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MARCH 2012
VOL. 48. NO. 3 MARCH 2012
DEALERNEWS.COM
2012 TOP 100 WINNERS
1
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VOL. 48. NO. 3 MARCH 2012
CONTENTS
10
DEALER LAB — 2011 DEALER REVENUES TOP $5,000,000
Net profit climbs $508,788 in three years
by Joe Delmont
MARKETING
12
DEALERSHIP UNIVERSITY — ROD STUCKEY
Your existing customers are your No. 1 asset
Those who’ve spent with you in the past will likely do so
in the future
DEALERNEWS 2012
TOP 100 DEALERS
14
TOP 100 DEMOGRAPHICS
Facts and figures from this year’s inductees, including
average customer age, average dealership size and
more
16
DEALER OF THE YEAR
City Cycle Sales of Junction City, Kan., takes the top
honor this year, impressing the judges with its mission
statement, customer service and attention to detail
18
THE RUNNERS-UP/HONORABLE MENTIONS
J & L Harley-Davidson, Rexburg Motorsports and
Milwaukee Harley-Davidson take the three runners-up
spots, respectively, while Cycle Center of Denton and
Steve Seltzer Honda take honorable mentions. Road
Track and Trail scoops up Best Independent
20
THE DON J. BROWN AWARD/
CONSUMERS’ CHOICE
John Parham is recognized with the DJB Lifetime
Achievement Award, while newbie Cycle Center of
Denton is honored with Consumers’ Choice
22
MERIT AWARDS
The judge’s picks for best display, employee incentives,
service department, and more
28
ROUNDING OUT THE TOP 100
Stats and photos of the rest of this year’s inductees.
MAIN OFFICE
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Brand Director – Kerry Graeber
[email protected]
CONTENT
General e-mail: [email protected]
Content Director – Mary Slepicka
[email protected]
Editor-in-Chief – Dennis Johnson
[email protected]
Senior Editor – Arlo Redwine
[email protected]
Associate Editor – Cynthia Furey
[email protected]
CONTRIBUTORS
Contributing Editor – Joe Delmont
Contributing Writers – Bruce Steever,
Holly Wagner
Columnists/Bloggers – Eric Anderson, Joe
Delmont, Rick Fairless, Dave Koshollek,
Mike Vaughan
DESIGN
Group Art Director – Beth Silva
[email protected]
Photographers – Jeff Barger, Joe Bonnello,
Brett Flashnick, Branimir Kvartuc,
Edward Linsmier, Gary Rohman
Color separations and film produced by Advanstar Communications’ Scanning and Digital Prepress Departments
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Eric Anderson, Morris Baker (Family
PowerSports), John Beldock (Erico Motorsports),
Gary Christopher (American Honda-retired), Joe
Delmont, Tom Hicks (Southern California Motorcycles), Dave Koshollek, Bob Ladd (Shenandoah
Harley-Davidson), Nathan Reeves (RevSport!),
Bill Shenk (PowerHouse Dealer Services), Mike
Vaughan, Steve Zarwell (Zarwell and Co.)
Content Submissions – Dealernews welcomes submissions for editorial consideration in print and/or on www.
dealernews.com. All submissions to be considered for
publication must abide by the Advanstar content license
agreement. Dealernews cannot be held responsible for
safekeeping or return of any submitted material. To review
the license agreement, e-mail [email protected].
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT/CIRCULATION
Kristine Buckman, [email protected]
Subscriptions, reprints and other requests, see page 55
2
DEPARTMENTS
COLUMNS
ShopTalk ............................................. 8
Advertiser Index/Customer Service .. 55
From the Editors ................................. 6
Dealership University ........................ 12
Rick Fairless ...................................... 56
D E A L E R N E W S . C O M MARCH 2012
TOP 100 COMPETITION
For information, visit www.dealernews.com/
top100 or contact Mary Slepicka:
[email protected]
DEALERNEWS.COM
BRINGING YOU THE BEST
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DELIVERY!
1-800-999-3388
THIS MONTH @
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MANAGEMENT
SALES
SERVICE
MARKETING
DEALER EXPO
SHOP TALK
PRODUCTS
POWERSPORTS GROUP MANAGEMENT
TOP 100
TOP 10 LIST
Last month’s most popular
stories
Corporate Executive Vice President – Danny Phillips
Sales Director – Jim Moore
Brand Director – Kerry Graeber
Director-Electronic Products – Dana Fisher
Brand Coordinator – Jeanne Paloma
ADVERTISING, SPONSORSHIPS AND
E-MEDIA SALES
1. 2012 Harley-Davidson
Softail Slim is clean and
lean
2. Dealernews announces
Top 100 dealers for 2012
KRIEGA MAKES U.S. DEBUT
3. Ural Motorcycles expands
dealer network, increases
sales in 2011
Dealernews contributing writer Bruce Steever chats with
Michael Walshaw, owner of BritKit LLC, about the U.S. debut of
Euro-brand Kriega luggage and its plan to expand in this market. To read the Q&A log on to www.dealernews.com/kriega.
4. Honda NC700X adventure bike to be a 2012
model
5. SHOW SPECIALS:
Discounts, freebies and
more from Indy exhibitors
6. Ride in Peace: Threewheeler pioneer John
Lehman
DEALER LAB ON SHOP TALK
Dealernews contributing writer Joe Delmont provides more
information on Bill Shenk’s Florida dealership, Destination Powersports, than we can fit in each issue. Go to www.dealernews.
com/shoptalk and click on “The Lab” for more.
7. New from Victory Motorcycles – The Judge
8. Husqvarna revisits roots
with Concept Baja model
Group Sales Director – Jim Moore, 949.954.8400,
[email protected]
National Sales Manager – Angela Gibbs,
815.882.7871, [email protected]
Showcase, Classified and Recruitment Sales –
Megan Russo, 440.891.2713, [email protected]
Sales Coordinator – Christina Anders, 949.954.8428,
[email protected]
Outside the United States:
China – Frances Wang, [email protected]
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, The Netherlands –
Hendrik Schellkes, [email protected]
India – Divya Guliana Khanna, [email protected]
Italy – Monica Tomei,
[email protected]
Pakistan – Muhammad Ayyob, [email protected]
Taiwan – Sherman Ko, [email protected]
UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland –
Alastair Swift, [email protected]
MEDIA OPERATIONS
www.AdsAtAdvanstar.com
Senior Production Manager – Karen Lenzen
DEALER EXPO
www.dealerexpo.com
SHOW OPERATIONS
Vice President-Operations – Tracy Harris
Director of Operations-Dealer Expo – Lorri Monty
9. Victory to unveil 2013
model, custom bikes at
IMS New York
EXHIBIT SALES
Sales Manager – Peggy Zamberlan
Sales Account Managers – Matt Cavanaugh, Cass
D’Arlon, Angela Gibbs, Patti Ros
Sales Coordinators – Christina Anders, Bonni Finer
10. Dealernews announces
Special Merit Award
finalists in 2012 Top 100
Dealer Competition
GET YOUR NEWS FEEDS FROM DEALERNEWS
Dealernews delivers the industry’s breaking news and Web exclusives through email with the DealerNEWS ALERT, distributed
on Tuesdays and Fridays. Monthly DealerNEWS reports also
bring you the latest in the Big Twin market, new products, dealership management and service management. Best of all, your
subscription is free! Sign up at www.dealernews.com/enewssignup — or contact [email protected] for help.
MARKETING
Vice President-Marketing – Allison Lombardo
Marketing & Attendee Development –
Toni Lee-Chaudhary
www.motorcycleshows.com
For more information on exhibiting/supporting the Progressive International Motorcycle Shows, contact Jim Moore,
director of sales, at [email protected].
Follow us on Twitter:
Check out
www.twitter.com/
dealernews
for industry news
and updates.
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
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4
DEALERNEWS.COM
NEW PRODUCT OF THE DAY
Each day, Dealernews posts information on a new aftermarket
product that’s just been released so that you get the 4-1-1 within
days of its unveiling (and sometimes before it’s even publicly
announced!). Check out the home page at www.dealernews.com
every day for your daily product “news feed.”
MARCH 2012
President & CEO – Joseph Loggia, EVP-Finance & CFO –
Ted Alpert, EVP-Corporate Development – Eric I. Lisman,
EVP-Powersports & Vet Groups – Daniel M. Phillips,
VP-Operations (Powersports, Vet, License, Fashion Groups)
– Tracy Harris, EVP Pharmaceutical/Science – Ron Wall,
VP-Information Technology – J. Vaughan, VP-Electronic Media
Group – Mike Alic, VP-Media Operations – Francis Heid,
VP-Human Resources – Nancy Nugent, VP-General Counsel –
Ward D. Hewins
Record breaking vehicle to vehicle intercom communication
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New voice recognition technology
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FROM

THE EDITOR
Dennis Johnson
Why the 2012 Top 100 rocks
ANOTHER YEAR, another round of dealers
filling out the lineup of the Top 100.
It’s always neat to see how grateful the
dealers and dealership personnel are for
being named a Top 100 dealer. And for
good reason. The entry process is no small
task — there are many questions to answer
and lots of opportunities to share photos
that highlight their store’s best and brightest marketing efforts, displays and events.
They’re asked to share numbers and demographic information and to hold a magnifying glass up against each department
within their dealership. Many dealers go to
great lengths to give detailed answers to all
the questions, a process that some liken to
writing a yearly business plan.
Having gone through the bulk of the
2012 entries, it’s apparent that most dealers had to redouble their efforts during the
recession and, in the process, honed their
business senses. Nearly every dealer mentioned that employee education is hugely
important now — whether it’s a HarleyDavidson dealer praising HDU or a metric
using one of the many industry-centric
training companies.
Service departments are detailing and
gassing up bikes before returning them in
addition to offering wide-reaching pick-up
service and winter storage. Events are so
common among the Top 100 dealerships,
it’s rare to read an entry that doesn’t list
even a regular customer-appreciation night,
let alone a four-day dealer-led ride.
How about dealership bike shows?
Some sound like they could be giving some
of the more established trophy shows a
run for their money. Vintage bikes — of all
stripes — seem to be the focus of many of
the competitions which often coincide with
other big events being held at the stores.
And while “customer service is king”
can get kind of cliche after a while, it’s clear
that many — if not most — dealers are
putting a laser-beam focus on serving their
customers. With many OEMs launching programs and specials related to CSI scores,
we’re seeing dealers doing more follow-up
calls and after-service surveys.
It also seems that employee satisfaction is of growing performance. There’s the
aforementioned employee education, but
there’s also an effort to ensure that the hard
work of dealership personnel is rewarded
6
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
through spiffs, bonuses, store rides, weekend picnics, in-store competitions, profitsharing programs, retirement programs,
medical benefits, and the chance to ride
new models as they’re introduced into the
dealerships. Turn to page 14 for some stats
on the 2012 class and see that the number
of years on average an employee has been
with a Top 100 dealer is 5.7 years.
We get a taste of how much pride they
take in this process and the attendant results during our Top 100 awards ceremony
that’s held each year in Indianapolis during
Dealer Expo. Not only do the dealers get
to mingle with fellow Top 100 inductees,
they also break bread and rub elbows with
OEM, aftermarket and industry VIPs and
others.
