| Motorcycle Offroad
Apparel
An injured rider does no one any good and dealers should think about stocking apparel items that will keep riders safe while riding. With the slumping economy, retailers need to be smart when choosing products for their store, as their customers are going to be looking for good quality products that fit their budgets. We’ve compiled a list of the latest offroad pants, jerseys, chest protectors and other apparel items for this month’s Market Report.
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Fly Racing Sales Manager Daryn Wessela reported the company has released the new Fly Racing Andrew Short limited edition Evolution lite gear and the Fly convertible hydro pack system. According to
Wessela, the Andrew Short limited edition Evolution lite gear features a jersey that has been constructed from a number of performance driven materials to create the ultimate in jersey comfort and protection. “The jersey also features a tagless comfort stretch collar, raglan cut arms and open cuffless sleeves that help reduce arm pump,” he explained. The pants are said to be ten percent lighter than Fly’s standard Evolution race pants and reportedly feature a cross-weave, 840 denier construction and a 1000 denier seat panel that have been combined to provide unmatched comfort and durability. The convertible hydro pack system is a chest protection/hydration system and features a 70 oz. bladder complete with hose and bite valve, described
Wessela. “A thick layer of protective foam helps cushion impacts to the body,” he continued, “The pack also contains a zippered tool compartment to help organize tools and miscellaneous goods that riders will need to bring along with them on their ride.” Previously the trend with offroad apparel showed that consumers were buying their gear to match the colors of their bikes, noted
Wessela, however, more consumers are moving toward purchasing gear that does not match the OEM colors of their bikes. “It is important for dealers to recognize this trend and not limit their clothing sales by restricting their showroom selection to only one or two colors, especially for the OEM dealers,” he explained. Wessela continued by saying, “With the offroad apparel [market] becoming more fashion based than ever, trying to keep the customer’s fashion appetite satisfied, by supplying stylish designs and quality apparel, while keeping reasonable price-point levels, is becoming more difficult each year.” On the other hand, by stocking quality gear for women and young riders, dealers can cater to these two rapidly growing segments, he added. Fly Racing’s apparel sales are up, Wessela divulged, due to the company’s commitment to providing a wide selection of offroad apparel at competitive prices as well as increasing its brand recognition with consumers in the offroad market. “Although many brands have several different price-point offerings, it is important for dealers to not get sucked into stocking only the easy-sell (i.e. entry level/lowest price) apparel in their stores,” he stated. Wessela concluded, “Putting the main focus on stocking the mid-range/middle price-point apparel opens the door to up-sell the customer into the high end apparel and still capitalize on the entry level sales.”
Fly Racing -
Western Power Sports
www.flyracing.com |
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“Galaxy Helmets & Accessories is expanding into chest protectors or body armor, netted protective gear, knee and elbow pads, protective eyewear and a new line of gloves,” announced Sales Manager Richard Rowe, who added the company is also looking into developing a new apparel line, which would include jackets, jerseys and pants. “As we broaden our product line, our philosophy remains steadfast,” said Rowe, “We want to offer products that are absolutely safe and value priced.” A major trend he said he has noticed is that more female riders have gotten involved in offroad recreation and Galaxy Helmets has taken advantage of this increasing market trend by developing helmets specifically designed for women and girls. The biggest threat to the offroad market is rising gasoline prices, Rowe divulged. He continued by saying, overall Galaxy Helmets’ sales have continued its upward trend over the year prior. “Dealer/retailers need to look at vehicle colors, match helmet shell colors, accessories and apparel into one primary color,” Rowe advised.
Galaxy Helmets & Accessories
www.galaxyhelmets.com
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“Helmet House is proud to announce the launch of TCX boots in America,” exclaimed Richard
Kimes, director of marketing, who added, “TCX is the number one selling boot line in Europe and is coming on strong in the United States.” The top of the TCX offroad line is the all-new TCX Pro 2 offroad boot, which features the TCX ankle protection system that effectively guards the rider’s ankle from extreme movement that may result in injury, while providing the necessary movement and control to safely operate the bike. The boots also reportedly come with an interchangeable inner bootie, improved anodized adjustable aluminum buckles, an inside rubber heat guard, shank protection and polyurethane toe protection with a steel cap, described
Kimes. He added, sizes range from 7-14 and the boots come in colors white, silver and black. “Dealers are looking for brands that offer quality and a true differentiating benefit for the rider versus just what is fashionable,” he noted, and a lot of the dirt apparel has evolved into nothing more than fashion, but with the financial challenges ahead, dealers should seek proven, quality products that sell through profitably. When asked what he regards as a threat to the offroad market, Kimes stated, “Continuous oversupply by manufacturers affecting the profitability of dealers in a down market where sales of offroad motorcycles and ATVs have dropped off more than virtually any other motorcycle segment.” The market’s biggest opportunity for growth lies in offering differentiated products that are new and that offer a unique benefit to the rider, he said, adding, the company’s offroad apparel sales have continued to grow over the year prior. He advised stores to “sell the technology features and riding benefits of the gear and carry a full size range of products.”
Helmet House
www.helmethouse.com
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The MSR Attack Jak is a great all around jacket that has been designed to let riders move more freely, spokesperson Dave Casella told us. It features a quality Hypora coating to keep the fabric water resistant, zippered vents for cooling, a built-in pocket to hold a two liter bladder and rear pouch for extra storage, he explained, adding, the MSR Attack Jak comes in red, black and blue color schemes. Stores should know what is available in regard to offroad apparel, Casella stated. “Some riders may need specific types of apparel, while others may not. To try and get to know the rider, or what they need their gear for, could help a salesperson in selling the customer just what they need,” he said.
MSR - Tucker Rocky
www.msrmx.com |
Rider safety is important and offering good quality apparel that meets the needs of your consumers and fits their budget is equally as important. We hope this month’s report on offroad apparel was helpful and remind our readers to read up on the latest offroad motorcycle parts and accessories, starting on the next page. |
