NY dealer finds success by giving customers the Peake experience

This article originally appeared in the October edition of Powersports Business.

Sodus, New York — a small town near Lake Ontario is the perfect backdrop for outdoor recreation, and Peake Powersports provides the quaint community with the quintessential outlet for fun and excitement. 

Peake Powersports has its roots in the auto industry and is an extension of Peake Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat. The owner, Thad Peake IV, purchased the Chrysler store back in 2016. Peake IV’s son, Thad Peake V, has served as general manager at the powersports operation since the store first opened its doors in 2022. 

The two dealerships operate in the same building — an old historic cheese factory. When Peake IV saw the opportunity to sell powersports in the Sodus area in 2019, he faced an uphill battle due to COVID. He struggled to find brands, and although Kawasaki was initially interested, Peake was forced to sit on the sidelines when the OEM paused production.

“It wasn’t a no, it was just a not right now,” GM Thad recalls. 

A few years later, still trying to get its foot in the powersports door and Kawasaki still on hold, Peake was introduced to Mahindra Tractors, which was looking to sign on new car dealers.

After signing on with Mahindra, a dealer friend suggested the store look into bringing in this up-and-coming brand, CFMOTO, which Peake would eventually add. After the pandemic eased, Kawasaki began manufacturing at pre-pandemic rates again, and Peake picked up its third brand.  

Thad recalls the initial plan was to sell two or three tractors a month, and when Kawasaki became available, maybe put an ATV in the corner. But the demand from COVID put Peake in a position to expand the business even further.

“COVID kind of jolted the industry, and everyone was buying powersports,” Thad says. “So within a year we went from no powersports brands to Mahindra tractors, Kawasaki, and CFMOTO.” 

Everything came so fast, and the dealership wasn’t prepared to sell all the inventory it was being delivered. 

“We couldn’t even sell the Kawasaki motorcycles we were getting shipped because we didn’t have an inspection station, and we weren’t a motorcycle dealership yet. We had them, and we were ready to go, but we couldn’t sell them for about three to four months.” — Thad Peak

Inventory

Inventory soon outgrew the capacity of their auto dealership, so they expanded its showroom space by taking out the connected NAPA Auto Parts store to make room. 

Today, Peake Powersports now carries seven brands, keeps about 180 units on the showroom floor, and sells roughly 350-400 units annually. Located in Central New York, Peake serves a range of enthusiasts looking for various machines — primarily dictated by New York’s four seasons. Thad says about 40% of the units sold are motorcycles, with around 30% in the UTV or ATV category, and the rest falling under tractors, PWCs, and dirt bikes. 

Peake’s motorcycle brands don’t include some of the bigger names; he’s had success selling CFMOTO, Moto Guzzi and Aprilia, machines that aren’t as well known, but have a strong following. 

Thad does recognize the currently strong UTV market and the category shift toward comfort, capability, and value. But to push into the UTV segment, first the right personnel must be in place. 

“It all comes down to who you have in your sales team and what they like to do. Right now, the ladies that we have are super enthusiastic about motorcycles, and that’s what gets them excited,” he says. “We’re actively looking for that person who loves side-by-sides. But that’s been a little tough to find. For us, it really depends on who we have driving the bus in the sales team.”

Performing in a want-based industry 

Not just experience, but passion is a prerequisite to be a part of the Peake team, and having the right technicians in place is equally important.

“If you’re going to buy a vehicle, you’re going to see my service department all the time. So we make sure you’re comfortable there. We make sure you know who you’re talking to. And we make sure you trust us. Service is where the relationships are maintained. Sales is just where it starts,” Thad says. 

Coming from an auto background, Thad also weighed in on the main difference between selling automobiles and powersports, which he says comes down to a motivation factor. Customers need to buy a car. That’s not entirely true when it comes to powersports vehicles, where, in most cases, customers want to buy, not need.  

“The only big difference between auto and powersports is that you’re going from a need-based industry to a want-based industry.” 

That fundamental element changes the sales approach. Transactions are less stressful, and sales-customer interaction is predicated on establishing a relationship, rather than generating a sale.

“Build trust, figure out what they’re after, give them a great show, and then get down to the numbers,” Thad explains. “In powersports you need to recognize that the customer that comes into the store doesn’t necessarily need anything that you sell.”

More than machines

In addition to major units, some pre-owned inventory and fixed operations, Peake also runs an in-house insurance brokerage, Peake Insurance Agency. And it doesn’t just deal in auto and powersports products, but also life, home, and even pet insurance. 

A benefit of having its own insurance brokerage under the same roof as its dealerships, Thad says, is the ability to turn around coverages the same day, even on the weekends. Insurance brokerages are often closed on Saturdays, a prime-time selling day for dealers.

“We’re open on Saturdays. Nobody wants to wait [after the weekend] to ride this thing that they’re spending so much money on.”

Another perk Peake offers is a free golf simulator that’s offered as a courtesy to its customers. 

“We are an E-Z-GO golf cart dealership. What do people do with golf carts? Well, they golf.”

And that’s what it’s about at Peake Powersports. It’s not just about the transaction, but the experience. A Peake experience that the dealership strives for by creating fun and memorable moments, not painstaking transactions you get at need-based businesses like auto dealerships.  

“You’re selling fun. You might as well walk into a dealership, have a good time, and not feel pressure or obligation to buy something,” he says. “We sell that feeling. We sell that excitement.”