This Week in Powersports Business – The week of March 22, 2026

News and stories from the world of Powersports business.

Dealers Wanted, Help Shape How Investors See the Powersports Industry

The National Powersports Dealer Association (NPDA), in partnership with BMO Capital Markets, is inviting a select group of franchised powersports dealers to participate in a private roundtable discussion with institutional investors.

BMO Capital Markets, part of the seventh-largest bank in North America, is working with NPDA to bring the dealer perspective directly into investor conversations through a series of focused, one-hour discussions.

NPDA is now accepting interest for the second roundtable, which will take place on April 3, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. ET. The session is designed to give investors a clear, candid view of current conditions across the powersports industry, including insights related to major OEMs such as Polaris, BRP, Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, and CFMOTO.

“Dealers will be asked to share candid, professional perspectives on market trends, manufacturer relationships, retail demand, and where the industry is headed,” said NPDA Board Member Mark Sheffield. “This is an opportunity to bring real-world experience into conversations that often happen without direct dealer input.”

Each session will be private, will not be recorded, and will center on constructive, experience-based discussion.

Participation will be limited to approximately 12 dealers to keep the conversation focused and valuable.

What to know:

• Open to all franchised powersports dealers; NPDA membership is not required
• Owners and general managers are preferred to support a strategic-level discussion
• A mix of medium- and large-volume dealers across brands and markets will be selected
• Not all applicants will be chosen due to limited availability

As a thank you for participating, two attendees will be randomly selected after the session to receive a $250 Amazon gift card.

Dealers selected to participate will receive a formal digital invitation, followed by a confirmation email with full meeting details.

Applicants can sign up here: https://forms.gle/h6No6rYqNhs3GLrb8

This is a rare opportunity to help shape how the financial community understands the powersports industry, with your voice representing the reality on the ground.

Indian Motorcycle Ranked Highest in 2026 Web Lead Response Study; Industry Enters 5th Year of Stagnant Performance

Indian Motorcycle dealerships were ranked highest in the 2026 Pied Piper PSI^® Internet Lead Effectiveness^® (ILE^®) Powersports Industry Study, which measured dealership responses to internet sales leads. Pied Piper submitted customer inquiries through 2,133 powersports dealership websites representing all major brands. Indian dealerships maintained their top rank among powersports brands for the fourth year in a row and achieved an average ILE score of 55 out of 100. The total powersports industry, meanwhile, remains stagnant, with the average dealership ILE score stalled in the mid-40s for the fifth year in a row, with many chronic fixable web response issues remaining.

“More than half of powersports customers still receive no personal response to their web inquiry,” said Cameron O’Hagan, Vice President of Metrics and Analytics at Pied Piper. “The solution is simple. Dealers are twice as likely to be top performers if they commit to responding to web customers at least once each day and receive monthly web-response measurement as a reminder of what’s really happening.”

Large Opportunities for Improvement Remain Evident Throughout Powersports Industry

The 2026 Powersports industry’s average ILE score remained at 44 for the third straight year, a relatively low ILE score indicating systemic improvement needed. The following are key challenges identified in the 2026 study that remain prominent throughout the powersports industry:

• Low and Worsening Rate of Answering Questions – Only 47% of dealers industry-wide answered a website customer’s question by email/text in this year’s study, a trend that has worsened by 1% since 2022. In effect, the average dealer industry-wide has continued to miss out on approximately half of their web leads from 2022 to present.
• Continued Low Rates of Offering Appointments – Compared to last year, an additional 3% of powersports dealers suggested to website sales customers an appointment for a specific date and time. However, the overall rate for offering appointments remains at only 13% of the time on average, leaving more than 8 out of ten customers without an offer of an appointment.
• Only Half of Powersports Dealers Phone Their Web Customers – Despite being arguably the most critical follow-up path for conversion, the rate of contacting website sales customers by phone remained unchanged, averaging 50% of the time industry-wide in the 2026 study. By not picking up the phone, dealers forfeit roughly half of their website sales opportunities.

