MPN - January 2010

J a n u a r y 2 0 1 0 V O L . 3 6 N O . 1 W W W . M P N M A G . C O M

u Service Supply Showdown u New Gizmos & Gadgets u V-Twin Expo Sneak Peak

uDestination Dealership: Utah Dealer Blends Heritage with a Green Approach

Rubber RundownSize Up Your Street Tires

Lids To Love2010 Street Helmet Lineup

Family AffairThe Klock’s Record-Setting Clan

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4 January 2010 www.MPNmag.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 V O L . 3 5 N O . 1 1 W W W . M P N M A G . C O M

u Service Supply Showdown u New Gizmos & Gadgets u V-Twin Expo Sneak Peak

uDestination Dealership: Utah Dealer Blends Heritage with a Green Approach



Family AffairThe Klock’s Record-Setting Clan



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MPN (ISSN 0164-8349) is published monthly and is distributed without

charge to qualifi ed motorcycle retail professionals by Athletic Business

Publications Inc., 4130 Lien Rd., Madison, WI 53704-3602. Change of Address: In order to ensure uninterrupted delivery of MPN, notice

should be made at least fi ve weeks in advance. Direct all subscription

mail to MPN, PO Box 47705, Plymouth MN 55447, call 800-869-6882 or

fax 866-658-6156. For faster service, visit us online at mpnmag.com.

Single copy price is $8 (Buyers Guide–$50). Subscription price is $55 for

12 issues in the U.S.A./Canada/Mexico. International subscription via

air mail is $130. Periodicals postage paid at Madison, Wisconsin, and at

additional mailing offi ces. Postmaster: Send address changes to MPN,

PO Box 47705, Plymouth MN 55447. © Athletic Business Publications

Inc., 2010 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Reproduction in whole or part is

prohibited. MPN is a trademark of Athletic Business Publications Inc.

Canadian Publications Agreement No. PM40063731. Canadian Mail

Distribution Information: PB IMS, Station A, P.O. Box 54, Windsor,

ON N9A 6J5.

Departments

Shop Talk

24

The Road Ahead 6Spare Parts 8Destination Dealership 10The Crew at Timpanogos Harley-Davidson

built an eco-friendlier facility, and it shows

BY MARILYN STEMP

Essentials 54V-Twin Product 56Marketplace 58Ad Index 58

Street Lid Lineup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Find out what’s new in street helmets from the industry’s top manufacturers

Gadgets & Gizmos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Get your fi ll of techno jargon with this electronic accessories overviewBY DOUG DALSING

Family Affair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28This family has speed in its bloodBY LEE KLANCHER

Size Up Your Street Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32The new year brings with it new tires

V-Twin Expo Preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Sneak peaks from some of the Expo’s top exhibitors

Focus on Service Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Get briefed on the latest cleaners, oils and lubes

How To Hackett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Communication: Your Path to Nirvana

BY OTIS HACKETT

Best Operators Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Examining The BOC’s October Numbers

BY STEVE JONES

Peak Dealership Performance . . 50The Powerful Art of Persuasion

BY MARK RODGERS

Lessons Learned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52Put Your Resolution in Writing

BY ROD STUCKEY

Practice What You Preach . . . . . . . . . . . 53Gettin’ Robbed is No Fun for Nobody

BY WILLIAM DOUGLAS LITTLE

ON THE COVER – – – – – – – – –– – – – – – – – –

Karlee Cobb Takes on the salt fl atsin this shot by Dave Sietsema

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Contents January 2010

Volume 36 Number 1

www.mpnmag.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

TABLE OF

Shop Talkk

follow MPN on @MPNmag

28Salt Flats Family

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http://twitter.com/MPNmag

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EDITORIALEditor

Colleen Brousil [email protected]

Assistant Editor

Doug [email protected]

Columnists

Otis Hackett, Steve Jones, William Douglas Little, Mark Rodgers, Rod Stuckey

Contributors

Cooper Brown, Lee Klancher, Marilyn Stemp

ARTElectronic Production Manager/

Art Director

Marjorie [email protected]

Production Assistant

Scott Packel

ONLINEOnline Producers

Susan Bickler, Erika Reise

Web Programmer

Alex Malyutin

ADVERTISING SALESAssociate Publisher

Dean [email protected] (866) 616-1635 ext. 130

PUBLISHERMPN/Athletic Business Publications Inc.4130 Lien Road, Madison, WI 53704

Phone: (866) 616-1635 • Fax: (608) 249-1153

CEO

Gretchen Kelsey Brown

President

Peter Brown

Group Publisher

Shawn Gahagan

Administration Director &

Controller

Sharon Siewert

Audience Development Director

Jennifer Boyd

Audience Development Coordinator

Colleen Wenos

Email Marketing Coordinator

Lisa Popke

THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS

the company could not

prosper under anyone

else, i.e, Erik Buell

himself; this way, there

remains one storied American

V-Twin OEM banner (notice

“under license from Harley-

Davidson” in Erik Buell’s

new-venture announcement

and that his new bikes “may not

be registered for street use” —

H-D is keeping future Buells off

our highways for a reason).

Regarding H-D’s recent 11th-

hour fl at track decision, sadly,

I’m reminded of a line from the

movie “Offi ce Space,” where

business consultants give their

feelings on the proper time to

fi re employees: “We fi nd it’s

always better to fi re people on a

Friday. Studies have statistically

shown that there’s less chance

of an incident if you do it at the

end of the week.” Now, a No.

1 plate-holding racer must

scramble to fi nd a race team for

an upcoming season — not good

for the sport or our industry.

The fact H-D refuses to

relinquish control of Buell but

conceded to sell MV Agusta

and then disrespectfully cut

off a fl at track team casts

a shadow on the company.

Allowing Buell to go forward

unteathered could only result

in the forward progress of

the American motorcycle. I

fear Erik Buell’s efforts will

be stifl ed by a rights holder

ultimately wary of his success;

H-D has done little as of late to

make me think otherwise.

Here’s to the new year and

your success as a dealership.

If you think I’m full of it, or if

you just want to see whether

that beard I’m sporting in my

column photo is real, pay MPN

a visit by dropping by V-Twin

Expo booth 2408 or Dealer

Expo booth 1121.t

Doug Dalsing is assistant editor

for Motorcycle Product News.

Before we discuss

the juicy parts, let

me point out some

changes to this edition

of MPN. First, editor Colleen

Brousil was kind enough to let

me have a crack at the staff

column, and don’t be surprised

if you see me again. Second, this

is the fi rst issue of MPN without

news content; we realize printed

news is a tad stale upon delivery,

so we’re keeping you up-to-date

exclusively online and via our

weekly enews e-mail blasts.

And now, one company that has,

unfortunately, been dominating

our news content lately, is

Harley-Davidson …

It seems the broken pieces

just keep piling up for H-D.

You know the facts: within

the past few months, H-D

decided to close Buell, divest

MV Agusta and restructure a

labor agreement in York, Pa.;

recently, it “pulled the plug”

on its Wrecking Crew fl at track

racing team, as reported by

Cycle News. The Buell and MV

Agusta moves came about as

the company decided it must

concentrate on its core brand:

American V-Twin cruisers,

orange and black, leather. For

the folks in York, luckily, H-D

agreed to stay, but there’s

no doubt those workers are

somewhat disappointed. As

reported by the Associated

Press, wage freezes, increased

out-of-pocket medical costs,

a decrease in vacation days,

and an approximate halving of

its workforce were just some

of the union’s concessions. No

doubt, however, H-D’s national

Plant-Scouting Tour ‘09 was

intended to scare York workers

into submission, a popular tactic

when dealing with unionized

labor in America.

I completely understand

why H-D wanted to dump

Buell and MV Agusta, why

it had to wring concessions

from workers in York, and

why it had to reduce fl at track

racing funding, however, the

obvious rear-guard tactics it

has used the past few months is

disappointing and detrimental

to its image in the United

States. Why not sell or spin off

Buell? After all, that’s what it’s

doing with MV Agusta. Clearly,

H-D closed Buell but retained

rights to its motorcycles so

THERoadAHEAD

By Doug Dalsing

Staff

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Garage Envy?

These guys got it bad

— the motorcycle itch, I

mean. The heroes profi led

in MPN’s own Lee Klancher’s

latest book, Motorcycle

Dream Garages, are text-book

motorcycle junkies. The book

includes stories on über-

rich junkies like “Jack,” — a

Hollywood tycoon with a MTT

Turbine Superbike in his

collection — and Jay Leno,

who resorted to keeping an

Excel spreadsheet on his

collection. And then there

are the stories about the

tragic mechanics, restorers

and one-off parts builders

who keep bikes as in-home

centerpieces or who keep

parts in permanent storage

on the lawn, people like

SoCal’s George Hood or New

York City’s Hugh Mackie. With

the help of other contributors,

Klancher has assembled

a phenomenal collection

of words and photos on

the machines and one-off

personalities that make this

industry so appealing. To

order copies, visit

www.motorbooks.com t

Legendary MotorcyclesYou’re not just selling bikes — there’s a whole

culture that comes with that amalgamation of

steel, fi re and rubber, and customers want in

on it! Motorbooks’ Legendary Motorcycles 2010

calendar is a great primer on motorcycle history

for $13.99. The calendar features 12” x 12” photos

of bikes owned by pop culture legends — like

Elvis Presley, James Dean and Steve McQueen

— and industry innovators like Leo Payne, Cal

Rayborn and John Britten. With each photo is a

blurb giving background on the bike or the quirky

personality that rode it. For ordering information,

check out www. motorbooks.com. t

SPAREParts

McQueen Lives OnFew motorcycles exude the rebel ethos like the

Triumph, and few timepieces are as well known

in racing circles as Tag Heuer’s Monaco. The

legendary Steve McQueen wore a Heuer watch

in his 1971 fi lm “Le Mans,” and he was, of course, a die-hard

Triumph racer. McQueen also rode an incognito TT Special 650 Triumph

in 1963’s “The Great Escape” — never mind McQueen and co. painted it olive drab and added

a luggage rack and old seat to make it like a BMW of the era. Anyway, Heuer and Triumph

have teamed up on the Bonneville Heuer, a tribute to the man, watch and motorcycle that

have impacted the powersports world so deeply. The Bonneville Heuer sports a similar blue

and orange paint job as the Gulf-Porsche 917K McQueen’s character drove in “Le Mans,” and

even though the Bonneville is 50 years old, it features some modern performance designs

like EFI and lightweight wheels. For 2010, Triumph is adding to its McQueen-inspired casual

wear, including both a t-shirt and jacket reminiscent of when The King of Cool rode the

International Six Day Trials held in eastern Germany in 1964. For more details on the gear,

visit www.triumph.co.uk/usa.t

G

m

in

la

d

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photos courtesy Timpanogos H-D

We’ve all grumbled

about the mega

motorcycle dealer-

ships, the “garage

mahals,” those monuments to

glitz and gimmick bereft of soul

or authenticity. Most are replete

with all the sterile ambiance of

a big box store.

If that’s been your experience,

take a trip to Lindon, Utah, for

a breath of fresh mountain

air and a distinctly nuanced

approach to the H-D dealer

phenomenon. Visit Timpanogos

Harley-Davidson, “Timp’s” for

short, a shop rooted in the gritty

industrial age that spawned the

American made motorcycle and

the American biker.

Named for the stately

mount Timpanogos that

forms its backdrop, Timp’s

H-D couldn’t be more closely

aligned with the grassroots of

manufacturing in America. In

fact, it’s very structure pays

homage to precisely that.

See, the dealership’s original

owner, Dave Tuomisto, was

mere days ahead of the wreck-

ing ball that destroyed the

Geneva Steel plant, a fi rm

fi xture and decades-long

employer in that part of Utah.

