Dealernews - December 2008 - (Page 23)

THE FINAL ANALYSIS continued dealer should ask of a potential Chinese supplier. Remember, buying Chinese products isn’t the same — by a long shot — as ordering product from your Japanese manufacturers. Don’t assume anything; check it out. But the factory visits weren’t a one-way communications street. Factory management questioned us in detail about the U.S. economy and the market for powersports equipment. At the beat-up, very old, state-owned Jialing factory that makes products for military and consumer applications, we saw 600cc sportbike/sidecar units for the military rolling off the line. The same 600cc bike also had been tailored for consumers, and one was waiting for Daugherty’s test ride. He liked it. One morning, Schoenbachler didn’t show up at the hotel for a factory visit. He would be gone for the rest of the tour, said Daugherty. Cause: a problem between a factory and a Baja customer regarding payments and title transfer to be solved in another city. The product had to be shipped soon for the important Christmas season. Schoenbachler was on a plane to mediate the dispute. The last factory we visited was a sprawling new $100 million state-of-the-art facility being built by RATO to produce engines, generators, ATVs and motorcycles. Its biggest proﬁt center, however, is the plastic injection molding operation that churns out parts for Ford and Gree Air Conditioning, among many others. There was a youth ATV and a 250cc sportbike waiting for Daugherty on the company’s large test oval when we completed the factory tour. (Oh, and about those containers of ATVs: They were owned by Baja’s customer and they were covered by insurance. A new shipment was on its way in 15 days. Just another day in the world of China sourcing for Paul Schoenbachler and Ryan Daugherty.) Joe Delmont can be reached at jdelmont@dealernews.com or 952-893-6876. CIRCLE 15 ON READER SERVICE CARD OR VISIT DEALERNEWS.COM DEALERNEWS.COM DECEMBER 2008 DEALERNEWS 23 http://www.easternpowersports.com http://www.easternpowersports.com http://www.easternpowersports.com http://www.dealernews.com http://www.dealernews.com

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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) http://digital.dealernews.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn1209http://digital.dealernews.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn1109http://digital.dealernews.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn1009http://digital.dealernews.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn_gear2009http://digital.dealernews.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0909http://digital.dealernews.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0809http://digital.dealernews.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0709http://digital.dealernews.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0609http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0509http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0409http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0309http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0209http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0109http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn121508http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn1208http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn1108http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn1008http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/intlmotorcycleshows_seriesguide0809http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0908http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn_gear2008http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0808http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0708http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0608http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0508http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0408http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0308http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0208http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0108http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn1207http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn1107http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn1007http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0907http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0807http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0707http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0607http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0507http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0407http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/dn0107http://www.nxtbookMEDIA.com

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