News and stories from the world of Powersports business.
Cardo Systems Unveils Waterproof Microphone for Off-Road Adventures
Cardo Systems, the global leader in wireless communication systems for powersports, adds durability to both off-road and on-road communication with an all-new IP67 certified waterproof hybrid boom microphone featuring a frost-resistant mic cover. Designed for the PACKTALK Edge and PACKTALK Edge ORV, the new microphone is built to withstand the dusty trails of off-road adventures as well as the wet, rainy conditions occasionally encountered on-road—ensuring clear, reliable communication.
Recognizing the unique challenges snowmobilers face, Cardo specially engineered the frost-resistant mic cover to perform in sub-zero temperatures. Tailored for snowmobile helmets, it delivers consistent performance even in extreme cold—an essential feature for riders tackling snow and ice.
“This new mic might be small, but it’s a big deal for Cardo customers who’ve told us they need reliable performance in dust, wind, rain, mud, and snow,” said Liat Sade Lavan, Cardo’s Head of ORV. “As the leader in communications for people on the move, the details matter.”
The Cardo Waterproof Microphone IP67 Certified will be available through Cardo dealers and online at an MSRP of $24.95 / €26.95. The accessory is compatible with most Cardo devices, including Packtalk, Freecom X, and Spirit families. The accessory is not compatible with Edgephones.
For more information about Cardo Systems, visit www.cardosystems.com or join in the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or YouTube.
BMW Motorrad Dealers Top-Ranked in 2025 Powersports Study for Providing Quick and Easy Service Appointments
BMW Motorrad dealerships ranked highest in the 2025 Pied Piper PSI® Service Telephone Effectiveness® (STE®) Powersports Industry Study, which measured the efficiency and quality of customer attempts to schedule service appointments by telephone. Following BMW were Kubota, Triumph, Polaris Off-Road and Harley-Davidson.
Pied Piper submitted service calls to 1,531 powersports dealerships representing 27 brands, then evaluated the telephone interactions. Each brand’s overall STE Score is a combined average of its individual dealer performances. Scores range from 0 to 100 and include over 30 differently weightedmeasurements tracking the best practices most likely to generate service revenue and customer loyalty.
BMW Ranked Highest: Consistency in Challenging Conditions
“BMW has consistently been ranked among the top three performing brands during the three years this annual study has been conducted,” said Cameron O’Hagan, Pied Piper’s Vice President of Metrics and Analytics. “This year they have achieved the top position due to that consistency.”
BMW led the 2025 STE study with an average STE score of 50 – the same score BMW achieved in both 2023 and 2024. The following are examples of behaviors which set BMW dealers apart from the industry average when customers call for service:
- Higher Rate of Setting Appointments – 65% of BMW service calls resulted in an appointment being set, compared to only 52% for the industry overall.
- More Likely to Ask About Other Issues – BMW customers were asked if they had any other issues or needed any additional service 35% of the time on average, compared to only 22% of the time for the industry overall.
- More Likely to Ask if Visited Before – On average, BMW dealers asked service customers whether they had visited the dealership before 44% of the time, compared to 28% of the time for the industry overall.
- Reach Service Advisor Quickly – BMW customers on average reached a service advisor within one minute 84% of the time, compared to 78% of the time for the industry overall.
Why Should We Care About a Customer’s Service Telephone Experience?
“Well-run service departments focus on building customer loyalty, and the first opportunity to drive that loyalty is a customer’s phone call to schedule an appointment,” said O’Hagan. “Powersports customers who struggle to schedule service vote with their feet by moving to another dealership or independent shop. In extreme cases, due to most powersports purchases being discretionary, if ownership becomes frustrating, many customers will begin to question whether it’s worth the effort and may sell the vehicle and become sour with the brand.”
The industry’s average STE score improved one point over the past year, reaching an average score of 44, one point higher than 2024 but trailing the 2023 high watermark average score by two points.
Performance varied substantially from dealership to dealership, with a minority of dealerships clearly benefiting from their superior processes. 16% of dealerships nationally achieved STE scores over 70, by providing an interaction with their service customers that was speedy, efficient and proactively helpful. In contrast, customers for 11% of the dealerships hung up their phone having completely failed in their attempt to schedule service. The business implications between those two extremes are substantial.
Powersport Industry Performance Lacking in Key Areas
Customer expectations for scheduling service aren’t set by the powersports industry. Nearly all powersports customers also schedule service for their cars and trucks, and over the past few years the auto industry has significantly improved the service scheduling experience for their customers.
