Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/274927
SNOWMOBILE Snowmobile sales up in all departments; rentals, too BY LIZ KEENER MANAGING EDITOR To say Travis Conners, owner of Indian River Sports Center in Indian River, Mich., has been pleased with this year's snowmobile season would be an understatement. "We actually had a banner year. It's prob- ably the best year we've had since 2003," he told Powersports Business. Conners went as far as to say the season has been one of the best in the two decades that he's owned the dealership. With a 2 1/2- to 3-foot base of snow in his area and that amount or more in the nearby Upper Penninsula, Indian River Sports Center's customers are putting a staggering amount of miles on their snow- mobiles, leading to increased sales across all departments. Many of Conners' top customers are reporting mileages of 3,000-4,000 on their sleds in this season alone, virtually doubling a normal year. "Typically in a winter, we get 1,500 — maybe 2,000 [miles] — from our high-end riders," he explained. The dealership has seen a boost from those regulars, along with visiting snowmobilers, who stop by the store, located just off Interstate 75, on the way to the Upper Penninsula. "We've had more floor traffic, and it's even during the week," Conners said, adding that the dealership is open late on Fridays to accom- modate out-of-towners. Snowmobile sales are up 50-70 percent over the 2012-13 season for the Arctic Cat and Yamaha dealership. Service has increased 20-30 percent, and overall snowmobile-related purchases have grown 50 percent. "New sled sales are up; clothing's up; parts is up; service is up. It's all across the board — everything has spiked," Conners reported. Along with the snow has come bitter cold, which has kept some people off the trails. How- ever, many have simply stocked up on more cold-weather gear. Indian River Sports Center is Michigan's largest 509 and Klim dealer, and Klim sales have doubled in-house and at shows this season. While increased sales storewide have been a boost to the dealership, management is concerned about what the results mean for the 2014-15 season and beyond. Those who bought sleds this season are unlikely to buy again in the near future, and riders are invest- ing in higher-quality gear, meaning they won't need replacements as frequently. "There's pros and cons to all this because with the snow this year, what do we do next year; do we order big?" Conners said. Despite these concerns, he was positive heading into Yamaha and Arctic Cat's dealer meetings in February, and the dealership was expected to make strong orders. The store likes to have some models left over for the summer and into the following season, but has already had to add to its lineup to fuel this year's demand, with about half a dozen sleds added in early February. About 15 sleds are expected to carry over into the next season, a reasonable number compared to the 40 that stuck around the season before. And though Indian River Sports Center is already looking forward to 2014-15, it's clear that this season still has returns to give. "We're even booked with our snowmobile rental business," Conners said. "We're booked into March, and we've never done that in 20 years of renting sleds." PSB Michigan sled dealer reports 'banner year' 40 • March 17, 2014 • Powersports Business www.PowersportsBusiness.com Three SR Viper M-TX models made for deep snow Yamaha announced its largest 4-stroke snow- mobile product line in February with nine new models in the SR Viper line, including four Limited Edition models only available during the Spring Power Surge program. "We made a commitment to our dealers last year that we would continue to bring new product to their showrooms every year for the next five years," said the head of Yama- ha's North American Snowmobile team, Peter Smallman-Tew. "This is the second year of that plan, and we are excited to offer new SR Viper models for the deep snow market and some new product for the trail rider as well." MOUNTAIN Three new SR Viper M-TX models headline the new product launch. The deep-snow sleds are packed with design features riders demand — adjustable, narrow ski stance on the new SRV-M front suspension, 2.6-inch lugs on the Power Claw track, a short mountain seat to accommodate rider movement and a tall, vertical steering post. Consumers have options in shock package as well as track length. The SR Viper M-TX 162 and 153 both come in the SE package, with FOX FLOAT 3 front shocks, while the M-TX 153 sports coil springs over HPG front shocks. The Phazer M-TX returns with its 2-cylinder engine and agile boondock- ing chassis setup. CROSSOVER Yamaha adds a