May 2011 "Women Who Roll" issue HERE

Transcription

MAY 2011
V O L . 4 7 . N O . 5 M AY 2 0 1 1
DEALERNEWS.COM
EAT, PRAY,
WOMEN WHO ROLL • DEPTFORD HONDA YAMAHA • MOTUS SEEKS DEALERS
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VOL. 47. NO. 5 MAY 2011
CONTENTS
12
DEALER LAB — DESTINATION POWERSPORTS
EARNS $6,898 IN FEBRUARY
Year-on-year comparison affected by number of days
open: 2010
26
SPECIAL REPORT: WOMEN WHO ROLL
In celebration of Women Riders Month, Dealernews
salutes the females who build companies, run dealerships, push for product, advocate fairness — and inspire
others to just get out and ride.
MANAGEMENT
14
COVER STORY — DEPTFORD HONDA YAMAHA
The school of hard knocks for owner Donna Coryell has
been softened by staff, mentors and her dad’s legacy
by Bruce Steever
22
TIE-DYED TALES — RICK FAIRLESS
Thank God for women in the motorcycle industry
Many smarter-than-Rick female employees help shape
the Strokers Empire
SALES
34
NEW PRODUCTS
This month we focus on the latest tires and wheels from
the likes of Drag Specialties, Kenda and others
38
BIRTH OF A MOTORCYCLE
Co-founders Brian Case and Lee Conn enlighten us
about Motus Motorcycles’ efforts to establish a dealer
network
MARKETING
39
LOW COST, HIGH YIELD
Martin Motorsports turns a classic motorycle show
into a powerful dealership draw
SERVICE
40
41
FUEL FOR THOUGHT — DAVE KOSHOLLEK
Put aside gender when hiring
A mix of men and women can be beneficial to your
service department
TOOLS and SHOP EQUIPMENT
DEPARTMENTS
COLUMNS
ShopTalk ............................................. 8
5 Questions....................................... 10
Advertiser Index/Customer Service .. 42
From the Editors ................................. 6
Dealer Lab ........................................ 12
Rick Fairless ...................................... 22
Dave Koshollek ................................. 40
Mike Vaughan ................................... 48
COVER
Donna Coryell takes the Fury for a spin. She’s been a Honda fan ever since her
father bought her a CT70 minibike in 1980. Today, she owns the dealership he
founded: Deptford Honda Yamaha in New Jersey. Photo by Gary Rohman.
2
D E A L E R N E W S . C O M MAY 2011
MAIN OFFICE
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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,
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.
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TOP 100 COMPETITION
For information, visit
www.dealernews.com/top100
or contact Mary Slepicka:
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DEALERNEWS LEARNING
EXPERIENCE @ DEALER EXPO
Director – Stephan Ulbrich
Dealer Advisory Board – Bob
Althoff (A.D. Farrow HarleyDavidson), Jared Burt (Rexburg Motorsports),
Tony DeLarenzo (Cyclenutz), Bill Hearne (Outdoor MotorSports), Danny Mathis (Doug Douglas
Motorcycles), Nick Rank (Road Track and Trail),
Arun Sharma (Motocorsa), Maurice Slaughter
(Bayside Harley-Davidson), Joyce Smith (Malcolm
Smith Motorsports), Bob Weaver (Bob Weaver
Motorsport and Marine)
DEALERNEWS.COM
THIS MONTH @
DEALERNEWS.COM
MANAGEMENT
SALES
SERVICE
MARKETING
DEALER EXPO
SHOP TALK
PRODUCTS
POWERSPORTS GROUP MANAGEMENT
TOP 100
TOP 10 LIST
Last month’s most popular
stories
ADVERTISING, SPONSORSHIPS AND
E-MEDIA SALES
1. WATCH THE VIDEO:
Motorcycling stars urge
Congress to end lead
ban
2. Honda to close Japan
plants at least through
March 20
MORE WOMEN TO WATCH
The profiles of accomplished industry women (beginning on
page 26) is just the beginning of our salute to women in the
industry. Visit www.dealernews.com/women11 for more.
3. Big Dog Motorcycles to
close after bank takes
over
4. Former Wisconsin state
senator, helmet choice
advocate injured in
Florida crash
5. Suzuki recalls more than
70,000 motorcycles for
electrical problem
Dealernews contributor Bruce Steever has the news on Zero
Motorcycle’s complete overhaul, from a revised lineup to new
leadership personnel. Go to www.dealernews.com/ZeroEBikes
to read more.
7. Dealerships down, but
franchises alive and
kicking
8. Seedealercost.com goes
live
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]
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
EXHIBIT SALES
Sales Manager – Peggy Zamberlan
Sales Account Managers – Chris Alonzo, Cass
D’Arlon, Angela Gibbs, Patti Ros
Sales Coordinator – Christina Anders
9. April Fool! A selection of
spoofs from the industry
10. Ohio jury hearing Rhino
rollover case seeking
$20 million
GET YOUR NEWS FEEDS
FROM DEALERNEWS
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MARKETING
Vice President-Marketing – Allison Lombardo
Exhibitor Marketing – Kathryn Flinn
Attendee Marketing & Development –
Mike McClelland, Scott Hartwick,
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].
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
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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 –
Greg Beck, 440.891.2729, [email protected]
Sales Coordinator – Christina Anders, 949.954.8428,
[email protected]
MEDIA OPERATIONS
ZERO MOTORCYCLES: LEADING
THE E-BIKE REVOLUTION
6. Paul Teutul Sr. named as
customer in steroids case
4
Corporate Executive Vice President – Danny Phillips
Sales Director – Jim Moore
Brand Director – Kerry Graeber
Director-Electronic Products – Dana Fisher
Group Administrative Coordinator – Jeanne Paloma
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.”
M AY 2 0 1 1
President & CEO – Joseph Loggia, EVP-Finance & CFO –
Ted Alpert, EVP-Corporate Development – Eric I. Lisman,
EVP-Automotive, Dental, Powersports & Vet Groups – Daniel
M. Phillips, VP-Operations (Powersports, Vet, License, Fashion
Groups) – Tracy Harris, 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
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FROM
W
THE EDITORS
Dennis Johnson
It’s about damn time
HARLEY-DAVIDSON BOASTS the highest
market share of women riders out of all the
OEMs, according to Amanda Lee, the company’s PR manager in charge of Outreach
audiences — women, young adults, African
American, Hispanic and active military. This,
of course, is no big surprise given Harley’s
long history with women riding its motorcycles.
Of the 235,000 people trained through
the company’s Rider’s Edge courses, 35
percent are women. Lee herself is a graduate of Rider’s Edge, as is Claudia Garber,
Harley’s director
of marketing and
product planning.
The Motor
Co. is reaching
out to women riders with a host of events
and marketing efforts. From the nowubiquitous Garage Parties to this month’s
Biker Bootcamp for Women (a full week
in Milwaukee immersed in Harley culture),
Harley-Davidson is taking an active and
aggressive effort to connect with its female
customers, existing and potential.
Harley’s idea is to seize upon the growing women rider demographic and help
encourage, support and inform those who
have taken or are taking the leap into what
has traditionally been a male-dominated
sport/pastime/industry.
“As more women get into the sport, it’s
kind of a contagious thing,” Lee says. “As
more women are riding and more women
are seeing other women riding, more women
are stepping up to the plate and saying, ‘I
want to do that.’
“We’re simply throwing fuel on the fire,
responding to a movement that’s happening
in the industry,” she adds.
The “women riders movement” — not
that it’s a formal title or anything — is a relatively new phenomenon. Yes, women have
been riding motorcycles, ATVs, personal
watercraft and snowmobiles forever, but
not in any great number and not in a way
that ever attracted much attention from the
industry at large.
Even five years ago a female motorcyclist
would have been hard-pressed to find riding
gear that not only was cut to fit the female
form, but was stylish to boot. Again, yes,
there was riding apparel, but it wasn’t until
Joe Rocket and Icon jumped into the mix
that women’s gear looked like it had actually
been designed by and for women.
These days, apparel manufacturers know
they need a women’s line to even compete.
How about riding on the back? You’ve
got to be kidding. Women are finally coming
into their own in the powersports industry, and it’s about time. Is there room for
improvement? Absolutely. But with more
women moving into everything from dealership and OEM/aftermarket management to
wins on the racetrack, it’s clear: This ain’t the
same old boy’s club.
Women bring new perspective and vitality
to a business that — truth be told — could
use some freshening up.
6
DEALERNEWS.COM
M AY 2 0 1 1
In honor of May’s Women Riders Month,
Dealernews puts its focus on the women
who help drive this industry, from the pioneers who pushed through gender barriers
to those coming into a business that now
welcomes them. Even our cover profile (starting on page 14) highlights Top 100 dealer
Donna Coryell and her dealership, Deptford
Honda Yamaha. Hers is an inspiring story.
Why is it important to recognize the
women in our industry? Because it’s about
damn time. Women are more than the
“other half”; they bring new perspective and
vitality to a business that — truth be told —
could use some freshening up. The industry’s
history has been drenched in testosterone,
and it’s left things a bit, um, ripe.
Indeed, there are many, many women
leading the charge at the dealership, in the
media, in the aftermarket, at the OEM level
and on the racecourse. We’re profiling just
a few of them in this issue (page 26). Go to
www.dealernews.com/women11 to see a
running roster of notable femmes and their
contribution to our industry. And if you’d
like to nominate women for the list, drop
us a line at [email protected] with
their names and brief bios. We’d love to add
them.
Dennis Johnson
Editor in Chief
[email protected]
DEALERNEWS
ONLINE
S H O P TA L K
What you’re saying…
Visit us online at:
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A reader responds to “Repeal helmet
ON FACEBOOK
Donna Coryell,
owner of DHY
in Deptford,
N.J. She
epitomizes love
for the sport
and good
corporate
citizenship
within the
community.”
— Scott Nesbit, when asked
to name prolific women in
the industry. (Check out the
cover profile on Coryell and
her store, beginning on
page 16.)
law to boost tourism, says Nevada
A reader responds to “Ride in peace,
legislator”
Kimberly Chapman”
THAT HAS TO BE the dumbest
reason I have heard for an argument against mandatory helmet
use. No one is not going to go to
a run because they have to wear a
helmet. If it hasn’t stopped the 1
percent in all these years, it will not
stop anyone. What a foolish way to
change a law.
HE CAUSES the death of a great
lady, fellow biker and the critical
injuries to her boyfriend by pulling
out in front of them, and he gets
no charges? You tell me please,
where’s the justice in that? ...
A reader responds to “Seedealercost.
com goes live”
A reader responds to “Polaris workers
to receive ‘record’ profit sharing”
IT’S NICE to see a USA company
doing well — especially in an economy like 2010 was — and sharing
its profits through the company
ranks. You have to say it is well-run
with products the market is looking for. And speaking of well-run
companies, have you driven a Ford
lately? Ford survived 2009 and
2010, made a nice profit and never
dipped into our pockets. My two
cents.
Join the
Dealernews.com
home page.
— Jeff, Chandler, Ariz.
— Anonymous
— Ken Varoli, Delmont, Penn.
conversation
by clicking on
“Shop Talk”
on the
Send us an e-mail:
[email protected]
FOR YOUR INFORMATION, they
have been giving out dealer cost
on the automobile/car dealers
for a very long time. Refer to
edmunds.com for dealer invoice,
MSRP and “True Market Value”
(the site explains “TMV” if you
would like to read about it). It
goes a step further and explains
how to receive rebates, incentives, finance promotions, littleknown marginal rebates for being
a member of a specific group and
also the holy grail: it describes to
the consumer what holdback is
and gives a general idea of how
much it is. This information is a
useful tool for consumers, but
has not singlehandedly killed any
dealer — at least not that I have
ever heard or seen. Dealers can
embrace this information. Just
because a consumer has knowledge does not mean that we have
to succumb to their desire to
“steal” our inventory or destroy
our margins. We can, however,
use the tool to show how little the
dealer is already making on the
sale of powersports equipment.
Most customers believe that
there is a significant margin that
they do not know about. They
believe that the dealer is making
30 to 40 points on every sell (we
only wish!). It will be up to dealers
to hold their ground, embrace the
informed consumer and work together to make sure that margins
are acceptable for everyone. Not
a bad idea in my book.
— mdlock, Quincy, Mich.
FROM THE SHOP TALK FORUMS
“Dealers: It’s that time of year again when your customers shed the winter blues
and come out to play. Got any innovative display ideas, sales or events planned
for this season? Tell us in the Shop Talk forums by posting a message, video or
photo.”
— User DealernewsCynthia in the Shop Talk Marketing forum
8
DEALERNEWS.COM
M AY 2 0 1 1
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A great rate on insurance.
A quick call to my mates at GEICO could save your customer hundreds on insurance.
They may be so happy, you could suggest they spend the money they saved on more
accessories or apparel.
So keep me in mind when you close the deal on a new unit. But don’t worry about a
uniform for me. It would clash with my green.
Call 1-800-442-9253 today
or visit your local office.
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. Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states
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5
QUESTIONS — JULIA HUTTON
Creative dealer programs.
Aggressive pricing 40-50%
minimum dealer margins.
Customer service.
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TOOLS
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10
DEALERNEWS.COM
M AY 2 0 1 1
T
wo years ago, marketing maven Julia Hutton dove headfirst into
the powersports industry to fill a need for a moto-centric retail
outlet in Prescott, Ariz. “Bikers from far and wide come to this
area because it’s so beautiful,” Hutton explains. “I saw all of
these bikers around, but not a lot of businesses catering to them.