Tuomisto’s goal was to pre-

serve the structural elements

— riveted and latticed beams,

fl ooring, trusses and roofi ng

— of the old factory for use

in the new facility across the

road. Timps honors the town’s

industrial roots in the sheer

physical presence of the mas-

sive architectural components

incorporated into the dealer-

ship’s new building.

“It began as a way to save

some Utah industrial his-

tory and combine the great

American motorcycle with

a great American industry,”

Tuomisto says. This, of course,

was not affected by a late-2009

change in ownership, either,

says operations manager Tony

Dawe. “The only change is in

the ownership. The staff is the

same, the store and building

are the same, we have the

same management team.”

Along the way, the reclama-

tion snowballed into an overall

green approach incorporating

aspects such as large front win-

dows that provide daylight while

reducing electricity use. A full 70

percent of the materials used in

the construction of Timp’s were

recycled from the steel mill and

other area locales.

This might lead you to think

that using salvaged materials

instead of buying new helped cut

expenses, too. Not so. “It costs

more green to be green — $16

million, in fact,” Tuomisto says.

Getting H-D corporate

approval was not an easy

process, Tuomisto adds, but

he persisted and prevailed.

“It’s the only environmentally

friendly building approved by

Harley,” he says proudly. The

staff was pleased when Willie

G. Davidson stopped by to

compliment the effort as con-

struction neared completion.

People coming into Timp’s

for the fi rst time are so in-

terested in the building they

sometimes neglect the

motorcycles. “They look

around and ask, ’What did this

place used to be?’” Tuomisto

says. But Timp’s staff doesn’t

mind, as they point out the

distinctive features of the

building’s construction and

some of the vintage sign col-

lection. “The building itself has

a story to tell about the area’s

history and its people, the

pioneers whose toil made a

difference,” he says.

In recognition of those who

continue to handcraft iconic

American metalwork, Tuomisto

enlisted sculptor Jeff Decker, a

friend whose studio is nearby,

to provide the Joe Petrali

bronze at the dealership’s

entrance. The work sits on a

base made from a counter-

weight, once part of a crane

that was used to harvest gran-

ite for BYU’s Mormon Temple.

“I think the Church would love

to have it back,” Tuomisto adds.

But that’s not going to

happen nor are any of the

other reclaimed materials

going back to their former

places. They’ve found a new

home. “I think you can take

something out of a landfi ll and

turn it into a thing of beauty.

This building shows that we’re

conscious of our environmen-

tal footprint and we hope to

inspire others to take respon-

sibility for theirs.”t

BE A DEST INATIONA Utah H-D Dealer Blends Local Heritage With Corporate Identity and a Green Approach

DESTINATIONDealershipBy Marilyn Stemp

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

MPN_Jan10_Destination.indd 10 12/4/09 1:19 PM

IN RUST WE TRUST

Building green doesn’t mean building lean. Recycling used

materials actually takes way more time and effort than

buying new ones. It costs more, too. “We saved things we

could never have afforded to buy new,” Tuomisto says.

Running just ahead of Geneva Steel’s wrecking crew,

rescued materials included steel beams and trusses, brick

and riveted lattice columns, all of which were incorporated

into the dealership’s structure. Many doors and knobs

came from Geneva’s offi ces, along with windows and wood

framing, and the dealership’s handsome wood fl ooring was

the original roofi ng material of the old mill — and it was three

inches thick, no kidding. Reclaimed lighting fi xtures from

Geneva’s railroad tracks were used in Timp’s eatery, Marley’s

Grill, and, yes, the water tower came from the mill, too.

Other structural parts are from an old Salt Lake City Coca-

Cola plant and an Ogden, Utah, military base. There’s even a

truss from the Ogden train depot dating from the 1870s.

The issue with all of these rich, historic parts and pieces is

that they must be evaluated for proper function, then engineered

and tested to operate safely in their new roles, adding a

distinctive feel without a doubt, but adding cost as well.

What you get when you’re done is authenticity, not “faux”

reality. “The sound resonates, it has the acoustics of a factory,”

Tuomisto says of the dealership’s ambiance. And that echo

of a former industrial powerhouse only adds to the rugged,

hands-on aesthetic that we motorheads appreciate. t

www.MPNmag.com January 2010 11

Timp’s has plenty of space to stage group rides or hold events at the dealership. Snowcapped mountains provide a scenic backdrop.

Classic bikes and classic neon signs add to the shop’s ambience and provide added points of interest for browsing.

The bronze sculpture of legendary racer Joe Petrali was designed and made by artist Jeff Decker, whose studio is located near Timp’s.

MPN_Jan10_Destination.indd 11 12/4/09 1:19 PM


SIX ACRES OF HOSPITALITY

Motorcycle dealerships of this magnitude don’t skimp on

amenities. Timp’s appreciates the customers that come

through their doors and have built in plenty of conveniences and

luxuries to prove it.

There are fl at screen TVs and recliners in the customer

lounge, and showers if you need to wash off a layer of road dust.

Some of the screens show scenic area rides while others offer

Doppler radar forecasts for long distance riders, along with

Internet access. You can watch while your bike is being serviced,

if that’s why you happened in, and if you get hungry, mosey over

to Marley’s Grill for sliders, fries and frozen custard. You can

dine outside on the patio, too, if the weather is agreeable. Timp’s

also rents bikes, they have plenty of bike storage space, and they

operate the Rider’s Edge classes in their own classroom and rid-

ing range. There’s a party deck, a concert venue, tons of

merchandise and apparel and, yes, even motorcycles.

There’s an ongoing pet project, too: One section of the

building’s service area is dedicated to customizing wheel chairs

for handicapped children — including painted fl ames and

chromed bolt-ons. t

The industrial environment complements the subject at hand: motorcycles.

Sliders and fries are the specialty of the house at Marley’s Grill.

MPN_Jan10_Destination.indd 12 12/8/09 8:57 AM

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ARAI’S BRAND NEW

THE ULTIMATE STREET HELMET.

Arai_110 3 12/7/09 12:47 PM

AFX_110 1 12/8/09 7:44 AM


The 2010 class of street lids has hit the shelves, and you’ve gotta

know your stuff. When a customer asks the difference between the

$69 model and the $699 model, you’ve gotta be able to rattle off the

features and benefits of each, because while a budget lid might be

just the ticket for some cost-concious consumers, there are still

plenty more riders who are willing to shell out the big bucks for the

newest bells and whistles. Know your entire helmet range to make

more lucrative sales this spring.

MPN_Jan10_Helmets.indd 17 12/7/09 6:59 AM


1. ARAIArai’s RX-Q is aimed at the “pro street rider, experienced,

not a poser. One who can readily feel and appreciate the

differences built into this thing, who reels off mega-miles

no matter which way the road fl exes, on every kind and

style of bike.” Arai says the RX-Q offers riders a new level

of stability, quietness and comfort in a road helmet. Riders

get an extremely wide peripheral view for better visibility.

Its newly sculpted cheekpad shape cradles the head from

underneath for a level of comfort Arai says needs to be felt

to be believed. The sculpted fl ange under the jaw also blocks

more noise entering the helmet from underneath, the major

source of helmet noise. The RX-Q offers riders a full laundry

list of features that you need to see to believe! The RX-Q

starts retailing at $539.95.

www.araiamericas.com

2. HJCThe all-new CL-16 from HJC is approximately 3.5 ounces

lighter than the model it replaces and is one of the fi rst

helmets to have Snell 2010 approval. It has new multi-layer

foam padding for a better fi t and new SpeedCool interior

fabric for moisture-wicking comfort. A bonus feature is

that every CL-16 comes standard with a Pinlock-prepared

faceshield and a proven Pinlock anti-fog insert for the

ultimate in fog-resistant performance. HJC boasts that

this lightweight, full-featured helmet offers unmatched

performance and features in an affordably priced package.

www.hjchelmets.com

3. JOE ROCKETIn 2007, Joe Rocket introduced its fi rst helmet, the RKT-101.

Two years later, heavy hitters Mat Mladin, Rickey Gadson and

Kane Freisen call it their helmet of choice. Rocket’s new 201

comes with updates that include a SNELL 2010 certifi ed ACM

composite shell, reduced overall weight, wind diffuser chin

curtain, redesigned breath defl ector, a SilverCool moisture

wicking/removable interior and a fresh assortment of

graphics. What carries over from the 101 is the proven

Quadport ventilation system, RapidFire shield system and

the superior RKT fi t. The 201 runs up to $269.99 in sizes

XS to 2XL.

www.joerocket.com

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Shoei helmets are covered under a limited warranty for five years from purchase date or seven years from the date of manufacture, whichever comes first. Shoei helmets aredistributed exclusively in the U.S. by Helmet House. For more Shoei information go to shoei-helmets.com or see your local dealer. ©2009 Shoei Safety Helmet Corp.

If you’ve been waiting to see what the future will bring to helmet design, your wait is over—thanks to Shoei. The brand-new

Shoei RF-1100 incorporates enhanced venting capabilities by utilizing the negative pressure area on the shell, and a next-

generation dual liner system freely routes cooling air between the two layers. The RF-1100’s advanced aerodynamic shape

was tested and developed in our own wind tunnel, and we’ve also created a new Quick Release Self-Adjusting Base-Plate

System for a new, larger CW-1 shield. A new fully detachable interior provides superior comfort and replaceable cheek pads

come in six different sizes to yield a precise fit and the RF-1100 has also earned the Snell Foundation’s M2010 safety rating.

So get into the helmet of tomorrow—today. Only from Shoei.

See more at www.shoei-helmets.com

TOMORROW ARRIVED EARLY

FULLY DETACHABLEINTERIOR

NEW QUICK RELEASESELF-ADJUSTING

BASE-PLATE SYSTEM

VARIABLE VENTILATIONSYSTEM

For more information see your representative or contact Helmet House at (800) 421-7247.

HelmetHouse_110 1 12/7/09 12:50 PM


2. NOLANNolan’s N-43 Trilogy’s crossover design with quick-

change accessories allows for customized looks and

functions for every ride. The chin bar and face shield

are removeable, while it comes with an attachable sun

visor, too. The Trilogy’s VPS (Vision Protection System)

is a short, dark shield mounted on the inside of the

helmet that moves independently from the face shield.

The helmet is N-com communication ready, and its

Clima-Comfort liner is antibacterial, antifungal and

wicking. This lid also gets a super-effi cient JSW top vent

with exhaust grid in the rear spoiler, which works in

conjunction with the air channels along the crown.

www.nolanhelmets.com

3. SCORPIONScorpion boldly proclaims its EXO-1000 is as good as

gold: Innovative features include a SpeedView retractable

inner sunvisor, KwikWick washable moisture wicking

liner and the AIRFIT internal infl ation system to ensure

a perfect fi t. Capping things off is the SpeedShift quick-

change system allowing the outer faceshield to snap into

place in less than 10 seconds without tools. The hand-

laid fi berglass/Kevlar weave shell is combined with a

state-of-the-art dual density EPS liner for the ultimate in

safety helmets. MSRP for this lid starts at $319.95.

www.ScorpionUSA.com

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1. NITROLook out for the newest offering from the Nitro USA

street helmet collection. This Tattoo graphic helmet uses

an aerodynamic polycarbonate shell with adjustable

chin, visor and face ventilation; a dual air fi ltration

system at the brow; a tri-piece rear exhaust vent; an

injection molded anti-scratch 3D visor; a fully removable

and washable Coolmax liner; and a quick release

micrometric buckle. The $99.99 Nitro meets DOT and

ECE standards.

www.nitroriderusa.com

1.


HJC_110.indd 1 12/7/09 12:55 PM


1. SHOEIBorn from racing, the all-new X-Twelve comes

equipped with SHOEI’s all-new QRSA base plate

system. The spring-loaded base plates pull

the shield back to contact the window beading

evenly for a wind and waterproof seal. The

X-Twelve’s all-new CW-1 shield is both wider and

taller and protects riders from 99% of all UVA and

UVB rays. Its AIM+ shell is designed to reduce lift

at high speeds and minimize the aerodynamic drag

coeffi cient of both the rider and their motorcycle.

