Dropping Spyder Line

[bmccaffrey]

I was sent an email the other day

Ingles Performance is dropping the Spyder Ryker Line and will also not be servicing the line

This is a shame they were one of if not the best in Upstate NY.
They were sighting that BRP was becoming to demanding and hard to work with,

Have to find a new one for warranty work.

Too damn bad. Brp is losing a lot of their good dealers!!

[BajaRon]

BRP started out pretty mercenary with the Spyder/Ryker line. And have gotten worse over time. If you can get the dealership to tell you the truth. There is a lot of pressure, cost, headaches and hurdles associated with staying in the saddle. For most dealerships, the Spyder/Ryker are side lines. Not a main attraction. One too many bumps in the road and it isn't hard to agree with their decision to quit.

If BRP isn't careful, they will see their already limited exposure get very anemic. I hope they wake up before too much damage is done. Just 1 man's opinion.

[larryd]

I live close to a marina that had BRP outboards and watercraft...The dealer sent BRP packing with their watercraft 2 years ago due to problems dealing with BRP...Then the outboard marine engines went away due to BRP shutting down all production...larryd

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

If BRP isn't careful, they will see their already limited exposure get very anemic. I hope they wake up before too much damage is done. Just 1 man's opinion.

If it happens it wouldn't be the first time a company was forced to exit a market they misjudged. Many years ago I was dealing with a representative of Bemis, a company making carton sealing machines for product packaging. The company got its start making knitting machines for women's hosiery. Some of you may remember seeing women's nylon stockings with a dark line seam at the back of her leg. Well, someone invented a machine that knitted nylons with no seam. The company owner poo pooed his people when they said he needed to change. "Women will always a seam in their nylons!" They didn't, he didn't change, and lost his entire hosiery knitting business.

Many of you will remember the infamous Betamax vs VHS competition. Betamax video recordings were technically superior to VHS. But, VHS was cheaper, had longer recording times, and was easier to use. Betamax lost the consumer market but retained it for a long time in the video broadcasting industry. Same thing with 8 track tapes vs. cassettes.

[RICZ]

Many, if not most, vehicle mfrs place great demands on dealers. Size and decor of the showroom, signage, floor coverings, displays, inventory, a separate display area for the line and much more. That's just front end! Indian and BMW dealers, especially, have to put up with this. Mfrs will ship huge displays and signs the dealer didn't request, then charge them for it, plus shipping. Knowing this, you can see how sales and service volumes have be high enough to continue with the line.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Many, if not most, vehicle mfrs place great demands on dealers.

My wife's nephew worked for a local Ford dealer for several years. One day Ford told the owner to straighten up the cars on the outdoor lot. A view from the air showed them not spaced out in an orderly fashion!

[bmccaffrey]

BRP started out pretty mercenary with the Spyder/Ryker line. And have gotten worse over time. If you can get the dealership to tell you the truth. There is a lot of pressure, cost, headaches and hurdles associated with staying in the saddle. For most dealerships, the Spyder/Ryker are side lines. Not a main attraction. One too many bumps in the road and it isn't hard to agree with their decision to quit.

If BRP isn't careful, they will see their already limited exposure get very anemic. I hope they wake up before too much damage is done. Just 1 man's opinion.

I agree with you 100% Ron

[ThreeWheels]

I can't figure out the BRP strategy on dealerships.
There is a motorcycle shop about 10 minutes down the road from me, Danbury Powersports.
They sell CanAm products. SkiDoos, Sea Doos, ATV's.
They've tried to pick up the Spyder line, but BRP won't let them.
Meanwhile two dealers in CT have either dropped the line, or gone belly up/
So I have to go about 75 minutes away into NY State.
What's that all about ?

[ARtraveler]

I can't figure out the BRP strategy on dealerships.
There is a motorcycle shop about 10 minutes down the road from me, Danbury Powersports.
They sell CanAm products. SkiDoos, Sea Doos, ATV's.
They've tried to pick up the Spyder line, but BRP won't let them.
Meanwhile two dealers in CT have either dropped the line, or gone belly up/
So I have to go about 75 minutes away into NY State.
What's that all about ?

Talking to one dealer, who I respect, BRP just does not let anyone just pick up the line. BRP has square footage requirements, required display units (which cost over $10K), required stocking numbers for display/sales units, required inventory levels of parts and accessories. In addition the dealers are supposed to send the techs to BRP's special school. Not cheap, especially if the tech quits and goes elsewhere after a few months. Ryker was the last straw for the dealer mentioned. He was supposed to get an initial order of 12. He also dropped the line.