I just thought, how fun would that be, having a little shop that caters to bikers.” Thus, apparel and accessories store Biker Babes and Beyond was born.
Hutton, also the owner of PR firm Orca Communications, again made waves
when she recently partnered with other local businesses to host The Bad
Economy Buster Bling Bike Hunt. The nine-week event featured online clues
(at www.bikerhunt.com) that prompted participants to visit local businesses
to look for the keys to a custom bike designed by Sucker Punch Sally’s. The
lucky scavenger hunter who found the keys won ownership to the bike,
worth more than $35,000. Hutton talks more about this event, as well as
marketing to women, below.
DEALERNEWS: What led up to the bike
hunt idea? Were you looking to work with
other local businesses?
JULIA HUTTON: I was just so tired of the
bad economy. I wanted to see what we could
ourselves do to fix it. That’s where the germ
of the idea began. I approached Sucker
Punch Sally’s with the idea, and [Christian
Clayton] said he’d be happy to manufacture the bike if we got others involved in
donating parts. We wanted to stimulate our
own economy, not sit around and wait for
the government to do so. It’s turned out to
be wildly successful that now we’re talking
to a Chevy dealership about doing it with a
Camaro. It also has wonderful promise for
5 Questions lets the
industry do the talking.
a charitable organization to partner with a
dealership, and getting the volunteers from
the charity involved.
DN: How does the bike hunt work?
JH: [Participants] have to go into all of the
various participating stores and get access
codes from them. Then they go home and
get on the bike hunt website, put in the
access code and get the latest clue. In the
beginning, the clues were very general, but
they get more and more specific. Our IT guy
had to do some really ingenious programming so people couldn’t hack into the site to
get clues.
DN: Were there difficulties in putting such
a large event together?
JH: There were two parts that were difficult. One was getting all of the different
people to donate parts to the motorcycle.
It wasn’t that they didn’t want to; it was just
that there are so many different parts to a
motorcycle to think about. It took probably four or five months to get everything
together. Next time, it might be better to
get an already-built motorcycle, or a car, to
save a lot of time. Another time-consuming
part was contacting all of the merchants. No
one had ever heard of the event before, and
they were skeptical. But in all, 35 merchants
decided to get on board. It was just a real
community effort. It does take some doing,
but we’ve worked out a lot of the quirks.
DN: In general, what are some of the
mistakes you’ve seen that people do when
marketing to women?
JH: For one thing, women control the purse
strings. That’s a fact. Some people don’t understand that when they market to women.
Sometimes marketers underestimate how
smart and savvy women are.
DN: Do you have any tips for marketing to
women?
JH: Ensure that whatever it is that you’re
marketing is very high-quality, and everything is done in an extremely ethical manner.
Women are extremely ethical creatures. It’s a
generalization, but for the most part women
are pretty good eggs. Honesty is the best
way. It’s the only way to go — in everything
we do.
M AY 2 0 1 1 D E A L E R N E W S . C O M
11
BY JOE DELMONT
Destination Powersports earns
$6,898 in February
YEAR-ON-YEAR COMPARISON AFFECTED BY NUMBER OF DAYS OPEN: 2010
IF YOU LOOK at the year-over-year numbers for February at Destination Powersports in Punta Gorda, Fla., you might be
surprised at the huge improvement of
almost $47,000 in the dealership’s monthly
net profit.
However, the Punta Gorda dealership
was closed most of February 2010 by action
of its previous owners. Bill Shenk took over
the dealership and renamed it Destination
Powersports in March 2010.
The dealership squeezed out a net
profit of $6,898 for 20 days of operation in
February, on revenue of $344,159.
Flooring costs were $2,840, a reported
improvement of $11,650 over previous
year. According to Shenk the difference
drops directly to the store’s current bottom
line.
The improved flooring cost was partially
the result of reduced unit inventories. In
February 2010, the store reportedly had
227 units in inventory, but that number
dropped to 176 units in inventory by Febru-
ary 2011. Some of the current inventory is
on “OEM program free flooring.” Other
current inventory is at a lower interest rate
compared to older units.
For the first two months of 2011, total
revenue was $799,889, more than $400,000
ahead of the same period in 2010, according to Shenk’s figures.
Gross profit for the first two months
this year was $204,546, up $76,715, or 60
percent, from the $127,831 posted for the
first two months of 2010, Shenk reports.
A solid increase in unit sales accounted
for much of this growth. Unit sales climbed
from a reported 38 units in the first two
months of 2010 to 66 units this year. Sales
this year included 21 used motorcycles,
compared to five used motorcycles and one
used ATV last year, Shenk reports.
Revenue from unit sales through February this year was $602,594. Revenue from
unit sales was 75.3 percent of the total
revenue through February 2011, compared
to only 57.4 percent of total revenue in the
same period of 2010, according to Shenk.
Total F&I revenue for 2011 was
$24,819, an increase over previous year,
says Shenk.
The contribution to dealership profit
from F&I for the first two months of the
year also climbed, hitting $13,915 in 2011,
compared to $5,217 in 2010, he says.
NET PROFIT:
JANUARY 2011
$21,019
FEBRUARY 2011
$6,898
YTD
$27,916
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Dealer LAB is a joint editorial project between Dealernews and PowerHouse Dealer Services, a consulting
firm operated by Bill Shenk who is also owner of Destination Powersports in Punta Gorda, Fla. Financial information in this report is
sourced from Destination Powersports’ Composite Report (prepared from the dealership’s monthly financial report) which is supplied to
Dealernews by Shenk under an exclusive agreement. Shenk also provides Dealernews contributing editor Joe Delmont with exclusive
access to select store and team meetings and other updates; Delmont uses this information as well as interviews with Shenk to develop
the monthly Lab report in Dealernews and on Dealernews.com.
The financial information in this report is taken from the dealership’s Composite Report supplied by Shenk and prepared for the
dealership’s participation in the PowerHouse Dealer 20-Group. The Composite Report is prepared from the store’s monthly financial
report. In preparing these reports, Dealernews reviews the dealership’s unaudited P&L statement and balance sheet, as well as its
Composite Report.
The Dealer Lab is a real-world service from
12
DEALERNEWS.COM
M AY 2 0 1 1
Month-Over-Month Comparisons and YTD Totals: February 2011
SALES
% of Total
Dollars
% of Total Dollars
Feb-11
32
243,728
12,323
24,173
31,899
32,036
344,159
249,574
94,585
Units Sold (New & Used)
Sales
F&I (net)
Parts
Accessories
Service
Total Sales
Total Cost of Sales
Gross Profit
EXPENSES
Dealer
Top Gun
70.8
3.6
7
9.3
9.3
100*
72.5
27.5
72
4
7
10
6
100*
73.0
27.0
Feb-10
8
57,647
3,605
27,264
16,741
16,243
121,500
79,519
41,981
% of Total Dollars
Dealer
47.4
3
22.4
13.8
13.4
100*
65.4
34.6
Jan-11
34
358,866
12,497
21,034
35,429
27,905
455,731
345,769
109,962
YTD 2010
38
229,292
10,600
67,415
32,385
59,850
399,542
271,711
127,831
YTD 2011
66
602,594
24,819
45,207
67,328
59,941
799,889
595,343
204,546
% of Dept
Gross Profit
% of Dept. Gross Profit
PVS
DLR
9,130
376
685
1,020
908
12,120
9,020
3,099
75.3
3.1
5.7
8.4
7.5
100*
74.4
25.6
% of Dept Gross Profit
Feb-11
Dealer
Top Gun
Feb-10
Dealer
Jan-11
YTD 2010
YTD 2011
PVS
DLR
Payroll
Total Sales (3/5 Empl)
16,182
Total P&A (2.5/3 Empl)
6,472
Total Service (4.33/4.5 Empl) 17,907
Flooring
2,840
34.0
36.7
55.9
6
33
44
61
12
5,968
8,604
15,200
14,490
53.0
53.9
94.0
128.7
23,158
7,730
14,885
2,354
21,958
18,259
38,855
30,098
39,340
14,202
32,792
5,194
596
215
497
79
34.9
38.7
54.7
4.6
6,381
5,194
18,554
13,005
1,486
92,747
0
14,611
3,272
24,374
18,907
6,472
176,806
498
12,761
10,223
37,386
25,365
3,015
180,278
0
3,804
21,019
21,019
366
–49,107
–48,609
3,648
27,916
27,916
% of Dept
Gross Profit
% of Dept. Gross Profit
Admin Payroll
Advertising
Administration
Rent
Co. insurance
Total Expense
Misc. Expense
6,380
5,029
18,832
12,360
1,529
87,531
0
6.7
5.3
19.9
13.1
1.6
92.5
0
8
4
17
17
3
98
5
6,190
1,923
12,654
9,695
3,773
78,497
–156
6,898
6,898
0
2
2
1
0
1.5
% of Dept Gross Profit
193
155
566
384
46
2,731
0
% of Total
Dollars
% of Total Dollars
Additional Income
Net Profit
Net Profit + Misc Exp
14.7
4.6
30.1
23.1
9.0
187
–3,215
–39,732
–39,732
-3
–32.7
–32.7
6.2
5
18.3
12.4
1.5
88.1
0
% of Total Dollars
55
423
423
0.5
3.5
3.5
NOTES: Dealer = Destination Powersports in Punta Gorda, Fla. Top Gun = The top-performing dealerships in the PowerHouse Dealer Services training group. PVS = Per Vehicle
Sold. *Totals equal 100 because of rounding.
CONTRIBUTION TO FEBRUARY PROFIT
ROLLING EARNINGS
$12,000
Month
12 Months
$50,000
$10,000
$13,895
$10,219
$40,000
$8,000
$6,000
$6,091
$7,340
$30,000
$20,000
$4,000
$2,000
$10,000
0
–$4,000
–$6,000
0
–$2,521
–$2,000
–$10,000
–$5,312
Sales
F&I
PG&A
SVC
–$20,000
Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb
Read past reports and post comments at:
www.dealernews.com/dealerlab
M AY 2 0 1 1
DEALERNEWS.COM
13
INTO HER
OWN
The
T
he sschool
chool o
off h
hard
ard
k
nocks ffor
or D
HY’s
knocks
DHY’s
D
onna C
oryell h
as
Donna
Coryell
has
b
een ssoftened
oftened b
y
been
by
sstaff,
taff, m
entors a
nd
mentors
and
h
er d
ad’s llegacy
egacy
her
dad’s
by Bruce Steever
photos by Gary Rohman
14
DEALERNEWS.COM
M AY 2 0 1 1
Story
St
S
to
tor
orry be
begins
egi
gins
ns o
on
n pa
p
page
ag
ge
e1
16
6
MANAGEMENT continued
FOR DONNA CORYELL, the
path to becoming a Dealernews Top 100
dealer was fraught with loss and hardship.
She weathered the storms through hard
work and resiliency — all leading up to a
brand-new building for her New Jersey
store, Deptford Honda Yamaha, in the
same spot it had been for 20-plus years.
“My goal with our new building was always to be a Top 100 dealer,” Coryell says.
‘We’ve been in the new building for
four and a half years now, and we’ve
been a Top 100 dealer for every year
we’ve entered’
“I didn’t feel worthy in the old building, so
I didn’t even enter.
“We’ve been in the new building for
four and a half years now, and we’ve been
a Top 100 dealer for every year we’ve entered,” she notes. That’s strong testimony
to her success. But Coryell didn’t enter this
industry with such confidence — not by a
long shot.
FROM TRAGEDY TO …
Like many dealerships, DHY started as a
small family affair. “Back in the ’70s, my
parents had a lumberyard where we sold
Arctic Cat snowmobiles,” Coryell says. “In
1980, my father went to purchase for me
a CT70 from a local dealer, and ended up
buying the dealership.”
She would work at the dealership parttime after school. Tragedy struck when
her father, Frank Coryell Jr., died in an accident while she and her brother were still
living at home. “It was basically my mom
[raising] two teenagers,” she says. “We
were lost. It was time to run a dealership.
But we knew nothing.”
Despite her father’s expressed assumption that his wife and children would
sell the business if anything were to happen to him, they decided to keep their
burgeoning dealership — this despite the
fact that neither Coryell nor her mother,
Gloria, had any formal management or
powersports business training.
“At first, our employees were basically
helping us run our business,” Coryell says.
“We made lots of mistakes. It was trial and
error, you might say. Mistakes got made,
but failure simply wasn’t an option for us.
Donna with stepson Nicholas and daughter Samantha
16
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M AY 2 0 1 1
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So we’d go to high school and then leave
early to go to work.”
With the help of mentors and friends,
Coryell and family kept at it. One person in
particular, Irv Solarski of Romaha Distribu-
and motorcycle knowledge.”
DHY did survive, and despite the steep
learning curve, it thrived. “We were a small
but very profitable store, with lots of support from family and staff,” Coryell says.
“We had to deal
with all the usual
troubles: safety
issues, insurance
— you name it.”
At one point,
Coryell says, the
family owned two separate dealerships,
one of which was robbed every single
Saturday night. That’s when DHY decided
to build, from the ground up, its current
state-of-the-art facility — almost on top of
the old building.
“The expansion had to happen because
‘I’m strong-willed, but I have
to work harder to earn respect
in this environment.’
— Donna Coryell
tors, was a great help. “He’s passed away
now, but he was my go-to guy for advice
when I was having troubles,” Coryell
recalls. “He always had my back, and he
was a big part of my succeeding. It was a
miracle we made it this far, considering how
little we started with in terms of business
18
DEALERNEWS.COM
M AY 2 0 1 1
the old building was literally falling down
around us,” Coryell says. “Leaving the old
building was very emotional. That old location was ‘us.’ But we poured our heart and
soul into the new building and dedicated it
to my father once it was finished.”
‘CAN’T BE A QUITTER’
There’s no denying that the powersports industry is a male-dominated field.
Coryell understands this all too well. “I’m
strong-willed, but I have to work harder
to earn respect in this environment,” she
says. “It was a struggle. Even though I’d
been running the dealership since I was
16, OEMs had trouble accepting me as the
dealer principal.”
Setbacks, she claims, just made her
work harder, and she considers herself a
DIGITAL DEALER
THE CREW: (from left) Rebecca McCluskey (F&I), Samantha Pollicino (Coryell’s daughter and
accessory rep.), Natalie Ruff (accounting), Coryell, Lissa Licciardello (accounting/receptionist),
Rachelle Zubrzycki (F&I).
survivor as a result. “I’m stronger than
most men I know,” Coryell says.
“I’ve seen a lot of dealerships close
their doors — there’s just less room for
error these days. You have to get out
there and market yourself, and you can’t
be a quitter.”
DHY sees more female customers
on a daily basis than her competitors
— twice as many, Coryell claims. “I
feel we’re pretty high in actual women
customers as part of our customer base.
One-third of my staff is female, and we
understand what these customers want.
We are very women-oriented because
we live this life. People are surprised
that my store is so comfortable and
welcoming.”
And because Coryell worked so hard
Not content to operate a well-run
brick-and-mortar store, Donna
Coryell also has an established web
presence (www.dhy.com).
The store’s website is constantly
updated with the latest deals, promotions, events, and tons of photos
from dealership events. A metal
diamond-plate background and
metallic callouts reflects the store’s
stainless steel interior and exterior.
This online activity earned Deptford
Honda Yamaha a 2011 Top 100 Special Merit Award for Best Website.
In addition to keeping an active
website, Deptford Honda Yamaha
maintains a Facebook Fan page
(www.facebook.com/dhynj), a
Twitter account (http://twitter.com/
DHYNJ) and a customized YouTube
channel (www.youtube.com/user/
dhynj).
to build her store, she’s strict about
cleanliness and orderliness. “I wanted
this building for so long that I want it to
be perfect for a long as possible, just
like the day it was built,” Coryell says.
“Just like our social media marketing,
you can’t just sit there. You have to
put the time in, but I’ve seen it pay off
tenfold.”
Coryell’s values and tenacity are the
driving forces behind DHY’s reported
success. “My dad instilled the values
that I’ve based my whole business and
whole way of life,” Coryell says. “Treat
people the way you want to be treated,
because it comes back tenfold.” The
numbers speak for themselves: DHY’s
customer satisfaction rating is in the
90th percentile.
19
DEALER DATA
DEPTFORD HONDA YAMAHA
1300 Clements Bridge Road • Deptford, NJ 08096
phone: 856-848-8500 • www.dhy.com • e-mail: [email protected]
Owner: Donna Coryell
General Manager: Brian Moore
(employed by DHY 25 years)
Number of Employees: 25
Years in Business: 31
Years at Location: 29 years (4.5 years
in new building, same location)
Store Size (sq. ft.): 22,000
Annual Revenue: $10 million
Annual Profits: approx 5 percent
DMS: ADP Lightspeed
Hours of Operation:
Monday to Friday: 10 a.m. to 8p.m.;
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
SALES DEPARTMENT
Manager: Joseph Sandor (13 years)
F&I Team: Rebecca McCluskey (11
years) and Rachelle Buck-Zubrzycki
(13 years)
Employees: 6
Showroom Size (sq. ft.): 10,000
PARTS DEPARTMENT
Manager: Anthony Zubrzycki (8 years)
Employees: 5
Size (sq. ft.): 5,000
SERVICE DEPARTMENT
Manager: Michael Trasatti (15 years)
Assistant Mgr: Craig Miller (5 years)
Technicians: 6
Lifts: 6
Size (sq. ft.): 7,000
Shop Rate: $99/hour
OTHER:
IT/Social Media Specialist:
Scott Nesbitt
Major Suppliers: Fox Racing, Helmet
House, Lockhart Phillips, MTA, Oakley, One Industries, Parts Unlimited,
Romaha, Soaring Helmet Corp.,
Sullivans, Trail Bikes, Tucker Rocky,
Two Brothers Racing, Western
Power Sports, WSM
Racing Sponsorships: DHY Racers/
Riders Club
Club Sponsorships: Women in the
Wind Jersey Girls, Yamaha Star 287,
Zero to Sixty, Honda Riders Club of
America, NESBA, Latin American
Cruisers, AMA, Riders of the Lamb,
military clubs
20
DEALERNEWS.COM
M AY 2 0 1 1
Community Involvement: DHY
always designates at least one charity for which to raise funds during
store events through food sales,
raffles and rides. Charities include
Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania, The Hero Foundation, Animal
Adoption Center, Gloucester
County Animal Shelter, and Stand
Up 2 Cancer. The store raises
thousands of dollars every year for
these causes and has been a major
contributor to the Pediatric Brain
Foundation for the past 15 years.
Beyond raising funds at events,
store management works closely
with employees and customers to
reach out to those in need.
advertising budget
25% Internet
15% Newspapers
15% Internet
20% Newspapers
15% Television
15% Television
25% Radio
2008
15% Yellow Pages
10% Direct Mail
30% Radio
2009
30% Internet
15% Newspapers
15% Television
25% Radio
2010
5% Billboards
10% Direct Mail
income by department
67% New Units
65% New Units
6% Used Units
DHY demonstrates responsible corporate citizenship through aggressive
recycling and reclamation efforts of
cardboard, metal, batteries, oil, oil
filters and tires.
7% Used Units
9% Service
11% Service
18% Parts & Accessories
2008
2009
67% New Units
DHY also aggressively advocates for
issues and causes associated within
the powersports industry, providing a
voice for those who ride.
HONORS
Yamaha: No. 1 in District for Sales
(top 50 nationwide)
Pro Yamaha Specialist Dealer (since
2008)
Yamaha Extended Service: No. 1 in
District (top 5 in the country for
10 years)
Honda: Top 5 in District for Sales
(top 100 nationwide)
Honda Protection Plan: No 1 in
District (top 20 nationwide)
Customer Satisfaction Rating:
95.4 percent
Best Motorcycle Dealer –
South Jersey: 10 years running
Dealernews Top 100 dealer: 4 years
(since moving into new building)
5% Yellow Pages
10% Direct Mail
9% Used Units
10% Service
2010
2010 sales by model
43% Motorcycles
30% ATVs
16% Water Vehicles
11% Power Equipment
2010 sales by brand
46% Honda
CUSTOMER DEMOGRAPHICS
GENDER:
Women: 26% Men: 74%
AGE:
Over 40: 35% 18 – 39: 65%
(Median Age: 31)
54% Yamaha
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MANAGEMENT
Thank God for women in the
motorcycle industry
MANY SMARTER-THAN-ME FEMALE EMPLOYEES HELP SHAPE THE STROKERS EMPIRE
TIE-DYED
TALES
Rick Fairless is the
owner of Strokers
Dallas (a Top 100
dealer), Strokers
Icehouse and
Strokers Ink. He
is also the star of
“Ma’s Roadhouse”
on Tru TV.
On the
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masroadhouse
22
DEALERNEWS.COM
I DON’T REMEMBER seeing women piloting their
own motorcycles back when I was growing up. I only
remember women riding on the back of motorcycles.
I know there were women riders, but I’ll be danged if I
can remember any. I also don’t recall women working
at any of the bike shops I frequented. WTF?
Today women hold a key role in the motorcycle industry by bringing positive attention to the industry, by
attracting new female riders, and by softening the “biker” image. We have moved way
past the “women as passengers” stereotypes. This is great for our business. Women
are 50 percent of our population, so if we
can get the same percentage of women as we do of
men to ride, our industry would be booming again!
It’s good to have women on your staff who can
relate to these women riders and make them feel
comfortable in the world of motorcycling. It’s especially
beneficial when you have female employees who ride
their own bikes. They make other female customers think “If they can do it, I can do it too” and they
encourage other females to start riding or to get out
and ride more often.
At my Strokers Empire I employ more than 50
people and lots of them are women. The front-runner
of course is my wife, Susan. She is my office manager/
bookkeeper/insurance coordinator/human resources/
file clerk/secretary/catchall. I tell people that I’m in
charge of motorcycle-related things, and my wife is in
charge of everything else!
Meghan Deefreeuw is my marketing/PR lady/
assistant/website coordinator. In addition to regular
marketing and PR responsibilities, she deals with all
the outside vendors and bands that we bring in on a
weekly basis. She is my Internet expert and helps me
with, and teaches me all about, social networking.
She keeps all the details of my appointment book and
reminds me what not to say when I’m out and about.
I’m not very politically correct and both Susan and
Meghan are scared to death that I’m going to offend
someone by putting my mouth in gear before I
engage my brain.
Shawna Sopp does all the paperwork for the
bike sales department. A former employee of
the tax office, she is well versed in dealing with
titles and all the paperwork the state requires.
Every bike we sell has to run through the Texas
Department of Transportation. Shawna is my gal
who makes sure we get it all right. If I ever have
a problem with a vendor, a company or a customer,
I let her handle it. She doesn’t take no for an answer
and always makes us come out on top.
Amy Shilling handles all the paperwork for the
service department. We service thousands of bikes
a year, so it’s a full-time job making sure that nothing
falls through the cracks. She handles all warranties and
insurance claims and deals directly with all parties. She
In most cases women make better
employees than men. … If I could, I
wouldn’t employ any men at all.
M AY 2 0 1 1
also makes sure that all the parts are on order for service and works in the parts department when needed.
Felicia Barton has run the front counter for six years
and has been our main buyer. We sell tens of thousands of T-shirts each year and produce several new
designs each quarter. She keeps up with trends so that
she knows what will sell, and monitors inventory and
special orders. Felicia has a great staff of women working with her each day including Bonnie LangfordLarson, my daughter Liz, and four part-time employees. These girls greet every customer who walks
through our doors and are well trained and knowledgeable about the products we carry.
My daughter Lena grew up working behind the front
counter. When she recently came back to work for me,
I put her in the parts department for a year and have
now moved her into the bike sales department. She is
very important to my company and is learning every
department. She talks to potential motorcycle buyers
and can relate to them (especially the women) because
she rides a custom Rick Fairless Victory Vegas.
I believe that in most cases women make better
employees than men. They are more compassionate
than men and they seem to deal with the customers
better. If I could, I wouldn’t employ any men at all. Hey
that’s an idea! I want an all-women staff here at my
Strokers Empire. I’ll bet you a nickel to a donut that if
I did that my business would double! I’ll work on that
and get back to ya.
The motorcycle industry has changed over the years
and women are a huge part of that change. I know my
Strokers Empire would not be where it is today without
the hard work of the women I employ. They say that
behind every great man there’s a woman. Well, I don’t
consider myself to be a great man, but I do have many
smarter-than-me women guiding me.
O
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Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Glen Allen, Virginia
Harley-Davidson
of Annapolis
Three Rivers
Harley-Davidson
Vandervest
Harley-Davidson
Red Rock
Harley-Davidson
SOUTH PLAINS REGION
Annapolis, Maryland
Glenshaw, Pennsylvania
Peshtigo, Wisconsin
Las Vegas, Nevada
Brian’s Harley-Davidson
Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Black Wolf
Harley-Davidson
Sauk Prairie
Harley-Davidson
SOUTHEAST REGION
Cox’s Northern Tier
Harley-Davidson
Bristol, Virginia
Sauk City, Wisconsin
NORTH PLAINS REGION
WEST REGION
City Limits
Harley-Davidson
House of
Harley-Davidson
Palatine, Illinois
Anchorage, Alaska
Wiebler’s Quad Cities
Harley-Davidson
Redwood
Harley-Davidson
NORTHEAST REGION
L-A Harley-Davidson
Mansfield, Pennsylvania
Wilkins Harley-Davidson
Barre, Vermont
CENTRAL REGION
Brandt’s Harley-Davidson
Wabash, Indiana
S I LV E R
Davenport, Iowa
Paducah, Kentucky
Peterson’s
Harley-Davidson South
Renegade
Harley-Davidson
Miami, Florida
Alexandria, Louisiana
Harley-Davidson
of Naples
Fort Worth
Harley-Davidson
Naples, Florida
Fort Worth, Texas
Tifton Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson of Waco
Tifton, Georgia
Waco, Texas
Eureka, California
BAR & SHIELD CIRCLE OF ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS
NORTHEAST REGION
Brothers’
