Martin Racing Performance

Monday, October 26, 2009

Ideas for the season!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

It's important in this day and age to have a website. I talk to stores all day that don't have fax machines so I know that sounds stupid to some people, more than likely if you're reading this you are already technically savy.

It's the way the world works, it amazes me how backwards some stores are in the fact that most of them still don't have an e-commerce store. The scooter industry in the US is dominated by a few distributors and now larger companies are getting in on it. So its important for the small shop owner to sell online more now than ever. It's a source of income and if you're in a snow state you will need it.

Having a website with parts is your lifeblood. It gives you free advertising and allows you to connect to the consumer. Internet advertising is more targeted to a specific audience in this case scooter riders, buggy riders, and the group that you want to be talking to anyways. The clients who visit your website are there because they have a specific interest in your company’s product or service, which you can use to your advantage. You can allow customers or potential customers to sign up for a newsletter or sales flyer, which you can send to them via e-mail. Why wouldn't you want this? So in this day and age all the scooter shops need to have a website up.

I encourage all the small shops to open up a website. Some never will, I had a discussion with a pretty interesting dealer that despite the odds has had some success in the business, but refuses to deal with Chinese units or sell online. Not every market can support such a claim and to be honest as companies like Piaggio/Aprilia source more and manufacture more on the mainland saying "I dont sell Chinese scooters" just sounds plain stupid. The whole world is integrated now into one long assembly line with parts coming from everywhere. Even if someone made a product in the US it would still likely have Asian components. SYM, KYMCO, PGO all source in the mainland for parts and both SYM / KYMCO have factories there that produce units sold in the US. So in this day in age no scooter dealer in the US can say they dont sell Chinese scooters. New Piaggio units are made by Zongshen, new Aprilias under 500cc are made by Jincheng. So there thats the reality.

When it comes to the winter all scooter stores need to be ready. If we have a long winter the lack of a message board, online marketing, and the ability to drop ship could kill a seasonal business. There is no training for opening a small scooter shop, most people I meet get sold on the "Vespa" store idea and after a few months of low returns finally change and realize this doesn't work.

I will tell you what does and thats working with your customer and helping them find the part they need. For that you need a website. If you have a shop and would like a site, contact us and we will help you.

The Scooter Maven

New TGB models for America?

I'm going to be posting my actual test drive of the new TGB 250cc scooter shortly, but is there a retro model in store for America. Don't really know, you have to email / call the guys at www.cobrascooters.com but from what I saw in the Taiwan it was pretty awesome.

Will have a test drive video up in the Taiwan mountains shortly.

If you get a chance ask them about the new scoots from TGB

XMOTION 250cc (similar name to the XCITING FROM KYMCO HUH? Video review should be up shortly)

You can read my article from Motorcycle Product News by clicking here.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

TGB FACTORY VISIT

This is our TGB Factory visit. I think it's probably one of the biggest companies in the industry that nobody really talks about. Seriously without Taiwan like the slogan says "You Don't Have Parts"

Taiwan Golden Bee is the real thing. Watch the video and if you like the scooters or ATVs make sure to visit the US importer Cobra www.Cobrasales.com

The Scooter Maven....

TNG = MRP ULTIMATE ALLIANCE IS HERE!

MRP and CMSI Sign Parts Support and Sales Agreement

MRP and CMSI have entered into a new parts and aftermarket sales agreement. Beginning in mid-November, MRP will take over all OEM parts and aftermarket distribution of parts for CMSI.

The agreement allows MRP to expand its dealer base while helping CMSI dealers have a wider range of products and accessories.

“Given the recent economic downturn we felt we could better integrate and expand in a down market while working with specialists in the area of scooters” said Tom Lynott, president of CMSI Inc. Joel Martin of MRP continued “We felt working with CMSI made sense because the company will focus on importing units while we focus on the parts distribution unlike other buyouts or mergers we will operate as separate entities, but with the dealer in mind for the future.

“The TNG product line isn’t the same as every other Chinese scooter. The company actually has many components which are unique and will only work on their branded models, so it makes sense for us to work with TNG parts to solidify our place in the U.S. market," Martin added.

