Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/536070
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: Eagle River preps for UTV/ATV event . . . . PAGE 11 FOCUS: CDK Global UTV financing study . . . . . . . . PAGE 20 PWC: Spark continues to gain enthusiasm . . . . . PAGE 46 AFTERMARKET: 360fly partners with familiar face . . . . . . . PAGE 50 Drag Specialties and Parts Unlimited have announced plans for the 2015 National Vendor Presentation Prod- uct Expo, set for Aug. 29-30 at the Monona Terrace in Madison, Wis. The show floor will be expanded for 2015, with more than 220 dis- plays allowing dealers to get the first look at 2016 product from Parts and Drag vendors. The Dealer Preview will be held Saturday, followed by a Meet & Greet. The night wraps up with ICON's Limiter Live exhibition, featuring Kyle Sliger and Team 1 Wheel Revolution. At Sunday's Showcase, dealers can gain valuable insider knowledge while taking advantage of exclusive discounts and the opportunity to win a display of product from participating vendors. INSPIRING SUCCESS THROUGH MARKET INTELLIGENCE Stay awhile Retired firefighter opens motorcycle inn and accessories store in southeastern Minnesota. SEE PAGE 40 HOTNEWS New York return Gotham Motorcycles brings the Indian brand back to Staten Island for the first time in 101 years. SEE PAGE 12 Quick learner PSB assistant editor Kate Swanson shares her first experience riding in and driving a side-by-side. SEE PAGE 36 Behind-the-scenes factory tour in China shows strong future BY DAVE MCMAHON EDITOR IN CHIEF The biggest name in utility vehicles that most have never heard of likely won't be a sleeping giant for very long now that it's launched its own brand. Considering the room for growth at the company's 7.1 million-square-foot factory near Chongqing, China, there is plenty of reason to believe that dealers in North America will be seeing Hisun side-by-sides and ATVs for years to come. After launching the Hisun brand in 2014 at AIMExpo in Orlando, dealers are beginning to take notice. Retail outlets, many in rural America, also have been eager to carry the franchise, yet another sign that the stigma that comes with Chi- nese powersports product may be easing. There's no doubt that Hisun knows how to make side-by-sides. From 2011-14, the com- pany ranked No. 6 on the list of the largest UTV producers in North America. Its new location in ChangShou, located 50 miles from the Chongq- ing Central Business District, has prepared the company for tremendous growth potential. Its previous factory in the central city was 2.1 million square feet. The spacious new location, opened in 2012, sits on 150 acres and employs 1,500. Owned by Mr. Li, the Hisun factory offers plenty of ameni- ties, including an 18-story office tower and two- story hotel. A restaurant and 15-seat movie theater for suppliers and guests also sets the facility apart. Sitting in his immaculate office for a few min- utes between his meetings and my trips around the test track, Mr. Li makes no bones about it: Those who like Hisun now are really going to like Hisun later. If Hisun's not on your radar, don't be surprised if it's on your neighbor's. The factory currently has capacity for about 50,000 ATVs and side-by-sides annually, nearly all for export. Mr. Li, chairman of Chongq- ing Huansong Industrial (Group) Co. , Ltd., has plans over the next two or three years to increase that number to 100,000 pieces per year. The capacity for production of motorcycles, PSB: FOCUS UTV-Sport SEE PAGE 18 See Yamaha, Page 10 See Hot News, Page 3 July 13, 2015 • Volume 18, Number 9 • $3.99 Parts Unlimited NVP weekend plans announced Star Bolt, R-series and FZ-series hit the mark Dennis McNeal, vice president of Motorcycle Operations for Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., was all smiles in late May. Not only had the OEM planned to unveil its new YZ250X, along with 2016 updates to other key models within the coming days, but it had also come off a solid first quarter. "First quarter for YMUS from both the sales and financial aspect have been extremely good, ahead of target and very promising lead- ing into the second quarter," he explained. Powersports Business managing editor Liz Keener sat down with McNeal at YMUS head- quarters in Cypress, Calif., the day after the media reveal of the new models and caught up on the latest from the OEM. PSB: Why has Yamaha been performing so well lately? DENNIS MCNEAL: A number of factors, some of those macroeconomic. One, the overall U.S. economy, while not as robust as even the government has forecasted, has been improving, especially when you look at it long term over the last five years, in areas such as unemployment, housing, fuel prices. Two, the industry as a whole is growing. Part of that's Yamaha hits target with new models DENNIS MCNEAL Yamaha introduced its all-new YZ250X, along with 2016 updates to its other off-road bikes at the Early Years of Motocross Museum in Villa Park, Calif. See Hisun, Page 8 Hisun making a splash in the U.S. The 2015 Strike 1000 gets a workout at the Hisun Motors test track in China.