And the program keeps giving
throughout the year. Many of the dealers
explain in their Top 100 entry how they
use the honor in their marketing collateral
and in-store displays. Some even send out
press releases to their local newspapers
and news organizations, often resulting in
stories highlighting the Top 100 win of a
local business.
As I’m writing this, we’re gearing up for
Dealer Expo (We produce the March issue
before the show) and the awards event.
Working Dealer Expo and producing the
Show Daily newspaper we print each day
of the show is an exercise in controlled
chaos. But for those few hours each show
where the Top 100 get their due, it’s super
gratifying to honor these retailers. They are
the main part of the powersports industry
equation that make this business possible.
Congratulations to the 2012 Top 100 dealers.
Dennis Johnson
Editor in Chief
[email protected]
FRONT: 25X8.00R12 / 26X9.00R12
27X9.00R12 / 26X9.00R14
REAR: 25X10.00R12 / 26X11.00R12
27X11.00R12 / 26X11.00R14
DEALERNEWS
ONLINE
S H O P TA L K
What you’re saying…
Are motorcycle shows necessary for
dealers?”
WOW, RICK FAIRLESS tells it like
it is! In addition to Dealer Expo in
Indy, I would recommend getting
down to Rick’s dealership in Texas as
a real life survival guide of what it’s
going to take for dealers to stay in
business.
Join the
conversation
by clicking on
“Shop Talk”
on the
Dealernews.com
home page.
— Michael Levy, Denver, Colo.
A reader responds to “Indian Motorcycle Charlotte: From enthusiast to
loyalist”
“YOU CAN’T PURCHASE history,
but you can certainly purchase an
iconic brand.” True indeed, but
this purchase can continue the
history if backed up by people
like Mr. Moses who “has already
played an important role within
the team.”
— John Kalathas, Sifnos, Greece
Readers respond to “Myrtle Beach
Harley-Davidson moves spring rally to
May 18-28”
THIS IS NO DIFFERENT than what
Daytona is doing this year — making
Join the dealer community at:
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ON DEALERNEWS.COM
A reader responds to “Ask Fairless:
Visit us online at:
dealernews.com
a mess. … People in control just
do not care about the people who
have made plans a year or more
in advance. I think people should
just stay at home this year from
Daytona and Myrtle Beach and
cancel their reservations. Then see
what happens when the revenue
does not come in. Maybe they
will take a survey from the people
who [have] come to these events
for years? The main thing I do not
like is that people did not get but
about a four month heads up to
change their plans. What about the
people who have already asked for
vacation time and cannot change
it because someone else may have
that time?
— Thomas, South Carolina
DAYTONA IS WAY different than
the Myrtle Beach situation. Daytona is more of a destination with
races, etc., and they announced it
over a year ahead of time. About
the only ones affected in Daytona
are the people with times shares
that have been charging outrageous rates for years. Daytona
Follow us on Twitter:
twitter.com/dealernews
Send us an e-mail:
[email protected]
wants the bikers and Myrtle Beach
does not, so the high and mighty
Myrtle Beach Harley shop takes
it upon themselves to change the
date and get the whole rally in
question. ... They played right into
the hands of the anti rally people.
Wonder who’s side the Harley
shop is on.
— Dave666, Asheville, N.C
.
A reader responds to “Indian Motorcycles of Chicago closes”
HASTILY FORCING out one of
your best dealers, in the fifth largest market in the country doesn’t
seem like the best way to building
confidence in a brand, or helping
sales. Gotta wonder what the folks
from Polaris are thinking.
— Gearhead, Arlington Heights, Ill.
FROM THE SHOP TALK FORUMS
SATURDAYS
“One of the most vivid memories I have from when I worked in the car business was the
Saturday morning sales meeting.
It was always humorous how they contradicted themselves. They were intended to be a pep
talk and get a salesman’s blood flowing to encourage a momentum of sales and good attitudes
throughout the day. But they always turned into a “forced fun” type of meeting with threats of
punishment for failed efforts. I remember thinking of how demotivating the meetings actually
became and counterproductive.
Remember to motivate those around you on what is typically your highest traffic day. Given
most are off of work and looking for someplace to go, Saturdays can be very prosperous for not
just sales, but for contact’s that you can develop into future sales.
Start the day off on the right foot and keep up with motivation throughout the
day. Good luck, and make this Saturday the best sales Saturday you have ever had!”
— Shop Talk forum member Locard
8
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
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2011 dealer revenues top
$5,000,000
NET PROFIT CLIMBS $508,788 IN THREE YEARS
BY JOE DELMONT
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Dealer Lab project is a joint effort between Dealernews and PowerHouse Dealer Services, a consulting firm run by dealer Bill Shenk,
detailing his efforts to return Florida Motorsports to profitability. When he took over management of the two stores — located in Naples and Punta Gorda,
Fla., — in July 2009, the Punta Gorda store had been losing money. Shenk and a partner have purchased the Punta Gorda store and renamed it Destination Powersports. Shenk no longer is involved in the Naples location.
The financial information in this report is taken from the dealership’s Composite Report supplied by Shenk and is prepared as part of the dealership’s
participation in the PowerHouse Dealer 20-Group. The Composite Report is produced from the store’s monthly financial report. In preparing these Dealer
Lab reports, Dealernews reviews the dealership’s unaudited P&L statement and Balance Sheet and its Composite Report.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE a couple of years
makes in the life of a business. Look at Destination Powersports, the Punta Gorda, Fla.,
Dealer Lab project. In 2009, the store lost
$283,455. Last year, it earned $225,333, a
turnaround of $508,788.
Total revenues for the store increased by
more than $2.6 million from 2009 through
2011, increasing from $2.5 million to $5.2
million. Gross Profit doubled, climbing
$673,115, from $669,076 to $1.3 million last
year.
The turnaround is even more impressive
when one considers that it came in a down
economy when many previously successful
powersports dealerships closed their doors
in Florida and across the country.
2011 was the first full year under Bill
Shenk’s ownership and management. Shenk
and a partner purchased the store in February 2010 and reopened it the next month.
During the 10 months of 2010 and the full
year in 2011, Shenk and his team made
major changes in staffing, cleaning up inventories of machines and PG&A, and adding
processes and programs at the dealership,
including bringing in the important Polaris
and Victory franchises.
Getting the right staff in place was a huge
process. There were 86 different employees
that have worked at the dealership in three
years (a full staff
is about 13 persons.).
Read the
complete report
on the dealership’s turnaround in the February 2012 issue
of Dealernews magazine. A copy of the
report also is available in Shop Talk at www.
dealernews.com.
The dealership closed out the year with
another strong performance in December,
posting a net operating profit of $34,594 on
total revenues of $629,168. This compares
with earnings of $12,690 on revenues of
$341,000 in the previous December.
Unit sales revenues were $493,321 on 55
total units, up sharply from the $241,483
revenues and 38 units the dealership sold in
December 2010. Interestingly, the dealership sold 17 used motorcycles during
the month, compared to 11 used bikes in
“We will continue to stay slightly overstaffed in service to ensure our opportunity
to grow in the future.” — Bill Shenk
CONTRIBUTION TO DECEMBER PROFIT
December 2010.
Advertising expense at the dealership in
December was only $2,345; for the year, it
was $66,189. The bulk of this cost was for
Internet-related activities, such as developing a new website, Google adwords, and
selling products on eBay and other Internet
ROLLING EARNINGS
Month
12 Months
$20,000
$250,000
$200,000
$15,000
$16,652
$150,000
$11,905
$10,000
$100,000
$5,000
$50,000
–$4,775
$957
0
0
$3,044
Sales
F&I
PG&A
SVC
The Dealer Lab is a real-world service from
10
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
-$50,000
Jan
Feb Mar Apr May Jun
July Aug Sept Oct
Nov Dec
Month-Over-Month Comparisons and YTD Totals: December 2011
SALES
Units Sold (New & Used)
Sales
F&I (net)
Parts
Accessories
Service
Total Sales
Total Cost of Sales
Gross Profit
Dec-11
55
493,321
21,248
32,638
45,301
36,660
629,168
489,885
139,283
EXPENSES
Payroll
Total Sales (5.25/4 Empl)
Total P&A (2.20/2.5 Empl)
Total Service (4.5/5 Empl)
Flooring
% of Total
Dollars
% of Total Dollars
Dealer
Top Gun
78.4
3.4
5.2
7.2
5.8
100*
77.9
22.1
78
3
5
7
6
100*
78.0
22.0
Dec-10
38
241,483
11,073
28,163
26,543
33,738
341,000
233,521
107,479
YTD 2010
348
2,355,775
142,143
256,796
226,603
258,061
3,239,378
2,340,108
899,270
YTD 2011
485
3,872,136
188,401
302,591
421,586
411,136
5,195,850
3,853,660
1,342,190
PVS
DLR
7,984
388
624
869
848
10,713
7,946
2,767
74.5
3.6
5.8
8.1
7.9
100*
74.2
25.8
% of Dept Gross Profit
Dec-11
Dealer
Top Gun
Dec-10
Dealer
Nov-11
YTD 2010
YTD 2011
PVS
DLR
27,938
10,079
20,436
4,220
35.8
38.5
55.7
5.4
36
39
56
5
19,624
7,273
18,912
4,847
34.6
39.4
56.0
8.5
25,535
8,011
15,413
3,508
202,923
67,347
159,095
66,683
238,135
93,659
222,880
34,874
491
193
460
72
34.4
37.9
54.2
5
6,888
70,007
13,918
12,562
1,914
94,756
0
64,787
46,635
149,730
120,645
15,989
893,834
0
79,420
66,189
199,793
156,563
24,704
1,116,217
19078
288
26,380
26,380
13,827
19,263
19,263
-2,542
204,354
223,431
% of Dept
Gross Profit
6,609
2,345
21,857
12,779
1,943
108,206
19,078
4.7
1.7
15.7
9.2
1.4
77.7
13.7
5
2
16
9
1
78
14
6,261
7,487
17,114
13,245
1,566
96,329
1,616
13,615
32,693
0
2.2
5.2
0
2
5.2
5.8
7
15.9
12.3
1.5
89.6
% of Dept Gross Profit
% of Total
Dollars
% of Total Dollars
Additional Income
Net Profit
Net Profit + Misc Exp
70.8
3.2
8.3
7.8
9.9
100*
68.5
31.5
% of Total Dollars
Nov-11
47
373,647
19,372
20,439
40,525
28,530
482,513
361,665
120,848
% of Dept
Gross Profit
% of Dept. Gross Profit
% of Dept. Gross Profit
Admin Payroll
Advertising
Administration
Rent
Co. insurance
Total Expense
Misc. Expense
Dealer
1,540
12,690
12,690
0
3.7
3.7
164
136
412
323
51
2,301
39
5.9
4.9
14.9
11.7
1.8
83.2
1.4
% of Total Dollars
-5
421
461
0
3.9
4.3
Notes: Top Gun = The top performing dealerships in the PowerHouse training group. PVS = Per Vehicle Sold. We now include YTD comparisons for 2010 and 2011. Shenk began operating
Punta Gorda dealership on March 1, 2009. * Totals equal 100 because of rounding ** Name was changed during MARCH 2010 ownership change and corporate reorganization.
sites. Very little was spent on traditional
media. “Mass media is not the place to be,”
Shenk says.
