Powersports Business articles from May 2005

Powersports Business archives from May 2005

Polaris cuts snowmobile work force.(Polaris Industries Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Polaris Industries, Medina, Minn., has laid off 60 of its 3,800 employees in a cutback tied to recent slow snowmobile sales. Thirty-four of the lay-offs occurred at the company's Roseau, Minn., production facility. The lay-offs were part...

Kawasaki USA updates operations, again.(Kawasaki Motors Corporation U.S.A.)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC) has announced yet another operational modification to the structure of its Irvine, Calif.-based sales and marketing group. Last year, both disciplines were consolidated into a single working group. Steve...

Subcommittee discusses PWC rulemaking.(personal watercraft use)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Members of the U.S. House of Representatives Resources Subcommittee on National Parks met in early May to discuss rulemaking procedures in several national park units that have banned personal watercraft use since 2002. In March 2000, the...

Taiwanese OEMs now outsource to cut costs.(original equipment manufacturer)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Acting to overcome what has become a dilemma for manufacturers worldwide, Taiwan's three leading producers of powersports vehicles have updated their parts procurement tactics to deal with rises in material prices that are undermining their...

Sparta names new CFO.(Sparta Commercial Services, Inc., chief financial officer)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Sparta Commercial Services, Inc., an Internet-based sales finance and leasing company dedicated exclusively to the powersports industry, has named Michael J. Mele as senior vice president and CFO. Mele replaces Daniel J. Lanjewar, who is...

New board at Ducati.(HOTNEWS)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... A new board of directors has been appointed at Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. at the company's annual meeting of shareholders on May 5. The new directors are composed of Federico Minoli, Mauro Benetton, Massimo Bergami, David Bonderman, Abel...

Norrod to head Segway.(James D. Norrod appointed as president and chief executive officer)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Segway LLC, Bedford, N.H., maker of the Segway Human Transporter (HT), has named James D. Norrod president and CEO. Effective immediately, Norrod will manage company-wide operations and serve on the Segway LLC board of directors.

Roetin Industries sold.(Argilus Capital)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Roetin Industries Inc., Victor, N.Y., has been purchased by Argilus Capital of Pittsford, N.Y. Argilus owns multiple manufacturing companies in upstate New York. Ed Rubel, vice president of marketing for Roetin, will stay on with the new...

Two-wheeler sales in Italy drop 20.7% in 1Q.(first quarter)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Registrations of two-wheelers in Italy during the first three months of 2005 have dropped sharply compared to the year-ago period, according to Associazione Nazionale Ciclo Motociclo Accessori (ANCMA), the country's bicycle, motorcycle and...

1Q cycle sales in Spain surge 85.4%.(first quarter)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Spain's motorcycle retailers sold 35,264 units during the first three months of 2005, up 85.4% compared to sales during the first quarter of 2004, according to Asociacion Nacional de Empresas de Dos Ruedas (ANESDOR), the country's motorcycle...

Brazil plans for 1.1 million cycles in 2005.(HOTNEWS)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Motorcycle manufacturers in Brazil are on track to produce 1,146,000 motorized two-wheelers in 2005, up from the 1,057,333 units produced in 2004, says ABRACICLO, the country's association of motorcycles, scooters and mopeds. The two main...

Crowds quiet at Laughlin.(23rd annual Laughlin River Run Motorcycle Rally)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... The 23rd annual Laughlin, Nev., River Run Motorcycle Rally drew an estimated 70,000 persons for the five day event, held April 20-24. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Billed as the third largest motorcycle rally in the country after events at...

NHTSA: rider death rate climbed 7.3% in 2004.(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
May 16, 2005... Projected 2004 data compiled by the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in a preliminary report projects the seventh straight year that motorcycle fatalities have increased. In 2004, 3,927...

Ehlert honors industry performers.(Ehlert Publishing Group Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Ehlert Publishing Group, the Maple Grove, Minn., publisher of Powersports Business magazine, as well as consumer and business magazines for the ATV, motorcycle, snowmobile and marine industries, celebrated excellence in the industry at its...

Poor machine quality threatens industry.(Editorial)
May 16, 2005... Have you noticed the number of machine recalls that the major powersports OEMs have made in the first four months of 2005? I was stunned at the number that we've reported so far this year. In checking the archives during the January through...

