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We were saddened to hear of the death of Ken Boyko at the end of August . After his time at DG Performance Specialties in the 1970s and 80s he went on to be a cofounder of exhaust specialist Cobra Engineering ( Yorba Linda , CA .) but his influence , contacts and friendships represented so much more . Ken was a major figure in the parts and accessories industry , on the West Coast , nationally and internationally - he and his astute marketing ' savvy ' were a regular and familiar presence at shows in Europe as well as in the USA . He had a connoisseur-grade motorcycle collection and pioneered the development of the so-called ' Metric Custom ' segment , commissioning pioneering Japanese platform customs that did much to shape the wider future of the custom motorcycle market . He played an important role in the development of the MIC Aftermarket Committee and was a tireless advocate for the motorcycle industry . Kudos to Ken for a ' life well lived ', our appreciation for what he did four our industry , and our condolences to his family and friends .
Domestic U . S . industry magazine Powersports Business ( PSB ) has sparked consternation by shifting the date of its annual ' Accelerate ' industry conference from its established November date at Atlanta , Georgia , to an already crowded first quarter . Its 2025 conference will be staged at Charlotte , NC , on January 19-22 , 2025 .
On the one hand , British paper Motorcycle News ( MCN ) has voted the H-D LiveWire S2 platform ' Del Mar ' as its # 1 Electric Motorcycle for 2024 . On the other , the NHTSA in the United States has issued a recall that affects pretty much every S2 LiveWire model made . A potential electrical fault with a fuse means that the motor could stop working without notice . In the 21st century ' s ' Spend don ' t Mend ' culture , an entire high voltage fuse unit assembly needs to be replaced .
AIMExpo : New Digital & Tech Hub for Dealer Solutions
In its ever-evolving search for compelling content , AIMExpo ( Las Vegas , February 5-7 , 2025 ) has announced a new Digital & Tech Sector Hub - a dedicated space for brands and vendors offering the latest technical and digital solution " to help dealers take their businesses to the next level ." Here , dealers can easily visit a nexus of companies " offering the latest innovations " and can take part in Tech Talks - small-group discussions with tech leaders who can help them approach opportunities and challenges from a new perspective . " Every day , technology plays a greater role in making businesses more efficient , more profitable , and more sustainable ," said Cinnamon Kernes , Vice President , Market Expansion , at the Motorcycle Industry Council . " We ' re inviting all attendees to stop by The Digital & Tech Sector , centrally located on the show floor , and visit with some of the country ' s leading digital solution providers and take advantage of fireside-chat style Tech Talks ." Kearns said that the concept of a Digital & Tech Sector was created when Bob Lettis , Sr . VP , Business Development & Partnerships at 700Credit , and Chris Yeloushan , VP of Dealer Development and Industry Relations at Rollick , Inc ., approached the AIMExpo team after the 2024 show with the idea of curating such a space to make it easier for dealers to connect with this important , fast growing market segment . " We listened to direct dealer feedback , which led us to seek an easy way to create a digital tech hub that would feature the top digital solutions companies in the industry ," said Yeloushan . " By consolidating these innovative partners in a single place
Chris Yeloushan , VP of Dealer Development at Rollick . Along with Bob Lettis Sr . VP of Business Development at 700Credit , they approached AIMexpo with the Digital and Tech Hub concept .
and providing Tech Talks , dealers have the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation and problemsolving sessions with one another and with our panel speakers . AIMExpo provides the perfect platform for this experience , given its impact in the industry by recognizing the role technology plays in today ' s dealerships ." Bob Lettis added " technology is driving the industry , and it ' s important for dealers to adapt and adopt new innovations so they don ' t get left behind . Since dealer needs are not all the same , we wanted to make it easier for dealers to quickly see how some of the latest software can help them enhance their sales processes , and having this central hub allows them to quickly evaluate multiple options and offerings . " We thought AIMExpo would be the perfect place to showcase The Digital & Tech Sector because it is the premier event for the powersports community to connect and learn ." Brands already slated to be participating in The Digital & Tech Sector include : 700Credit , Accelerate2Compliance , AppOne , Auto Data Direct , Avonbrook Software Solutions , Cycle News - Digital Throttle , Cycle Trader , Data Here-to-There Inc ., Dealer Spike , FlexPath DXP , Horsepower Financial , Impel , LeadHelm , Lightspeed , Podium , Rollick , Inc ., Service Manager Pro and ZPlan , Spader Business Management / NCM Associates , Statistical Surveys , Inc . and The Accounting Guys . 48 AFTERMARKET MOTO DESIGN - OCTOBER 2024 www . AMDmag . com