Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/765954
4 • December 26, 2016 • Powersports Business NEWS www.PowersportsBusiness.com www.powersportsbusiness.com Editorial and Sales: 763.383.4400 Subscriber Service: 847.513.6025 EDITOR IN CHIEF: Dave McMahon 763/383-4411 (dmcmahon@powersportsbusiness.com) MANAGING EDITOR: Liz Keener 763/383-4413 (lkeener@powersportsbusiness.com) ASSISTANT EDITOR: Kate Swanson 763/383-4412 (kswanson@powersportsbusiness.com) DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR: Shauna Spencer MANAGING ART DIRECTOR: Dodi Vessels ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR: Nicole Siewert PRODUCTION ARTIST: Kelsey Houle PRODUCTION MANAGER: Angela Schmieg PRODUCTION DIRECTOR: Cherri Perschmann NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Allison Gruhn 763/383-4467 (agruhn@powersportsbusiness.com) NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Mark Rosacker 763/383-4433 (mrosacker@powersportsbusiness.com) NATIONAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE Michael Kula 763/383-4440 (mkula@powersportsbusiness.com) CEO: Marion Minor SR. VICE PRESIDENT/FINANCE & OPERATIONS: Gerald Winkel SR. VICE PRESIDENT/MARKET DEVELOPMENT: Joanne Juda-Prainito GROUP PUBLISHER/MOTORCYCLE, POWERSPORTS: David J. Voll SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER: Bernadette Wohlman CONTRIBUTORS: COLUMNISTS: Paula Crosbie, Steve Jones CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: David Wells, Lisa Pelissier DEALER ADVISORY BOARD: Hooksett Kawasaki-Polaris, Jim Whalley; Hacker's Yamaha & Honda, Rick Hacker; Honda/Polaris of Lubbock, Morris Baker; All Action Water Sports, Ray Leps POWERSPORTS BUSINESS (ISSN #1522-7944) is published 15 times per year – monthly except twice in May and December, the Market Data Book in September – by EPG Media/Specialty Information Media, 10405 6th Avenue North, Suite 210 Minneapolis, MN 55441. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, MN and additional mailing offices. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: Free to qualified members of the motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle, snowmobile and personal watercraft industries. Annual subscription rate is $56 per year for U.S residents, $76 for Canadian residents and $96 for residents in other countries. All paid subscriptions must be paid in advance and in U.S. funds only. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Powersports Business, P.O. Box 2123, Skokie, IL 60076-7823. CUSTOMER SERVICE: Visit www.PowersportsBusiness.com, email customerservice@epgmediallc.com, call (847) 513-6025, fax (763) -383-4497 or write to Powersports Business, PO Box 2123, Skokie, IL 60076-7823. CANADIAN RETURN ADDRESS: EPG Media & Specialty Information, 4960-2 Walker Road, Windsor, Ontario N9A 6J3. Publication Sales Agreement #40012332. EDITORIAL: All manuscripts, materials, photographs and artwork submitted are at mailer's risk and must include self-addressed envelope with sufficient postage for return. Send editorial materials to EPG Media/Specialty Information Media, 10405 6th Avenue North, Suite 210 Minneapolis, MN 55441, 763/383-4400. No responsibility will be assumed for unsolicited materials. Powersports Business is a registered trademark of EPG Media & Specialty Information. Copyright 2016 by EPG Media & Specialty Information. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited unless expressly authorized by publisher. REPRINTS: For more information on e-prints or reprints from Powersports Business, contact Robin Cooper, 763/383-4400 ext. 4491. Printed in U.S.A. JANUARY 2017 6-7: AMSOIL Pirtek Snocross National, Shakopee, MN 6-8: Progressive International Motorcycle Show, Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C. 7-8: U.S. X-Country Snowmobile Racing Pine Lake 200, MN 12-15: Daytona Freeride, Daytona Beach, FL 13-15: 2017 Vintage World Championship Snowmobile Derby, Eagle River, WI 13-15: Progressive International Motorcycle Show, Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center, Dallas, TX 14-15: U.S. X-Country Snowmobile Racing Detroit Lakes 200, MN 14-20: WPS National Motorcycle/ATV Sales Meeting, Boise, ID 19-22: 2017 AMSOIL World Championship Snowmobile Derby, Eagle River, WI 20-21: AMSOIL U.S. Air Force Snocross National, Deadwood, SD 21-22: U.S. X-Country Snowmobile Racing Park Rapids 106, MN 21-22: AMA ISDE East Qualifier Series Round 1, River City Dirt Riders, Seville, FL 21-23: Garage Composites Update, Denver, CO 27-29: Progressive International Motorcycle Show, I-X Center, Cleveland, OH 28-29: V-Twin Expo by EasyRiders, Duke Energy Center, Cincinnati, OH 28-29: U.S. X-Country Snowmobile Racing Seven Clans Thief River Falls 250, MN 28-29: AMA ISDE West Qualifier Series Round 1, Ventura County MC, Gorman, CA 30-31: Gart Sutton & Associates Parts Management Workshop, Dallas, TX FEBRUARY 2017 3-4: AMSOIL U.S. Air Force Snocross National, Salamanca, NY 3-5: Progressive International Motorcycle Show, Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, MN 6-7: Gart Sutton & Associates Service Management Workshop, Dallas, TX 8-11: U.S. X-Country Snowmobile Racing I-600 Winnipeg to Willmar, MN 9-10: Tucker