GE, bombardier plan $2.4 billion deal.(GE Commercial Finance to purchase Bombardier Capital Inc.'s inventory finance division)
May 16, 2005... General Electric Co.'s commercial finance unit, GE Commercial Finance, plans to pay $2.4 billion in cash and assumed debt to purchase Bombardier Capital's inventory finance division (BCIFD). The financing arm of Montreal-based Bombardier,...

BRP revenues, engine sales down.(Bombardier Recreational Products, Inc.)
May 16, 2005... Bombardier Recreational Products, Inc., the privately-held powersports company branded as "BRP," says consolidated revenues for its fourth quarter ended January 31, 2005, were C$634.3 million, a decrease of C$91.9 million compared to...

UTI 2Q net income up 13.6%.(Universal Technical Institute Inc.'s second quarter income)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (UTI), a provider of technical education training, says net income for its second quarter of fiscal 2005, ended March 31, was $9.2 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, a 13.6% increase from $8.1 million, or...

H-D board increases dividend.(Harley-Davidson Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... The Board of Directors of Harley-Davidson, Inc. (HDI) elected James L. Ziemer as company Chef Executive Officer, increased the dividend, and also approved an additional share repurchase authorization at the Annual Shareholder Meeting in...

Honda's year-end cycle sales up 13.9%.(Honda Motor Company Ltd.)
May 16, 2005... Japan's Honda Motor Co., Ltd. says consolidated net income for the fiscal fourth quarter ended March 31, 2005, was JPY 94.0 billion ($876 million), up 26.9% from the corresponding period in 2004. Basic net income per Common Share for the...

Yamaha worldwide cycle sales up 6.3%.(Yamaha Motor Company Ltd.)
May 16, 2005... Japan's Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. says it had net income of JYP 23 billion ($219.53 million) for the quarter ended March 31, 2005. The company said net sales for the first three months of 2005 totaled JYP 328.4 billion ($3.13 billion), up 6.4% from...

PWC in 2005: personal watercraft continue to make waves in the powersports industry.(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... That audible gasp you may have heard this spring was probably the personal watercraft industry breathing one huge, collective sigh of relief. Forced to contend with an increasingly downward spiral in sales that has come to sum up the majority...

Focus on the OEMs: the market holds strong; four-strokes continue to make news.(original equipment manufacturers)
May 16, 2005... The 2004 Recreational Boating Statistical Abstract, a report released by the National Marine Manufacturers Association this month, new boat sales grew more than 7 percent to 10.7 billion in 2004. That amounts to a sales boom overall for the...

Focus on the aftermarket: the strong survive.(personal watercrafts)
May 16, 2005... It's no big surprise that the PWC aftermarket has thinned significantly. Just pick up an old copy of any watercraft magazine, then compare its ads to that of a recent cover date. Companies have streamlined their offerings, abandoned the sport...

Polaris recalls five ATV models.(Polaris Industries Inc., all terrain vehicle)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Polaris Industries Inc., Medina, Minn., has recalled approximately 14,882 of its Scrambler 500 and Sportsman 400, 500, 600 and 700. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Polaris says some 2004.5 and 2005 model year Sportsman and 2005 model year...

Suzuki recalls '05 Eiger, Vinson.(ATV Digest)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... American Suzuki Motor Corp., Brea, Calif., has announced a recall of approximately 1,540 Eiger and Vinson ATVs. Suzuki says fuel petcock inserts were made with incorrect material that does not correctly bond the fuel tank and petcock...

China's ATV exports total $42.7 million in '04.(all terrain vehicles)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... China's outbound shipments of ATVs totaled $42.7 million in 2004, an increase of more than 1,200% compared to ATV exports in 2003, according to China's customs statistics. Youth models, mostly with 50cc engine displacement, comprise half...

Feds issue plans for California deserts.(ATV Digest)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently issued two 30-year desert management plans, for the Mojave Desert and for Imperial Sand Dunes in southeast California. Both are popular destinations for off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts....

State of NY reveals ATV use proposal.(New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, all terrain vehicles)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Off-highway vehicle enthusiasts in New York have been meeting with state policy makers to form an ATV use plan for public lands. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recently made public a draft of a policy that...

