14 • September 2023 • Powersports Business

FROM THE EDITOR

INSTA TIPS

Is your dealership capitalizing on the top-of-mind marketing ease that Instagram offers ? Did you come up with an ideal way to showcase your customers in an effort to help spread the word about your shop and its employees ? If so , let us know . Powersports Business will highlight Instagram posts from a variety of dealerships in upcoming editions of the magazine .

Dealerships featured all follow the Powersports Business Instagram at @ powersportsbusiness . All posts featured will be photo or video in nature , with content from Instagram Stories not considered for this piece .

Got an Instagram tip that works at your dealership or one with which you do business ? Feel like raising the collective industry tide ? Let us know at mhubbard @ epgacceleration . com .

It ’ s been quite a busy travel month for the PSB editors . We started with the Polaris summer dealer meeting in Nashville . Then Madelyn ( our associate editor ) went to Charlotte , North Carolina , for the Yamaha Wolverine X2 press launch , followed

BRENDAN BAKER closely by our team heading to Madison , Wisconsin for the Parts Unlimited Summer NVP , and then , finally , capping things off with a trip to our corporate headquarters in Minneapolis .

I know it has been busy for many of you this summer as things return to normalcy . But does normal mean we are back to 2019 levels or something different ? We are sliding back to ’ 19 in some ways , as the most recent data revealed by Lightspeed shows that the dealers they track were all down in July compared to a year ago ( by an average of nearly 7 %). Inventory is also back to normal in most dealerships . But , again , Lightspeed data shows that new and pre-owned revenue was off about 7 % compared to 2022 .

At the Polaris summer meeting , the dealers we spoke to said they are getting back to selling again . The days of taking orders and selling out the inventory are over . Customers now expect more , too , as many are paying higher interest rates . However , we heard an interesting tidbit that consumers are still buying based on emotion .

As our F & I expert Rob Greenwald says , powersports is a want , not a need . You must tap into buyers ’ emotions to sell them what they want . And that only sometimes makes sense in terms of rational thinking when premium SxSs sell for more than a well-equipped truck !

Another dealer we spoke to says they need more of the premium models . The value brands are not selling as well , or the people who wanted one already bought one . The units that are selling also cost the most . Polaris ’ s president of Off-Road , Steve Menneto , told us they have been on the gas pretty hard to roll out the new Xpedition adventure SxS and the new Ranger XD 1500 UTV . If you look back at the history of the SxS / UTV segment , Polaris has been leading the way for a long , long time , and that is because they find new premium-level markets to sell into . Are we seeing a new class of ROV ? These new models have more car parts on them than ever . The Ranger features an automotive transmission and auto-style HVAC and audio systems .

As we went to press , the big news was that Turn 14 Distribution had bought out Tucker Powersports . When we got off the plane in Minneapolis to pick up the company car and drive to the Parts Show , we had to make a pit stop for a phone call with the CEO of Turn 14 , Jon Pulli . He and his partner , Chris Candido , started in the e-commerce world back in its infancy in 2002 . They created an e-comm retail store that sold high-performance parts to the tuner market ( i . e ., Fast & the Furious crowd ). A few years later , they sold the e-tail store and started Turn 14 with lessons learned in that early e-commerce era . Candido is a tech guy and is the CTO for Turn 14 , so he puts their technology front and center as the driving force behind their success . Pulli told us they plan to keep the Tucker name alive as the marketing arm for the powersports division . Many people we talked to at the Parts show were talking about this acquisition and thought the Tucker name was going away . Pulli assured us that the name is not going anywhere and that they plan to keep powersports in the dealer channel , ending any of Tucker ’ s direct-to-consumer business .

When we walked into the Parts Show in Madison on Saturday morning , we saw LeMans Corporation CEO Paul Langley in deep conversation with a vendor about a glitch in their ordering system . Apparently , LeMans was on an old computer system that has served them well for 30 years , but Langley says it was time to update it . However , the update has been causing a few vendors some issues with their orders . In our conversation with Langley , he assured us that the “ glitch ” is being worked out , but it has taken more time and trouble than they thought . Despite the computer issue , vendors , dealers , and reps were in good spirits and upbeat about the rest of the year . Although Langley says that they suspect 2024 may be a little bit rougher . They are also moving the summer NVP to Milwaukee next year as the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison is just too small for their growth . Langley says they haven ’ t been able to invite as many vendors as they would like or have some events that they want because there ’ s not enough space . Milwaukee also likes motorcycles , so going somewhere different and starting a new show next year will be nice .

While it ’ s been a whirlwind of a travel month , with planes , company cars , Ubers , SxSs , motorcycles , and e-bikes , it has also been a lot of fun to get out and meet with everyone and hear their stories and perspectives on the industry . On a final note , we are releasing our speaker agenda for Accelerate ( probably before you read this ), and we ’ ve got a great group of experts and dealers lined up , so please check out the website and sign up today . We are looking forward to seeing you in Dallas !

BAKER AMERICAN CYCLES @ bakeramericancycles

Followers 1,310

Life is busy and it can be easy for customers to put servicing their units on the back burner . Baker American Cycles of Fayetteville , North Carolina , shared a post that reminded customers that it can service anything from two to four wheels , and invited them to schedule an appointment . Remind customers that you ’ re ready to service their unit !

Part of the caption reads , “ Two , three , or four wheels , big or small , we work on it all ! Schedule your service , upgrades , and maintenance with our skilled technicians today and get back on the road FAST ,” followed by a link its service request page .

McGRATH POWERSPORTS @ mcgrathpowersports Followers 705 It can be hard to find good help these days , so maybe it ’ s time to announce an open position on Instagram . McGrath Powersports of Cedar Rapids , Iowa , recently posted a video explaining what position it has open , what experience is needed , and how to apply . The majority of your followers likely have an interest in the industry , so let them know that you have a job opening . Part of the caption reads , “ Join our amazing team as its newest technician ! No experience ? No problem ! If you ’ re the right person , we ’ ll train the heck outta you ! Know someone who ’ s a good fit ? Tag ‘ em in the comments .” The dealership then provided a link to the application page on its website .

KEN ’ S SERVICE & SALES @ kensserviceandsales Followers 1,256 It ’ s important to share who makes up your team so customers feel connected . Moon Motorsports of Monticello , Minnesota , is sharing the personality and interests of its employees by posting what they ride to work . Part of the caption reads , “ Meet the Moon Crew RIDE EDITION ! Our machines are just as much a part of the team as our people , and now that you know the team , let ’ s talk about their rides ! First up , a ride with as much personality as its owner , our Parts Manager , Lindsey . ‘ Don ’ t worry , be purple ’ is basically Lindsey ’ s life motto , and her 2014 Harley- Davidson Dyna Street Bob is no exception .”