Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/780450
www.PowersportsBusiness.com With about 400 dealerships in the U.S., there is plenty of Victory product on showroom floors. About 55 percent of the Victory deal- ers surveyed had 11-15 new Victory bikes in stock. About 18 percent had more than 20 new Victory bikes in stock, and about 10 per- cent of dealers each had 0-5, or 6-10, or 16-20 bikes in stock. Major unit sales of new Victory bikes in 2016 brought a range of responses from the Victory dealers surveyed. About 27 percent of them sold 0-10 new Victory bikes in 2016. About 32 percent sold 11-20 new Victory bikes in 2016, and 27 percent sold 21-30. More than 30 new Victory motorcycles were sold in 2016 by 14 percent of the respondents. Not surprising, Victory dealers who took the survey shared a wide range of thoughts on the brand's closure. When asked "How will Vic- tory's exit from the motorcycle business affect your dealership?" dealers responded as such: Big loss, we do quite well with them. None. Not too much. It depends on how much help Polaris gives us to move the product. It will hurt while we try to find a way to sell off our inventory. After that, I don't have much of a concern. We had to take Polaris ORV and sleds to get Victory. We didn't want the snowmobiles. Victory is a great line and profitable, filling a market that other lines don't. It will help me to expand our Indian business. It will affect our volume but not our profit. After the initial shock, it will be a good See Victory, Page 7 VICTORY CONTINUED FROM THE COVER Continuing to provide benefits to Power 50 dealers on a year-long basis, Powersports Busi- ness announced that once again, the entire list of 2016 Power 50 dealers will be featured in advertisements in sister publications Rider and Thunder Press. "The Power 50 is the industry's longest con- tinually running dealer awards program, and we're proud to promote the best dealerships in North America to such a dedicated group of motorcycling enthusiasts — the readers of Rider and Thunder Press," Powersports Business editor in chief Dave McMahon said. "Just in time for the riding season, we're providing our Power 50 dealers yet another benefit of the program that dealers have requested — outreach to consum- ers to help tout their Power 50 status." Power 50 dealers — and the two members of the Power 50 Hall of Fame — will benefit by being pro- moted to the expansive reach of the readers of Rider and Thunder Press. Of the Rider readership, 57 per- cent ride more than 5,000 miles annually, 43 percent are likely to buy a motorcycle in the next 12 months, 59 percent spent more than $500 on apparel and helmets in the past 12 months and 98 per- cent buy from Rider advertisers. Similarly, of the Thunder Press readers, 66 percent have more than 20 years riding experience, 94 percent own a Harley-David- son, 51 percent rode more than 10,000 last year, 67 percent spent more than $500 on apparel and helmets in the past 12 months and 76 percent buy from Thunder Press advertisers. The Powersports Business editorial staff annually selects the Power 50 dealerships in the U.S and Canada based on a host of criteria, including customer service, business perfor- mance and profitability. The 2017 Power 50 dealer application is available at www.powersportsbusiness. com/power-50. Deadline for entry is April 15. The 2017 Power 50 dealers will be announced in September during AIMExpo in Columbus, Ohio. PSB Power 50 dealers promoted to motorycycle enthusiasts Power 50 dealers will benefit from print ads in Rider and Thunder Press this spring. DO YOU EXPECT TO REPLACE THE VICTORY LINE WITH ANOTHER BRAND? Yes 32% No 68% HOW MANY NEW VICTORY MOTORCYCLES DID YOUR DEALERSHIP SELL IN 2016? 0-10 27% 11-20 32% 21-30 27% More than 30 14% Source: Powersports Business/BMO Capital Markets