The $649.99+ X-Twelve’s features don’t end here, but

our space to tell you about them does!

www.helmethouse.com

2. VEMAREngineered and manufactured in Italy to the motorcyclist

specifi c EC standard, the DOT and ECE certifi ed VSREV

features a round shell shape, offering a more generous

fi t ear to ear and snugger fi t front to back. The cheek

pads are designed to perfectly follow the shape of the

rider’s face. Two sizes of outer shells cover the six

helmet sizes for a light weight yet proportional fi t. The

chin bar features breath exhaust vents on each side that

work in conjunction with the no-fog shield to ensure

that the shield will not fog even in the most adverse

conditions. There’s a heck of a lot more in the VSREV’s

bag of tricks, and your customers can unleash them all

for $325 for solids and $350 for graphics.

www.motonation.com

3. ZAMPZamp Helmets’ new FJ- 4 offers an

all-new composite thermoplastic resin

shell loaded with built in ventilation. The

DOT/ECE lid gets a tooless Z-14 shield

as well as a removable/washable plush

snap-in interior. It goes on in a snap

with its quick fastening buckle. Riders

will be drawn in by the attractive graphic

and solid options and will be sold with a

low price point starting at $72.95 for the

solids and running to $82.95 for the graphics.

www.zamp-racing.com

4. ZOXWrapping up our look at 2010’s street lids is Zox’s

Tavani RN2 with Cyclone Graphic. This lid meets or

exceeds DOT Standards. It comes in two shell sizes,

three EPS sizes and 10 sizes. The Tavani comes with

enough room for an intercom headset and weighs in at a

slim 3.35 pounds.

www.nhjpowersports.com

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www.yuasabatteries.com

Yuasa_110 1 12/7/09 12:53 PM


Consumers love electronic dealy-ma-bobs, and GPS systems, blue-tooth communication

devices and video cameras are just a few of the gadgets gaining steam in the powersports

industry. To sell them to your customers, you’ve gotta know how to talk about the latest bells

and whistles these devices carry. MPN set out this month to give you an overview of some of

the leading products and manufacturers in this growing industry segment.

By Doug Dalsing

GPS DevicesWhen a customer wants to buy a GPS unit, they’re actually looking

for more than just a device that will take them from point A to point

B. GPS units offer so much more than just navigation assistance.

First, these devices carry with them the reputation of the “in crowd.”

Smart, informed riders need these units, not just to get around,

but to be part of the club. Second, when a customer buys a GPS

unit, they’re also buying a sense of security. Remind customers

that when they purchase a GPS unit, they’re purchasing something

that can carry them safely through that desert or mountain ride. No

longer will they have to guess the location of the next gas station,

hotel or hospital — they can just look for an address and ride!

TomTomIn a tough economy, price point is king, and TomTom’s Rider

2nd Edition motorcycle-friendly GPS unit clocks in at $649.95.

The Rider’s LCD touchscreen is 320x240 pixels, and it sports

a 5-hour battery life. The Rider can also be seamlessly

integrated with Cardo’s scala rider, so users can receive driving

commands inside their helmet, and TomTom says mounting

the unit is a cinch with its RAM hardware. What’s more, the

Rider can be easily mounted inside a car or truck to stretch

one’s investment. TomTom says the

Rider is extremely user-friendly,

requiring just seven clicks to

be “on your way.” The Rider,

comes preloaded with a map

of the United States (including

Hawaii and Alaska) and Canada,

and additional maps can be

purchased online.

www.tomtom.com

ys the

dly,

o

MPN_Jan10_elec.indd 24 12/7/09 11:34 AM


GarminGarmin’s Zumo 660 has been available for about one year. It’s

sleeker, more expandable and (slightly) cheaper than Garmin’s

fi rst “motorcycle-friendly” GPS unit, the Zumo 550, which fi rst

appeared in 2006. The newer 660 can do just about everything

the 550 can — store routes and favorite locations, give voice

commands, expand maps, and enable hands-free cell phone

use — however, the older 550 sports XM satellite radio

capability. The 660 has a bigger screen than the 550 but it’s

actually smaller and lighter overall, and it has lane assistance

in case interstate driving is ever absolutely mandatory. The

newer 660 retails for $799.99 while the 550 retails for $899.99,

and they’re both waterproof. Garmin also made the 660 easier

to secure to and remove from any bike, so keeping one’s gadget

investment should be easier with the 660.

www.garmin.com

Communication SystemsBluetooth devices are all about variable confi gurations. The manufacturers of these devices have

different offerings for many different riding confi gurations, and some models even allow bike-to-bike

communication between up to four riders — talk about a party. These devices are excellently paired

with any Bluetooth-enabled GPS device or cell phone. Combining all three gadgets — headset, cell

phone and GPS — turns one’s cell phone into a hands-free device as users operate the phone through

the touch-screen on the GPS device. Manufacturers here offer a plethora of different products that

cater to any rider, passenger or group riding confi gurations; however, here we’re just discussing

their top of the line models.

Cardo SystemsCardo’s Scala Rider G-4 Bluetooth headset provides bike-to-bike

intercom communications with either four riders (two drivers and

two passengers), three riders (three separate bikers) or two riders

(rider-to-rider or rider-to-passenger) to a distance of up to one

mile, and it’s weather-resistant. Plus, the G4 can

connect with nearly any portable device that

is Bluetooth equipped, including cell phones

for wireless conversations and GPS units for

in-helmet voice instructions. What’s more,

the G4 features AD2P, which enables bikers

to wirelessly connect their own Bluetooth-

enabled stereo mp3 players with their headsets.

It can also connect with non-Bluetooth mp3 players and GPS

units via its embedded jack, all for $279.95 per headset.

www.cardowireless.com

Midland RadioWhen customers purchase Midland’s BT2-D, they get two identical units that can

be used for driver-to-passenger intercom or motorcycle-to-motorcycle intercom

up to 220 yards. BT2-D units can connect to Bluetooth-enabled cell phones,

GPS units, mp3 players and other BT2-D units. Hi-fi speakers are standard, the

earpieces are waterproof, and the BT2-D retails for $399.99, so the BT2-D beats

the G-4 on price point for a two-person/driver intercom. Plus, when connecting an

mp3 player to a BT2 unit, users can control it with voice commands. If users’ mp3

players can’t connect wirelessly, they can just hardwire them, too.

www.midlandradio.com

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CamerasFor those momentous occasions on a motorcycle, or to study some recent laps at the track, there is now a good helping of wearable cameras

available designed with powersports and even extreme sports in mind. Specialized cameras like these have been around for awhile, however,

now users can shoot in HD.

VHoldRVholdR has two cameras powersports nuts can choose from

when taking the plunge on a wearable camera, the ContourHD

($249.99) and ContourHD 1080p ($330). These are both fi ne pieces

of equipment, but if labels are your thing, the Contour HD is the

introductory model. VholdR aims this unit, which carries a 720p

resolution, at bikers looking for an easy-to-use HD camera good

for shooting short clips and posting online. The 1080p, however, is

for moviemakers with a motorcycle hobby, the types who want to

make cinematic opuses. Users can confi gure video, lighting and

time setting on the 1080p,

and this is basically

where the differences

end. Both units have

dual-laser alignment,

come with a helmet

and google mount,

are “water resistant,”

and have 2GB internal

memory, which can be

expanded to 16GB with

an SD card. Video editing

software for Mac and PC is

also included.

www.vholdr.com

GoProGoPro recently released

its HD Motorsports

Hero wearable camera,

which has a resolution

of 1080p. Retailing for

$299.99, GoPro says the

Hero is “developed for

professional use, but

at a consumer price.”

The Hero comes with a

waterproof quick-release

housing, which is good down to

180 feet under water. It doesn’t

come with any internal memory

— so users will absolutely need an SD card

— but it has capacity for 32GB in the end. It’s

pretty versatile when it comes to mounting,

too: included are three fl at-surface mounts,

two curved mounts and one suction cup mount.

An interesting feature of the Hero is that it can

also shoot 5-megapixel still photos in single- or

triple-shot, or users can set it to take photos at

intervals of 2, 5, 10, 30 or 60 seconds.

www.goprocamera.com

uses. Users can confi gure video, lighting and

he 1080p,

cally

ces

ve

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et

nt,

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ernal

an be

with

editing

d PC is

The New Cardoscala rider® G4™

Introducing the highly anticipated scala rider G4 Bluetooth® Headset with bike to bike intercom commu-nications up to 1 MILE!*

Features include: FOUR RIDERS

(two drivers and two passengers), THREE RIDERS (on separate bikes) or TWO RIDERS (bike to bike or rider to passenger)

ers for streaming wireless STEREO music

with the intercom line of scala rider®

headsets**Leslie Porterfield, World Record Holder, 232 Miles Per Hour SCALA RIDER USER www.cardosystems.com

or call 1-800-488-0363

See the scala rider G4 at the Cardo Systems Booth at the following shows:

VTWIN Expo –#2614 Dealer Expo–#3719

communication in motion™communication in motion

* Results may vary accord-ing to terrain

** Reduced operational range when connected with older scala rider

models


MPN and Mark Rodgers’ Peak Dealership Performancewill recognize individual top performers with cold hard cash!

This year’s categories are: • Motorcycle Sales • Parts and Accessories

• Finance and Insurance • Service

• Riding Gear

Visit www.mpnmag.com or www.PeakDealershipPerformance.com to tell us how you or your teammates dazzle your customers.

Deadline: February 15, 2010y ,

Check out www.PeakDealershipPerformance.com for complete contest rules.

MPN01_dstar110.indd 1 12/10/09 12:03 PM


MPN_Jan10_FamilyAffair.indd 28 12/7/09 2:22 PM


In November of 2006, the Klock family — father Brian, wife Laura and

daughters Erika and Karlee — stepped into the limelight on the high-

octane stage that is the Bonneville Salt Flats. While the speed racing

world put on a show with battling streamliners (won by a Chris Carr-stuffed

Dennis Manning entry that went 350.884 miles per hour), Laura Klock set a

class land speed record on a custom-framed bagger stuffed with 124 cubic

inches of S&S V-Twin. The tall, boisterous speed-racing mother of two was

an instant favorite with media and fans.

Daughters Erika and Karlee were at the track that day, too, drinking in the

wave of excitement created by their mother’s full-throttle attack on the salt

and a hotrod custom Brian brought to the event.

During one of Laura’s post-race interviews, a reporter turned to Karlee

and asked if she thought her mom was crazy or cool. “She’s defi nitely both,”

11-year-old Karlee answered. The reporter then asked if she would like to

give it a try one day, to which Karlee replied, “Yeah, I’m going to race out there

— I’m going to go 200!”

That day, Bonneville’s circus sideshow of billet-covered beauties and

purpose-built fl at-black rats hammering a mile of salt captivated Karlee. She

didn’t just want to soak up the sunshine and smell the race fuel. She wanted

to be up on stage. It turns out, if Bodies in Motion author Steven L. Thompson

is correct and the need for speed is genetic, Karlee’s love of racing was

simply factory-installed.

Laura’s high-octane tastes were honed in the rural dairyland of western

Wisconsin, where she grew up immersed in a fuel-burning, wheelie-popping

culture heavily populated with ATVs, snowmobiles and motorcycles. During

high school, she drove a ’67 Firebird with reckless abandon all the while

getting good grades and playing sports. She later went to college and worked

her way through a graphic arts management and marketing degree. She and

Brian later met, and they now run a custom parts company in Mitchell, S.D.

