Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/657286
ATV/UTV BY DAVE McMAHON EDITOR IN CHIEF Newly hired CFMOTO regional sales manag- ers were treated to a Minnesota Timberwolves as part of their orientation at CFMOTO USA headquarters in Plymouth, Minn. Jim Gotham, based in Birmingham, Ala., has nine years of experience with Suzuki and 10 with Michelin Tire Co. He's the Mid-South Region manager. Harlan King spent six years with KYMCO, eight with Triumph, nine with BRP/Sea-Doo and 10 with Suzuki. He's based in New Orleans and handles the Gulf Shores Region. Johnny Hayes brings one year with Suzuki and seven years with Yamaha. He's based in Houston and handles the South Region. Also on hand to guide the newcomers to through their introductory period was Dave Hrejsa, the Michigan native who handles the Great Lakes Region. He has more than a quarter-century of industry experience with Suzuki, BRP, Indian and Polaris. Dave Auringer, CFMOTO USA VP of sales and dealer development, also joined the crew. Nobody's counting how long he's been in the industry! PSB CFMOTO adds trio of regional sales managers 22 • April 4, 2016 • Powersports Business www.PowersportsBusiness.com Detroit, MI 16.9% Lexington, KY 21.6% Nashville, TN 8.8% Dallas-Fort Worth, TX 10.1% Los Angeles, CA 21.1% Las Vegas, NV 11.5% Phoenix, AZ 11.7% Oklahoma City, OK 1.79% Houston, TX -1.87% Salt Lake City-Ogden, UT 15.3% Stat Surveys data shows 9.71 percent rise in sales Retail sales of UTVs reached nearly 10 percent growth in 2015 compared to 2014 on a rolling January to December basis, according to the latest information from Statistical Surveys, Inc. Using Basic Trading Areas as the basis for its data, Statistical Surveys Inc. reports that side- by-side had particularly significant growth in Lexington, Ky. (21.6 percent) and Los Angeles (21.1 percent). Detroit (16.9 percent) and Salt Lake City-Ogden in Utah (15.3 percent) also saw a dramatic increase in sales in 2015 com- pared to 2014. Houston dealers saw UTV sales decline by 1.87 percent during the same time period, and Oklahoma City dealers were limited to 1.79 percent growth. PSB UTV growth continues in 2015 President Barack Obama's designation of three new national monuments in California on Feb. 12 penalizes off-highway-vehicle enthu- siasts by eliminating existing trails and rid- ing areas in the Mojave Desert, the American Motorcyclist Association reports. "The American Motorcyclist Association is calling on all off-road enthusiasts to press Congress for the restoration of lost riding areas," said Wayne Allard, AMA vice president of government relations. "We cannot allow our responsible access to public lands to be further eroded." In his announcement Friday, the president designated the Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow and Castle Mountains national monuments, using his authority under the American Antiquities Act of 1906. The designations affect 1.8 million acres that were excluded from the 1994 California Desert Protection Act and eliminate 142,000 acres of off-highway-vehicle recreation areas. "This executive order from the president goes against the intent of Congress," Allard said. "We had supported bills that would have AMA: Designations penalize off-road riders See Trails, Page 25 Minnesota Timberwolves courtside seats were a hit with CFMOTO regional sales managers (from left) Harlan King, Dave Hrejsa, Dave Auringer (VP of sales and dealer development), Johnny Hayes and Jim Gotham. Left: Harlan King made use of himself during a break in the basketball action. Right: Newly hired CFMOTO regional sales managers were treated to a Minnesota Timberwolves game as part of their orientation at CFMOTO USA head- quarters in Plymouth, Minn. Side-by-sides like the YXZ1000R from Yamaha helped the UTV market grow by nearly 10 percent in 2015. Source: Statistical Surveys, Inc. UTV SALES GROWTH: 2015 VS. 2014 HOT SPOTS