CMSI markets and distributes a broad range of product brands including TNG (Twist n' Go) and PM Tuning Racing Products as well Innovative Soft Storage Solutions. As part of the agreement, MRP will be absorbing the parts distribution, PM Tuning USA, and the Soft Storage merchandise while CMSI focuses on the unit sales. “Looking forward to 2010 we feel that TNG has a great program for its distributors and dealers which will allow us to expand into a whole new range of dealerships. We also admire the work and effort TNG has made the past 15 years, meaning it’s a brand we want to represent” Martin said.

Martin Racing Performance “MRP” has been selling aftermarket and OEM products to scooter and go kart dealers in North America for the past five years. It is sold and distributed by over 1,000 retail and repair shops nationwide. For more information, visit www.mrp-speed.com. CMSI Inc., with headquarters near Seattle, Wash., has been a leader the last 15 years in designing, distributing, manufacturing, marketing and supporting affordable, high-value motor scooters in the United States. New 2010 models will be announced in the coming months with support and parts coming from MRP. For more information, visit www.tngscooters.com. Both CMSI and MRP will continue to operate independently. MRP plans on having on display new accessories and upgrades for new 2010 TNG models at Dealer Expo in Feb 2010. More on the agreement will be made available to the dealers and distributors before the annual Indy Show Meeting.

Win a Robot from MRP

So I'm giving away a robot this month to the best MRP dealer. I thought it would be a cool idea its a replica of the SYM Jet Fighter scooter.

Best Dealer this month gets a robot, let's see if it catches on.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Taking a Closer Look at Kymco

So we get a lot of questions about Kymco here at MRP. I've been involved with Kymco for a long time to say almost 10 years now. I first heard of them in Italy back when I was importing Malaguti Scooters between 2000-2005 to the US. The company was number 15 in sales in Italy at the time and had just become a supplier to Malaguti replacing Yamaha for the 150cc engine category. Simply put they offered the Italian OEM a better price and similar quality on their 150cc engines. Fast Forward 10 years and now Kymco is 3rd in sales having knocked off Yamaha as the 3rd best selling Scooter in Italy. This is unheard of in the kingdom of scooters called Italy.

In any case they are three times the size of the other brands. Taiwan is home to many scooter brands that are popular abroad but in Taiwan only Kymco and SYM seem to sell in their home market. The island's 22 million inhabitants own and operate about 11 million motorized two-wheelers mostly Kymco, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and SYM models. Most of the models Americans know such as Eton, CPI, KPI, and others are for export only and don't really have much market clout on the island.

(KYMCO)has dominates with an average of 35 to 37% percent market share the last few years followed by Yamaha Motor Taiwan Co., a subsidiary of Japan's Yamaha Motor Co., which also has about a 30% percent market share, followed by Sanyang Industry Co. 27 to 27% percent percent market share. This is constantly changing, but followed closely by Honda and other brands. Smaller imported brands like Vespa - Piaggio sell in Taiwan but command less than 1% of the market. Some brands known in the USA are only for export or command less than a 1 to 2% market share in their home country such as Eton, CPI, or PGO. Some of these brands might be selling well in the US, but on a worldwide or Italian scale (how the industry really measures things) they dont have much market share. To understand the sheer size of Kymco see the attached article link.

One thing I will warn about is buying fake Kymco parts and scooters. Over the years I have seen them such as SYMCO, ZYMCO, CYWYNCO, DO NOT BUY THESE. I know some US cheap Chinese Parts importers are selling them, but they will likely not work on an OEM Kymco. Stay away from this stuff. Watch my video to see what I am talking about.

If you get the chance make sure to check out a Kymco at your nearest dealership.

Who are they? What does the Scooter Maven think of the brand? Let's talk about Kymco, KYMCO OEM parts and the future of the company. As an added bonus we have a link on the MRP website to our new article on our tour of the Kymco factory. Take a closer look at sales by clicking on the following article.

www.mrp-speed.com

Check out this new article on the Mavens visit to the Kymco Factory 2009
http://www.martinracingdealer.com/REPAIR%20MANUALS/PRESS/scooter.pdf

Monday, October 26, 2009

Ideas for the season!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Stores Need to Have a website

New TGB models for America?

Saturday, October 17, 2009

TGB FACTORY VISIT

TNG = MRP ULTIMATE ALLIANCE IS HERE!

Win a Robot from MRP

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Taking a Closer Look at Kymco

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