10 • September 2024 • 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 .

My wife is a reseller on a website called Mercari . She loves to shop , especially for cool vintage items . Reselling allows her to make a small profit or break even on the money she spends to acquire the products .

Over the past few years , vintage and “ retro ”

BRENDAN BAKER motorcycles have made a big comeback . Retro bikes are all the rage , from OEMs to custom builders .

Fuel Cleveland was held at Hale Farm in Cuyahoga National Park , near Cleveland , Ohio , in 2022 and 2023 . Over the years , however , Fuel CLE has been held at various venues , including several old warehouses — and even an indoor mountain bike park !

This year was the first time Fuel was a twoday event , which everyone , including this writer , enjoyed . We attended the show on Day 2 ( Sunday ), and the crowd was still strong throughout the day . The staff at Fuel Cleveland said this year ’ s show was one of the biggest yet . People rode in from all over the country and flew in from around the world , including from New Zealand , Ireland , Germany , England and Japan .

Motorcycle enthusiasts came to see thousands of bikes in the ride-in show , which included more than 100 invited chopper builders and rare bike owners , Vintage Vans , cars , vendors and artists from all over the country , glass blowing , pottery , chickens , food trucks , beer , whiskey , coffee , candy , mocktails , and more . We cannot think of a better way to spend the day than with like-minded people who love motorcycles , soaking in the cool vintage vibes .

Of course , another major vintage event was taking place in Ohio the same weekend . I was unable

to attend AMA ’ s Vintage Motorcycle Days this year due to scheduling conflicts , but from what we heard , it was also a big success . I usually attend this event , so I was excited that I could at least hit Fuel Cleveland , which is practically in my backyard .

Thousands of motorcyclists worldwide gathered at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington , Ohio , July 26−28 for the 2024 Permco AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days presented by Yamaha . This is one of the largest single-weekend events in motorcycling , and it includes my favorite part to visit each year – the motorcycle swap meet . In past years , I ’ ve gotten lost wandering around the swap meet area – billed as the world ’ s largest in North America ! While I haven ’ t pulled the trigger on a project bike yet , there have been many I ’ ve seriously considered . Next time , I ’ m pulling a trailer down to Mid-Ohio , just in case I find something .

Vintage bikes are like jewelry to me : I want to own so much , but realistically I can only have a fraction of what I think I can have in my garage . But nevertheless , walking around and talking to people about bikes is not a bad way to spend a summer weekend in Ohio .

A big difference between the two events is that Fuel has finished projects and showcases the skills of talented builders and collectors . Vintage Days , however , is where the dream begins . You can use your imagination to find a bike to fill that vision . But you will still have a long way to go before you show that bike at Fuel .

Broc Glover , this year ’ s Grand Marshall , summed it up best : “ AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days is an incredible event , and the fact that it was the celebration of the AMA ’ s 100th Anniversary made it even more special . I ’ ve never seen anything like it . The part I loved the most was seeing motorcyclists of all ages — from young kids to veteran riders — riding around and enjoying themselves . It was my first year attending VMD , but it won ’ t be my last !”

Now , if I can convince my wife to start collecting vintage bikes .

THE POWERSPORTS STORE @ thepowersportsstore

Followers : 598 Whether your dealership is undergoing major changes or making small updates , keep your customers informed . Les from The Powersports Store does this in a recent video . As he walks through the dealership , he shares that it is now an official Triumph dealer and invites anyone with questions to reach out . Videos like this are a great way to stay connected with existing customers and to start building relationships with new ones before they set foot in your doors . The caption reads , “ The Powersports Store is full official Cincinnati Triumph ! Come check out the full lineup of New Triumph Motorcycles , parts and accessories in stock NOW ! # triumphmotorcycles

# triumph # cincinnatiohio # cincinnati .”

ROCKSTAR POWERSPORTS @ rockstarpowersports Followers : 2,239 When you ’ re passionate about a new product , your enthusiasm will resonate with your customers ! Give them a glimpse of what has you so impressed . Recently , Rockstar Powersports shared a video of a new Yamaha PWC with the caption , “ We ’ re so excited to show you the NEW 2025 Yamaha Jet Blaster ! This incredible watercraft brings together powerful performance and sleek design , making it the ultimate ride for thrill-seekers . With its advanced engine and top-notch stability control , every ride is set to be an unforgettable adventure . Get ready for an amazing experience on the water !”

GOT GEAR MOTORSPORTS @ gotgearms Followers : 1,019 An employee of Got Gear Motorsports recently shared a video capturing the many customers flowing into the dealership during a big sale . The video highlights the excitement from customers , clearly showcasing the value of the sale . The caption to the video reads , “ 50 % OFF SALE going on TODAY ! Sat , Aug . 10th ! SAVE HUGE on PARTS , ACCESSORIES and APPAREL ! No special order items . In stock items only . Certain exclusions apply . # gotgear # gotgearmotorsports # easytobuywhydrive # 50percentoffsale .”