From The Butler Group Atlanta – 19 September, 2012

Posted on September 19, 2012 by JC

Tell Your Story!:

As The Butler Group travels the country meeting with dealers; one of the
first questions we ask

“What got you into the Powersports Business?”

The answers are fascinating. They contain a story of where the passion
came from and we are often amazed how one enthusiast turned their love
for two wheels into a thriving business. Then we ask the employees and
even the customers do they know how the owner started and often we don’t
get the same response.

We want to hear the story; your customers want to hear the story and your
employees need to know the story.

It’s interesting when we sit down with an owner and ask them to tell us
their story! We are amazed by the passion and excitement you can see in
their eyes as they tell the story. Now we ask them to tell the world. This is
why the “About Us” along with your Mission Statement and Your
Philosophy on your website are so important.

You are selling a lifestyle to your customers and they want to know what
drives you everyday to sell them their dream.

What was your dream?

Tell the story!

 

Posted in Best Practices | Comments Off

From The Butler Group Atlanta – 2 May, 2012 :

Posted on May 2, 2012 by JC

Have you ever considered what a traffic log will do for your parts department?

Log Everyone!

All your walk-ins, phone calls and internet requests.  you can use a computerized system or something as simple as a spiral notebook.

Using a traffic log will provide a better customer experience for your customer.  Train your associates to be proactive in calling customers with updates on statuf of all special orders and backorders.  Provide such a service that the customer never has to call and check on their orders.

By having a log implemented to track these customers and orders, we provide the process necessary to make this experience a success.

Take the Parts Traffic Log to the next level:

Use the information recorded in the log to drive traffic to the Service Department.  For instance, if a customer is purchasing oil. filter and plugs constantly, ask them if they have experienced your service department.  If not, offer a service special to give them an introduction to the service department and that team.

This log will be an invaluable tool for the dealership to grow the parts business and cross over into all departments to drive traffic.

Stay tuned for more useful operations tips from The Butler Group Atlanta.

Posted in Training and Education, Uncategorized | Comments Off

On The Radio: 2 WHEELS ONLY -

Posted on May 2, 2012 by JC

We recently came across a new radio show, dedicated to the motorcycle and their riders – 2 WHEELS ONLY

Jon Vedas, based in Jacksonville, Fl., is broadcasting Saturday mornings at 8:00am from WBOB AM600.

Jon interviews pro-riders, representatives from varied facets of the industry, and local dealers. 

When you’re in the area, check out the show Saturdays at 8:00am on AM600 WBOB, or check out the 2 Wheels Only page at wbobradio.com where the show is simul-cast.

If you have  a radio, TV, webshow or podcast (even something in print!) you’d like us to share with on DustyMoto.com – drop me a line at jc@dustymoto.com

 

Posted in Reviews, Services | Comments Off

DustyMoto Fan Profile: Scott Lukaitis -

Posted on May 2, 2012 by JC

DustyMoto.com is always scouting the web for cool and interesting people and stuff that relates to what we are all involved in everyday:  the Powersports Industry.  A prime example is Scott Lukaitis – allow us to introduce you:

Scott Lukaitis is a powersports industry vet – been in the business, concentrating on parts and accessories department management for more than 25 years.  More than enough time to know his way around behind the counter.

Scott is also an avid motorcross rider and photographer, dealer consultant and now a brand manager for a major lubricants company.  Something of a renaissance man for the powersports industry.

Learn more about Scott at his weblog – scottlukaitis.com/

Posted in A Fan of the Sport | Comments Off

The Butler Group: Dealer Consultants

Posted on April 16, 2012 by JC

  DustyMoto was recently introduced to The Butler Group Atlanta, LLC -   a powersports dealer consultancy launched by Duncan Butler and Amanda Blackstone to use their 30-years of combined in-store experience helping dealers enhance their management ane implementation procedures.  A simple concept on the surface, but it takes 30-years of experience to provide knowledge that the powersports dealer can use to make a difference in their daily operations. 

  Over the coming months, DustyMoto will be posting articles and links to information provided by The Butler Group.  Their article and introduction in the April Powersports Business magazine will give you a more in depth look into where they have been, and where they intend to be going forward.

  We would like to welcome Amanda and Duncan to the DustyMoto family, and wish them good fortune.  The Butler Group has a lot to offer, and we are sure they are going to be well recieved.  Stay tuned for lots more from these guys!

Posted in Best Practices, News, Services | Comments Off

Motus : An American motorcycle

Posted on April 2, 2012 by JC

If you haven’t read about (or even heard about,) the American motorcycle to be produced in Birmingham, Alabama…well, where have you been? Our Director of Dealer Dev, Todd Smith, dialed up Lee Conn, President of Motus Motorcycles, and asked him about this incredible machine…from a dealer’s point of view:

 ______________________________________________________

I am speaking with Lee Conn, President of Motus Motorcycles

Like pretty much any American Motorcycle enthusiasts, we at DustyMoto are fascinated by Motus for many reasons. First of all, it’s beautiful. It is the sum of cutting edge components and state-of-the-art design and at its heart is for me, the most exciting component: the 100 cubic inch, 90 degree V4 “baby block” engine. Motus is like no other motorcycle I have ever seen, read about, or heard.

Having read a lot of press on Motus Motorcycles that came from a consumer’s perspective, we wanted to ask Lee the kind of questions we would has him if DustyMoto were a dealership interested in potentially becoming a Motus franchise. We spent little time on the info that is public knowledge and were more interested in what a dealer could expect of Motus and vice versa.

TS: So how was Daytona? You certainly got a lot of press, did you achieve your goals for the trip?

LC: “Yeah, the goal was to launch our production plans and that was not too hard to meet. We had a big press conference and met thousands of people down there and we did pretty good at Daytona. It was a lot of fun. I mean, when people see the bikes, they inevitably say, “Oh damn! I didn’t realize it was like that!” or we start it and they say, “Oh damn! I didn’t expect it to sound like that!” And we always say we’re gonna fire the photographers but people are always commenting that the bikes are smaller, more refined, and more badass in person than they would have ever expected and we tend to think that we’ve exceeded their expectations.”

TS: I see in the press kit that the valves never need adjusting. How do you manage that? What about other maintenance?

