While the economic climate has shredded vehicle manufacturing in general, it can prove to be a boon to motorcycle manufacturers. Any vehicle that uses half the tires and weighs one-tenth of a car consumes far fewer resources to make and maintain, making it far easier for purchasers to justify as a second or commuter vehicle.

Although manufacturers of motorcycles continue to look for distribution channels as brands and markets expand in the US and worldwide, they want to ensure solid, lasting relationships. Motorbike manufacturers look for experience, a solid financial foundation, and business campuses with adequate floorspace for sales and service. Beyond these basics, bear in mind three factors when considering a partnership with a particular motorcycle manufacturer:

1. Check your market's territory.

2. Include novelty or custom motorcycle manufacturers in your mix.

3. Capitalize on motorcycle maker brand integrity.

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Strike a balance between saturation and drought with motorcycle companies

Weigh benefits and liabilities in showcasing a particular motorcycle supplier. Although you don't want to blanket the market with your product competing against too many other dealerships, you risk offsetting the advantage of being the only game in town with the drawback of difficulty getting product shipments or service assistance to keep that brand on the road and your customers happy.

I recommend: Triumph has a detailed outline of its expectations from prospective dealerships on its site, including its desire to minimize overlap among dealerships. Cyril Huze Custom Motorcycles of Palm Beach County Florida, also welcomes prospective dealers.

Serve up some novelty from motorcycle suppliers

Wake up even the most jaded market with some forward-looking or truly retro products from an Old World motorcycle company. Although your dealership wouldn't revolve around any one product, it could catch customers' attention and generate foot traffic on your sales floor.

I recommend: Piaggio’s Vespa site offers franchise opportunities for a futuristic, leaning three-wheeler that leans into turns. On the other end, Russia’s Ural produces an old-school bike with opposed-twin engine and sidecar. They are recruiting for dealerships in several states including FL, GA, NC, NY and MA.

Harness the power of brand name motorcycle makers to create a full-service supercenter

In the era of superstores, if you service a major metropolitan area, consider a vehicular supercenter that not only offers products from a given manufacturer of motorcycles but also sells that manufacturer's other vehicles as well. Work with the manufacturer to establish any back office, finance, warranty or maintenance services they could streamline by combining vehicles under one umbrella dealership.

I recommend: Suzuki manufactures two-wheels, including scooters and motorcycles, four-wheels from ATVs to crossover SUVs, and watercraft. Not only does Honda match Suzuki’s breadth, it also manufactures light aircraft.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Think about your territory quite literally: the terrain determines the ride. Do you serve urban, suburban, rural areas? Does the environment best suit leisurely cruises, aggressive commutes, recreational rides? Seasonal or year-round riding? Look hard at who and what you see on the road most frequently when working with motorcycle manufacturers, and base your lineup on what sells, resisting the urge to stock all bikes for all people.

Maybe you're thinking about opening or expanding a motorcycle dealership, and you'd like to get beyond the Universal Japanese Motorcycle. If you'd like to sell American iron without assuming the only American motorcycle company is Harley Davidson, there are a number of motorcycle companies in the States making everything from Harley "clones" to diesel-engined off-road bikes.

American motorcycle manufacturers most frequently follow the formula of V-twin cruisers. However, a few exceptions have carved their own market niches that may inspire you to strike out in a fresh direction. Three categories of Stateside motorcycle maker:

1. Full-scale OEMs like Harley Davidson that are set up to mass produce motorcycles for a full-scale distributorship;

2. Custom motorcycle makers that concentrate on a certain aspect of the cruiser market or specialize in one area of expertise, such as custom frames;

3. Specialized manufacturers that head to a new frontier from mainstream cruising.

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Buy into a proven network of Original Equipment manufacturers of motorcycles

Going with an established company with a full dealership network gives you the peace of mind that comes with a product manufactured from a consistent assembly process, backed with an OEM warranty and a network of trained service techs familiar with the motorcycle, as well as a parts supply chain that is far less likely to run dry. On the other hand, you run the risk of being a 'me too' dealer, depending on how well established the OEM brand is within your sales territory.

I recommend: Victory may seem like a small American motorcycle manufacturer compared to Harley Davidson, but they're backed by Polaris, a world leader in snowmobiles and ATVs. This offers another advantage, particularly if you're in the Snow Belt: year-round recreational vehicles from one manufacturer. Buell began as a custom crafter of sport bkes; they are now a subsidiary of Harley Davidson. The potential is to get the best of both worlds: a Harley "halo" effect by association, but a bike that's distinctly not another cruiser.

Acquire a taste for custom motorcycle suppliers

Custom motorcycle manufacturers tend to focus on one aspect, usually custom frames or bodywork, and ship in the rest--drivetrains, suspension and brakes. On the plus side, you may proudly vend the only motorcycle in town for a given brand. However, you may own an orphan: no mass-produced spares, no factory-trained repair force, the potential for warranty conflicts from the various sub-assembly suppliers, or worse--a brand that suddenly goes out of business.

I recommend: Founded in 1994, Big Dog Motorcycles produces five models; they also have a line of accessories and apparel. For a European or industrial look, check out Exile Cycles. Founded in 1995 by British-born Russell Mitchell, Exile sells both complete motorcycles and motorcycle kits you can finish yourself.