CPSC feels pressure for decision.(Consumer Product Safety Commission's ban for all terrain vehicle sales to under 16 years old children )
May 16, 2005... A decision from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on a petition that requests a ban on full-size ATV sales to children under 16 years old is expected to move forward in the next few months. After several hearings and a comment...

NOHVCC continues park guidelines manual.(National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council)
May 16, 2005... Park Guidelines for Off-Highway Vehicles, a 200-page illustrated manual published by the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC), is currently going into its second printing. First published in 2002, the manual has been...

Trask's, Inc.(Power Profile)(Company Profile)
May 16, 2005... CONTACT 461 U.S. Route 2E Wilton, ME 04294 207/645-2210 www.trasksinc.com OWNERS Bob and Lida Trask BUSINESS PROFILE Trask's was founded in 1965 as a MotoSki dealership. "In 1979 we also took on Ski-Doo,"...

Cycle Country offers Kymco bolt-on product.(Cycle Country Accessories Corp., Kymco USA)
May 16, 2005... Cycle Country Accessories, Milford, Iowa, a supplier of add-on products for utility all-terrain vehicles, says it plans to provide a line of accessories for Kymco's utility ATV line-up. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The company's entire line...

States plan motorcycle awareness programs.
May 16, 2005... Billboards promoting drivers' awareness of motorcyclists were placed alongside Louisiana's interstates this month. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Col. James Champagne, head of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, made the announcement at a...

Aprilia "Back on Track".(demo and display tour)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Aprilia is in the middle of its "Back on Track" demo and display tour, taking place at AMA races across the country, and wants to tell consumers about the company's current 3.9% sales program. "The core of our company has always been...

Star Motorcycles to sponsor AMA Dirt Track events.(American Motorcycle Association Dirt Track Championship)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Yamaha Motor USA, through its Star Motorcycles brand, will sponsor select races in the AMA Dirt Track Championship. Recognizing the strong cruiser motorcycle fan attendance at AMA Dirt Track Series rounds, Star Motorcycles has agreed to sponsor...

Honda Hoot to showcase multiple brands.(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Organizers have scheduled the 2005 Honda Hoot to take place June 22-25 in Chilhowee Park, Knoxville, Tenn. A gathering that includes riders on all brands and styles of two-wheeler, the Hoot is expected to attract more than 20,000 motorcycle...

Troopers bust PA theft ring.(Pennsylvania)
May 16, 2005... Nineteen South Jersey residents were arrested and a total of 40 motorcycles and ATVs were seized earlier this month when Pennsylvania state troopers busted a motorcycle theft ring based in the state's Burlington County. Law enforcement...

BMW 1Q cycle sales up 18.8%.(first quarter)
May 16, 2005... Munich-based BMW says it sold 21,304 motorcycles worldwide during the first three months of the year, an 18.8% jump from the 17,935 units sold during last year's first quarter. More than half of the three-month total--11,793...

Japan's 2004 cycle production drops 3.1%, exports up 2.9%.
May 16, 2005... Japan's major motorcycle manufacturers produced 177,253 units during March 2005, down 4,699 units or 2.6% from the production of 181,952 units during March 2004, says the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), which also revealed...

Sauk Prairie Harley-Davidson/Buell, Inc.(Company Profile)
May 16, 2005... CONTACT 836 Phillips Boulevard Sauk City, WI 53584 608/643-3735 www.spharley.com OWNER Virgil W. Schulenburg BUSINESS PROFILE Schulenburg purchased the dealership in 1979 at its current location, and...

Ducati enters China.(Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Federico Minoli, Chairman and CEO of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A, said the company plans to begin retailing product in China. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Minoli, speaking to reporters in Shanghai on April 28--the eve of motorcycle racing's...

Frontier Cycles.(Company Profile)
May 16, 2005... CONTACT 2434 Grand Avenue Laramie, WY 82070 307/742-2606 www.frontiercycles.com OWNERS Roy and Jean DeVries [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BUSINESS PROFILE The DeVrieses bought the existing dealership (then...

MZ introduces third 1000cc unit.(MZ Motorrad)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... MZ Motorrad -- und Zweiradwerk GmbH, Zschopau, Germany, has launched a new touring bike, the MZ 1000 ST Super Traveller. Like the upcoming 1000 ST (see the April 25 issue of Powersports Business) the Super Traveller is based on the MZ 1000 S...