An Emery, S.D., native, Brian Klock started riding young as well. He

remembers beating in a dusty circle track with a Honda mini in a vacant

neighborhood lot as a boy. When he realized how much his friends loved

riding the bike, he began charging them a nickel to ride it. “I used my

earnings to buy comic books and bubble gum,” Brian said. “That was my fi rst

entrepreneurial effort.” Brian’s fi rst car was a 400 Honda, and his father

stuck him with a Gold Wing in high school. After a brief high-adrenaline foray

into crotch rockets, he bought a H-D, tricked it out and later sold it. “I made,

like, 800 bucks after I rode it all year,” Brian said, “and I couldn’t believe it.

That started my love affair with customizing and designing.”

Brian eventually became a successful custom builder and founded Klock

Werks. He started out building motorcycles that he liked, and kept the



business modest. When he

decided to make a career out of

building custom motorcycles,

he accepted the fact that it was

not likely to be lucrative. “If I

had pizza in the fridge, I was

good,” Brian said.

When Laura and her

daughters came into his life,

however, his perspective

obviously changed.

“It took three girls to push

me over the edge and realize

that I just couldn’t build cool

customs that made me happy. I

had to start building parts and

thinking about the everyman.”

Brian had a strong reputation

as a builder, and was asked

several times to enter Biker

Build-Off. In 2006, he decided he

was ready to accept that invite.

His product line was geared for

touring cruisers, so he intended

to build a hot rod bagger. The

bike was an unusual choice, and

he doubted it would be terribly

popular with the show’s voters.

“We fully expected to lose,”

Brian said, “but it would be a

commercial for our company.”

He and the team wanted

to showcase the bike’s

performance by racing the

bike after competing on the

show. When The World’s

Fastest Indian came out, Brian

decided to take the machine

salt fl at racing. He knew that

a woman riding the bike would

add marketability to the race

debut. He also knew Laura

was a speed freak.

So when Brian asked

Laura to ride the bagger at

Bonneville, Laura simply

replied, “Will you let me?”

Laura was, of course,

thrilled, and the family raced

at Bonneville three weeks

after the show competition.

The family and many friends

would go along on the trip.

They viewed it as an once-in-

a-lifetime opportunity.

When Laura came to the line

for her fi rst run, Brian advised

her to take it easy. “She

doesn’t listen,” Brian said. “We

were such rookies.”

When Laura got out on

the salt for her fi rst run, she

accelerated through the fi rst

three gears steadily but without

urgency. When she shifted up

into fourth, the engine’s tone

rose from a steady howl to a

wail of over-rev. The guys in the

pits thought she had blown the

engine.“No,” Brian told them.

“She’s going for it.’”

He sweated it out as Laura

ran the mile-long course wound

tight in top gear, and then

carefully slowed down the bike

on the salt. Brian said that fi rst

run seemed to last a lifetime,

and he can still remember the

radio announcer’s every word.

When it was over, Laura and

the bagger ran at a class record

pace of 137.5 miles per hour.

Brian and Karlee went in

search of Laura and found her

back in line again, ready to get

out on the course. “I tapped

her on the shoulder,” Brian

said. “She put her helmet

shield up and said, ‘Honey —

it’s got more.’”

The bike proved her right

and, on her second pass,

Laura clocked more than 143

miles per hour. The class

record was theirs in the fi rst

two passes.

After a week of running the

bike, Laura noticed the bike’s

handling degrading as she

accelerated down the course.

“The bike seemed to lift up a

bit at speed,” she said.

Brian believed the

windscreen had aerodynamic

problems. Later that summer,

a chance meeting gave the

company access to an A2

wind tunnel in North Carolina.

Brian had an idea for a new

windshield design, which he

believed might improve the

bike’s stability, and the wind

tunnel offered him a chance to

prove his theory. He used their

rapid prototype machine to

build a test version.

When they tested it in the

wind tunnel, they discovered

that the stock bat wing fairing

created 30 pounds of lift.

This was raising the front

end of the bike at high speed

and destabilizing the entire

chassis. Brian’s design —

which he dubbed the “Flare”

windscreen — produced just

15 pounds of downforce.

The Flare windscreen



makes dressers more stable

at speed and is stylish to boot.

As word spread about the

windscreen’s performance,

it became a phenomenon. It

is the best-selling product

made by Klock Werks,

and eventually was voted

“Accessory of the Year” at the

2008 V-Twin Expo.

The Klocks were keen to go

back to Bonneville. Both Erika

and Karlee had shown some

interest in fl at track racing,

as a number of their friends

at school were racing on the

small ovals. They jumped at the

opportunity to race on the salt.

“If you want to try racing,”

Laura said, “this is a pretty

safe form of it. There are no

other kids out there on the

track to knock them over.”

The Klocks bought a

custom Buell Blast from

their old friend Mark Triebold

at Somerset, Wis.-based

Crossroads Performance.

Erika eagerly took to the salt

fl ats and set a class record

in 2007. Laura later set more

records on the custom bagger,

and the duo became the fi rst

mother-daughter team to

set land speed records at the

same event.

Karlee was chomping at

the bit to join, but Bonneville

rules require racers to hold a

driver’s license. As luck would

have it, in the Klock family’s

home of South Dakota, one can

hold a driver’s license at age

14. So Karlee got her license

and was able to compete at

Bonneville as a 14-year-old in

2008. She rode the Buell, and

Erika ran a bike prepared by

another team.

Racing appears to be in

Karlee’s blood, and Laura says

she is absolutely fearless and

completely at home on the race

track. She seeks out advice from

the older racers, particularly

Tom “Santa Claus” Anderson,

the speed record racer who

owns Buell Brothers Racing.

Karlee cites Anderson as

her idol, and Anderson actually

helped her break Erika’s record

on the Blast. “I was talking to

Santa Claus, and he told me to

beat her, I had to put my butt

up on the back of the bike,”

Karlee said. She did just that,

and sitting further back on

the tiny rear cowl of the bike

netted her a few precious miles

per hour of speed. Karlee’s

title performance made the

14-year-old the youngest land

speed record holder in history.

The family also set a record

as the fi rst mother-daughter-

daughter trio to set records at

the same time.

Laura eked more speed

out of her bagger that year,

eventually running at 161 miles

per hour. Erika set new records

in 2008 and 2009. Klock Werks

grew as well; the company now

has 20 full-time employees at

its South Dakota shop.

Laura speaks regularly at

events about how the track and

racing helped her family grow

as people. She has developed a

motivational presentation she

calls “Any Road,” in which she

talks about her at-times rocky

road to success in racing as

well as in life.

One of the roads that the

family took was marriage.

Brian proposed at Bonneville

in 2006, and the couple

was married there in 2007.

“Bonneville is a very special

place for us,” Brian said.

Karlee seems to agree with

her step-father. She is enrolled

in the Lyn St. James Academy,

an invitation-only program

designed to help young female

racers grow and develop.

Former graduates include Indy

racer Danica Patrick and NHRA

drag racer Melanie Troxel.

Laura said that both of her

daughters learned a lot about

life while racing at Bonneville.

“You have to learn how to

handle success and failure,

and how to work with a team.”

The two girls have well-

rounded interests, and are

active in athletics and other

activities. For Karlee, those

other activities have not

distracted her from her passion

for motorcycle racing. When

asked what she wanted would

be doing after high school, her

response was instantaneous.

“Drag racing,” she said.

Racers rarely waste words.t



BRIDGEST ONEBridgestone launched the Battlax BT-003RS, a high-performance and

trackday tire seen for the fi rst time at the INTERMOT 2008 in Cologne;

Bridgestone says the tire improves upon its BT-002RS tire. It is designed to

provide great street and track day performance for all sport motorcycles

from 250cc upward, while offering riders the chance to enjoy the exciting grip

performance of Bridgestone’s MotoGP multi-layer compound technology.

Bridgestone says the tire — which retails for $169.50 to $280.77 — is ideal for

aggressive street riders who occasionally spend a day at the track.

www.bridgestonemotorcycletires.com

CONTINENTALContinental says it is entering the “economy radial market” with the

ContiMotion, which will retail for between $76 and $129. During its

development, Continental prioritized “good handling with ample feedback

and a correspondingly strong feeling of safety on dry as well as wet roads.”

It features a zero-degree steel belt for handling, and a force-direction-

oriented tread pattern provides good mileage and good water drainage.

www.conti-moto.com

MET ZELERMetzeler’s Roadtec Z6 Interact is a sport touring application the company has

tested from the Alps to the Autobahn. With the Roadtec Z6 Interact, Metzeler’s

patented 0-degree steel belt radial structure has been modifi ed with a

new winding process, allowing each strand to have a specifi c tension for a

specifi c performance need, depending on its location on the profi le of the tire.

Metzeler says this modular winding acts like multi-compounds, but without

the “step effect” between compounds, smoothly serving different needs at

every lean angle. Single Roadtec Z6 tires retail for $182.95 to $272.95.

www.us.metzelermoto.com

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MPN_Jan10_tires.indd 32 12/7/09 6:54 AM


PIRELLIPirelli says its Angel ST tire is ideal for sport touring. The Angel

ST uses Pirelli’s patented 0-degree steel radial belting for a

compliant structure, and it is at home on sport bikes from naked

600s to large sport tourers like the Kawasaki Concours. Single

Angel St tires retail for $173 to $248.

www.us.pirellimoto.com

StreetMonster Chopper

Standard and Heavy Duty Tubes

White Wallfor baggers

Vee Rubber’s Monster is the widest rear with matching 23” and 26”

fronts for choppers. White Walls for baggers

are available now.

Vee Rubber is your Harley connection.

www.veerubber.co.th

VeeRubber_rev110.indd 1 12/10/09 11:55 AM

MPN_Jan10_tires.indd 33 12/10/09 1:05 PM


VEE RUBBERVee Rubber says its Edge tires are

affordable and that they feature “world

class performance.” This tire is made of an

advanced compound for tacky grip while sipes

disperse wet conditions. Vee says the Edge

has a very quick warm up period on the track,

and that its grip is outstanding right from the

start. The front and rear patterns and profi les

are specifi cally designed and matched for the

street with racetrack performance, and the

tires offers a great footprint for both straight

line and knee dragging.

www.veerubber.co.th

SHINKOShinko Tire USA introduces the 010 Radial, featuring a tread designed for serious sportbike

riding. The 010 Radial rear tire features “zero degree joint-less steel belted technology” for added

stability and strength, while the front tire is Aramid belted for high-speed performance. The

010 Radials have an intermediate compound, a tread radius designed for enhanced high speed

cornering and a “W” speed rating of 168 mph. The front retails for $107.95 while the rear ranges

from $139.95 to $199.95, and you can contact Western Power Sports for ordering information.

www.wps-inc.com

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MPN_Jan10_tires.indd 34 12/7/09 11:37 AM

S HOW D E TA I L S AT: WWW. V TW I N - E X P O . C OMGet your FREE copy of V-Twin News in a complete digital format. All we need is your email! Sign up today at: www.vtwinnews.com

A Decadeof

Proven Success

FEBRUARY

6-7-8, 2010

DUKE EN

ERGY CO

NVENTION

CENTER,

CINCINNA

TI, OH

PLEASE NOTE:YOU MUST BE A BONAFIDE DEALER/RETAILERTO ATTENDTHISTRADEONLY EVENT. ONLY AUTHORIZED MEMBERS OF THE TRADE WILL BE ALLOWEDADMISSION. PROPER IDENTIFICATION INCLUDES TWO (One of each) OF THEFOLLOWING: Retail Business License, Vendors Permit, Resale License, PaycheckStub, W2 Form, Business Card. No child under the age of 14 will be allowed onthe exhibit floor except in a stroller or baby pack. All attendees must be 14 yearsof age or older.

