Less than two weeks after unveiling the first purely Canadian powersports dealer trade show, the all-new Canadian Powersports Dealer Expo (CPDE) has been met with overwhelming enthusiasm for the event and outstanding and immediate acceptance by the industry.

CPDE spokesman and National Sales Manager John Hildebrandt had this to say: “Before unveiling the show and www.CPDE.ca we had solicited input from powersport wholesalers across Canada and the US. Initial indications were extremely positive but no one could have predicted this immediate of a response – we have over 50 booths committed in less than 14 days and many, many more interested contacts from around the world. There’s little doubt now our initial suspicion that the Powersports business in Canada has been grossly under serviced was completely accurate. We’ve had to secure more space from the Toronto Congress Centre as we anticipate an early sell out on the initial floorplan”.

Already large WD’s and aftermarket OEM’s have agreed to partner with CPDE to solicit Powersport dealers across Canada. Some large WD’s are looking at subsidizing air fares for booking dealers to entice them to attend this March 11th and 12th 2005.

On top of this, CPDE will be awarding to preregistered dealers attending the show the chance to win an all inclusive, full-on European vacation, a West Jet round trip anywhere in Canada and getaway vacation packages for two. Early last week CPDE announced a big screen TV will also be given away to a pre-registered dealer.

More exciting news involving dealer marketing seminars for dealers in attendance at the show and more great prizes will follow. Dealers are encouraged to contact info@CPDE.ca to be pre-credentialed and entered into these incredible draws right away.

For more information and floorplans for CPDE this March 11th and 12th at the Toronto Congress Centre, 650 Dixon Rod, Toronto, Ontario, Canada visit www.CPDE.ca or contact these Sales Representatives right away!

Contact:

National Sales Manager
John Hildebrandt
(705) 327-0068
Fax (705) 327-3425
email johnh@CPDE.ca

Sales Representatives
John Arkwright
(705) 724-1905
Fax (705) 724-1919
email johna@CPDE.ca

Matt Lester
(905) 575-8840
Fax (905) 575-8283
email matt@CPDE.ca

The Canadian Powersport Dealer Expo is owned and operated by SISS Ltd.
Administration Offices (705) 286-3304
Canadian Powersport Dealer Expo
Suite 20219, 856 Upper James St.
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
L9C 7M8

Here’s a strange twist which has no immediate implications in the snowmobile industry, but may rock the outboard engine business to its very roots.

In early August the United States Department of Commerce ruled Japanese outboard manufacturers have been “dumping” outboard engines into the US marketplace.

Essentially the term “dumping” relates to the price variance between what an importer would sell their domestically manufactured products in their home market to the price they charge for the same product in the US.

As a result of this ruling all Japanese outboard engine manufacturers will have a duty charge of 22.52% applied to outboard motors imported into the US.

The ruling was effective immediately.

Will the OEM’s allow us to wet weigh their 2006 sleds in Utah this March? Read Supertrax to learn how Yamaha invited us to wet weigh their 2005 sleds at Hay Days and then ask yourself – If you were an OEM observing Yamaha’s weight reduction progress would you want the public to think you were unwilling to back up your claims of lighter 4-stroke weight?

This whole issue is intriguing to us and here’s why: It was Yamaha who first refused Supertrax to weigh the all-new 2003 RX-1 in March 2002 at the new sled evaluations out West. Since that time, Yamaha has realized it’s impossible to quantify any progress in weight reduction unless there’s a benchmark to work from.

In other words, how can you make buyers believe your sleds are getting lighter if you never show them where you started? This rationale has no doubt contributed to the eyebrow raising results collected by our certified digital scales at Hay Days.

Here’s interesting news for individuals looking for a relatively low cost way to have some racing fun.

Ski-Doo will be releasing kits to modify the new REV 550 Fan for legal stock snocross racing.

At this writing Ski-Doo will offer two ISR legal kits for the sled.
Kit one includes piggy back front shocks, an aluminum center shock, a C-46 rear arm shock, new (stiffer) springs all the way around, 4 idler rear axle, legal snow flap, jetting, primary clutch weights, spring and all necessary hardware to bolt the sled together.

Kit Two will include a hood mounted windshield, hooker handlebars, riser, throttle perch (aluminum), grips, heaters, hand guards and hardware. Hmm, sounds like the stuff you need to convert a regular REV into an X-package, doesn’t it? Naw, just a coincidence.

Ski-Doo Race Marketing and Communications guy Steve Cowing suggests aspiring 550 pilots should consider a 1.25 track as well.

The board of directors of the SNOWMOBILE HALL OF FAME (SHOF), is happy to announce that AAEN PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS of Racine, Wisconsin, will be the title sponsor of the RIDE WITH THE CHAMPS to be held on Thursday, January 13, 2005.

The prestigious celebrity ride and fund raiser for the Hall of Fame is in its 22 year. Riders begin with 7:30 am registration at the Eagle River Inn in Eagle River, Wisconsin. Following breakfast and the group photo, guides lead four groups of 25 riders each for the daylong trail ride in the Wisconsin Northwoods.

Lunch is at Bosacki’s Boathouse in Minocqua and then the riders return to Eagle River for the 6:00 pm autograph session followed by the banquet and induction ceremonies for the 2005 Hall of Fame inductees.

One of the four groups will be vintage and antique sleds. The “old timers” are a big part of the historical aspect of the sport and is a very fast growing part of snowmobiling. The $100 fee includes breakfast, lunch and the Hall of Fame induction dinner.

The makers of the Simmon’s Flexi-Ski have had BRP in court arguing the dual runner, concave Ski-Doo Precision Ski is infringing on a patent owned by Simmons for their “Flexi-Ski”.

In a recent release, BRP’s case was slowed by a US District Court Judge who dismissed BRP’s defense of “obviousness”. Without belaboring the point, this issue is likely far from over. Stay tuned.