LC: “The valves never need adjusting because they’re hydraulic lifters like a Corvette or modern muscle car. ..Good way to save six or seven hundred bucks a year, depending on how much you ride. The engine is very low maintenance. You can get the clutch cover off and have the clutch in your hand in 5 or 10 minutes. You can rebuild most of the engine without removing the fairing. You can take the tranny out without removing the engine. That goes back to designing something from a clean sheet of paper. You can cook in a lot of good common sense stuff.

People see them and they learn about them … this is the kind of product you have to teach people about. I mean, you have to sit down with them and say, “Well, here’s why this bike is so badass: it’s got this, this, this, and look at this, did you check this out?” These are the materials, this is the technology, this is the thinking that went into it and inevitably, people are like, “Well it’s a little spendy but now I get it.”

TS: What sales figures are you projecting? Units per Dealer..

LC: “Dealers will commit to between 8 and 15 bikes per year.

After the dealer makes their commitment, we’ll go to their store for a lot of sales training and 4 or 5 bikes to do demo rides with people that have already reserved bikes or are serious prospects and staff. We’ll stay for 2 days and everyone will know that their dealer is getting … say 10 bikes and if they want one, they need to act. This is the bike… This is the bike that you’ve got to put your ass in the seat. Because if you do and you are qualified to buy, there is a pretty high rate of closing the buyer. We’ll take them for a ride and they won’t be disappointed; I’ll put it that way!”

TS: Will territories be protected or will there be 5 dealers in Dallas in a few years?

LC: “Oh no-no-no, the dealers get a big and wide, generous territory to service. For instance, Dallas, we have a great dealer in Dallas, and he’s got a couple hundred mile radius and another in Austin and they’ll hardly know one another are there. We are very collaborative with the dealers and we ask how big an area they can accommodate.

We signed a dealer in northeast Georgia. He’s 60 miles from Atlanta in the mountains right next to North Carolina, Tennessee and he runs a destination store with a restaurant selling MV Agusta, Aprilia, and Motus. For California, we’ll probably only have two dealers to handle the whole state. Most states will have no more than two Motus dealers.”

TS: What should the dealer expect to invest for items like, service manuals, special tools, signage, accessory packages, etc?

LC: “Limited signage, small amounts of apparel and also parts. Common service parts, really.

NO special tools. It’s a real simple program that we’ve put together for dealers. It’s cool because you don’t have to have any special tools to work on our bikes. Where dealers get killed is whenever so-and-so comes out with a new model, the dealer has to buy $6,000 in special wrenches and programmers and those kinds of things and we’ve been very careful to avoid that. Well other than the Ohlins tools, but pretty much any dealer we would be in would have them already.. Hopefully that won’t change, but as it is right now, there are no special tools required.

Dealer is required to have only one of each model in stock or on order at any time. All dealers will have a demo ride on the Motus’ nickel. This is free. So there’s a lot of support. You know, it’s an exclusive bike, all handmade … all craftsman-made and not high volume stuff. It’s really, really high quality with crazy attention to detail and doing the extra things the big manufacturers can’t do.”

We rounded back to the price tag again and here’s what Lee had to say:

LC: “Quite frankly, it gets so annoying. I mean, I’m probably like you and have bought plenty of motorcycles and always think I’m buying a $X motorcycle and by the time I leave the dealership, I’ve got a $Y motorcycle. I mean the pipes sucked, the seat sucked, the F.I programming was wrong so I bought a power commander, adjustable handlebars, etc. By the time I left, it was a whole different price point for a bike.

Just five minutes ago, I got off the line with a guy; a big Harley rider. And we talked about the price and I told him it was a $30k bike: a lot. He said, ‘yeah it’s kind of a lot, but I’ve got fifty in my Harley. You know what I mean? It’s not uncommon at all once people start thinking about it. It’s like the difference in going to a fine dining local restaurant and going to an Applebees. There’s mass produced stuff and there’s hand-crafted stuff. We have small batch manufacturing, high quality and a lot of extra little detail we put into these things which makes them … hopefully appealing.

We’re looking for guys who admire something of higher quality and individual …. character. The bikes will never be cheap. That’s not really our goal. When we sat down, we said we were going to build an absolutely kick ass American sportbike.”

TS: Warranty: What will you pay for warranty work labor/parts? I know the laws vary on this from state to state.

LC: “2 years unlimited mileage. Labor will be paid at dealer’s posted rate.”

TS: Parts support: parts orders will ship from?

LC: “Birmingham”

TS: I’m sure there will be some electronic dealership interface, have you spoken to the typical DMS providers?

LC: “Oh yes. They will use a cloud-based system with access to service manuals, leads, etc. It’s simple web-based software.”

TS: What kind of dealers are you looking for to best promote the brand?

LC: “Small, enthusiast oriented. Can be multi line. Generally high end premium brands and a very high level of customer service. We are definitely looking for dealers across the country, but there will only be a total of 25-30 Motus stores by the end of 2013. It’s not so much a specific number as it is the right guys and the right places that want to work with a small unique brand and help us bring it up.”

Looking at the press kit I received, I see that one of our account holders, Cruisin’ 66 in Springfield, Missouri, will be one of your first authorized dealers.  Way to go Tim and Nan Woodsome!  

TS: Originally, the plans for the F.I. system were to incorporate a direct injection called G.D.I (gasoline direct injection) but have elected to use a more easily serviced system. Is that true and can you talk about why you went that way?

LC: “It’s a wonderful technology and we rode all over the country with it. It’s cool for reducing emissions, increasing performance some, but it’s at the risk of requiring special tools, special training to tune and service it and the rider really can’t tell it from port fuel injection. Let’s just make it fun to ride, not a science experiment.”

TS: A mountain of responsibility; starting a new brand from scratch. Where did you start? Most difficult steps?

LC: “We started with the engine. We knew the engine would be the key to the whole brand. We could have grabbed an S&S or a Rotax or a Busa motor, whatever; dropped it in a bike, prettied it up with some bodywork and started selling them. We could have been doing that years ago. But for us, if we were gonna go, we were gonna go big and we knew the point was to have a proprietary motorcycle and not just a styling exercise.

