Nowcelebrating its 100th yearin business, the shop isthe third-oldest motorcy-cle dealership in theUnited States. It’s beenrun by the same family forthat entire time, with thefourth generation of thePerkins’ now involved in thebusiness.

Dudley Perkins settled inSan Francisco in 1912. At thetime, the city was a bustling wa-terfront town, largely recoveredfrom the 1906 earthquake andfire. Motorcycles were popular —in 1911, the San Francisco Motor-cycle Club boasted 500 members,including the mayor! Dudley startedhis San Francisco Harley-Davidsonagency in 1914 with a partner, whohe bought out in 1917. He was anavid racer who later became a champion hillclimber, and hisrace winnings sometimes kept the business going in toughtimes.

Dudley also had innovative ideas, including starting a fleetof commercial sidecars for rent. Businesses that offered deliver-ies to customers could rent a package truck outfit, which wouldbe stored and serviced at the dealership as part of the deal.Dudley would even locate a driver for the outfit. .

The Dudley Perkins Company again is renting Harley-David-sons, but the customers are mainly out-of-town motorcycle

enthusiasts, not localmerchants. San Francisco is thehub of challenging, scenic roads,and vacationers flock to the Bayarea to ride them. Some enthusi-asts even ship their own bikes toSan Francisco, and DudleyPerkins offers uncrating, inspection andstorage services. The current location of the dealership isclose to San Francisco Interna-

tional Airport, making it easy for visi-tors to pick up and drop off a rental.

Several years ago, the Perkinsfamily realized that vacationerswanted to buy T-shirts and similaritems for their motorcycle-ridingrelatives and opened a store nearFisherman’s Wharf, a majortourist area. This satellite storehas proved itself a wise invest-ment. The dealership has de-signed its own SanFrancisco-oriented T-shirts

and memorabilia, and the Fisherman’sWharf store is a natural outlet for these items.

Aside from the unique sales opportunities afforded by Dud-ley Perkins’ location, the dealership thrives on the social net-work surrounding it. “We have always done social rides, such asthe Redwood Run and the New Year’s Day run,” says CFO TomPerkins. “But now the calendar is so full, someone could go ona group ride every weekend of the year. We have one or twoovernighters every year, and the charity runs are the big draw.”The Dudley Perkins Company works closely with its HOG chap-ter and the Yerba Buena Chapter of the Antique MotorcycleClub of America, as well as supporting the events of manyother clubs.


DealershipDESTINATION

By Margie Siegal / photographs Dudley Perkins Company

Dudley Perkins Company:100 Years of Harley-Davidson

42-43 destination_Layout 1 1/13/14 1:16 PM Page 42

Harley-Davidson has put a lot of effortin outreach to women, and as a result,Dudley Perkins has more than the usualnumber of women customers.“Women customers are al-ways a good thing,” saysTom. “The dealership has al-ways had a handful of adven-turous women, but thenumber of women riders hasreally taken off in the last 15or 20 years.”

There are also a lot of peo-ple in the area who ride oldermotorcycles, and, unlike manydealerships, Dudley Perkinswill work on many of them.“We get an occasional Pan-head, Shovelhead or cast ironSportster. If we know the bike,and it is close to stock, we willwork on it.” For older bikes, a referral tothe Yerba Buena Chapter will usually re-sult in the customer finding help. “ThankGod for the Yerba Buena Chapter. Theyhave brought classic motorcycles to theforefront,” says Tom. “We are doing anantique-only show for our 100th Anniver-sary party, with the Yerba Buena Chapterrunning that part of the event. You cansee new stuff every day.” The 2012 Can-nonball coast-to-coast event for antiquemotorcycles ended at the Dudley Perkins

dealership, providing a flood of excellentpublicity. “It was really special to havethe Cannonball end here,” Tom says.

Although Dudley Perkins is proudof its roots, the dealership has firmlyembraced new technology. The BayArea is notoriously tech-savvy, and thedealership takes full advantage of that.Customers frequent the Harley onlinestore for parts and inspiration to cus-tomize their bikes.“One of the pleasuresof working here is theability to help some-one to make their

bike the way they want,” says Tom. Dudley Perkins continues to be a fam-

ily operation. Tom is CEO, wife Janet isthe general manager and sonChristopher is the dealership’sNo. 1 salesman. Even grand-son Wesley likes sitting on hisdad’s motorcycle. “There mayeven be a fifth generation run-ning Dudley Perkins,” beamsproud grandpop Tom. “In thenear future, I hope for a stableeconomy so more people canafford a Harley-Davidson.” t


Dudley Perkins Company333 Corey WaySouth San Francisco, CA 94080(650) 737-5467www.dpchd.com

OEM: Harley-Davidson, Buell

Aftermarket: Harley-Davidson,

Drag Specialties, Kuryakyn,

Custom Chrome, Biker’s Choice

Number of employees: 45

42-43 destination_Layout 1 1/13/14 1:16 PM Page 43


In November’s column, I wrote about the ratio between partsand labor on a service ticket. To recap, Hal Ethington had

gathered some data from the ADP Lightspeed Databack sys-tem and analyzed repair orders. We determined that the parts-to-labor ratio had a much higher correlation factor to service department profitability than the actual hourly labor rate itself.

