The Low Canadian Dollar V.S. Motorcycle Imports

Me, at our booth at the Motorcycle Show(s)

The Calgary and Edmonton Motorcycle Shows are just 8 and 15 days away, respectively, and I'm gearing up for the events. The insurance company I work for, BlueCircle, is one of, if not THE, largest, insurers of motorcycles in Alberta and we always have a large presence at the shows. It's a great chance to see a lot of our clients and chat, plus meet some new riders and explain our philosophy on why you need to be properly insured on your special ride with our unique policies.
Of course, the other beauty of these two events is that all of our friends at the many motorcycle dealerships of Alberta are also there, all in one place, and we can stop in and say hello and find out what's going on in the industry. Usually I spend a lot of time on the road, visiting the dealerships one at a time, and don't always get to see every individual, what with different work schedules and there being just me in my capacity of marketing and promotions.
And, speaking of 'the industry', the point of this post is about how the exchange rate is affecting new motorcycle sales, as well as parts sales, in Canada. As an example, at 30 cents on the American dollar, you can add a a whopping $6000.00 to a typical $20,000.00 Harley! Ouch!
I read an article which quoted Bob Ramsay, president of the Motorcycle and Moped Industry Council, who are also the promoters of all 7 of the motorcycle shows across Canada. Mr. Ramsay says "If it's at par, it's good for the Canadian importer. But where it is now, you need to try to find every advantage you can," He also states that the big names in the motorcycle industry, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki and BMW, compete globally and have strategies to cope with currency fluctuations. 
"You're going to see a very interesting market in the new year because all companies are going to be trying to ensure that they can compete on price, but also on the quality of products. As an example, Harley-Davidson recently replaced Deeley, a longtime distributor, with a new Canadian subsidiary more closely integrated into the company's global operations. The head of the new subsiduary, Anoop Prakash, says Harley-Davidson can use its global reach and currency hedging to offset the loonie's increasingly weak buying power, something the former distributor couldn't accomplish.
So, click on The Motorcycle Shows to follow the link and see where your local show is being held. And, if you're planning to attend in Edmonton or Calgary, be sure to pop by the BlueCircle booth, say hello, and I'll give you some our great swag. And,  just a little blurb about our great insurance packages! LOL

I always enjoy our booth location, possibly to do with who's our neighbour :)