Service remained strong in December,
and for the year, service was the star with the
greatest increase over 2010. “With tech productivity at 78 percent for the month and 83
percent for the year, we have the opportunity
for an additional 20 percent growth without
adding anymore technicians,” Shenk says.
For 2010, the percent of tech available
hours sold was 59 percent. “In other words,
if we would have been able to sell every tech
hour we had available in 2010, it would have
been another $180,454 in labor revenues,”
he says. “For 2011, our growth used up 85
percent of those available hours, resulting
in a year over year labor sales increase of
$153,075. We will continue to stay slightly
overstaffed to ensure our opportunity to grow
in the future.”
Service is an important profit generator and
can stimulate growth throughout the dealer-
ship. We’ll have a more detailed discussion
of service department operations in next
month’s report.
Parts and accessories revenues also were
very strong in December, totaling $77,939,
compared to $54,706 in December 2010.
Gross profit for parts was $11,652 and accessories was $14,500 in December. That
compares with $9,701 for parts and $8,771
for accessories in December 2010.
The big gain here was two often overlooked opportunities. First, increase service
and you always increase parts and accessories. And, second, increase the “desirability”
of your inventory and staff with more effective commissioned sales people.
“We had gains in both but the big gain
was the second one,” Shenk says. “We
increased parts and accessories sold to
walk-in customers by a whopping 50 percent, from $22,857 to $34,108, and our
number of transactions [customers] was
498 vs. 549, or only up 10 percent. And
the increase in average transaction went
from $45.90 to $62.13.”
Another improved performer in December was the F&I operation. Revenues were
$21,248, or $386 per vehicle sold (PVS), up
from revenues of $11,073, $291 PVS in the
previous year. “That’s better, but it’s still the
weakest area of the dealership,” he says.
“We should be at $500-plus PVS, that’s
$120 more per vehicle sold. $120 times the
55 units that were sold, equalling $6,600 in
real lost gross profit.”
So, the bottom line is that the dealership had a very good year in 2011 and has
made substantial progress from 2009. It will
be interesting to watch the progress of this
project in 2012.
Bill Shenk is owner and 20 Group moderator of
PowerHouse Dealer services, a dealership 20
Group provider and consulting/training company.
He has worked full time in the industry since 1976,
and purchased his first dealership in 1987.
Read past reports and post comments at:
www.dealernews.com/dealerlab
alern
new
MARCH 2012
DEALERNEWS.COM
11
MARKETING
Your existing customers are your No. 1 asset
THOSE WHO’VE SPENT WITH YOU IN THE PAST WILL LIKELY DO SO IN THE FUTURE
A former dealer
principal, Rod
Stuckey is the
founder and
president of
Dealership
University and
Powersports
Marketing.com.
Have a question
about marketing
best practices?
Contact him
via editors@
dealernews.com
On the
Web:
If you missed any
of the educational
seminars last month
at Dealer Expo and
the American V-Twin
Dealer Show, be sure
to check out our
highlights at www.
dealernews.com.
12
DEALERNEWS.COM
I RECENTLY STUMBLED upon an old story, told by
Temple University founder, Russell Conwell. The story
was about an old Persian farmer from the mid-1800s
who heard countless tales of others earning millions
of dollars mining for — and discovering — precious
diamonds.
The old farmer was so enamored with the idea that
he sold his own farm to go in search of these diamonds himself. As the story goes, he spent the rest
of his life drifting around the known world searching
for the gems, but was unsuccessful. Finally, exhausted
and utterly disgusted, he threw himself into a river
and drowned.
In the meantime, the man who had bought the
farmer’s farm was crossing a small stream on the
property and noticed a bright shiny object. Thinking
it was a piece of crystal, he picked it up and took it
back to the house, where he proudly displayed it on
his mantle.
A few weeks later, a visitor was at the man’s house
and noticed the stone on his mantle. He looked
closely at the stone and nearly fainted, as it was one
of the largest diamonds he’d ever seen.
When he told the farmer he’d just discovered
one of the largest diamonds in the world, the farmer
shared that the creek out back was full of these
stones. Maybe not quite as big as the one on the
mantle, but smaller, similar stones were sprinkled
throughout.
The first farmer had owned this farm free and clear,
but had sold it for next to nothing to search elsewhere for his fortune.
If only the first farmer had taken the time to study,
prepare himself, and thoroughly explore the property
he already owned before looking elsewhere. If he
had done his research, all of his wildest dreams would
have come true.
Reading this story actually reminds me of a dealer’s
customer database. I often refer to your customer list
as the No. 1 asset your accountant forgot to tell you
about. Or in this case, it may be more appropriate
to refer to your customer database as your “Acres of
Diamonds.”
Here’s why. The person most likely to give you
money in the future is the person who’s already given
you money in the past
At a first glance you may not perceive your customer base as that valuable. However, upon closer
examination, if you analyze the lifetime value of
your customers and just how much that number is
impacted by how well you nurture the relationship,
you’ll discover extremely valuable gems.
We’ve all heard the common saying, “The grass is
greener on the other side of the fence.” Well, if that’s
true, it’s only because that grass is receiving better
MARCH 2012
care on the other side.
Too often I talk with dealers who are looking for
the next bright shiny object in their advertising to create a breakthrough. Meanwhile, they’re not training
their staff or consistently collecting key customer data
such as names, email addresses, home addresses,
phone numbers, and birth dates so they can market
to them in the future.
In fact, many dealers fail to realize that their customers actually expect to be marketed to. And if you
don’t, they begin to get a feeling of apathy from you,
— as if you don’t care about their business, which in
turn makes them more receptive to offers from your
potential competitors.
This is why I really believe in a consistent, evergreen dealer event marketing plan.
Holding events provides a great excuse to market
to your existing customers by inviting them to your
party, which makes them feel appreciated (even if
they don’t attend). Events provide new information
that your entire staff can share with prospects and
customers, and new information leads to new buying
decisions.
When properly executed, the hype leading up to
a dealer event keeps energy high with the staff and
customers, which in turn increases morale throughout
the dealership. This positive mojo increases sales
leading up to the event and impulse purchases during the event. But sales don’t just increase before and
during the event. Events create residual sales in the
following weeks.
I remember back when we held events at our
dealerships. At first I expected every event to have
record-breaking sales. Some did. Some did not. However, I noticed there was always a significant amount
of sales in the following weeks that were directly
related to the event that happened.
This proves that it’s not just about what you do or
what number of customers attend on the day of the
event, but that it’s all about planting seeds for future
business.
I also found that the more events we had, the
easier it became. The repetition of holding consistent
events leads to systems, which leads to efficiency,
which leads to less pain in promoting said events.
You can keep successful event plans in place, and use
them the next time around, too.
In sum, before you explore the entire world looking
for new business, be sure you’ve explored what’s
available in your own backyard. If you haven’t been
consistently capturing your customer’s key data and
inviting them to events at your dealership, you should
start now.
The best time to plant an oak tree may have been
10 years ago, but the next best time is right now!
2012 TOP 100 DEALERS — DEMOGRAPHICS
Top 100 demographics
2,923
Number of people collectively employed by the
Top 100 dealers of 2012
5.7 years
%
23.o5men
w
Average
Number of years on average an employee
has been with a Top 100 dealer
percentage
of men and
women
customers
Average
customer age
n
e
%m
76.5
41 years old
Average size of a Top 100 dealership
32,541 sq. ft.
$331.87
Average gross sales per square foot
Total new and used
vehicles sold by the Top
100 dealers in 2011:
70,185+
Vehicle Brand Stats for the Top 100
of 2012:
Suzuki: 45
Yamaha: 42
Kawasaki: 41
Honda: 37
Harley-Davidson: 36
Polaris: 28
BRP/Can-Am: 20
Victory Motorcycles: 16
KTM: 11
KYMCO: 10
Arctic Cat: 9
Lehman Trikes: 9
Ducati: 8
Piaggio Group: 7
Triumph: 7
Fewer than five dealers: BMW, E-Ton,
Genuine Scooters, Indian, Schwinn
14
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
First-time winners: 23
2x winners: 10
3x winners: 13
4x winners: 16
5x winners: 12
6x-7x winners: 10
8x-10x winners: 11
14x winners: 2
15x to 21x winners: 3
J&W Cycles continues its winning
streak, being the only dealer to have placed in the
Dealernews Top 100 competition in every year of the
competition’s 21-year existence.
Insurance
Risk Management
Visit
FandIResourceCenter.com
or call 888-265-7524
for more information.
With our Streamlined Selling System®,
increasing your F&I profits
can feel like a drive in the country.
Zurich HelpPoint is here when you need more than just insurance.
It is our commitment to making it easier for dealerships to earn the
maximum per vehicle retail possible. Through Zurich’s exclusive Streamlined
Selling System® our Elite Performance dealership customers earned
an average F&I profit of $864 per vehicle sold—with our top 20% earning
an average of $1,208*. A local Zurich F&I specialist can help you achieve
this same success through our proven income development program.
Here to help your world.
Products and services are underwritten and provided by individual member companies of Zurich in North America, including Universal Underwriters Insurance Company and Universal Underwriters Service Corporation. Certain coverages and products and
services are not available in all states. *Results based on 2010 data. Results also vary to the extent of sales volume and implementation and strict adherence to sales recommendations. ©2011 Zurich American Insurance Company
2012 TOP 100 DEALERS
2012 Dealer of the Year
CITY CYCLE SALES INC. — 7-time winner
Owner: Wayne A. Jaecke
Location: Junction City, Kan. • Store size: 33,612 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, Suzuki
www.citycyclesalesinc.com
AS A SIX-TIME WINNER in the Top 100, Wayne Jaecke and City Cycle
Sales are no strangers to the program. It’s just that this time around,
judges awarded the Junction City, Kan., dealer the competition’s top
slot — Dealer of The Year. The store’s mission statement talks about
providing customers with a friendly, attentive atmosphere, outstanding
service and the highest ethical conduct: What’s not to like about that?
This service starts at the front door where customers are acknowledged
as soon as they set foot in the dealership. From the front area, it’s easy
to see the entire mix of V-twin and metric machines that cover the
showroom floor. Knowing that there’s more to a dealership than metal,
City Cycle Sales has a large upstairs conference room for HOG meetings and other community events. In fact, the whole dealership was
designed with an eye toward accommodating the large crowds that
attend the many events hosted at the store. Ample parking and kitchen
facilities mean there’s room to prep food for catering to big groups of
people.
Outside, there is an 80-foot covered porch where customers can
either check out more motorcycles or enjoy the live bands that often
play there. It’s also a popular meeting spot for groups going out on
a ride. Those same riders might find something inside at the store’s
dedicated gifts and collectibles corner where items can even be gift
wrapped.