We thought about that stuff but the goal was to create an ultimate dream bike that guys like us at our age and riding styles would want and we started with a sketch. There wasn’t that ultimate dream bike out there … you know … for what we do so we came up with all these things that we would want. What kind of power, what kind of weight, seat height, accessories and said, ‘That’s weird, nobody makes anything like that in this country … never really made anything like that in this country.’ But people love that style of riding. BMW has an entire business built on comfortable sport bikes. Everyone makes sport tourers, but guess what? Harley and Victory don’t make ‘em

Y’know, they send them here by the container load. People buy them. And people love buying American bikes. They love buying sport bikes. They love buying sport touring bikes. Why can’t there be a really competent, bad-ass American Sport bike that’s comfortable to ride. You know, three days? No problem. We spent a lot of time out at the museum (Barber Vintage Motorcycle Museum in Leeds, Alabama) looking at what we liked and what we didn’t like and all the technologies that have been tried and passed or failed. You know, we learned a lot there. We were able to do a lot of design work here and a lot of engineering in Michigan but production will occur in Birmingham, AL.”

Lee went on to tell me that they’re looking at a few historic sites in Metro Birmingham, Alabama for their base of operations and production, but will keep that on the hush for now with updates coming as they can.

TS: Where else might one see the Motus in person in the next few months?

LC: “Will be at Ohlins headquarters in Hendersonville, NC, near Asheville, NC for their open house, Saturday, May 12. There will be a bunch of other vendors there too.”

We want to thank Lee Conn for the time he shared with us. Thanks Lee! 

Todd Smith

Director – Dealer Dev

DustyMoto.com

toddsmith@dustymoto.com

  ________________________________________

Press Release

For Immediate Release

ONE YEAR AFTER UNVEILING PROTOTYPES, MOTUS IS BACK AT DAYTONA WITH FULL PRODUCTION PLANS

Prices, accessories, specifications and initial Authorized Dealer list released.

March 15, 2012, Daytona Beach, Florida – After a year of extensive testing and development, Motus Motorcycles are back at Daytona BikeWeek with full 2012 production plans, including pricing, accessories, specifications, availability, and an initial list of Authorized Motus Dealers.

Press Kit here or http://www.motusmotorcycles.com/html/press/presskit/2012/2012mar.zip

The 2011/2012 American Sport Tour led Motus through the laboratory, around racetracks, across the country, and back to Daytona for Bike Week. Both the MST and MST-R have been ridden from Alabama to California, up its coast and over its mountains, across the desert, through the Bonneville Salt Flats, over the Colorado Rockies, past purple mountains, and between fields of corn, cows, and amber waves of grain. In addition to the Big West leg of the Sport Tour, the MST’s also traveled to the Northeast from Birmingham to Boston and eventually covering a total of 29 states during this year of real-world dynamic testing. Motus is now preparing for Fall 2012 production of the initial 2013 model year of Motus.

Motus is displaying the MST and MST-R motorcycles during Bike Week at Daytona Ducati, BMW Triumph,March 15-17, and is on hand to answer questions and take reservations for a limited number of 2013 MST’s.

The MST and the premium MST-R are comfortable sportbikes designed for long-range canyon carving, solo or two-up. Both are exhilarating, charismatic machines powered by the mighty V4 Baby Block engines and both are offered with various accessories and upgrade options.

2013 Motus MST- starting at $30,975

2013 Motus MST Standard Equipment

· V4 Baby Block, 1650cc liquid cooled, 165 horsepower

· 6-Speed, dual-overdrive

· Electronic fuel injection

· Electronic throttle control

· 720w alternator

· Öhlins R&T adjustable front suspension

· Progressive mono-shock rear suspension with remote preload adjuster

· Brembo calipers

· Aluminum wheels with wave rotors

· Powerlet port

· Michelin tires

· Removable side cases by Givi

· Premium Sargent seat

· 20,000 mile XW-ring chain by RK

· Hybrid rear sprocket with lifetime warranty

· Centerstand

2013 Motus MST Optional Equipment

· 30 liter top case by Givi

· Adjustable windscreen

· Adjustable handlebars

· Dual rear Powerlet port

· Heated seat

· Heated grips

· Premium low seat by Sargent

· Rear storage rack

· Touring windscreen

2013 Motus MST Color Options

· Speed Silver Metallic

· Flame Red Metallic

2013 Motus MST Warranty

· 2 years, unlimited mileage

2013 Motus MST-R- starting at $36,975

2013 Motus MST-R Standard Equipment

· V4R Baby Block, 1650cc liquid cooled, 185 horsepower

· 6-Speed, dual-overdrive

· Electronic fuel injection

· Electronic throttle control

· 720w alternator

· Öhlins R&T NIX adjustable front suspension

· Öhlins TTX mono-shock rear suspension with remote preload adjuster

· Brembo M4 monoblock calipers

· Forged OZ aluminum wheels with wave rotors

· 3 Powerlet ports

· Michelin tires

· Removable side cases by Givi

· Premium Sargent seat

· 20,000 mile XW-ring chain by RK

· Hybrid rear sprocket with lifetime warranty

· Centerstand

2013 Motus MST-R Optional Equipment

· 30 liter top case by Givi

· Adjustable windscreen

· Adjustable handlebars

· BST carbon fiber wheels

· Heated seat

· Heated grips

· Premium low seat by Sargent

· Rear storage rack

· Touring windscreen

2013 Motus MST-R Color Options

· Strong White

· Carbon Black

2013 Motus MST-R Warranty

2 years, unlimited mileage

Dealers and Availability

Motus is proud to announce its initial list of Authorized Motus Dealers and will continue to build a network of the finest dealers in the country. These stores, and others that will be added in the upcoming months, will begin receive their first shipments of 2013 MST’s in the Fall.

