Polaris Inc. plans to permanently close its manufacturing facility in Osceola, Wisconsin, a move that will affect approximately 200 employees, the company announced recently.
According to reporting confirmed by Polaris, the closure will occur in phases beginning this summer and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. The Osceola plant produces engines and components used in motorcycles, snowmobiles and off-road vehicles.
Engine production for Indian Motorcycle models will be consolidated at Polaris’ Spirit Lake, Iowa, manufacturing operations, where more than 500 employees are currently based.
The plant closure follows Polaris’ previously announced sale of Indian Motorcycle to California-based private equity firm Carolwood LP. That transaction was disclosed in October and is expected to close later this quarter. Polaris will retain a minority ownership stake in the Indian Motorcycle brand following the sale.
No additional details regarding severance, employee relocation or future use of the Osceola facility were immediately available.
The Osceola facility has been part of Polaris’ manufacturing footprint for decades and has played a role in supporting multiple segments of the company’s powersports portfolio.
Yamaha Motor Corp., USA (YMUS) has promoted longtime executive Dean Burnett to senior vice president and president of its Motorsports division, effective in early 2026. The move comes as current Motorsports President Mike Martinez prepares to retire after more than three decades with the company.
Martinez, who has served as SVP and president of Motorsports since 2022, will remain with Yamaha through the first quarter of 2026 to support the transition before officially retiring on April 3, 2026.
“Yamaha owes Mike Martinez a huge debt of gratitude for his decades of service, spearheading groundbreaking products, dealer programs, and initiatives that directly led to Yamaha’s success in the U.S. powersports industry,” says Michael Chrzanowski, president and CEO of Yamaha Motor Corp., USA. “I’m confident that Mike’s legacy is in great hands with Dean Burnett.”
Burnett brings more than three decades of experience across Yamaha’s global organization. Most recently, he served as vice president of Yamaha’s Marine Innovation Center and as president of Siren Marine, Skeeter Boats, and G3 Boats. His background spans sales, marketing, service, operations, manufacturing, and finance.
Born into his family’s marine dealership in Louisville, Kentucky, Burnett joined Yamaha in 1987 and has held numerous leadership roles. He previously served as president and managing director of Yamaha Motor Canada, Ltd., and Yamaha Motor Finance Canada, as well as president of Yamaha’s WaterCraft Business Group.
“I’m proud and excited to accept this new opportunity,” Burnett shares. “The Yamaha Motorsports team values, supports, and celebrates our dealer partners and business relationships. At its core, Yamaha creates lifelong memories, and we’ll continue to deliver on that promise to our dealers and customers.”
Martinez joined Yamaha in 1994 as a motorcycle and ATV product planner and went on to shape some of the brand’s most influential powersports products. During his career, he led the development and launch of models including Yamaha’s first automatic 4×4 ATV, the Kodiak 450, as well as the Raptor and Grizzly ATVs and the Rhino side-by-side — a vehicle widely credited with creating the modern recreational SxS segment. He also oversaw Yamaha’s organizational alignment of its motorcycle, RV, and parts and accessories operations, and led the company’s 2018 corporate relocation to Georgia.
Under Martinez’s leadership, Yamaha reinforced its commitment to U.S. manufacturing and expanded the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative, which has contributed more than $8 million in grants supporting public land access for motorized recreation over the past 18 years.
Yamaha also reignited its racing presence during Martinez’s tenure, partnering with Star Racing to manage its 450 Supercross and Motocross programs. Over the past seven years, Yamaha riders have captured 26 premier-class championships across Supercross, Motocross, SuperMotocross, and road racing, along with 34 national ATV and side-by-side titles.
“I have full confidence that Dean will be a strong leader and a great partner to Yamaha dealers,” Martinez says. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished and excited to watch Yamaha’s continued success in the years ahead.”
Yamaha said Burnett and Martinez will work closely over the coming months to align strategy and operations, with a continued focus on supporting Yamaha’s nationwide dealer network as the Motorsports division moves into its next chapter.