- Fail to Live up to Expectations – Today, half of all auto service appointments for basic needs like oil changes are quickly booked online, and with the help of AI-powered chat, 87% of auto customers who phone to schedule service end their call with an appointment—compared to only 52% of the powersports customers.
- Too Many “Just Drop it Off” Demands – 41% of the time powersports customers were told to “just drop it off” and wait an undetermined amount of time, rather than the dealership committing to a specific date and time. In comparison, this unfavorable behavior occurs only 2% of the time in the auto industry.
- Rarely Ask About Additional Services – Across the industry, only 22% of customers were asked if they had other issues or needed additional services—significantly lower than the 40% rate seen in the auto industry.
Industry’s Greatest Opportunities for Improvement
“The cliché is true: sales sells the first; service sells the rest,” said O’Hagan. “Dealerships that prioritize a superior service experience gain in both sales and service.”
Turn “Just Drop it Off” Into a Positive – 41% of powersports customers are told to “just drop it off,” where the vehicle will wait—often outside in the elements—for an undetermined number of days, before the dealership will get to it. This demonstrates little concern for a customer’s time or expectations. However, this “drop it off” mentality can be transformed from a frustration into a positive experience by also offering an appointment. For example: “I can schedule you two weeks from today, or if you prefer, you’re welcome to bring it in and we’ll try to get to it sooner.” Framing it this way respects the customer’s time and shows that the dealership is organized and responsive—turning a traditionally negative interaction into a loyalty-building moment.
Understand What Customers Are Really Experiencing – In the 2025 study there were 14 brands which improved their STE score over the previous year. The brand with the greatest improvement was Kubota, with a six-point gain since last year, moving from a tenth-place ranking in 2024 to second in this year’s study. Kubota dealers nearly doubled their rate of setting appointments, occurring 58% of the time in 2025 compared to 31% of the time last year. Kubota dealers also drastically cut the rate of insisting “just drop it off” from 62% of the time in 2024 to 38% of the time this year. The key to this improvement was showing dealers what their customers actually experienced when calling for service.
2025 Brand Performance Compared
Performance varied substantially by brand, as shown by these examples:
- “Set an Appointment” – How often did the brand’s dealerships offer an appointment for a specific date and time?
- More than 60% of the time on average: Triumph, BMW, Royal Enfield, Moto Guzzi
- Less than 25% of the time on average: Husqvarna, Cub Cadet, John Deere
- “Just Drop it Off” – How often did the brand’s dealerships insist that the customer drop off the vehicle without also offering an appointment?
- Less than 25% of the time on average: Triumph, Ducati, Moto Guzzi
- More than 50% of the time on average: Husqvarna, Cub Cadet, John Deere
- “Average Days Out” – What were the brand’s dealerships’ average number of days out until the earliest available appointment?
- Less than 5 days on average: Kubota, Triumph, Harley-Davidson, Yamaha
- More than 10 days on average: Suzuki, Zero, HiSun
- “Inquire About Additional Services”– How often did the brand’s dealerships ask if there were other issues or services the customer would like to have addressed?
- More than 35% of the time on average: Ducati, Husqvarna, BMW, HiSun
- Less than 15% of the time on average: Yamaha, Segway, Arctic Cat, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, CFMoto, Triumph
- “Communication Failure”– How often would calling a brand’s dealerships for service result in an issue that prevented communication (placed on hold indefinitely, straight to voicemail, stuck in phone tree, etc.)?
- Less than 5% of the time on average: Segway, Husqvarna, Cub Cadet, Kubota, Polaris
- More than 15% of the time on average: Kymco, Zero, Ducati, Tracker
Why Was This Study Conducted?
“The first service interaction that drives loyalty and service revenue is a customer’s initial phone call to schedule an appointment,” said O’Hagan. “Because these phone calls often go unnoticed in daily operations, they’re frequently neglected — and without clear visibility, improvement becomes difficult.”
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.
Polaris Adventures Surpasses Two Million Customer Rides
As consumers continue to seek deeper connections with local surroundings, Polaris Adventures – the destination-riding and experience side of global powersports leader Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII) – announced a significant milestone: two million customer rides. With Polaris Adventures, over 250 local Outfitters have helped riders explore outdoor destinations and highlight unique locations and spaces around the country.
“Two million rides is more than a number – it’s a reflection of the growing passion for outdoor adventure,” said Gray Rentz, Vice President and General Manager of Polaris Experience. “Outfitters give riders of all skills the opportunity to connect with the outdoors in meaningful ways. It’s not just about offering rides – it’s about unlocking experiences at popular riding destinations or in rider’s own backyards.”
