Two major powersports brands — Synchrony and KTM North America — have announced a strategic partnership to sponsor the Babes in the Dirt 2025 Off-Road Adventure Series, a leading event series dedicated to female off-road motorcyclists.
Synchrony, a top-tier consumer financing company, will serve as the official financing partner for all sales and services tied to Babes in the Dirt. KTM, a leader in the off-road motorcycle segment, will provide on-site demonstrations and access to its latest lineup during this year’s adventure series.
Founded in 2014, Babes in the Dirt has grown into the largest community and event series for women off-roaders in the U.S. With a mission to create an inclusive space for riders of all backgrounds, the organization has helped drive a major demographic shift: women are now the fastest-growing segment in powersports.
“Synchrony supports Babes in the Dirt’s mission to open powersports to women all over the world,” says Susan Medrano, senior vice president of outdoors at Synchrony. “We’re proud to help more women access financing for motorcycles, gear, and parts — critical tools to help more riders hit the trails.”
As part of the sponsorship, Synchrony will offer tailored financing options on motorcycles, parts, gear, and accessories sold through Babes in the Dirt events and partners. The move comes as internal data shows that 23% of 2024 attendees didn’t own a bike but planned to purchase one — underscoring the need for accessible financing.
Ashmore Ellis, co-founder of Babes in the Dirt, emphasized the broader goal: “This series was created to open the door for anyone and everyone to enjoy off-road adventures. With the support of Synchrony and KTM, we’re making it even easier for women of all skill levels to get started.”
KTM North America, a subsidiary of KTM AG, will play a hands-on role by showcasing its newest motorcycles and allowing attendees to demo bikes at events throughout the 2025 season.
“Growing the sport of motorcycling is not only a passion — it’s our mission,” says Christy Hall, vice president of marketing at KTM North America. “Through this partnership, we’re helping more women discover the freedom and thrill of life on two wheels.”
The partnership signals a growing focus on supporting underserved market segments, especially women riders who represent a clear growth opportunity.
The Babes in the Dirt 2025 series kicks off later this year with multiple stops across the U.S., offering hands-on demos, community rides, gear showcases, and access to on-site financing support.
Yamaha Financial Services has recognized Bobby J’s Yamaha of Albuquerque, New Mexico, with its esteemed Apex Award, celebrating the dealership’s exceptional legacy, customer service, and longstanding partnership with Yamaha.
The award is part of Yamaha Financial Services’ ongoing Dealer Spotlight video series, which showcases standout dealerships across the powersports industry. Bobby J’s, the oldest Yamaha dealership in the country, was founded in 1956 by Bobby Johnson. Now in its third generation of Johnson family leadership, the dealership remains a cornerstone of the Albuquerque powersports community.
Led today by Keith Johnson, the grandson of the founder, Bobby J’s continues to uphold a family legacy rooted in racing and rider advocacy. Keith, who first rode a motorcycle at the age of three, credits the store’s continued success to a commitment to treating customers like family. “When you come in as a customer, you get the whole dealership tour,” he says. “You’ll want to come back because you know who’s here to help you.”
This philosophy, dubbed the “Ticket to Rip It,” aims to create a welcoming, informative first experience for every customer — from sales to service to parts. That personal connection has helped the dealership build lasting relationships with riders across generations.
Yamaha Financial Services praised Bobby J’s not only for its retail and community achievements, but for its collaboration in finance and F&I services. “Working with Yamaha Financial Services has greatly improved our business,” Keith says. “They’ve really helped us with financing, warranties, GAP coverage — you name it. It’s a real partnership.”
To celebrate the Apex Award, Yamaha Financial Services presented Bobby J’s with a commemorative plaque and hosted a catered lunch for the dealership’s staff. Yamaha plans to continue honoring outstanding dealers like Bobby J’s through its Dealer Spotlight series.
Line\5, an F&I product financing firm for the powersports industry, announced June 26 that it has been named a winner of the 2025 Dealers’ Choice Awards, earning the Diamond Award for F&I Product Financing.
This is Line\5’s fifth year in a row winning the product financing award, and its eighth consecutive win overall.
