MONTEREY, Calif. (BRAIN) — How do you sell e-MTB retailers on GASGAS and Husqvarna, two brands known more for their power bands than pedal power?
Talking face-to-face with dealers in an authentic way. And free burritos and beer doesn't hurt either.
"You know this is a mountain-focused event," said Pat Hus, Pierer Mobility sales director, when asked Friday what he and bike division chief Adrien De Alexandris hoped to achieve during the Sea Otter Classic. "And we're coming in with two brands that are relatively unknown in the bike space. And so we're trying to really establish those that are seen as motorcycle brands in the bicycle industry."
On Thursday at the GASGAS booth, Pierer Mobility hosted a happy hour, where the company launched two new GASGAS models, the MXC and ECC, and where Hus and De Alexandris pitched to retailers.
"It all starts with good independent retailers, and yesterday there was a lot of talking to dealers," Hus said. "We had a fair amount of dealer turnout."
Developing high-end products like the MXC and ECC demonstrates a commitment to building and marketing Pierer Mobility as a player in the E-MTB space, De Alexandris said.
"We've always been a product company. We develop our own products. We've developed it from the ground up. We partnered with the best with SRAM (Eagle Powertrain Drive Unit). We developed our own suspension with WP (in partnership with DVO)."
The target with GASGAS and Husqvarna in the IBD space is about 200-250 retailers, said Hus, who added both are also sold in moto shops. "We are committed to the retailer. That's how the motorcycle business was built. We don't sell direct-to-consumer. We look the dealers in the eye and tell them you are the customer."
Having a connection with moto dealers has proven handy in these times of inventory excess. On April 1, a GASGAS rebate promotion was started in the U.S. and North America where, depending on the cost of the motorcycle, you could receive as much as $5,000 GASGAS E-MTB for free.
"Motorcycles are going out the door with rebates, free financing, accessory product upgrades, all this stuff," Hus said. "And we were looking at it saying, well we're going to write this rebate for X or we could give him a bike, because that's the cost of goods on an e-bike."
Dealer response has been exceptional. "Dealers are calling us going: 'This is the best promotion you guys have ever done for GASGAS. When do we get to do Husky and KTM?' So it's snowballing. It was intended to be 30 days but it's probably going to run 60 days now and we're looking at the other brands."
In December, Pierer agreed to sell Felt Bicycle, which it acquired in 2021, to a consortium that's part of Stefan Pierer's private investment company, Pierer GmbH.
"What it means really is that Felt stays within the family," De Alexandris said. "It also sends a very good message because it allows Felt to be its own while Pierer Mobility focuses on powered mobility. Felt is the hero brand within the family on the analog side."