The transition signals continuity for Yamaha dealers, with leadership remaining firmly rooted in Yamaha’s long-term experience and a dealer-centric strategy.
The American Motorcyclist Association announced that longtime AMA board member and former vice chair, Tom Umphress, was elected chairman at the January board meeting.
With Umphress moving into the top role, previous chair Russ Ehnes will now serve as vice chair alongside Umphress. AMA Board Members Brad Baumert and Hub Brennan will remain in their roles as assistant treasurer and executive committee member, AMA announced.
“My focus will be on continuing to support the AMA’s involvement in amateur racing, as well as the important work we do in the professional racing space,” Umphress says. “Remember, the majority of our racing members are amateur racers, and it’s essential to continue providing a safe, competitive environment for them to participate.
“At the same time,” Umphress continued, “I want to help grow our non-competition membership and expand our presence in both on- and off-road riding. I believe this area represents our greatest opportunity for growth.”
Umphress also noted the continued importance of strengthening the AMA’s advocacy efforts so members can fully enjoy the motorcycling lifestyle.
While serving as vice chair, Umphress provided leadership on legislative issues as a member of the Executive Committee and the Rights and Advocacy Committee. A devoted advocate for motorcyclist rights, Umphress has focused on land use and public access.
Since 1999, Umphress has been active in the AMA, serving as a board member of AMA District 23, representing his charter club, the Twin Cities Trail Riders. In that time, he served as the government relations officer for AMA District 23. He also spent several years on the board of the National Off-Highway Conservation Council.
Based out of Minnesota, Umphress has been a member of the AMA Board of Directors since 2021.
McGrath Quad Cities Harley-Davidson in Davenport, Iowa was acquired by Steven Towers from owners Mike and Pat McGrath, Performance Brokerage Services announced in a December press release. The deal was Towers’ sixth Harley-Davidson dealership acquisition in the last three years.
The transaction was also the second dealership sale by the McGrath family in the last six months. In September, they sold McGrath Dubuque Harley-Davidson, a 53,948-square-foot facility in Iowa.
Quad Cities Harley-Davidson was first acquired and added to the McGrath portfolio in 2018. The 19,611-square-foot facility sits on approximately 1.6 acres, located just south of Interstate 80 in a busy retail area. In 2019, the dealership underwent renovations to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency.
As for the purchaser, Towers began his Harley-Davidson portfolio in 2023 with the acquisition of Boneyard Harley-Davidson in Winterville, North Carolina, followed in 2024 by Frontier Harley-Davidson in Lincoln, Nebraska. In 2025, Towers furthered his expansion after acquiring Historic Harley-Davidson in Topeka, Kansas, Harley-Davidson of Carroll in Carroll, Iowa, Freedom Harley-Davidson in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and, this most recent deal, McGrath Quad Cities Harley-Davidson. All of Towers’ transactions were facilitated by Performance Brokerage Services.
“I am excited to bring Quad Cities into the Towers Family of Dealerships and continue growing the Harley-Davidson brand in the Midwest,” says Towers. “Quad Cities is my sixth Harley-Davidson dealership acquisition, and I want to thank Juan Pardo and Courtney Bernhard at Performance Brokerage Services, who have been the exclusive advisers on each of these deals. The future looks bright for Towers Harley-Davidson, and we are excited to share that excitement with each community our dealerships are a part of.”
McGrath Quad Cities Harley-Davidson will be renamed Towers Quad Cities Harley-Davidson and will remain at its current location.
Performance Brokerage Services is the highest volume dealership brokerage firm in North America. George Chaconas, Senior Partner, Bernhard, and Pardo of the Harley-Davidson & Powersports Division for Performance Brokerage Services were the exclusive sell-side advisors for this transaction.
Magic City Harley-Davidson in Minot, North Dakota, has announced it will permanently close its doors later this spring, marking the end of a 13-year presence in the local riding community.