AF1 Racing, 304 East Cesar Chavez, Austin, TX, 78701, 512-482-8377 www.af1racing.com, ed@af1racing.com

“AF1 Racing is very excited to add the American-made Motus MST and MST-R motorcycles to our line-up. We are currently a premier Aprilia (#1 dealer in the USA), Vespa, and Moto Guzzi dealer with two locations in Texas and an emphasis on high performance, road racing, and dyno tuning. Having followed the progress of Motus since the very beginning, we feel they will be a great addition to our showroom. The new Motus is such an innovative American motorcycle and it’s so different from anything out there.”- Ed Cook, co-owner, AF1 Racing Austin, Texas

Battley Cycles, 7830 Airpark Road, Gaithersburg, MD, 20879, 301-948-4581 www.battley.com, info@battley.com

“For 27 years Battley Cycles has been Maryland’s premium brand motorcycle dealer selling BMW, Ducati, Yamaha, and Harley-Davidson. Battley is proud to add the Motus line to our line-up as it represents a new American standard in motorcycle manufacturing. Motus is committed to using the best parts in the hand-assembling of their vehicles, and we know that true enthusiasts will agree with us in categorizing the Motus as one of the world’s emerging premium brands.” -Devin Battley, Director of Happiness, Battley Cycles, Gaithersburg, MD

Cruisin’ 66, 1310 S Glenstone Avenue, Springfield, MO, 65804, 417-891-9998 www.cruisin66cycles.com, sales@cruisin66cycles.com

“We are thrilled to offer another high performance American motorcycle to our customers at Cruisin’ 66. The Motus MST’s are perfect for the long windy roads around Missouri and, as Cruisin’ 66 is a destination store and a Top 100 Dealer, we think we can add a lot of visibility to Motus in our area.” -Tim Woodsome, co-owner, Cruisin’66, Springfield, Missouri

Moto Corse Performance, 11227 NE 9th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304, 954-522-8047www.motocorseperformance.com, Contact@EuropeanMotorsportsInc.com

“At Moto Corse Performance, we are high performance enthusiasts, so we’re glad to finally see an American sportbike that can compete with the Europeans, and we’re really excited to offer the Motus MST’s in South Florida”- Chris Boy, Owner, Moto Corse Performance, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 USA

Motus Louisville, 1700 Arthur Street, Louisville, KY 40208, 502-634-1340www.harleydavidsonlouisville.com, questions@MotusLouisville.com

“We can’t wait to introduce Motus to the Ohio River Valley. With the some of the greatest riding in the country, we will be a perfect fit for the ultimate American riding machine.”- Brett Moxley, General Manager, Motus Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky

Redline Performance Motorsports, 7331 George Washington Memorial Parkway, Yorktown, VA, 23692, 757-989-5000

www.redlinemotors.com, david@redlinemotors.com

“Redline Performance Motorsports has been known as the #1 dealer for European exotic and luxury motorcycles. We are now excited to offer the best of two continents with the launch of Motus, makers of fine American sportbikes. Our legendary customer service will complement the elite buyer’s of the Motus models. We are proud to partner with a US manufacturing company that exceeds all other US produced motorcycles to date.” –David Lillard, President, Redline Performance Motorsports, Yorktown, Virginia

Riders Hill, 3003 Morrison Moore Parkway E, Dahlonega, GA, 30533, 706-864-7777

EuropeanMotorsportsInc.com, contact@europeanmotorsportsinc.com

“European Motorsports at Riders Hill is proud to announce Motus as our fourth line of fine motorcycle brands, joining Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, and MV Agusta. We are located in beautiful Dahlonega, GA at the start of the world famous motorcycle routes through the North Georgia mountains, and Motus is a perfect fit with its advanced design, incredible handling, and beautiful styling. We are excited and privileged to be representing this new American, hand-crafted motorcycle line!” – Susan Lancaster, co-owner, European Motorsports at Riders Hill, Dahlonega, GA

RPM Cycles, 13700 N. Stemmons Freeway, Farmers Branch, TX, 75234, 972-620-3883 www.rpmcycletx.com, cliff@rpmcycletx.com

“RPM Cycle is built on the excitement of the unique brands we carry. Whether it is a long-standing marque such as Triumph or Moto Guzzi or a performance company like KTM, RPM Cycle fills customer needs with great individuality. Exclusivity tends to be the trend for us, with Motus adding a new, distinct, and exciting echelon to the RPM Cycle hierarchy”- Boris Loera, Store Manager, RPM Cycle, Dallas, Texas

About Motus

Motus is a manufacturer of unique American sportbikes designed to excel in performance, comfort and range. All Motus motorcycles – the MST and premium MST-R – are powered by the mighty V4 Baby Block engine that combines high performance with low maintenance and a completely unique character that expresses the evolving heritage of the USA motoring experience. For more information about Motus, please visit: www.motusmotorcycles.com; email: info@motusmotorcycles.com; like: Facebook; or call: 205-314-3410.

Copyright (C) 2009 Motus Motorcycles All rights reserved.

Posted in A Fan of the Sport, Products | Comments Off

Using the Members Page – Part One:

Posted on October 12, 2011 by JC

So.  You’re a newly enrolled member of the DustyMoto family. Welcome Aboard!

Now, you need to take a few moments to familiarize yourself with the “business end” – the DustyMoto Members Page.  This page is easily found at the following web address: members.dustymoto.com.  You can also find a direct link to it above, in the menu bar, under all the pretty pictures - all the way to the right: Member Login.

Once there, simply key in your Dealer Number, User Name and Password.  This info would have been generated around the time we got you signed up.  If you’ve misplaced this information, simply give us a call or email.  There can be as many username/password combos as you need – one for each member of your parts department, if you’d like!

When logged in, the first screen you will come to will be this Welcome Page.  From here, you will connect to the heart of the DustyMoto website, by the four buttons in the blue line.  First, lets click on the BUILD ORDER button to see where we can both “fish” around to see if a part is available, or build a list of parts you need to submit to DustyMoto. 

Here, on the BUILD ORDER screen, you will be able to access the DustyMoto database, search out parts by keyword or genuine part number, and build an order of parts to place with us.  We’ll start at the top of the page on the left side, and discuss how each box and button works:

 

 

  • From under the words BUILD ORDER, we start with the box for your PO#: This can be anything you like – your name, customers name, a PO you generate in-store…anything.  But something has to be in that field before you can submit an order to us (using the SUBMIT button further down the page.)  We usually suggest our new users wait until they have completed creating an order before putting anything in this field.  Should you click SUBMIT, and there’s nothing in that field, the page will remind you there needs to be something there before placing your order.

 

  • Next is SEARCH BY KEYWORD OR DESCRIPTION – This search field looks only at words in the description of the part.  It has nothing to do with a part number (OEM or aftermarket,) so keep that in mind when using this field.  And since OEM descriptions are nearly always vague,  we would suggest only using this search field for aftermarket parts, which usually have more exacting descriptions.  Imagine looking for a Honda head gasket.  “Head Gasket” could bring back thousands of hits, going back decades!  No way you’d find the exact part you’re looking for.  Stick to keywords like KURYAKYN SWITCHBLADE, or DUNLOP D204.  Your searches will be much more successful.