So now that we’re aware of how the ratio can affect prof-itability, how can you capture this business? How can you makesure that the upsell happens and gets completed?

The first thing you might consider is looking at the last 24months of repair orders. It is sometimes slow in the wintertime,so this might be the best time to review. First, look at the years,makes and models of the vehicles you have serviced. Make sureyou have the common parts for these in stock — items likebrakes, chains, sprockets, CV boots, spark plugs, belts, etc., for your top 20 vehicles. Run a report and see what the partsdepartment has sold across the counter and see if there is anycorrelation there.

Once you have determined what you have been servicingbased on reports and not hunches, get the service data. It isbeneficial for service writers to have some kind of visual aidwhen selling service. Find a program with service intervals in itor open up the manuals for the top 50 units your departmentserviced last year and make a binder of the service schedules.This will help your service writers feel more confident in talkingwith customers.

The key to help you push your service ratio up is employeeincentives. This starts with the manager and goes all the waydown to the technicians. Consider paying managers from theprofit of the department and the profit from the whole store.Service managers should get paid from the profit of the wholestore because they support sales by building units and prepar-ing used units to be sold. If you only pay the service managerbased on service profits, chances are there’s going to be an immediate price increase in your sales department.

If you have looked over the last 24 months of repair ordersto see what models you have serviced, then you will likely havenoticed a few sales trends. These trends, or monthly sales num-bers, can be used to create sales goals for your department.Service writers should be paid on every hour of non-warrantylabor sold in the department. Make sure that their pay scale isweighted toward monthly sales goals. When it comes to creat-ing sales goals for your team, try making the first few kind of

easy to reach to get them excited about the program. Then, asthe summer ramps up, keep increasing the difficulty of thegoals and see what happens. I see pay plans for service writersthat are as varied as the colors in the sky. The ones that seem towork the best are heavily commission-based with bonus plansstructured around those monthly sales goals. Implementing thistype of system will probably require you to cut the serviceteam’s existing hourly pay, but should be more beneficial toboth parties when it is in full swing.

The next part of getting something like this started is mak-ing sure your mechanics are on board. This, in my opinion, isthe most critical part of increasing your parts-to-labor ratio. Ifyou don’t build an incentive plan for the people who are work-ing on the bikes and looking at them while they are on thebench, then why would they report any need to upsell? If youpay your technician an hourly salary based only on the numberof hours they are in your dealership, why would they want to domore work? Pay your technicians at least in part on commission.

Another way of increasing your ratio is by involving yourparts and sales departments more in the process. Some of thebest ratio work available is accessory installations. If your partsdepartment sells an accessory, try paying them a spiff if theycan sell the install. If your sales department can wrap up someaccessory installs in a deal, then pay them a spiff as well. This istypically easy work that will be high profit when completed.One of the hardest parts of installing accessories is making sureyou have the right items at the time of the sale. If you haveLightspeed and you are subscribed to Databack, take a look atsome of those reports. I bet you will find some informationabout the types of parts that are most commonly installed atthe time a vehicle is purchased.

Making a service department run on all cylinders is a majoreffort and takes constant management. The good news is if youcan get there, your dealership will be more profitable and morestable than the competition. t

C.R. Gittere and the Service Manager Pro team specialize inservice department efficiency, elevating customer service andincreasing department profitability. His monthly column focuses on best practices and unique ways to get the most outof your service department. More information about ServiceManager Pro can be found at www.servicemanagerpro.com.

MANAGERService

By C.R. Gittere

THE

Work Hard And Win – Part TwoHow To Increase Your Parts-To-Labor Ratio

44 service mgr 1/13/14 1:16 PM Page 44

45 speedville 1/13/14 1:20 PM Page 45

Marketing your dealership is an impor-tant part of staying ahead and

remaining profitable. Many dealers haveimproved significantly by increasing theirmarketing efforts.

Chart 1 is a snapshot of some key performance indicators for the overall store.These are provided to you each month as apoint-of-reference for the department numbers.

The group members have made a significant improvement in their overallstore margin, albeit still short of the 25 percent target. It takes a huge effort tomove this number by 1 percent, let alone3.4 percent — they are to be commended.The national norms came up over a fullpoint as well. This is a good trend.