What Behaviors Have Kept Indian on Top for their Fourth Year Straight?

Indian Motorcycle dealers continued to be the top performing dealerships in website sales lead response behaviors for the fourth year in a row. Indian dealers were more likely to use a combination of calls, texts, and emails when responding to customers, and had the lowest rate of failing to respond out of the brands measured.

• Highest Rate of “Doing Both” – Indian dealers were most likely to utilize multi-channel responses (answering the customer’s question by email/text while also calling) compared to other powersports brands, occurring 39% of the time on average in this year’s study, while only occurring only 24% of the time throughout the overall industry. Without this commitment it is too easy to miss a customer who ignores a phone call or text or fails to check their email.
• Least Number of “Crickets” – Based on the 2026 study findings, only one in twenty-five Indian website customers received no response, while customers industry-wide were more than twice as likely on average to be left without a response of any kind.
• Monthly ILE Reporting – Indian Motorcycle dealerships receive a regular “tap on the shoulder” via monthly ILE reports that “shine a light” on behaviors that are otherwise often invisible and too easy for busy employees to neglect. This increased awareness has consistently driven and sustained stronger performance.

2026 Brand Performance Compared:

• “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, Ducati, Indian, Triumph
  • Less than 35% of the time on average: Kawasaki, Kymco, Arctic Cat, Tracker (Bass Pro Shops)
  • Industry average: 47% Powersports; Memo – Automotive 78%
• “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: Can-Am, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Indian, CFMoto
  • Less than 20% of the time on average: Roxor, John Deere, Kymco, Cub Cadet
  • Industry average: 50% Powersports; Memo – Automotive 74%
• “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: Can-Am, Indian, CFMoto, Harley-Davidson
  • Less than 50% of the time on average: Roxor, Cub Cadet, Kymco
  • Industry average: 72% Powersports; Memo – Automotive 90%
• “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, BMW
  • Less than 10% of the time on average: John Deere, Roxor, Kymco, Tracker (Bass Pro Shops), Arctic Cat, Cub Cadet
  • Industry average: 24% Powersports; Memo – Automotive 62%
• “Failed to Respond” – How often did the website customer fail to receive a response of any type (email, text, or phone call)?
  • Less than 5% of the time on average: Indian, Suzuki, Honda, Can-Am, Segway, Yamaha, CFMoto
  • More than 15% of the time on average: John Deere, Cub Cadet, Roxor
  • Industry average: 9% Powersports; Memo – Automotive 5%

Why Are ILE Scores Valuable to Measure?

Each brand’s ILE score represents an average of web inquiry response behaviors of their individual dealers, includingtop-performers and poor performers, each with a score ranging from 0-100.

In this year’s study, only 11% of all dealerships measured scored above 80 (providing a quick and thorough personal response), while 45% of dealerships scored below 40 (slow and/or unhelpful responses).

“With nearly half of powersports dealers in this year’s study scoring under 40, many brands and dealers are leaving significant opportunity on the table,” said O’Hagan. “The effort to improve is worth it. Historically, 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 internet leads.”

There was a slight negative migration trend for the “over 80” and “under 40” categories observed in the 2026 study, with 2% fewer dealers scoring over 80 and 3% more dealers scoring under 40 compared to last year. Many dealers underperform, but the success of others shows that improvement is achievable, and clearly worth the effort.

How Was This Study Conducted?

Each of the 2,133 ILE study evaluations asked a specific question about a motorcycle or side-by-side in inventory, during normal business hours. Each location interacted with a customer new and unique to their website and dealership, with a new customer name, email address, and local telephone number used for each evaluation.

