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Building a Dealership DMS With AI: Cutting Button Clicks, Killing Subscriptions, and Streamlining the SaleMax and Justin riff on food habits and Huey the dog before diving into dealership operations and why powersports feels stuck in an echo chamber while other industries pursue creative fixes. Justin describes returning to the showroom floor, seeing customers frustrated by outdated processes like four-squares, and counting how many times customer data gets re-entered across CRM, test-ride forms, finance, and the DMS, arguing speed and accuracy now matter more than drawn-out process. They discuss building a dealership “hub” that starts with a custom website and grows into CRM, inventory management, and eventually a DMS, reducing screen time and improving staff and customer experience. Justin details launching scuderiawan.com, adding admin tools, automations, and analytics, eliminating Dealer Spike, DP360, and CycleTrader, and targeting a DMS switch by December 31 while minimizing subscriptions and button clicks using AI-assisted development and agents.00:00 Audio Check And Snacks00:16 Ingredient Meals And Ramen Hacks02:29 Bulleit Bourbon Truck Build04:54 Industry Echo Chamber Talk06:39 Huey The Immortal Dog08:51 Why Powersports Resists Change13:45 Vacation Panic And Sales Floor Reality16:49 Button Click Hell And DMS Fix25:24 Reinventing Dealer Tech Stack35:15 AI Sandbox Escape Story44:25 Building Without AI Dependence46:52 Owning Your Stack47:43 Offline Open Source AI49:05 Survival Game With AI51:37 Website Control And SOPs54:04 Rapid Dealer Workflow Wins58:10 Agents Versus SOP Reading01:01:17 Orchestrator And Agent Builder01:06:37 Building Your Own Agent01:18:06 Admin Dashboard Analytics Tour01:21:51 Tech To Escape The Grind01:28:16 Just Start Using AI01:30:40 Potato Bots And Wrap Up

AI-Edited Podcast, Claude’s “Fable 5,” and Building Agents That Run a TurnaroundMax, Danny, and Justin catch up after skipping an episode and explain a new format where the show is edited by an AI agent that cuts gaps, adds intro/outro, bleeps curses, and generates promo clips. They discuss Claude’s “Fable 5” model returning temporarily on subscription before moving to token-based pricing, and how the model rebuilt a company website perfectly and enabled rapid creation of tools like a customer portal. The conversation shifts to data centers, community pushback, and the tradeoff between slowing AI infrastructure and making AI access more expensive. Max details building an AI agent named Athena for a 90-day turnaround at a 100-employee, $20M New Orleans company, using local files, QuickBooks reports, Whisperflow, and a Plaud recorder to structure interviews, map roles, and generate workflows, quotes, and password-protected microsites while focusing on adoption through the “six I’s” change framework.00:00 Cold Open and Setup00:20 AI Edited Podcast Format03:01 Claude Fable 5 Returns08:58 Data Centers and AI Access14:52 Token Panic and Costs22:15 Real World AI Wins27:12 Secret Turnaround Project32:42 Building Athena Agent39:21 Plaud Recorder Workflow41:33 Organizing Knowledge Files44:08 AI in the Gray Areas44:36 Athena as Perfect Manager46:19 Math Not Chatbots48:54 Execution and Adoption Hurdles50:25 Gamifying Workflows51:41 Agents Are Organized Context53:47 From Post It to Quote58:18 Microsites and Human Roles01:02:05 Six Is Change Management01:04:13 Replacing Legacy Systems01:14:04 Security and Compliance01:18:31 Wearables and Data Chaos01:23:29 Wrap Up and Community Challenge

Building AI Tools for Dealerships: Websites, Workflows, and Real-World WinsMax, Danny, and Justin catch up on what they’ve been building in their dealerships, including a new custom unit division (SCUD) and monthly tech nights where customers learn maintenance by rebuilding a CB450. They discuss using AI as an internal assistant—not customer-facing chatbots—to reduce busywork, standardize processes, and replace expensive, bloated software subscriptions. Justin explains how he used tools like Claude, Replit, and Whisperflow to design and deploy a custom dealership website that pulls live inventory from his DMS, supports finance and service inquiries, manages events, and includes an admin dashboard. He also built a VIN-scan receiving workflow for an off-site warehouse that triggers notifications when units arrive or show damage. The group frames AI like “fly-by-wire” for dealerships: transforming operations by making small teams faster and tools more tailored to real workflows.00:00 No Intro Just Catching Up00:18 Mic Check Chaos00:45 SCUD Custom Division Tour02:21 Tech Nights Class Plan04:05 AI Builds The Syllabus07:35 Fly By Wire Dealership11:43 AI Ethics And Local Models17:25 Claude Tips And Pricing21:03 Warranty Claims In Seconds29:22 Software Dictates Workflow33:40 Customer Data And Cash Tickets40:59 Why Justin Rebuilt The Website43:20 APIs And Asking AI45:08 WhisperFlow Voice Workflow46:51 Claude Desktop Cowork Mode49:06 Website Build And Deployment55:05 Live Inventory Pages01:01:06 Admin Panel And CRM01:05:30 Warehouse VIN Receiving01:10:34 Cost Savings And SEO01:17:18 Next Episodes And Agents01:18:38 Turnaround Mind Map Agent01:22:01 Wrap Up And Call To Action

