Recently, I had the opportunity to join the Adventure Rider podcast for a candid conversation about life behind the scenes in the Powersports world. We dove into the often-overlooked dynamics between dealerships and OEMs—how those relationships are structured, the pressures both sides face, and where things stand today. It was a great chance to pull back the curtain and share insights that don’t always make it into the spotlight.
Lowdown Podcast #68 – Here’s What’s REALLY Going On At Your Motorcycle Dealer (part 1)
While OEMs claim all is well in dealership land, the dealerships themselves tell a different story—if only they’d talk on the record, which they won’t. Mark Sheffield has been involved with dealerships for decades and pulls back the curtain on a relationship that is as often contentions as it is convivial. Part one of our conversation with Mark is this week, next week in part two we’ll wrap it up.
And this one is really important to me. Freight and setup have long been an issue for the industry. Unlike the automotive space where the MSRP includes all additional costs, Powersports has long presented freight and setup fees below the line, or in addition to MSRP. In the early days these costs were often absorbed by dealers, but over time they got to be too big for the dealers to eat. The NPDA now is taking steps to get the OEs to adjust pricing and to include these costs in the MSRP, but the vendors are pushing back because the status quo allows them to advertise unrealistic prices. If you want to learn how we got here, and what we are doing to fix this issue, then have a listen.
Lowdown Podcast #112 – Here’s The Story Behind Motorcycle Dealership Fees
Many things in life are perplexing, but none more than this: buy a pack of Sweet Caporal cigarettes from old Mrs. Harrison down at the general store, and she doesn’t charge a separate fee for handing them to you or for having them shipped to her store. And yet, when you buy a motorcycle, the price on the manufacturer’s website isn’t what we pay at a dealership, because it’s subject to shipping fees and setup charges as separate line items. Why isn’t there just one price?
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