The service department’s contributionto gross profit also came up a point forthe group members and above 1.5 percent for the Top 5 dealers while theNN was nearly unchanged. We’d like tosee 18 percent or more in this column.

While door swings stayed flat for thegroup, the Top 5 and NN dealers broughtin more traffic. Do you suppose the costper door swing could have something todo with this? It is necessary to continuemarketing constantly. There has been atremendous increase in the variety ofmedia exposure to all forms of advertis-ing. Because of this, it takes nearly doublethe number of impressions to get a response from today’s consumer as it did 10 years ago.

Chart 2 shows that labor margins havebeen right on the 70 percent benchmarkfor most of the year, even though mostnon-snowmobile dealers are into theirslower service periods. The Top 5 dealersare still holding strong 78 percent margins.This means that they are holding techcompensation around 22 percent of

revenue. This does not mean they under-pay techs; it means they have highly productive operations. They also have appropriate labor rates and take the timeto build value to justify their labor prices.Operating profit has changed very little.However, the profit margin is so tight thatit takes a great deal of effort to bring it up by almost a full point as the Top 5 dealers did.

Personnel are one of the major department expenses. All of these deal-ers have reduced this number as a per-cent of department gross profit, but theTop 5 have managed to bring this downby more than 10 percent! Personnel ex-

penses for this department would beanyone other than technicians — this includes the service manager, service writers, lot porters and “hydro techs” (wash guys).

Chart 3 shows that parts-to-labor ratiois right in line with the 1:1 goal for alldealers. Billed hours are not so hot forthe group — well below the two-hour target. The Top 5 are right there with2.18, and up from last year as well.

This particular group and its Top 5 arenot reporting repair orders per month inthis system, but the NN dealers are run-ning at 185. This is acceptable — barely.When service writers get more than 175

By Steve Jones

BESTOperators

CLUB

November 2013 ServiceDepartment Performance

CHART 1

Total Store Sales Year to Date 6.6 mil. 9.1 mil. 8.6 mil.

Total Store Gross Margin Percentage 23.9% 26.3% 25.9%

Gross Margin Percentage for Prior Year 20.5% 26.2% 24.5%

Contribution to Gross Profit: Service 19.9% 24.0% 17.7%

Service Contribution to Gross Profit Previous Year 18.8% 22.4% 17.9%

Door Swings: Percentage of Change from Previous Year -1.5% 11.4% 2.8%

Cost per Door Swing $29.22 $41.09 $42.42

GROUP TOP 5 NATIONALNORM DEALERS NORMTotal Store Stats

Labor Margin Percentage 72.5% 78.3% 69.6%

Labor Margin for Previous Year 73.8% 80.0% 70.0%

Department Operating Profit Percentage of Chg from

Previous Year -0.3% 0.7% -0.2%

Repair Order Volume Percentage of Chg from

Previous Year -6.3% 0.8% -0.3%

Personnel Expense as a Percentage of Department

Gross Profit 42.6% 25.5% 35.8%

Personnel Expense as a Percentage of Department

Gross Profit for Previous Year 48.1% 39.0% 37.3%

GROUP TOP 5 NATIONALNORM DEALERS NORMPC&A Dept Stats – Part 1

CHART 2


46-47 boc_Layout 1 1/13/14 1:21 PM Page 46

repair orders per month, their hours perrepair order and P&A sales per repairorder start to fall. Why? Because theydon’t have the time to do a proper walk-around and upsell presentation.

Productivity is good for the Top 5dealers because they run tight opera-tions with multiple lifts and pre-staging.They work to maximize every minute thata tech is at work. I know I’m a brokenrecord, but we have to look at this as adollars-per-minute operation and do allwe can to keep techs turning wrenches ifwe want to make it profitable.

The gross profit per service employeeis really close for the Top 5 in this groupand the NN dealers. Through November,they are both producing almost $10Kmore than the group average. Where isyour service department in relation to this?

Have questions? Feel free to contact mefor information, explanations or to discusshow GSA can help you grow your business

profitably at [email protected] or visitwww.gartsutton.com. t

Steve Jones, GSA senior projects man-ager, outlines dealerships’ best businesspractices to boost margins, increaseprofitability and retain employees. Hismonthly column recaps critical measure-ments used by the leading 20-group

dealers. Access to the new Voyager 5data reporting and analysis system isavailable to any dealership for nominalfee. For more information on GSA’s management workshops, data reportingsystem, dealer 20-groups, on-site consulting or training, visit www.gartsutton.com.


