This Week in Powersports Business – The week of April 6, 2025

News and stories from the world of Powersports business.

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Indian Motorcycle Dealers Top-Ranked for Third Year in 2025 Study Measuring Response to Website Customers

Polaris Inc’sIndian Motorcycle dealerships ranked highest in the 2025 Pied Piper PSI^® Internet Lead Effectiveness^® (ILE^®) Powersports Industry Study, measuring responsiveness to internet sales leads coming through dealership websites. Following Indian were Harley-Davidson, BMW, and BRP’s Can-Am off-road dealers.

Pied Piper submitted customer inquiries through 2,523 powersports dealership websites representing 27 brands. Each inquiry asked a specific question about a vehicle in inventory and included a new customer name, email address, and local telephone number. Pied Piper then evaluated the speed and quality of dealership responses by email, telephone, text message and chat over the next 24 hours. Each brand’s overall ILE Score is a combined average of their individual dealer ILE performances. ILE evaluations consist of over 20 differently weightedmeasurements, based upon best practices that are mathematically most likely to generate sales, combining into an overall ILE score ranging from0to 100.

Indian Ranked Highest for Third Consecutive Year: What Sets Them Apart?

2025 marks the third year in a row the Indian brand achieved the top score in the annual ILE powersports industry study. The Indian brand improved their average score by one point for 2025, reaching an average ILE score of 56.

• Answering Customer’s Question More Often: Indian dealers this year answered their customer’s question by email/text 67% of the time on average, improving six points over last year and 17 points higher than the 2025 industry average.
• Higher Rate of Phone Response: Compared to the industry overall, Indian dealers maintain an eight point lead in the rate of phone response to customer inquiries, occurring 58% of the time on average.
• “Did Both” for More Inquiries: Indian dealers “did both” (answering an inquiry by email/text and also phoning, improving the odds of a response reaching the customer) 46% of the time on average, eight points higher than last year and 20 points higher than the industry average.

“The Indian motorcycle brand has maintained industry leading web-response behaviors during a challenging time in the powersports industry,” said Cameron O’Hagan, Pied Piper’s Vice President of Metrics and Analytics. “Two years ago, when market conditions were more favorable, dealers could easily afford to expand their staff and refine operations. Today, however, tougher conditions have many dealers battling just to keep the lights on.”

How Did the Industry Perform Over the Past Year?

The overall powersports industry average ILE score remained the same over the last year, both with ILE scores of 44. Powersports dealers in 2025 improved phone behaviors and rate of response, but also experienced declines in other important areas, resulting in no overall change in total ILE Score.

Behaviors that Improved:

Powersports dealers in 2025 performed better in phone and text response, and the rate of dealers failing to respond occurred less often:

• More Phone Response: Dealers this year were 5 points more likely to respond to online customer inquiries by phone, occurring 50% of the time on average.
• Better Use of Texting: Customers were more likely to receive a text response answering their question, increasing 5 points to an overall rate this year of 30%.
• Fewer Failures to Respond: Dealers failed to respond to online inquiries less often this year, occurring only 9% of the time on average.

Behaviors in Decline:

There were two notable declines in behavior that held back overall industry score improvement:

• Less Emails Answering Questions: Dealers answered customers’ questions by email 27% of the time on average in 2025, down from 35% last year.
• Not Offering Appointments as Often: Only 10% of customers in 2025 received a response that included an offer to set up an appointment, in contrast to last year where it occurred 13% of the time on average.

What is the “80/40 Rule” and How Does it Relate to the Powersports Industry?

In the 2025 powersports industry study, 13% of all dealerships measured scored above 80 (providing quick and thorough personal responses), while 42% of dealerships scored below 40 (failing to personally respond to website customers). The “over 80” and “under 40” segments each shrank by 1% since last year, with a larger pool of dealers performing in the space between both categories.

“The effort to improve from the under 40 bucket into the over 80 is worth it,” said O’Hagan. “Historically, we have found that dealers who improve their ILE performance from scoring under 40 to scoring over 80 on average sell 50% more units from the same quantity of website customer leads.”

What is the Powersports Industry’s Greatest Opportunity for Improvement?

