Powersports Business articles from June 2006

Powersports Business archives from June 2006

Story invests in Maine dealership.(HOTNEWS)
June 5, 2006... John Story, the former senior vice president of dealer operations for America's PowerSports (APS), has become a managing partner of L-A Harley-Davidson, a franchise in Lewiston, Maine. L-A Harley-Davidson was purchased from its longtime...

Appeals court upholds $3.6 million verdict against Polaris.(HOTNEWS)
June 5, 2006... A three-judge California appeals court upheld a $3.6 million jury award granted to a woman in 2004 for injuries she suffered in a personal watercraft accident in 2001. According to court documents, a Napa County jury ordered Polaris...

Cycle Country 2Q revenue up 25 percent.(HOTNEWS)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Cycle Country Accessories Corp., the Milford, Iowa-based manufacturer of products for ATVs, garden tractors and golf cars, said net income was $141,612, or .08 cents per share, for the second quarter ended March 31--a rebound from a loss of...

Taiwan cycle show attracts 934 firms.(HOTNEWS)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... The 22nd Taipei International Auto/Motorcycle Parts and Accessories Show Taipei AMPA took place May 19-22 at the Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC). Organized by the quasi-official Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), the...

BMW Motorrad USA taps concept farm for ADS.(HOTNEWS)
June 5, 2006... BMW Motorrad USA selected New York-based The Concept Farm as its new agency of record for advertising purposes. Concept Farm, an independent ad agency, production company and entertainment development group, has 35 full-time employees....

AMA names new Supermoto director.(HOTNEWS)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... In AMA Pro Racing news, Joel Grover has been hired to the new position of Supermoto director, and will be relocating to AMA's Pickerington, Ohio headquarters from his home in upstate New York. Reporting to Doug Neubauer, vice president of...

Correction.(Correction notice)
June 5, 2006... Texas-based Dealers Finance Source, working with Motorcycle Management Consulting Services, Inc. (MMCS), offers an F & I kiosk for powersports dealerships. An Aftermarket article in the May 15 edition implied that MMCS was the company operating...

A promising start to '06; MIC: U.S. cycle sales up, ATV sales slightly down after first quarter.
June 5, 2006... The first-quarter report from the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) shows strong early motorcycle sales while ATV sales have slightly dipped. Overall, 2006 is starting off much better than its predecessor, with year-to-date sales of...

It's getting easier to reap the huge labor savings.
June 5, 2006... Mike Tomberlin, CEO of Tomberlin Outdoor, says it's not unusual to manufacture a product in China for 20 percent of what it would cost to produce the same item in a more industrialized country. So it's no wonder that many powersports...

Survey shows scooter interest.(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... As gas prices soar to record highs, a survey released last month indicates 30 percent of U.S. consumers would be "extremely" or "somewhat likely" to use a scooter for their everyday transportation needs. According to the survey, conducted...

Bidding for a bigger industry presence: Eastern Powersports Auction is looking to expand after two big growth years.
June 5, 2006... EAST WINDSOR, CONN. -- For Jon Plankey of The Toy Club, Swanzey, N.H., it's a possible inventory lifeline for his growing small shop that relies on an increasingly difficult commodity to find--used motorcycles. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Target some new revenue generators.(automobile dealers)(Editorial)
June 5, 2006... A freelancer who was hoping to write some stories about cycling once asked me to lunch. I agreed, and we settled on a small Mexican restaurant about 20 minutes from my work and about 15 miles from his house. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I...

Sifting through the priorities a successful dealer principal must remember.
June 5, 2006... What makes a dealer successful and what, in my experience, has caused them to fail? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I can answer both in one sentence, or perhaps in one word: priorities (or the lack thereof). The priorities of a retail...

Honda targets sales of 18 million cycles in 2010.(DIGEST)
June 5, 2006... Takeo Fukui, president and chief executive officer, Honda Motor Co., Ltd., said the manufacturer is targeting sales of 18 million motorcycles in 2010, but indicated that growth is largely dependent upon increases in Asia. Fukui made the...