Parts Sold to Repair Order Labor Ratio 0.95 1.09 0.96

Billed Hours per Repair Order 1.69 2.18 1.8

Billed Hours Percentage of Change from Previous Year -1.7% 8.9% -2.1%

Labor Sales per Repair Order $141 $180 $158

Repair Orders per Service Writer/Month — — 185

Department Productivity Percent 78.6% 91.6% 73.7%

Tech Efficiency Percent 100.5% 109.7% 98.4%

Department Proficiency Percent 78.2% 91.0% 73.2%

Average Number of Service Staff, Year to Date 5.6 7.0 6.5

Gross Profit per Service Employee, Year to Date $48,733 $57,127 $57,671

GROUP TOP 5 NATIONALNORM DEALERS NORMPC&A Dept Stats – Part 2

CHART 3

ON

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www.motorcycleproductnews.com/BuyersGuide

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During a slow Tuesday afternoon, alone customer walks into your deal-

ership; there’s something about him thatsuggests he’s not going to drop bigbucks today, so you and two of yoursales colleagues continue standing in acircle by the accessories counter, chattingabout last night’s game, last weekend’sride or last summer’s Rush concert.

The guy does a quick lap around thestore — probably pretending the itemhe’s looking for isn’t in stock — and thenquietly exits. You and your cronieshaven’t moved. And the three amigoswho couldn’t even stop talking longenough to say “Hello,” just lost a poten-tial sale. He could have been ready, will-ing and able to lay down $30-Gs thatday, or maybe he just wanted to find outmore about saddlebags. Regardless, Iguarantee you he won’t be back. Hemight even tell his buddies not to visityour dealership. Why?

Because he found the three of youstanding in a cluster ignoring him, eitherintimidating, awkward or downright em-barrassing. Probably all three. See whathappens when your body sends thewrong message?

Last column I wrote about “nonverbaltells” — customer body language thatproves actions do speak louder than words.This month, I want to focus on “nonverbalsells” — your own body language. The ac-tions you take or don’t take communicatepowerfully to your customers. And it’s notalways what they want to hear.

Many sales professionals are unawarethat they may be sending the wrongmessage simply by the way they stand,shake hands or interact with others in thedealership. To that end, here are ninenonverbal sells (or NVSs) you might catchyourself engaging in during a typical dayat the dealership:

NVS 1: Hand Games. Here’s your onlychance to make a first impression. Whenyou shake a potential customer’s hand,does your palm face the ground or theceiling? Your answer to that questionsays a lot about your sales demeanor.Palm down indicates your hand will beon top of the person’s you are shaking,signaling that you are in charge of thisconversation. Just make sure that youput something behind that shake. Find abalance between the limp shake that’snot even worth initiating and the water-pump or vice-like handshake. And neveruse the two-handed, now-I’m-going-to-heal-you shake. You know the one I’mtalking about. A friendly pat on your cus-tomer’s back also conveys your authority.But don’t get too close.

NVS 2: Distance Learning. Understandthe crucial role distance plays in makinga sale. Stand or sit too far away from acustomer, and you’ll seem like a germa-phobe. But get too close? Uncomfort-able and, well, weird. The best locationfor you to make a sale is at arm’s length.

NVS 3: Eye Movement. Make eye con-tact. Period. Recently, a Harvard Univer-sity study suggested that too much eyecontact can result in intimidation. That’sthe dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. If youcan’t look me in the eye, I can’t trust you.Don’t stare your would-be buyer downlike a Bengal tiger hunting for prey, butgazing at your shoes the whole timewon’t work, either. Find a happy medium:Look at one eye for awhile, then breaknaturally and look at the other eye. Thiswill enable you to maintain powerful eyecontact without appearing too intense orcreepy. And whatever you do, don’t wearsunglasses in the dealership. I’ve seenso-called motorcycle sales professionalsdo this, and it does not look cool. Rather,you’ll appear as if you’re trying too hard

or on drugs. Or both. NVS 4: Phone Tag. Don’t you hate it

when you’re trying to have a conversa-tion with someone, and that personkeeps checking his or her cell phone?When you are involved in a sales conver-sation, there is no need bring your phoneout of your pocket unless you’re showingyour prospective customer photos ofyour own ride or something related towhat you’re selling. Leave Facebook andother apps alone; you can find out whatkind of sandwich your friend ate for lunchlater.

NVS 5: Body English. Listen with yourbody. If the buyer is sharing an intriguingor surprising story with you, show aston-ishment by widening your eyes, openingyour mouth and leaning your head in to-ward the customer. If, on the other hand,that individual is telling you about a badriding experience or something disap-pointing that happened to him while vis-iting a competing dealership, grimace,sigh and shake your head from side toside. This conveys empathy, friendlinessand trust much more than a blank stareor a slight nod.

NVS 6: Striking a Pose. Researchshows that the human brain gives a dis-proportionate amount of attention towrists, palms, fingers and hands. Peoplerespond well to hand movements, be-cause if those 10 fingers aren’t visible,they might think you have something tohide. So get your hands out of yourpockets. Additionally, if you find yourselfstanding akimbo — that is, with yourhands on your hips, thumbs facing back-ward and arms bent out to the side —you might want to switch positions.While that stance suggests you have self-confidence in a transaction, it often canconvey too much authority to your cus-tomers, as if you’re attempting to domi-

By Mark Rodgers

Body Language Spoken Here Part 2What You’re Silently Telling Your Customers

PEAKDealership

PERFORMANCE

48-49 dealership_Layout 1 1/13/14 1:21 PM Page 48


nate the buyer. An akimbo position withyour thumbs facing forward, however, in-dicates inquisitiveness and that you’rewilling to listen to your would-be buyer’sneeds and wants. In his book What EveryBody Is Saying, former FBI agent JoeNavarro claims that one of the best waysto establish rapport is to touch the cus-tomer lightly on the arm — somewherebetween the elbow and the shoulder.That’s your call — some people simplydon’t like to be touched.

NVS 7: Talking Points. Here’s more onhands and eyes: When you’re talking fea-tures, point to them on the motorcycle(or even touch them). When you’re ex-plaining F&I details, point out specificitems on the actual documents. But whenyou’re talking benefits, look at the cus-tomer and show that person that youcare about what he or she will get out ofthis purchase. When you’re working witha couple, speak equally to both individu-als, unless instructed otherwise — per-haps by a chuckling wife who says, “Tellhim, not me. It’s his bike.”

NVS 8: Clothes Calls. In my previouswritings about the power of persuasion,I’ve stated that you should dress about10 percent better than expected to im-prove the likelihood of hearing “yes”more often. I’m not sure how you wouldevaluate that sort of sartorial precision —especially if employees at your dealer-ship wear uniforms. But here is one im-portant tip to keep in mind during thesecolder weather months in many parts ofthe country: Have an outerwear plan. Asdealership owners keep costs low bykeeping thermostats low — and with cus-tomers coming and going, frequentlyopening the doors to 20-degree temper-atures — you and your sales colleaguesmight need to throw on an extra layer ortwo. Don’t make it a cardigan like Mr.Rogers wore (there, I said it!), and try tostay away from the hoodies that makeyou look like a member of the MS-13.Settle on a cold-weather option for allemployees to wear, like a logoed blackfleece, which in turn will make customersfeel welcome and comfortable in yourdealership.

NVS 9: Office Talk. When you bring abuyer into your office, make sure the en-vironment is a welcoming one. In addi-tion to having enough chairs, displayyour awards, diplomas and other docu-ments denoting serious accomplish-

ments. That will help your buyer feelmore comfortable about the major pur-chasing decision he just made. Whenyou’re both sitting down and discussingthe transaction, note whether you’rerocking back in your chair; that can be asign of detachment or arrogance. Sit upand lean in to communicate that you careabout the customer experience. Don’ttap your pen or bounce your leg up anddown like you drank three cans of Mon-ster for lunch, either.

By paying attention to the nonverbalsells you’re making every day, you willlearn how make adjustments on the flyand create a memorable sales experi-ence for both you and your buyer. t

An award-winning author, top-ratedtrainer and founder of Peak DealershipPerformance, Mark Rodgers holds a mas-ter’s degree in adult education and theNational Speakers Association CertifiedSpeaking Professional designation —only 500 people in the world have thiscoveted recognition. [email protected] improve your performance.

Ways to Dressfor Success

in Your Dealership

1. Clothing should be clean, pressedand stain-free.

2. Button-down collars are consid-ered the most casual of all collars,but they work especially well in a mo-torcycle dealership; if you take a testblast with a customer, that collarwon’t be slapping you in the face.(Ask me how I know.)

3. Comfortable motorcyclefootwear is ideal. The hiker styleworks best for me.

4. Short shorts on women (or guys,for that matter) aren’t appropriate forbusiness.

5. Name tags with titles are crucial.Make the titles interesting, such as“All-Being Master of Time, Spaceand Super Glides.” I recently placedan order at a bagel shop with a 24-year-old man whose name tag simplyread, “I like Led Zeppelin.” I wantedto hug him.

6. Everybody should wear the sameshirt, and the logo should be subtle.If your staff’s apparel has an oversizelogo or too many logos, you andyour team will look like you’re work-ing the NASCAR circuit for Penske.

7. Fit the image. I don’t want my in-vestment manager looking like aMafia don, nor do I want my motorcy-cle salesperson to appear as if he justwalked in from Wall Street. Skulls andchains give a nod to our Sons of An-archy selves. I dig it.

