International Dealer News IDN 137 June/July 2017 | Page 56
news ROOM
Many major OEs now
BRIEFS signed up for AIMExpo,
Columbus, Ohio, September 21-24
NEWS
KTM Industries AG has sold its 24
percent minority interest in AGM
Durmont Austria GmbH to the
previous majority owner and parent
company AGM Group of Troy,
Michigan, USA - a multinational
manufacturer of vehicle interiors,
lighting and electronic components
in the automotive industry.
A report in the US says that
sportbike sales dropped by -
4.7% over a 12 month period
that ended in October 2016.
According to the data set put
together by Statistical Surveys
Inc., 75,469 sportbikes were
registered in the United States
during the prior 12 months,
compared to the 79,225
motorcycles that were
registered the previous year.
In the US Polaris has launched
what it says is a first in youth off-
road vehicles – to date the
single-seat Polaris ACE 150 EFI is
the industry’s only single-seat youth
model with a protective cab frame.
It gives kids of 10 years and older
“the single-seat freedom enjoyed
by their adult counterparts,” said
Craig Scanlon, Polaris Off-Road
Vehicles Chief Retail Officer.
US distributor SpeedMob has
added the Italian EVR Special
Parts line of premium race
products to its burgeoning
range of European brand
products. EVR was founded in
1994 by former racer Edo
Vigna – the man credited with
having, in effect, invented the
slipper clutch. EVR produces
world class wet and dry
slipper clutches, carbon fibre
airboxes and other race
components.
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Following the decision to relocate
AIMExpo from Orlando, Florida, to the
midwestern United States, the events
division of the MIC (Motorcycle Industry
Council), which owns and operates the
expo, has announced that it now has
exhibit involvement from “most of the
major OE motorcycle manufacturers
with significant North American sales.”
With the motorcycle division of Polaris
(Indian Motorcycle and Slingshot) and
Harley-Davidson announcing that they
will exhibit for the first time, and BRP
(Bombardier Recreational Products –
Can-Am, See-Doo and Ski-Doo)
renewing their commitment, many
analysts are now forecasting that the
event will have reached “critical mass”
in terms of its ability to attract dealers.
Other motorcycle and powersports
industry vehicle manufacturers to have
confirmed their plans to exhibit include
Honda, American Lifan, KTM, CFMoto,
Textron Off-Road (including the
recently acquired Arctic Cat), Kawasaki,
Suzuki, Kymco, Yamaha, SSR
Motorsports/Benelli, Hisun Motors and
Spanish trials and e-bike specialist
Torrot Gas Gas. Additionally, BMW are
providing corporate demo rides at
AIMExpo Outdoors.
As this edition of IDN went to press, the
only major omissions appear to be
Triumph, Ducati and Piaggio/Vespa,
which is a real surprise, given how well
each claim to be doing in the U.S. and
their stated ambitions to grow their
sales and dealer networks further.
Notable European aftermarket vendors
confirmed already include Akrapovic,
Puig/Motoplastic, Avon Tyres, Beringer
Brakes, Continental, Polisport, EBC
Brakes, Givi, PROX Racing Parts,
Heidenau, Motorex (who are
celebrating their 100th anniversary this
INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JUNE/JULY 2017
Larry Little, Vice President
& General Manager of
organiser MIC Events:
“Some 41% of
powersports dealers and
50% of the US population
reside within 500 miles of
AIMExpo’s new location
in the city of Columbus”
year), SW-Motech, NEXX, Ohlins, UFO
Plast, TecMate, Wind Trading and
Oxford Products.
“At this time, some 80 percent of the
available floorspace is contracted,”
Larry Little, Vice President & General
Manager of organizer MIC Events, told
IDN Magazine when we spoke with him
in June. “Some 41% of powersports
dealers and 50% of the US population
reside within 500 miles of AIMExpo’s
new location in the city of Columbus.
This central location and ease of access
offers all attendees the opportunity to
engage with the greater powersports
industry like never before.
“From a manufacturer’s point of view,
the timing is perfect as it offers an
opportunity for new model year
launches to be shown to a consumer
audience soon after the ranges have
been introduced to dealers.”
AIMExpo is trade only for its first two
days, September 21/22, followed by
two public/consumer days at the
weekend, September 23/24, a schedule
that provides the North American
powersports industry with a similar
expo formula to the one that has been
commonplace at world leading
motorcycle industry shows such as
INTERMOT (Cologne, Germany) and
EICMA (Milan, Italy).
Little went on to say that “the show’s
platform was created to shine a
spotlight on American industry as well
as the world’s largest recreational
powersports market. The European
style two-day trade/two-day consumer
attendance formula will mean all our
500 plus exhibitors will be appreciated
by media, trade and consumer
audiences alike.”
www.aimexpousa.com