KTM half-year sales up 65 percent.(DIGEST)(KTM Power Sports AG )(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Austria's KTM Power Sports AG said sales for its fiscal first half-year ended Feb. 28 were approximately Euro 235.4 million ($299.5 million), up 65 percent compared to sales of Euro 143.1 million during the same six months in the previous...

Piaggio 1Q sales up 19.8 percent.(DIGEST)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Italy's Piaggio & Co. SpA closed its first quarter March 31 with a consolidated net profit of Euro 10.2 million ($13 million), up from a loss of Euro 10.9 million ($13.9 million) for the same three-month period in 2005. First-quarter...

Fairchild loss widens in 2Q.(DIGEST)
June 5, 2006... The Fairchild Corp., McLean, Va., reported a net loss of $12.1 million or $0.48 per share for its second quarter ended March 31. The company's results slipped further from a net loss of $3.9 million or $0.15 per share during the same...

Kawasaki enjoys strong fiscal year growth: the company's net income rises 43%.
June 5, 2006... Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. (KHI) net income for its fiscal year ended March 31 rose dramatically. The company's net income was Y16.467 billion ($140.2 million) or Y11.2 per share, up 43 percent from net income of Y11.479 billion or...

BMW's big 1Q soured by drop in cycle sales.
June 5, 2006... Benefiting from increased auto sales, Germany's BMW Group started 2006 with record quarterly earnings, and believes it is heading for the best year in its corporate history. By contrast, the company sold 19,051 motorcycles during the first...

Big drop in snow revenue hits Arctic Cat.
June 5, 2006... Lower than anticipated sales of snowmobiles and snow-related parts, garments and accessories, coupled with increased sales incentive programs on snowmobiles and ATVs, impacted Arctic Cat Inc.'s revenue and earnings in the fourth quarter and...

Improved accessories sales help Ducati post 1Q profit.
June 5, 2006... Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. posted a profit in the first quarter thanks to a positive product mix, increased accessories sales and a positive exchange rate. Ducati said net result for the first quarter ended March 31 was a profit of Euro...

How retail practices can add to big profit: dealers continue to add PG & A floor space, but don't always back it up with best practices.(FOCUS: RETAIL MERCHANDISING)
June 5, 2006... REDWOOD CITY, CALIF. -- Parts Unlimited Sales Rep. Paul Griffin begins a story about an ill-fated retail merchandising moment like it's a bad joke being told at one of the other patio tables at this Bay Area restaurant. "A woman walks in...

Retail merchandising tactics to consider for your dealership.(FOCUS: RETAIL MERCHANDISING)
June 5, 2006... Claire Maguire, a regional sales manager for Calabasas Hills, Calif.-based Helmet House, believes she's visited 300 to 400 dealerships from around the nation. Maguire also has 15 years of experience working in the parts and accessories...

Key to retailing: manage your spending.(FOCUS: RETAIL MERCHANDISING)
June 5, 2006... Impulse buying may be something the power-sports industry would like to see more of on the consumers' parts, but an industry veteran warns dealers of such costly buying practices. Scott Link, Alpinestars' North American sales manager, sees...

Companies that could help your PG & A displays.(FOCUS: RETAIL MERCHANDISING)(Directory)
June 5, 2006... Here's a list of some of the companies that provide showroom displays for powersports companies: AquaCarts Inc. 7351 S. Indianapolis Road Whitestown, Ind. 46075 317/769-6318 www.aquacarts.com Baltimore Display ...

Arctic Cat recalls Prowler XTs.(ATV Digest)
June 5, 2006... Arctic Cat Inc., Thief River Falls, Minn., is recalling about 2,120 Prowler XT off-highway utility vehicles sold nationwide from July 2005 through May. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Arctic says the rear brake caliper used on these units could...

