IdahoMtnSpyder
Active member
I haven't searched to see how much of this info may have already been posted but thought I'd post it anyway.
I had a couple of interesting conversations this past week, one with a Can Am rep and the other with a Boise dealer sales mgr. I ran into the East Idaho, Wyoming, Montana parts and accessories factory rep in Idaho Falls last Tuesday at breakfast at the hotel I was staying at. We talked about several things including Can Am marketing department. He said they sometimes don't have a clue about market realities. The flop of an unveiling at Sturgis showed that.
I asked about product development cycles, i.e., how long, 5 years? If they really push hard they have shrunk that to 3 years. He said there are some really exciting new products coming out in a few years. I speculate he was talking about 2018 MY. Of course he would not share details.
We have somewhat beat around the bush about this aspect, but he made a flat out statement, "The Can Am Spyder is the most technologically advanced motorcycle on the market." All those computers put the Spyder a cut above every other mass produced bike out there.
I mentioned the issue that has been discussed here a few times about nomenclature and product quality. He said a big part of the problem at BRP is language. Some development and documentation is originally in French, and some in English. They have a real problem with language reconciliation and translation, especially when you add in all the languages they deal with around the world. BRP has given a single manager the responsibility for resolving language issues and the nomenclature and technical writing problems it generates.
He said BRP is actively working to bring more dealers on board. A challenge is to keep the marketing folks from forcing dealers to buy and stock more machines than they can reasonably sell. BRP is well aware of customer service issues, but since most dealers are multi-line, multi-brand, sellers Spyder sales and service on its own often doesn't have the clout to force improvements. To us Spyders are all important. To some dealers, like in East Idaho, Spyders are secondary to snowmobiles and/or water craft.
There was a recent discussion complaining about the wait before starting. Apparently that is gone in the 2016 line up. All Spyders will have the turn key, push mode, hit start, like the F3 has now. I don't remember if it's coming in the 2016s or 17s but the traditional key is going away to be replaced by an electronic fob like many cars use now. Walk up to the bike with the fob in your pocket and hit the start button. Can Am already has that on snowmobiles. Walk away from a running machine and it shuts down. Move away rapidly like in a crash and it shuts down immediately.
Sales are on the upswing as evidenced by the shrinking inventory of 2015s around the country. The local sales mgr said they sold more Spyders this year than ever and their inventory is pretty much dried up. He also commented the RSS is a 'has been' as far as sales go. They have one orange one that well may end up going to auction. No one seems to want it, even at $14,399. The 2015 RTS Special Edition at the other local dealer I was hoping to make a deal on was sold this past week!
The Boise dealership was sold a few months back to Dennis Dillon Powersports. They are also Polaris and Arctic Cat dealers as DD had those prior to buying MotoTech. Joe emphatically said they will not be selling the Slingshot. The other Boise dealer has sold 2 out of 6. He said several states are still balking at licensing the SS as a motorcycle because of side by side seating, and won't license them as cars because they lack automobile safety features. His clear implication is the SS, in its present configuration, is a market dud. It was intended to compete with the F3 and falls short in that respect. His words, give them the credence you think they deserve.
Just thought I'd share these comments for whatever they're worth!
I had a couple of interesting conversations this past week, one with a Can Am rep and the other with a Boise dealer sales mgr. I ran into the East Idaho, Wyoming, Montana parts and accessories factory rep in Idaho Falls last Tuesday at breakfast at the hotel I was staying at. We talked about several things including Can Am marketing department. He said they sometimes don't have a clue about market realities. The flop of an unveiling at Sturgis showed that.
I asked about product development cycles, i.e., how long, 5 years? If they really push hard they have shrunk that to 3 years. He said there are some really exciting new products coming out in a few years. I speculate he was talking about 2018 MY. Of course he would not share details.
We have somewhat beat around the bush about this aspect, but he made a flat out statement, "The Can Am Spyder is the most technologically advanced motorcycle on the market." All those computers put the Spyder a cut above every other mass produced bike out there.
I mentioned the issue that has been discussed here a few times about nomenclature and product quality. He said a big part of the problem at BRP is language. Some development and documentation is originally in French, and some in English. They have a real problem with language reconciliation and translation, especially when you add in all the languages they deal with around the world. BRP has given a single manager the responsibility for resolving language issues and the nomenclature and technical writing problems it generates.
He said BRP is actively working to bring more dealers on board. A challenge is to keep the marketing folks from forcing dealers to buy and stock more machines than they can reasonably sell. BRP is well aware of customer service issues, but since most dealers are multi-line, multi-brand, sellers Spyder sales and service on its own often doesn't have the clout to force improvements. To us Spyders are all important. To some dealers, like in East Idaho, Spyders are secondary to snowmobiles and/or water craft.
There was a recent discussion complaining about the wait before starting. Apparently that is gone in the 2016 line up. All Spyders will have the turn key, push mode, hit start, like the F3 has now. I don't remember if it's coming in the 2016s or 17s but the traditional key is going away to be replaced by an electronic fob like many cars use now. Walk up to the bike with the fob in your pocket and hit the start button. Can Am already has that on snowmobiles. Walk away from a running machine and it shuts down. Move away rapidly like in a crash and it shuts down immediately.
Sales are on the upswing as evidenced by the shrinking inventory of 2015s around the country. The local sales mgr said they sold more Spyders this year than ever and their inventory is pretty much dried up. He also commented the RSS is a 'has been' as far as sales go. They have one orange one that well may end up going to auction. No one seems to want it, even at $14,399. The 2015 RTS Special Edition at the other local dealer I was hoping to make a deal on was sold this past week!
The Boise dealership was sold a few months back to Dennis Dillon Powersports. They are also Polaris and Arctic Cat dealers as DD had those prior to buying MotoTech. Joe emphatically said they will not be selling the Slingshot. The other Boise dealer has sold 2 out of 6. He said several states are still balking at licensing the SS as a motorcycle because of side by side seating, and won't license them as cars because they lack automobile safety features. His clear implication is the SS, in its present configuration, is a market dud. It was intended to compete with the F3 and falls short in that respect. His words, give them the credence you think they deserve.
Just thought I'd share these comments for whatever they're worth!
ray:
