Features

Feb. 13, 2006 – Distributor Report

SofTek, PowerSports Network announce interface
SofTek Software International (SSI) announced the release of an interface between the dealership management system from SSI and Web sites created by Powersports Network (PSN).
The optional interface has undergone extensive testing in multiple dealerships in the 2005 fourth quarter and was formally introduced in January.
SSI says the interface provides a “One Click” solution that allows the next unprocessed order from the PSN site to fully populate SSI’s Business Assistant 9.0 invoice screen via the interface. Once the order is filled and shipped from the SSI system, the integrated UPS or Fedex systems are notified, the tracking number is retrieved, and final shipping information is pushed to the PSN server for customer shipment notification.
“The popularity of Web stores among our dealers has been growing rapidly. Because of this growth in mail order sales … it was a high priority to eliminate the manual labor involved in retrieving and processing orders from PSN sites,” said Jim Thompson, vice president of sales and marketing for SSI. “PSN provides an efficient shopping experience for consumers, and our teamwork has produced an efficient order processing method so that dealers can reap the rewards of the PSN e-commerce sales and keep overhead to a minimum.”
Jordan Introduces Motorcycle Apparel
Michael Jordan, regarded by many as the greatest basketball player ever, is bringing his name to the motorcycle apparel industry with a line of riding gear touting his Suzuki race team.
The officially licensed Jordan brand apparel is a product of Joe Rocket, a brand owned by Randy Robison’s Robison’s, Inc. The Jordan/Joe Rocket lineup includes men’s and women’s leather jackets, textile jackets and gloves featuring the unique Jordan Brand colors and styling, including the signature 20th anniversary Jordan history graphics.
Jordan Suzuki race team replica jackets, in leather and textile styles for men and women, also are part of the collection.
Fueled by his deal with Nike, Jordan made approximately $33 million in endorsement income last year, according to an estimate compiled by Forbes.
V-SEPT, Lemco Announce Alliance
Ed Lemco’s Alliance Customer Service Company has teamed with V-SEPT, Inc., a Florida-based developer of sales enhancement tools, to offer dealerships a way to mine customer feedback on their retail experience.
Through this new program, the Alliance Call Center will gain feedback by contacting customers in a pre-sales, post sales and post service situation. Customer feedback and survey results are provided to the dealership in multiple reports accessed through V-SEPT and the Alliance Web interface. V-PULSE and the Alliance Call Center Service can be added to an existing V-SEPT Powersports product for a monthly service fee.
“I am convinced that this alliance will truly offer dealers the resources to advance their dealerships to a higher level of management and control with higher sales and profits resulting,” said Ed Lemco.
Sales managers participating receive personal advanced training by Lemco in quarterly conferences conducted at the Alliance conference center in Frederiksted, St Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
“The alliance with Ed Lemco and the introduction of our new V-PULSE module for V-SEPT will now provide another dimension of customer information and feedback to dealerships about their customers,” said Jim Vaughn, president of V-SEPT, Inc. “By keeping your finger on the pulse of your customers, dealerships will increase customer satisfaction and ultimately increase sales.”
Paragon Picks Up KG Clutch
Paragon Powersports has been appointed the official North American sales and marketing agency representing KG Clutch Factory, effective Jan. 16.
KG Clutch Factory is an OEM supplier in the multi-disc motorcycle and ATV clutch markets.
Paragon Powersports provides sales, marketing, consulting and representation for manufacturers of quality products throughout the North American powersports industry.
Core Molding Technologies Announces Promotions
Core Molding Technologies, Inc. (CMT), Columbus, Ohio, has promoted Kevin L. Barnett to the position of group vice president, responsible for operations, sales and marketing and business development.
Barnett served as vice president business development, vice president, manager Columbus operations, and chief financial officer since joining the company in 1997.
In a related move, Stephen J. Klestinec has been promoted to the position of vice president operations, responsible for the manufacturing operations in Columbus, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio, Gaffney, S.C. and Matamoros, Mexico. Klestinec previously served as vice president, sales and marketing. He joined the company in 1998.
Both Barnett and Klestinec will report to James L. Simonton, CMT president and chief executive officer.
Core Molding Technologies, Inc. is a compounder of sheet molding composites (SMC) and molder of fiberglass reinforced plastics. The company produces fiberglass reinforced, molded products and SMC materials for varied markets, including personal watercraft, snowmobiles, the automotive industry and other commercial products.
Online Billboard Revealed
FI Corporation and Hypnoticmedia have announced that www.motopixelpage.com has now launched.
The Motopixelpage.com is an online billboard where motorcycle dealers, brands, Web site store owners, manufacturers, sponsors and others in the industry can purchase pixel ad space in 15×15 pixel block increments, upload an image to those block(s), and have it link to any Web site that they would like to promote.
Motopixelpage is said to be focused only on the motorcycle industry to bring new traffic that is relevant to its customers’ Web sites so that motorcycle businesses and consumers can connect with each other and conduct business. Pixel advertising was born only a few months ago when the milliondollarhomepage.com was launched. More information can be found at www.motopixelpage.com
MDS Expands in Powersports
The recipient of the Exhibitor Show Awards’ Best of Show for Excellence in Exhibit Marketing awards in 1995 and 1997 through 2001, Modular Display Systems (MDS), a full-service event production company, is seeking clients in the powersports industry.