Piaggio offers updated Beverly range.(Piaggio USA)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Piaggio USA is set to release its redesigned 2005 Beverly models, available in 125cc, 250cc and 500cc versions. The Beverly range has been responsible for sales of approximately 130,000 units. The 125 and 250cc models launched in 2001. The...

1Q motorcycle, ATV sales are soft.(retail sales report, all terrain vehicles)
May 16, 2005... Motorcycle sales were off 2% in the first quarter of 2005 compared to the same period last year, according to figures compiled by the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC). A total of 195,984 units were reported sold during the quarter, down 3,952...

Speciale now VP at Yamaha Marine.(Ben Speciale appointed vice president )(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Ben Speciale has been promoted to Vice President of Operations and Planning at Yamaha Marine Group, Kennesaw, Ga., a position that includes expanded roles within strategic planning, customer service and financial performance. [ILLUSTRATION...

N.A.D.A. heralds Sea-Doo RXT.(making waves)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... N.A.D.A. Appraisal Guides (NADAguides.com), a 72-year-old publisher of vehicle valuations and specification information, called the 2005 Sea-Doo RXT one of the Top Vehicles of Summer 2005. Other powersports vehicles on the list include...

NMMA: U.S. retail boating expenditures up 8% in 2004.(National Marine Manufacturers Association)
May 16, 2005... Total retail expenditures on boating reached $33 billion in 2004, an eight percent increase compared to 2003, according to the 2004 Recreational Boating Statistical Abstract, scheduled to be released in late May by the National Marine...

Bankston's Kawasaki/KTM.(power profile)(Company Profile)
May 16, 2005... CONTACT 3566 West International Speedway Boulevard Daytona Beach, FL 32124-1026 386/238-1091 www.bankstonka.com OWNER Jeff Bankston BUSINESS PROFILE Bankston built the dealership in 2001, 30 minutes...

Sled tourism down at Yellowstone.(snowmobile report)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... The number of snowmobiles entering Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park during the 2004-2005 snow season never came close to the daily limits imposed by the National Park Service (NPS). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The NPS says the average...

Pennsylvania to survey sled users.(snowmobile report)
May 16, 2005... Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) plans to begin polling snowmobile users in what it calls an attempt to better prepare for a popular winter activity in many state parks and forests. Later this month,...

Fast goes to the internet.(snowmobile report)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Fast, Inc. plans to launch direct sales of the M-10 on its Web site, www.Teamfast.com. A blow to dealers? Maybe not. Buyers on Teamfast.com are asked to fill in the name of a local snowmobile dealer. If the dealer doesn't carry Fast...

Princess inaugurates sled route.(snowmobile report)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden visited Kilpisjarvi, situated in the northwest of Finnish Lapland, to inaugurate a snowmobile route that bears her name. The Princess Victoria snowmobile route runs for about 200 km, from Muonio to...

Arctic uses state grant for training.(Arctic Cat Inc.)
May 16, 2005... On a Monday morning in early May, seven hand-picked supervisors of Arctic Cat Inc. met in a training room set up with computers. Over the next two hours, the group had a hands-on lesson in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and how to best...

New asphalt drag racing organization formed.(National Speed Association)
May 16, 2005... The National Speed Association (NSA) has been formed to establish and maintain a new Pro Stock asphalt snowmobile drag racing circuit. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Put together by several veteran asphalt snowmobile drag racers, the NSA is a...

Delphi plans $100 million motorcycle business.(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Delphi Corp. says it anticipates its motorcycle business to make $100 million in revenue in 2005, an increase of more than 30% compared to 2004. Delphi supplies motorcycle manufacturers around the world, including Harley-Davidson, with a...

Cycle Country wraps up Simonsen deal.(Simonsen Iron Works)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Cycle Country Accessories Corp., Milford, Iowa, formally acquired Simonsen Iron Works on April 29, Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Simonsen Iron Works, based in Spencer, Iowa, is a fourth generation family-run custom manufacturer in...

Showa earmarks funds for increased capacity.(distributor report)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Showa Corp., an affiliate of Japan's Honda Motor Co. Ltd., plans to increase capital investments during the next three years to $254.8 million, a 35% increase from the previous three-year period. The company says the increased outlay is an...