Dinli to end sub-250cc ATV production.(ATV Digest)
June 5, 2006... Taiwan's Dinli Metal Industrial Co. recently announced that it has phased out production of sub-250cc ATV models to focus on manufacturing models with powerplants larger than 300cc. According to the China Economic News Service, Dinli...

Research describes ATV users.(ATV Digest)
June 5, 2006... ATV riders have similar interests as other outdoor enthusiasts, according to new research conducted by the University of Minnesota Tourism Center and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Minnesota has direct...

Suzuki becomes official sponsor of the PowerSports ATV Tour.(ATV Digest)
June 5, 2006... The WPSA PowerSports ATV Championship Tour announced that American Suzuki Motor Corp. (ASMC) has signed an agreement to become an official tour sponsor. The PowerSports ATV Tour is North America's newest ATV racing tour and is sanctioned...

At work in the military: the department of defense provided us with a look at how quads are being used in the U.S. armed forces.(ATV)
June 5, 2006... Top: A U.S. Air Force pararescueman, from the 304th Rescue Squadron, drives a Yamaha onto a U.S. Air Force C-130 during a patient recovery exercise at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, Africa. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Above: U.S. Army Spc. Adam...

Arctic Cat takes a close look at student project.(ATV)
June 5, 2006... Arctic Cat is considering producing a new snowplow design that features click-on technology, better ground clearance and one-time interaction between operator and plow when the winch is hooked up. The technology was developed by five...

New OHV park set to open.(off highway vehicles)
June 5, 2006... For years locals knew the area as a trash-infested hangout for hoodlums and ne'er-do-wells that was best left alone. No one really paid much attention to this BLM-owned land 30 minutes south of Birmingham, the oversight of which was ceded to...

Colorado Powersports.(Power Profile)(Company overview)
June 5, 2006... CONTACT Colorado Powersports Boulder 1880 55th St. Boulder, Colo. 80301 (303) 447-3500 Colorado Powersports Denver 2050 West 104th Ave. Thornton, Colo. 80234 (303) 427-9000 www.copowersports.com ...

Beaverton Honda-Yamaha-Suzuki.(Power Profile)
June 5, 2006... CONTACT Beaverton Honda-Yamaha-Suzuki 10380 SW Cascade Ave. Tigard, Ore. 97223 (503) 684-6600 www.bhy.net OWNER Robert Lanphere BUSINESS PROFILE Beaverton Honda was started in 1964. Robert Lanphere...

Confederate resumes production.(Cycle Update)(Confederate Motor Company)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... The first 2006 F131 Hellcat to be produced by Confederate Motor Company in the company's new Birmingham plant recently rolled off the line. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hurricane Katrina destroyed Confederate's New Orleans headquarters last...

Harley-Davidson events raise more than $1.6 million for MDA.(Cycle Update)
June 5, 2006... Harley-Davidson's 2006 fundraising for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) received a huge boost recently with the contribution of more than $1.6 million through four major events. The events were organized through Harley-Davidson Motor...

Lifestyle Cycles certified by S & S.(Cycle Update)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... On May 5, LifeStyle Cycles became the first certified S & S Cycles Pro Tuning Center in Southern California. "Becoming a Pro Tuning Center is a major step for us," said LifeStyle Cycles' owner Mark "Junior" Skolnick. "Knowledge is power,...

Buell, Sentry work to reduce insurance costs.(Cycle Update)
June 5, 2006... Buell Motorcycle Company has selected Sentry Insurance as the preferred insurance provider for Buell owners in the United States. Buell worked closely with Sentry over the past two years to find the best way to lower insurance rates on...

AMA Team USA to run Motocross of Nations.(Cycle Update)
June 5, 2006... The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced that "AMA Team USA" will compete at the 2006 Motocross of Nations, scheduled for Sept. 23-24 at Matterley Basin/Winchester, Great Britain. The presenting sponsor of AMA Team USA will...