FOR INFORMATION:TO ATTEND CALL - 866-427-7583TO EXHIBIT CALL - 877-889-4697 OR 612-325-8830

REGISTER TO ATTEND:Book your hotel room, get more information on theseinformative dealer sessions, check the latest list of exhibitorsand find additional show details at: www.vtwin-expo.com

OR EMAIL: [email protected]

VtwinExpo110.indd 1 12/7/09 12:42 PM


10th Annual10th Annual

Now in its 10th year, V-Twin Expo is the premier

marketplace for the V-Twin aftermarket. Here’s

a sneak peak of what some of our top advertisers

have in store for the show. Stop by Booth 2408 to

grab extra issues of MPN and to give us your two

cents on the industry.

AmrepBooth 2418Original Bike Spirits products are designed

to make maintaining your customer’s bike

effortless and provide the best in protection and

performance. Try the company’s class-leading

Spray Cleaner & Polish as well as these other

fi ne products: Contact/Brake Cleaner, Brake

Cleaner, Chain Lube, Chain Lube with White

Graphite, Carb Cleaner and Cycle Fuel System

Supreme. Visit www.originalbikespirits.com to

see the full lineup.

Drag SpecilatiesBooth 520Stop by Booth 520 to see the

latest Drag Specialties has

to offer. From hot products

to the 2010 FatBook to the

all new 2010 OldBook for

your Classic V-Twins, Drag

Specialties is stocked and

ready. Visit them virtually at

www.dragspecialties.com.

Continental TiresBooth 852The new ContiRace Attack

Custom broadens

Continental’s existing

“Attack” product line,

which currently consists

of the ContiRoad Attack

“sport mileage” radial,

ContiSport Attack

”hypersport” radial,

ContiTrail Attack “dual

sport” radial, ContiRace

Attack Street “DOT race”

radial and ContiRace

Attack Comp. “race”

radial. See the whole Conti

lineup at the show or at

www.conti-moto.com.

Cardo SystemsBooth 2614The Cardo Scala Rider G-4 Motorcycle Bluetooth headset

provides state-of-the-art bike-to-bike intercom communications

with either four riders (two drivers and two passengers), three

riders (three separate bikers) or two riders (rider-to-rider

or rider-to-passenger) up to a distance of one mile. The G4

can connect with nearly any portable device that is Bluetooth

equipped including mobile phones for wireless conversations

and GPS units for in-helmet voice instructions. The G4 can also

transmit wireless Stereo music from any Bluetooth mp3 player

equipped with A2DP. It can also connect with non-Bluetooth mp3

players and GPS units via its embedded jack, as well as Scala

Rider Q2 headsets. Learn more at www.cardosystems.com.

Cardo Systems

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MPN_Jan10_VtwinExpo.indd 36 12/10/09 11:17 AM


Tucker RockyBooth 601Tucker Rocky shows off its entire V-Twin lineup at the show

including Twin Power Gaskets. The MicroPore materials used

in all Twin Power Gaskets are produced by Interface Solutions,

Inc., the global leader in state-of-the-art composite gasket

technology, and used by all major OEMs. MicroPore materials

and gaskets are made in the USA and are 100% solvent-free and

100% asbestos-free. See more at www.tuckerrocky.com.Vance & HinesBooth 463The new Twin Slash Series of Slip-on Muffl ers for Harley-

Davidson touring models redefi nes performance, looks and

price with a distinctive style and unmistakable sound that is only

available from Vance & Hines. With blue-proof full coverage heat

shields, Twin Slash end treatment and baffl e options, the Twin

Slash line starts under $400. For more information visit

www.vanceandhines.com.

Spectro OilBooth 435 Spectro HD High Performance

Oils deliver smoother

shifting, longer running,

cooler operation — what

the company calls the best

lubrication money can buy.

To become a Spectro dealer,

visit www.spectro-oils.com.

Next StepBooth 776NextStep offers PartsLookup, a reliable, easy-

to-use, quick-to-install, cost-effective dealer

management system. Who uses PartsLookup?

Wholesalers, retail stores and repair shops in

the powersports industry. For information, call

(866) 756-6587 or visit www.parts-lookup.com.

Vee RubberBooth 423Vee Rubber will be introducing the VRM 302 white wall,

available in all bagger sizes. This tire offers a completely new

design and compound for maximum mileage and superb grip

in dry and wet conditions. Its sidewall is

specially constructed for 2-up

riding and maximum weight

carrying capacity, for all

large displacement

motorcycles. It is

H-rated and, as with all

Vee Rubber products,

it is priced very

competitively, giving

the consumer the best

value for their money.

Visit

www.veerubber.co.th

for more.

YuasaBooth 917Yuasa Battery Inc. introduces the next generation

powersport battery, the GYZ20HL. With heavier

and thicker plates, special electrolyte, and heavy-

duty terminals, the factory-activated GYZ20HL

has higher reserve capacity, improved charge

recovery time, a longer life, is vibration resistant

and has reduced warranty claims. For more

information click to www.yuasabatteries.com.

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MPN_Jan10_VtwinExpo.indd 37 12/10/09 11:18 AM


Biker’s ChoiceEverything a customer will need for

an oil change is supplied with Biker’s

Choice Oil Change In A Box. Biker’s

Choice offers both the Sportster kit —

which contains three quarts of 20W50

oil, one quart of lube and a chrome oil

fi lter — as well as the Big Twin and

Dyna kit, which supplies four quarts

of oil, two quarts of primary fl uid, one

quart of semi-synthetic transmission

fl uid and a chrome oil fi lter.

www.bikerschoice.com

BlendzallBlendzall Tire Traction Treatment

reinstates chemicals into race tires that

are lost when tires are heated; it also

restores original softness. The treatment

is sold in one-quart bottles.

www.blendzall.com

MPN_Jan10_ServSup.indd 38 12/7/09 11:39 AM


Race TechSlippery, temperature-stable, long-wearing,

non-foaming suspension fl uid is the heart of

a “no compromise” suspension setup, Race

Tech says. The Ultra Slick Suspension Fluid is

extremely slippery and fade-resistant with a

very high viscosity index.

www.racetech.com

Kal-GardThe Pro-Comp 4t 10w-40 is a high-performance, fully

synthetic oil developed to withstand the demands

of motorcycle racing. The oil is formulated with the

highest level of ester-based stock currently available,

and it includes an additive system which consists of the

highest allowable zinc content.

www.kalgard.com

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Silkolene Power Sports LubricantsThe Pro 4 is an ester-based, fully synthetic engine

oil produced using electrosyntec oil technology

that Silkolene says releases the hidden power

inside your engine, giving extra power, long-

term performance retention and improved

protection against engine wear.

www.silkoleneusa.com

Spectro Oils of AmericaCombining select Group IV PAO base

synthetics with optimum additive

packages, Spectro’s 6-Speed transmission

lubricant provides owners of H-Ds with

good lubricant protection. Group IV PAO

is formulated to signifi cantly reduce

gear noise and provide easier, smoother

shifting. High loads and extreme heat do

not affect the oil, so it performs well when

pushed hard and long.

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Ultima OilUltima has a full line of premium

synthetic V-Twin engine oils, including

60W, 70W, 20W50 blends and a racing-

formulated 20W50 blend. Ultima also

carries a line of gear oils that offer shear

protection; blends include 80W140 and

80W90 for “severe duty,” Ultima says.

www.ultimaproducts.com

Ultima OilUltima has a full line of premium

synthetic V-Twin engine oils, including

60W, 70W, 20W50 blends and a racing-

formulated 20W50 blend. Ultima also

carries a line of gear oils that offer shear

protection; blends include 80W140 and

80W90 for “severe duty,” Ultima says.

www.ultimaproducts.com

Spectro HD High Performance Oils

Smoother shifting, longer running,cooler operation — the bestlubrication money can buy. Whateveryou ride, wherever you ride — choose Spectro.

To become a Spectro dealer, visit us at www.spectro-oils.comVisit us at Booth 435 at the V-Twin Expo, Booth 3225 at Indy Expo.



Crystal-Glo ManufacturingCrystal-Glo’s acrylic motorcycle polish cleans, revitalizes, and

protects in one. the company says. The secret sauce in the polish is

an acrylic base that gives off a shiny “wet” look, which also protects

bike surfaces from UV rays, scratches and any other unwanted

debris, leaving a clear shine sans swirls, streaks or residue.

www.crystal-glo.com

Cycle CareFormula 22 is safe for your

customer’s bike and Cycle

Care says one needs to

simply spray, rinse and ride

to use. Formula 22 is also

a salt spray emulsifi er. It

can be safely used on all

surfaces including aluminum,

clearcoat or paint, powder

coated engines and leather

accessories.

www.cyclecare.com

Pig SpitPig Spit Original was created to reduce time and effort while keeping

motorcycles looking new. This product is not harmful to any of the

different surfaces found on a motorcycle, and Pig Spit requires no

polishing or wiping. Its original mix is a combination of high quality

silicones and other shining agents compacted into an aerosol that has a

fl ashing agent that will evaporate, giving the “new” look and appearance.

www.pigspit.com

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Silkolene Powersports LubricantsPro-Prep hard surface conditioner restores the color and fi nish of

plastic and painted surfaces, making subsequent cleaning easier.

Pro-Prep prevents metal corrosion and inhibits the adhesion of

dirt and mud. The new fi ne mist spray tip applies a “factory fi nish”

appearance and ensures smooth operation of plastic moving

parts. Pro-Prep also helps to waterproof and insulate ignition

systems in wet conditions.


PJH BrandsPJH says PJ1 Super Cleaner has been

used for over 20 years by top mechanics

to clean, degrease and prepare just about

every surface on a motorcycle. It uses

an ozone-safe propellant, and the can is

recyclable when empty.

www.pj1.com

And keep their paint jobs polished

Slipstreamer, Inc.Slipstreamer’s cleaner and polish

restores, cleans and maintains optical

clarity as a fi nal application for all plastic

surfaces. The rich cream leaves a like new

shine and protective fi nish after each use.

www.slipstreamer.com

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Spectro Oils of AmericaXL-1 motorcycle wash provides the cleaning power of

a pH-balanced cleaning agent and water-based grease

cutter. The XL-1 relies on lower pH detergents and

surfactants instead of high-pH alkaline salts, which

means it won’t leave white splotches. This product

is gentle enough for everyday use without causing

fading or striping, and XL-1 can be used on all types of

powersport units.

www.spectro-oils.com

Stripper JuiceStripper Juice is a cleaner and polish designed by

bikers for bikers. The convenient size fi ts perfectly

in any saddlebag, windshield bag, or anywhere

else you carry your small items. Stripper Juice

uses the latest aerosol technology.

www.stripperjuice.net

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Valco Cincinnati CP, Inc.Magic Mix pre-soak cleaning concentrate loosens dirt so

it can be rinsed away like using a touchless carwash. The

concentrate quickly removes dirt, grease, and grime from

most surfaces. It’s an easy-to-use, single step detergent and

it’s 100% biodegradable, Valco says.

www.valco-cp.com

Wizards ProductsWizards Products’ Crud Release attacks

and dissolves crud build-up on bikes. It is

biodegradable and phosphate free, and the

company says it destroys grease and oil,

eliminates diesel and soot, and it works on

both oil- and water-based stains.

www.wizardsproducts.com

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originalbikespirits.com866-854-0895

Original Bike Spirits™ is a brand steeped in tradition, with quality formulas that have been historically available only through OEMs. We now offer an extended line of motorcycle care products under the Original Bike Spirits brand. Our roots run deep with products that are the best in the industry.

Try our class-leading Spray Cleaner & Polish as well as these other fi ne products: • Brake Cleaner • Carb Cleaner • Chain Lube • Chain Lube White Graphite • Contact Brake Cleaner • Cycle Fuel System Supreme

There’s nothing like the original.

Sold through these fi ne distributors:

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE THE ORIGINAL.



IT’S YOUR DIME!

So we’re off! Welcome

to 2010. I hope you’re

not surprised that

you’re still standing.

Here’s hoping you’re not just

surviving, but fl ourishing a

year from now.

