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Thor comes off hot season, looks forward to 2016

New knee guard among top sellers for Parts Unlimited house brand

Spring has a different meaning for motocross brands than it does for those in the on-road motorcycle segment. For motocross brands like Thor, spring is the end of their season, but it also represents a time to reflect on the season that was and to ramp up for the year to come.

That was the message Thor was sharing at the Parts Unlimited/Drag Specialties Regional Showcases in February.

The Thor booth was a popular stop at the Parts Unlimited/Drag Specialties Regional Showcase in Atlanta on Feb. 22.
The Thor booth was a popular stop at the Parts Unlimited/Drag Specialties Regional Showcase in Atlanta on Feb. 22.

“Gear sales are good,” said Andrew Hursch, sales support for Thor. “We’ve got some new products coming out. We released the Topo [graphic] in the Phase kit at the beginning of the season, so that’s a nice, fresh look for a lot of the racers out there. Things are rolling on.”

At the Showcases in Atlanta and Arlington, Hursch and his colleagues were most excited to show dealers the new spring-release Force XP Knee Guard, which replaces the former Force Knee Guard with better technology and a $99.95 price tag. It has a perforated Airprene chassis, extended thigh coverage, an impact-resistant polyethylene knee cap, a dual pivot system and an asymmetrical design for comfort and fit, and it has been well-received by dealers.

Thor’s spring-release Force XP Knee Guard
Thor’s spring-release Force XP Knee Guard

“It’s just a mandatory piece for many dealers, just as a hard part protection piece,” Hursch told Powersports Business. “It’s going to be a multi-year product, so dealers won’t have to worry about it going out of style.”

Though the Force XP was the only new product Hursch had to show to dealers at the Regional Showcases, he talked to many dealers who have had a lot of success with some of Thor’s other recent launches.

“Dealers love the Blitz boot, which is our price point boot; they can’t keep them on the shelves. So that’s been definitely a star product this season,” he said. “The Verge helmet continues to do well at kind of a unique price point, a premium helmet for $324.94. And our new Core line has been doing really well.”

Hursch reported that the Regional Showcases in Atlanta and Arlington were successful for Thor, as he got to connect with a lot of dealers, including many in Arlington that he had never seen at shows.

Now Hursch and everyone else at Thor is looking forward to the August Parts Unlimited/Drag Specialities National Vendor Showcase in Madison, Wis., where the brand will be highlighting its 2016 product.

“We have lots of good things. You’re going to see some new colors on some different products that we haven’t had color on before; that’s about all I can say right now,” he said. “There’s going to be some things in the goggle scene that may be some updates there as well, so lots of new products. ’16 is going to be a real good year for Thor.”

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