Honda dealer optimistic for brand’s future

Some 2015 models are expected to draw in buyers to Dreyer South Powersports

“I’m a Honda guy. If you look in my garage, I’ve got everything Honda,” Steve St. John, told Powersports Business.

St. John has been a Honda fan since he began working at a Honda dealership in the early 1970s. Since 2005, he has owned Dreyer Honda South in Whiteland, Ind., a 2013 Powersports Business Power 50 dealership. His store, now known as Dreyer South Powersports, was single-line until EBR, CFMOTO and KTM were added this year to complement his Honda product.

Like many Honda backers, St. John has always been attracted to the quality of the Japanese OEM’s product.

“One of the cool things with Honda is when customers come in, whatever they happen to land on — whether it’s a sport bike, cruiser, whatever it is — with Honda I never have to explain quality, warranty, features and benefits. They almost always will come up with, ‘I know the Honda’s better,’” he said, adding that many customers already own Honda automobiles or outdoor power equipment.

St. John has leaned for years on knowing that Honda will stop its lines if something is amiss, and he’ll never receive a bike that isn’t up to par. Now he’s hoping Honda will continue its positive reputation with more innovation and products that will reinvigorate the industry.

Best sellers

At Dreyer South Powersports, some of the best-selling motorcycles are the 250cc and 500cc sport bikes, which have done well with the younger crowd.

Those, along with the CTX and the Grom, have brought in new buyers. The CTX has been attracting older riders who haven’t ridden in decades, or who want to take up riding for the first time. The Grom is attracting a younger crowd.

“That is a neat machine. The public responded to the advertising and all the magazines,” St. John said.

However, with the Grom, the issue has been availability. St. John has had only four Groms in his dealership this year, two of which came directly from Honda and two that were purchased from other dealerships.

“The Grom is one bike that when we get one, we sell it. I haven’t had one on the showroom for probably three months,” St. John said.

Also moving well have been the F6B and the Gold Wing, though he’s hoping to see more updates to the Gold Wing in the coming years.

“If someone has a 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 — you’ve got to give them a reason to trade them in,” St. John explained.

2015 models

As St. John was waiting for the 2015 Honda motorcycles to hit his showroom in late September, he was expecting some of the new and updated models to be a hit.

“The ’15 bikes, that new 300 Honda, the sport bike and the naked bike, those are due in here any day now, and we’ve got people interested in those now,” he said.

Customers have also shown interest in the new Gold Wing colors and in the F6B models that now come with cruise control.

“We do some of those trike builds as well, and we’re interested in getting one of those 2015 40th Anniversary Edition [Gold Wings], and we want to do a trike build on that,” St. John added. The dealership works with Champion Trikes and California Sidecar to create trike conversions.

Also awaiting modifications will be new Honda Furys.

“People always like them, and they’ve got a new color that I think is pretty cool,” St. John reported.

In addition to the two-wheeled vehicles, St. John is happy to see new ATVs being delivered. He thinks the new snow plow and winch accessories will help him move those units.

“The Honda ATVs, the 2015s are coming in now, and they’ve made some pretty nice changes,” he said. “They’ve got some neat features that they’ve not have before.”

Looking into the future

Though St. John says he’d like to see Honda add some fresh features and new models to its lineup, he’d also like to see the industry as a whole do more to promote riding.

“There just seems to be, I don’t know if it’s a lack of awareness, understanding or what, but that needs to be built back up,” he said.

St. John is hopeful that with the right marketing, the industry, and Honda, will grow. Ideally, he’d like to see Honda regain its market leadership and claim 50-60 percent of the market. That being said, he continues to stock the full line of Honda product to show his customers his commitment to the brand.

“It’s really a disservice to the customer when people don’t carry stuff. Pick a line and believe in it and believe in it wholeheartedly,” he said.

He’s remaining positive and thinks everyone in the industry could benefit from doing the same.

“I’m thinking of the fall being really good for me, especially with the new things I have coming, instead of ‘It’s getting to be cold, and business is going to suck, and I won’t be selling until March again,’” he said. “I think people have to somehow be upbeat. They’ve got to be optimistic.”