American Motorcycle Dealer AMD 230 September 2018 | Page 6

SMC Announces Brand
BRIEFS Partnerships and LA,
NY Expansion Plans
NEWS
Though still on low volumes, Indian
Motorcycle is up to 12th place in
market share terms in Germany for
the year through July 2018, with
778 units sold YTD for a 0.94%
share, its highest yet. The company
sold 445 units YTD in 2017.
With the final attendance
figures due for release in
October, provisional estimates
put 2018 Sturgis Rally
attendance up by anywhere
between 5% and nearly 8% -
with South Dakota Department
of Transportation (DOT)
showing an estimated 505,969
vehicles entering the City of
Sturgis traffic during the 10
days of the Rally, compared to
469,100 in 2017.
French motorcycle workshop
equipment manufacturer Marolo Test
celebrated its 60th anniversary this
summer with an open house and
party for distributors, vendors, press
and local dignitaries. Best known for
its wide range of advanced design
workshop lift options, Marolo is a
favorite with authorized Harley
dealers as well aftermarket shops.
Zero Motorcycles was the 18th
placed motorcycle
manufacturer in Germany in
market share terms for the first
seven months of 2018 - on
small volumes it was up
modestly on its 2017
equivalent performance, selling
109 units YTD.
Red Torpedo, a British apparel brand,
signed Jared Mees as a Brand
Ambassador. CEO Bill Gordon said
that “Flat Track is the most exciting
and challenging motorcycle racing
sport on the U.S. calendar. As a
brand that pushes the boundaries in
terms of our design and production
values and is rooted in motorcycle
racing, the fit with Jared Mees is
perfect”.
Hamsters USA say they raised
$282,000 during the Sturgis
Rally, with money going to
Lifescape Children’s care in
Rapid City SD. “The Hamsters”
have raised and donated funds
at their annual meeting for the
last 13 years; this year’s event
brings their cumulative total to
over $3m in total dollars raised.
Lifescape nominated Hamsters
USA to be inducted into the
Sturgis Museum Hall of Fame
this year.
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Best known for “building strategic
media programs in the motorcycle
industry through non-traditional and
non-endemic media projects,” Jason
Paul Michaels of Standard Motorcycle
Co (SMC) in Orlando, Florida has
announced three new official brand
partnerships.
He is teaming up formally with Indian
Motorcycle (along with Roland Sands
and Cary Hart), Baume & Mercier (a
top-end Swiss watch manufacturer)
and Motul (which entered the V-twin
oil market earlier this year).
These brands are leveraging Jason’s
ability to “legitimately and
authentically relate to their consumers,
with a single goal in mind - to help
them build next-generation brand
loyalists.”
“The partnerships my team and I have
forged with Indian, B&M, and Motul
are
some
our
greatest
accomplishments to date,” Jason says.
“With these and other strategic
partnerships we have a single focus -
to help our partner brands align with
the growing millennial and gen-x
luxury segments and leverage our
extensive relationships.”
SMC broke ground in Orlando, FL just
over two years ago and features a
unique combination of full-service
custom motorcycle shop, DIY co-op
garage, barber shop and hair salon,
coffee shop, retail and music venue. In
its two years to date SMC has
experienced rapid growth and signed
multiple new brand partnerships along
the way.
SMC has also announced expansion
plans for a Long Beach California
location (in partnership with Jay
LaRossa of Lossa Engineering), with a
Brooklyn, NY location slated for late
2019.
Jason Paul Michaels has co-starred
with AMC’s Walking Dead’s, Norman
Reedus on RIDE, has consulted for
Roland Sands Design as well as other
MAG Group brands and works with the
MIC (Motorcycle Industry Council) on
behalf of the growing