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Powersports Business • October 2025 • 23

BY BRENDAN BAKER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Sonic Automotive, parent company of Sonic Powersports and EchoPark Automotive, is making waves in the powersports industry after a record-breaking performance at the 85th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Jeff Dyke, president of Sonic Automotive, shared with Powersports Business how his team sold 1,105 new and pre-owned Harley-Davidsons during the 10−day event— surpassing their previous rally record of 716 units and setting new benchmarks for customer experience, technology, and inventory management.

“ This was our third Sturgis event, and it was just amazing,” Dyke shares.“ From a percentage standpoint, it’ s a small slice of the 800,000 attendees, but for us, it proved what’ s possible when you combine the right inventory, pricing, and processes with technology that delivers speed and efficiency.”

SONIC POWERSPORTS FOOTPRINT Sonic Automotive operates over 110 auto retail stores, 18 EchoPark pre-owned dealerships, and several high-volume automotive locations, including the Mancuso stores in Houston. Its powersports division, still relatively young, includes Motorcycles of Charlotte, as well as six Harley-Davidson locations in South Dakota, including Black Hills Harley-Davidson and Sturgis Harley-Davidson. Dyke emphasized that applying lessons learned from the auto retail side has been a key factor in Sonic Powersports’ early success.

“ From processes and technology to merchandising and training, we brought

Across its five dealerships in the Black Hills, including flagship locations Black Hills Harley- Davidson and the newly opened Sturgis Harley- Davidson, Sonic sold more than 1,100 motorcycles during the 10- day event.( Photos: Sonic Powersports / Facebook)

everything we know from auto retail into powersports,” he says.“ That’ s what helped us set records at Sturgis.”

UNTAPPED MARKET One of Sonic’ s biggest differentiators in the powersports market is its focus on preowned motorcycles. Whereas the industry norm often sees new motorcycles outselling used three to one, Sonic has flipped that approach by heavily promoting pre-owned inventory alongside new models.

“ In auto retail, we sell about two-and-ahalf used vehicles for every new one,” Dyke explains.“ It makes no sense that powersports hasn’ t fully tapped into the pre-owned market. There are more pre-owned vehicles and more pre-owned buyers than new, yet the industry hasn’ t developed the technology or processes to sell them efficiently.”

The results are telling: year-to-date, Sonic reports pre-owned sales up 63 % over 2024, with new motorcycle sales up 24 %. In August alone, pre-owned jumped 78 %. Dyke says the company expects this ratio to continue improving as processes solidify, predicting that in a few years, Sonic will sell twice as many pre-owned units as new ones.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE Sonic Powersports has adopted innovative sales technology to streamline transactions. At Sturgis, the company piloted iPad-based

See Sonic, Page 24

1. Pre-owned is a growth engine – Focus on pre-owned sales, trade-in processes, and merchandising to tap into an underutilized market.

2. Technology drives speed and efficiency – Use digital tools like iPads for appraisals, F & I, and sales to reduce transaction times and improve customer experience.

3. One-price models build trust – Transparent pricing eliminates negotiation and enhances credibility with customers.

4. Inventory flexibility matters – Multiple locations and cross-merchandising enable dealerships to meet demand across markets efficiently.

5. Apply automotive best practices – Processes, training, and digital tools from auto retail can enhance customer experience and operational efficiency in powersports.

6. Event selling requires planning – For rallies or high-volume events, secure inventory early, deploy technology for speed, and be“ where the fish are” to maximize sales potential.

HEAR MORE FROM SONIC’ S JEFF DYKE

For an in-depth look at Sonic Powersports’ strategies and record-breaking Sturgis sales, tune in to the latest episode of the Power Hour podcast featuring Jeff Dyke. He shares insights on pre-owned growth, technology integration, and how dealers can apply automotive best practices to powersports sales.