Features

Dec. 28, 2009 – Motorcycle Digest

Metric OEMs’ North American exports decline
Metric manufacturers’ exports to North America in October reflected a much slower retail market.
Metric manufacturers shipped 5,362 motorcycles to the United States in October, an 87 percent decline from the year-ago month, according to data provided by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA).
Exports were down by a similar percentage in Canada. Metric manufacturers, including Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki, exported 758 motorcycles to Canada, an 81 percent decrease from a year ago.
Overall, metric manufacturers manufactured more than 51,000 units in October, a decrease of 57.5 percent from October 2008. This is the 26th consecutive month for motorcycle production declines.

Motorsports series announces new sponsor
KYMCO USA will become the official scooter and ATV of the NHRA, the world’s largest motorsports sanctioning body, the manufacturer announced.
KYMCO USA will provide NHRA with scooters and ATV vehicles for use at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events and at its five owned and operated drag racing facilities.
As an NHRA official sponsor, KYMCO USA will receive visibility at NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events as well as exposure throughout NHRA’s various media platforms.
“The quality scooters and ATVs that KYMCO USA provides NHRA will certainly help our Safety Safari team as well as our track officials do their jobs in a more efficient manner,” said Gary Darcy, NHRA’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. “In turn, we feel the partnership will offer exceptional exposure opportunities to generate awareness and recognition for KYMCO USA.”
This is the first sponsorship relationship between NHRA and KYMCO USA.

OEM unveils certified preowned program for bikes
Ridley Motorcycles, the Oklahoma City, Okla., manufacturer, has created a certified preowned program for its motorcycles.
The program provides a six-month limited parts warranty to the customer, the company said in a press release.
The company said its certified preowned motorcycles must be in “like new” condition. That means using only genuine Ridley parts for any necessary repairs. Each model has a specific list of upgrades and modifications that are performed by Ridley Genuine Parts in Oklahoma City. These upgrades are performed before the bike is certified.
“The feedback we are receiving from Ridley owners is that they want to upgrade into a newer-year model and take advantage of some of the great bargains that are out there,” Jay Ridley, president of 2 Wheel Ventures, the parent company of Ridley Genuine Parts, said in a press release.
The nationwide program will be offered starting in January.

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