Hosted by Bobit’s Dealer Group, the Dealers’ Choice Awards recognize the top vendors, suppliers, and finance partners across the industry. Now in its 21st year, the program is driven by dealer feedback, with survey participants rating providers on quality, value, customer service, and likelihood to recommend.
“This continued recognition from our dealer partners means everything to us,” says Brenda Cline-Kereakes, chief operating officer with Line\5. “It reflects the trust we’ve built, the results we help drive, and our team’s dedication to providing flexible financing solutions that make a real difference at the dealership level.”
The voting took place from April 7 to May 19. Each dealer voter was required to manually enter provider names and rate them across multiple performance areas. The highest-rated companies in each category received diamond, platinum, or gold honors.
“Being named the top provider in F&I Product Financing is a testament to our team’s commitment and the trust our partners place in us,” Cline-Kereakes adds. “We’re proud to support our dealers with flexible financing options and unmatched service.”
Mosaic Compliance Services, a compliance solutions provider, recently announced that it has launched AuditF&I, a new continuous monitoring solution for U.S. auto, RV, marine, and powersports dealerships.
The announcement follows Mosaic’s merger with gvo3 & Associates, a leading auditing services provider. Mosaic CEO James Ganther says the software was designed to give users the ability to conduct uniform audits in-house and identify trends in real time, giving dealers and advisers new insights and documentation.
“If I’m arming myself against enforcement actions and legal claims, I’m choosing actionable intelligence over historical data every time,” says Ganther. “Properly leveraged, early detection equals early correction.”
Unique to AuditF&I is its human element, noting the software component is backed up by regular human interaction with Mosaic personnel to check for problems AI cannot yet reliably detect.
AuditF&I helps dealers satisfy the auditing component of their federally mandated compliance management system. The government puts the onus of identifying and resolving compliance issues on financial institutions, which flows this requirement down to dealership management, notes gvo3 founder Gil Van Over.
“AuditF&I will not replace your comprehensive annual audit. To the contrary, we want your third-party auditors to have access to the rich data AuditF&I generates,” Van Over says. “Our objective is to continue working between audits, identifying minor issues before they can become major problems.”
AuditF&I is now available to current and future clients of Mosaic.
KTM is entering the second half of 2025 with strong global momentum, having sold more than 100,000 motorcycles to customers worldwide in the first six months of the year. The milestone comes as the brand finalizes a major restructuring, restarts full production, and ramps up support for its dealer network.
According to KTM’s parent company, Pierer Mobility AG, over 50,000 units were delivered to dealers and importers globally during the first half of the year. North America continues to be one of the company’s most important markets, accounting for 24% of total sales in 2024.
“Over 100,000 motorcycles sold in the first half gives us confidence that we’re back on the right track. Demand for all our brands remains strong globally,” says KTM CEO Gottfried Neumeister.
PRODUCTION REBOOT
After a six-month production pause at KTM’s Mattighofen, Austria, facility due to restructuring, the company has resumed manufacturing. All four production lines are expected to be fully operational by the end of July. The pause enabled KTM to realign its supply and reduce inventory levels at dealerships and importers by approximately 40,000 units.
Pierer finalized its court-approved restructuring in late May, recording a $1.39 billion gain and restoring positive EBIT and equity. With production now restarting and financial stability restored, the company says it is focused on achieving long-term dealer profitability and driving retail growth.
DEALER & CUSTOMER FOCUS
KTM is rolling out several new initiatives aimed at strengthening its global dealer network and engaging directly with customers:
Dealer Excellence Center: A new platform designed to support training, operations, and service quality at KTM dealerships worldwide.
Orange Board: A 15-member customer advisory council selected from more than 5,000 applicants, helping shape future products and services.
Orange Blood: A global community campaign aimed at deepening brand connection and rider loyalty.
The company says these programs, along with planned staffing expansions in Austria and international markets, reflect its commitment to improving dealer and customer satisfaction.
U.S. POWERSPORTS DEALERS
With demand increasing and production ramping up, KTM is urging U.S. dealers to prepare for the arrival of new inventory and take advantage of available support tools. The company expects the second half of the year to bring strong retail activity, supported by a more balanced inventory pipeline and a renewed push in marketing and rider engagement.