Harley-Davidson 4Q Sales Rebounding From Summer Slowdown. According to a BMO Capital Markets Corp. analyst Harley-Davidson Inc. motorcycle sales have revved up after a late summer slowdown, and the Milwaukee manufacturer is on pace to achieve 9 percent retail unit sales growth worldwide in the fourth quarter. Dealer feedback and recent sales and registration data indicates that Harley-Davidson motorcycle sales have rebounded nicely from a late summer slowdown. Retail sales would run up close to 15 percent in October and up low double digits in November. Consumers and dealers seem especially pleased with new motorcycle models, including 110th Anniversary editions, the new CVO Breakout, the redesigned Street Bob, additions to the HD1 program, and hard candy paint jobs
Florida #1 for Speeding Tickets, Wyoming #1 for Speed Deaths. As you may know, Texas drivers can now legally outgun the rest of the U.S. with a new 85 MPH speed limit between Austin and San Antonio. But it’s in Florida that you run the greatest risk of getting slapped with a speeding ticket. Georgia, Nevada, Texas and Alabama follow Florida as the Top 5 states for speeding (Texas ranks a mere #4). Wyoming drivers, meanwhile, have the highest rate of speeding-related deaths in the nation. 25 million speeding tickets are issued nationwide each year, and drivers pay an average of $150 per ticket. These findings are part of newly released data just published in the “Need for Speed” infographic on Bankrate’s Insurance Quotes website. These statistics are for all vehicles.
Aiming To Achieve In Bonneville A Land Speed Record Of 400 mph+. James Toseland from the UK, a former two-time World Superbike champion is aiming at reaching this speed or more at the famous Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, in September 2014. The current Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) record is 376.363mph is held by American ‘Rocky’ Robinson. Toseland is backed by an all-British team, led by former GP and TT sidecar racer Alex Macfadzean.
City Of Sturgis Proposing New Rally Vendor Licensing System. The city is looking to find an additional $160,000 revenue during the 2013 annual motorcycle rally. Abnd for this purpose its 2013 budget proposes a vendor license fee of $2.40 per square foot of vendor space, the fee being capped at 6,000 square feet. Until now, all vendors participating to the Sturgis rally paid a flat $650 vendor fee regardless of the square footage of their displays. “It costs us $1 million to host the rally. State statues allow us to charge a vendor fee because much of the expense including trash hauling, street sweep and additional police protection can be largely attributed to tvendor activities” said Sturgis City Manager Daniel Ainsliemanager. Jack Hoel, son of rally founder Pappy Hoel said to Ainslie “All you have done since you got here was try to find ways to extract money from the rally instead of finding ways to improve upon it” Mayor Mark Carstensen said hosting the rally is a balancing act.The burden of hosting this rally cannot be solely on the business owners and citizens of this community”
Massachusetts Announces $2.8 million In Refunds Through Motorcycle Insurance Settlements. Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced $2.8 million in refunds Tuesday through settlements with two insurance companies that allegedly overcharged policyholders who owned motorcycles. Encompass Insurance Company, an Allstate subsidiary, and Amica Mutual Insurance Company allegedly overcharged Massachusetts consumers illegally by using inflated and un-depreciated motorcycle values for the calculation of insurance premiums.Since 2010, Coakley’s office has reached similar settlements with 15 other insurance companies, returning more than $42.8 million in total to Massachusetts consumers.
Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE: HOG) Declares Dividend. Harley announced yesterday December 4, 2012 that its Board of Directors approved a cash dividend of $0.155 per share for the fourth quarter of 2012. The dividend is payable December 28, 2012 to the holders of record of the Company’s common stock on December 18, 2012.
Sturgis. They will not increase revenue if they discourage vendors from attending the rally.
$14,400 vendor fee for 6000+ square feet.
That’s a good way to make sure there’ll be no big vendors there.
This is a example of why I took my business out of Sturgis years ago and a prime example of why I started “Desperado Junction” in Lead, SD which we operate during the rally period. I offer select vendors a FREE vendor space and the license fee from the City of Lead is a flat rate of $35.00. How can you beat that?
Check the website out at: http://www.desperadojunction.com ….. yes, before you all have to info me, the site needs to be updated for next years event.
Over & Out,
Jeff
Sturgis is going to figure out really quick that they can’t keep gouging everyone for money. I am a vendor and I used to set up at the Convention center, but the prices got way out of hand for the return. I now set up at Black Hills Harley in Rapid and couldn’t be happier. In fact, I didn’t go to Sturgis once last year!
Sturgis thinks we “need” the rally, but we don’t. All that more fees do is push good vendors away and cause them to re-evaluate if they really need to be there. To be honest, if more vendors really looked at the nuts and bolts of it, I think most would see that the rally’s really don’t pay for them selves most of the time. By the time you figure booth space, housing for 11-15 days, food, wages, transportation to and from, and lost productivity at the office, you’re lucky if it’s a wash.
Nice work by Massachusetes AG.
Sturgis, synonymous for greed and gouging!
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