Dealernews - December 2008 - (Page 20) SPEED READ SUZUKI TO SELL PG&A ONLINE Suzuki plans to start selling PG&A over its Web site at the beginning of next year, says Gary Sherfey, manager of the company’s Powersports Accessories Group. All sales will go through franchised Suzuki dealers. Here’s how it will work: Consumers will shop at www.suzuki.com, but at checkout their orders will be redirected to www.shopatron.com, the Web site of Shopatron Inc., a company that specializes in allowing manufacturers to sell online without cutting out their retailers. Once redirected, customers can inquire whether there’s a nearby Suzuki dealer offering in-store pickup. If not, the order will go to the closest dealer signed up with Shopatron to offer shipping. Customers can also just choose to have items shipped to begin with. Shopatron charges a fee of around 3 percent. When there are shipping costs, they are applied to the order and charged to the customer. Shopatron then reimburses the dealer for the amount of the order, minus its fee. Any authorized Suzuki dealer can contact Shopatron to sign up as a product source. He or she can choose to offer in-store pickup, shipping or both. Other powersports-related manufacturers that use Shopatron include AGV Helmets, Braking USA, Motion Pro, PIAA, Smith Optic and Spy Optic. Suzuki is the first OEM to sign up with the company. “Shopatron has a proven reputation in e-commerce, and having received positive feedback from several of its existing customers, we anticipate great results,” Sherfey says. ROYAL ENFIELD IMPORTER JUMPS INTO MULTI-FACETED EXPANSION Classic Motorworks, the importer/distributor of Royal Enfield motorcycles in the United States, will expand its lineup to include bikes produced by India’s TVS Motor. Kevin Mahoney, owner of the Minnesotabased company, says he intends to begin offering TVS two-wheelers to dealers stateside by next spring. A commuter called the Apache RTR will be among the first products offered. TVS launched the bike in India in July. Outfitted with a 159.7cc fuel-injected four-stroke producing 15.7 hp and 9.6 ft.-lbs. of torque at 8,500 rpm, the 299 lb. bike comes with a five-speed gearbox, a multi-plate wet clutch, 90x90-17 front and 100x80-18 rear tires, 270 mm front and 200 mm rear petal-type disc brakes, a telescopic hydraulic front fork, and five-step adjustable rear suspension. Advertised top speed is 74 mph. The Apache’s power plant is undergoing EPA testing. Mahoney says he’s confident the bike will be approved for sale in the U.S. since it’s produced to meet strict Euro 3 guidelines. Classic Motorworks’ 100 Royal Enfield dealers in the U.S. sell about 500 units per year. The bikes still are not California-legal, but Mahoney says that should change in 2009 once he begins importing the new Classic Bullet 500 with Keihin fuel injection. Mahoney says Royal Enfield demand in the U.S. warrants perhaps only up to 200 dealers, and says many of those likely will be found once the brand enters California. While Classic Motorworks has its headquarters in Minnesota, the bikes from India get shipped to Norfolk, Va., where they are warehoused and distributed to dealers across the nation. The company holds about 100 bikes at a time in the Norfolk warehouse and about $600,000 worth of Royal Enfield parts at the headquarters warehouse in Minnesota. But the TVS brand isn’t the only new addition to Mahoney’s motorcycle operations. He’s also moving into other options, like using his sources in India to build parts and accessories for Hyosung product, and picking up Indian-made sidecars and single-wheel trailers capable of being linked to a variety of cycle brands. Because of his expanding businesses, Mahoney’s debating a plan to open a West Coast warehouse, hire a national sales rep to keep a line of communication open with dealers, and hire a few more folks at the Minnesota headquarters facility to fulfill other business needs. DEALERNEWS.COM 20 DEALERNEWS DECEMBER 2008 http://www.suzuki.com http://www.shopatron.com http://www.dealernews.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Dealernews - December 2008 Dealernews - December 2008 Contents From the Editors Inbox Speed Read Joe Delmont Dealernews - December 2008 Dealernews - December 2008 - Dealernews - December 2008 (Page Cover1) Dealernews - December 2008 - Dealernews - December 2008 (Page Cover2) Dealernews - December 2008 - Dealernews - December 2008 (Page 1) Dealernews - December 2008 - Contents (Page 2) Dealernews - December 2008 - Contents (Page 3) Dealernews - December 2008 - Contents (Page 4) Dealernews - December 2008 - Contents (Page 5) Dealernews - December 2008 - Contents (Page 6) Dealernews - December 2008 - Contents (Page 7) Dealernews - December 2008 - From the Editors (Page 8) Dealernews - December 2008 - From the Editors (Page 9) Dealernews - December 2008 - Inbox (Page 10) Dealernews - December 2008 - Inbox (Page 11) Dealernews - December 2008 - Speed Read (Page 12) Dealernews - December 2008 - Speed Read (Page 13) Dealernews - December 2008 - Speed Read (Page 14) Dealernews - December 2008 - Speed Read (Page 15) Dealernews - December 2008 - Speed Read (Page 16) Dealernews - December 2008 - Speed Read (Page 17) Dealernews - December 2008 - Speed Read (Page 18) Dealernews - December 2008 - Speed Read (Page 19) Dealernews - December 2008 - Speed Read (Page 20) Dealernews - December 2008 - Speed Read (Page 21) Dealernews - December 2008 - Joe Delmont (Page 22) Dealernews - December 2008 - Joe Delmont (Page 23) Dealernews - December 2008 - Joe Delmont (Page 24) Dealernews - December 2008 - Joe Delmont (Page 25) Dealernews - December 2008 - Joe Delmont (Page 26) Dealernews - December 2008 - Joe Delmont (Page 27) Dealernews - December 2008 - Joe Delmont (Page 28) Dealernews - December 2008 - Joe Delmont (Page Cover3) Dealernews - December 2008 - Joe Delmont (Page Cover4)
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