CCS’s service department is one of the dealership’s highlights. In
fact, the dealership reports in its Top 100 entry that a field service advisor for Kawasaki who is a regular customer says the shop is “one of
the cleanest, neatest and most organized” that he’s ever seen — quite
16
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
a compliment being that he covers a six-state area and sees hundreds
of dealerships. Near the back of the service area is a large platform
lift that makes loading and unloading bikes a snap. It’s even available
at no charge for customers and complete strangers to use to get a
vehicle off of a truck or trailer.
The store assembles all of its vehicles in its large basement so the
service area is kept free of packing materials and such. This same
climate-controlled basement is also used to store customer bikes —
many of which are stored at a discount for military customers who are
deployed.
Some more service perks? All bikes brought in for full service leave
the shop with a full tank of gas. The dealership will also pick up and
deliver customer motorcycles within 50 miles free of charge.
At the core of City Cycle Sales’ business is the customer, to whom
Jaecke has devoted his entire professional life. His whole goal is to
get them in the doors and keep them coming back. To this point, he
maintains a great relationship with the nearby Army installation, Fort
Riley — home for many years to the famed Big Red One. The store
takes part in the installation’s annual safety day with service manager
and mechanic Dean Mizes, sharing mechanical safety issues and other
employees discussing dressing for safety.
Customers purchasing new bikes get T-shirts, cleaning supplies,
a hat and some reading materials. They’re also taken around and
introduced to the store’s entire crew — the idea is to make them feel
right at home.
Again, because business doesn’t end or begin at the front door,
the dealer is heavily involved in community events. In 2011, City Cycle
Sales donated to more than 85 benefit rides, golf tournaments and
poker runs throughout the state. It also donates to many fundraisers
for local schools, churches and law enforcement agencies.
In all, Jaecke strives to provide “down home” service, with the goal
of building long-lasting relationships and helping his community.
CONGRATULATIONS
Presented by
FEBRUARY 17TH | FEBRUARY 18TH | FEBRUARY 19TH
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
WE CONGRATULATE THE TOP 100 CLASS OF 2012
AND THE DEALER OF THE YEAR,
CITY CYCLE SALES OF JUNCTION CITY, KANSAS
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE 2012 TOP 100, VISIT WWW.DEALERNEWS.COM
The 2012 Top 100 Competition is sponsored by:
2012 TOP 100 DEALERS — THE RUNNERS-UP
FIRST RUNNER-UP
J & L Harley-Davidson
16-time winner
Owners: Jim and Lonnie
Enteman
Location: Sioux Falls, S.D.
Store size: 38,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brand: HarleyDavidson
www.jl-harley.com
After landing in the Top 100
15 different times, J&L Harley-Davidson now checks in as the year’s
First Runner-Up. Education is high on this dealer’s list so each employee is encouraged to take training through HDU, and are compensated when taking the course. Cross-training across all departments is
also highly encouraged. Customers also get the royal treatment with
a loyalty program that rewards them for making purchases, attending
events or volunteering for store functions. J&L has for 16 years run Hot
Harley Nights, benefitting the Make-A-Wish Foundation, thus far raising $1.6 million for the organization.
SECOND RUNNER-UP
Rexburg Motorsports —
7-time time winner
Owners: Jared Burt, Allen
Ball, Brad Ball
Location: Rexburg, Idaho
Vehicle brands: Arctic
Cat, BRP/Can-Am, Honda,
Kawasaki, KYMCO, Polaris,
Suzuki, Yamaha
ww.rexburgmotorsports.com
It seems that every year Rexburg Motor Sports introduces a major
effort that causes the judges to take notice. This time, it could have
been any number of new initiatives that helped the store garner its
2012 runner-up status — like the “No Bull” policy that all but guarantees no-hassle/no-haggle shopping for its customers, or the Motorfist
Lounge, a new addition to the store that acts as a meeting room for
the community at large. The store also uses its Facebook page to vet
new products — each week an item is posted with pricing, features
and benefits, and Facebook fans are encouraged to give feedback and
ratings. The more favorable the ratings, the more likely management
will stock the product.
THIRD RUNNER-UP
Milwaukee Harley-Davidson
8-time winner
Owner: Chaz Hastings
Location: Milwaukee, Wis.
Vehicle brand: Harley-Davidson
www.milwaukeeharley.com
This year’s Third Runner-Up says its mission is “to continue our legacy
of embracing the rebel, non-conformist culture of the Harley-Davidson
motorcycling community by providing a premium customer experience.” It does so through a mix of regular employee training, a welloiled service department, a host of monthly in-store events and strong
customer service — bike buyers can join the monthly New Owners
Ride and enjoy a free gourmet meal at one of the owner’s historic
18
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
taverns. The store creates ties to other local businesses for crosspromotional purposes and sponsors employee outings that range from
family-friendly to adults only.
HONORABLE MENTION
Cycle Center of Denton — 1-time
winner
Owners: Randy Martin, Kenny Martin,
Carlos Gonzalez
Location: Denton, Texas
Vehicle brands: Honda, Kawasaki,
Polaris, Suzuki
www.cyclecenterofdenton.com
Located deep in the heart of Texas, Cycle Center of Denton is a familyowned and family-oriented gathering of all-things-powersports. Cycle
Center keeps a close eye on keeping customers happy and sends out
customer satisfaction surveys each Monday to all individuals who had
service work performed the previous week. For filling out the survey,
customers get a coupon that gets them 10 percent off a purchase. A
follow-up phone call is made if any concerns are noted on the form.
Surveys are also sent to those who purchase a new unit. To keep its
showroom fresh, Cycle Center uses mobile displays that are regularly
rearranged and updated.
HONORABLE MENTION
Steve Seltzer Honda — 3-time winner
Owner: Steve Seltzer
Location: Altoona, Penn.
Vehicle brand: Honda
www.steveseltzerhonda.com
It’s the little things that illustrate Steve
Seltzer Honda’s commitment to what it calls T.C.S. — Total Customer
Satisfaction. For one, its service department works as a well-oiled machine, striving to provide on-time service. And upon walking through
the dealership’s doors, you’ll not only find a display of safety literature (free of charge), but you’ll be greeted by a smiling receptionist.
Outside of the store, events like motorcycle rides benefit the Promise
House for autistic children, as well as organizations that help in fighting
Multiple Sclerosis. The store will set up tables, chairs, coffee and cookies for riders before they begin their journeys.
BEST INDEPENDENT
Road Track and Trail — 3-time winner
Owner: Nick Rank
Location: Big Bend, Wis.
Vehicle brands: Pre-owned
www.roadtrackandtrail.com
This is the second year in a row that
judges have awarded Road Track and Trail the Best Independent merit
award. The store counts 25 percent of its customers as repeats and
26 percent as referrals. How do they do it? By making it known that
they care about their customers’ safety and well-being. “Our customer
service philosophy was molded around our moral code of loyalty and
safety,” the store says. “We couldn’t be satisfied with our sales if we
weren’t making sure that every vehicle is inspected and road-tested
again and again.” Repeat customers also get additional discounts on
their vehicle purchases as a thank-you from the store.
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2012 TOP 100 DEALERS — SPECIAL MERIT AWARDS
DON J. BROWN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
John Parham, J & P Cycles
Location: Anamosa, Iowa
Last year, John Parham and his wife Jill announced that they were
stepping down as president and vice president of J & P, respectively,
handing over the reins to their son Zach. The Parhams founded the
company in 1979, and have seen it grow from a small, swap-meet-style
vending operation in the back of the family’s Ford van to one of the
largest motorcycle parts and accessories retailers in the world.
During those years, the store has garnered a respectable collection
of awards, including being inducted multiple times into the Dealernews
Top 100, as well as winning the Top 100’s Best Independent Dealer
award for several years. Most recently, the store was recognized as a
“Social Superstar” by RightNow Technologies. The honor is bestowed
upon businesses that help improve customer experiences through
social media.
What’s next on the Parham’s agenda? They’re managing the
National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, where they have more than
302 motorcycles dating back from 1902 to present.
“It is a great honor to be awarded the Don Brown Award,” John Parham says. “To receive this
award is one of the greatest honors in Jill and my lives.”
CONSUMERS’ CHOICE AWARD
Cycle Center of Denton — 1-time time winner
Location: Denton, Texas
Owners: Randy Martin, Kenny Martin, Carlos Gonzalez
Vehicle brands: Honda, Kawasaki, Polaris, Suzuki
www.cyclecenterofdenton.com
Not only did Cycle Center of Denton pick up an Honorable Mention this
year, it swept the Consumers’ Choice category with nearly 30,000 votes.
The store keeps close to its community by sponsoring local riding groups
and hosting a monthly “ladies night” where it stays open late for women
riders and non-riders. Each weekend, Texas B.E.S.T. Rider school is held
at the dealership, and every year the store donates a Kawasaki Mule to
the University of North Texas. For the yearly customer appreciation blowout, Cycle Center teams up with Smokehouse BBQ, a local restaurant,
for catering. After the event, any leftover food is donated to the local
food bank and soup kitchen.
20
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
SAVING PEOPLE MONEY
on more than just car insurance.
SM
Call 1-800-442-9253 today or visit your local office.
Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or all GEICO companies. Motorcycle and ATV coverages are underwritten by GEICO Indemnity Company. Boat and PWC coverages are written through non-affiliated insurance companies and
are secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. © 2012 GEICO
2012 TOP 100 DEALERS — SPECIAL MERIT
EMPLOYEE INCENTIVES
Rexburg Motorsports — 7-time winner
Owners: Jared Burt, Allen
Ball, Brad Ball
Location: Rexburg, Idaho
Vehicle brands: Arctic Cat,
BRP/Can-Am, Honda, Kawasaki, KYMCO, Polaris, Suzuki,
Yamaha
rexburgmotorsports.com
Rexburg knows that a well-rounded employee is a happy employee.
That’s why dealership management takes a special interest in each employee’s interests outside of the workplace. The store is flexible enough
to work around school schedules, and even sponsors its employees
in racing, beauty pageants and scholarship drives. The perks continue
at the office, as full-time employees enjoy medical, dental and vision
benefits, 401(k) matching and flexible spending accounts. Staff gettogethers are also common, as are celebrating birthdays, and giving out
special awards. The red-carpet treatment of its employees is most likely
why 50 percent of last year’s new hires came from employee referrals.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
A.D. Farrow Co. Harley-Davidson — 14-time time winner
Owners: Bob and Valerie
Althoff
Location: Sunbury, Ohio
www.adfarrow.com
One hundred years in business means A.D. Farrow
has a long history of offering support to charitable rides, rallies and
causes in central Ohio. With a record like that, it’s no wonder why the
dealership is picking up this award again — it also received it back in
2010. Last year alone, the store supported more than 57 local rides
and charity events through cash sponsorships, donations and publicity
in the store’s weekly newsletter. One such event, the Brandy Winfield
Poker Run, raised $14,900 for various law enforcement charities. And,
the dealership’s annual Poker Run and Rally raises funds to support the
Ohio Fallen Heroes Memorial, which recognizes all Ohio service members killed in the war on terror.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Powersports of Joplin — 5-time winner
Owner: Garrett Paull
Location: Joplin, Mo.