Harley-Davidson
Branford, Connecticut
TSI Columbia
Harley-Davidson
Columbia, Connecticut
Heritage Harley-Davidson
IndyWest
Harley-Davidson
Plainfield, Indiana
SOUTH PLAINS REGION
Salem, Oregon
Marquette, Michigan
Paradise Harley-Davidson
Bud’s Harley-Davidson
Clinton Township, Michigan
Worth Harley-Davidson
A. D. Farrow Co.
Harley-Davidson
Seacoast
Harley-Davidson
Warren Harley-Davidson
Sales
North Hampton, New Hampshire
Cortland, Ohio
Williams Harley-Davidson
Smoky Mountain
Harley-Davidson
Bergen County
Harley-Davidson
Salem Harley-Davidson
Apol’s Harley-Davidson
Concord, New Hampshire
Lebanon, New Jersey
Bald Eagle
Harley-Davidson
Wolverine
Harley-Davidson
Columbus, Ohio
Maryville, Tennessee
S & P Harley-Davidson
Alexandria, Minnesota
Kansas City, Missouri
Doc’s Harley-Davidson
Kirkwood, Missouri
WEST REGION
Chandler
Harley-Davidson
Chandler, Arizona
Arrowhead
Harley-Davidson
Rochelle Park, New Jersey
Williamstown, West Virginia
Peoria, Arizona
Barb’s Harley-Davidson
NORTH PLAINS REGION
Bakersfield
Harley-Davidson
West Collingswood Heights,
New Jersey
Miracle Mile
Harley-Davidson
Great Neck, New York
CENTRAL REGION
Heart of Dixie
Harley-Davidson
Pelham, Alabama
Eagle Harley-Davidson
Lafayette, Indiana
Four Rivers
Harley-Davidson
Illinois Harley-Davidson
Berwyn, Illinois
Bakersfield, California
Tigard, Oregon
SOUTHEAST REGION
Peterson’s
Harley-Davidson of Miami
Hays, Kansas
Chunky River
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson
of Cartersville
Cartersville, Georgia
Kents Harley-Davidson
Sales
All American
Harley-Davidson
American Eagle
Harley-Davidson
Hughesville, Maryland
Davis’ Harley-Davidson
Burlington, North Carolina
Harley-Davidson
of Charlotte
Matthews, North Carolina
Antelope Valley
Harley-Davidson
Forsyth, Illinois
Lancaster, California
New Bern, North Carolina
Heritage Harley-Davidson
Oakland Harley-Davidson
Lisle, Illinois
Oakland, California
Patriot Harley-Davidson
Chi-Town
Harley-Davidson
Dudley Perkins Company
Tinley Park, Illinois
Barnett’s Las Cruces
Harley-Davidson
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Doerflers’
Harley-Davidson
Miami, Florida
Coziahr Harley-Davidson
South San Francisco, California
Evansville, Indiana
Harley-Davidson
of New Bern
Fairfax, Virginia
Harley-Davidson
of Lynchburg
Lynchburg, Virginia
Meridian, Mississippi
Abilene, Texas
Corinth, Texas
Longhorn
Harley-Davidson
Grand Prairie, Texas
Mancuso
Harley-Davidson
Houston, Texas
Caliente Harley-Davidson
San Antonio, Texas
Harley-Davidson
of the Woodlands
The Woodlands, Texas
BRONZE
BAR & SHIELD CIRCLE OF RECOGNITION AWARD RECIPIENTS
NORTHEAST REGION
Chesapeake
Harley-Davidson
Darlington, Maryland
Harley-Davidson
of Frederick
Battle Creek
Harley-Davidson
House of
Harley-Davidson
Las Vegas
Harley-Davidson
Southside
Harley-Davidson
Battle Creek, Michigan
Greenfield, Wisconsin
Las Vegas, Nevada
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Sandy’s Harley-Davidson
Sport Center
Kutter Harley-Davidson
Highway 101
Harley-Davidson
SOUTH PLAINS REGION
Fremont, Michigan
Grand Rapids
Harley-Davidson
Frederick, Maryland
Tramontin
Harley-Davidson
Janesville, Wisconsin
LaCrosse Area
Harley-Davidson
SOUTHEAST REGION
Harley-Davidson
of Dothan
Rocky Mountain
Harley-Davidson
Dothan, Alabama
Littleton, Colorado
Adamec Harley-Davidson
of Jacksonville
Outpost Harley-Davidson
Hot Rod Harley-Davidson
Deluxe Harley-Davidson
of Gillette
Harley-Davidson
of Long Branch
Muskegon, Michigan
Gillette, Wyoming
Lima Harley-Davidson
Long Branch, New Jersey
Lima, Ohio
Harley-Davidson
of Jamestown
Gatto Harley-Davidson
Tarentum, Pennsylvania
Hot Metal
Harley-Davidson
Falconer, New York
Harv’s Harley-Davidson
Macedon, New York
West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
American Twin
Harley-Davidson
Bumpus Harley-Davidson
of Murfreesboro
Painted Post , New York
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Performance
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson
of West Virginia
South Charleston, West Virginia
Syracuse, New York
Harley-Davidson of Erie
NORTH PLAINS REGION
Erie, Pennsylvania
White’s Harley-Davidson
Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Reiman’s
Harley-Davidson
Kewanee, Illinois
Valley Forge
Harley-Davidson
Conrad’s Harley-Davidson
Shorewood, Illinois
Norristown, Pennsylvania
Woodstock
Harley-Davidson
Schaeffer’s
Sales & Service
Woodstock, Illinois
Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania
Calumet Harley-Davidson
Munster, Indiana
CENTRAL REGION
Andrae’s Harley-Davidson
Big Barn Harley-Davidson
WEST REGION
Superstition
Harley-Davidson
Apache Junction, Arizona
Buddy Stubbs Arizona
Harley-Davidson
Phoenix, Arizona
Bobby’s Territorial
Harley-Davidson
J & L Harley-Davidson
Frazier’s Harley-Davidson
25 YEAR
Cox’s Harley-Davidson
Michael’s Harley-Davidson
Asheboro, North Carolina
Cotati, California
Fargo Harley-Davidson
Sales & Service
Earl Small’s Harley-Davidson
West Fargo, North Dakota
High Plains Harley-Davidson
Jim’s Harley-Davidson
Sales
Mendon, Ohio
Marietta, Georgia
Morgan Hill, California
Roswell, Georgia
Skip Fordyce
Harley-Davidson Sales
Fort Hood
Harley-Davidson
Asheboro, North Carolina
Harker Heights, Texas
Blue Ridge
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson
of Kingwood
Hickory, North Carolina
Kingwood, Texas
Rocky Mount
Harley-Davidson
Texoma Harley-Davidson
Riverside, California
Harley-Davidson
of Sacramento
Sacramento, California
San Diego
Harley-Davidson
Company
Meridian, Idaho
Yellowstone
Harley-Davidson
Belgrade, Montana
Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Carolina Coast
Harley-Davidson
Wilmington, North Carolina
of Rock Hill
Rock Hill, South Carolina
Bayside Harley-Davidson
Portsmouth, Virginia
Larry’s Harley-Davidson
Galeton, Pennsylvania
Bumpus Harley-Davidson
of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Clovis, New Mexico
Flaming Gorge Harley-Davidson
Liberty Harley-Davidson
Rock Springs, Wyoming
Akron, Ohio
Baxter Harley-Davidson
Bidwell, Ohio
Moore, Oklahoma
Harley-Davidson
of North Texas
Killer Creek
Harley-Davidson
AWARD RECIPIENTS FOR 2011
50 YEAR
Fort Thunder
Harley-Davidson
House of Thunder
Harley-Davidson
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
LONGEVITY
Houma, Louisiana
Newnan, Georgia
High Desert
Harley-Davidson
London, Kentucky
St. Petersburg, Florida
Mike Bruno’s Bayou
Country Harley-Davidson
Cotati, California
Frontier Harley-Davidson
Minot, North Dakota
Jim’s Harley-Davidson
of St. Petersburg
Thornton, Colorado
Great South
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson
of Bloomington
Wildcat Harley-Davidson
Pensacola, Florida
Sun Harley-Davidson
Michael’s
Harley-Davidson
San Diego, California
RoughRider
Harley-Davidson Minot
Harley-Davidson
of Pensacola
Pueblo, Colorado
Buford, Georgia
Des Moines, Iowa
Lincoln, Nebraska
Jacksonville, Florida
Mobile, Alabama
Yuma, Arizona
Urbana, Illinois
Bloomington, Indiana
Mobile Bay
Harley-Davidson
Onalaska, Wisconsin
Hope, New Jersey
Hudsonville, Michigan
Coos Bay, Oregon
Carrollton, Texas
Corpus Christi
Harley-Davidson
Corpus Christi, Texas
Sherman, Texas
Republic Harley-Davidson
Stafford, Texas
Beers Harley-Davidson
Vernal, Utah
SPECIAL REPORT
WOMEN
WHO ROLL
IN CELEBRATION OF WOMEN RIDERS MONTH, DEALERNEWS SALUTES THE FEMALES WHO
BUILD COMPANIES, RUN DEALERSHIPS, PUSH FOR PRODUCT, ADVOCATE FAIRNESS — AND
INSPIRE OTHERS TO JUST GET OUT AND RIDE
THE VISIONARY Jan Plessner
SHE’S THE MEDIA FACE OF KAWASAKI and, according to
some of her contemporaries in the business, one of the most
influential women in the industry. Not that she’d ever cop to
it; Jan Plessner is a bit more modest.
“I don’t really see myself as the No. 1. I don’t know who
the No. 1 is. I think there are a few people who have really
done a lot, like Genevieve [Schmitt], Sue [Slate],” Plessner
says. “But I think it’s cool that people think I’m one of them.
I guess my problem is that the reason I don’t think I’m No. 1
is that I haven’t even scratched the surface yet. There is so
much more that should and will be done [for women] that I
really think we’re just coming to a place where we’re going to
make some really cool things happen.”
As PR manager for Kawasaki Motors Corp. USA, Plessner fronts for the green team. But in the larger scheme of
things she’s a driving force for women and motorcycling. It’s
a position that earned her the WIMA (Women’s International
Motorcycle Association) Image Award in 2005. She’s also a
passionate enthusiast whose nickname — “Jet Ski Jan” —
traces back to the very thing that two decades ago nudged
her into the business that would be her future vocation and
avocation.
These days she’s digging riding the Vulcan Vaquero 1700 (either
solo or with fellow women riders, see photo) and is stoked about the
changes she’s seen through her years in the business: more women
racing, working in the powersports media and just out there riding.
Younger and more open-minded leadership at the OEM level. Dealers who are getting up to speed on selling to female customers.
Across the board, things are moving in the right direction and opening up even more opportunities for welcoming a growing market.
It’s a stark contrast to the world Plessner entered back in the late
1980s, or even five or six years ago when women were still able to complain about the noticeable dearth of riding gear designed specifically
for them.
“There are just more women out there. Of course the sales show
that, too, with the percentages growing. I ride my bicycle on Santiago
Canyon on the weekends, and when a group of bikes goes by, if it’s
three bikes, almost always there’s at least one woman in the group,”
she says. “I think it used to be really different and shocking when
people saw women on bikes, especially bigger bikes.”
Plessner is stoked to see journalists like Laurel Allen and Andrea
Wilson getting recognition and racers like Ashley Fiolek, Sarah Price
and Jessica Patterson proving that they’re the real deal and not just
fodder for intermission.
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DEALERNEWS.COM
M AY 2 0 1 1
While there is
movement afoot, it’s
still likely driven by
the same passion that
drove the very first
fellas to climb aboard a
motorcycle.
“I think in 1952 guys
enjoyed motorcycling
and had a passion for
it, very similar to the
passion we experience
today,” she says. “I have a deep passion and a deep relationship with
the product we market. It always needs to be a part of my life because
it’s not optional for me. Even if I didn’t work here, I’d still own motorcycles and Jet Skis and ride.”
If you want to remember anything from Plessner’s rise in the industry, it is the following: Throw out your assumptions. You’ll never know
the woman browsing in your store is a rider unless you ask. Connect
with your female customers in a respectful way. They don’t want to be
condescended to, hit on, or impressed by your showboating. Finally,
listen. Most people will tell you what they want. — Dennis Johnson
SPECIAL REPORT
THE PASSIONISTA Genevieve Schmitt
Genevieve Schmitt was working full-time as a producer for the television show “EXTRA” and freelancing on the weekends for Speed
Channel’s Bike Week when she realized she loved motorcycle
journalism more than Hollywood.
Schmitt: The best thing that ever happened to me career-wise
was getting laid off from the company that published Woman Rider
magazine, the all-brands female-focused motorcycle magazine
of which I was founding editor. I took that severance money and
started my own online publishing company, Solitude Ranch Communications, and created WomenRidersNow.com. With women
being the fastest growing demographic of the motorcycle industry,
I knew that this was a niche that needed to continue to be served
with a magazine.
Dealernews: You’re considered by many to be a leading voice for
women riders.
Schmitt: I was in the right place at the right time in terms of seeing a need and then filling it. My passion for motorcycling brought
me to this industry. My eye for business enabled me identify opportunities and find a way to fill it.
In 2001 I was inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum
Hall of Fame for my journalism work promoting women and motorcycling. I had only been working in the women’s area of motor-
cycling for a few years at that point, so it gave me the impetus to
really bring women and motorcycling to the forefront. I made it my
business to immerse myself in learning about the power of the female demographic by attending mainstream media conferences on
marketing to women and studying historical trends so that I could
bring this valuable information to the industry.
Dealernews: How do you see your contemporaries?
Schmitt: There have been women working in the powersports
industry for as long as powersports has been around. What we’re
seeing now, though, is recognition of these women and their
contributions to the industry through articles like this one, through
hall of fame inductions and through other venues that shine a
similar light. This shows that there are opportunities for women
even though powersports is still a male-dominated industry. It also
shows men working in the industry that there is a place for the
female mind and talent.
Having been in the powersports industry now for 21 years as
a journalist, I believe there are and have always been a lot of opportunities for women in business, and there are female-oriented
success stories to prove that. Good minds and smart ideas are
needed in this industry. It doesn’t matter if you’re male or female. I
have never viewed powersports as just a man’s game. It’s a human
— Dennis Johnson
game that anyone can play.
THE PIONEER Reba McClanahan
WHEN REBA MCCLANAHAN bought a
struggling dealership back in 1977, it was precarious enough to be a female Harley rider,
much less an owner-operator of a Harley-Davidson franchise in rough, tough oil country.