8. Don’t overdo it. That T-shirt por-traying the lone midnight rider with abackdrop of a wolf baying at themoon, surrounded by a pack of rabidsquirrels and grim reapers might be abit much.

9. I’m not a fan of pinky rings, butother cool jewelry is important.Again, a little goes a long way.

— Mark Rodgers

9

48-49 dealership_Layout 1 1/13/14 1:21 PM Page 49


Industry print and online veteran Kevin Shaw has launched apersonal watercraft website dubbed The Watercraft Journal

(www.watercraftjournal.com). The site will offer news, reviews andinterviews, but in a unique twist, will also serve as the blog to online storefront Watercraft Outfitters (watercraftoutfitters.com).

Shaw has traveled an interesting road to this latest offering. Aformer editor of PWC consumer title Personal Watercraft Illus-trated, he left the industry after that title’s demise in 2009, but returned earlier this year to found WatercraftPerformance.com, awebsite with daily news focused on racing and performance.Though that site still exists, Shaw was let go this past September.

“I had proven that there was a vibrant and enthusiastic audi-ence within the personal watercraft industry receptive to a dailyonline magazine,” Shaw says of the project. “The problemwith WatercraftPerformance.com was that, while it was 100 per-cent my idea, it wasn’t mine.” When the current owners electedto make a change, Shaw offered to buy the business, but waslet go instead. That decision, and an outpouring of industrysupport, led Shaw, along with wife Heather, to launch their cur-rent project, The Watercraft Journal.

Though he admits to following the same model establishedwith WatercraftPerformance, Shaw notes The Journal is very different in tone. “The Journal is really about family: sharing ourhobbies and interests with those who matter most in our lives.There’s a wellspring of passion in our industry and it goes a lotfurther past the rock ‘n’ roll/party lifestyle that many would liketo represent it with. The look and feel of The Journal is a strongindicator that it’s something unique to what’s come before.”

The fresh start allowed him to right what he considers sev-eral previous missteps. Primary among them was his formerventure’s near laser-like focus on racing. He notes that whileracing is exciting and helps to promote competition betweenthe brands, it’s only a small portion of a much bigger picture.“The vast majority of PWC enthusiasts will go their entire livesenjoying watercraft without once donning a helmet,” he explains. “For the most part, we had totally ignored these people.”

The Journal will provide daily news and product releases,along with weekly interviews, vehicle and product reviews, butthe focus will shift to the community as a whole.

“We’re all part of this PWC family, so to speak, and I reallywant to emphasize that.”

An instrumental figure in the development of The Journal

was GreenHulk.net founder Jerry Gaddis. The relationship hasled to a partnership between the two entities. “Every articlepublished on The Watercraft Journal is teased in the newsthread of the GreenHulk forum,” Shaw reveals. “It’s a huge

boost for us. Although it’s a very intimate industry, there are still plenty of people who still don’t know that The Watercraft Journal exists. Getting the word out is key. That is also why weuse social media so aggressively. Using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and our weekly newsletter like we do is akin to printtitles paying for advertising and placing on the news rack.You’ve got to get your name out there if you want to survive.”

Shaw notes that The Journal will soon delve into video pro-duction as well, but perhaps the most interesting piece of thepuzzle will be the upcoming launch of an e-commerce store-front, www.watercraftoutfitters.com. “It’s an online e-commercestore where readers can purchase the very items we review, aswell as some of the best riding gear, apparel, equipment andperformance products available in the watercraft industry.

“Ultimately, it’s all about helping grow the industry — be itthrough exciting and inspiring stories and photography, or con-necting people to the companies and products that will helpthem enjoy their PWC to the fullest.” t

Industry Vet LaunchesPWC Content Site, E-Commerce Storefront

PWCUPDATE

50 PWC_Layout 1 1/13/14 1:22 PM Page 50


When I cover the federal legal regula-tions with dealers, these two items

generate the most discussion because ofcommon misconceptions that surroundthem. The New Year is as good a time asany to become educated about these issuesand avoid the pitfalls that come with not following the law.

1) Red Flag RegulationsWhen I ask finance managers whetherthey have a procedure for protect-ing their dealership and customersfrom fraud, most answer yes. WhenI dig deeper and ask what that pro-cedure is, many times I find it’s in-consistent and doesn’t follow theRed Flag Rules. Although theymight occasionally perform someanti-fraud protection measures,they don’t have a manual to docu-ment fraud protection proceduresor have a person who regularly up-dates the policy.

This is a list of items that must be included in every Red Flag manual:

• Identify all possible Red Flags.• Implement appropriate detection and

response procedures.• Develop a written identity theft preven-

tion and training program.• Train appropriate staff on your Red Flag

detection and response procedures.• Review and update your compliance

program annually.