 

  • SEARCH BT PART NUMBER (with prefix) is the next field down.  This is where you will input a genuine part number, whether from an OEM or aftermarket provider.  The key here is using the appropriate prefix in front of the part number.  The line prefix is nothing more than a source code, telling the system by what company the part is made or distributed. And you will find all our LINE PREFIXES in that box to the right of the page.  For example:  if you were looking for a Yamaha accessory number, the part would be keyed into this search field just like this: YASTR-4YV58-10-00.  The YA for Yamaha is included as a part of the part number, without a space between.  And in this example, we’ve shown the part in upper-case letters, and included the dashes.  You are free to use any case, and leave in or take out the dashes.  As long as you’re using the prefix, the system knows where the dashes need to be!  Then, key in the quantity you are looking for, and click the ADD PART button.  The system will then search for that part number, and return the results like this:

As you see, there is the PART NUMBER you searched for (with the dashes left out,) the QUANTITY you keyed in (which can be changed using the EDIT in blue, on the left.)  There is also the DESCRIPTION of the part, in this case from Yamaha, and the number of parts AVAILABLE.  You can see the availablity of this part is 41/0 – this translates to 41 of these parts available among DustyMoto members across the United States.  The other number is for our international stores.  And as we move into other countries and markets, you will have access to their additional inventories, too!  Till then, the number to the right of the slash will always be a zero.  You’ll then see your COST for the part, which is always genuine dealer cost.  On OEM parts, you pay what you would if you’d bought from the manufacturer.  From aftermarket providers, we can get you standard dealer cost, not the Platinum discounts they off when a dealer spends a given amount with them every year.  But if it is a backordered or discontinued part, selling it with a little less profit is better than not making the sale at all!  Plus – you’ve got a happy customer on your hands!  The RETAIL column is the latest information we have from the manufacturer or distributor, and will come in handy when you’re looking for parts from providers for which you aren’t franchised.

  • At this point, you can continue keying in parts to generate a list, if you like.  One part or 50, we are happy to help with it.  When your list is complete, key in your PO, and then click SUBMIT.  You’ve finished an order with DustyMoto!

In our next training installment, we will talk about what happens when your order is placed, how to track your orders and follow your transaction.  Thanks for joining us!

 

Posted in New Members | Comments Off

Fun2Rent – Rentals with a Twist!

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Bobby Franklin

I came across a new company that caught my eye. It’s a company called Fun2Rent that specializes in the Powersports industry. What I found very interesting is the fact that the inventory they rent is not some huge fleet they have but instead it is bikes, ATVs, PWC, Sleds, and boats owned by individuals. I wanted to find out more so I called Shawn Gardner, the founder, to get the scoop.

“The way Fun2Rent works is owners of powersports vehicles/vessels list their toys on Fun2Rent.com and renters can then choose the vehicle they want, down to the year, make, and model. Not only do owners make money on their vehicles/vessels, renters save money (and garage space) by dealing directly with owners. Plus, as a renter you’re not locked into any one type of vehicle. If you want to go jet skiing one weekend and dirt biking the next, no one’s stopping you.”

That sounds great, but what about liability? “Fun2Rent also offers insurance for every vehicle/vessel listed on the site, so that tree stump you didn’t see coming while riding your rented ATV won’t cost you your paycheck for the next six months. For extra peace of mind, Fun2Rent also offers additional insurance options, such as vehicle recovery and roadside assistance. Also Fun2Rent allows owners to rate renters and renters to rate owners. This way everyone involved knows just who they’re dealing with.”

How does the owner get his vehicle listed on Fun2Rent?  “It’s rather easy, first sign up as an owner, then add your listing with photos description and select available dates for rent then just click submit.  We are looking for equipment in good condition and generally newer models year 2000 and up.  Owners can list up to ten vehicles and every renter will send a reservation request which the owner will approve. Renter will make full payment in advance including deposit and insurance then the owner can provide the renter with their contact information for pick up.  Fun2Rent provides every owner with 300k in liability coverage, rental form and pre/post inspection forms along with their free listing. Fun2Rent charges a minimal commission fee of 20% and pay owners 80% of all rental fees.”

Right off the bat I can see the benefit to both the owner of the vehicle and the renter. But will Fun2Rent hurt the dealer? “Not at all, there are two major plusses for the dealer. The first one is customer retention. Think about this, many of their customers keep the vehicle parked in the garage most of the time, right? If that parked vehicle now becomes a source of income that customer is more likely to stay a customer. Not to mention the additional service and maintenance needed because of being used more. The other way Fun2Rent will benefit the dealer is as owners earn money on their used equipment they will be more inclined to purchase a new vehicle or vessel, and renters will also see the value in purchasing new equipment. This may just be the jolt the powersports industry needs to boost sales. Have used inventory sitting idle? Rent out your used vehicles and vessels for additional revenue. And since we handle the insurance side of it the dealer is covered.”

What I really like about Fun2Rent is that it is a great example of thinking out side of the box. I need to point out here that Fun2Rent is a new company and is currently only serving Northern California as their test market. They have plans to roll out new markets in the near future so keep up with them. The best way would be to join their Facebook page, follow on Twitter or send an email and they will add you to their email list for updates (info@Fun2Rent.com) or 800-732-0971. Check them out at Fun2Rent.com

Bobby Franklin, CEO of DustyMoto

bobby@dustymoto.com

www.dustymoto.com

912-576-3101

Posted in Services | 2 Comments

DustyMoto Parts Department Training Program

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Bobby Franklin

Through the course of business we have talked to countless dealer owners, General Managers, Parts Managers, and staff members. One thing we have determined is that all dealers have their own way of monitoring, managing and maintaining their parts department. What we see is the full range of “from the seat of the pants” to “extreme area focus”. There is not a widely adopted system to help provide the tools needed to really understand and drive true profits in the dealership. Profitability in the parts department is not truly measured by margins alone but by factoring the overall department view; margins, stock levels, turns, returns, RAs, and staff costs. The economic crisis we have all felt has left us scrambling to find that profit the P&L says is there and has forced us to realize there is a lot of room for improvement in our parts department.