Okay, so she was married (to a mathematics professor) at the time they bought
Myers-Duren Harley-Davidson in Tulsa with
inheritance money from her mother’s estate.
But less than a year after the purchase, the
marriage was over and Reba found herself
the sole owner of the business.
“Everyone said I could do it, so I stuck
with it,” she says.
If McClanahan’s professional life can be
summed in two bits of advice, they are these:
1) Listen to people you respect, and 2) Watch
your money.
One of those “everyones” she mentions above was Howard Swofford, who was
the parts-then-service manager at MyersDuren. Swofford knew how Harley-Davidson
“worked” and was able to counsel McClanahan on ways to maneuver through franchise
and business issues. It was Swofford who told
McClanahan that the motorcycle business
was cyclical and that she should put money
aside to keep the business going when the
market would hit those inevitable low points.
Low point No. 1: the late 1970s when
Harleys were having rampant problems with
sticking valves. “You almost wanted to hide
when a customer walked in the door,” she
recalls.
Low point No. 2: the mid 1980s, when
Oklahoma’s economy went bust. “Oklahoma had a lot of manufacturers that made
equipment for oil exploration,” she says.
Businesses like Myers-Duren relied on the
roughnecks who would come through the
doors with pockets full of cash, ready to buy
new motorcycles.
But when the U.S. turned from oil
exploration to importing oil instead, it cost
the state plenty: 400,000 jobs, according
to McClanahan. “Seventeen-thousand fivehundred jobs were cut in a six-week period,”
she says.
Oklahoma banks which had eagerly
loaned money without proper collateral during the boom years started failing. McClanahan recalls making a deposit at the bank
in the morning, and then returning in the
afternoon to make another deposit, only to
find the doors padlocked.
“For six weeks we had no access to any
cash in our bank account,” she says.
Such memories are burned into her brain.
As a result, Myers-Duren is a dealership run
by self-sustenance. Even when building a
new art deco-themed store (an architectural
nod to the city’s history) in the late 1990s,
McClanahan paid cash for the land and paid
off the construction loan in less than three
years.
Although a long-time Harley rider
accustomed to ploughing the wide open
Oklahoma roads on a full dresser, these days
McClanahan mostly rides along – fortunately,
she has two sons (see photo, above) ready to
take her, both of whom are avid riders and
work at the Top 100 dealership.
And she’s still watching the money, even
though today’s economy isn’t as volatile as
Oklahoma’s in the mid-1980s.
“Oil has saved us once again,” she says.
“The margins aren’t as good, but the bills are
paid.”
— Mary Slepicka
27
SPECIAL REPORT
THE CHANGE AGENT Rosalie McLean
AS A BRAND-NEW general manager taking over a pair of floundering Harley-Davidson stores in Canada, Rosalie McLean knew she
had her hands full. Add to this the fact that McLean is 5 feet tall,
blond and female going into a boy’s club type of dealership, and
the challenge grew exponentially.
Some saw her job at Harley-Davidson of Ottawa and Freedom
Harley-Davidson as a challenge, McLean saw it an opportunity for
growth and success. So armed with 21 years experience in power
sports retailing, a boatload of enthusiasm, a handful of policies and
procedures, and the propensity to to make difficult decisions, last year
McLean set to turn the dealership around.
One year down the line and more than a dozen fewer employees
later, laughter has returned to the dealership, the telephones are
ringing again and customers are coming back. A recent Garage Party
attracted 100 female customers. And sales are up — though not
where they should be for a store located in the Canadian capital. But
her team is working on it.
“I certainly didn’t walk in here with all the answers. If anything, I had
to shift gears from the direction that I thought I’d be taking several
times,” McLean says. “I didn’t try to change anything except for the
foundation. I had to build a foundation before anything else could be
“The dealership is not built on
gender; it’s built on leadership.
That’s what measures the success
of a dealership.”
built. If you want to be successful, you need to surround yourself with
positive, energetic passionate people and start from the foundation.”
First McLean dove into the trenches to identify improvements, not
letting her size, gender or appearance hamper her efforts. She’s never
shrunk from obvious chauvinism. For McLean, there’s only one way to
deal with that nonsense: Head on.
“I am 5 feet tall and blond. With that there sometime comes an
immediate prejudgment. It’s a little bit frustrating,” she says. “I have,
I think, a great sense of humor, thank goodness, because no one’s
heard more blond jokes than me. However, that doesn’t define me.”
McLean handed out job descriptions and instituted a morning
huddle that conferences the two stores. She challenged employees
with being part of the dealership’s success and to work as a team and
worked hard to earn their respect. And she made education mandatory. “If you refuse to do your education, you don’t work here,” she says.
McLean has brought a female influence into the dealership, a
change that some employees call a “breath of fresh air.” Overall, the
woman who grew up with brothers chopping wood and shooting guns
has worked to change the culture of the dealership.
“A dealership’s success knows no gender. The dealership is not
built on gender; it’s built on leadership. That’s what measures the
success of the dealership,” she says. “I’ve never heard anyone say,
‘Damn, the success of that business is because of that man running
that dealership or the woman running that dealership. No level of any
success is gender-related. Not at all — it’s hard work.”
— Dennis Johnson
THE GEARHEAD Audrey Menarik
One of Audrey Menarik’s biggest achievements
was defeating Nicky Hayden in a 50cc race. “At the
time I looked at him and said, ‘I’m going to use this
win for many years to come, little one,’” she says.
But her accomplishments span far beyond that
1989 race day. Menarik is the woman behind Moto
Liberty, the Dallas store that has grown from a petite 1,500 sq. ft. outlet to a combo brick-and-mortar
and online gear and apparel powerhouse in Texas.
The store is ranked No. 1 in the state for gear and
accessories by the readers of Ride Texas magazine,
and online reviews refiect happy customers who
say it’s a “must-stop for riders,” noting an “outstanding” product selection and a friendly staff.
“My philosophy has always been ‘if you have
it, they will buy it,” Menarik says. “Gear is really
something you need to try on, and customers ap-
28
DEALERNEWS.COM
M AY 2 0 1 1
preciate that they can walk in here and have 12
different boots to try on in their category.”
Menarik herself wears quite a few boots. In
addition to running the Dallas store, she’s the U.S.
importer of high-end race leather manufacturer
RS Taichi, and was an early adopter in having an
Internet presence even “before most people knew
what the Internet was,” she says.
Menarik also goes above and beyond your runof-the-mill store events. Once a year, she hosts an
annual Crawflsh Boil, ordering an estimated 1,000
lbs. of crawflsh to feed the crowds.
Events aside, she says the key to her success
has been in the day-to-day operations: keeping
overhead low, paying your employees well, and
“working your tail off.”
— Cynthia Furey
SPECIAL REPORT
THE STRATEGIST Ann Willey
NATIONAL CYCLE’S ANN WILLEY has
received her fair share of cold shoulders
from men. But she believes expertise demands respect, enabling most to disregard
gender. “You have to work hard at becoming a professional at your job, knowing your
job well, knowing your product line,” she
says.
Obtaining expertise comes down to two
things, Willey says: ongoing learning and
tenacity.
In 1977, Willey worked for a company
designing apparel for the likes of HarleyDavidson and Parts Unlimited. She designed
both the original garment samples and
the full size run. “Things weren’t all made
overseas then, and they weren’t all computerized,” she notes.
Willey was displaying apparel at a distributor’s trade show when she met Barry Willey,
National Cycle’s founder and CEO. He offered her a job. She accepted.
One of her first jobs at National Cycle was
inventorying 50 years’ worth of neglected
parts, cleaning the tool room, and cataloguing all the dies. “It was dealing with steel
and plastic and punch presses and screw
machines and lathes and routers,” she says.
“I spent a lot of time in manufacturing in the
beginning, getting to know all the parts.”
A few years later Willey created an internal
sales department and began to travel to
trade shows and rallies. She continued to
get her hands dirty by installing products at
dealerships and events nationwide.
Willey has four motorcycles and hires only
salespeople
who ride.
National Cycle
even has its
own in-house
fleet from which
employees can
borrow motorcycles equipped with
h
various National
Cycle windshields..
Willey is sales
and marketing
manager for National
onal Cycle’s Aftermarket
Division. But as an intenal
auditor of the factory, she continues to be
involved in manufacturing. “Staying close to
manufacturing makes my sales and marketing job a lot easier,” she says.
Her advice? Don’t let others define you. “I
had to choose my own career path,” Willey
says. “Once you find something you like, the
more experience that you can get within that
organization, the better. You can’t be afraid
to do anything, and you should try to get
involved in a lot of different areas outside
your realm of responsibility. Because I think
you
a lo
lot of women — a lot of men, too — get
pigeonholed.” — Arlo Redwine
pig
THE ADVENTURE-SEEKER Martha Forgét
MARTHA FORGÉT USED TO be an executive in the mortgage
industry. And then the world of finance went kaput, so Forgét took
her communications and customer service skills and left the big
city for Sandpoint, Idaho, to work in her husband Kurt Forgét’s
burgeoning business, Black Dog Cycle Works. The “boutiquestyle” company designs, manufactures and distributes parts for the
adventure touring market. You can find Forgét riding her KTM 990
around the Pacific Northwest. Last August she completed a threeweek journey to Alaska with Kurt. Dealernews talked with Martha
about her new life in one of the industry’s growth segments.
On her role at BDCW: I handle customer service, inventory control, dealer management and [am the] shipping manager. Kurt and I
work very closely as a team on marketing and strategy. If a customer
calls, they most likely talk to me first, and if I am unable to assist them
with highly technical questions, they get Kurt.
Many of them know that I am not the technical geek; however, I
not only ride a KTM 990 Adventure but have installed most of the aftermarket items on my bike and offer pretty solid advice. Apparently I
have my own following.
On working in a historically male-dominated industry: I was a
sales executive for many years in a predominantly male field of home
mortgage trading. So for a former tomboy it wasn’t too difficult. The
most amazing thing in the motorcycle industry, though, is that I am
treated immediately as an equal by our customers. When they find
out I ride a 990, they are impressed, and I have immediate credibility.
No judgments made and definitely no attitude. Can’t say the same for
banking industry.
I wish there were more of us. Many exist in the apparel side of the
business or in the cruiser market, but I can tell you there are very few
women in the adventure market. I believe as this market segment
grows so will the percentage of women. Every time I look for great
adventure riding gear for women, I am reminded that this is a predominantly male industry.
Advice for other women in the industry: Get on your bike and
ride. Take a class in the dirt. Don’t be intimated by the lack of females
in this market segment. It will grow. Remember, you can lower many
bikes to fit. BMW has already responded by offering bikes with lower
suspensions. These are fun bikes and a fun group of riders. The camaraderie among this group of motorcycle adventurers is unparalleled.
— Dennis Johnson
WOMEN WHO ROLL
www.dealernews.com
The professionals profiled on these pages represent only a small percentage of the women who
influence and drive the powersports industry.
For a more complete (and running) list, visit
www.dealernews.com/women11. If you’d like to
nominate someone for the Women Who Roll list,
send your suggestion to [email protected].
29
SPECIAL REPORT
THE INSPIRATION Marilyn Simmons
MARILYN SIMMONS, MARKETING director at Mustang Motorcycle Products, is a mainstay at trade shows and consumer rallies. We
asked about her own history as a leading female in the industry.
Her introduction to the two-wheeled lifestyle: I was about
12 years old when my two teenage brothers discovered dirtbikes.
Our back yard became filled with motorcycle parts and projects.
Weekends were spent watching my brothers participate in motocross
events throughout the Northeast.
As soon as I turned 16, it seemed perfectly logical to get my own
motorcycle license — without any official training or safety classes,
of course. I think the inspector at the DMV was so taken aback that I
was a girl that the mere fact I could ride around the block was good
enough for him.
I was proud to have finally become “one of the guys” until I soon
realized that other girls on the sidewalks and in nearby cars didn’t
realize that I wasn’t. I wore my brother’s helmet and my brother’s
black leather jacket because there were no other clothing options.
(Back in 1968, the thought of being able to buy riding clothes made
especially for females was as absurd as thinking you could carry a
telephone in your pocket.) Making it her career: After receiving a graduate degree in
Economics from Cornell, I worked as a market research analyst, first
in Chicago, then in Hartford, Conn. I had gotten my pilot’s license
while in Chicago, and once I returned home to Connecticut I spent
a couple years flying with a friend in his P-51 WWII fighter plane.
Meanwhile, my brother, Al, had been working for a guy who made
motorcycle seats here in Connecticut. After Mike Corbin moved to
California, Al started his own business, Mustang Seats, with the help
of our “P-51 Mustang” friend. I was happy for an opportunity to work
in advertising in my brother’s new company, but since there were
just a couple of us at Mustang back in 1980, I had to do a little bit of
everything, including boxing seats and driving trucks, before honing
in on marketing alone. Given that I was in our Mustang office so much of the time, I was
THE OIL BARONS
Jennifer Liquori and Daryl Brosnan
Every Bel-Ray press release says the company
is “woman-owned,” but it’s actually two women
running the place. “The way the owner and I
have divvied up responsibility is, she makes the
product, and I find the right sales channel for it,”
COO Jennifer Liquori says in reference to female
CEO Daryl Brosnan, whose father, Bill Kiefer,
founded the lubricants company in 1946.
“She’s certainly a woman to celebrate,”
Liquori says. “After 35 years, she knows the
company inside and out. Although she could
have sold the company many times, she hasn’t.
She doesn’t take any profit out of the business,
and puts every dollar back in.”
