“ we needed to strengthen TR in the V-twin market”
Motion Pro: The latest news from the Loomis, California based tools, cables and accessory specialist is of their appointment by the AMA as the official tool, control and cable support for this year’ s American Flat Track series. Seen here is Motion Pro V-twin program Product Planner Joe Fratis( left) with General Manager Kevin Veltfort; www. motionpro. com
Feuling Parts: Luke Leatherman, left, and Gene Sheehan- the new products blitz from the Mojave, California performance specialist is set to continue this year as they continue to build the Feuling legacy, growing the brand into a premier USA made performance component program; www. feulingparts. com one step we have decisively done that. TR now accounts for more than half of the U. S. sales of the MAG brands and has grown our V-twin market sales in the face of a weak market – we are now seeing significant sales volumes in the V-twin sector, and we have momentum.“ Secondly, Tucker Rocky is now a much larger supplier to our retail group. We have been able to move some of that sourcing volume from other third parties and distributors. We and our vendors are seeing big wins as a result.“ The wins come in the synergies too. Just to give you one example, we were able to move the inventory being supplied from Kuryakyn’ s relatively small and expensive warehouse at Somerset, Wisconsin, and not just consolidate it into the five-outlet Tucker Rocky distribution center footprint, but in doing so considerably grow the available inventory and improve speed and cost-efficiency to our dealers.“ As another example, we have also been able to move our QuadBoss ATV / UTV products brand and others, especially our own apparel brands, into our Brand Group, and that works really well. Yes, there is that cultural impact, but the result has been a powerfully improved business unit. Again, we’ re no longer looking internally for fixes now, we are concentrating on looking externally for the opportunities to grow sales.” Moving forward, what does Graves see as being those opportunities, and what are the challenges that the combined business may yet have to face?“ Well, like everyone else, we have to eye what the general forecasts are for the market ahead and our‘ flat to modestly down’ industry scenario is consistent with the estimates that the likes of Harley and Polaris are giving themselves.“ Maybe our forecasts will prove overly cautious, I’ ll take that; but it is better to outperform modest expectations than to fail to meet over-ambitious targets. Like us, I think a lot of people in the powersports parts and accessories market are seeing
some cause for optimism. It may well be that there is a degree of post-election improvement, and if there is, and if that translates into more people spending more money on parts for their motorcycles and the other recreational vehicles we have
Avon Tyres: North American Account Manager Don Argento told AMD that the US owned British tire maker is running a new consumer reward program through to the end of April that can see customers receive a $ 50 prepaid card by mail when they purchase a set of two qualifying Avon Cobra tires, or $ 20 for a front and $ 30 for a rear.“ The Cobra tread design resists uneven wear and tracking on irregular road surfaces, while the distinctive snakeskin effect sidewall makes these tires a real head turner,” says Don; www. avonmoto. com
Arlen Ness Enterprises and LePera: Recent new products from the Dublin, California based performance and accessory specialist Arlen Ness include extensions to their award-winning‘ Big Sucker’ air cleaner program with a 90 degree turn kit with hidden breather technology for 2017 M8 Tourers(“ Monster
Sucker”); forged aluminum speaker grills and CNC-machined billet aluminum gauge trim. Recent additions from the North Holywood, California based seat manufacturer LePera include the race inspired‘ Daytona Sport’- proof that race styling doesn’ t have to mean uncomfortable! Available in smooth, Diamond or pleated style stitching for almost all Harleys, LePera are still hand-crafting all their seats after nearly 45 years as the market’ s design leader. All LePera seats feature a powder-coated steel base plate and a specially poured high-density“ Marathon” molded foam foundation; www. arlenness. com; www. lepera. com
24 AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER- APRIL 2017 www. AMDchampionship. com