This void has driven me to put together this training and management program. Sort of a best practice outline so to speak. I need to put my disclaimer here! I am by no means the final word expert, and welcome your views and opinions to make this program better and more efficient.

This program is focused not just on giving your staff the tools to maximize usable profits but to also view the management, structure, and execution as the owner instead of an employee. Through this training your staff will take ownership of their position based on the input and decisions they have made. Through this program you and your team will learn how to work on the business, not just in the business.

This program is broken into three sections, Data, Inventory, and Staff. Each section is further broken down into individual lessons that are timed to take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. We want you to be as aggressive as you can be in implementing changes, but we also want you to have the flexibility to implement change while also conducting your daily business. Breaking this course into sections and subsections gives you that flexibility. You could easily cover a lesson in your regular weekly meeting if you so choose.

If you would like to learn more about how to enroll you and your team into a free version of this program send me an email or give me a call.

Bobby Franklin, CEO, DustyMoto

Bobby@dustymoto.com

912-576-3101

Posted in Parts Department Training Program | Comments Off

Reconciling Your DustyMoto Account – Part 1:

Posted on February 8, 2012 by JC

LightSpeed NXT and UNIX

by: Todd J Smith

In our quest to promote a better, faster and stronger Powersports Dealer Community, we at DustyMoto wish to draw on the knowledge and expertise of our own membership for insight and know-how and share that information with everyone.  This is part one in a series I will be doing on the reconciling of your DustyMoto account.  If you are reading this, chances are pretty good that you already have an account with DustyMoto and have struggled or are struggling with the best method to account for how things work.  As with anything new or different, the old ways of doing things does not necessarily apply and since you use the buying power generated from the sale of your non-moving parts stock to cover the cost of items you have a current need for, the absence of cash in such a transaction requires some additional thought.

I contacted a few of our account holders and requested they summarize the steps they take to reconcile their DustyMoto accounts and will share that info here.  First, we wish to thank Bria Brown of Middletown Cycle in Franklin, Ohio, Mark Sheffield of Woods Cycle in New Braunfels, Texas, and Steve Lawson of Chippewa Motors in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan for their contributions.  All using versions of ADP LightSpeed, they have slightly differing methods of make the numbers match.  After reading what they have to say here, perhaps you will pick something up that you can use in your store.  I hope you will, and if you have another method to reconcile and are on a version of LightSpeed, please contact me and I’ll share it. 

Our first contributor is a relatively new DustyMoto account holder using LightSpeed NXT.  The final paragraph discusses early confusion:

“I set up DustyMoto as a customer in our database. Dusty is set up to buy everything at cost from our price book. The counter crew bills out each Dusty parts sale to an accounts receivable account. When I reconcile this account each month, I start by printing a transaction report from the DustyMoto website for the month, and I print out an accounts receivable statement from our in house system for DustyMoto.

 

The two balances need to be reconciled. First, I make a credit memo to the account for all of the parts purchased during the month. I debit the parts account and credit the amount due from Dusty. The parts department receives these parts normally throughout the month on their end. I found it was easier to track these in the accounting department all at once instead of each transaction. It is my preference.

 

At this point I look at the balance in each account and compare them. It is normally quite close. I will make a general debit or credit memo to the account to make them equal. I use our parts adjustments account for accounting purposes. The difference that is accounted for at this time is the difference in price when selling the part between our price books and the OEM price books on file at Dusty.

 

The shipping charges are expensed out once a month when we get billed. They are not tracked at all through my accounts receivable account. A lot of the confusion is caused by the shipping charges shown with each part transaction on some of the Dusty reports. Once I realized the shipping wasn’t deducted from our running account balance at Dusty, it made the process much easier.”

 

Our second contributor is one of our first accounts.  Also using NXT, his method is short and sweet:

“· Selling – print out the invoice from DM and make sure that the invoice total matches with the DM sale amount

  • · Receiving – receive the items for the cost listed on the DM invoice
  • · Freight – have accounting make a journal entry every month to the parts freight account
  • · Service charge – have accounting make a journal entry every month to the parts COG’s account”

 

  Our last contributor is using LightSpeed UNIX:

“Here is what I did in UNIX LightSpeed in order to track my sales with Dusty:

(1) I had to create Dusty Moto as a customer that is tax exempt (since this is resale)…

(2) Create a method of payment, such as “Dusty Moto”…

(3) When a sale has been confirmed, I sell the part at the discounted value I will receive credit for with Dusty, then use Dusty Moto as my customer code (so not to pay tax), then cashier the method of payment as Dusty Moto…

This way I can run reports for my dusty moto sales by day, week, month… Whatever I want… This is how I keep track of my sales…”

 

We hope that the info contained here has been useful.  I will be putting together future installments with the help of willing users of SofTek TBA, Lizzy, Comptron, MIC Systems, ZiiOS, etc.  If you are using any DMS and would like to contribute to this series or have specific questions, please shoot me an email toddsmith@dustymoto.com.  Although most DustyMoto users have a good handle on the bookkeeping side of things, there are many who don’t.  It is particularly important to us that our account holders are happy with the movement of stagnant parts and the work required to account for all that entails.  Everyone will appreciate your help and we will certainly appreciate having some info to refer to when asked for it.

Thanks again to Bria, Mark, and Steve for their contributions!

Todd Smith

Director – Dealer Development

toddsmith@DustyMoto.com

912.576.0013

Posted in Best Practices | Comments Off

Which area of communication can you improve right now? -

Posted on February 1, 2012 by JC

by Kurt von Ahnen of Vonconcepts Training

As we train dealers from across the country, it begins to be a tale of survival rather than victory. Reading books like the “Slight Edge” and similar works brings out the idea of doing that little thing. Pick that little thing, the straw on the camel’s back, the small change that will grow into a movement. I have that one thing and I will share it now.

Before I blurt it out, think of your own Powersports Dealership. As a customer, what’s one thing that someone could do to help you grow their business? Yes, get them to help you grow your business.  Think of the departments in your store that really form a relationship with your clients. Then think of how they could tweak one thing to bring you more cashflow.

It’s the referral. Teach your Service Writer to ask for the referral at every active delivery. If you aren’t sure what active delivery is, sign up for our training. Even in the industry, the idea that the Ducati Dealer I already do business with would service my Suzuki was foreign… so what are your clients thinking? You know the parts deal with stocking items, so it’s no surprise that your client is figuring it out too. The chance of their branded dealer carrying more parts than you do for their bike isn’t really a factor – the relationship your service department builds with them is.