That level of investment came in handy
last year when Liquori began leading a BelRay “comeback” comprised of new employees,
re-engineered formulas, new packaging, a new
display program, a larger booth at Dealer Expo, a
mainstream marketing push, and new sponsored
riders like Chad Reed. “One of the things I tell
our employees all the time is we did all these
things to reengineer the business, but it was
Daryl who ultimately never said no,” Liquori
says. “I think that takes a really strong, confident, smart, strategic business owner to do that,
30
DEALERNEWS.COM
M AY 2 0 1 1
and she just happens to be a woman, too, which
I think has also made her a more compassionate
manager.”
Brosnan interviewed Liquori for her position
six years ago. An attorney by trade, Liquori was
looking to go back to work after giving birth to
twins. “I’d always had very stressful, demanding
careers, and I wanted a job that would allow me
to balance my work and home lives,” she says.
“When I first met with Daryl, and she explained
the depth and the size of the job, I said to her, ‘I
don’t think that that’s a job that’s going to allow
me to also balance motherhood.”
But Brosnan, also a mother, assured Liquori
it would. “And to her credit, every word she said
was true,” Liquori says. “Last year I traveled
about 100,000 miles in just six months, but when
I was off or out of the office trying to make up
time with my family, she never asked me a question about it. It was always, ‘Do what you have
to do to maintain the balance of your life.’ And I
would like to think that a man would do that, too,
but I think because she’s been there and done it
herself, she’s got a lot of conviction about supporting women within the company and allowing them to be moms as well.” — Arlo Redwine
SPECIAL REPORT
less exposed to discrimination than other
females who were working in shops or other
areas of the industry. However, I certainly
remember instances when callers preferred
to ask questions of a male or when show
attendees would walk right past me to talk to
a guy instead. It just came with the territory.
Remember, that was also the era when one
assumed males were doctors and females
were nurses. I am proud to say that women comprise
more than a third of all of our Mustang employees — in our offices, sales department,
factory and warehouse.
Today’s environment: Having
Dealernews pose these questions about my
30-plus years in the industry does remind
me what an antique I truly am. I must say,
however, it also makes me realize how
much women have advanced and achieved.
As magazine editors, dealership owners,
mechanics, racers, builders, photographers,
sales reps and marketing directors, we all
have proven ourselves. And it does, indeed,
make me proud. It’s been quite a ride, ladies.
— Arlo Redwine
THE MECHANIC — Hannah Johnson
At 26, Hannah Johnson can already
consider herself an industry veteran. She
grew up riding and tinkering with bikes
(her parents are avid Harley riders). She’s
raced motorcycles, and has
turned a lifelong hobby into
a career. Johnson is one
of the few female service
managers in the country,
governing the lifts at Ducati
Miami.
“It’s my life every waking moment,” Johnson says.
Most impressive is Johnson’s latest resume addition:
In March she became the
first female Ducati Master
Technician. At last count,
there are currently only
39 Master Techs in North
America.
To attain Master Tech status, one
has to go through three levels of Ducati
training. Level one covers general Ducati
maintenance and diagnostics, level two
delves into specifics like engine building
and valve services, and level three, which
Ducati limits to only its top techs (“They
don’t allow any bozo to
go,” Johnson says.), covers specifics like suspension, Dynojet training,
engine blueprinting and
rebuilding, and servicing
for Ohlins parts, which
was Johnson’s favorite
segment. “For this level,
you have to make sure
that you’re a mechanic
and you understand
motorcycle mechanics,”
Johnson notes.
Would she hire a female tech? Sure, as long
as she’s qualified. “I would love to, and
I plan to,” she says. “Women who know
what they’re doing in this industry are few
and far between.” — Cynthia Furey
America’s Newest Tire Company
Quality and affordability. See our expanded range.
M-1 Street Sport
M-3 Track Sport
The M-1 Street Sport Radial is
our multi-purpose superbike radial that
offers a great combination of handling,
traction, control, and longevity.
The M-3 Track Sport Radial is
DOT approved, available in
two compounds, soft and ultra
soft. The ultimate in traction.
Distributed by MTA:
Four locations to serve you.
East: 800 251.0640
West: 800 231.8529
E: [email protected]
W: www.mtadistributing.com
M-66 Tour King
M-40 Adventure Sport Radial
M-41 RT Sport
The M-66 Tour King is ideal for
cruiser’s, v-twins and touring bikes.
High load capacity offers driving
comfort, stability and reliability.
The M-40/M-41 Adventure tires
are ready for your expedition. Great
handling traction and stability.
Highest speed rating in class.
International inquiries:
P: 909 608.0082
E: motomanitaliaimports @ verizon.net
W: www.fullboretires.com
31
SPECIAL REPORT
THE SHOW-MAKERS
You know Tracy Harris as head of Dealer Expo for many years. You know Mary Slepicka as
the director of Dealernews. But you may not be acquainted with the operations professionals behind the Progressive International Motorcycle Show multi-city fall and winter tour, and
February’s big Dealer Expo, both sister (pun intended) properties of Dealernews. We think
there are many exhibitors out there who would vote to recognize the women who make
the big shows work: Leah Stevens, Cinnamon Kernes and LeAsah Brown of the Progressive
International Motorcycle Shows, and Lorri Monty, operations director for Dealer Expo.
THE ADVOCATES
Dealernews salutes those playing key roles in motorcycle industry governance, legislation and market development at the Motorcycle Industry Council, Motorcycle Safety
Foundation, Specialty Vehicle Industry Association and the Recreational Off-Highway
Vehicle Association.
Left to right: Cam Arnold, vice president-communications (MIC, MSF, SVIA, ROHVA); Johanna Buecheler,
senior designer (MIC, MSF, SVIA, ROHVA); Carole Iannello, senior coordinator-aftermarket (MIC); Cathy
Rimm, national quality assurance specialist (MSF); Pat Murphy, vice president-data standards (MIC); Pamela
Amette, vice president (MIC); Sherry Williams, director of quality assurance and research (MSF). All are based
at MIC headquarters in Irvine, Calif.
Inset: Kathy Van Kleek, senior vice president-government relations (MIC, MSF, SVIA,
ROHVA), is based in the association’s Washington, D.C., offices. “Van Kleek has a
single-minded focus on protecting the industry from unnecessary and unfair legislative and regulatory burdens - ensuring that every party in the distribution channel
has the fiexibility to do business in an environment that allows them to make their
own informed business decisions and adapt to changing market and economic conditions, without legislative and regulatory barriers that only serve to create a business
climate where options become more limited and costs of doing business are needlessly increased,” says MIC president Tim Buche.
32
DEALERNEWS.COM
M AY 2 0 1 1
EVERYTHING CHAIN !
,==-/,!
GB520MXU UW-RING
GB520EXW XW-RING
UW-RING CUTAWAY
XW-RING CUTAWAY
Contact Lips
Contact Lips
Lubrication Pools
Convex Stabilizer
Lubrication Pools
Convex Stabilizer
GB520MXU
GB520EXW
MXU is the lightest sealed-ring motocross chain
available on the market today. Made for the
professional motocross racer, GB520MXU is
the next generation of motocross racing chains
featuring RK’s new UW-sealing rings. MXU
chain life expectancy is more than double
when compared to a non-sealed chain. MXU
chains are designed to provide the most
consistent power delivery and increased chain
life. All components are heat treated using RK’s
exclusive HIT (Heat Induction Transfer) process.
MXU has a maximum tensile strength rated at
9,000 foot pounds, weighs a mere 3.0 pounds
for 100 links, and can handle any MX race
application from 125 ~ 500cc.
SEALED ATV & OFF-ROAD
GB520EXW is specifically designed for ATV/
Quads and Off-Road vehicles and is the best
high-speed, extreme heat, off-road performance
chain available today. EXW chains were
developed to survive the abrasive conditions
that exist in hostile off-road environments. EXW
features XW-ring seals composed of Nitrile
Butadiene with three contact lips and two
convex inner/outer stabilizers. This means
three lubrication pools to protect against highspeed abrasion, and the loss of lubricant under
extreme conditions.
SEALED MOTOCROSS
(And Non-Gold 520EXW)
MX
ATV
GB520MXZ4
(And Non-Gold 520MXZ4)
HEAVY DUTY MOTOCROSS
MXZ4 is the lightest motocross chain available
on the market today. Made for the professional
motocross racer, GB520MXZ4 is the next
generation of motocross racing chains featuring
RK’s new deeper gold sideplates. MXZ4 chains
feature chromoly steel construction with seamless
rollers and bushings, and oversized special alloy
pins for added strength. All components are heat
treated using RK’s exclusive HIT (Heat Induction
Transfer) process. MXZ4 has a maximum tensile
strength rated at 9,000 foot pounds, weighs a
mere 2.99 pounds for 100 links, and can handle
any MX race application from 125 ~ 500cc.
MINI BIKE CHAINS
.</(&811,1*+$0'1$6+5('67,;67$5<$0$+$
GB420MXZ & GB428MXZ
(And Non-Gold 420MXZ & 428MXZ)
HEAVY DUTY MOTOCROSS
These lightweight gold racing chains were
developed using the same advanced alloy
materials and manufacturing technology as
520MXZ. Both 420 and 428MXZ racing chains
are the lightest and strongest in their class, giving
you the best value-performance rating of any
motocross racing chain in the world today.
V-TWIN
GENERAL STREET
ROAD RACING &
HIGH PERFORMANCE
0KI<<K
RX-RING CUTAWAY
XW-RING CUTAWAY
Contact Lips
Lubrication Pools
Contact Lips
Lubrication Pools
Convex Stabilizer
GB520XSO, GB525XSO,
& GB530XSOZ1
(And Non Gold XSO)
SEALED RX-RING SPORTBIKE CHAINS
Looking for an affordable, long lasting performance chain? Look no
further, RK’s XSO chains offer less torsional friction and increased
high-stress, high-speed performance providing a longer lasting chain
at an affordable price. All RX-Ring chains have “X” shaped seals and
improved metallurgy giving you 7 times longer wearlife than standard
O-ring chains. Viewed in cross-section, the RX-ring has two lubrication
pools and contact lips versus the single contact design of a standard
O-ring chain. Giving the chain a longer life gives you more value for
your money.
GB520GXW, GB525GXW,
& GB530GXW
(And Non-Gold GXW)
SEALED XW-RING ROADRACING
& SUPERBIKE CHAINS
RK’s GXW series chains are the top of the line extreme performance
chains. XW-ring chains are the best high-speed, extreme heat
performance chains available today. The leading edge XW-ring seal is
made of an advanced Nitrile Butadiene composite and features three
contact lips and two convex inner/outer stabilizers. This means three
lubrication pools to protect against high-speed abrasion, heat build up,
torsional flex and the loss of lubricant under these extreme conditions.
As a result GXW chains provide the user with 10 times longer wearlife
compared to standard chains. GXW chain seals are compression and
distortion resistant to provide the ultimate in rotating efficiency.
NY
RK 0-RING CHAINS
(420SO, 428SO, 520MO,
520SO, 630SO)
SEALED O-RING CHAINS
RK offers the best O-ring chains in the industry. All RK O-ring chains
are constructed of hi-carbon alloy steel for strength and durability.
RK utilizes Nitrile Butadiene O-rings to seal in lubrication and deliver
smooth power with no O-ring drag or loss of horsepower.
Convex Stabilizer
NM
NEW!! Available for GXW Series Chains.
NB
NR
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20,000 MILE SEALED-RING CHAIN WARRANTY
Your original purchase of RK sealed-ring chain is warranted to be free of defects in material and workmanship for 20,000 miles of street riding or one-year of
off-road use. There is absolutely no warranty of any kind for an RK Chain used in any racing competition.
/( %&+
"0,/&"0
Quickly and easily break 40 and 50 type chains without busting a knuckle. The RK Chain
Tool not only breaks chains but also press-fits tight tolerance 40, 50 and 60 sealed-ring
sideplates to the correct depth for clip or rivet link installation. Works on most brands of
chains. Includes handy molded plastic logo storage case. All the components you need for
chain removal and installation in one handy kit.
Part Number: UCT4060
Retail $129.95
%(1(9$167587+0;0%
RK CHAIN BREAKER, PRESS-FIT/RIVET TOOL
RK EXCEL America Inc.,
2645 Vista Pacific Drive,
Oceanside, CA 92056
TEL(760)732-3161 FAX(760)732-3186
www.RKExcelAmerica.com
4RKCHN-RK11
FEB. 17-19, 2012
INDIANA CONVENTION CENTER
DEALEREXPO.COM
SALES
New Products
TIRE & WHEEL FOCUS
Paughco’s direct fit and
custom rims
Paughco’s 80-spoke rims (at right) are offered in directfit and custom applications to fit a wide variety of bikes.
Front packages for 1989-to-1999 single-disc brakes and
forks are readily available in a 21”x2.15” size. Rears are
available in 8.5- and 10-inch sizes and carry late-model
sealed bearings on the brake side and pulley side. All assemblies are fitted with ready-to-install Timken bearings.
Contact: Paughco, 775-246-5738, www.paughco.com
Roland Sands offers
one-piece style
Slam and Boss (shown at left) aluminum wheels by RSD provide strength
and style in one piece, with two finishes to choose from. The Contrast Cut
finish is a polished wheel that’s been black-anodized and recut to “open
up the design,” the company says. The Black Ops finish is black-on-black,
achieved by treating the wheel through a proprietary military-spec process
for strength and hardness, then again machined and anodized. The final
finish is contrast that’s scratch-, weather- and damage-resistant.