Mitsuba to expand in Brazil.(distributor report)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Mitsuba Corp., a supplier to Honda Motor Co. Ltd., says it plans to relocate its motorcycle parts plant in the Brazilian city of Manaus in preparation for increased production from the power-sports vehicle manufacturer. Honda has more than...

K & N offers 2005 Catalog.(K and N Engineering)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... K & N Engineering recently released their 2005 Powersports Catalog. With more than 70 pages, the catalog is packed with technical information about K & N products, loads of color photos and a complete listing of powersports applications,...

VP Racing adds staff.(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... VP Racing Fuels, Inc., Newark, Del., has named Steve Fales as Sales Representative and Technical Specialist. Fales will join the Sales & Technical Support Staff in VPs Atlantic region, which includes Delaware, Maryland, Virginia. West...

Universal Trailer offers financing through GE.(GE Consumer Finance)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Universal Trailer Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio, says it will partner with GE Consumer Finance's Retail Sales Finance unit to offer a new private label credit card program. Universal Trailers Haulmark brand is among the most popular of...

BMW OEM parts catalog now online.(distributor report)
May 16, 2005... A & S BMW Motorcycles. Roseville, Calif., has launched an online illustrated parts catalog for OEM BMW motorcycle parts. The site, www.ascycles.com/illustrated_parts_catalog_main.asp, covers all U.S. models from 1970 to present. ...

Can you really be fired by your customers?
May 16, 2005... Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart said it best: "There is only one person who can fire the company president, the entire board of directors and all the employees. That is the customer: simply by spending his or her money elsewhere." People...

Dealer profit jumps in March.(top guns)
May 16, 2005... Overall dealer profitability, as measured by Top Gun dealers nationwide, jumped in March to 6.6%, up from 4.7% in February. Overall net profit for the year through March was 4.7%, up from the 3.1% YTD figure recorded in February but down from...

Kryptonite stapler-style disc locks.(HOT PRODUCTS)
May 16, 2005... Specifications -- The 10-S Disc Lock-DFS and the 5-S Disc Lock replace the KryptoDisc DFS and KryptoDisco, respectively. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Benefits -- New stapler-style disc locks for motorcycles and scooters that have a...

Hein gericke's timbuktu jacket.(HOT PRODUCTS)
May 16, 2005... Specifications -- Available in black/gray in mens sizes small-3Xlarge. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Benefits -- SafeStitch construction, 330 denier Hypertex nylon adds abrasion resistance. The CE-approved Turtle armor. Sheltex jacket liner...

Park tool FFS-2 tube straightener.(HOT PRODUCTS)
May 16, 2005... Specifications -- Built from 3/16 inch steel, has an extended handle, and vinyl coating on the hook and on the fulcrum pad protects painted surfaces. The hook has over 8-inches of adjustment. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Benefits -- The...

Surviving the mean streets DVD.(Ride Like a Pro Inc. introduces digital video discs)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... Specifications -- In this DVD. Jerry "Motorman" Palladino will show you all the tips, tricks and techniques he's used to stay safe during his career as a motorcycle cop. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Benefits -- Includes tips on riding in...

Cardo systems scala rider.(HOT PRODUCTS)
May 16, 2005... Specifications -- New headset system that works with all Bluetooth mobile phones and is specially designed for motorcycle helmets. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Benefits -- Fits all helmets, and system allows users to control calls by voice....

Puig GSX-R1000 racing screen.(HOT PRODUCTS)
May 16, 2005... Specifications -- Offers a bubble design and features special graphics on the lower portion of the screen to cover cables and bulks behind the speedometer. Available in clear, dark smoke, light smoke and black. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Cobra hot wings.(HOT PRODUCTS)
May 16, 2005... Specifications -- Cobra has replicated the look of the mufflers it made for the Sport Wing. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Benefits -- Slipons fit Honda GL1800, look great, sound powerful. Suggested Retail Price -- $399.95. Contact --...

Role-playing is an effective sales training tool.(sales management)
May 16, 2005... Editor's note: This is part six in a series of articles about training your sales staff to achieve optimum performance Role-playing is one of the most effective ways to teach your salespeople how to sell. You're dealing with both a visual...