Pied Piper then evaluated the speed and quality of responses sent by email, telephone, chat, and text message within the next 24 hours following each inquiry. ILE evaluations consist of over 20 different weightedmeasurements, linked to best practices mathematically likely to generate sales. These measurements combine to create an overall ILE score ranging betweenzeroand 100 for each dealership, which are then consolidated into ranked brand and industry averages.

SEMA Expands 2026 Show with Dedicated Powersports Section to Unite Adventure Aftermarket

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) is expanding the SEMA Show’s powersports presence by launching a dedicated Powersports / SxS / Lifestyle section at the upcoming Show, held November 3-6 in Las Vegas. This strategic expansion creates a unified home for the rapidly growing intersection of the automotive and powersports communities.

The initiative is a direct response to clear market demand and the evolving habits of the modern enthusiast. SEMA research confirms that the crossover between these worlds is seamless: the vast majority of enthusiasts do not limit themselves to a single vehicle type, often owning a combination of modified trucks, SUVs, and various recreational powersports vehicles.

“This expansion is a bold step forward in SEMA’s mission to serve the entire enthusiast ecosystem,” said Tom Gattuso, SEMA Vice President of Events. “Powersports has always been an integral part of SEMA’s DNA, and we are now providing this community with the dedicated platform it deserves. By integrating powersports and related lifestyle products into our Show floor, we are creating a more powerful, unified resource for the aftermarket. This move celebrates the natural synergy between automotive and outdoor recreation, ensuring our members have the advocacy, resources, and product discovery platform they need to thrive in a modern, evolving market.”

A Dynamic Activation in the West Hall

The Powersports / SxS / Lifestyle section will be anchored in the West Hall, utilizing a layout designed for long-term growth. The location offers unique access to adjacent parking lots for dynamic outdoor activations and vehicle demonstrations.

The Show floor will undergo an evolution to group Trucks, Off-Road, and Powersports together, reflecting the “total package” approach enthusiasts take toward their adventure builds. The section will highlight a diverse range of categories, including:

• Motorcycles and Dirt Bikes
• Side-by-Sides
• Trailers and Tow Vehicles
• Related Adventure Lifestyle Gear and accessories

New and returning manufacturers are already showing excitement for the expanded section. “We’re proud to represent KYT Helmets at SEMA 2026,” said TJ Jira, Chief Executive Officer of KYT Americas. “We believe it’s an opportunity to elevate powersports and bring more visibility to our brand in the market.”

An Integrated Attendee Experience — For attendees, the new layout enhances business opportunities by placing complementary products in a single, high-energy destination.

“Attendees can expect an immersive and highly interactive experience that mirrors how they actually live and work,” said Andy Tompkins, SEMA Trade Show Director. “By grouping powersports and lifestyle gear alongside our world-class truck and off-road sections, we are providing an unmatched opportunity to see the latest in the adventure market.”

Market-Aligned Synergy 

SEMA’s membership is already a powerhouse in the powersports sector. According to SEMA Research, 60% of specialty-equipment manufacturers already produce products for at least one type of powersports or recreational vehicle, while 47% of retailers and installers sell to these segments.

Beyond the Show floor, SEMA offers members tools to modernize their businesses, including data resources, technical services, and a powerful unified voice to protect the industry’s future. Through the acquisition of the Off-Road Business Association (ORBA), SEMA has strengthened its presence in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento, Calif., to fight for land-use protection and motorized recreation access — issues that are critical to the survival of the powersports industry.

The new section allows the entire ecosystem to gather, learn about the latest products, take part in cutting-edge education to grow businesses and careers, and unite to solve opportunities and challenges facing the powersports marketplace.

Important Deadlines

Interested exhibitors can learn more and reserve a booth at www.semashow.com/powersports, or by contacting Mike Ausec, Industry Sales Director, Powersports / Lifestyle at mikea@sema.org or 714-213-1584.

Attendee and buyer registration opens on May 4; to sign up for notifications, visit here. For more information, visit www.semashow.com.