Rocky | Biker's Choice Dealer and Brand Expo, Embassy Suites Dallas Frisco Hotel Convention Center & Spa, Frisco, TX 10-12: Progressive International Motorcycle Show, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL 11-12: North Carolina Motorcycle Dealers Association Winter Meeting, Greensboro, NC 11-12: Texas Motorcycle Dealers Association Annual Conference, Courtyard Marriott Downtown/ Convention Center, Austin, TX 11-12: AMA ISDE East Qualifier Series Round 2, Full Gas Enduro Series, Gaston, SC 12: 13th Annual Hot Products IJSBA Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300 Mile National Team Endurance Race presented by Yamaha, Crazy Horse Campground, Lake Havasu City, AZ 17-19: AMA Ice Race Grand Championship, Cadillac, MI 18-19: Parts Unlimited/Drag Specialties 2017 NVP Product Expo, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN 24-25: AMSOIL Soaring Eagle Snocross National, Mt. Pleasant, MI 25-26: U.S. X-Country Snowmobile Racing Seven Clans Warroad 200, MN 25-26: AMA ISDE East Qualifier Series Round 3, Full Gas Enduro Series, Greeneville, TN 27-28: Gart Sutton & Associates Dealership Management for GM or DP, Dallas, TX 27-28: Gart Sutton & Associates Advanced Sales and F&I Management, Dallas, TX 28-March 4: Bintelli Dealer Meeting, The Bahamas CALENDAR OF EVENTS Email dmcmahon@powersportsbusiness.com to get your industry event added to the calendar. Wausau, Wisconsin. "The proximity to the engineering and manufacturing site is really key. We are consolidating the various offices where our aftersales people and network sup- port people are working to a location where we have a core business," said Soucy. The training facility is specifically geared toward BRP technicians, who will be fully trained and certified on all Ski-Doo, Sea-Doo, Rotax and Can-Am products. "They are not coming here for basic train- ing; the technicians that are coming here already took the standardized steps," Soucy said. "But now the company has made it pos- sible for them to be able to understand those complex problems, and that's what I like about this." "The level of training that we are going to provide here — with all the stations that we provide — will allow us to really train them on more problem solving, making them better prepared to face the sort of issues they might face in the field," added Villemure. The Sturtevant facility has been in the works for a year, gaining support from the local com- munity, and hopes to bring in 500 visitors per year to the area. With an increase in visitors, the village of Sturtevant will see more business from hotels, food and local spending. "We are grateful to the Village of Sturtevant and the Racine County Economic Develop- ment Corporation for their support in the creation of this world-class training institute that has allowed us to create and secure over 20 full-time positions. This new institute will bring around 500 visitors a year to the region," Villemure said during the ribbon cutting cer- emony. "The Evinrude brand has a storied relationship with Southeastern Wisconsin, and BRP is excited to open up this new chapter." A typical training session will last three to four days and focus on specific product train- ing. "If there is an update on the new technol- ogy, we are going to take advantage of the fact that the technicians are here, but most of the time the sessions are specific to one product at a time," Villemure said. While BRP will pay for the technician training courses, those who attend will need to pay for their own transportation and accommodations while in Sturtevant. Ville- mure explained that it is important for dealers to invest in their training because visiting the center helps to further spread BRP's standards for cleanliness, organization and emphasis on the customer experience. "Our dealer network is getting stronger and stronger. They are making great margin with BRP products, so now we see that they are really investing in their business and they understand that the consumer experience is very important to retain and so they are pleased to come now," Soucy said. "This training brings value to their customers." In addition to training technicians with high expectations, Villemure said that the nearby factory allows technicians to have the full BRP experience. "The technicians didn't get the opportunity to visit the factories, and now things are put together. So it might not be the product that they are working on, but they get to experience it because our factories look very much the same," he added. "We continue to implement a series of initiatives that allow BRP to remain a refer- ence in the powersports industry world- wide," Soucy said. "This training institute, one of five that cover our regions across five continents, is a focused investment to bet- ter equip our network to deliver excellent customer service." PSB BRP CONTINUED FROM THE COVER The North American training facility will host techni- cians from all over Canada, the U.S. and Central America for specific product training sessions. Assistant editor Kate Swanson got a chance to sit in one of BRP's Maverick X3 models, one of many units in and around the Sturtevant facility's BRP- dedicated atrium.