Here is a link to the federal sample RedFlag manual. Please keep in mind that this isa sample designed to guide you throughmaking your own. This is not a “ready-to-go” policy to which you can just add yourname: http://tinyurl.com/alq2633

If you are a finance manager, you MUSTfollow the Red Flag Rules. This is part ofyour job. Not complying with all federal and

state laws is one of the most expensive mistakes a dealership can make.

2) Adverse Action NoticeIn January 2011, the Equal Credit Opportu-nity Act was modified. Here is the informa-tion you need to know about the changes:

Who is required to give an AdverseAction Notice?

You are if you “regularly participate in

credit decisions” by either setting interestrates or negotiating terms of approval.

When is the notice needed?It is required to be sent any time that

approval is not granted or when approvedterms do not match requested terms.

When must the notice be sent out?If the customer is turned down with no

counteroffers, you have 30 days from thedate of application to send out the notice. Ifthe bank makes a counteroffer, such as ask-ing for a cosigner or for more money down,you have 90 days from the date of the coun-teroffer to send out the notice.

What information must be included inthe notice?

• A statement that the adverse actionhas happened.

• The name and address of the creditor.• An ECOA anti-discrimination notice.

• A statement of why the specific actionwas taken.

How can the notice be delivered?It can be handed to them in person,

mailed, or sent electronically if you followthe E-sign regulation and obtain permission.From what I have seen, the electronic optionis more difficult than most dealers want totackle.

How long must documentation bekept, and what must be kept?

You must keep a copy of the fol-lowing documentation for 25months:

• Credit application.• A written record of any infor-

mation used in the credit deci-sion.

• Denial from the bank.• Credit file.• Proof of income.• Any other information

gathered.• A copy of the notice with a

record of how it was delivered.

Where can you find more informationabout this?

See (L) under “Definitions” here: http://bit.ly/1cPPGDi See requirements here:http://1.usa.gov/1eQAB60 See sample forms here:http://1.usa.gov/1ltzBlY t

Steve Dodds II is a moderator, trainerand consultant for Gart Sutton and Associ-ates with experience in every position in the sales and finance departments. Dealersrave about his ability to identify areas for improvement and implement the changesthat produce superior results. If you havequestions about what he or one of ourother talented consultants can do for you,contact us at [email protected].

By Steve Dodds II

Finance&Insurance

The Two Most Misunderstood Legal Regulations

51 F&I_Layout 1 1/13/14 1:22 PM Page 51

The use of liquid-cooling is at an all-time high for powersportsengines. Harley-Davidson, a longtime air-cooled hold-out

(other than the oddball V-Rod), has finally relented, adding liquid-cooling systems to their new street 500 and 750 models as well asthe High Output Twin Cam 103 engine found in some of their mostexclusive big bikes. Many industry folks have predicted the end ofpowerful air-cooled engines with emissions regulations pushing manufacturers to move toward leaner, hotter-burning fuel mixturesthat have increased cooling needs. Harley claims emissions are notthe cause of their change, but rather the increased performanceand rider comfort that can be designed into liquid-cooled systems.

All modern liquid-cooling systems use a pump to circu-late the coolant through the system. These water pumps shouldbe inspected regularly as their seals can and do fail. Most waterpumps have a built-in seal inspection feature called a tell-talehole. The tell-tale hole is located directly below the water pump.The water pump’s mechanical seal has failed if coolant leaks fromthe hole.

The water pump impeller must be turned by the engine.The mechanical seal allows the engine to turn the water pump im-peller while keeping the coolant and engine oil separate. A typical mechanical seal is shown at right. The spring-loaded rubber sealpushes against a plastic seal ring on the water pump impeller toform a water-tight seal while allowing the shaft and impeller to ro-tate. In most cases, there is also a separate oil seal further downthe water pump shaft to seal the engine oil. If coolant leaks pastthe mechanical seal, it will flow from the tell-tale hole.

Remove the impeller and/or shaft to access the mechanical seal. Note: many impellers have reverse threads. Remove the seal by driving it out from the opposite side orcarefully prying it out. Avoid damaging the seal or water pumpcover mating surface by prying against them.

On the example above, the mechanical seal allowedcoolant to leak past it, causing the impeller shaft to rust. Thecorrosion built up in the space between the mechanical seal andoil seals. The oil seal was not far from failing as the impellershaft had become rough and pitted where it was making con-tact with the oil seal. In this case, the mechanical seal, oil seal,


Liquid Cooled Engine Care

TipsTECH

The water pump’s mechanical seal has failed if coolantleaks from the tell-tale hole.

