Indian Motorcycle dealerships once again topped the industry in online lead response, but a new study shows most powersports dealers are still failing to capitalize on digital opportunities.

According to the 2026 Internet Lead Effectiveness( ILE) study from Pied Piper, Indian dealers earned the highest average score at 55, marking the fourth consecutive year the brand has led the rankings. Top performers behind Indian included Harley-Davidson, Can-Am, Triumph and BMW Motorrad.

“ With nearly half of powersports dealers in this year’ s study scoring under 40, many brands and dealers are leaving significant opportunity on the table,” according to Cameron O’ Hagan, vice president of metrics and analytics at Pied Piper.“ The effort to improve is worth it. Historically, dealers who improve their ILE performance from scoring under 40 to scoring over 80 on average sell 50 % more units from the same quantity of internet leads.”

Despite those leaders, the broader industry continues to lag. The average dealership ILE score held at 44 for the third straight year, extending a five-year stretch of stagnant performance.

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES PERSIST The study, which evaluated more than 2,100 dealership website inquiries, found widespread breakdowns in basic lead handling:

• More than 50 % of customers received no response within 24 hours

According to the 2026 Internet Lead Effectiveness study from Pied Piper, Indian dealers earned the highest average score at 55, marking the fourth consecutive year the brand has led the rankings.( Photo: Pied Piper)

• Only 47 % of dealers answered customer questions via email or text

• Just 13 % offered an appointment

• Only half of dealers followed up by phone

The result: dealers are effectively missing about half of their online sales opportunities.

WHAT TOP DEALERS ARE DOING DIFFERENTLY

Indian Motorcycle dealers stood out for consistent, multi-channel follow-up and low non-response rates.

• 39 % used both digital response and phone outreach, compared to a 24 % industry average

• Only 1 in 25 customers received no response, significantly better than the industry

Pied Piper noted that top-performing dealerships are far more likely to combine email / text responses with phone calls, increasing the chances of connecting with customers.

PERFORMANCE GAP WIDENING The study also highlights a growing divide in dealer performance:

• Only 11 % of dealerships scored above 80( fast, complete responses)

• 45 % scored below 40, indicating slow or ineffective follow-up

Dealers who improve from below 40 to above 80 can increase unit sales by as much as 50 % from the same number of leads, according to Pied Piper.

SIMPLE FIXES, SLOW ADOPTION Despite clear benchmarks, adoption of best practices remains inconsistent.

“ More than half of powersports customers still receive no personal response,” says O’ Hagan.“ Dealers are twice as likely to be top performers if they commit to responding to web customers at least once each day and measure those responses monthly.”

For dealers, the takeaway is straightforward: faster, more consistent and multi-channel follow-up remains one of the biggest untapped growth opportunities in the business.

SEMA will significantly expand its powersports footprint at the 2026 SEMA Show, introducing a dedicated Powersports / SxS / Lifestyle section aimed at better serving powersports dealers and aftermarket businesses.

The new section will debut Nov. 3 – 6 in Las Vegas and reflects increasing overlap between automotive and powersports customers— a trend dealers are seeing firsthand as enthusiasts build multi-vehicle“ adventure” lifestyles.

SEMA said the expansion is designed to create a more unified buying environment by placing powersports brands and products alongside truck and off-road exhibitors, mirroring how consumers shop and use their vehicles.

“ This move provides a more powerful, unified resource for the aftermarket,” says Tom Gattuso, SEMA vice president of events.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR DEALERS For powersports dealers, the updated show floor is expected to create more efficient product discovery and new cross-category opportunities. By grouping complementary segments, dealers can more easily source inventory across motorcycles, side-by-sides, trailers, tow vehicles, and lifestyle accessories in one location.

The Powersports / SxS / Lifestyle section will be housed in the West Hall and will include access to outdoor space for live demos and activations, giving dealers a closer look at products in real-world applications.

SEMA research shows the opportunity is already there:

60 % of specialty-equipment manufacturers produce powersports-related products

47 % of retailers and installers already sell into the segment

That crossover is driving demand for broader product assortments at the dealership level. While SEMA has attempted to lure the powersports community in the past, this appears to be a bigger, more significant attempt to bring the powersports aftermarket and the automotive aftermarket together under one roof.

AFTERMARKET OPPORTUNITY SEMA officials say the change reflects how today’ s customers approach ownership— often combining trucks, SUVs and powersports vehicles into a single lifestyle.

For dealers, that creates opportunities to expand accessory sales, partnerships and merchandising strategies beyond traditional OEM lines.

The association also continues to invest in advocacy and business tools following its acquisition of the Off-Road Business Association, supporting land access and motorized recreation— key issues for the industry’ s long-term growth.

KEY DATES Exhibitor registration is open, with attendee and buyer registration for the 2026 show beginning May 4.

The new Powersports / SxS / Lifestyle section will debut Nov. 3 – 6 in Las Vegas and reflects increasing overlap between automotive and powersports customers. It’ ll be housed in the West Hall and will include access to outdoor space for live demos and activations.( Photos: SEMA)

KEY TAKEAWAYS Expand beyond core categories: With clear crossover between truck / off-road and powersports customers, dealers should consider adding complementary accessories, tow solutions and lifestyle gear to increase average ticket.

Merchandising inspiration: The integrated show floor from SEMA will reflect how consumers actually build vehicles— offering ideas for in-store displays and bundled sales strategies.

New vendor discovery: A larger, dedicated section means more emerging brands entering powersports. Dealers can identify niche or high-margin products before competitors.

Lean into experiential retail: Outdoor demos and activations highlight the importance of hands-on selling— something dealers can replicate locally through ride events or demo days.

Watch the crossover customer: The“ adventure lifestyle” buyer is growing. Dealers who align inventory and marketing across multiple vehicle types will be better positioned to capture that spend.