Last installment, I asked

for input on which of the

dealerships that we’re

managing you wanted me to

write about.

The choices included a

dealership attempting to make

the journey from being a good

dealership to being a really,

really good dealership. The

other was a dealership that

got its butt kicked last year

and is in the process of totally

reinventing itself into a leaner

and more profi table business.

The votes were split pretty

much right down the middle,

so I have to cop out and write

about both dealerships. I’ll try

to cover things that don’t matter

whether the dealership is in

survival mode. The common

ground for all of us is that we’re

all just trying to get better.

What follows is the new

format for chronicling our

management projects. I’ll

be journaling some of the

challenges, the wins and losses,

and the methods we’re using

to manage these businesses.

Hopefully this new format will

inspire and/or provide you with

some road maps to implement

some of your own solutions.

We created a process

called the “Daily Dime” — as

in “It’s your dime,” to help

department managers work

in better coordination with the

other department managers,

and we placed manager duties

on customized day planners.

The Daily Dime system is

designed to coordinate the

duties of each key department

manager pro-actively on

a time-budgeted basis.

Daily Dimes, which include

a summary of the day’s

activities, were distributed and

collected during scheduled

meetings throughout the

morning.This helped ensure

consistent interaction

with the dealership’s key

personnel. Next, we created

detailed instructions on what

processes each manager had

to work through before each

scheduled meeting.

For example, one of the

items on the sales manager’s

Daily Dime was to meet with

the general manager. They’re

to analyze and discuss sales

and F&I daily operational

control, noting any issues.

Other items on the list for

discussion included month

to date (MTD) sales — noting

goals, actual numbers, the

pace and trend — new OEM

programs; and salesperson

performance, noting coaching

issues and progress. Also,

the GM was given copies of

sales and F&I daily operational

control; a fi nance status log,

noting pending deals; delivery

schedule; a daily and MTD

guest registry summary; a daily

and MTD phone log summary;

and the previous day’s Daily

Dimes. This way, the sales

manager and GM both had

a way to prepare for their

meeting and thereby hold that

meeting far more effi ciently.

By following this procedure,

all department managers

have a communication

protocol, which makes them

more proactive; they are

all beginning to work “on”

their departments, opposed

to working “in” them. Now,

they have a functional

understanding of what we

call a “three dimensional

job description,” one where

everyone on the team knows

three things: What’s in their

own job description, what’s

not in their job description,

and what’s in the job

description(s) of the people

they depend on and who

depend on them.

Except for the sales manager,

all managers now have their day

arranged so they can work on

the department, not in it. What’s

more, managers learn to trust

other managers because vital

communication gets done at the

day’s beginning — which makes

emergencies easier to handle

— and they’re aware of the

expectations and pressure their

colleagues have. Additionally,

employees know their manager

has time for them during

schedule meetings; this is

where coaching happens.

On the front side of things,

managers have more time for

customer interraction since

they’re not scurrying around

putting out fi res all day long.

With the Daily Dime process,

a dealership’s key personnel

are allowed the time to become

the face of the dealership, to

become someone the customer

knows will take care of them. In

many dealerships, managers are

so harried that the face of the

dealership all too often becomes

whoever the heck will listen.

What’s Ahead After a few months working

through the Daily Dime process

using an actual printed sheet of

paper that they handed to their

supervisor during individual

meetings, it began to get a

little stale and memorized.

So the team decided to turn it

into a manager’s huddle every

morning. Once they did that,

they started thinking that the

paper accountability part of

it could probably be reduced

to a weekly thing. That fell

off a little bit as well, so as I

left for home last week, they

planned to put copies of all

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

HackettHOW TO

BY OTIS HACKETT

MPN_Jan10_shoptalk.indd 46 12/7/09 2:16 PM


Daily Dimes on the wall of the

GM’s offi ce to serve as gentle

reminders if they get off track

or the meetings lost their

effectiveness. We’ll know more

how that goes as time passes,

something I’ll be sure to update

you all about.

I asked the team if they

thought they would have had

the same results by starting

the process with daily huddles

instead of going through the

printed page phase, and they

all answered with a resounding

“NO!” They all agreed that the

exercise gave them a much

better perspective along with

improving their individual time

management. Now they work

with a shared vision.

We’re watching a few things

going forward as well. As the

management team better

understands a manager’s

job requirements, (or, more

importantly, what they’re

supposed to be), the dealership

will be prepared should it need

to assimilate a new manager if

it ever loses one; we’re hoping

our other managers will be

better equipped to help train the

next manager; nobody will have

to guess about expectations,

resulting in a solid learning

environment for the newbie, too.

Since the management team’s

jobs are all interdependent,

the whole system tends to fall

apart when one slacks off. The

Daily Dime and the new culture

that it is creating within the

management team makes the

team responsible for bringing a

“new guy” up to speed.

Was it easy? No. It was one

of the more diffi cult things

to get off the ground, partly

because there’s so much

philosophy to hold in place as

the thing gets traction.

Was it a perfectly smooth

transition? No. It’s still

evolving, but at least we’ve

got a team of people with a

common vision.

Was it worth it? I’ll let you

know, but in the meantime

answer me this: If it produces

90% of what it already has at

this dealership, would it be

worth trying at yours?

There’s an old proverb that

says, “Without a vision, the

people perish.” This team,

maybe for the first time, has

a replicable way to share the

corporate vision of how to

go about day to day activities

with new personnel as they

join the team.

If this sounds like something

you’d like to see happen in your

store, if it sounds like something

you’ve tried to accomplish,

failed to accomplish, knocked

it out of the park, etc., please

let me know, and if you’d like

Daily Dime samples, just drop

me a line. Although we’re

getting plenty of feedback from

the GM’s we have in the fi eld,

we need yours as well. Call

me, e-mail me, throw a brick

through my … never mind. t

Otis Hackett is the founder of Otis

Hackett Group. OHG provides

general management services for

powersports dealers across the

US. The OHG team brings real-

world experience having all been

motorcycle dealership employees

working on the front lines of the

industry every day. Click on www.

otishackett.com or e-mail otis@

otishackett.com. Join us on

Facebook or follow us on Twitter!



to work harder on getting

personnel expenses in line.

This is a tough area to tackle,

but it represents a huge part

of dealership expenses as a

portion of GP. Not control-

ling personnel expenses has

“killed” a lot of dealers in the

last few months. It is vital to

do whatever it takes to get it in

line with industry standards.

Now we’re going to look

at a new area of the num-

bers. Instead of dollar data,

it is customer data. Chart 2 shows the NN traffi c and

closing data. This chart points

out the value of having door

counters. They are generally

National Norms. I have also

included the YTD National

Norms data in some of these

charts.

In Chart 1 you can see that

dealers were still struggling

to get to that 25% Total Store

GP. However, it was good to

see positive NOP for TBOC,

small though it may be. The

rate of revenue change was

better in September than it

has been in months. However,

it fell back for some of the NN

dealers in October. Still, I take

these to be positive signs, and

hope they will hold up in the

coming months.

The NN dealers still need

Chart 1

Overall Store BOC Benchmark TBOC Oct Metric

NN OctMetric NN YTD

Total Store Gross Profi t (GP) 25% 24.6% 24% 22.6%

Total Store Net Operating Profi t 7% 2.9% -0.4% 1.5%

Total Admin Expense as a Percent of GP 12% 12.6% 15.9% 16.1%

Total Store Personnel Expense as a Percent of GP 36% 35.3% 39.4% 37.5%

Revenue Change from ‘08 NA -12.7% -18.4% -39.3%

Chart 2

NN Traffi c Log Data (average per dealer) Oct. ‘08 Oct. ‘09 YTD ‘08 YTD ‘09

Door Swings 5,386 3,754 52,189 33,977

Greets (customer data captured) 315 247 3,863 2,411

Sit-downs/percent of greets 160 / 50.8% 112 / 45.4% 2,029 / 52.5% 1,141 / 47.3%

Write-ups / percent of greets 103 / 32.6% 77 / 31.3% 1,424 / 36.9% 795 / 33.0%

Closes / percent of greets 73 / 23.3% 54 / 21.7% 976 / 25.3% 548 / 22.7%

Deliveries / percent of greets 45 / 14.1% 37 / 14.9% 640 / 16.6% 358 / 14.9%

Chart 3

Sales Department BOC Benchmark TBOC Oct Metric NN OctSales Dept’s Personnel Expense PVS NA 558 313

Flooring Expense PVS 75 206 194

Total Advertising & Marketing PVS 75 174 150

New Units

New M/C Gross Profi t 17% 13.8% 12.8%

New ATV Gross Profi t 16% 15.9% 11.4%

New PWC Gross Profi t 15% 12.3% 35.3%

Total New-Units Gross Profi t 15% 13.7% 15.0%

Preowned Units

Total Pre-Owned Units Gross Profi t 20% 17.6% 14.1%

At GSA we track

benchmarks

through our involve-

ment with dealer

20-groups. Some of the

members have kindly con-

sented to let us share their

numbers. The TBOC data

comes from our real-time,

web-based data reporting

system. The National Norms

are compiled in our former-

RPM data system. Altogether,

these numbers represent the

data collected from over 200

high-quality dealers.

The following article deals

with October numbers and

includes the TBOC data from

one of the better-performing

groups compared with the

DEALERSHIP DATA FOR OCTOBER 2009

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

BY STEVE JONES

OperatorsCLUB

BEST

Notes: PVS/PUS = Per Vehicle Sold

TBOC = Top of the BOC

= average of top 5 BOC

members (based on store GP),

NOP = Net Operating Profi t,

NN or N Norm = National

Norms (data compiled from

multiple groups).



inexpensive (starting around

$100). The most frequent ob-

jection I hear is that they are

never accurate because of the

employees going in and out,

etc. It doesn’t matter. It all av-

erages out. Get door counters

for your store and start track-

ing these numbers; verify the

response to your advertising

and promotions. Find out what

your sales staff is doing with

these people.

YTD door swings were

down 35% compared with

2008. However, for October

they were only down 30%.

This is another small but

positive economic indicator.

Overall, the percentage of

the customers greeted (as

recorded on the traffi c log)

that sat down with a sales-

person has not changed as

much as I expected. Neither

has the percent of write-ups

or closes. Although the YTD

numbers are down, there

was an improvement in the

percentage of deliveries

for October compared with

last year. Looking at the GP

numbers, it is apparent that

dealers are clearing all the

inventory they can.

Chart 3 recaps some of the

other key performance indica-

tors for our business. Here you

can see just how dramatically

the sales department’s person-

nel expense impacts cost per

unit sold.

This should be reinforce

the fact that you need to be

extremely adept at under-

standing the numbers and

controlling your expenses,

particularly, personnel ex-

penses. Many dealers are

putting in a lot more fl oor time

in their dealerships in order

to reduce staff. Others are

utilizing part-time people to

handle peak business periods.

You have to have good data in

order to address this in your

dealership. The number of

dealer failures is at an all-time

high. Please don’t become one

of them. t

Steve Jones, general manager of

GSA, coaxes the country’s best

dealers to share the secrets of

their success outlining business

practices to boost margins, in-

crease service profi tability and

retain employees. His monthly

column is like a 20-club meeting

in our readers’ mailboxes! GSA is

recognized as the industry’s #1

authority on dealer profi tability.

Note: Our Voyager 4 data reporting and analysis system is available for

any dealership to use for a very nominal fee. For

more information on our data reporting system,

dealer 20-groups, on-site consulting or training, drop

me an email at [email protected] or visit www.gartsutton.com.

Get the same powersports

product and market coverage in

our printed version each month,

delivered to your inbox FREE.

Log onto:

www.mpnmag.com/site/digitalissue

MPN_Jan10_shoptalk.indd 49 12/10/09 7:29 AM


for you, the rule of reciprocity

states you will want to return

the favor. It makes the world

a better place, doesn’t it?

