18 • November 2026 • Powersports Business

FROM THE EDITOR

Talented young technicians have other options. Automotive dealerships, diesel repair shops and heavy-equipment companies compete for many of the same skills. If those employers offer better wages, benefits, training and advancement, why choose powersports?

We can’ t expect people to accept less simply because they love motorcycles.

And this isn’ t just a dealer problem. Manufacturers have a vested interest in developing technicians, too. The customer experience doesn’ t end when someone rides out of the showroom.

A customer waiting weeks for a repair because the service department is short-staffed isn’ t going to remember the wonderful buying experience. They’ ll remember their machine sitting in the shop while their friends were riding.

Service departments can be an important source of profitability, particularly when unit sales slow. But that opportunity is limited without qualified people performing the work.

We need to stop treating technician recruitment as something to address only when someone leaves. Dealers should build relationships with vocational schools, offer apprenticeships and give young people opportunities to learn alongside experienced technicians. OEMs should support those efforts with accessible training and career development.

Compensation matters, too. If dealerships can’ t pay competitive wages, perhaps it’ s time to examine service labor rates and how we value the work being performed.

Fortunately, organizations are already working to build that pipeline. The nonprofit TechForce Foundation, for example, says it supports more than 100,000 students and working technicians, connects them with more than $ 6.5 million in annual scholarships and related opportunities, and partners with more than 1,400 schools nationwide. Its efforts span several skilled trades, including motorcycle technology. It’ s worth a look at techforce. org.

But organizations like TechForce can’ t do it alone. Dealers and manufacturers need to help turn those opportunities into actual careers, with mentorship, training and wages that make people want to stay.

I was fortunate to grow up around people willing to teach me how to build and fix things. Somewhere today, another kid is probably taking apart a dirt bike, fixing an old ATV or dismantling a bicycle that was perfectly fine to begin with.

That curiosity could become a career, but only if someone gives that kid an opportunity.

We can keep finding new ways to sell motorcycles, ATVs, side-by-sides and snowmobiles. But somebody still has to know how to fix them when that kid brings his bike to the shop in a box.

INDUSTRY PODCASTS

POWER

HOUR, EP. 48: DENAGO TALKS ABOUT THEIR NEW UTV AND AFFORDABILITY IN THE UTILITY MARKET We stopped by the Denago Powersports booth at AIMExpo to take a look at their latest model, which is a featurepacked UTV for the utility segment. We later sat down with GM David Garibyan to talk about their new models and how affordability fits into the mix with powersports dealers. The company now has more than 225 dealers in the U. S., and continues to grow. We talk about the secret sauce that makes the“ Denago Difference,” as their tagline says.

POWER

HOUR, EP. 46: NORTHWOOD UNIVERSITY’ S DR. DAVE OVENTHAL TALKS EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT We caught up with Northwood University’ s Dr. Dave Oventhal at AIMExpo last January, division chair of the Center for Automotive & Mobility Studies( CAMS), to talk about something that could shape the future of the powersports industry: education. From curriculum insights to industry partnerships, this conversation explores how higher education is stepping up to fuel the talent pipeline.

BOATING

INDUSTRY INSIDER: TOP 100 DEALER OF THE YEAR GAGE MARINE What does it take to become the best marine retailer in North America? In this episode of Boating Industry Insider, they speak with FJ Frazier, chief operating officer of Gage Marine, the reigning Boating Industry Top 100 Dealer of the Year. BI Insider explores the culture, training, employee benefits and operational discipline behind the company’ s success, along with the value of participating in the Top 100 program. FJ also explains how the application process forces dealerships to measure what matters, identify opportunities for improvement, and create a meaningful return on the time and effort invested. He calls it their“ annual report.” Find out why.

OPE

PEOPLE: STRENGTHENING SALES TRAINING WITH NAEDA Successful sales is more about the strategy behind the handshake than the equipment for sale. OPE People sits down with NAEDA to explore how dealerships can strengthen their approach to sales training.

THE

DEALER LAB PODCAST: DELV DEALERSHIP ANALYSIS, AND A 90-DAY ROADMAP In this episode of the Dealer Lab podcast, Justin visits the Dealer Lab studio and the team explains how the set was built from an AI-generated image before diving into Ownex’ s DELV dealership analysis. Max, Danny, and Justin walk through the report’ s structure, including the five-star vitals executive summary across profitability, department contribution, inventory health, technician proficiency, and sales / parts / service penetration, then show how the tool converts gaps into dollar opportunities and identifies the top three highest-ROI priorities.