new twist to the bur- geoning crossover segment. These models are defined by their versatility and capabilities in a wide range of ter- rain and conditions. This is where the X-TX family has led the market, with its 141 and 144-inch track lengths. The new SR Viper S-TX DX is built on the same 141-inch platform as the SR Viper XTX SE, but it takes versatility a step further, with its modular rear bumper system. "The S-TX gives owners even more choice in the kind of sled they want," explained Small- man-Tew. "The modular rear bumper comes stock with a cargo rack, but the accessories team will offer a host of additional pieces that fit right in. Saddlebags, additional racks and even an accessory passenger seat make the Viper S-TX DX a true crossover sled." The S-TX DX is rounded out by the DX, deluxe feature package: tall windshield, com- fort-tuned coil spring suspension, heated seat and the large wedge bag behind the seat. The nimble Phazer X-TX marks its sopho- more year on the market with a color change to black and Yamaha Blue. TRAIL Yamaha's 2015 trail sled offering returns to the snow with some key new components. All SR Viper trail models ride on a pair of new, Yamaha-exclusive Deep-Keel Tuner skis. The ski is specifically engineered to deliver the same great ride on the Viper series as they do for other models. The SR Viper R-TX SE and L-TX SE return with their 129 and 137-inch, respectively, 1.25-inch lug Rip Saw II tracks, FLOAT 3 front shocks and sport-tuned suspension calibra- tions. The SR Viper R-TX DX and L-TX DX feature new names from 2014 to better indicate their comfort-minded component package. Yamaha continues to be the exclusive brand for Electric Power Steering in 2015. The Apex SE and Apex models combine the big power of the 4-cylinder Genesis Top Per- formance engine with EPS for the ultimate big power cruiser. If ultimate power isn't your thing, take a long hard look at the RS Vector and RS Vector LTX. Year in and year out, the Vector models, with their ultra reli- able, fuel injected triple, comfort-calibrated suspension package and power steering find themselves on industry top 10 lists for best sled on the market. The Phazer R-TX, with its torquey 500cc twin, returns to the line as well. MULTI-PURPOSE The touring and work crowd will find top-tier features like electric power steering, ample storage space and comfortable suspension calibrations in the 2015 Yamaha line. The RS Venture GT and TF both return, the latter with a slightly longer track length for greater fresh snow flotation. The brawny RS Viking Professional and dis- tinctive Venture MP also appeal to the more util- itarian snowmobile customer with their ample storage capacity and standard tow hitches. The youngest sledders in the group will enjoy the fresh graphics package on the SRX 120, powered by a rugged and reliable 123cc Yamaha engine. Yamaha unveils 2015 sled lineup Scorpion, Ski-Doo team up for 2014 Hillclimb Season Scorpion Sports, Inc. USA has announced a partnership with Team Ski-Doo Hillclimb Racing for 2014. The entire Ski-Doo team will be riding in Scorpion's new VX-R70 helmet for this upcoming race season. "We are very excited about this unique part- nership with Team Ski-Doo," said Scorpion national sales manager Jayson Wicken- kamp. "We are incredibly fortunate to be a part of this passionate team that shares our commitment to excellence." Scorpion has spent the last three years developing the VX-R70 to match the needs of high-endurance athletes. "After looking at several brands we felt that Scorpion had the helmet that most suited our needs in one of the most demanding disciplines of this sport. The VX-R70's unique ventilation design and light weight will allow our riders to focus on the race and not the gear," said Amy McPhee of Team Ski-Doo. 2015 SNOWMOBILE SNEAK PEEK DATES REVEALED Dates for the Snowmobile Sneak Peek tour have been announced, with three of the four sled manufacturers displaying their 2015 snowmobile lineups: Polaris, Ski-Doo and Yamaha. All three brands will be showcasing nearly 50 new snowmobiles. PSB DIGEST Indian River Sports Center in Indian River, Mich., tore up its parking lot (shown) and added new asphalt just before its busy snowmobile season. The 2015 Yamaha SR Viper M-TX SE 162 mountain sled features FOX FLOAT 3 front shocks. See Yamaha, Page 41 www.PowersportsBusiness.com SNOWMOBILE Powersports Business • March 17, 2014 • 41 Team Ski-Doo Hillclimb Racing members are wearing Scorpion's new VX-R70 helmet in 2014. 50% Increase of overall snowmobile- related purchases at Indian River Sports Center in Michigan, compared to last snowmobile season. 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