Imagine if it were the other

way around!

2. Scarcity: People want more

of what they can have less of.

When the Coca Cola Company

was going to replace Classic

Coke with New Coke, people

were in upheaval demanding

it not be done, or that the

company release the formula

for Classic Coke. In 2000 when

GM announced it was going

to discontinue the Oldsmobile

brand, those cars beat all

sales forecasts. When The

Eagles announced they would

do just one more tour, tickets

sold out almost instantly and

at record prices. Why? It’s the

principle of scarcity.

3. Social Proof: We follow the

similar lead of others. Hey,

all the kids are doing it. Yes,

well this is a powerful driver

of human behavior. And it

has two dominant conditions:

uncertainty and similarity.

When we are uncertain we

look toward the actions of

others. And if we see someone

similar to us participating in

a particular activity, we have

a tendency to follow their lead.

Who understands this?

Colleen Szot, infomercial

copy writer extraordinaire,

that’s who. She’s the one who

created those Nordic Track

ski machine commercials,

which some said were selling

at a rate of 240,000 units per

month. How did Colleen Szot

leverage social proof? In

the call to action line where

most say, “Operators are

waiting — please call now,”

she said, “If operators are

busy, please call again.” See

the difference? All the kids are

already doing it, so call back

later!

thinking humans are more

advanced than turkeys … well,

think again.

When Chivas Regal wanted

to stimulate their sales of

Scotch whisky, what did they

do? They didn’t change their

formula. They didn’t change

their packaging. What did they

change? The price — they

made it more expensive, and it

started to fl y off the shelves.

Why? Because humans have

fi xed behavior patterns as

well, and we can sometimes

predict them using heuristics,

or judgemental shortcuts;

heuristics are “rules of

thumb.” So the Chivas Regal

marketing folks made a rule

of thumb assumption that

humans often equate quality

with a high price.

Cialdini organized his

fi ndings into six principles of

persuasion. If sales people and

managers understand them

and recognize when situations

naturally reveal themselves,

they can be dramatically more

successful and do so with

integrity, that is, unlike a used

car salesman.

Six Principles of Persuasion1. Reciprocity: People want

to repay in kind. A Brigham

Young University professor

did an interesting study

back in the ‘70s. He mailed

Christmas cards to people he

didn’t know. The professor

wanted to see if the principle

of reciprocity would drive them

to send cards in return. He

knew he would get some, but

he was ill-prepared for the

fl ood of cards he received. The

professor knew the principle

of reciprocity was alive and

well.

There is not one human

society that doesn’t teach

its people the principle of

reciprocity. It is the single

biggest way for societies to

advance. If I do something nice

When you say

the word

“persuasion,”

it conjures up

some images of a person using

underhanded or manipulative

methods to get what they

want. But it doesn’t have to

be that way. As a matter of

fact,the world’s most quoted

authority on the study of

human persuasion, Dr. Robert

Cialdini, says when it comes to

persuasion people fall into one

of three categories.

Bunglers don’t recognize

persuasion opportunities and

‘bungle’ them away. This is a

person who is nice enough but

will never realize their true

potential for themselves and

others because they aren’t

cognizant of the possibilities.

Smugglers recognize

and utilize persuasion in an

underhanded manner. This

is the stereotypical used car

salesperson who may say and

do things only because they

feel it will give them the upper

hand. Oh, these tactics will

work in the short-term, but

you won’t build a career out

of them.

Sleuths recognize when

persuasion opportunities

present themselves and

openly and honestly use them

to better themselves and the

people they are working with.

People may naturally fall

into these three stereotypes,

but are there really ways

to increase a person’s

persuasiveness? Cialdini

says yes. In nature there

are standard sequences of

behavior called fi xed-action

patterns. These are set in

motion often by a single piece

of information.

Did you know that mother

turkeys will only take care

of their young chicks if they

make a particular sound?

What starts this fi xed-action

maternal behavior? When

a small turkey chick emits

a “cheep, cheep” sound,

the mother hen knows that

they are healthy and likely

to survive. Certainly, you’re

PROFIT POWERPersuasion Skills to Dramatically Increase Your Sales Success

w

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

BY MARK RODGERS

DealershipPERFORMANCE

PEAK



4. Authority: Show what you

know because people defer

to experts. If you’re old

enough, you might remember

Robert Young, who played

Marcus Welby in the ‘70s TV

show “Marcus Welby, M.D.”

His image as a doctor was

so strong that he was used

for what may be the longest

running series of television

spots promoting the healthful

benefi ts of drinking Sanka

brand coffee. Even though he

wasn’t a medical doctor (a

fact he reiterated in the coffee

commercials), consumers still

associated him with a medical

authority, so they bought more

Sanka coffee.

I’m not suggesting you lie

about your expertise, but I

encourage you to allow your

legitimate expertise and

authority to shine through

— people will defer to your

suggestions.

5. Consistency: We want our

public statements to remain

consistent. What do you call

a person who says one thing

and does another? Hypocrite.

Liar. Flip fl opper. Politician.

Teenager. Most people strive

to be consistent with their

publicly stated beliefs, ideas

and commitments.

In an interesting

experiment, a beach-goer

spread out his blanket, cooler

and boom box. He laid for a

bit and then went for a walk

down the beach. Then a co-

conspirator came and made

it appear that he was stealing

the boom box. No one stopped

the thief or said anything. They

repeated this experiment 20

times with the same result.

The scientists then moved

down the beach to replicate

the experiment, but with one

exception. This time, before

the person went for his

walk, he turned to his fellow

beachgoers and asked, “I’d

like to go for a walk, would

you watch my stuff?” To which

people quickly agreed. The

result? Nineteen out of twenty

times the fellow beachgoers

intervened and stopped the

would-be thief. Why did so

many people help? Because

they said they would.

6. Liking: We like those who

like us and are like us. We will

often spend more time with

someone and feel better about

them when we like them;

this is the resoning behind

celebrity endorsements, but

it’s also represented in an

experiment. When ASU’s

football team won, fans would

respond with “We won!” when

queried about game’s result.

When ASU lost, fans said,

“They lost.” It’s very telling

language, and it basically

means we associate with what

we like.

Many studies have been done

that show people will actually

stand physically closer to those

who share political affi liations,

hometowns, or even habits,

like smoking. Want to infl uence

more people? Find true and

legitimate similarities.

Persuasion comes in many

forms. Next time we’ll cover 15

ways to dramatically increase

your powers of persuasion. t

An award-winning author, top-

rated trainer and founder of

Peak Dealership Performance,

Mark Rodgers holds a master’s

degree in adult education and the

National Speakers Association

Certifi ed Speaking Professional

designation — only 500 people

in the world have this coveted

recognition. Contact [email protected] to improve your performance.

Mark RodgersPeak Dealership Performance NewsletterSometimes funny. Sometimes irreverent. Always insightful.

Sign up today!www.PeakDealershipPerformance.com

MarkR_108 609 909build.indd 1 7/29/09 10:08:35 AM



Did you know only 40

to 45% of American

adults make new

year’s resolutions?

I’ll assume those 50 to 55%

who don’t make new year’s

resolutions did at one time, but

gave up because in the past

they’ve just worn off. Common

new year’s resolutions involve

weight loss, exercise, smoking,

better money management, etc.

Personally, over the years I’ve

tried everything from the big,

hairy audacious goals, to the

wimpy, conservative goals. Some

have stuck, others haven’t, but I

always look forward to the fresh

new opportunity that comes

with a new year. This year I’m

shooting for a more balanced

approach with one big business

goal, one fi tness goal and one

family related goal. Will they all

stick? Well, according to some

research here are my odds: 75%

of new year’s resolutions are

maintained past the fi rst week,

71% past two weeks, 64% after

one month and 46% after six

months. But, what I like most

about my chances is that those

pre-determined deadlines.

Whether it’s your body weight,

payroll percentages, jogging

minutes per mile average, or

a percent increase from your

previous year’s sales, personal

or professional, there’s nothing

quite like the power of numbers.

If it ain’t in writing it ain’t a Goal: (I sometimes catch hell

for my southern accent, so I

fi gure I might as well run with

it.) The Lt. Colonel taught me

the importance of committing

goals to writing. Over the years

I’ve found that if I write it down

and review it daily it magically

gets done!

Commitments to others:

Those with integrity don’t like to

say one thing and do another.

I’ve always believed strongly

in the positive power of peer

pressure and fi nd that sharing

your commitments with other

like-minded individuals greatly

increases the chances you’ll

make it happen. High achievers

routinely put themselves under

the gun to meet publicized

deadlines.

Subject matter immersion:

Input is in direct correlation to

ouput. Inspiration can come

from many places, including

books, magazines, TV, friends,

family, the Internet, etc. The

encouragement you receive

from external infl uences to set

and keep your goals is greatly

dependent upon your ability to

stimulate yourself with the right

subject matter.

Nothing ventured, nothing

gained!

Happy new year and happy

new year’s resolutions. t

Having owned and operated

four dealerships in the Atlanta

market, Rod Stuckey knows

firsthand how hard it can be to

get targeted dealer information,

so he founded Dealership

University. His monthly column

gives dealers the lessons

they need to learn to be more

successful.

support the family by working

at a sewing factory; she

resorted to housing the family

in a tent city. Earl absolutely

hated being poor and couldn’t

understand why his family and

all those around him were so

poor while there were some

people, in fact, many people,

who not only had money, but

were rich. He would ask his

mom and neighbors why this

was, but nobody had an answer

and nobody seemed particularly

bothered by being poor.

It was at this point Earl

began frequenting the local

library in search of answers.

For the next 20 years Earl

researched, experienced

and evaluated why it was

that some achieved success

while others came up short.

Here’s what he found: If you

take 100 individuals who start

on even ground at the age of

25 with grandiose hopes and

aspirations of success and

money, by the time they are

65 only one will end up rich.

Four will make it to fi nancial

independence, fi ve will still be

working and 54 will be broke.

So what’s the difference?

Here’s what Earl had to say:

“The difference is goals.

People with goals succeed

because they know where

they’re going. It’s that simple.

Failures, on the other hand,

believe that their lives are

shaped by circumstances, by

things that happen to them, by

exterior forces.”

With that in mind, regardless

of the economy, wouldn’t you

agree 2010 is a great year to set

some new goals? Here are a

few strategies I like to leverage

regarding goal setting.

Measured progress: You

may have heard me refer to

WGMGD: What’s good is Miller

Genuine Draft ... Well, maybe

not. WGMGD is an acronym that

stands for “what gets measured

gets gone.” Benchmark statistics

are great motivators, as are

same studies indicate that those

who explicitly set new year’s

resolutions are 10 times more

likely to achieve their goals than

those who do not. After all, any

hockey player knows you miss

100% of the shots you don’t take.

We’re obviously in one hell

of a downturn, and I’ve recently

read that it’s speculated 3,000-

plus of the 7,500 franchised

dealers are now gone, with

many more to follow. This

information, coupled with the

preparation required of our

recently completed “Sales and

Marketing Recession Rescue”

bootcamp, prompted me to

stumble upon this fascinating

story of Earl Nightingale that

I haven’t heard or seen in at

least a decade. It’s been called

the most interesting story in

the world.

Earl was born in Los Angeles

in 1921. At an early age, Earl’s

father left home. Earl, his

brother and mother were left

on their own in the midst of the

Great Depression. With jobs

extremely diffi cult to come

by, Earl’s mom struggled to

RESOLUTION FOR SUCCESSMeasure Up in 2010

w

w

w

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

BY ROD STUCKEY

LessonsLEARNED



GETTIN’ ROBBEDIf It Ain’t Happened Yet ... It Probably Will

crashed it through a gate

there. They then cut our fence

and pushed over stacks of

crated ATVs, partially assem-

bling the ones they wanted,

and they then wheeled them

around the building to the sto-

len truck beyond. Fortunately,

a deputy was heading home

from work that night and saw

them out there. He busted

seven guys and one very

mouthy woman who ended up

ratting out a ring responsible

for 17 similar dealership rob-

beries, along with thefts of

Wal-Mart semi-trailers full of

goods. Crazy stuff.