By the Numbers: Two Million Customer Rides
- 40% of Riders are new to powersports
- Enough miles driven to go to the moon and back nearly 350 times and drive around the world over 3,000 times
- Over 600 adventures are available for customers
- 250 Outfitters across 41 States
- 164MM people are within a 1-hour drive of at least one Outfitter
Since launching in 2017, Polaris Adventures has championed and partnered with locally owned small businesses – many of them family-run – helping drive local economies, while making the outdoors and powersports more accessible. At their core, these Outfitters offer vehicle rentals, but more importantly, they bring deep, on-the-ground knowledge of the most scenic routes, hidden gems and can’t-miss attractions in their respective regions.
In 2022, Polaris Adventures eclipsed one million customer rides and made its international debut in Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula and Wanaka, New Zealand. Less than three years later, Polaris Adventures has doubled that number and accelerated its growth through various offerings and innovations, such as:
- Equipping Outfitters with a refreshed fleet of high-quality vehicles that have the latest in safety, comfort and navigation technology, helping ensure every ride delivers a seamless, confidence-inspiring experience from start to finish.
- Launching Polaris Adventures Elite – a suite of more than 20 selectable tools available to help small, independent outdoor experience operators run their businesses more efficiently and further advance the overall outdoor adventure experience for customers.
- Partnering with Sensible Weather so Outfitters can offer a Weather Guarantee to customers at booking to receive up to 100% reimbursement of the cost of their ride in the event of inclement weather.
“As the global leader in powersports, Polaris is passionate about introducing people to the unique possibilities and experiences powersports can create in the outdoors,” said Rentz. “The two-million-ride mark is a testament to this, and we are committed to continuing to help more people experience the outdoors in an off-road vehicle, snowmobile, Slingshot or boat.”
To learn more about Polaris Adventures or plan your next ride, visit adventures.polaris.com.
Cycle Trader Launches First-Ever Video Series “Moto Mavericks” to Inspire and Empower the Next Generation of Riders
Cycle Trader, the leading online marketplace for buying and selling motorcycles, proudly announces the debut of its original video series, Moto Mavericks. This first-of-its-kind series is designed to connect, inspire, and empower a new generation of motorcycle enthusiasts through authentic storytelling, expert guidance, and a shared passion for life on two wheels.
Moto Mavericks brings together three voices in the motorcycle world—each with a unique background, riding style, and mission to help others discover the freedom and confidence that comes with riding.
- Andrew Lee – Motocross Athlete: A professional racer known for pushing limits and delivering high-octane thrills through off-road intensity.
- Moira Zinn – Adventure Rider: An experienced off-road rider and advocate for exploration, Zinn brings viewers along for rugged journeys and unforgettable vistas.
- Grant Schwingle – Motorcycle Expert: A passionate mentor helping newcomers overcome fear, build skills, and become part of the riding community.
Each episode highlights a different aspect of the motorcycle experience, offering practical insights, real-world tips, and reviews of bikes suited to each rider’s discipline. Whether you’re tackling trails, crossing continents, or just learning how to shift gears, Moto Mavericks is your guide to getting started.
The Moto Mavericks series was created to serve as a trusted resource for new and aspiring riders, offering honest, influencer-led content that encourages confident riding. The campaign positions Cycle Trader as the ultimate destination for everything motorcycle-related, from finding the perfect bike to learning how to ride it. Additionally, it aims to break down misconceptions about motorcycle ownership and riding culture, making the lifestyle more accessible and inclusive than ever.
“At Cycle Trader, we believe every rider has a unique story—and the first chapter often begins with finding the right bike and the confidence to ride it,” said Roger Dunbar, CMO at Cycle Trader. “With Moto Mavericks, we’re proud to shine a spotlight on incredible riders who not only live the lifestyle but are passionate about helping others find their place on two wheels. This series is about building a culture of courage, exploration, and community.”
The Moto Mavericks series will include:
- Original Videos spotlighting different riders and riding style
- Bike Reviews tailored to motocross, adventure, and street riding
- Beginner Tips & Safety Advice to help viewers get started responsibly
Where to Watch
Episodes of Moto Mavericks will premiere exclusively on Cycle Trader. Fans can also follow the journey across Cycle Trader’s social media platforms using the hashtag #MotoMavericks.
Ready to ride? Start your journey today with Moto Mavericks—because confidence starts with the right ride. Visit CycleTrader.com to explore the full campaign and find the bike that’s right for you.
