6 • November 2025 • Powersports Business

NPDA’ s Gail Worth introduced NPA’ s JIm Woodruff for his session on pre-owned.

BY BRENDAN BAKER EDITOR IN CHIEF

The National Powersports Dealer Association( NPDA) wrapped up its annual DealerConnect 2025 in Columbus, Ohio, with recordbreaking attendance, powerful peer-to-peer engagement, and a strong message of unity for the industry’ s future.

Held Sept. 21 – 23 at the Hilton Columbus Downtown, the event embodied its theme of“ a meeting for dealers, by dealers.” Dealer attendance surged 300 % over last year, filling the room for education, workshops, and networking sessions.“ DealerConnect proves that we really are better together,” says NPDA

Chair Bob Kee of Destination Cycle.“ Our mission is to help dealers become well prepared, sustainably profitable, and exceed the expectations of a growing powersports customer base.”

RECORD DEALER ENGAGEMENT Early arrivals on Saturday joined handson business workshops before the main program began Sunday morning. Monday and Tuesday featured keynotes from Kee, Sam Dantzler of Garage Composites, Jim Woodruff of National Powersport Auctions, and NPDA board member and Powersports Business columnist Mark Sheffield of Woods Cycle Country.

The Partner Showcase buzzed with energy as vendors— from A2C to ZiiDMS— displayed new technology, F & I tools, and marketing platforms, many offering exclusive show specials.

“ The show specials were great, but the biggest value was sitting down with peers and exchanging ideas,” says NPDA founding board member Mark Peterson of Southwest Superbikes.“ This event has become the best place for real dealer-to-dealer learning.”

More than 120 dealers— including two active 20 Clubs— made the trip, bringing the same collaborative energy that’ s defining NPDA’ s growth trajectory. Conversations spilled into hallways, breakout rooms, and the Hilton’ s rooftop lounge, where dealers and vendors shared insights long after the sessions ended.

JIM WOODRUFF: MARKET DATA AND DEALER REALITY CHECK

Few moments grounded the room like Jim Woodruff’ s presentation on current market conditions. The NPA CEO delivered an unvarnished snapshot of where powersports stands— and where it’ s headed.

“ We are tracking down, unfortunately, about 7.6 % for motorcycles and ATVs combined,” Woodruff says.“ Not scary numbers, but not great numbers either.”

Woodruff notes that while new unit sales are down about 7 % year-over-year, they remain above pre−2019 levels— a key distinction separating powersports from the downturns seen in RV and marine sectors.

“ Used is fairly flat,” he says.“ The use-tonew ratio is about two to one in the industry.”

For Harley-Davidson, the picture was sharper: new sales are down roughly 19 %, while used sales have remained stable— a 5:1 used-to-new ratio that many dealers still struggle to reach.

“ If you’ re not selling five to one on Harleys, you’ re below what’ s happening nationally,” Woodruff shares. Inventory, however, was a bright spot.“ Inventory levels have stabilized,” he reports.“ The red line that looked scary a

• New unit sales: −7 % YoY( still above 2019 levels)

• Used-to-new ratio: 2:1( industry average)

• Harley-Davidson new sales:-19 %

• Inventory balance: 1:1 ratio( healthy equilibrium)

• Margin pressure: Steady profits, rising expenses

• Tariff risk: 30 % cost impact from steel / aluminum