Survey reveals cycle trends in Japan.(Cycle Update)
June 5, 2006... Motorcycle ownership in Japan among young men and women in their teens and 20s fell in 2005, whereas ownership among men and women in their 50s or older rose, said the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), which published the...

Chiaro leaves Ducati N.A.(Cycle Update)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Vince Chiaro, press relations coordinator for Ducati North America, Cupertino, Calif., left the company May 19 to pursue a position outside of the industry. "It is with regret that I tell you that I am leaving Ducati North America," Chiaro...

A successful 25th year for IMS.( International Motorcycle Shows )
June 5, 2006... Organizers of the 25th annual Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows (IMS) said strategic changes to layout, new locations and advantageous weather combined to boost attendance this year. Officials of the 13-city tour said attendance...

Debate regarding MV Agusta's sale for 1 Euro continues.(MOTORCYCLE)
June 5, 2006... Controversy continues to surround Proton's recent sale of its 57.75 percent stake in MV Agusta Motors SpA for the token price of Euro 1 and the motorcycle manufacturer's debts. Joined by former Malaysia Prime Minister and Proton advisor...

Buell starts up production of XBRR bikes.(MOTORCYCLE)
June 5, 2006... Buell Motorcycle Company, East Troy, Wis. started production of its XBRR race bikes in early May. Fifty XBRRs will be built in the production run. In April, Buell announced production had been delayed as engineers analyzed and refined...

CCM owner returns to market in Europe.(Clews Competition Motorcycles)(Company overview)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Founded in the early 1970s by Alan Clews, U.K.-based CCM (Clews Competition Motorcycles) is now back in the hands of its original owner. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CCM ceased operations July 8, 2004, under the control of Murray VCT, a...

Piaggio unveils three-wheeled scooter; Company: vehicle offers more stability.(MOTORCYCLE)
June 5, 2006... Piaggio recently unveiled a three-wheeled scooter company officials say marks the start of a new personal transport revolution from the manufacturer. Piaggio says the MP3, with two independent tilting front wheels, provides increased...

OEMs seek to increase foothold in India.(MOTORCYCLE)
June 5, 2006... Japan's Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. is lobbying the Indian government to change federal regulations that bar the import of motorcycles powered by engines with displacement of over 500cc. India's 6-million-unit-a-year motorcycle market is the...

Australia's cycle sales booming.(MOTORCYCLE)
June 5, 2006... Motorcycle sales in Australia for the three-month period ended March 31 reached a record 25,512 units, up 4,176 units or 19.6 percent compared to sales during the same period in 2005, said the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI)....

Brazil's production up, exports down.(MOTORCYCLE)
June 5, 2006... Brazil's motorcycle industry produced 454,383 motorcycles during the first four months of the year, up from 387,383 units produced during the same period in 2005, said the Association of the Manufacturers of Motorcycles, Mopeds and Bicycles...

Arctic Cat hunts for new vice president.(Snowmobile Report)
June 5, 2006... Arctic Cat's Robert Bonev, vice president of sales and marketing, is no longer working for the company, according to a May 9 statement. He had been with Arctic Cat since 2001. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "We appreciate Robert's...

Program helps snow-related firms.(low interest loans)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... A program in Maine called No Snow Dough! will help winter-dependent businesses by offering low-interest loans. The program, backed by Maine Gov. John Baldacci, is run by The Finance Authority of Maine (FAME). In order to qualify for...

Snowmobiles way down under.(Snowmobile Report)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... The Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History will feature a new photo exhibit documenting life at the south pole. The exhibit, Wonderous Cold: An Antarctic Journey, will be on display in Washington D.C. until Sept. 4, and then...

Suit filed over land use in Montana.(Snowmobile Report)
June 5, 2006... Land use in the Flathead National Forest in Montana is the subject of a newly filed lawsuit. The suit, filed by the groups Swan View Coalition and Friends of the Wild Swan, claims forest managers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service...