In summary, be really great in your service department and make people want to share you with others. Then simply ask them to refer their friends after you’ve served them well. Tell them you are able to serve most makes and models and welcome new clients. Do this now and watch your numbers grow. 

Kurt von Ahnen

Vonconcepts Training

http://vonconcepts.com

kurt@vonconcepts.com

323-418-2377 

** Feel free to inquire with us about Fixed Ops Training and Dealer Communications.

Posted in Vonconcepts Training | Comments Off

Review: BansheeHorn

Posted on January 25, 2012 by JC

From time to time, I come across some very cool tools, gadgets and accessories that are coming for the Powersports industry. And in the case of the BansheeHorn, something that is only now in the development stages…

If you haven’t taken a look at Kickstart.com, it is a website that helps developing artists and businesses land the funding they need to get their projects to market. Check them out at www.kickstarter.com. This is where I found the BansheeHorn.

Peter Olt is a New Zealander, transplanted to Tampa, and an electronic engineer. His design is a 139 decibel horn – small enough for your scooter or motorcycle, but effective in a car, truck or boat. The horn works with your factory horn set-up, but at a much louder volume. The system also incorporates your headlights into the alert by oscillating them at the same time the BansheeHorn is activated. Here’s a video of the product in action:

You can get in on the ground floor with BansheeHorn, too. All the details are found at KickStarter. Take a couple moments and check out this exciting new product. And if there is anything that you thing we should bring to the attention of our other DustyMoto members, feel free to drop me a line.

JC Frank

jc@dustymoto.com

Posted in News, Products | Comments Off

Peas in a Pod?

Posted on January 18, 2012 by JC

How would others describe your team if they were talking about your dealership at a party? Sure there’s the fantasy of what you wished they would say. “I always feel at home when I go there”. “My sales guy introduced me to the parts guys and they were cool enough to set me up in service – they’re like peas in a pod down there”. But take a step back and wonder what’s really going on and the perception it breeds in your community.

When your service department keeps a bike 2 weeks too long, how do they communicate with the client? Do they blame parts for screwing up the orders? Do they blame sales for monopolizing their time? Do they blame you behind your back with snarky comments – “You know how this place can be dude”. How about when the Parts Department actually does screw up the order… do they say “Service didn’t tell us to order that – it’s going to be another 2 weeks to get that piece”?

Interdepartmental Communication is paramount to a Powersport Dealer’s success. Your team does need to be “Peas in a Pod” to run your shop well. If they worked on their Interdepartmental Communication better, you might not have client’s bikes for weeks on end. How can a dealer create the Pod for the Peas to fit into? In a word – transparency.

Department heads need to be transparent to the other teams. Service and Parts need to know the top 5 oldest units on the floor, Parts needs to know the 5 oldest repair orders, and Sales and Service needs to know what inventory obstacles the Parts Manager is faced with while trying to keep the floor fresh with new displays. By each “Stakeholder” in the dealer having a clear view of their colleagues positions and goals, it becomes a lot easier to work together toward the single goal of Dealership Success.

You figure out what works best in your environment. Friday breakfast meetings worked great for my teams and ramped us up for the weekend. Other dealers may strive on a monthly group meeting with the whole dealership involved – presented by department heads. By eliminating some of the gaps in your departments, you’ll soon see happier employees, more satisfied clients, and more productive technicians which lead to fuller bank accounts.

 Kurt von Ahnen
Vonconcepts Training
http://vonconcepts.com
kurt@vonconcepts.com
323-418-2377
 
** Feel free to inquire with us about Fixed Ops Training and Dealer Communications.

Posted in Vonconcepts Training | Leave a comment

DustyMoto reviews the Contour 1080 HD Helmet Camera -

Posted on January 18, 2012 by JC

Product Review Time!

 By Todd J Smith

I’ve always been interested in having the ability to document my two-wheeled enthusiasm in video for later review.  Back in the day, it was a matter of duct tape and zip ties.  This worked well enough back then, but all those crazy camera angles you see during the MotoGP or other races were always out of reach.

Around the beginning of the 21st century, companies began to forge ahead in the field of personal a/v in action sports.  Apparently, there were more people than just me who were into it and looking for something more.  My first legitimate purchase came from www.helmetcamera.com in the days prior to the widespread usage of solid state and flash memory units.  I had two of these.  One was destroyed in a low-side crash at Autobahn Speedway in Joliet, IL at a WERA National Challenge event in 2004.  The other was obliterated in a race weekend ‘crashstravaganza’ at Roebling Road Raceway in Savannah, GA in the same year.  The unit was cumbersome and required a peripheral video recording device in addition to the camera itself.  But it got some good stuff and I could mount the camera body anywhere for some crazy views.

My next unit was the first weatherproof and solid state/flash memory model by Oregon Scientific.  Definitely a sign of things to come and it was pretty good when it did work.   The problem was that it was just as common to return to the pit area to find that the thing quit recording moments after having started.  It eventually died; presumably from neglect.  They have better stuff now, but I’ve not tried any.

Having investigated the various GoPro ( www.gopro.com) models and not decided to move on any, I came across the Contour cameras and was immediately interested.  They are priced in line with the GoPro brand and like GoPro; there are several models to pick from.  I bought the 1080 HD version, although the place I bought it also had the GPS version for a few dollars more.  At the time, I didn’t see the point in have GPS enabled, but I regret not getting it at the time.  For instance, there is an Android/iPhone app that allows you to view the camera angle on your phone, which any helmet cam user will tell you is a good feature to have.

The camera: 5.2 oz, is about the diameter of a broom stick and the length of your computer’s mouse; you can’t tell it’s there.  Since it’s mounted on your goggle strap (at least mine is), you don’t have to worry about low branches taking it off your head.  There are a lot of new mounts coming out all the time too.  These Contour people occasionally send out emails asking for input for such things and they actually seem to listen.

It uses a micro-SD card for storage and you may use as large as 32 GB cards if you like.  There are two frame rates and three resolutions to choose from, depending on what you’re capturing.  I’ve decided that backing mine down from 1080p @ 30 frames per second to 720p @ 60 fps is best for moto stuff.  It’s incredibly easy to use, with an oversized record/stop recording sliding switch.  It even has a pair of lasers you may activate before you take off to be sure you are pointing at what you mean to point at and not the ground or the sky.