According to a report from KMOT-TV, the dealership confirmed the news on Jan. 10 via a statement posted to its social media channels, stating it plans to wind down operations around March 31, 2026. The dealership did not cite specific reasons for the closure, noting only that the decision “was not made lightly.” The business later confirmed the announcement to KMOT but declined to provide further comment.
Magic City Harley-Davidson relocated to its current facility along Highway 83, just south of Minot, in 2017, after several years at a previous location. In its statement, the dealership encouraged customers to continue following its website and Facebook page for updates and to visit the store during its final months of operation.
“It is with truly heavy hearts and profound sadness that we share some very difficult news,” the dealership said in its post. “We understand the impact it will have on our loyal customers, friends, and the passionate Harley-Davidson family we have built together.”
Additional reporting by The US Sun confirmed that the closure is expected to be permanent, with no announced plans for a sale or ownership transition as of this writing. The outlet noted that the shutdown will leave Harley-Davidson riders in the Minot region seeking alternative dealerships as the 2026 riding season approaches.
The Magic City Harley-Davidson closure adds to a growing list of Harley-Davidson dealership shutdowns across the U.S. in recent years. In 2025 alone, multiple stores closed or changed ownership, including locations in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Indiana, New York, Colorado, Wyoming, Arkansas and Maryland, reflecting continued pressure on the retail network amid broader industry and economic shifts.
The Minot dealership’s closure also comes during a period of transition for Harley-Davidson at the corporate level, as the brand works through a broader turnaround strategy under new leadership announced in late 2025.
Yamaha Motor Co. announced Jan. 6 that it will construct a new Corporate Building and Quality Assurance Center at its Japan-based headquarters, with construction beginning this year and completion expected in 2028.
Due to aging facilities and insufficient space, Yamaha is updating its HQ, constructing new buildings that will consolidate functional departments on its headquarters grounds, bringing greater operational efficiency and enhancing organizational capabilities.
The planned Corporate Building will serve as the central hub for corporate operations at Yamaha HQ and will comprise eight above-ground floors, totaling nearly 300,000 square feet of floor area. The company says it is designed to maximize energy efficiency, achieving both reduced operating costs and a lower environmental impact.
The Quality Assurance Center will serve as the central hub for QA operations, consolidating a department of seven buildings into a single six-story, 123,000-square-foot building.
Yamaha says both buildings will have an office environment designed to facilitate flexible working styles, conducive to both work-from-home and in-office schedules, creating a communication that transcends traditional team and departmental boundaries.
PSB’s Accelerate Conference, held in Orlando, Florida, Jan. 18-20, brought dealers, industry leaders and solution providers together for a candid look at the economic, operational and cultural forces shaping powersports and marine retail as the industry moves deeper into a margin‑sensitive, post‑pandemic market.
From macroeconomic outlooks to dealership turnarounds, leadership development and AI‑driven tools, the event reinforced a central theme: sustainable profitability in 2026 will come from discipline, process and intentional execution — not volume alone.
Economist Elliott Eisenberg opened the conference with a data‑driven but measured assessment of the U.S. economy, pushing back against persistent recession narratives while cautioning dealers to watch emerging risks.
GDP growth in recent quarters has remained solid, Eisenberg noted, driven largely by consumer spending, which accounts for roughly 69% of economic output. Despite higher interest rates, inflation fatigue, and political noise, consumers continue to spend — including on big‑ticket items. Auto sales, which Eisenberg described as one of the most reliable real‑time economic indicators, are tracking near 15–15.5 million units annually, a “B‑minus” performance given today’s pricing and financing environment.
Business investment has also remained strong, fueled in part by more than $100 billion in AI‑related spending across data centers, infrastructure, and construction. Meanwhile, nonresidential construction continues to benefit from federal legislation such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS Act.
Housing remains the weakest sector, but Eisenberg downplayed its broader economic impact, noting that low transaction volumes have been entrenched for years. With many homeowners locked into sub‑4% mortgages, renovation and remodeling activity has helped offset slower sales.