Other lawsuit news.(United States. Forest Service)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... A Utah lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service was dropped in April when the agency agreed to restore a snowmobile ban in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest. The suit was initially filed by several groups, including Nordic United and the...

A familiar, depressing report: North American market down for ninth straight year, sales survey finds.(snowmobiles)
June 5, 2006... An all-too familiar pattern combined with a new wrinkle led to a depressing snowmobile sales report for the 2005-'06 season. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the wake of another poor snowfall year, overall snowmobile sales for North America...

Despite down year, there are reasons for optimism for U.S. snow market.
June 5, 2006... While official sales reports from the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association (ISMA) were not released yet, we have an early view of the state of the industry from a survey of more than 180 North American dealers. The survey...

Long-awaited victory at Gulf Islands park.(Making Waves)
June 5, 2006... Long one of the most high-profile of parks that still have a PWC ban in effect, Gulf Islands National Seashore recently joined the list of parks that have reopened the doors to personal watercraft use within their borders. [ILLUSTRATION...

Coast Guard seeks authority to require consumer education.(Making Waves)
June 5, 2006... According to a recent newsletter from the National Marine Manufacturer's Association, the United States Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety has requested that Congress grant the agency authority to require recreational boaters to meet some...

Riva to distribute Hydrospace: Florida retailer will set up U.S. dealer network.(PWC)
June 5, 2006... Pompano, Fla.-based Riva Motorsports, the world's largest retailer of personal watercraft, recently entered into a contractual agreement with Austrian manufacturer Hydrospace to distribute the company's products--namely the S4 turbocharged,...

Floe International names new president.(Distributor Report)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Don VanderMey was named president of Floe International, taking over day-to-day management of the company and replacing Bob Jordan. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] VanderMey has spent the past 10 years at Floe serving as manager, territory...

Motion Pro connects internet sales to dealers.(Distributor Report)
June 5, 2006... Motion Pro, Inc., San Carlos, Calif., has teamed with Shopatron Inc., San Luis Obispo, Calif., a company that provides ecommerce solutions to manufacturers that want to capture online sales without disrupting their existing distributor and...

S & S hires new director of sales, marketing.(Distributor Report)
June 5, 2006... S & S Cycle, Inc. has hired a new director of sales and marketing to oversee operational and strategic sales and marketing initiatives, working primarily at the Customer Support Center in La Crosse, Wis. Timm Fields joins S & S after...

J & P Cycles breaks ground in Florida.(Distributor Report)
June 5, 2006... J & P Cycles owners John and Jill Parham were at Destination Daytona in Ormond Beach on April 26 to break ground for J & P Cycles' new retail store and call center. The new 35,000 square foot location, located just north of the Daytona...

EVS Sports launches new brand.(Distributor Report)
June 5, 2006... EVS Sports has launched a new brand of personal protective gear designed specifically for the industrial safety market. Called LIFT Safety, the line was designed to offer a progressive and revitalized approach to industrial safety gear. ...

Dealership University expands offerings.(Distributor Report)
June 5, 2006... Dealership University, an Atlanta-based developer of online, interactive training courses for the powersports industry, has added 39 product knowledge courses covering the product features and benefits of Kawasaki, Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha...

Custom Chrome partners with Kodlin.(Distributor Report)
June 5, 2006... Custom Chrome, a division of Global Motorsport Group, Inc., announced a new strategic design partnership with European motorcycle builder Fred Kodlin. Kodlin will join other designers, like Rick Doss and John Reed, to create new parts and...

ADP Dealer Services awarded.(Distributor Report)
June 5, 2006... ADP Dealer Services has been honored with the Service & Support Professionals Association's (SSPA) STAR Award for Best Practices in Support Technology for the third consecutive year. The SSPA STAR Award recognizes the best practices of select...