The mechanical seal allows the engine to turn the waterpump impeller while keeping coolant and oil separate.

Remove the impeller and/or shaft to access the seal.

Cyclepedia Press LLC

52-53 techtips-_Layout 1 1/13/14 1:22 PM Page 52

Check the condition of seals, bearings, impeller and shaft.

Replace the O-ring or gasket seal any time the cover is removed.

Mechanical seals may require the application of sealant.


impeller shaft and bearings must be replaced. When disassem-bling a water pump for inspection, check the condition of theseals, bearings, impeller and shaft. Take the time and replace allof the suspect parts while they can be easily accessed. It is gen-erally recommended to replace the seals as a set. Often thewater pump shaft bearings must be removed to access the seals.Most manufactures recommend replacing the bearings with newitems if they are removed.

There are a few other types of water pump seals. Somemodels use a one-piece seal that acts as both a mechanical sealand oil seal. Others use two rubber oil seal type seals: one to sealthe oil in and one to seal the coolant out. Also, most water pumpshave an impeller cover O-ring or gasket that can leak. Replace theO-ring or gasket seal any time the cover is removed.

Drive in the new seals with a suitable driver that is thesame outside diameter as the seal. Some mechanical seals may re-quire a press or special mechanical seal installer tool. For a goodseal against the case, mechanical seals may require the applicationof sealant between the metal mating surface of the seal and thecase; others may come with a special coating from the factory. Al-ways follow the instructions in the service manuals when replacingthese seals. Some water pumps are not serviceable. These mustbe replaced as a unit if an internal seal fails.

Water pump seals can last for years without problems, or theycan fail after a few months of use. Change the coolant according to the manufacturers periodic maintenance chart tohelp prevent water pump seal problems. Keep an eye out for tell-tale holes warning of faulty seals and encourage service costumers to have their coolant systems serviced regularly. t

Cyclepedia Press LLC authors powersports service manuals, aspecification database and training modules to help techniciansefficiently service ATVs, motorcycles, scooters and side by sides.Each month Cyclepedia examines real life shop scenarios withrecommended tech tips for handling the problems encountered.For more information about Cyclepedia manuals and professionalproducts visit www.cyclepedia.com.

52-53 techtips-_Layout 1 1/13/14 1:22 PM Page 53

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Marcos PatronelliStill Favorite to Defend Quad TitleAmong the 40 quads to start the DakarRally, more than 60 percent of which areSouth American riders, there will bemany challengers for the podium. Mar-cos Patronelli is still the major favorite todefend his title, but the competitionseems likely to rock the boat. The Pa-tronelli brothers have been all-conquer-ing in the quad category for the last foureditions of the Dakar. Last January, it wasMarcos who represented the clan, withthe efficiency that is now synonymouswith the family’s reputation. With 14stage victories (without hardly breakinginto a sweat!) in five events, Marcos Pa-tronelli has become one of the majorplayers on the Dakar, in addition to

taking on the role of Argentinean flag-bearer. He will again have to live up tothis responsibility when lining up onthe starting line in Rosario in January.

Pirelli Named Official Tire of AMASupercross Until2016Pirelli has signed an agreement with Feld

Motor Sports for the period 2014-

2016 that includes an official spon-sorship by the Italian tire company of theMonster Energy AMA Supercross, a FIMWorld Championship. For the 2014 sea-son, which includes 17 events and beginsin January at Anaheim’s Angel Stadium inCalifornia and ends on May 3 in LasVegas. Pirelli is also the official tire sup-plier of the Toyota/Yamaha/JGRMX team

and its ridersJosh Grant and Justin Brayton,plus BTO KTM-Sports team riders Andrew Short and Matt Goerke. "I am very pleased with this agreement,which involves us in Monster Energy Su-percross for the next three years. Pirelli isundoubtedly an Italian company that hasalways had a strong, large-scale effortand interest around the world. The Amer-

ican market, as well as the Asian one,is a very important region in which wewant and must grow because we arestrongly aware of the excellent qualityof our products and we want to proveit," said Uberto Thun-Hohenstein, seniorvice-president of Pirelli Moto and headof the Business Unit Moto.

Dakar Stage 2: SamSunderland GetsFirst Victory, BarredaStill on TopAfter the win in Stage 1 for Joan Barreda,in Stage 2 it was Sam Sunderland’s turnto take the victory. The British rider was a worthy winner of the Dakar’s secondspecial, where the Honda CRF450 Rally remains in top positions and where JoanBarreda continues to command theleader-board. t

2014 Off-Road Seasons Kick Off In January

56pitpass 1/13/14 1:28 PM Page 56

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Motorcycle & Powersports News, January 2014

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Transcript of Motorcycle & Powersports News, January 2014