There are two different key areas of improvement for powersports dealers, depending on their current performance level. One in four powersports dealerships currently fail to personally respond to website customer inquiries. For this group of dealers, the sole focus should be a commitment to always personally respond to online customers at least once each day.

“Just as you wouldn’t lock up at the end of the day with a physical customer still wandering around the showroom, don’t leave your digital customers hanging overnight in your digital showroom waiting for your reply,” said O’Hagan.

For the rest of the dealers, the step with the greatest opportunity is to embrace a reliable multi-channel communication strategy, rather than responding to customers using only email, only phone, or only text. In this year’s study, powersports dealers failed to use multiple paths 74% of time, leaving many of their responses susceptible to communication breakdowns beyond the dealer’s control.

“Emails can land in spam/junk and be missed, customers often ignore calls from an unknown number and don’t listen to voicemail, and even texts can be lost or ignored among the large volume of messages many people receive per day,” said O’Hagan. “A consistent multi-pronged response to every customer is critical since you never know in advance which communication method will be most effective at reaching a specific customer. Then, once contact is established, adopt the successful method for future interactions with the customer.”

2025 Brand Performance Compared:

Response to customer web inquiries within a 24-hour period in 2025 had large variations by brand, as shown by these examples:

• “Answered Question” – How often did the brand’s dealerships email or text an answer to a website customer’s question?
  • More than 65% of the time on average: BMW, Moto Guzzi, Indian, Ducati
  • Less than 35% of the time on average: Roxor, Kymco, Tracker (Bass Pro Shops)
• “Phoned Customer” – How often did the brand’s dealerships respond by phone to a website customer’s inquiry?
  • More than 50% of the time on average: Harley-Davidson, Indian, Honda, Can-Am
  • Less than 30% of the time on average: Arctic Cat, Roxor, Moto Guzzi, Cub Cadet
• “Offered an Appointment” – How often did the brand’s dealerships offer to set an appointment for specific date/time?
  • More than 15% of the time on average: Can-Am, Indian, Polaris, Segway
  • Less than 1% of the time on average: John Deere, Tracker (Bass Pro Shops), Cub Cadet
• “Did at Least One” – How often did the brand’s dealerships email or text an answer to a website customer’s question and/or respond by phone?
  • More than 80% of the time on average: BMW, KTM, Moto Guzzi, Harley-Davidson
  • Less than 50% of the time on average: Roxor, Cub Cadet
• “Did Both” – How often did the brand’s dealerships email or text an answer to a website customer’s question and also phone the customer?
  • More than 30% of the time on average: Indian, Harley-Davidson, Triumph
  • Less than 10% of the time on average: Kymco, Tracker (Bass Pro Shops), Cub Cadet

Why Was This Study Conducted?

“Customers today visit dealer websites first, and how dealers respond to those customers drives today’s sales success,” said O’Hagan. “The trouble is that website customers can be invisible in day-to-day operations which makes them too easy to overlook.”

For more than 15 years, Pied Piper has independently published annual industry studies that rank the omnichannel performance of brands and dealer groups. These studies track how industry performance changes over time and let clients understand how their own performance compares.

Pied Piper clients order ongoing Prospect Satisfaction Index^® (PSI^®) measurement and reporting – internet, telephone or in-person – for their dealerships, as tools to improve and maintain omnichannel sales and service effectiveness. Pied Piper clients have found that the key to driving dealership improvement is showing what sales and service customers are really experiencing – which is often a surprise.

Ducati and Lamborghini: a partnership founded on design and performance

The partnership between two undisputed symbols of Italian industry, Ducati and Lamborghini, has always been fertile ground for creating unique projects that quicken the pulse of motorbike enthusiasts and collectors worldwide, thanks to the shared racing DNA of both manufacturers.

With a history of successes, this collaboration begins an exciting new chapter. The latest extraordinary manifestation of this synergy will be revealed during Milano Design Week on April 9th.

Previous collaborations between Ducati and Lamborghini demonstrate how the pursuit of shared values—such as the authenticity of ‘Made in Italy, ‘ a commitment to sporting excellence, and pioneering design—can lead to truly original projects.

The first example was the Ducati Diavel 1260 Lamborghini , inspired by the Lamborghini Sián FKP 37 and unveiled on November 25, 2020, in a limited edition of 630 models. This motorcycle reinterpreted the stylistic hallmarks of one of the brand’s most iconic cars.

