Polaris creates new on-road division

[administrator]

Original Article:
Polaris creates new on-road division

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[pplassm]

I'm guessing their next big on-road product will be a cruiser styled trike. Look at the unexpected success of the Can-Am Spyder.

I also see more than a few "training wheel" eqiupped Harleys around here.

[longride]

Trikes were huge in Daytona this year. I saw lots of em. With an aging buyer base, look for growth in this segment.

"In its first quarter 2009 financial report released April 16, Polaris reported $312 million in total sales, of which only $13.8 million (4.4%) came from Victory Motorcycles."

Looks like a good thing Polaris has deep pockets. It doesn't look like the Victory division is pulling its weight.

[seruzawa]

Originally Posted by longride

Trikes were huge in Daytona this year. I saw lots of em. With an aging buyer base, look for growth in this segment.

"In its first quarter 2009 financial report released April 16, Polaris reported $312 million in total sales, of which only $13.8 million (4.4%) came from Victory Motorcycles."

Looks like a good thing Polaris has deep pockets. It doesn't look like the Victory division is pulling its weight.

Divide a base price of 15K into 13.8 million and you get less than 1000 bikes. That's half of what they were doing before the economic downturn. Good luck, Victory.

[12er]

Just noticed this morning that my local Yamaha / Kawi dealer is gone. They were there last week, gone this week. They had been around for a long time too. Bummer. I bought my KLR from them in 99...

[trenttheuncatchable]

My local Kawi/Suzuki dealer's been out of business for about five years now. The building gets new occupants every once in a while, but the big lit-at-night signs that say 'Kawasaki' and 'Suzuki' on the front of it have never been removed. I keep wishing a new dealer would set up shop there, but that's probably not going to happen anytime soon.

[MOKE1K]

We had a major Polaris Dealer go under recently here in Tampa it consisted of three stores.

[motonaut]

Originally Posted by longride

Trikes were huge in Daytona this year. I saw lots of em. With an aging buyer base, look for growth in this segment.

"In its first quarter 2009 financial report released April 16, Polaris reported $312 million in total sales, of which only $13.8 million (4.4%) came from Victory Motorcycles."

Looks like a good thing Polaris has deep pockets. It doesn't look like the Victory division is pulling its weight.

Outside the cool factor I never could understand why anybody would spend 15K+ on a bike that doesn't stop, go or turn. That's a lot of dough in these $ strapped times. The new hammer is 18K+ whew! I could do a lot with that.

[longride]

"Outside the cool factor I never could understand why anybody would spend 15K+ on a bike that doesn't stop, go or turn."

Every cruiser I ever owned would go, stop and turn just fine. They don't do it at racetrack speeds, but after nearly losing my license by riding a Hayabusa the way it was meant to be ridden, I again figured out the lunacy of owning a race bike for riding on city streets.

[seruzawa]

Originally Posted by MOKE1K

We had a major Polaris Dealer go under recently here in Tampa it consisted of three stores.

Sonehow it's not surprising that a company that sells mainly OHV products would have difficulty in Florida. Is there any place left to ride any more?