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Powersports Business • April 2025 • 3

Dave McMahon, executive director of the National Powersports Dealer Association, attended the North Carolina Motorcycle Dealer Association’ s annual meeting held in early March and gave the following report:

President Chris Brewer, an NPDA member and owner of Brewer Cycles, presided over the meeting at the always-inviting Aloft Hotel in Durham. NCMDA Executive Director Lisa Brewer once again ensured that the event was enjoyable for all with an efficient and effective schedule.

“ It’ s smart business to come to the NCMDA meeting,” says Van Paul Etheridge, eastern regional director of the NCMDA and an NPDA member who has owned Cyclemax in Wilson, North Carolina for over a quarter century.“ I was hearing about new laws and legislation that I should be hearing about, but I simply didn’ t know about. It’ s real easy to pick up a lot of best practices with other dealers and share our own things that have worked, just passing along information.”

Like many dealer attendees, Etheridge flipped the calendar to a new beginning.

“ We’ re excited about 2025. We’ re looking forward to an increase. Things are looking up,” he says.

Greg Couchois, floor manager overseeing sales and finance at Capital Powersports in Wake Forest, made his debut at the NCMDA annual meeting. Capital Powersports, an NPDA Member since 2023 thanked the support of general manager Kevin Dunn, and figures to take another step forward from the 1,200 units that the dealership sold in 2024.

“ The meeting was very enlightening,” Couchois says.“ Very informative with lots of great takeaways and time well spent. I learned a lot from the marketing guys( Motorsports Marketing Group) and made some connections.”

Zach McKenna, finance and insurance manager at Team Charlotte Motorsports, is another first-time attendee to the NCMDA meeting.

“ I wanted to meet some new people,” he says.“ We all have the same goal and want to help each other build a better brand for all of us as dealers. I learned a lot about the different legislation, and I liked hearing the different points of view. We all do the same thing, but there’ s a lot of different ways to do it.”

Team Charlotte has big plans for 2025, says McKenna, a New Hampshire native who formerly was in sales at Naults Powersports & Marine.“ We’ re looking to crush what we

( From left) Chris Brewer / Brewer Cycles and Greg Couchois / Capital Powersports at the prize ceremony.

( Middle, from left) William Harper / Harper Cycle & Marine, David Andrew / Iron Horse Motorcycles and Willie Bradshaw / Fun Cycles were all smiles during a coffee break.

did last year, and we’ re on pace so far. We just take it one day at a time,” he says.

Thanks to state associations like the NCMDA, the NPDA continues to tout and promote the benefits of nonprofit state dealer associations. In fact, as part of the buzz being created in Durham by NCMDA Dealers about their dual support of the NPDA, North Carolina Dealers hopped online to join the NPDA. North Carolina is now the No. 3 state for dealer membership in the NPDA, trailing only Texas and California.

With Brewer continuing to guide a highly successful NCMDA operation, NCMDA members have a valuable tool as part of their business operations.

“ We had another really good turnout, about the same as last year with some new faces coming for the first time,” Brewer says.“ This year we tried to have more breaks, a longer lunch, more networking time. That’ s part of why people come— one of the biggest parts of it.” Brewer shared several legislative updates from the general

( From left) Chris Brewer / Brewer Cycles, Justin Alpiser / Team Powersports and Jayson Davis / Powersports of Greenville, South Carolina renewing acquaintances.

( From left) Steve and Brandon Prokupek / PowerMaxx Motorsports were in familiar territory with some Supercross action at dinner Saturday night.

assembly, including optional titling of ATVs and side-by-sides in North Carolina that began on Oct. 1, 2024. It’ s been a positive move for dealers as they aim to do better business with their lenders.

Also, as of July 1, 2025, street-legal side-by-sides will be permitted on any highway with a posted speed limit under 55 miles per hour. As for the shop itself?“ If I do what I did in 2024 I’ ll be happy,” Brewer says.“ 2023 was a year that we’ ll never see again. I think 2025 is going to be a reset year.”

NPDA Partners Torque Group, Rider’ s Advantage, ZiiDMS and Sheffield Financial also participated in the event as sponsors.

Envious of the financial value of dealerships that reside in states with active state powersports dealer associations? Let’ s make 2025 your year to launch a state association. Send an email to NPDA Executive Director Dave McMahon at Dave @ npda. org for more information.

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According to a local news report, Filer’ s Powersports in Macedon, New York, was broken into on March 13. This is the second time this has happened since 2023. This time, however, nothing was stolen.

The dealership already beefed up its security following the first break-in, according to the assistant sales manager, who told News 8 that it is frustrating the break-ins continue to happen.

“ It’ s like someone broke into your house,” the assistant manager says.

Almost two years ago, Filer’ s reported a smash-and-grab in which suspects stole several dirt bikes worth over $ 65,000.

This time, they had all of their bikes cabled together, and the alarm went off immediately. Police were on the scene in minutes, so the suspects didn’ t have time to take anything. Police are continuing to investigate the incident.

According to a local news report, Filer’ s Powersports in Macedon, New York, was broken into on March 13.