t’s hard to believe that old saying about clouds with silver linings when it costs almost as much to fill the tank on a motorcycle this year as it did last year to fill up an SUV. Gas prices have hit the economy hard, and the overall volume of traffic nationwide is down, with drivers logging fewer miles than last year, and people everywhere changing their driving habits to save gas.
The good news for the bike business, however, is that instead of taking their gas-sucking cars and trucks to work or on vacation, more and more people are riding their fuel-efficient motorcycles instead. Sure, some riders are parking their bikes until gas prices come down, but the rest are taking to the streets, riding as much as or even more than before.
Although they might be riding more than before, many are sticking closer to home, attending local rallies and events instead of taking cross-country trips. And here’s where the news starts to sound more cheerful for dealers. Those riders who are out there are the serious ones, and when they come into your shop they’re serious about buying. That means you spend less time talking to tire-kickers and more with riders who know what they want and are looking to buy now.
“Attendance at dealer events is slightly down, but sales are equal to or better than last year,” says Jim Matchette, Drag Specialties’ national sales manager. “Tire-kickers are staying home, but serious buyers are coming out in the same or greater numbers. So for the vendor there’s more opportunity to talk to people who really want to know about the products.”
Which isn’t to say you can just sit back and watch the sales pile up. The same principles apply in good times or bad–you have to get the customers in the door before you can make the sale. With more people riding locally, “Everybody has to do a better job of taking care of their local consumer base,” Matchette says. “Local dealer events are still drawing a lot of people and enthusiasm.”
Drag Specialties doesn’t just talk the talk when it comes to reaching out to local customers. They’re not letting hard times affect them, either. “We aren’t cutting back any,” says Matchette. “In fact, we’re busier this year than ever. There’s plenty of opportunity if you know where to look for it. It used to be business just walked in the door. Now you have to work for it.”
The best opportunity comes in the form of dealer showcases, where Drag Specialties sales personnel, techs and representatives from vendors, and your customers all come together. “It’s something the dealers need to take advantage of. All these dealers that have had them have been successful. We’re booked up for this year, but they better get in line for next year, because it’s a really good way to make money.”
Drag Specialties helps dealers sell in other ways too. For example, this year Drag Specialties will be at Black Hills Harley and Top 50 Rally Park in Sturgis, with a semi truck at each location stocked with show bikes and vendors’ products, and Matchette says this could be a banner year. “Especially this year with the gas, the economy, and the weather, people who go to Sturgis really want to go. It’s not, ‘Well, I think maybe I’ll ride out to Sturgis this year’–you really have to be committed.” This translates as more face time with customers who really want to buy.
Dealers still have to work to make sales, but after work it’s time to play, as it was for those dealers who qualified for the recent Ozark Dealer Ride. It began with a Vendor Alley, where vendors with tabletop displays were on hand to talk to dealers about their current products and the ones in the planning stage, and about how best to market and use them. At the end of the day everyone went home with a swag bag full of memorabilia.
The Ride itself took place over the next two days, and over 150 attendees took in the great roads and fine food in the Lake of the Ozarks area of Missouri and Arkansas. Dealers from as far away as Colorado and Maryland joined vendor reps and managers for a ride that included the Arkansas Grand Canyon, scenic loops off the main route, and several different lunch stops to choose from.
So you can see the news isn’t all bad–in fact, for those who know how to adapt, it’s actually pretty good. Talk to your Drag Specialties rep about getting your own dealer showcase next year, and take advantage of all the other programs that Drag Specialties has to offer to help you make the sales that’ll have you recalling 2008 as the year gas prices went through the roof, and 2009 as the year your profits went sky-high.

Drag Specialties recently held their Ozark Dealer Ride, where a group of lucky, qualifying dealers had the opportunity to ride with the Drag Specialties crew, reps and select vendors for two days in the Lake of the Ozarks area of Missouri and Arkansas. A great time was had by all, so be sure to ask your rep how you can qualify for next year’s dealer ride. Kinney Jones photo.

Chris Jensen explains the finer points of Dynojet to a dealer at the Anaheim Dealer Showcase. Sharon Haak photo.