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Having had to cancel the event entirely in 2020 , the 40th annual NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway have been rescheduled to April 30-May 2 . The 22-race 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season kicks off at the Gainesville Raceway at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals , March 11-14 .

The Polaris Inc Board of Directors has approved a 2 % increase in its regular quarterly cash dividend , payable on March 15 , 2021 to shareholders of record at COB on March 1 . This will be the 26th consecutive year of dividend increases for Polaris shareholders .

Final proof that 2020 was a really , really bad year for motorcycle events - the New Hampshire offices of Laconia Motorcycle Week were destroyed by fire on Christmas Day with over 100 years ' worth of records , archives , memorabilia , photographs lost , and the office cat killed in the blaze . The organizers are still hoping to be able to stage the 2021 rally - June 12 through 20 .

Meanwhile in Europe , some 230 or more classic motorcycles ( mostly rare or very rare ) have been destroyed in a fire that reduced the world ' s highest motorcycle museum to ashes . Located more than 8,000 ft ( 2,000 m ) high in the Austrian / Italian Alps , Austria ' s ' Top Mountain Motorcycle Museum ' at the crosspoint where Austria and Italy meet high in Timmelsjoch Pass - a popular riding route with motorcyclists . The museum was founded in 2016 by twin brothers Alban and Attila Scheiber as a way to show off their personal collection of mostly European marques , though in 2020 it hosted a wellreceived exhibition of important and rare Indian motorcycle examples .

Parts Europe has started selling the Tazer MX Pro e-MTB that is sold in Europe by Intense Europe . The range is made in the USA and this deal is an extension of the one between PE parent company LeMans that sees Parts Unlimited selling the range in the USA . Based on Intense ' s popular Tazer e-bicycle , the MX Pro has added MX pedigree with components from the likes of Öhlins , Renthal , Magura , ODI and Shimano ' s new EP8 motor and drivetrain .

18 AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - MARCH 2021

Polaris has reported fourth quarter adjusted sales increased by + 24 % to $ 2,156m , with full year sales + 4 % to $ 7,028m . North American retail sales increased + 28 % for the quarter compared to 2019 , led by strength in Off Road Vehicles ( ORV ), Motorcycles and Snow . " Boats retail sales were also strong during the quarter ." Motorcycles segment sales , including PG & A , totaled $ 147m , up + 23 % compared to the fourth quarter of 2019 , driven primarily from increased sales of Slingshot and PG & A . Gross profit for the segment in the fourth quarter of 2020 was $ 1m compared to a $ 5m loss in the fourth quarter of 2019 . " The increase in gross profit margin was driven by improved quality driving lower warranty costs , along with a decrease in promotional costs offset somewhat , by negative product mix as more mid-sized vehicles were sold during the quarter and increased costs from supply chain constraints . " North American consumer retail sales for Indian Motorcycle increased lowthirties percent during the fourth

quarter of 2020 in a weak mid to heavyweight two-wheel motorcycle industry that was down mid-single digits percent . North American consumer retail sales for Polaris ' motorcycle segment , including both Indian Motorcycle and Slingshot , increased high-thirties percent during the fourth quarter of 2020 , while the North American motorcycle industry retail sales for mid to heavyweight motorcycles including three-wheel vehicles , was down low-single digits percent in the fourth quarter of 2020 . Adjusted gross profit margin was 25.6 %, up 95 basis points versus last year , primarily due to positive product mix and lower promotional costs , offset somewhat , by costs related to supplier constraints . Full year operating cash flow finished at a record $ 1.019bn . Gross profit increased 30 % to $ 550m for the fourth quarter of 2020 from

Diluted Net income per share : $ 3.15 $ 1.58 $ 1.99 $ 5.20

$ 423m in the fourth quarter of 2019 . Reported gross profit margin was 25.5 % of sales for the fourth quarter of 2020 , up 112 basis points compared to 24.4 % of sales for the fourth quarter of 2019 . The improvement in gross profits was primarily driven by positive product mix and lower promotional costs incurred during the quarter , offset somewhat by costs related to supplier constraints . Off- Road Vehicles and Snowmobiles segment sales , including PG & A , totaled $ 1,468m for the fourth quarter of 2020 , up 29 % compared to $ 1,140m for the fourth quarter of 2019 driven by broad based strength across ATV and side-by-side sales . ORV wholegood sales for the fourth quarter of 2020 increased 33 %. Polaris North American ORV retail sales increased low-thirties percent for the quarter , with side-by-side vehicles up high-thirties percent and ATV

vehicles up high-teens percent . Snowmobile wholegood sales in the fourth quarter of 2020 were $ 183m , up four percent compared to $ 176m in the fourth quarter last year . The Company announced its sales and adjusted earnings guidance for the full year 2021 . Sales are expected

to increase to the range of $ 7,950m to $ 8,150m , an increase of 13 % to 16 % over 2020 adjusted sales of $ 7,025m , and adjusted net income is expected to be in the range of $ 8.45 to $ 8.75 per diluted share for the full year 2021 compared to adjusted net income of $ 7.74 per diluted share for 2020 . The full year 2021 earnings guidance includes an increase in tariff costs of approximately

Interim Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Inc . Mike Speetzen : " The Polaris team once again demonstrated its strength and agility to deliver a strong finish to an exceptionally unusual year ." www . AMDchampionship . com