Vehicle brands: Honda,
Suzuki, Yamaha
www.powersportsofjoplin.
com
In mid-2011, a tornado made
its way through the town of
Joplin, Mo., devastating everything in its path. Relief began pouring in
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DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
almost immediately after, and staff at PowerSports of Joplin played a
big role in getting the community organized and back on its feet. The
store offered its parking lot as a relief zone — accepting truckloads of
goods and supplies from states as far away as Wyoming — as well as
donated ATVs and UTVs to local law enforcement to help in search and
rescue efforts and stopping looters. In addition to disaster relief, the
store continues to support local track events, Misti’s Mission Relief and
even working with ABC television’s “Extreme Home Makeover” to help
them build a home in the city.
SERVICE DEPARTMENT EXCELLENCE
Charlie’s Harley-Davidson — 5-time winner
Owner: Charlie Cole
Location: Huntington, W.V.
www.charlieshd.com
What makes a great service
department? How about one
where the service manager
takes time on his day off to pick up a out-of-town customer with a
broken-down bike? That’s Charlie’s Harley-Davidson, and Top 100
judges thought enough of the store’s other service offerings to award it
the merit prize for Service Department Excellence. All customers in for
service, from minor problems to big ticket items, leave with a cleaned
and detailed motorcycle. The store’s Priority Customer Maintenance
Plan gives participating customers first dibs at service, covers all maintenance and upkeep and free winter storage. Last winter, the store hosted
an invitation-only party for 500 PCMP customers, treating them to live
music, food, drinks, door prizes and sales.
STORE THEME
Frieze Harley-Davidson Sales Inc. — 5-time winner
Owner: Virgina G. Frieze
Location: O’Fallon, Ill.
Store size:33,000 sq. ft.
friezeharley-davidson.com
Eco-conscious isn’t just a
theme, the store’s Top 100
application says, but “it’s a
way in which we live our lives
in hopes to inspire all of those around us in protecting and conserving
the environment.” Indeed, the store’s efforts reach far beyond recycling
used oil. Frieze is the only Harley-Davidson dealership that’s been
awarded the Gold Level certification rating from the U.S. Green Building
Council. Thoughtful and eco-friendly ideas abound, like using reclaimed
bricks, high-efficiency air conditioners, even dual-flush water conserving toilets. Outside of the store, the theme continues: a 60-foot wind
turbine saves the store almost 10 percent a month on energy costs, and
there was even thought that went into paving the parking lot (concrete
instead of black top, to help reflect more sun).
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Ademec Harley-Davidson — 3-time winner
Owners: Mark and Chris
Adamec
Location: Jacksonville, Fla.
www.adamecharley.com
Knowing that Harley owners love to customize their
motorcycles, Adamec Harley-Davidson launched its own Harley Owners
Workshop, or HOW for short. On the second Saturday of every month
the store’s chrome and performance consultant offers workshops that
cover motorcycle care, road safety and all the options available for
customizing a bike for looks, fit and performance. Held in the store’s
showroom, HOW has played a major role in Adamec’s successes — it’s
seen a 19.5 percent increase in P&A sales and 31.1 percent increase
in service sales in 2011. Attendance ranges from 15 to 40 people per
presentation, with many people making repeat appearances.
E-COMMERCE
World of Powersports Inc. — 5-time winner
Owners: Matthew and Mark
Jackson
Location: Decatur, Ill.
Vehicle brand: Arctic Cat,
BRP/Can-Am, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, Polars, Suzuki, Victory, Yamaha
worldofpowersports.com
World of Powersports takes interactive to a whole new level with a
program that makes every customer a salesperson. It does this by
enlisting “affiliates,” or customers who are willing to post links on
their own Web and social media sites that link to the dealership. If a
customer makes a purchase through the coded links provided to the
affiliate, the affiliate can earn 3 percent to 15 percent commission.
This result has been more than a 10 percent increase in the store’s
online parts business. The dealership also has added QR codes to
many of its units, parts and accessories. These codes link to the store’s
website, YouTube videos and more.
BEST EVENT
Performance Powersports — 3-time time winner
Owners: Kurt and Gail
Mechling
Location: Seneca, S.C.
Vehicle brands: Kawasaki,
KTM, KYMCO, Piaggio,
Polaris, Vespa,
Victory, Yamaha
www.performance-powersports.com
Not that long ago, Performance PowerSports didn’t know a thing
about the scooter market. However, after recognizing the possibilities
24
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
in courting scooter riders, it went into it whole hog. After bringing on
some mainstream OEM brands, the store launched Moped Monday
Mexican Meltdown at a local club’s taco and beer night where it
bought the first taco for all moped riders and gave away a $25 bar
tab. It also held a drawing for a free scooter. Since then, KYMCO has
emerged as the dealership’s leading scooter brand and sales went
from zero to 70 (units) — a trend store owners hope will lead to sales
of 300-plus units a year.
BEST DISPLAY
J & W Cycles Inc. — 21-time winner
Owners: Jimmy Jones,
Debora Jones, Robert
Jones, Nancy Jones
Location: Washington, Mo.
Vehicle brands: Kawasaki, Polaris, Suzuki, Victory,
Yamaha
www.jwcycles.com
It took a six-person crew to erect the display that won over the Top
100 judges in this year’s contest. Upon entering the front door, one is
greeted with a scene from the great outdoors — complete with giant
wooden bear wielding a “Welcome” sign. A cedar fence surrounds a
water feature, which sits in front of a Yamaha-bannered backdrop. One
customer who owned a tree-trimming service even offered up a truckload of wood chips and logs to scatter about the display. Customer
response has been overwhelmingly positive, with several taking their
own photos. “We are always excited to see the expression on their
faces as they enter the door,” the store says.
BEST EXTERIOR
Mad River Harley-Davidson — 1-time winner
Owners: Mike and Franscene Davis
Location: Sandusky, Ohio
www.madriverhd.com
Located on the shores of
Lake Erie, Mad River HarleyDavidson eschews the cookie-cutter look of the big box retailers that
surround it. The store fairly sings with a industrial-flavored nod to the
brick-walled factories and hulking industry of the Midwest. A water
tower up top harkens to the Motor Co.’s Milwaukee headquarters —
squint and you might think you’re standing on Juneau Avenue looking
up. As the store owners said in their Top 100 entry, “no other buildings in our area are even close to our dealership.”
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BEST PROMOTION
Dreyer Honda South — 1-time winner
Owners: Steve and Terri St.
John
Location: Whiteland, Ind.
Vehicle brand: Honda
dreyerhondasouth.com
Discounting is a doubleedged sword, so we tip our
hats to Dryer Honda South,
a store that figured out a way to limit it while increasing return business. The Loyalty Card, much like the cards you have at supermarkets
and drugstores, allows customers to accrue 10 points to every dollar
they spend in the store. When a customer reaches 2,500 points,
they receive a $10 credit on the card and can spend it however they
please. In addition, the store has changed all of its sales signs from
“Sale Price” to “DHS Member Price,” further garnering customer
interest in its rewards program.
BEST WEBSITE
Ray Price Inc. — 3-time winner
Owners: Ray and Jean Price
Location: Raleigh, N.C.
Vehicle brands: HarleyDavidson, Triumph
www.rayprice.com
The main page for the
storied drag racer’s dual
dealerships is a portal to everything Ray Price has going on the Web — websites for both stores,
social media, an activities page, you name it. Customers can view
new and pre-owned inventory for both Triumph and Harley-Davidson,
information on each department and event calendars. In addition to
checking out the unit listings, viewers can get a quote online, value
their trade-in, apply for financing or insurance, or sign up for a Rider’s
Edge course. The H-D page even has a section for the store’s Harley
Owners Group’s monthly newsletter and events.
MEDIA CAMPAIGN-INTEGRATED
Competition Accessories — 5-time winner
Owners: Dean V. Kruse, Shawn A.
Bowshier
Location: Springfield, Ohio
Vehicle brands: Ducati, Honda,
Kawasaki, KYMCO, Polaris, Suzuki,
Yamaha
ridemotorcyclesinc.com
Competition Accessories took
advantage of an offer from
Kawasaki that was too hard to
pass up. Dealers who purchased 2010 units at the end of the season
were entitled to free flooring for a year, along with huge rebates to
support their retail efforts. The store turned around and creatively
advertised in almost every media imaginable — like TV, print, radio,
26
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
email blasts, social media and newsletters. And they had fun with the
campaign, using employees from several different departments in its
“Kawasaki Leftovers” television ad. Through its efforts, the store has
sold through 90 percent of the non-currents it purchased.
MEDIA CAMPAIGN-PRINT
Chaparral Motorsports — 2-time time winner
Owner: David Damron
Location: San Bernardino,
Calif.
Vehicle brands: BRP/CanAm, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM,
KYMCO, Polaris, Suzuki,
Victory, Yamaha
www.chaparral-racing.com
Chaparral Motorsports
launched its maga-log, a hybrid catalog and magazine that features
product listings and editorial coverage through the publication.
The idea is to give consumers an evergreen magazine that uses
instructional how-to articles, educational product pieces and lifestyle
features to convert readers into buyers. For example, a feature on
warm weather riding gear also includes listings for ventilated street
and dirt riding gear and accessories such as a hydration system and
a cooling vest. Prices are included, as are part numbers.
MEDIA CAMPAIGN-RADIO/TV
Man O’ War Harley-Davidson — 1-time winner
Owner: Jim Bentley
Location: Lexington, Ky.
www.manowarhd.com
Despite the struggling
economy, Man O’ War
Harley managed to break its
sales records during the summer months last year — and the dealership owes it all to a radio spot that ran on the top stations in the area
from June through August. “[We] had the most successful months
we have ever had as a dealership,” the store says. Ad copy was a
seamless merger of words from Harley’s HDnet and in-house writings. Production and voiceovers were done in-house, giving staff a
hands-on experience and streamlining the process. Radio counts for
15 percent of the store’s overall ad budget. We’d say that’s money
well spent.
MEDIA CAMPAIGN-ONLINE
Green Mountain HarleyDavidson — 3-time winner
Owners: David and Debby
Pearson
Location: Essex Junction, Vt.
Vehicle brand:
Harley-Davidson
www.GreenMtnHarley.com
In November 2011, Green Mountain held its “Our Customers Rock!
Party,” advertising the event on its website, Facebook page and
“pay per click” advertising on Facebook. Dealer staff dressed in
their favorite rock band T-shirt and the store hosted the Rock ‘n’
Roll Group ride. The first customers to fill out an online survey won
“I Rock!” T-shirts. About 400 people attended the event and the
store logged 951 visits to the special link leading to the survey that
resulted in 497 completed surveys. The store attributes five new bike
sales to the event, which succeeded in bringing in store traffic during
what has historically been one of the slowest months of the year.
what we wear ourselves,” staff says. It’s no wonder the store has
been judged as one of the best Ducati showrooms in North America.
Its service department is a fully branded Ducati Service facility, yet
techs work on other brands, as well.
VEHICLE BRAND OF THE YEAR
BEST USE OF SPACE
Ducati Omaha — 3-time winner
Owners: Jarel Jensen and
Shun Kwong
Location: Omaha, Neb.