Venture into more exotic territory with motorbike manufacturers that head off the beaten path

While the vast majority of American motorcycle manufacturers focus on boulevard cruiser variants, a minuscule number focus on other markets. The most obvious market is off-road, as roughly 30% of America's roads are unpaved.

I recommend: If you like the idea of going where no bike has gone before, contact Rokon, manufacturing the only two-wheel drive motorcycle since the late 1950s. Yes, BOTH wheels are powered. While motorcycle manufacturers have produced diesel engines from time to time over the past century, currently there is only one American manufacturer mass producing diesel motorcycles: Hayes Diversified Technologies. They have pushed back production of the Bulldog for the civilian market in order to concentrate on military contracts.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Look at your inventory and your market for gaps and overlaps. While the UJMs offer full line-ups from cruiser to road warrior plus dirt rides, but going with an American manufacturer of motorcycles might give you an edge over the competition, even expand your territory by fielding an exclusive brand in your lineup.

Manufacturers of motorcycles supply more than basic transportation; they offer a successful combination of freedom and frugality, a way for customers to conserve energy and bring some exhilaration into their life. Comprehending motorcycle manufacturers basics, including the record of what manufacturers of motorcycles can offer to bikers, will assist you in determining your exact need when shopping for one.

Globalization offers a wider selection of brands and categories than ever before. New technologies and demographic changes add to the complexity. Nonetheless, you can reduce the world of motorcycle manufacturers to three main regions:

1. Go back to the Old World for the latest in technology;

2. Visit the Far East to witness the competitive edge;

3. Return to the New World to see how American motorcycle manufacturers successfully revitalize cruising.

Action Steps
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Visit Old World motorcycle makers for new technology

Arguably the birthplace of two and four-wheeled motor vehicles, Europe still houses many major marques that continue to innovate the industry, offering new styles and advancing technologies for greater safety, less expense and more excitement.

I recommend: BMW has introduced catalytic converters and anti-lock braking systems to motorcycling. Piaggio Group has consolidated the illustrious career represented by most of the major Italian brands under one umbrella: Piaggio, Vespa, Gilera, Aprilia and Moto Guzzi.

Look to the East for motorbike manufacturers

Japan's motorcycle companies rose from World War II's ashes to dominate the motorcycling industry by the early 1970's. Now the dragon must look over its shoulder as Korean motorcycle suppliers look to replicate its success.

I recommend: By the 1980’s Japan’s Big Four (Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha) had so concretely set the bar for motorcycling, the industry coined the phrase Universal Japanese Motorcycle (UJM) for any standard bike. Korea looks to be the next Asian powerhouse, led by Hyosung.

Go back to the future with an American motorcycle manufacturer

A few bikes are still 'proudly made in the USA.' The potato-potato rhythm of a V-twin has yet to lose its allure with mature riders and iconoclasts alike, but even the Olde Guard has embraced new technologies to keep up with motorcycling in the 21st century.

I recommend: Take a virtual tour of Harley Davidson’s new museum to see how the trademark V has undergone considerable upgrading, now offering a water-cooled engine. Victory’s partnership with legendary custom bike builder Arlen Ness has produced noteworthy rides as well.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't push too much of a good thing. Any motorcycle maker today produces a full range of scooters and motorcycles, so match riders with their skill level. Establish a proactive trade-in policy where people get a generous discount for trading up in size to generate repeat business and develop a staple of used bikes that you know and trust-you sold them and serviced them, after all.

Motorcycles have numerous mechanical parts and a whole language to describe them within the industry. In order to have the top performing motorcycle possible, you should be sure you have the appropriate stators and sprockets for your particular bike. Learning the key terms will help you determine if you need an on-road or off-road bike. The position of the cylinders within your engine can also effect the bike's performance, so it is important to know what will best suit your needs.

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On-off road

An on-off road bike is a small scale, diesel-engine motorcycle that has capabilities for both on- and off-road riding.

I recommend: Motorcycle.com explains the benefit of an on-off road bike.

V-twin

A V-twin refers to a two cylinder engine in which the cylinders are positioned in a 'V' shape. This configuration allows for a high amount of torque for the bike.

I recommend: PlentyofBikers.com explains how the V-twin configuration works.

Headlight modulator

The headlight modulator is an attachment for the front of your motorcycle that consistently flashes a beam of light to make you more obvious to on-coming traffic. The headlight modulator is a safety feature.

I recommend: Signal Dynamics outlines the benefits of a headlight modulator.

Chain drive

Motorcycles use a chain drive to pass mechanical power through chains to the motorcycle wheels. The chain drive and the sprockets work together to exert the appropriate amount of mechanical power for the bike.

I recommend: MCgMotorcycles explains the different types of chain drives and how they work.

Stator

The stator is the part in the electrical system that powers a motorcycle. It is a stationary piece that, with the help of the moving rotors, acts as a field magnet and creates the motion needed to move a motorcycle.

I recommend: Electro Sport details the role of a stator.

Sprocket

A sprocket is a wheel-shaped part similar to a gear that creates a pulley system creating motion. The size of each sprocket effects the speed, as well as the acceleration, of your bike.

I recommend: Pit Bull Products gives an example of a combination of sprockets that will create more speed over acceleration.