There are adhesive mounts that look pretty trick, but my favorite is the goggle strap mount that came with it.  This allows you to put your camera on your buddy’s goggle strap in about 4 seconds so you can later see just how ridiculous you look on your bike. 

Since the default file type is .MOV for this unit, you will need Windows 7 or a Mac to realize the potential of this camera.  For a while, I was using some patch I downloaded on my old, non-Windows 7 PC and the quality was low.  Not long ago I ran into a family using one for their kid and they reported the same problem with capture quality.  They must not have read all the literature.  Like me.  They needed to get out of the Stone Age anyway.

The Verdict:

This is a great device.  I love using mine.  It’s a lot of fun after the ride too.  It couldn’t be easier to use and the software they provide is more than functional.  If you are not the most computer literate person you know, have no fear of this device.  The software is helpful and walks you through every step.  Their customer service types have been quick to respond to my questions and will freely admit that they don’t know everything; but will find your answer.

I have not tried the GoPro cameras. They have a new chest strap that mounts their camera body on your center chest, giving some very cool views. 

I have not tried the other models from Contour.  I would like to! (subtle enough?) 

Here’s a bit of video from Sunday, January 15 shot with my Contour 1080HD.  I’m the one in the red clown suit:

Happy Riding!

Todd J Smith
DustyMoto Director of Dealer Development
toddsmith@dustymoto.com

Posted in A Fan of the Sport, Products | Comments Off

Back to Basics – GOALS:

Posted on February 17, 2012 by JC

by Kurt von Ahnen – Vonconcepts Training

The other day I was in Santa Fe having a sales meeting for our Sister Company – Von Ahnen Design & PR. It was a high end body shop that is looking to increase its visibility for Ferrari, Porsche, Audi and the like. We took on the web job, but there is so much more. 

As I met at their location, it became clear that they had no processes in place. The techs were choosing their own work, there was no priority on client jobs, there was no tracking on the administrative side for profitability – they used the insurance estimates to track work instead of their own job number. It made me think about the training we give to our students at Vonconcepts Training. 

We strive to have our students understand the difference in Efficiency, Productivity, and Profitability. Being busy isn’t profit. Assuring your technicians are productive while being efficient and tracking your transactions can lead to profits. Often I talk about goals, but if you don’t have any process in place and don’t know where you are currently – a benchmark – then you can’t form a goal. A goal is what leads to growth and success. It leads you to think about what the next step is to reach the goal. 

We took on the web job, sure. But after that package is done, we are heading in there with a plan to put them on a path to success. In this economy, you have to monitor things like cost of parts, labor rate, training, utilities, shop supplies and uniforms, hazardous waste, and so on. Imagine if you ran your department using everyone else’s estimates and pricing — maybe you already are. Before the season really kicks off, do yourself a favor and see where you are at now and how you plan to grow.

Kurt von Ahnen

Vonconcepts Training

http://vonconcepts.com

kurt@vonconcepts.com

                                            323-418-2377 

** Feel free to inquire with us about Fixed Ops Training and Dealer Communications.

Posted in Vonconcepts Training | Comments Off

Your Profit & Loss Statement Vs. The Real World: Part 6 -

Posted on February 1, 2012 by JC
by  Bobby Franklin - CEO, DustyMoto
 
We have identified several tools available to you, and have determined that your 12 month no sale (non-movers) should be your priority.  Lets address the number one obstacle in aggressively reclaiming this segment; your staff.  I was once asked “How do I get my staff to do what I need them to?”  I have the answer for you, but I want to take up for your team first.  They have a full day.  They take care of the customers, one after another.  They process invoices, purchase orders, receiving, warranty claims, answer the phone, and on and on.  What they spend their day doing is the one thing you stress is most important; running their department and making a profit.  They have to prioritize what they seem as the important task at hand for the sake of the company and their department.
 
OK, I will tell you how you get your team to do what you want.  You cant.  Plain and simple.  But, think about it a little differently.  Ask, “How can I get them to WANT the same thing as me?”  The answer is information, incentive, and measures.  Think about why you do what you do.  Does having the full view of the picture help you do what must be done?  How does that view push you to do the difficult tasks?  You owe it to your staff to give them every tool you can, and information as a tool is cheap, easy and very effective.
 
Information: Have a meeting with your entire team and break down your P&L with them.  Really explain to them how to read it and understand the different sections.  Explain the different sections like Accounts Payable and  Accounts Receivable, and how they relate to departmental profit.  Does your team know that a warranty claim processed in error shows as profit, but also shows in your receivables?  And that profit is not usable…..YET?   Then do the same with your balance sheet and teach them how one compares to the other.  Of course you will want to be selective and protect the sensitive information like the bank accounts and so forth.  Besides, it is a lot to take in so stick with what they need to know.  Once they understand why this is important to the company, it will become important to them.
 
Incentives: More money is not the game winner but it is a good way to keep score.  It is a way to show (and be shown) appreciation and acknowledgement.  Keep in mind we are focusing here on your 12 month no sale.  Realize that any money your regain from this segment goes straight to your operating bottom line. Your company paid for this segment long ago and you own it out right, free and clear.  Coming up with a simple spiff that would put a little money in your teams pocket would be great way to reinforce the “why”.
 
Measure: For any program to stick and last over time you have to track your process, measure the performance, and adjust your focus.  The only way you can do that is by measuring and reporting results to your entire team.  I am working on a spreadsheet that you may find useful to help you track your progress. Plug in your numbers monthly and track what results you and your team are making.
 
I hope this has helped you see your books a little differently.  Our industry has had a rough few years.  We have learned to adapt, adjust, and modify.  We have learned to be more efficient and how to run a much leaner business.  If we are to survive we have to continue to fine tune, focus on every area we can.  Eliminate all waste and excess expenses.  Master every department in our business.  We will continue to post ways to reach this lofty goal.  Join our mailing list to get our weekly newsletter to stay up with us.
Sign up to receive updates on “Your P&L vs. The Real World” -

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Until next time,
 
Bobby Franklin CEO,DustyMotobobby@dustymoto.comtwitter: @dustymoto
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