Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/458425
w w w . p o w e r s p o r t s b u s i n e s s . c o m NEWS: Polaris to build another U.S. plant . . . . . . . . PAGE 6 ATV/UTV: XY Powersports' new 1100cc UTV . . . . . . PAGE 22 PWC: Burnett given new role at Yamaha . . . . . . PAGE 24 POWER 50: TTRNO turns to job fairs for hiring . . . . . . . PAGE 30 Founded in 1974, Cycle Gear, the motorcycle parts, apparel and accesso- ries retailer with 112 stores in 34 states, has been acquired. J.W. Childs Associates, L.P., an established private equity firm special- izing in leveraged buyouts and recapi- talizations of middle-market growth companies, announced it has acquired a majority interest in Cycle Gear, Inc., from Harvest Partners, LP. Financial terms were not disclosed. Cycle Gear distributes 13 million catalogs annually and is headquartered in Benicia, Calif. Concurrent with this transaction, William E. Watts, a partner at J.W. Childs, will assume the role of chairman of Cycle Gear. INSPIRING SUCCESS THROUGH MARKET INTELLIGENCE Race technology Ski-Doo puts a race sled in consumers' hands with the release of the 2015 MXZ Iron Dog Special. SEE PAGE 29 HOTNEWS Traveling tech Motorcycle Mall hires Ducati Master Technician directly from the OEM's home country of Italy. SEE PAGE 16 Gathering place The new Six Bends Harley-Davidson creates a sense of community for riders and non-riders. SEE PAGE 18 'Upbeat' industry bodes well for annual event BY DAVE McMAHON EDITOR IN CHIEF Jim Betlach found himself in the sticker printing business as he ramped up the marketing and pro- motional efforts for the 15th annual V-Twin Expo in Cincinnati. The show manager, seeking new ways to get the V-twin marketplace amped up for the annual running of the industry trade show staple, asked exhibitors if he could send them V-Twin Expo stickers that they would then send out with their wholesale orders in the months leading into the Feb. 7-8 event in downtown Cincy. Call the grassroots marketing campaign a grand slam. "The stickers were something to sort of to remind the exhibi- tors' dealer customers that 'Hey, we're going to be there, which is why I'm sending the stickers with your order, and No. 2 'Here's the dates and a friendly reminder,'" Betlach said. Toolboxes and other sticker- friendly locations were likely the ultimate destination of those stickers. Wherever they landed, they were a hit. "I was amazed. I made quite a few thousand of them and ran out of them overnight," Betlach said. "I got about 80 percent of the exhibitors telling me to send me this amount. One of the dis- tributors called and told me he needed 3,000 additional stickers." It's another sign that V-Twin Expo will do what it has always been reared to do: whole- sale business. See V-Twin Expo, Page 7 'Make Life a Ride' brand concept store is worldwide first For more than 90 years, BMW Motorrad has created innovative products to provide novice and experienced riders with sheer riding plea- sure. In November, BMW Motorrad opened a new BMW Motorrad concept store in Cape Town, South Africa. The launch also kicked-off BMW Motor- rad's new brand positioning campaign, "Make Life a Ride." As part of the BMW Group-wide Future Retail program, the new BMW Motor- rad concept store offers a 360-degree premium lifestyle and retail experience for motorcycle customers and enthusiasts. The 3 million euros investment at Donford Motorrad Cape Town includes a lifestyle center with a coffee shop and clothing store, a Motor- rad sales area and a workshop to service and customize bikes. The Cape Town store paves the way for future BMW Motorrad flagship stores around the world. "With the launch of this new concept store, we are striving for a consistent premium retail experience across all our customer touch PSB: FOCUS Service Dept. SEE PAGE 12 See BMW, Page 6 See Hot News, Page 3 January 26, 2015 • Volume 18, Number 2 • $3.99 Reliable V-Twin Expo set for Cincy Cycle Gear stores get acquired A heavy turnout of dealers is expected again in Cincy. BMW Motorrad flagship store opens in Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town BMW Motorrad flagship store opens in Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town BMW Motorrad flagship store opens in Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town