International Dealer News IDN 155 June/July 2020 | Page 12

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KTM production restarts
On May 5th, PIERER Mobility AG
announced that KTM would end
the short-term working
implemented for all 3,800
employees and restart
production on May 11.
Citing what it describes as
"positive signals from reopened
markets", Europe's largest
motorcycle manufacturer quoted
Italian supply chain interruptions
as among the reasons for its
decision to suspend production
in March.
"Due to the resumption of
production by Italian supplier
companies in the last week,
motorcycle production now
restarts on Monday May 11,
2020 in several steps, until full
operation on May 18, 2020.
"The sales figures from
Scandinavia and regions such as
Austria, Germany and China,
where the dealers have already
opened, give a positive
outlook." In addition, due to the
COVID 19-related measures, KTM
anticipates that the two-wheeler
will become increasingly
important for private transport.
"Short-time work for the
approximately 3,800 employees
at all Austrian locations thus
ends at the end of May," said
Stefan Pierer, CEO of PIERER
Mobility AG. He went on to thank
his employees by saying: "Thank
you for your perseverance.
Together we will withstand this
crisis and emerge strengthened
from it!"
OptiMate battery-saving 'insurance'
The COVID-19 pandemic is changing
everyone's daily habits, except for at
least one - that 'bad' habit of
forgetting to charge and maintain a
motorcycle battery.
It is only once the rider finds out the
battery is dead that they realise they
need a solution that will save their
riding plans. TecMate's range of
OptiMate battery saving chargers "are
able to save dead-flat batteries other
chargers can't - it's battery 'insurance'
for rider and dealer alike".
In the past dealers may have been
tempted to think, "why sell battery
chargers able to save riders' batteries
when instead I could be selling more
batteries?" Well, that kind of thinking
just doesn't sit well with consumers
these days and, besides, there are two
solid business reasons for carrying
OptiMate battery saving chargers.
If a battery is still within the warranty
period, there's almost always a dispute
with the customer about who is at
fault, and telling a customer he's been
foolish never ends well. It almost
always ends with the dealer having to
eat the claim just to maintain
goodwill.
Customers come back because of
good service, so a dead battery is a
golden opportunity to retail their
loyalty if it is handled creatively. "My
tip is to use an OptiMate PRO battery
charger to bring that battery back to
life and then sell a single-user
OptiMate to the rider as an 'insurance
policy'. You can also upsell each
battery sale with an OptiMate to add
value to the sale and make a customer
into a friend you help to never have
battery issues," says TecMate's Martin
Human.
"When it comes to saving batteries,
OptiMate knows how to save AGM,
GEL and STD lead-acid batteries as
well as Lithium (LiFePO4) batteries -
we have been doing it since 1994 and
the OptiMate 3 is the most trusted
battery charger for riders and
motorcycle OEMs alike, able to save a
12V lead-acid battery from as low as
2 volt, with the OptiMate 4 dual
OptiMate 4 dual programme
programme going lower still to 0.5 volt
and offering even more
comprehensive recovery methods.
"When it comes to 12.8V
Lithium/LiFePO4 batteries, they do
need special care when voltage has
dropped below 8 volt.
"The OptiMate Lithium 4s0.8A,
OptiMate lithium 4S 5 amp
known as the rider's charger, and
OptiMate Lithium 4s5A, the
PRO/dealer level charger, are able to
save a Lithium battery from as low as
0.5 volt, or it will warn if that battery
has suffered fatal damage.
"OptiMate's propriety 'test and save'
recovery technology continuously
measures the battery's reaction as it
applies gentle pulsed current and, if
normal, it continues charging, if not, it
stops and warns that the battery is
unserviceable. That's why OptiMate
Lithium chargers are globally
recommended by Honda, Yamaha,
Kawasaki and KTM, and Husqvarna
have their own co-branded OptiMate
Lithium.
"If an OptiMate battery saving charger
cannot successfully bring a 'dead'
battery back to life, nothing can," says
Martin.
www.optimate1.com
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