Developed from the Ducati Diavel 1260 S, the Lamborghini version was transformed in terms of its most distinctive elements. The preference for fine, lightweight materials- a hallmark of the Sant’Agata Bolognese-manufactured super sports cars shared with Ducati- is reflected in the extensive use of carbon fiber in many bike components, further enhancing its performance. The design of the Diavel 1260 Lamborghini arose from the creative synergy of the Ducati Centro Stile and the Lamborghini Centro Stile, merging the stylistic authenticity of both brands.

The success of this initial project established a strong foundation for an equally exciting second chapter: the Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini , inspired by the relentless power and advanced engineering of the Lamborghini Huracán STO.

Presented at the San Marino and Rimini Riviera Grand Prix in September 2022, this model further strengthened the bond between the two brands, showcasing the style and performance of a genuine Lamborghini super sports car in a motorcycle. This limited and numbered edition achieved remarkable success, with 630 units and an additional 63 exclusive units dedicated to Lamborghini customers, clearly acknowledging the authenticity and originality of the project.

Excitement is building around the third chapter of this remarkable partnership. Ducati and Lamborghini will celebrate their collaboration, founded on extreme performance, innovative engineering, and a shared performance DNA, during the prestigious Milano Design Week on April 9.

CEO Search Process Confirmed

The Board of Directors of Harley-Davidson, Inc. (the “Company”) (NYSE: HOG) today confirmed that it is engaged in an on-going CEO search process, as part of the Board’s succession planning responsibilities.

The search process was initiated in Q4 2024 with the retention of a leading executive search firm after Jochen Zeitz, the current CEO, expressed his interest in retiring from the Company in 2025 after five years in the CEO position, and subject to the appointment of a suitable successor. Mr. Zeitz will remain as CEO until such successor is identified to ensure an orderly leadership transition.

The Board is grateful to Mr. Zeitz for his many significant contributions to the Company as CEO. These contributions include, but are not limited to, the creation and successful execution of the Hardwire, the Company’s five-year strategic plan (2021-2025), reinvigorating the brand, and his leadership during one of the most challenging operating environments in the history of the Company.

Sheffield Financial and Polaris extend multi-year retail financing partnership

Sheffield Financial, a division of Truist Bank, and Polaris Inc. (Polaris), a global leading powersports manufacturer, have extended their long-standing retail financing partnership, which began in 2009. This multi-year renewal highlights both companies’ commitment to delivering customer-friendly installment financing options that enhance the retail experience for Polaris dealers and customers nationwide.

Polaris dealers benefit from this partnership with access to Sheffield Financial’s nationwide installment financing, digital tools and service, including:

• Dealer-focused technology: Sheffield’s online dealer portal provides Polaris dealers digital tools like prequalification technology and QR codes, allowing customers to check their buying power online without affecting their credit and easily transition to formal financing at a Polaris dealer.
• Speed and simplicity: Sheffield’s financing offers speed and simplicity to finance and insurance departments of all sizes. With fast approvals, simple customer-friendly contracting and quick funding, Polaris dealers can efficiently close sales seven days a week.
• Flexible financing options: For both new and pre-owned Polaris powersports products, Sheffield provides clear, competitive and flexible installment financing options that help Polaris enthusiasts purchase their next powersports vehicle with affordable monthly payments.
• Dedicated dealer support: Polaris dealers have access to Sheffield’s powersports-specialist underwriters seven days a week, ensuring dealers have the support they need to finalize sales quickly.

“Polaris is a valued partner in our mission to deliver a flexible, convenient and friendly financing experience to powersports customers,” said Susan Andersson, head of national accounts at Sheffield Financial. “This extended partnership reflects our shared commitment to providing innovative tools and exceptional service to Polaris dealers and helping customers bring their Polaris powersports adventure to life.”

“Sheffield has been a reliable partner for Polaris, offering a range of fast and flexible financing tools tailored to the specific needs of our diverse dealer network. Extending this relationship highlights our commitment to providing our dealers with competitive financial solutions that support our shared growth,” said Bob Mack, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, Finance & Corporate Development, Polaris.