Coffey: We don’t have a demand problem; we have an on-ramp problem

By Melissa Coffey

This article originally appeared in the February issue of Powersports Business.

For most of its history, the powersports industry hasn’t had to explain itself. Riders created riders. Passion was inherited. The customer journey started at childhood and ended in a showroom. That flywheel is slowing.

The average powersports customer is getting older. First-time buyers are entering later in life. Meanwhile, participation in adjacent categories — outdoor recreation, overlanding, adventure travel, fitness experiences — continues to grow. People want experiences more than ever. They just don’t instinctively associate those experiences with us anymore.

This isn’t a product problem. It’s a market access problem.

If we want to grow again — not just shuffle the same customers between brands — we have to redesign how new people discover, enter, and stay in this industry.

And it starts with admitting a hard truth: we’ve accidentally built an industry that is easy to love if you’re already in it — and intimidating and not conducive to entry if you’re not.

Step One: Admit the customer has changed

The growth customer of the next decade is not the legacy rider. They are:

• The outdoor lifestyle consumer who camps, hikes, overlands, and travels
• The suburban family looking for shared experiences
• The utility buyer who starts with work and stays for fun
• The experience-first consumer who values access over ownership
• The first-time buyer who has zero mechanical confidence and no tribal knowledge

These people don’t wake up wanting “a side-by-side” or “a motorcycle.” They wake up wanting adventure, convenience, connection, and escape from screens. We don’t need new products to reach them. We need new positioning.

Step Two: Stop selling machines. Start selling outcomes.

Most of our marketing still speaks in insider language: specs, trims, performance, components. That language works for enthusiasts. It does not build new ones.

New customers buy:

• A version of themselves
• A vision of their weekends
• A feeling of confidence and belonging
• A story they want to be part of

The brands that will win the next decade will not be the ones with the best brochures. They’ll be the ones that translate complexity into confidence and turn ownership into a lifestyle decision, not a technical one. 

The question every dealer and OEM should be asking is not: “How do we sell this unit?”

It’s: “What problem does this solve in someone’s life — and how do we show that clearly?”

Step Three: The industry has an onboarding problem

We don’t have a traffic problem. We have a conversion and confidence problem.

Most first-time buyers are not saying no. They’re saying:

“I’m not sure.”

“This feels complicated.”

“I don’t want to make a mistake.”

That’s not price resistance. That’s fear of regret.

From the outside, powersports ownership looks:

• Technically complex
• Logistically confusing
• Socially intimidating
• And financially risky

We accidentally built a cliff instead of an on-ramp.

The next growth phase of this industry will be won by companies that:

• Simplify choices
• Bundle smartly
• Teach instead of overwhelm
• And intentionally design the first 90 days of ownership

Confidence converts. Confusion delays.

Step Four: The sale is just the end of marketing phase one

A first purchase is a transaction. A second purchase is a relationship. A third purchase is brand loyalty. Yet most dealers stop marketing the moment the unit leaves the lot.

Meanwhile, data across retail categories consistently shows that retention and repeat purchase are dramatically more profitable than acquisition—and powersports has even more leverage here because accessories, service, upgrades, and trade cycles multiply lifetime value.

The real business is built after the sale:

• Riding groups
• Owner events
• Service education
• Seasonal rituals
• Upgrade paths
• Community identity

Belonging is the strongest growth engine in this category. And we underinvest in it.

Step Five: This is a business model shift, not a marketing tactic

What’s really happening in powersports is the same thing that already happened in:

• Fitness
• Outdoor recreation
• Travel
• Golf
• Even automotive

Categories that used to sell products now sell identity, experience, and community first — then monetize through products. Powersports doesn’t need to change what it is. But it does need to change how people enter. We do not have a shrinking interest problem. We have a translation problem, a confidence problem, and an onboarding problem. The brands and dealers who fix that won’t just grow their own business. They’ll grow the entire category.

Next Month: The Playbook! 

In this column, I wanted to frame the why and the what. Next month, I’ll lay out the actual execution model:

• Who to target first
• What messages work
• What channels matter
• What the modern dealer funnel looks like
• And how to build a real “new rider acquisition engine” that works in 2026—not 2006.

Because the future customer isn’t lost. We just haven’t built them a door yet.

Till next time, shiny side up and checkered flags! 

Melissa Coffey is a longtime powersports and industry leader with deep expertise in brand building, demand generation, and growth strategy.