Vehicle brands: Ducati,
Genuine Scooter
www.ducatiomaha.com
Ducati Omaha manages
to pack quite a bit into its
small space. Tucked into an
industrial park in suburbia, Ducati fans find a 6,800 sq. ft. haven with
a high-end boutique feel, complete with track lighting and polished
concrete floors. Racing memorabilia peppers the showrooms, and
staff stands by every single product offered in the store. “We stock
d u a l
American Suzuki Motor Co.
Brea, California
For 2012, Suzuki grabs the Vehicle Brand of the Year – a repeat of
its win in 2011. This is the award that goes to the OEM most often
listed by Top 100 dealers. How’d it do it? By working closely with its
dealers to get them to go through the Top 100 entry process. The
OEM recognizes that for a store to just enter the Top 100 program,
it’s basically reviewing its business plan — not a bad education to
get on a yearly basis.
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DEALERNEWS.COM
27
Advantage Powersports — 4-time winner
Owners: Jeff and Jim Stanfield
Location: Kansas City, Mo.
Vehicle brands: BRP/Can-Am, Honda,
Kawasaki, Polaris, Suzuki, Yamaha
www.advantagepowersports.com
28
Adventure Harley-Davidson —
4-time winner
Owners: Mike and Franscene Davis
Location: Dover, Ohio
www.adventureharley.com
Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda — 6-time winner
Owner: Al Lamb
Location: Dallas, Texas
Vehicle brands: Honda
www.dallashonda.com
Babbitts Sports Center — 1-time winner
Owners: Eddie Babbitt, Pam Babbitt
Location: Muskegon, Mich. • Store size: 36,900 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Arctic Cat, Honda, Kawasaki, Polaris, Suzuki, Yamaha
www.babbittsonline.com
Barney’s of Brandon — 1-time winner
Owners: Ray Hempstead, Beverley Newton, Todd Hempstead, Keith Wood
Location: Brandon, Fla. • Store size: 25,498 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: BRP/Can-Am, E-Ton, Kawasaki, Piaggio, Suzuki,
Vespa, Yamaha
www.barneysbrandon.com
Bayside Harley-Davidson — 6-time winner
Owner: Maurice Slaughter
Location: Portsmouth, Va. • Store size: 36,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Harley-Davidson
www.baysidehd.com
Big St. Charles Motorsports — 2-time winner
Owner: Brad and Allen Holzhauer
Location: St. Charles, Mo.
Vehicle brands: Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha
www.bigstcharlesmotorsports.com
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
THANK YOU!
The Team at Dealernews and Dealer Expo
wishes to thank our
2012 Attendees, Exhibitors, Sponsors
and the City of Indianapolis
for coming together this year
to make Indy better than ever.
Your energy and enthusiasm
for the industry we share is unsurpassed,
and we wish you all the best in the coming year.
See you in 2013!
Bill & Eddy’s Motorsports— 4-time winner
Owners: Rick and Robin Whitten
Location: Fayetteville, Ark. • Store size: 27,500 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki, Yamaha
www.billeddysmotorsports.net
Bud’s Harley-Davidson — 5-time winner
Owners: Larry and Mona Morand
Location: Evansville, Ind.
www.buds-harley.com
Central Texas Powersports — 4-time
winner
Owners: Steve Littlefield • Location:
Georgetown, Texas • Store size: 43,500
sq. ft. • Vehicle brands: BRP/Can-Am,
Honda, Kawasaki, Polaris, Suzuki, Yamaha
www.ctpowersports.net
Cole Harley-Davidson — 4-time winner
Owner: Charlie Cole, William Paul Cole Jr.
Location: Bluefield, W.Va. • Store size: 37,925 sq. ft.
www.coleh-d.com
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DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
Bob Weaver Motorsports & Marine — 9-time winner
Owner: Robert W. Weaver
Location: North Tonawanda, N.Y. • Store size: 22,500 sq. ft.
Vehicle brand: Polaris, Yamaha
www.weaverfever.com
Champion Motorsports — 9-time winner
Owner: Jimmy and Crystal Allison
Location: Roswell, N.M.
Vehicle brand: E-Ton, Harley-Davidson,
Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha
www.championroswell.com
Conrad’s Harley-Davidson — 4-time winner
Owners: Ray, Patrick and Darren Conrad
Location: Shorewood, Ill. • Store size: 85,000 sq. ft.
www.conradshd.com
Cool Springs Powersports —
1-time winner
Owners: Jim Osborn
Location: Franklin, Tenn.
Vehicle brands: Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki,
Yamaha
www.coolspringspowersports.com
Country Cycle — 1-time winner
Owners: Marge Clark
Location: Winterset, Iowa
Vehicle brands: Kawasaki, Lehman Trike,
Schwinn, Suzuki
www.countrycycle.com
Crossroad Powersports — 4-time winner
Owner: Eric Osner
Location: Upper Darby, Penn.
Vehicle brand: Honda, Kawasaki, Piaggio,
Suzuki, Vespa, Yamaha
www.crossroadpowersports.com
MARCH 2012
DEALERNEWS.COM
31
Cruisin’ 66 — 4-time winner
Owners: Tim and Nan Woodsome
Location: Springfield, Mo. • Store size: 10,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Victory
www.cruisin66cycles.com
Cycle World — 8-time winner
Owners: Glenn and Nancy Diedrich
Location: Houma, La.
Vehicle brands: Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha
www.cycleworldofhouma.com
Cyclewise/Ducati Vermont — 6-time winner
Owners: Tamara and Joe Boise
Location: New Haven, Vt. • Store size: 6,500 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Ducati, KYMCO, Suzuki
www.cyclewisevt.com
Deptford Honda Yamaha — 5-time winner
Owners: Donna Coryell
Location: Deptford, N.J. • Store size: 22,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Honda, Yamaha
www.dhy.com
Dothan Powersports — 10-time winner
Owners: Don Owens
Location: Dothan, Ala.
Vehicle brands: Honda, Polaris, Suzuki,
Victory, Yamaha
www.dothanpowersports.com
32
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
Downtown Harley-Davidson Renton —
5-time winner
Owners: Bob Lanphere and Terry Stallcop
Location: Renton, Wash.
www.downtownhd.com
Ducati/Triumph Newport Beach —
2-time winner
Owners: Michael and Judy Guerin
Location: Costa Mesa, Calif.
Vehicle brands: Ducati, Triumph
www.ducatinewportbeach.com
www.triumphnewportbeach.com
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Eastside Harley-Davidson — 1-time winner
Owner: Todd Thompson
Location: Bellview, Wash. • Store size: 52,000 sq. ft.
www.eastsideharley.com
Family Powersports San Angelo —
5-time winner
Owners: Morris Baker, Wade Hoak
Location: San Angelo, Texas
Vehicle brands: BRP/Can-Am, Kawasaki,
Polaris, Suzuki, Victory, Yamaha
www.familypowersports.com
Fay Myers Motorcycle World —
15-time winner
Owners: Mark Wallace and Lisa Schomp
Location: Greenwood Village, Colo.
Vehicle brands: Aprilia, Ducati, Honda,
Kawasaki, KTM, MV Agusta, Polaris, Vespa
www.faymyers.com
Freedom Cycle — 1-time winner
Owner: R. Dance
Location: Concord, N.H. • Store size: 47,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Arctic Cat, BRP/Can-Am, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM,
Suzuki, Yamaha
www.freedomcyclenh.com
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DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
Experience Powersports — 2-time winner
Owner: Lance Cornell
Location: Moses Lake, Wash. • Store size: 18,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki, Yamaha
www.experiencepowersports.com
Filer’s Powersports — 6-time winner
Owner: Ted Filer
Location: Macedon, N.Y.
Vehicle brands: Arctic Cat, BRP/Can-Am,
Polaris, Yamaha
www.filerspowersports.com
Freedom Cycles Inc. — 14-time winner
Owners: Michael and Jenni Stanfield
Location: Grandview, Mo. • Store size: 75,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Polaris, Suzuki
www.freedomcyclesinc.com
Fun Bike Center Motorsports —
3-time winner
Owners: Elliott Dorsch, Dave Dorsch, Jordan
Dorsch, Nick Dorsch
Location: Lakeland, Fla.
Vehicle brands: Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha
www.funbikecenter.com
Gieson Motorsports —
8-time winner
Owners: Jon and Linda Gieson
Location: Rock Falls, Ill.
Vehicle brands: Kawasaki, Lehman Trike,
Suzuki, Yamaha
www.giesonmotorsports.com
Go AZ Motorcycles — 1-time winner
Owner: Robert Parsons
Location: Scottsdale, Ariz. • Store size: 35,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, Honda, KTM, Piaggio,
Triumph, Vespa
www.goaz.com
Harley-Davidson of St. Augustine** —
4-time winner
Owners: Clark Vitulli and Allen Good
Location: St. Augustine, Fla.
www.hdstaugustine.com
Grand Rapids Harley-Davidson — 2-time winner
Owners: David, Paul and Michael Veracka
Location: Hudsonville, Mich. • Store size: 50,000 sq. ft.
www.grandrapidsharley.com
Harley-Davidson of Wytheville — 1-time
winner
Owners: Charlie Cole, W. Paul Cole Jr.
Location: Wytheville, Va.
www.hdwytheville.com
**This dealership has closed its doors.
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36
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
Hot Rod Harley-Davidson — 3-time winner
Owners: Carl Miskotten and Dr. Mark
Campbell
Location: Muskegon, Mich.
www.hotrodhd.com
House of Harley-Davidson —
8-time winner
Owners: John Schaller
Location: Milwaukee, Wis.
www.houseofharley.com
Indian Motorcycle Charlotte —
3-time winner
Owners: Mark A. Moses
Location: Lowell, N.C.
Vehicle brands: Indian
www.indianmotorcyclecharlotte.com
Kearney Yamaha — 6-time winner
Owners: Craig and Amy Stokebrand
Location: Kearney, Neb.
