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WHAZZUP WITH THE WSMDA?
WHAT'S A WSMDA, AND WHERE CAN I GET ONE?
Story by Dave Preston
What is the WSMDA, you might very well ask? WSMDA is the Washington State Motorsports Dealers Association; an umbrella organization that allows motorsports dealers in this state to be organized, to the degree that they wish to be. One of the oldest such organizations in America, it was founded in 1969.
As enthusiasts, we do not usually approach the sport of motorcycling from the perspective of a dealer, but they do, of course, have issues and topics that need to be addressed.
According to Jim Boltz of Cycle Barn, the long-time Chairman of the WSMDA Board of Directors, "We have four primary areas for WSMDA involvement. One of our strongest areas of involvement,
which should be of interest to all motorcyclists, is in the area of political lobbying and information. As everyone knows, there are some very powerful 'eco-Nazi' groups out there who are very serious in their attempts to make sure that no member of the public ever uses
the public land set aside for them
to use! These groups are well funded and very powerful, and they have already succeeded in destroying a lot of great programs for outdoor enthusiasts, be they motorcyclists, horse riding enthusiasts, or even hikers. WSMDA is one voice that attempts to educate our elected officials so that they can make decisions that are reasonable and have some connection to logic and the long-term benefits of intelligent land use. Lobbying is
difficult, and very expensive, but we have little choice if we wish to have motorsports activities to be a legitimate outlet for thousands of people, and a viable area to conduct a business.
A second concern is the self-policing of our own industry. It hurts all motorsports dealers, and customers, to have an operation out there that does not play by the rules of good business. Not only do the customers of such operators lose; they are given a very bad impression of our sport and business. WSMDA has been successful in recent years in bringing to the attention of state officials a number of shady businesses and business practices by
individuals that are, thankfully, no longer a problem.
We also "support the sport" by offering expertise and sponsorship dollars for motorcycle activities. An example would be the recent "Mezzanine" show at the Seattle International Motorcycle Show - what a great idea! WSMDA was happy to provide a good chunk of the sponsorship for that show. We always try to do what we can to make motorsports of all kinds a better place for the consumer, and for the businesses involved.
A fourth area of focus comes under simple communication and fun. The motorsports business is an exciting place to be, and a business that most owners are in because of their passion for motorsports. It is also an incredibly difficult business to be in. Profit margins are generally small, and everything gets more complicated by the day. WSMDA members communicate with each other about shared issues and problems. In addition, we need to "all
get along" so we can work smoothly together as an industry, and the annual spring banquet and end of summer golf tournament are actually vitally important in maintaining our strength."
As consumers, we tend to shop around in search of the "best deal." As has been said by many others over the years, it might make more sense to shop around for a dealer where you can establish a relationship, and a dealer who has been around for some time, and, perhaps more importantly, is in to the sport for the long run. In the list of current WSMDA members printed here, you will recognize most of the leading dealers in the state,
and that is not a coincidence! I encourage you to do business with WSMDA members who, as they say, "support those who support the sport."
Members of the Washington State Motorsports Dealers Association include:
- Aurora Suzuki
- Brothers Honda
- Cliff's Cycle Center
- Downtown Harley Davidson
- Ducati Seattle
- Eastside Harley Davidson
- Everett Powersports
- Hinshaw's Motorcycle Store
- I-90 Motorsports
- Latus Motors Harley-Davidson
- Longview Motorsports
- Lynnwood Cycle Barn
- Lynnwood Yamaha Inc
- Moses Lake Yamaha/Kawasaki
- Northwest Harley-Davidson
- Owen's Yamaha/H-D
- Paulson's Suzuki/Kawasaki
- Port Angeles Power Equip.
- Rainier Honda
- Ride West, Inc.
- RMC Motorsports
- Skagit Harley-Davidson
- Skagit Powersports
- Smokey Point Cycle Barn
- South Sound Honda
- Tacoma Motorsports
- University Honda/Yamaha
You need not be a dealer to be a member of the organization, memberships are available to others directly involved in the motorsports business within the state of Washington. For more information on the WSMDA, visit their website, at http://www.wsmda.org. SR!
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