PowerSports Business

April 3, 2020

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w w w . p o w e r s p o r t s b u s i n e s s . c o m INSPIRING SUCCESS THROUGH MARKET INTELLIGENCE April 3, 2020 • Volume 23, Number 5 • $3.99 Kawasaki Jet Ski STX160 brings waves of fun at San Diego press intro See page 27 After 1911 opening, growth continues Irv Seaver BMW booming well into its second century with new showroom BY ABBY LARSON STAFF REPORTER Age has never looked so good for one Cali- fornia dealership. Over a century has passed since Irv Seaver BMW of Orange, California, first opened its doors in 1911. As you can prob- ably imagine, many changes have occurred at the storefront over the years. Now, a new product line has prompted an expansion that will grow the dealership's space, along with its offerings. For general manager David Diaz, the change represents far more than a new prod- uct line coming into the store. "As every business must grow to survive, we, too, are growing. Our sales are increas- ing year after year, and with the new product line coming from BMW, we just didn't have enough space in our existing showroom to fit everything and do it in a nice way," Diaz explained. "Sure, we can jam them in handle- bar to handlebar, but that's not doing it right." The expansion, however, won't be built off the main building. "Since we had already owned a 4,000 square-foot building across the street that is the same architecture as our existing build- ing, they tie in together. It was a great oppor- tunity to create our new 'Make Life a Ride' showroom with a totally different customer experience than what is typical of BMW cor- porate identity." While the company has been around for the last century, implementing updates and keeping up with the changing times has never been an issue, with plans being that the new addition will follow a more modern template. Diaz said the building will fea- ture an open showroom with a large coffee bar, along with a workshop element where motorcycles will be accessorized. "The goal is to have an overall casual atmosphere, like a nightclub or new House of Machines feel. What we're looking for is a no-pressure, comfortable selling environ- ment that involves the customer in the design of their bike through all the accessories and aftersales products that BMW offers." The design of the new showroom is meant to provide an all-inclusive experience for the customer throughout the entire process. "We want to have a place where the cus- tomer can be involved right there in the workshop. We won't be doing oil changes over there or anything like that, but it's mainly for having a better touch for the customer of their buying experience in our showroom from choosing the motorcycle to accessorizing and having a hand in the installation process by watching it happen." The new showroom will feature the Heri- tage lineup. Arctic Cat alters its ways in snow Changing industry leads to innovation, new sales and distribution strategies BY NICK LONGWORTH SNOWMOBILE EDITOR At the annual "unofficial kick-off " to the snowmobiling season this past September at Haydays in North Branch, Minnesota, Arctic Cat officials pulled media members into a closed-trailer meeting on its lot, and had an honest conversation. They admitted that the company had heard the rumors during the past few sea- sons from consumers questioning its com- mitment to the industry (especially after being purchased by manufacturing giant Textron a few years earlier). They knew people were wondering about the future of Cat, and for many fans of Team Green, the company's eventual demise appeared to be the only writing that was on the wall. But we were there, and that day Arctic Cat vice president Craig Kennedy told a different story. The new 'Make Life a Ride' showroom is designed to provide an all-inclusive experience for the cus- tomer throughout the entire process. Photos cour- tesy of Irv Seaver BMW See Seaver BMW, Page 25 A new product line from BMW has prompted Irv Seaver BMW of Orange, California, to expanded its overall footprint as well. "As every business must grow to survive, we, too, are growing," said general manager David Diaz. Vice president Craig Kennedy has high hopes for Arctic Cat's snowmobile business. Photo courtesy of Arctic Cat See Arctic Cat, Page 26

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