Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/379417
www.PowersportsBusiness.com MOTORCYCLE Powersports Business • September 8, 2014 • 33 Kelley Blue Book senior powersports analyst Lisa Pelissier provides a recap of the Q2 2014 traffic on KBB.com. Motorcycles and ATVs are included. All on-road motorcycles saw a rise in interest for Q2 2014. Harley-Davidson took all of the top 10 spots on the most researched cruiser and tour- ing bikes list. Eight of the top 10 vehicles on the cruiser and touring bikes list are touring bikes. The two cruisers are both Harley-Davidson XLC Sport- ster 1200 Custom models. These two bikes saw a significantly larger increase in KBB.com web hits than the touring bikes in the top 10. T h e 2 0 0 7 S u z u k i G S X - R 6 0 0 retains its position at the top of the most researched sport bikes list. Although it saw the least increase in KBB.com web hits of all models, the bike still earned 21 percent more KBB.com web hits than the No. 2 bike. Three Kawasaki Ninja 250R models show up on the top 10 most researched sport bikes list for Q2 2014. The other models are all in the 600cc range. Kawasaki dominated the top 10 most researched dirt bikes over 400cc list, taking six of the top 10 spots with its KLR650, which averaged a 31 percent increase in KBB.com web hits compared to Q1 2014. The 2008 and 2009 Kawasaki KLR650s received significantly more KBB.com web hits than the other models on the top 10 list. All of the bikes on the top 10 most researched dirt bikes under 400cc list are in the 250cc class, and seven of those are motocross bikes. The 2008 Yamaha YZ250F had the largest increase of any motocross bike in the top 10 most researched dirt bikes lists, with a 20 per- cent rise in web hits. ATVs over 400cc is the only category to see an overall decline in KBB.com web hits for Q2 2014. The top 10 most researched utility ATVs over 400cc list is led by the Polaris Sportsman 500, which took six spots on the list. Yamaha Griz- zly models took three spots on the list. Yamaha prevailed in the top 10 most researched sport ATVs over 400cc list, taking seven spots with its Raptor and YFZ450 models. The 2005 Honda TRX450R took the No. 1 spot on the top 10 most researched sport ATVs list, receiving 43 percent more KBB.com web hits than No. 2 ATV. The smaller displacement ATVs did not see the same decline in KBB.com web hits that the larger ATVs experienced. The top 10 vehicles demonstrated an average 3 percent increase in KBB. com web hits. The Honda TRX400EX took six spots on the top 10 most researched ATVs of 400cc and under list. Nine of the top 10 most researched ATVs 400cc and under are in the sport category; one is a utility ATV. The top 10 most researched utility vehicles list is replete with Polaris and Yamaha models, which is usual. Most models showed a rise in KBB.com web hits for Q2 2014. The 2008 Polaris Ranger RZR 800 took the No. 1 spot on the list. Despite a drop of 4 per- cent in KBB.com web hits, the side-by-side garnered 17 percent more KBB.com web hits than the No. 2 vehicle on the list. Scooters saw the biggest gains in Q2 2014, rising an average of 63 percent more KBB.com web hits than they received in Q1 2014. The top 10 scooters list shows the most diver- sity of any of the top 10 most researched lists, with four different manufacturers represented and scooters ranging between 50cc and 400cc. Interest is growing in 2014 model-year vehi- cles. This is the first time KBB.com has reported on the interest generated by 2014 model-year powersports vehicles. The Harley-Davidson FLHX Street Glide was a clear leader in the list of the top 10 most researched 2014 on-road motorcycles, receiv- ing more than twice as many KBB.com web hits than any other motorcycle. It also is the only touring bike on this list. Four of the top 10 most researched 2014 on-road motorcycles were new introductions Pre-owned on-road bikes see Q2increased interest See KBB, Page 34 Sturgis Rally unveils 75th anniversary logo With the 74th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in the books, Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Inc. (SMRi) is confident in the impact it had on the Sturgis community as a whole, with more officially licensed merchandise than ever before for sale. As stewards of the Sturgis brands, the vol- unteer board of SMRi feels a strong responsibil- ity to help promote, grow and strengthen the Sturgis brands. The 74th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally gave the board an opportunity to unveil the official Sturgis branded logo for the 75th alongside Mayor Mark Carstensen as well as defend the trademarks that keep giving back to the local community. It was well received by hundreds of riders and citizens. "For the 75th we knew we needed iconic branding and logo. We wanted rally goers and citizens to be able to see how much thought we are put- ting into next year. It will be a great rally, " Carstensen said. The unveiling of the logo marked the beginning of preparation for the most anticipated motorcycle rally of all time, the 75th anniversary of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. With legendary roots in the Black Hills the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is the world's larg- est and the 75th is sure have attendance that breaks all previous records. The logo for such a legendary event as a 75th anniversary needed to be iconic, memorable and pull in elements of the original Sturgis logo. The 75th logo exemplifies all of that and will be emblazoned on official 75th anniversary merchandise and is available only through officially licensed mer- chandise retailers. The 74th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally gave SMRi the opportunity to defend the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally trademarks by filing a federal trademark infringement lawsuit against Kent Mortimer and Renegade Classics and the own- ers of a Buford, Ga., Renegade Classics retail store to protect the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally trademarks. SMRi and its volunteer board are the non-profit stewards of the trademarks per- taining to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The complaint filed in federal court details Mortimer's and Renegade Classics' infringing use of the term "Sturgis Rally Week" on apparel products, which infringes on SMRi's rights in the Sturgis Bike Week, Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and Sturgis trademarks. By using "Sturgis Rally Week" without the license or permission of SMRi or its licensees, Mortimer, Renegade Classics and the Buford, Ga., storeowners con- fuse customers about the source of the prod- ucts and deprive the city and the citizens of Sturgis of royalties due from officially licensed merchandise, according to SMRi. "SMRi was estab- lished to spur eco- nomic development in the Black Hills region and to bring money back to the community through charitable contribu- tions derived from s a l e s o f o f f i c i a l licensed merchan- dise. When Ren- egade Classics and its agents use the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally trademarks without having a license, less money will go back to the community, and we can't stand for that," said SMRi board member and city of Sturgis councilman David Hersrud. SMRi will continue its fight against enti- ties that infringe on the Sturgis trademarks to help protect and preserve the Sturgis brands, so the community can continue to thrive and enjoy a tangible return from the world's larg- est motorcycling event. The organization also continues to press its lawsuit in federal court in South Dakota against Rushmore Photo and Gift and its proprietors, and against Wal-Mart Stores, for their unlawful and unlicensed use of the terms "Officially Licensed Sturgis" and "Sturgis Motor Classic" on souvenirs they sell. PSB