Vehicle brands: Kawasaki, Polaris, Suzuki,
Victory, Yamaha
www.kearneyyamaha.com
concentrate on the essentials
to achieve sales success
www.rizoma.com e-mail: [email protected]
MARCH 2012
DEALERNEWS.COM
37
Killeen Power Sports — 7-time winner
Owners: Jim and Linda Foster
Location: Killeen, Texas • Store size: 40,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Honda, Polaris, Suzuki, Triumph
www.killeenpowersports.com
Maxim Honda — 6-time winner
Owners: Ray Grupp, Dale Johnson
Location: Allen, Texas
Vehicle brands: Honda
www.maximhonda.com
McGrath Powersports — 4-time winner
Owner: Mike McGrath
Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Vehicle brands: Honda, Kawasaki, Polaris,
Victory, Yamaha
www.mcgrathpowersports.com
Motorcycles of Charlotte — 1-time winner
Owners: Mark and Gail Engel
Location: Charlotte, N.C. • Store size: 20,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: BMW, Ducati, MV Agusta, Triumph
www.bmw-ducati.com
38
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
Lejeune Motorsports — 1-time winner
Owners: Jerry and John Stevenson
Location: Jacksonville, N.C. • Store size: 33,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha
www.lejeunemotorsports.com
McHenry Harley-Davidson —
1-time winner
Owners: Claude and Diane Sonday
Location: McHenry, Ill.
www.mchenryhd.com
Northland Motorsports — 6-time winner
Owner: Gary Hengeveld
Location: Flagstaff, Ariz. • Store size: 35,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Arctic Cat, BRP/Can-Am, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM,
Polaris, Suzuki, Victory, Yamaha
www.northlandmotorsports.com
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Off-Road Express — 4-time winner
Owners: James, Ernie and Joe Askins
Location: Erie, Penn. • Store size: 25,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Arctic Cat, BRP/Can-Am, Lehman Trike, Polaris,
Suzuki, Victory, Yamaha
www.offroaderie.com
Outdoor MotorSports — 8-time winner
Owner: Chris Lien
Location: Spearfish, S.D. • Store size: 19,850 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Arctic Cat, Honda, KYMCO, Lehman Trike, Yamaha
www.outdoor-motorsports.com
Outer Banks Harley-Davidson — 8-time winner
Owners: Maurice Slaughter
Location: Harbinger, N.C. • Store size: 16,000 sq. ft.
www.outerbankshd.com
Performance Motorsports Yamaha — 1-time winner
Owners: Tim Aldrich and Pete Weseloh
Location: San Juan Capistrano, Calif. • Store size: 16,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Yamaha
www.ocyamaha.com
Performance Power Sports LLC —
3-time winner
Owners: Harvey J Sharp III and
John L Soileau
Location: Houma, La.
Vehicle brands: BRP/Can-Am, E-Ton,
Polaris, Suzuki, Victory
www.ppsofhouma.com
40
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
Powersports East — 5-time winner
Owner: Lynn Nathan
Location: Bear, Del.
Vehicle brands: Honda, Kawasaki, KYMCO,
Polaris, Suzuki, Yamaha
www.powersportseast.com
Rainbow Cycle and Marine —
2-time winner
Owner: Rick Whitten
Location: Rogers, Ark.
Vehicle brands: Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha
www.rainbowcycle.com
Tested.
Approved.
Available for
mere mortals
this spring.
Geoff Aaron
"Super Hero"
Rawhide Harley-Davidson — 1-time winner
Owners: Matt Chiappetta, Michael Veracka, David Veracka, Paul Veracka
Location: Olathe, Kan. • Store size: 52,000 sq. ft.
www.rawhidharley.com
Rec-Tech Power Products — 1-time winner
Owner: Alan Lorenz
Location: Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada. • Store size: 3,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: BRP/Can-Am
www.rectechpowerproducts.com
Renegade Harley-Davidson — 3-time winner
Owners: Kate Ribar and Eddy Soberon
Location: Alexandria, La. • Store size: 29,441 sq. ft.
www.renegadehd.com
Rick Fairless’ Strokers Dallas — 4-time winner
Owner: Rick Fairless
Location: Dallas, Texas • Store size: 30,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Victory
www.strokersdallas.com
Rick Roush Motor Sports —
5-time winner
Owner: Rick Roush
Location: Medina, Ohio
Vehicle brands: Honda, Kawasaki, KTM,
Suzuki, Yamaha
www.rickroushmotorsports.com
42
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
Ride Now Powersports of Peoria —
1-time winner
Owner: Coulter Group
Location: Peoria, Ariz.
Vehicle brands: BRP/Can-Am, HarleyDavidson, Honda, Kawasaki, Lehman
Trike, Polaris, Suzuki, Victory, Yamaha
www.ridenowpeoria.com
Scooternerds.com/Vespa Greensboro/
Select Cycle —
2-time winner
Owners: John and Dorrie Hill
Location: Greensboro, N.C.
Vehicle brands: Aprilia, Genuine Scooter,
KYMCO, Piaggio, Vespa
scooternerds.com, selectcycle.com
Sierra Cycles — 2-time winner
Owners: Barry and David Levitt
Location: Sierra Vista, Ariz.
Vehicle brands: Arctic Cat, Kawasaki,
Lehman Trike, Suzuki
www.sierracycles.com
Signature Harley-Davidson — 8-time
winner
Owners: Tim Sherman, Mike Lenhart, Jim
Frauenberg
Location: Perrysburg, Ohio
www.signaturehd.com
Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson —
4-time winner
Owners: Scott and Monet Maddux
Location: Maryville, Tenn.
smh-d.com
South Texas Suzuki — 2-time winner
Owners: Ken and Kelley Haney
Location: Lytle, Texas • Store size: 10,800 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Lehman Trike, Suzuki
www.southtexassuzuki.com
Southbay Motorsports — 4-time winner
Owners: Hal Brown, Ted Zuidema, David Wiles
Location: Chula Vista, Calif. • Store size: 51,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: BRP/Can-Am, Ducati, E-Ton, Honda, Kawasaki,
Polaris, Suzuki, Triumph, Victory, Yamaha
www.sbmotor.com
MARCH 2012
DEALERNEWS.COM
43
Sport Cycle Suzuki/Sea-Doo — 2-time winner
Owner: Jo Jo Dzurkovich
Location: Leesport, Penn. • Store size: 12,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: BRP/Can-Am, Lehman Trike, Piaggio, Schwinn,
Suzuki, Vespa
www.sportcyclesuzuki.com
Tifton Harley-Davidson/Buell —
1-time winner
Owner: Daren Keeter
Location: Tifton, Ga.
www.tiftonharley.com
Tom’s Cycle — 1-time winner
Owner: Thomas Parker
Location: Indiana, Penn.
Vehicle brands: Honda, Kawasaki, Lehman
Trike, Suzuki, Yamaha
www.toms-cycle.com
VanDerZee Motorplex — 4-time winner
Owner: Raymond VanDerZee
Location: South Haven, Mich. • Store size: 10,334 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: Kawasaki, KYMCO, Schwinn, Yamaha
www.vanderzeemotorplex.com
44
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
Star City Motor Sports — 9-time winner
Owners: Robert and Patricia Kay
Location: Lincoln, Neb. • Store size: 64,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: BRP/Can-Am, E-Ton, Honda, Kawasaki, Polaris,
Schwinn, Suzuki, Victory, Yamaha
www.starcitymotorsports.com
Vandervest Harley-Davidson —
4-time winner
Owners: Rick and Lynn Vandervest
Location: Peshtigo, Wis.
www.vvhd.com
Village Motorsports — 1-time winner
Owner: Jack Goodale
Location: Grand Rapids, Mich. • Store size: 40,000 sq. ft.
Vehicle brands: BRP/Can-Am, Honda, KTM, KYMCO, Polaris, Suzuki
www.villagemotorsports.net
Village Motorsports —
1-time winner
Owners: Lucretia and Jacob Wolfcale,
Nancy and George Carter
Location: Unionville, Va.
Vehicle brands: Kawasaki, Suzuki
www.villagemotorsportsva.com
Wildcat Harley-Davidson —
3-time winner
Owners: Scott and Monet Maddux
Location: London, Ky.
www.wildcatharley.com
Xtreme Machines —
5-time winner
Owners: Michael A. Resciniti, Josephe
Resciniti, Michale P.J. Resciniti, Genevieve
Resciniti
Location: Millstone, N.J.
Vehicle brands: BRP/Can-Am, Kawasaki,
Polaris, Suzuki, Triumph, Victory, Yamaha
www.xtrememachines.us
MARCH 2012
DEALERNEWS.COM
45
2 0 1 2 T O P 1 0 0 D E A L E R S — G R E AT I D E A S
The 2012 Top 100’s ideas of note
REXBURG MOTORSPORTS launched a fully
convertible e-commerce platform enabling
customers to configure a vehicle, obtain a
discounted price quote, eSign a purchase
agreement and place a deposit on the vehicle
they are purchasing, all in about five minutes.
At the preowned-only store, ROAD,
TRACK AND TRAIL, repeat customers get
a discount on vehicle purchases. And, any
customer who purchases a motorcycle
automatically gets 15 percent off in the
parts department on the day of the sale.
Southbay Motorsports runs a “Cashier of
the Month” program where the winning
cashier is awarded a certificate and $50
cash. The store says the program has proven
to be very successful in keeping our cashiers
accurate.
GIESON MOTORSPORTS has increased its
efforts in the preowned market, where composite numbers show higher margins. The
bikes are incorporated into the main sales
floor to build value and keep them cleaner
and more presentable. The inclusion of used
Harley-Davidsons has resulted in higher
profit margins and new customers.
46
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012
At House of Harley, the service manager
and assistant manager lead customer
rides each year, ranging from a hardriding, 2,000-mile, four-day southern BBQ
getaway, to a leisurely Wisconsin day trip.
HOUSE OF HARLEY-DAVIDSON offers its
staff a comprehensive benefit program including health insurance, dental insurance,
matching 401(k), PTO, generous store
discounts, free flu shots, tuition reimbursement, and a new profit-sharing program.
BOB WEAVER MOTORSPORTS & MARINE
says that on its most current sales and delivery survey summary, the top three reasons
customers picked for buying at the store
were: 1) I felt welcomed at the dealership,
2) Honest and friendly dealership personnel
and 3) Dealership reputation.
Champion Motorsports rewards vehicle
buyers with an email thank you and $10
gift certificate within a day of the sale. If
they refer friends or family (not at the same
address), they get a $25 gift card once those
referrals are verified.
In summer 2011, DEPTFORD HONDA
YAMAHA created the Redneck Yacht Club,
which it promoted via Facebook and Twitter. Customers submitted to the store’s
Facebook fan page photos or videos of
themselves having fun in water, sand or mud
with a Honda or Yamaha product. The entry
that received the most likes won a prize
package to a local gourmet deli. The contest
attracted 12 finalists and nearly 1,000 votes
on the fan page.
In 2011, Killeen Powersports changed
direction in its marketing and management
philosophy by empowering all employees to
have more input on running the store. There
is a strong emphasis on education and creative thinking — DMS training, web design,
domain management and social networking
all play a large role. There was even a sizable cash bonus available should the store’s
customer email list hit 5,000 addresses by
the end of 2011.
ADVENTURE HARLEY-DAVIDSON uses
“Adventure Bucks” as incentives for
employees, who can redeem the “Bucks”
for a prize of their choosing. They earn the
scrip by going above and beyond their job
description to help fellow employees and
patrons. The prizes range from gift cards
to a free day off with pay.
AL LAMB’S DALLAS HONDA has signed up
to be part of the Progressive International
Motorcycle Shows tour (owned by Advanstar,
Dealernews’ parent company). During the
tour, Al Lamb’s has a race semi that it stocks
with parts and accessories that goes to each
stop and sells to show attendees.
When the economy really started to
bottom out in Michigan four years ago,
Babbitts Sports Center launched
www.babbittsonline.com for online parts
sales. What started out with three employees
and a about 50 orders a day has now outgrown three shipping and receiving areas.
Through the e-commerce effort, the store
ships between 600 and 1,000 orders daily
and employs 28 people.
SMOKY MOUNTAIN HARLEY-DAVIDSON
hosted the 2011 Latin American Motorcycle
Association National Rally at The Shed, an
events venue adjacent to the dealership.
