“ Commerce, Content, Community” Kenan Ikels, VP Sales & Marketing, Tucker Rocky / Biker’ s Choice
“ Commerce, Content, Community” Kenan Ikels, VP Sales & Marketing, Tucker Rocky / Biker’ s Choice
Words by Robin Bradley robin @ dealer-world. com
Pictures by Sara Viney sara @ dealer-world. com
In the first of two distributor shows held back to back in February, AMD reports on the Tucker Rocky & Biker’ s Choice Dealer and Brand Expo held just north of Dallas, Texas, February 8 & 9
Given the well documented difficulties that the Motorsport Aftermarket Group has been through recently, it came as a pleasant surprise that the overall‘ vibe’ and‘ atmospherics’ at their recent Dealer and Brand Expo were so positive. While there are some third-party vendors that remain concerned at the way the bankruptcy reorganization filing in November has affected them, the majority have managed to arrive at an accommodation with Tucker Rocky and Biker’ s Choice that, at worst, provides somewhat of a satisfactory way out of a less than ideal situation. The positive message of“ business as( near as possible to) usual” that the company’ s management had communicated before the show was
www. AMDchampionship. com largely playing out- probably better than anybody could have hoped. Vendors exhibited, dealers visited, sales reps wrote orders, everyone got to deliver on the first of the“ three pillars of wisdom” with which Sales and Marketing VP Kenan Ikels’ team had approached the event.
There were 140 brands exhibiting at the show including 14 house brands from Tucker Rocky and Biker’ s Choice( such as Twin Power and BikeMaster); MAG business units such as Vance & Hines, Burly Brand, Performance Machine and Progressive Suspension, RSD hard parts( the Performance
Group), Kuryakyn and Mustang Seats( the Accessories Group) Speed & Strength, Black Brand, Answer Racing, Firstgear and RSD Apparel( the California based MAG Apparel Group) plus notable businesses from the Off Road Group such as Renthal, Dragonfire, Quad Boss and ProTaper.
‘ positive atmosphere’
So, the content was certainly there, for the V-twin,‘ mainstream’ and off-road sectors of the market. Despite four years of market decline and the recent difficulties, the overwhelming sense among the exhibitors was a positive one where the prospects for 2018 are concerned- especially among the hard parts, accessories, service, tuning and performance community. One of the classic signposts to market optimism, in any market, is investments in R & D and new products and in brand and product promotion, and in both respects the show was a success. It was content-rich in terms of new products for dealers to get excited about( look for the reports in this and upcoming editions), and if we here at AMD Magazine are a bellwether of marketing dollars, then yes, vendors are anticipating better sales this season. Regardless of the background to the acquisition of the MAG businesses by former Tucker Rocky owner Lacy Diversified in early 2014, and regardless of the market decline and debt servicing burden that brought about the reorganization filing in November 2017, the company is currently well
AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER- MARCH 2018 17