Contact: Drag Specialties, 800-222-3400,
www.dragspecialties.com
New from RC Components
The Drifter 3D wheel from RC Components features a twisted, seven-spoke design that provides
a 3D look and feel. It’s available in chrome or gloss
black, and is backed by a seven-year warranty.
The popular Eclipse wheel gets an update
with chrome-fused raw aluminum and black
powder-coat, creating a unique two-tone contrast
finish. The company says that it has perfected the
chemical process, which allows the wheel to accept chrome, whereas other wheels use polished
aluminum.
The RCX-celerator Fuel Management System
for 2011 offers easy closed-loop fuel management
with the elimination of programming, adjustments,
downloads and ECU modifications. The system will
automatically adjust and compensate for changes in load and riding
conditions, the company says, providing an optimum fuel-and-air
ratio. The system is available for Touring, Softail, Dyna, Sportsters
and V-Rod models.
Contact: RC Components, 800-360-0915, www.rccomponents.com
34
DEALERNEWS.COM
M AY 2 0 1 1
Kenda tires for
motorcycle, ATV
Kenda’s popular Bear Claw K299 finds
ds a
successor in the company’s latest addidition, the K587 Bear Claw HTR tire. The
he
ATV tire features an all-new 8PR radial
al
casing that offers high levels of puncture
ture
resistance, as well as a high-traction
tread pattern that will ride smoothly on a
wide range of terrain. A new center knob
design also provides low vibration and
nd
a smoother ride. The K587 Bear Claw
w is
available in 25-, 26- and 27-inch sizes..
The K784F/K784 Bib Block tire is for
adventure motorcycles. It offers a highghtraction tread pattern with large tread
d
blocks for improved tread wear and highspeed handling. The rubber compound
nd
is designed both for wet/slick and dry/
y/
hard-packed terrain. The tire is DOT- and
E-mark-approved.
Contact: Kenda USA, 614-866-9803,
www.kendatire.com
Fat Daddy wheels offer
timeless look
Drag Specialties has released the Fat
Daddy wheels, which offer a throwback
to childhood bicycle wheels with their
50-spoke design. Spokes are radially laced
at 3/8-inch and are made of polished stainless steel. Billet chromed aluminum custom
hubs and polished chrome steel rims finish
off the look. Wheels are available in various
sizes and applications (a complete list appears in the 2011 FatBook).
Contact: Drag Specialties, 800-222-3400,
www.dragspecialties.com
M AY 2 0 1 1
DEALERNEWS.COM
35
SALES — PRODUCTS
Metalsport offers
one-piece billet wheels
Metalsport has introduced 30-inch onepiece custom billet wheels for V-twins that
are machined in-house from aircraft-grade
billet aluminum. Styles available include
(pictured, from left) the Don Juan, Cutlass
and Lusso. All styles are offered custommachined for a better fit.
Contact: Metalsport, 562-776-9594,
www.metalsportwheels.com
Sportbike offerings from Shinko Tire
Shinko Tire USA has introduced a sportbike tread in its 010 Apex Radial
tire. Tires feature a tread radius that enhances cornering at high speeds.
The rear tire features what the company calls Zero Degree JLSB (JointLess Steel Belted) technology that adds to stability and strength. The
front tire is Aramid-belted, which enhances performance. Both are
DOT-approved.
One of Shinko’s other new additions is the 705 Series dual-sport tires
for street and mild trail riding. The DOT-approved tires feature tread
designed to perform in wet and dry weather, as well as offer smooth
riding on highways. Tires have a four-ply frame and a durable rubber
compound that resists tearing. The 705 Series is available in nine sizes,
for front and rear.
Contact: Western Power Sports), 800-999-3388, www.shinkotireusa.com
36
DEALERNEWS.COM
M AY 2 0 1 1
Sedona Tire & Wheel’s
ATV, UTV products
Sedona Tire & Wheel’s Storm utility aluminum wheels are designed for ATVs and UTVs.
They feature machined aluminum spokes,
and an anodized matte black frame. Wheels
are strong and lightweight, and include caps.
They are available in 12- and 14-inch sizes.
The Rip Saw R/T ATV/UTV tire features
an aggressive 1-1/8-inch-deep tread pattern
that offers long-lasting wear, and is easy to
clean. The tire is made of off-road truck tire
rubber with a six-ply radial construction. The
Rip Saw is available in seven sizes.
The Buzz Saw R/T radial ATV/UTV tire
is stable enough for larger vehicles. It
is made of a rubber compound that’s
similar to that of high-speed radial truck
tires. The Buzz Saw is offered in four
sizes.
Contact: Western Power Sports,
800-999-3388, www.sedonatires.com
Pit Posse introduces
tire moun
mounting lubricant
Pit Posse has just released its professional
tire mounting lub
lubricant to the public. The
lubricant reporte
reportedly stops rubber squeaks
and makes tire installation and removal
easier. The ssolution can be used diluted or at full strength, and comes
in 1 quar
quart and 1 gallon containers.
Contact
Contact: Pit Posse,
727-525
727-525-7100,
www.p
www.pitposse.com
M AY 2 0 1 1
DEALERNEWS.COM
37
SALES
Birth of a motorcycle
CO-FOUNDERS BRIAN CASE AND LEE CONN ENLIGHTEN US ABOUT MOTUS
MOTORCYCLES’ EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH A DEALER NETWORK
By Dennis Johnson
LEE CONN AND Brian Case are the co-founders of Motus Motorcycles, the Birmingham, Ala.-based
makers of a ground-up-built American sportbike scheduled to go into production this year. Dealernews
conducted a lengthy Q&A with Conn about the development of the MST-01 and MST-R, from conception
through road testing. Case and Conn have their eyes set on establishing a network of dealers to retail the
Motus models and share some details about their plans.
The Motus Motorcycles
MST-01 Sport Tourer,
one of two bikes in a
lineup that also includes
the MST-R. The KMV4
engine Motus had
developed.
To read more about
the evolution of the company,
with details about Motus’
KMV4 proprietary motor
(complete with an
industry-first gasoline
direct-injection setup), go to
www.dealernews.com/motus.
38
DEALERNEWS.COM
Dealernews: Discuss your
planned dealer network?
Lee Conn: We are talking with
dealers who have contacted
us directly or have been referred by potential customers
inquiring about the MSTs. The
concept seems to have hit a
nerve with a certain group of
enthusiasts, and we always
ask who they think would best
represent Motus in their areas.
As we continue durability
testing and set out on our
American Sport Tour, we will
be traveling the U.S. testing
the bikes in every possible
condition and, along the way,
meeting with dealers that may
be a good fit to carry our new
line of American sportbikes.
Our dealer agreement was
developed by incorporating
best practices from other
manufacturer’s agreements and,
more importantly, input from existing dealers who have given us some
great ideas.
DN: How many dealers?
LC: Motus is looking for 25 to 30
high-caliber, enthusiast-oriented
dealerships looking to distinguish
themselves and attract new customers by carrying Motus products.
DN: How will your distribution
efforts be structured?
LC: The dealer model is relatively
standard, just on a smaller scale
than what the large OEMs dictate.
Dealers will be stocking and flooring
a small selection of motorcycles
from our two models, the MST and
MST-R. Specific inventory decisions
will be based on territory served,
demographics, and common-sense
M AY 2 0 1 1
decisions with our dealers. Our goal
is to create a great opportunity for
dealers to serve existing and new
customers, grow the Motus brand
with us, and make a profit doing
so. In that way, dealers will find our
agreement to be innovative and
tailored for our production volume
and overall goals.
DN: Who is your target dealer?
LC: There are two [types] of target
Motus dealers. First, there are
American motorcycle dealerships
seeking to bring in new customers
and revenue by offering a modern
sportbike to American motorcycle
enthusiasts. Then there are Eurooriented dealerships whose clientele
are seeking unique, high-performance machines. Whatever their
current product mix, we are focusing on dealerships that offer a high
level of customer service, are active
in the motorcycle community, serve
the right demographic, and see the
potential for growing the American
motorcycle market beyond V-twin
cruisers.
DN: Who is your target customer?
LC: There are several target customers for Motus Motorcycles. First,
there is the mature sportbike rider
looking for a performance bike with
ergonomics suited to longer rides.
Then there are American motorcycle
enthusiasts looking for something
domestic, but unique and performance-oriented.
DN: What are the plans for Motus
PG&A sales?
LC: We are working with several
well-known manufacturers in developing a line of premium Motus
apparel and gear for our dealers to
offer alongside our motorcycles.
DN: How will you address parts
availability and warranties?
LC: Our goal is to create an excellent customer experience, which
means quickly sorting out any
service- or warranty-related issues,
getting the customer back on the
road, and getting dealers compensated for their work. To that end,
each dealer will stock common
service parts, and Motus will stock
a comprehensive inventory of parts
that can be shipped immediately.
Again, the model is similar to larger
OEMs, just scaled for our size.
DN: What does the new motor
mean for a service department?
LC: All of our dealers will have factory-trained technicians to service
the MSTs. Again, it is a fairly standard dealer/manufacturer model,
just scaled for our size. We selected
the small block architecture for a lot
of reasons, including durability, ease
of maintenance, ease of modification, etc., but like every machine, it
will need maintenance. Luckily, just
about anyone that has ever turned
a wrench in this country is familiar
with the small block, cam-in-thevalley, 90-degree V architecture of
our KMV4 engine. We will also have
an internal technical team wholly
devoted to service, support and
ongoing training.
DN: What kind of warranty will a
Motus motorcycle carry?
LC: Motus MSTs will carry a competitive factory warranty which will
be backed strongly by a manufacturer focused squarely on creating
an excellent customer and dealer
experience.
MARKETING
Martin Motorsports turns
classic motorcycle show into
powerful dealership draw
By Dennis Johnson
THE FOLKS AT Martin Motorsports are no strangers to hosting
events such as seminars and bike
days at their multiline dealership
in Boyertown, Penn., a small borough northwest of Philadelphia.
“We’re not in a mainstream
location,” explains store president
Dennis Martin. “We learned very
early on that we need events to
era for advancements in technology, style and performance.
Because the staff didn’t have
the resources to pull it off, Martin
hired Kevin Hyde to manage the
dealership’s e-commerce and
marketing efforts. Hyde served as
sort of a catalyst to get the show
off the ground. Once the trigger
was pulled to launch the Modern
release urging visitors to “witness
a motorcycle show that does not
exist anywhere else.”
Martin says he wanted to
attract something beyond the
ubiquitous, well-restored HarleyDavidsons that always pop up.
The show featured such highlights
as a Triumph X-75 Hurricane, two
Honda CX500 Turbos, a Vincent
The show featured a Triumph X-75
Hurricane, Honda CX500 Turbos, a
Laverda 500 and a Vincent Black Shadow.
One of the store’s
employees created a
makeshift studio to
photograph bikes in
the show.
An estimated 1,000
people attended the
Modern Classics
bike show.
Photos courtesy of Martin
Motorsports
drive people to our dealership,
and we’re blessed with having a
nice large dealership for events
like these.”
For a while, Martin says, they
were kicking around the idea of
doing a classic bike show — the
first of any kind of bike show at
the dealership — that celebrated
the machinery of the ‘60s, ‘70s
and ‘80s, the stuff that really set
the standard in their respective
Classics bike show, the dealership
worked to assemble a committee of people who either had old
bikes, or were new folks in the
area’s strong vintage bike community. Initial efforts to attract bikes
and their owners sort of plateaued
at about 40, but then things really
took off and hit the 100-bike limit
in no time, Martin says.
The results of all these efforts?
The dealership was initially shooting for attracting about 500 people, but ended up getting nearly
double that. The reaction was
not only strong in terms of the
number of people who attended,
but the dealership did a follow-up
survey and received hundreds of
comments back, the vast majority
of which were extremely positive,
Martin notes. “We had [about]
1,000 people through our dealership on a day in March, which is a
victory,” he says.
LOW-COST, HIGH-YIELD
MARKETING
To market the event, the dealership stuck to an online campaign
because of its low cost. It went
with some pay-per-click banner
ads on local vintage bike forums
and campaigned strongly with
the store’s 4,000-plus recipient
e-mail list. It also sent out a press
Black Shadow, some great early
Triumphs, a Norton production
racer and a Laverda 500 that had
run at the Isle of Man.
To help document the event,
one of the store’s part-time
employees — a professional photographer — utilized a makeshift
photo studio in the showroom to
take studio-quality portraits of
every bike in the show, says Hyde.
The store is now using those
photos to assemble a book that
will feature one bike per page
with a small narrative and list of
tech specs. “The purpose of the
book is to tell the story of the
show, the bikes and the bike owners,” Hyde says. “We wanted a
way to commemorate the one-day
show all year long, and the book
seemed to get the most steam
out of those we spoke with.”
The dealership also made
T-shirts in three different styles
and colors representing the ‘60s,
‘70s and ‘80s that were sold
during the event. The idea, Hyde
explains, was to create a museumstyle gift shop in the apparel
section, something like one might
see at the end of a gallery. The
“shop-within-a-shop” also featured hats, books, license plates,
patches and the store’s own selection of vintage-style shirts.
M AY 2 0 1 1
DEALERNEWS.COM
39
SERVICE
Put aside gender when hiring
A MIX OF MEN AND WOMEN CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO YOUR SERVICE DEPARTMENT
FUEL FOR
THOUGHT
Dave Koshollek
teaches sales and
service classes for
dealers. Contact
him at dakoenter
[email protected],
or via editors@
dealernews.com.
I’VE ALWAYS BELIEVED women should be part of
our industry workforce, particularly in dealership parts
and service departments where I worked. But it hasn’t
been easy for females in these departments, particularly because this male-dominated world sometimes
contains small thinkers on both sides of the counter.
