May 3, 2010: Aftermarket Digest
MIC offers free e-card to dealers and retailers for Revive Your Ride!
To promote the industry’s Revive Your Ride! Spring Sweepstakes, the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) has free downloads for dealers, retailers and service providers.
The downloads include a free, animated e-card, along with posters, banners, stickers, postcards, press release templates, logos and Web banners. The Revive Your Ride! Sweepstakes began April 15 and will offer $25,000 in cash prizes, according to the MIC.
“This free Revive Your Ride! e-card is the perfect way to let customers know about the sweepstakes and invite them to your dealership,” Cam Arnold, MIC vice president of communications, said in the release. “The grand prize winner gets a $10,000 pre-paid MasterCard, and 14 other lucky winners will be awarded pre-paid cards ranging from $250-$2,500 for a total of $25,000 in Revive Your Ride! Sweepstakes prize money. What rider or prospective rider wouldn’t be enticed to visit their dealer for a chance to win $10,000 worth of accessories, gear, parts or service?”
As part of the promotional campaign, the e-card can be viewed and downloaded at www.reviveyourride.org/sweeps-ecard. The MIC will create free personalized versions that include a dealership or retailer name. Requests for personalized e-cards should be e-mailed to ryr@mic.org.
Kwik Tek buys company, adds marine inflatable products
Kwik Tek Inc. has acquired all assets of Sportsstuff Inc., a company known for its innovative lake, pool, backyard and marine inflatable products. This move strengthens Kwik Tek’s portfolio in the marine and sporting goods space, according to a press release from Kwik Tek.
The Sportsstuff brand will be added to the Kwik Tek arsenal of top-selling brands.
“Adding the Sportsstuff brand is the single most exciting event in Kwik Tek’s 19-year history,” Kwik Tek President and CEO Aaron Kramer said in the release. “We are looking forward to providing one-stop shopping to our valued distributors and retailers. The Sportsstuff brand is recognized as the top innovator in the inflatable industry. Airhead has a slightly more conservative approach to the market, while being famous for its attention to detail, customer service and exemplary product quality.”
Drag Specialties Announces New Northeast Sales Rep
Drag Specialties has added Adam Alberghine as a new northeast region sales rep.
Alberghine previously worked at North Shore Motorcycles as general manager. Earlier in his career, Alberghine held several positions at Harley-Davidson dealerships in the New York area.
Alberghine’s Drag Specialties territory will include the cities of New York, Long Island and Queens.
Shift Racing partners with XDL Championship Series
Shift Racing is joining the XDL Championship Series for the 2010 season as the “Official Riding Shoe of XDL,” according to a release from the company.
The partnership includes extensive product placement and brand integration at XDL events and on INSIDE XDL, which premieres on the VERSUS network on Oct. 12. At the core of the partnership is the new Shift Kicker shoe, which includes a variety of performance-oriented features, like non-slip soles and ankle protection. The Shift Kicker shoe also will be the shoe worn by XDL staff.
“The partnership with Shift makes sense in many ways,” XDL founder Randy Grube said in the release. “We’ve had a relationship since 2008, so we built on that and took the next step. The product is excellent and the brand is a perfect fit with XDL.”
The XDL Championship Series is a
national stunt riding championship, now in its fifth season.
Aftermarket manufacturer fills key support, funding role
Aftermarket manufacturer Brock’s Performance is doubling the size of its 2010 drag racing contingency program, the company said in a press release. More than $80,000 is available for AMA Dragbike and MIROCK Superbike dragrace competitors using Brock’s Performance exhaust systems and BST carbon-fiber wheels, a total that has exceeded what other aftermarket companies have done in the past, the company said.
In 2010, Brock’s Performance and BST are posting more money per class.
Kali Protectives hires new motor sports sales manager
Kali Protectives has hired Don Schmidt as national sales manager for its motor sports division, according to a release from the company.
Schmidt will manage the outside sales and service team, work with marketing to develop sales and marketing strategies and oversee dealer-direct retail development.
Cycle Sounds signs V-Twin Marketing as main agency
Cycle Sounds, a motorcycle and motorsports audio manufacturer, has hired V-Twin Marketing as its first agency of record, announced Cycle Sounds.
Ed Files, president of Cycle Sounds, said they chose V-Twin Marketing because of “their marketing strengths, great creative abilities, industry relations and network abilities among industry leaders and their total dedication to the motorcycle market.”