Honda overhauls Flagship Pioneer 1000 platform for 2026

Honda celebrates the 10th anniversary of its flagship multipurpose side-by-side platform with a complete overhaul of the Pioneer 1000 lineup, highlighted by two all-new Deluxe trims. In addition, Honda is confirming the all-new Pioneer 1000 Elite. Scheduled to arrive at dealers in late 2026, the Elite is Honda’s first side-by-side to come with a fully enclosed, factory-installed cabin and HVAC system, adding a new level of comfort and convenience to the Pioneer lineup.

Guided by the motto “Work Comfortably, Play Comfortably,” the Pioneer 1000 lineup combines jobsite capability with trail-ready performance, introducing significant upgrades to comfort and convenience that make every task easier and every ride more enjoyable. Across the lineup, comprehensive refinements to vehicle design help reduce cockpit heat and noise, while the adoption of throttle-by-wire technology enhances overall drivability and enables advanced features such as cruise control and a variable speed limiter. Meanwhile, the Pioneer 1000 Elite’s fully enclosed, factory-installed cabin delivers a new level of year-round comfort.

“For 2026, we took a hard look at what our customers rely on the Pioneer 1000 to do every day—whether that’s putting in long hours on the jobsite or heading out for a good time on the trail,” said Colin Miller, Manager of Experiential Marketing at American Honda. “With the addition of a throttle-by-wire system, new drive modes and the Pioneer 1000 Elite’s fully enclosed, factory-installed cabin, we’ve enhanced drivability, comfort and convenience across the lineup, while maintaining the durability, capability and quality our customers expect. The result is a Pioneer 1000 family that truly delivers on our promise to help customers work comfortably and play comfortably.”

Backed by Honda’s legendary quality and reliability, all three 2026 Pioneer 1000 versions offer strong value and are proudly made in the USA—planned in Georgia, developed in Ohio, and produced in Timmonsville, South Carolina, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

2026 Pioneer 1000 Deluxe

For the new model year, the three-seat Pioneer 1000 Deluxe and five-seat Pioneer 1000-5 Deluxe benefit from comprehensive updates to styling, usability and driving refinement, highlighted by the adoption of throttle-by-wire technology that enhances shift precision and overall drivability while enabling advanced features like cruise control and a variable speed limiter, giving users unprecedented control in work and recreational settings. A new Pro-Connect™-compatible cargo bed enhances flexibility for carrying tools, materials and accessories, while reduced noise and heat improve comfort during long workdays and on extended trail rides. Additional refinements improve everyday usability and serviceability, including easier component access, expanded interior storage solutions and a more intuitive control layout. Proven Honda technologies remain at the core of the platform, including a Dual Clutch Transmission for smooth, reliable performance.

• Colors: Hero Red; Black Forest Green; TrueTimber® Atera Camo
• MSRP
  • Pioneer 1000 Deluxe: $20,999
  • Pioneer 1000 Deluxe TrueTimber® Atera Camo: $21,799
  • Pioneer 1000-5 Deluxe: $22,399
  • Pioneer 1000-5 Deluxe TrueTimber® Atera Camo: $23,199
• Available: May
• Info

2026 Pioneer 1000 Elite

The all-new Pioneer 1000 Elite elevates the side-by-side experience with Honda’s first fully enclosed, factory-installed cabin, delivering enhanced protection from the elements and year-round comfort for both worksites and trails. This premium configuration delivers comprehensive cabin sealing, a high-performance HVAC system and an exceptionally quiet driving experience. Engineers also prioritized overall vehicle balance and ride quality, with chassis and suspension developed specifically to accommodate the enclosed-cabin configuration. The Pioneer 1000 Elite further benefits from the full suite of platform updates introduced for 2026, including a throttle-by-wire system that enhances shift precision and overall drivability while enabling convenience-focused features like cruise control and a variable speed limiter.

Info

Colors: Crimson Red; Cactus Green

MSRP: TBD

Available: Late 2026