More than 700 LAMA members attended
the event that featured live music, lunch, a
bike show and a screening of “Harlistas,” the
documentary movie about Latino motorcycle
culture.
At Cycle Center of Denton, all service
customers receive a customer satisfaction
survey within a week of the work performed.
For filling out the survey, they’re given a
coupon for 10 percent off a purchase. If any
problems are noted on the form, the dealership follows up with a phone call to address
the issue.
ADVANTAGE POWERSPORTS’ customers
who purchase the store’s Advantage Plan
get three years of manufacturer’s recommended service, oil changes, free summer/
winterization, priority handling on all
needs, locked-in labor rates and same-day
service for most normal maintenance.
DUCATI OMAHA’S e-commerce operation
allows the Duc-only store to reach a more
diverse audience through parts sales for
Japanese brands in addition to Ducati.
Their efforts have resulted in gross sales of
almost $1 million for the past three years,
while maintaining more than 30 percent
gross margin on those sales. The store is
in the top three for OEM parts distribution
through its website.
FREEDOM CYCLES proudly offers test rides
on the acreage adjacent to the dealership,
where customers can test ride vehicles in
the dirt. This allows them to get the feel of
handling ATVs and UTVs before making their
purchasing decisions.
Cruisin’ 66 has a long-running military
discount program. All active military and
law enforcement receive 10 percent off
all purchases, and the store offers free motorcycle storage to all military personnel
while they are deployed.
Once a month, PERFORMANCE POWER
SPORTS employees vote on who they
think has taken extra initiative. That person receives a paid day off of their choice.
MARCH 2012
DEALERNEWS.COM
47
CORPORATE PROFILE
About our Company:
Specifier Products, Inc. (SPI) was established for the sole purpose
of marketing STONECARPET, a unique, natural quartz stone flooring
system, in the U.S.
Edward Sexton, Sr.
Michael Sexton
The concept for this product was originally developed in Western
Europe, where it has been used for the past 40 years, primarily as a
commercial flooring system, but also as a residential floor covering.
Year Founded:
Showrooms:
1992
Illinois, Wisconsin
The ownership of SPI represents a comprehensive background
with significant experience in three areas directly related to the
success of this flooring system: marketing, maintenance and
manufacturing.
STONECARPET – Dealers Choice
WHY STONECARPET?
STONECARPET is rugged enough to withstand the daily rigors of a
Powersports Dealership, and will not look increasingly worn over time.
STONECARPET is a seamless and easily maintained floor surface.
Complex logos and designs can also be placed throughout the
floor, increasing the potential design opportunities and attractiveness
of the dealership.
High customer satisfaction is underscored by the fact that many
motorcycle dealers have multiple STONECARPET installations.
STONECARPET provides a strikingly attractive appearance and
unlimited design capabilities. This capacity is demonstrated by the
picture (seen here) of the Tifton Harley-Davidson in Tifton,Georgia
• Acoustical Benefits
• Comfortable "soft" walk
• Safe, slip-resistant
• ADA-compliant
• Long lasting
• Simple, low-cost maintenance
• No puddling from spills, melted snow, etc. • Highly resistant to chemicals & stains
Specifier Products Inc.
985 Graceland Avenue, Des Plaines, IL 60016
Telephone
Toll-Free
847-297-0404
800-697-9109
Website
www.stonecarpet.com
Fax
847-827-1191
SPECIFIER PRODUCTS
❝
Superstition Harley Davidson • Arizona
DEALERS CHOICE
We have used Stonecarpet® on 3 different occasions.
Our repeated use demonstrates our belief in
Stonecarpet® as the perfect showroom floor. It has
no ugly grout lines and always looks great” – Beverly &
Mark LeResche
❝
We have installed Stonecarpet® three times since
2001. It’s easy to maintain and comfortable to walk on.
We love it, our customers love it” – Bob Johnston
Specifier Products, Inc.
Olive Branch Suzuki & Yamaha Desota Honda
Olive Branch, MS
48
DEALERNEWS MARCH 2012
Toll Free: 800-697-9109 • www.stonecarpet.com
DEALERNEWS.COM
PRODUCTS & SERVICES SHOWCASE
ACCESSORIES
ACCESSORIES
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ACCESSORIES
ACCESSORIES
For more information visit
www.Dealernews.com/readerservice
Aviator
80012
Dealer Price:
Retail: $17.95
5.75 ea
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Also in Silver Mirror Lens 80010
A timeless classic style.
S U N G L A S S E S
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pacificcoastsunglasses.com
DEALERNEWS.COM
MARCH 2012 DEALERNEWS 49
BUSINESS FOR SALE
BUSINESS SERVICES
ADVERTISING
Cruise Ahead of
the Competition
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CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
BRAMMO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
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Service Manager • Sales Director
Director of Quality
•
Systems Engineer
Brammo, Inc., is a leading electric
vehicle technology company
headquartered in North America.
Brammo designs and develops
electric vehicles including the Encite,TM Enertia,TM EmpulseTM and EngageTM
motorcycles. Brammo is an OEM supplier of its innovative Brammo Digital
DrivetrainTM systems including the Brammo PowerTM battery pack and
Brammo PowerTM vehicle management system. Brammo has vehicle
distribution and marketing operations in North America, Europe and Asia.
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candidates to fill the following roles:
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For more information visit www.Dealernews.com
Brammo is the current TTXGP eGrandPrix champion of North America.
To learn more and apply for these positions visit
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50
DEALERNEWS.COM
DEALERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
DISPLAY FIXTURES
Rock Eagle Store Fixtures
www.rockeagle.com
The GrooveTube System
Our unique
GT-Helmet
Tower holds 35-40
helmets with only
a 40” footprint!
They are durable,
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Customize to match
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Any size, shape or
color is available.
GT-Helmet Tower
The new GT-TShirt Rounder!
Very high capacity.
We took the
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800-747-2270
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Clymer Manuals
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Written by enthusiasts for enthusiasts
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52
ONLINE LISTING SOFTWARE
PARTS & ACCESSORIES
ADVERTISING
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DEALERNEWS.COM
CUSTOMER SERVICE
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A. D. Farrow Co. Harley Davidson
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A D P Lightspeed
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www.adplightspeed.com
A D P Lightspeed
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www.adplightspeed.com
AFX North America Inc
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www.afxhelmets.com
CST
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Enfotrace GPS
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Geico
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MARCH 2012
DEALERNEWS.COM
55
From mini-bikes to the Hamsters
WHERE WOULD I BE TODAY WITHOUT MOTORCYCLES? DON’T KNOW, BUT I
WOULDN’T WANT IT ANY OTHER WAY
MOTORCYCLES HAVE BEEN the one constant focus
in my life. When I was 9 years old, my dad brought
home a Suzuki mini-bike for my brother and me to
share. That’s the bike that started me down a path that
would take me to distant, exotic places and give me a
mind-blowing life beyond my wildest dreams.
TIE-DYED
TALES
Rick Fairless is the
owner of Strokers
Dallas (a Top 100
dealer), Strokers
Icehouse and Strokers Ink.
On the
Web:
Can you relate to
Fairless? Tell us
about your first
ride and love of
motorcycles in the
comments section
of this column at
www.dealernews.
com/MotoLove.
56
DEALERNEWS.COM
My brother and best bud, Randy, and I are only 11
months apart. We grew up in a middle class neighborhood in Irving, Texas, with lots of kids our age. After
my dad, a welder, brought home that mini-bike, the
other kids in the neighborhood started getting their
dads to follow suit.
We couldn’t wait for school to be out so we could
ride that mini-bike. There were lots of acreage to fool
around on, and I got very good at fixing all the neighborhood bikes. I couldn’t leave ours alone. I was always
messing with them, trying to make them better and
more cool.
When we turned 15, Randy and I got jobs to save
up the money to buy “real” motorcycles. Off we went
to get our dream bikes. My dad told us to save up half
the money and he’d take us to get whatever bikes we
wanted. I bought a 1973 Honda CL 100 and Randy
bought a 1973 Yamaha 100. Before long, I learned to
wheelie that Honda from Dallas to Houston. Finally, I
had a street bike, a bike I could ride to school. A real
bike I could use to get a date with a good-looking
chick. Man, I was living large on that Honda brother!
A few years later I’d gone through many import
motorcycles and loved every dang one of them. And
then one day while at Brown’s Cycle chopper shop in
downtown Dallas, I saw a used 1974 XLCH Sportster
and it spoke to me. The next thing I knew I was on a
test ride booking through downtown Dallas and feeling more alive than I had ever felt before in my life. I
had never ridden a bike that made me feel so free like
I did on that first Harley-Davidson, and by God I had
to have that bike — money or none. (I had good credit
and a pen in my back pocket.)
Fast forward, and I was on the corporate track
at Glidden, raising a mess of kids and living for the
weekends so I could hang, wrench and ride. All of my
buddies and their wives hung out on our three acres,
working on our bikes every night after work and riding
every weekend, all weekend long. That’s when I got bit
by the customizing bug, added a couple more Harleys
to my stable and started showing at local bike shows.
Success here led to showing on the national level.
MARCH 2012
I loved custom motorcycles and all that came with
them. We’d sit around, drinking stupid quantities of
beer, dreaming out loud about owning our own motorcycle shop. My perfect shop was a really cool, laid
back, custom chopper shop with a beer joint on the
same property. But it always seemed like just a dream.
I always wondered why someone didn’t open up a cool
custom shop in Dallas where you could buy parts from
guys like Arlen Ness, Pat Kennedy, Donnie Smith and
Dave Perewitz. A big shop, like a Harley dealership, only
with cool custom bikes and parts that we could see only
in magazines and catalogs.
Then, one day while dreaming about my dream
shop, it hit me like a hammer upside my ugly head. I
thought, “Hey Fairless, why can’t that guy be you?”
So I started the process of checking into what it would
take to open a motorcycle shop and beer joint and
finally made it happen. I made my dream a reality.
And now we’re in the present day. Business is good
and we are surviving this shitty economy. I look back to
all the places that motorcycles have taken me — figuratively and literally — and realize two wheels have given me a life that I never even imagined. This industry
opened many doors and allowed me to ride and meet
a ton of famous people. Motorcycles even introduced
me into the fold of the Hamsters USA. These guys are
the industry icons that I grew up idolizing. I’m very
proud to be a member of the Hamsters.
Through this industry, I have been lucky enough to
be featured on several different TV shows. I have been
to Sturgis every year for the past 25 years in a row. I
have had my own radio show. I have signed thousands
of autographs and taken thousands of pictures and
loved every dang second of it! The motorcycle business has provided me and my family an unbelievable
life for many years, and hopefully will continue to provide that lifestyle for my children after I have checked
out and gone golfin’.
This industry has been more than a vocation to
me. It’s my identity. It’s who I am. It’s my life. I haven’t
missed one single day of work since I opened my
motorcycle shop 17 years ago and I wouldn’t have it
any other way.
Motorcycles have always been there for me. My wife
understands that while I fell in love with her at 19,
I fell in love with motorcycles at 9 years old. Where
would I be today without motorcycles? I don’t know,
but I wouldn’t want my life any other way.
magenta
yellow
cyan
black
dn0312_cv3.pgs 02.10.2012 15:37
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