Friday, 30 May 2014

American Report



Ackerman named Chair of MIC Aftermarket/Allied Trade Committee

ARNOLD W. Ackerman, chairman emeritus and founder of the Motorsport Aftermarket Group (MAG), has accepted the appointment of Chair of Motorcycle Industry Council's (MIC) Aftermarket/Allied Trade Committee. Ackerman will be replacing the committee’s previous Chair, Steve Johnson, who was the President and Chief Operating Officer of Tucker Rocky Distributing for 12 years before retiring in 2012.

“As we continue to focus on strengthening our industry’s recovery, we are excited to have a key contributor like Arnie Ackerman lead our Aftermarket Committee”, said Dennis McNeal, MIC Chair and Vice President Motorcycle Operations at Yamaha Motor Corporation. “Arnie’s resume is filled with industry experience, and he’s no stranger to the MIC. He’s worked with and supported the MIC on a variety of projects and issues over the years, and we look forward to Arnie’s leadership as he takes the helm of this industry-critical committee”. 




Ackerman, a lifelong motorcycle enthusiast whose ties to the industry run deep, founded Motorsport Aftermarket Group in 2000. MAG, a MIC member for 12 years, is an assemblage of many leading motorcycle industry brands, representing segments in dirt/off-road, street, V-twin, all-terrain vehicles and  recreational off-highway vehicles (side-by-sides). 




“Our industry is facing persistent and ongoing challenges and some never-before-seen threats”, said Ackerman. “A strong MIC is necessary to combat these threats and at the same time to be able to offer sensible solutions. The MIC Aftermarket/Allied Trade Committee’s cadre of board members represents all aspects of our industry and is qualified and ready to take on the challenge”.

The other members of MIC’s Aftermarket/Allied Trade Committee are Gary Bryson of K & N Engineering, Joan Dyal of GE Commercial Finance, Don Emde of Don Emde, Inc., Frank Esposito of Kendon Industries, Inc., Kerry Graeber of Marketplace Events, Kevin Hagerty of MotoQuest, Robin Hartfiel of Resmarket, Inc., Dick Lague of Ignition3, LLC, Larry Little of Marketplace Events Motorcycle Group, Tom McCarthy of Motorcycle Management Consulting Services, Inc., Sarah Schilke of Schuberth North America, Tigra Tsujikawa of Advanstar, and Jayson Wickenkamp of Scorpion Sports, Inc.

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American Report Briefs

Motorcycle dealers in the US have the chance to see their customers win a total of nearly $30,000 in gift certificates and other prizes, thanks to the Revive Your Ride! Spring Giveaway promotion, sponsored by the aftermarket members of the Motorcycle Industry Council. The twice-per-year promotion is entirely free for dealers, and free for consumers to participate.

BRP is to build new Can-Am plant in Juarez, Mexico. The 45,000 sq m (500,000 sq ft) facility represents an estimated $55 million Canadian (€37m/US$50m) investment. Manufacturing operations are will begin by the end of 2015, with the project completed by the end of 2017; 900 jobs are expected to be created. BRP already has a facility in Juarez, on the border with the US, and both plants will be geographically close to each other. This will be BRPs third facility in Mexico.

Brembo has celebrated the opening of its expanded North American manufacturing operations at Homer, Michigan, where the company is investing more than $115 million to expand a facility that houses production of brake discs and calipers and assembly module manufacturing. North America will become the number one market for the group by the end of 2014 - last year saw a 19.4 percent increase in US revenue, with a 27.7 percent increase during the first quarter of this year. The growth is due to the 2007 purchase of the Hayes-Lemmerz Automotive Brake Component division, which included the Homer plant, the largest of Brembo's facilities in North America, and substantial growth in its US-based OEM business.

Noted for budget priced mini-bikes and go-karts sold through "big box" retailers in the US, MotoVox is set to start selling higher value, lower-emission super-economical small recreational vehicles through power-sports industry dealerships. Parent company APT (American Performance Technology) is said to have invested $20m at its Kansas City, Missouri facility since 2008, and hopes to score higher margins from a new improved specification, higher performance Pro-Line product range that will include a 150cc on-road production motorcycle - for which they are claiming delivery of between 100 and 150 mpg using patented "SmartCarb" technology.

 
Suzuki say that strong US sales are being driven by availability of the 2014 V-Strom 1000 ABS and 2014 Burgman 200 ABS, with April sales gains in the standard, touring motorcycle, and utility ATV categories. The company believes it is benefiting from strong race results in the US this spring.

 
American Sidi boots distributor Motonation is to sell the Sidi casual apparel range retail direct at break-even pricing in order to propagate brand ID and values. The Sidi Casuals range has never been stocked by US dealers.

Black Book editorial director Ricky Beggs has said that used motorcycle prices in the United States increased slightly from March to April, but increased significantly from April to May as auctions saw rising prices and more sales. "Prices are up across the board, and for the first time this year, by fairly large amounts for most segments." Cruisers are up 3 percent month-over-month, split almost evenly between domestic V-twins and metric units. The scooter segment is up 3.2 percent, off-road bikes are up 2.9 percent and street bikes and utility vehicles are each up 2.5 percent. 

PowerSports Business has reported that a new analysis of preliminary state data released by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) suggests that US motorcyclist fatalities are projected to have decreased in 2013, for only the second year since 1997 - by a probable 7 percent.