Ohio dealer wins WPS Hummer H3.(Distributor Report)
June 5, 2006... Steve Kame of Kame's Sport Center in North Canton, Ohio, won a WPS/Michelin Hummer H3 in a giveaway program offered by Western Power Sports. Kame was one of five dealer finalists to vie for the Hummer during a Las Vegas Supercross...

NextStep DMS feature designed to simplify forecasting.(dealership management systems from Nextstep Italia S.R.L.)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... NextStep says a new feature for its popular Dealer Management System, PartsLookup DMS, makes it easier to calculate profitability quickly for any estimate, work/repair order or invoice. Called Profit Center, the new feature includes a wide...

Helmets, Inc. expands.(Distributor Report)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Helmets, Inc., Birmingham entrepreneur Todd Sobel's wholesale motorcycle helmet distribution company, which four years ago operated out of his basement, recently relocated to a 43,750 square foot facility. Helmets Inc. is a wholesale...

Technology program seeks to maximize every opportunity: structured sales process and increased marketing will be tackled.(S & W Dealers)
June 5, 2006... In this, the fifth installment in a year-long series of articles documenting the modernization of Jasper, Ala. dealership S & W Powersports, S & W's sales staff continues to practice a structured sales process. The 9 Step Structured Sales...

Kryptonite Integrated Armored Cables.
June 5, 2006... Specifications -- Kryptonite's new 25mm Integrated Armored Cable comes in both 4'3" and 5' lengths. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Benefits -- Both versions incorporate a three-point reinforced ball bearing locking mechanism to give users...

Leovince CRF250R X3 dual system.(HOT PRODUCTS)
June 5, 2006... Specifications -- This all-new X3 system for the Honda CRF250R is available in the unique dual-silencer design. It is constructed with a titanium header and either all-titanium silencers or carbon fiber silencers and developed with the...

Scorpion sports VX-9.(HOT PRODUCTS)
June 5, 2006... Specifications -- DOT-certified, the VX-9 is an all-new, off-road youth helmet with aggressive graphics designed to retail for under $90. Available in youth sizes S-M-L, and in Patriot (available in blue and silver) and Spitfire (available in...

ITP Trac Star radials.(HOT PRODUCTS)
June 5, 2006... Specifications -- The six-ply Trac Star utilizes a unique Z-shaped tread pattern and a natural rubber compound resulting in a tire that provides an improvement in cornering and overall handling. It's designed to be self-cleaning, making it...

CycleDome.(HOT PRODUCTS)
June 5, 2006... Specifications -- Featuring a rugged, powder-coated frame, zinc-plated fasteners and water/UV-resistant laminated polyester fabric, the CycleDome takes only minutes to assemble with nothing more than a screwdriver and a pair of pliers. The hard...

George's TC88 Specialty tools.(HOT PRODUCTS)
June 5, 2006... Specifications -- TC88 Camshaft Remover and Installer; Cam-Crank Gear Locker, and Cam Chain Tension Unloader; made of Delron to eliminate any chance of damage to gears. Benefits -- Specialty tools make it easy to work on Harley-Davidson...

Deltran battery tester PST-100.(HOT PRODUCTS)
June 5, 2006... Specifications -- Measures 10 to 500 cold cranking amps, 2.3 to 30 amp-hour capacity batteries, built-in voltmeter. Benefits -- Works even on discharged batteries; fast, accurate test decision in 5.5 seconds. Suggested retail price --...

Tackling one dealership's stagnant sales.(Sales Management)
June 5, 2006... These articles recap some of the opportunities that were uncovered by GSA power-sports specialists during actual consulting visits. These opportunities are followed by recommended actions that address the issues. The goal of this...

Revising the rules in measuring the effectiveness of an ad campaign.(Dealer Dollars)
June 5, 2006... Growing up on the family farm, we had only two rules. The first: If you had a good crop, the price was bad. And second: If you had a bad crop, the price was good. And I found that it wasn't much better in the business world. The rule for...