This time, the morons came

back one week later and tried to

steal three commercial mow-

ers from a power equipment

dealer down the road from us.

Again, one of the local cops saw

them and chased them down.

They’d stolen a U-Haul and sev-

eral other vehicles already that

night, and the guys responsible

sang like canaries on crack, giv-

ing up a whole bunch of names

at the top. I guess the city boys

don’t like being locked up out

an employee who we’d let go

the week prior. Big shocker

there, I guess.

Anyway, I tell you about

these episodes because I

don’t see things getting bet-

ter anytime very soon. As we

all struggle to keep the doors

open in a horrible economy,

we’ve got to keep security

in mind. With 10% of the

populace out of work, there’s

double the chance that

someone will try something

at some point (remember,

unemployment was closer

to 5 % just two years ago).

The thing is, you’ve got to be

aware. You can’t always stop

it, so you’ve got to have your

cameras working, your alarm

system serviced and your re-

lationship with the neighbors

at its best. If you’re gonna get

your stuff back, you gotta rely

on witness accounts.

The biggest thing to remem-

ber is, don’t reach for that door

handle and put yourself in a

worse position than you can

get out of. I’m glad I didn’t. It’s

just not worth it. After all, we

pay insurance for a reason, so

as much as you’d like to kick

some ass at the time, it’s not

worth having some punk blow

you away. You’ll get the stuff

back or you won’t. Either way,

you’ll be alive to fi nd out. Oh,

and also keep in mind that, if

you get caught with your pants

down, it’s a good idea to pull

them up before you try to run.

Trust me on that. t

Columnist William Douglas

Little writes from experience,

having built a multi-line

dealership from the ground up.

His store, Unique Powersports,

has earned accolades for

excellence in retail sales,

community involvement and

customer satisfaction. Little’s

debut book, Mexican Bowl

Fishing, was released in 2008

and is available at

www.WilliamDouglasLittle.com.

here in our rural jails for very

long; they all tend to talk pretty

quick when they’re sharing a

cell with Big Bubba.

For me, the worst robbery

experience I’ve had was the

one I call our “crappy robbery.”

It is so-named because I was

actually working late at the

dealership that fateful night

and stopped to use the bath-

room while it all went down.

There I was, minding my own

business, reading the daily

paper on my throne when I

heard voices through the wall.

At fi rst, I thought I’d left a radio

on, but then I heard a four-

wheeler start up!

Now, let me just tell you, if

you’ve never jumped from a

toilet with your pants around

your ankles and tried to run out

the door, you’re really missing

one of life’s great experiences.

I made it about three feet be-

fore my boxer-tied feet tripped

up, and I ended up hitting the

concrete bathroom fl oor with a

huge knock to the head.

After getting my pants back

up, I ran to a rear exit in the

Service Department that leads

to our lock-in area. Just as I

reached for the door handle, I

heard several guys yelling to

one another and three more

engines fi ring up. Somewhere

in my mind, a red fl ag went up.

“I’m about to be face-to-face

with at least four guys who

are stealing from me, and I’m

totally unarmed!” Fortunately,

I let go of the door handle and

ran to get my hands on some

steel bravery from my truck on

the side of the building.

Long story short, the guys

rode off on four quads, one of

which they “ran out of gas”

and left in the middle of a

county highway. Turns out they

hadn’t turned the gas petcock

to the “on” position. I was

fairly impressed they’d made it

that far. By morning, the police

had rounded up all fi ve guys

responsible, one of which was

As I write this

month’s column, I’m

just coming off of

yet another experi-

ence of getting kicked while

I’m down — my dealership

was robbed (again). This now

makes fi ve such occurrences

in the past ten years, which

is a little surprising when you

consider our rural location. I

guess if I’d built my store in

a major metro area or on the

wrong side of the tracks, I

might expect this sort of thing

to happen more often. The

truth is, the people from the

“wrong side” just come to our

side, steal a truck and take our

stuff. It is annoying, expensive

and couldn’t have happened in

a worse economy.

This was not the fi rst time

we were hit by an organized

theft ring out of St. Louis

(about 60 miles away). The

fi rst time, they stole a semi

and loaded 20 crated ATVs

with their own forklift. About

two years later, they stole a

panel truck from a factory

down the road and literally

A

w

y

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

BY WILLIAM DOUGLAS LITTLE

PracticeWHAT YOU PREACH



Battle GearShift Racing

The Trooper Storm Series textile jacket is a gritty piece of

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– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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All-Weather BootsAxo AmericaThe Q2 is one of the boots in Axo’s latest Q

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Sure Sellers:

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Battle GearShift Racing

The Trooper Stor

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EssentialsGear

MPN_Jan10_essentials.indd 54 12/8/09 9:01 AM


Spyder HitchCorbinThe Corbin trailer hitch is designed to work with

the Corbin Fleetliner saddlebag brackets on a

Can-Am Spyder RS to allow for the use of a tow

behind trailer.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Sure Sellers:

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Fuel-Cut EliminatorIvan’s Performance ProductsIvan’s new Fuel-Cut Eliminator cures abrupt, sometimes jerky throttle response

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Sure Sellers:

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• Eliminates the loud pop often heard upon throttle re-application

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Tool PouchSaddlemen

Saddlemen offers easily accessible and affordable options for

carrying those important tools out on the road. Its Express

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Sure Sellers:

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• Straps included for secure mounting

• Dimensions: 11”x3.5”x4.5”

– – – – – – – – – – – – – –

For more info:Ivan’s Performance Products175 N. Route 9W – Unit #1Congers, NY, 10920(845) 268-1212www.ivansperformanceproducts.com

– – – – – – – – – – – –


– – – – – – – – – – –

For more info:Saddlemen17801 S. Susana RoadDominguez, CA 90221(800) 397-7709www.saddlemen.com

EssentialsP&A

MPN_Jan10_essentials.indd 55 12/7/09 7:04 AM


Synthetic SaddlebagsPrice point is king these days, so Willie & Max has made three synthetic leather additions to its Revolution saddlebag line.

Sure Sellers:

• Three designs, grommetted, swooped or studded, in hard-mount or throwover style

• Hard-mount style fi ts most cruisers• Throwover bags have reinforced backs to provide stability, as

well as reinforced yokes for secure universal mounting above or below the seat

For More Info: Willie & Max Saddlebags, 4230 Clipper Drive, Manitowoc, WI 54220; (847) 356-7763; www.willieandmax.com

Extended Brake PedalsBe sure to stock up on SoftBrake's new extended brake pedals for 2008-2010 bagger H-Ds — and dont worry: the pedal can accept the factory rubber pads baring the hallowed H-D logo.

Sure Sellers:• Arm is 1 inch longer than stock, and the fulcrum has been adjusted

to match the later application • Three different pedal designs available: plain, slotted and

circle-punched• Made of steel, fi nished in chrome, and retailing at $149.95.

For More Info: SoftBrake, P.O. Box 7081, Norco, CA 92806; (800) 403-4989; www.softbrake.com

Birthday Suit“Easy Rider” recently saw its 40th anniversary and a release on Blu-ray, so Kerr Leathers marked the occasion with an offi cial replica jacket and vest.

Sure Sellers:• A limited, one-time offer to H-D dealers, with only 3,000 units

being manufactured• Units come with a certifi cate of authenticity signed by

Peter Fonda• Promotional posters and movie soundtracks are available

for in-store display or to sell individually

For More Info: Kerr Leathers, 63 Jefferson Ave., Salem, MA 01970-2913; (800) 994-5377; www.kerrleathers.com

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MPN_Jan10_vtwin.indd 56 12/4/09 2:43 PM


High-Performance CarburetorsAlong with the HSR42, Sudco offers the Mikuni HSR45 and HSR48 Carburetor Kits. The HSR45 is perfect for performance-modifi ed big twins, while the huge HSR48 is for the really big dogs.

Sure Sellers:• Offers the highest air fl ow possible while providing accurate metering,

more power and Mikuni’s renowned precision throttle response• 8-roller bearing fl at throttle slide assembly allows more airfl ow at full

throttle, while mixing more precisely at all throttle settings• High capacity fl oat bowl prevents fuel starvation even under full throttle

applications

For more info: Sudco International Corp., 3014 Tanager Ave., Commerce, CA 90040; (800) 998-3529; www.sudco.com

Lady LeatherThe RoadKrome Lady’s Talia Leather Jacket is a hot little number for year-around comfort and style.

Sure Sellers:• Premium grade “A” cowhide leather• Removable insulated liner• CE-approved shoulder and elbow protection

For more info: NHJ Powersports, 4141 W.126th St., Alsip, IL 60803; (800) 826-0001; www.nhjpowersports.com

Communication InnovationThe Boom! Audio Music and Intercom Kit adds front- and rear-communications ports for headphones and rider-to-passenger communication to Advanced Audio System-equipped H-D tourers.

Sure Sellers:• Discrete tank and rear fender pods with seven-pin plugs for

headphones and microphones allow the rider and passenger to communicate and listen to the same programming

• Rear port features a separate volume control• Enables high-quality bike-to-bike communications with the

purchase of CB communication module, wiring harness, and model-specifi c CB Antenna

For more info: Harley-Davidson Motor Co., 3700 W. Juneau Ave., P.O. Box 453, Milwaukee, WI 53201; (414) 342-4680; www.harley-davidson.com

High-Performance C

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Lady LeatherThe RoadKrome Lady’s Talia Leather Jacketis a hot little number for year-aroundcomfort and style.

Sure Sellers:• Premium grade “A” cowhide leather

R bl i l t d li

wwwwwww .MPPMPMPMPNmaNNN g.com January 2002 10 1 57

Carburetorskuni HSR45 and HSR48 Carburrete orororore-modifi ed big twins, while the

e providing accurate meteree ing,ision throttle responsebly allows more airfl ow at full all throttle settingsarvation even under full throttle

., 3014 Tanager Ave., Commm erere cece, ,m

Ca

MPN_Jan10_vtwin.indd 57 12/4/09 2:43 PM


t

Find out more about advertisers in this issue

online atwww.mpnmag.com/resourcecenter

Quickly locate an advertiser in this issue with the list below:

A&J Cycle Salvage ................................ 58AFX North America Inc. ........................ 16Amrep, Inc. ............................................ 45Arai Helmet Americas Inc............... 14, 15Cardo Systems Inc. ............................... 26Clarke Manufacturing Co. ..................... 58Competition Chemicals ........................ 41Continental Tire .................................... 34Dennis Stubblefi eld Sales Inc. .............. 47Exceed International/Hot Products ...... 58GS Battery (U.S.A.) Inc. ......................... 47Helmet House Inc. ................................ 19HJC Helmets ......................................... 21J&D Walter Distributors Inc. ................ 58K&L Supply Co. ..................................... 60Mustang Motorcycle Products Inc. ....... 58NextStep Computer & Software Inc. .... 49Parts Unlimited ....................................... 3Pecard Leather Care Products ............. 44Powerlet ................................................ 58Spectro Oils of America ........................ 41Sudco International Corp. ..................... 59Tucker Rocky ........................................... 5V-Twin Expo by Easyriders ................... 35Vance & Hines ....................................... 12Vee Rubber America ............................. 33Western Power Sports Inc. ..................... 2Western Power Sports Inc. ..................... 7Western Power Sports Inc. ..................... 9Western Power Sports Inc. ................... 13Yuasa Battery Inc. ................................. 23Z1 Enterprises, Inc ................................ 58

AdINDEX– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

FREEFREEONLINE RESOURCE CENTER

MarketPlace follow MPN on @MPNmag

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MPN - January 2010