Established in 1971, Placenta, Calif.-based MDS is a family owned corporation. The company has a second location in Phoenix. Past customers include Suzuki, Hyundai, Rocketdyne, Brembo, Boeing, Superchips, Inc., Aftercare and Center Line Wheel Corp.
MDS’ capabilities include lighting, audio-visual and scenic design for corporate and press events, and the company’s show support group handles clients’ services, including installation and dismantle, labor, electric, transportation and drayage.
Two of the companies most recent innovations are the Low Boy Turntable and the Self Lifting LED Wall, both of which are available for sale or rental.
Traditionally, the standard height of a display turntable was set at a minimum of 18 inches. The alternative was to dig a pit in the ground to accommodate a bulky motor.
Responding to the demand for a low-profile turntable, MDS created the Low Boy Turntable with a finished height of six and three-quarter inches. Installation time for the turntable takes less than two hours.
The Self-Lifting LED Wall, fabricated from lightweight aluminum, is designed to decrease on-site handling time. The LED panels are pre wired and the self-lifting wall ships as a self-contained rolling unit designed to protect the LED panels from damage in transit.
The self-lifting wall is leveled and set in place through the use of self-leveling stabilizer bars. It is adjusted to the desired height through the use of a handheld remote control. This process eliminates the need for an overhead truss system, forklift and rigging team.
J&P Cycles raises funds for vets
J&P Cycles, a retailer of aftermarket parts and accessories for Harley-Davidson and Metric Cruiser, presented a $3,500 check to the area Anamosa, IA AmVets Association on Dec. 23.
In May 2004, J&P Cycles created a special shirt to raise money for the organization. The 2004 went so well that J&P increased its 2005 offering to three clothing items. Working in cooperation with Direct Impulse Design of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, J&P designed a new T-shirt, reversible jacket and a vest featuring the POW MIA logo. For each sale throughout the 2005 year, a portion of the proceeds were collected for the AmVets.
“We are very happy to be able to support this great organization,” said J&P Cycles President John Parham. “We are big believers in supporting our community and our armed forces. We know the local Vets Chapter will put the money to good use and we are ecstatic to be able to contribute this much to their program.”
All three AmVets fund-raising items still are available. If you would like to purchase one, call 800/397-4844 or go online to www.jpcycles.com.
Pirelli, Tigershark Racing reach deal
Pirelli Tire has reached an agreement for Tigershark Racing to be its authorized road race tire vender for the West Coast region, providing service at tracks in the states of Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and at the new Miller Motorsports Park in Utah.
“We are truly excited to have such an established race supplier as our new West Coast tire vender,”?Chris Wall, Pirelli’s marketing manager said. “We look forward to having them service the racers out west and extend and improve our position in that region.”
Tigershark Racing, operated by Josh Bryon, is located in Boring, Ore.
German Cycle Sales Shrink in 2005
Two-wheeler sales in Germany last year totaled 120,927 units, down from 127,614 units in 2004, according to industry trade group Industrie-Verband Motorrad Deutschland (IVM).
The trade group also said cruiser sales plummeted 14.35 percent, supersport bike sales sunk 8.97 percent, touring model sales dropped 6.84 percent, sportbike sales fell 6.55 percent, and scooter sales shrunk 4.60 percent.
BMW and Suzuki appear to be the most popular motorcycle brands for German consumers seeking large-capacity models.
Sales results, assembled by the IVM show, show the BMW R 1200 GS, responsible for the sale of 6,919 units, was the best-selling motorcycle in Germany in 2005. It was followed by the second-best selling Honda CBF 600 S, responsible for 5,138 units, the Suzuki GSF 650 Bandit, Yamaha FZ 6 Fazer, GSX-R 1000, Suzuki GSF 1200 Bandit, Honda CBR Fireblade, BMW K 1200 S, Kawasaki Z 750 and BMW R 1200 RT.
The IVM separately gauged only the top five models of motorcycle bought by women. Topping the list was the Honda CBF 600 S, responsible for 886 sales. It was followed by the BMW R 1200 GS, which sold 418 units, Suzuki SV 650, 353 units, Yamaha FZ 6 Fazer, 349 units, Kawasaki Z 750, 334 units.
The two best-selling scooters larger than 125cc were the Suzuki Burgman 650 and Vespa GTS 250. The best-selling unit 125cc and smaller was the Honda SH 125.
WomenRidersNow.com Launches on the Internet
WomenRidersNow.com, a new online magazine capitalizing on the growth and interest in the women’s motorcycling market, was recently launched.
WomenRidersNow.com is updated on a regular basis and includes the latest industry news and information, motorcycle road tests, product reviews, touring articles, information useful to passengers, info on how to get into racing, profiles of female leaders and historical figures, and motorcycle lifestyle articles. In addition, readers are invited to submit stories and photos about their motorcycling experiences. The site also includes a Beginner’s Guide for Women.
“It’s not just a site for women riders, it’s a site about women riders so anyone interested in learning more about the growth, power and influence of women motorcyclists will want to spend time on WomenRidersNow.com,” said Genevieve Schmitt, founder and editor of WomenRidersNow.com.
Schmitt is the owner of Women Riders Now, a marketing and consulting company. She is perhaps best known as the founding editor of Woman Rider magazine, a national all-brands quarterly publication that lasted for four years. “When Woman Rider ceased publishing, there was such an outcry from riders, both women and men, over the loss of their favorite magazine,” Schmitt said. “I felt compelled to continue providing that same type of information, but on a more frequent basis. An online magazine is the best way to do that.
“My mission with WomenRidersNow.com is to educate and inform the motorcycle industry and the general public on the growth and impact of the female riding population. In doing so, my goal is to raise awareness of motorcycling and attract new riders to the sport.” psb

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button