Still, Eisenberg flagged concerns around slowing real disposable income growth and historically low personal savings rates. Productivity gains are masking softer labor conditions, leaving less margin for error if conditions deteriorate. His conclusion was clear: the economy is holding up — but businesses must stay alert.
Few sessions resonated more strongly with attendees than Max Materne’s “The Turnaround Project,” a brutally honest account of rebuilding a failing dealership from the inside out.
Materne, a multigeneration dealer and co‑founder of the Onus Project, detailed how customer lifecycle thinking — not transaction chasing — became the foundation for transformation. Drawing from years of DMS‑level research across powersports and marine dealerships, Materne showed how loyalty, service engagement and timing — not unit count — drive long‑term profitability.
That philosophy was put to the test in 2025, when Materne returned to a dealership he had previously sold, stepping in as it lost nearly $500,000 in six months and faced closure. Given 90 days to turn it around, Materne and partner Danny French publicly documented every decision.
Their diagnosis revealed deeper issues than inventory alone: underutilized labor, negative service contribution margins, misaligned staffing and a lack of accountability. Service emerged as the fastest path to recovery, forcing uncomfortable changes around utilization, leadership and performance tracking.
Execution, Materne emphasized, mattered as much as analysis. Weekly all‑hands meetings, transparent communication, clear 90‑day goals and relentless focus on fundamentals drove momentum. The takeaway: “Going back to basics” doesn’t mean reverting to pre‑pandemic habits — it means aligning people, process and opportunity around customer lifetime value.
The Women in the Power Trades Panel delivered a fast‑paced, practical conversation on leadership, self‑advocacy and business execution, featuring senior executives from across the industry.
The session included Shannon Aronson, president and CEO of ABYC; Kim Sweers, president of FB Marine Group; Courtney Bernhard, buy‑sell adviser with Performance Brokerage Services; and Vicki Norman, CEO of Digital Throttle — representing standards, manufacturing, brokerage and digital marketing.
Panelists emphasized preparation, clarity and accountability as the foundation of effective leadership. Aronson highlighted the role of education and standards in building credibility, while Sweers shared insights on leading brands through margin pressure and operational complexity.
Bernhard addressed confidence and advocacy, urging professionals to own their expertise and set boundaries without apology. Norman focused on adaptability, noting that data, technology and changing consumer behavior now define competitive advantage.
The consistent message: leadership doesn’t require changing who you are — it requires intention, discipline and the willingness to speak up.
Additional sessions expanded on the operational realities dealers face in 2026. A Powersports Industry Panel featuring leaders from Sea Ray, Moto Morini and Anthem Marine examined OEM expectations, inventory risk and evolving buyer behavior across segments.
Multiple sessions addressed finance and market trends, with speakers from Morgan Stanley, Synchrony and Foothills Motorsports discussing credit availability, interest‑rate pressure, floorplan risk and emerging consumer payment behaviors. Panelists stressed disciplined inventory management, realistic pricing and proactive risk mitigation as essential in a higher‑cost capital environment.
Technology and process innovation were recurring themes. Sessions on e‑commerce automation explored how end‑to‑end digital checkout — including F&I and registration — can expand reach and improve customer satisfaction. Pied Piper’s Prospect Satisfaction Index (PSI) presentation examined how AI and human interactions intersect, revealing where automation succeeds — and where it fails without oversight.
Sales strategist David Gee closed the loop with his “3 Second Selling” session, challenging dealers to rethink first impressions. In an attention‑scarce market, Gee argued, customers form trust judgments in seconds — making clarity, relevance and emotional connection decisive from the first interaction.
Across sessions, Accelerate Orlando reinforced a hard‑earned industry lesson: growth without discipline is risk. Dealers who succeed in 2026 will be those who manage inventory intentionally, leverage data and AI thoughtfully, invest in service efficiency and focus relentlessly on customer lifecycle value.
In a tighter market, Accelerate’s message was clear — the path forward isn’t louder marketing or more units. It’s better fundamentals, executed with precision.