Case in point: Back in the early ‘80s, I referred a
female graduate of the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute
to a Phoenix dealership to interview for an open parts
counter position. I was confident that I had found a
progressive store that embraced women taking an
equal role in the powersports workplace.
And this graduate was sharp; her grades and
hands-on performance had placed her in the top 10
percent of her class. It didn’t hurt that she was 6 feet
tall and strong enough to move bikes around, either.
Physical weakness had been a dealer complaint about
female hires of the past. I was sure
she had gotten the job, but to my
dismay, she had turned it down. She
informed me that early in the interview she had offered her transcript of
grades for review. That’s when the male parts manager
quipped, “I don’t care about your grades. I just want a
set of boobs behind the counter.” Unfortunately, this
terrible incident caused her to become so disenchanted that she went back to her previous career.
That was then and this is now. Let me introduce
you to a shining star in our industry, Darrell Golden.
Golden has been service manager at Texas’ Midland
Powersports since August 2007. His team of five technicians annually produces close to $1 million in billable
parts and labor. Did I mention he has two female
service advisers? And that he believes women are the
best gender for that particular position?
When Golden took the job in 2007, one of the first
things he did was hire female service advisers. The
idea of females at the service counter wasn’t new to
him — his previous 33 years of working in automotive
dealerships had provided him with ample experience.
Whether it’s politically correct or not, Golden prefers
female over male service advisers because the women
he’s hired have been easier to train, follow departmental procedures better, communicate well and are naturally empathetic to customers — all desirable traits for
this frontline position. In situations where a customer
might normally get upset with a male, Golden says his
female service advisers easily calm them down.
For example, recently a customer paid for a complete clutch overhaul on a Kawasaki Mule. Within two
weeks, the customer returned, upset, with the clutch
burned out. The female service adviser asked a couple
of questions: “Who was riding the vehicle? What were
they doing when the problem happened?” It turns out
that the customer’s kids were riding the Mule, and they
had gotten it stuck in the mud. The service adviser
explained how rocking the Mule back and forth was
what caused the damage. In the end, the customer
admitted, “I was mad at first. Then I realized it was my
fault. It won’t happen again.”
Now, if you’re warming up to the idea that your next
service adviser hire should be female, be prepared
for a little resistance from the “boys in the back.” In
the last 12 years of teaching parts and service classes,
I’ve always asked the women in my classes what it’s
like taking on a male-dominated role. In almost every
case, the story has been the same: It took them about
a year to gain the respect of the boys on both sides of
the counter. But once the dealership had established
a respectful workplace for females in service, the stage
was set for greater success going forward. This was
confirmed by Golden. He told me that at his store,
Hire naturally talented people regardless
of gender, create simple policies and
procedures, and pay for performance.
On the
Web:
To learn more about
Midland Powersports, check out
www.midlandpowersports.com,
or its Twitter page at
www.twitter.com/
MidlandPower. You
can also find the
store on Facebook.
40
DEALERNEWS.COM
M AY 2 0 1 1
girls in the garage are considered the norm.
But hiring different genders is just one of the factors
of the department’s success. Menu-selling is another.
Golden has created a service menu for every job.
It’s no small undertaking for a store that carries five
brands, and that caters to all types of riders. Each
menu includes the labor and parts needed to complete the work, which simplifies selling for the service
advisers and, most importantly, eliminates customer
confusion. Customers know what they’re getting and
what the costs are — every time. Proof that menu pricing works is in the service revenue, and the fact that
very few customers get upset about the cost. Golden
proudly told me there have been no customers in
the last several years who have gone up the chain of
command to complain about service or cost. Because
of this, Golden thinks women are better salespeople
than men, noting that his service advisers upsell brakes
during tire replacement 70 percent of the time.
Of course, from a male perspective, it doesn’t hurt
that the people delivering the news are attractive,
have great personalities and are excellent communicators. Let’s face it, as men we take our medicine with a
lot less griping when dished out by a friendly female.
Golden also pays his staff well. Commissions and
incentives are in place to keep service advisers and
technicians motivated to do it right and do it quick.
The income his technicians earn is higher than most
other dealerships I’ve known. In retrospect, Golden’s
success can be summed up in three core principles:
Hire naturally talented people regardless of gender,
create simple policies and procedures, and pay for
performance. That’s a winning combination.
SERVICE — TOOLS AND SHOP EQUIPMENT
Axle and spark plug
wrench in one
Dirtbikers can use CruzTools’ new Combo Axle Wrenches to remove an
axle or a spark plug. There are two versions of the tool. Both contain a
14 mm box wrench for OEM spark plug sockets and a 22 mm box wrench
for front axle nuts. To handle rear axles, one version contains a 27 mm
wrench while the other provides 32 mm. Between the two variations, most
Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki models are addressed, plus many Kawasaki
bikes. Measuring 8 inches long and weighing just over 5 ounces, the
wrenches are forged and heat-treated using a carbon steel alloy with a
polished chrome finish. Suggested retail is $14.95 for either version.
Contact: CruzTools, 888-909-8665, www.cruztools.com
‘Micro’
Micro’
tool
ool with
a big
impact
mpact
Intended
nded for use in tight areas,
Snap-on’s
p-on’s quarter-inch Square
Drive
e Micro Cordless Impact
Wrench
nch (CT525) has a soft pistol
grip and a 55-minute battery
charge
ge time. A large forward/
reverse
rse cushion toggle-style
trigger allows users to toggle
from forward to reverse quickly and easily with one
hand. The maximum torque for the impact wrench
is 50 ft.-lbs. The CT525 includes a 7.2-volt cordless
screwdriver, two battery packs, a battery charger and a
soft-sided case.
Contact: Snap-on, 877-762-7662, www.snap-on.com
Verifying piston jets
Jims’ Piston Jet Test Stand No. 772 allows engine builders to test
the piston jets inside Twin Cam engine cases. The unit operates on
both compressed air, and air over oil. When operating with air only,
verification of proper flow through the piston jet can be witnessed.
In the air-over-oil mode, mechanics can not only check for proper
operation, but also see the oil spray pattern emanating from the
jet. By adjusting the unit’s air regulator, they’re able to determine at
what pressure the piston jet turns on and off. The tool also lets them
clear assembly lube from the jet’s narrow oil passage. The Piston Jet
Test Stand retails for $199 and is back
backed by a lifetime
warranty.
warran
Contact: Jims,
Cont
805-482-6913,
805
www.jimsusa.com
w
41
CUSTOMER SERVICE
A D I NDE X
ADVERTISER
PAGE
SUBSCRIBER CUSTOMER SERVICE
35
www.csystemssoftware.com
CST
3
www.csttires.com
Dennis Stubblefield Sales
21
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Eastern Powersports Auction
15
www.easternpowersports.com
Subscription Rates: U.S. and Possessions: $50/year; Canada
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(surfacemail – add $89/year extra for expedited service)
F2P Technologies
21
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Digital Subscription Rates: $40/year
Geico
9
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Harley-Davidson Motor Co
24-25
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KYMCO USA
17
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Magnum Distributing
6
www.magnumdistributing.com
Manheim Auctions
11
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Massimo Motor Sports LLC
7
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Motoman Distributing
31
www.powersportsu.com
National Powersports Auctions
CV2
Nextstep Computer & Software
23
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Niks Industries
36
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Ohio Technical College
41
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Parker Hannifin Corp
21
www.tiresavernitrogen.com
Parts Unlimited
1
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Parts Unlimited
23
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Pit Posse Motorsports
10
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R K EXCEL America
32
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Samson Motorcycle Products
Universal Technical Institute
42
WEBSITE
C System Software
37
CV3
www.npauctions.com
www.samsonusa.com
www.mmitech.edu/employers
Western Power Sports
5
www.wps-inc.com
Western Power Sports
CV4
www.wps-inc.com
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M AY 2 0 1 1
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M AY 2 0 1 1 D E A L E R N E W S 4 7
Selling the two-wheeled dream
PRACTICALITY HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH IT — GO FOR THEIR HEARTS
OUT OF MY
MIND
Mike Vaughan
is the former
publisher of
Dealernews. You
can reach him
at mvaughan@
mikevaughan.
com or via
editors@
dealernews.com.
I WAS HAVING DINNER one night with some folks
from Costco Automotive, after Dealer Expo had
closed for the day. We got talking about the difference between selling cars and selling motorcycles,
agreeing that one of the more obvious differences
is that most people buy their cars out of need. They
have to get to work, they have to haul the kids and
their gear, they have to go shopping and get their
purchases back home again, and they want to do it
in comfort. This is confirmed by the fact that most
people who own motorcycles also have cars, trucks or
SUVs for the same reason.
On the other hand, except in the most rare of occasions, no one really needs a motorcycle. A motorcycle can’t carry multiple passengers and has limited
accommodations for hauling any extraneous gear.
Most motorcycles are not capable of transporting
more than one or two shopping bags. They can be
miserable in the rain, almost intolerable in
heat and humidity, and downright dangerous in snow, on ice or once the temperature drops toward freezing. And let’s face
it, the MPG advantage we as riders once
could lay claim to is rapidly being eroded
by hybrids, diesels and, in some cases, efficient fourstroke internal combustion engines.
So why, in view of its impracticality, does anyone
buy a motorcycle? Easy. Because they want one! I’m
not sure if want is the proper term, I’m not exactly
sure what the hierarchy of want’s synonyms is, but
usually the want for a motorcycle is almost a sickness.
I know, because I’ve had it for most of my adult life.
If you assume that the above statements about
cars and motorcycles in our hierarchy of needs to be
true, then selling a car should be a lot different from
selling a motorcycle. It should be much easier to sell
a motorcycle than a car. After all, we’re talking want
versus need.
I recently ran across a quote from the former editor
at Cycle World, Steve Thompson, who I think describes a motorcycle dealership best: “A motorcycle
shop is where dreams become reality.” He made
this statement in 1989, and I think it’s still true, but I
also think that a lot of dealers have lost sight of this
concept. In 1994 the great motorcycle sales depression finally ended, and in the market’s run-up to the
1.2-million-unit mark of 2006, many dealers simply
became order takers. Granted, many of the customers who strolled into dealerships in that era were not
necessarily driven there by a dream, but more by
their desire to go along with their peer group, who
thought motorcycles were cool. But I think many of us
have forgotten about selling the dream.
Well, like it or not, our customer base is changing again. Sure, there are still some people buying
so that they can assume some perceived “cowboy/
rebel” persona. And with rising gasoline prices, we’ll
probably be welcoming back scooter and smallmotorcycle buyers by the thousands who are looking
for less-expensive transportation. But the core
buyer — the guy or gal who’s been with us through
thick and thin — still has a dream. It might be the
perfect motorcycle, or the perfect trip that can only
be accomplished with the right motorcycle. Whether
an experienced motorcyclist or a beginner, this core
customer has a dream that can only be realized with
a motorcycle.
While mulling over Thompson’s statement, I remembered a guy I spent some time with in Southeast
Asia, Dave Wapperer. Wapperer’s dream was to buy
a new 1968 Harley-Davidson Sportster — but not just
any Sportster. His would have sodium-filled valves
and an entire list of modifications and accessories
Selling a motorcycle should be much
easier than selling a car. After all, we’re
talking want versus need.
On the
Web:
Former Cycle
World editor Steve
Thompson, whose
statement “A
motorcycle shop
is where dreams
become reality” I quote in this
month’s column,
contributes to
the blog at www.
cycleworld.com.
48
DEALERNEWS.COM
M AY 2 0 1 1
that could, I assume, then be purchased from the
factory. I don’t think a week went by that Wapperer
didn’t mention that bike or the long list of extras he
wanted with it. I don’t believe he ever mentioned
how much it would cost, only the amount fun he was
going to have riding it.
I never found out if Wapperer ever actually bought
the bike, but I’d wager he did. His passion to possess
that motorcycle was more pronounced than anything
else we ever discussed.
My dream, before I went into the Army, was to ride
through Europe to Afghanistan (ironic, in retrospect).
I was in Germany and already had a bike, a sturdy
1958 DKW 175 two-stroke equipped with a luggage
rack. Not glamorous by any means, but probably able
to get the job done. Forty years later, I’ve been able
to fulfill part, but not all, of my dream. I’ve been fortunate to spend some time in Europe on two wheels,
but there are still a few places I’d like to visit, and
frankly, Afghanistan doesn’t seem like such a great
place to visit right now.
I know that selling a motorcycle isn’t a simple
process. Ugly things like budgets, credit-worthiness,
and other mundane issues come into play. But I don’t
think that we should lose sight of the dream factor
either. People buying a bike usually have a specific
motorcycle in mind and a dream of how they can
use it to enhance their life. Figuring out what those
dreams are, and matching the bike to the fulfillment
of those dreams should make the selling process a
whole lot easier.
TRAINED TO BE A TRUE PROFESSIONAL
}
Focused
{Responsive
Cares About
Customers
}
{Team Player
Strong Performer
}
}
Reliable
{Skilled
Hire a motorcycle technician with hands-on experience and the right business skills.
If you want a true professional motorcycle technician, look to MMI.
Every MMI graduate receives industry-aligned training that includes business and customer service skills.
They’re qualified, dependable and ready to learn the way you do business.
MMItech.edu/Employers
866-819-9406
HANDMADE
IN THE USA
BRINGING YOU THE BEST
SERVICE, PRODUCT,
DELIVERY!
1-800-999-3388

May 2011 "Women Who Roll" issue HERE

Transcription

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