Bike Shed’s Arrick Maurice on Growing Motorcycle Culture, Brand Marketing, and What Dealers Can LearnArrick Maurice, Chief Growth Officer of Bike Shed and former marketing leader for Ducati North America, Ferrari North America, Rivian CX, and Harley-Davidson global brand marketing, joins The Dealer Lab Podcast with Max Materne and Danny French to discuss building motorcycle culture through content, community, and hospitality. They begin with Bike Shed’s revived Shed Talks and Arrick’s episode with custom builder Maxwell Hazan, including Hazan’s hand-built Ferrari V8 motorcycle, its track testing, and a reported $500,000 sale. Arrick recounts his career path, key lessons from Ducati’s Scrambler launch, Ferrari’s luxury brand culture, Rivian’s direct-to-consumer journey, and Harley’s challenge of modernizing without alienating core riders. The conversation covers EV motorcycles and youth e-bike trends, dealer fundamentals and customer-first retail illustrated by Arun Sharma’s MotoCorsa, and how Bike Shed aims to lower barriers to entry via spaces, media, events, and new global membership.00:00 Ducati Dream Moments02:59 Shed Talk Launch Praise04:08 Bike Shed Origins05:56 Meeting Max Hazan06:44 Ferrari V8 Bike Build09:16 Sold To Collector11:39 Track Tuning Madness13:19 More Guests Lined Up17:42 Career Origin Story20:49 Scrambler Launch Inside22:15 Ferrari And Beyond28:00 Legacy Brands Pushback30:21 Electric Ferrari Hot Take32:34 Listening To Feedback33:25 Harley Pivot Problem34:27 Harley Brand Identity Trap35:56 Innovation Versus Ducati37:00 LiveWire Early Bet39:23 EV Ride Feel Debate40:32 Kids On Electric Minis43:29 Next Gen Rider Experiment45:25 Motorcycles Stay Cool47:03 MotoCorsa Culture Shift48:56 Arun Customer First01:01:24 Dealers Build Community01:06:17 COVID And Staffing Crunch01:08:46 Why Bike Shed Matters01:10:48 Bike Shed Origin Story01:12:27 Lowering Entry Barriers01:15:14 Common Ground Culture01:17:21 Industry Versus Outsiders01:17:58 Indian Versus Harley Ragebait01:29:24 Why Division Hurts Everyone01:33:27 Supporting Builders And Media01:36:43 Dealers OEM Gridlock01:42:46 Keeping Riders In Sport01:44:19 Bikeshed Growth Model01:45:42 Global Membership App01:48:33 Capital Intensive Expansion01:50:01 Partnering With Dealers01:51:30 Wrap Up And Visit Invite

Adventure Specialty Agency on F&I Coaching, Retros vs Reinsurance, and Driving Dealer Profitability | Dealer Lab Podcast Max Materne and Justin Watson interview Haley Wright and Sarah Breen, founders of Adventure Specialty Agency, about helping powersports, RV, and marine dealers improve F&I performance. Haley and Sarah share their backgrounds at RPM One and Protective and how Adventure Specialty launched in November 2024 and has grown to nearly 100 dealerships. They describe ongoing weekly coaching calls, F&I logs, goal setting, and peer accountability to sustain results, define key terms like TO (turnover) and penetration rate, and explain how their dealer groups become self-supporting. The conversation details product strategy and participation programs, especially retro profit sharing and reinsurance, including how dealer cost is split between admin and reserves, how claims/cancellations impact payouts, and how pro formas guide dealer decisions. They also emphasize maintenance programs and integrating F&I with fixed ops to increase retention and profitability. 00:00 Profit Sharing Explained 01:33 Podcast Banter Reset 02:16 Meet The Founders 02:55 Haley Industry Journey 05:11 Sarah Dealership To Agency 07:16 F&I Coaching Weekly Calls 09:51 Logs Pen Rate And TO 12:21 Building Self Sustaining Groups 16:10 Scaling Accountability Programs 17:51 Choosing Service Providers 20:02 Retro Participation Breakdown 25:30 Reinsurance When It Makes Sense 28:55 Pro Formas And Expert Support 31:44 Retro Checks Are Real 33:02 F&I Low Hanging Fruit 34:22 Accountability Boosts Profit 40:44 Passport Process Culture 43:07 Maintenance Program Focus 45:08 Customer Focused Selling 48:05 VIP Programs And Events 50:31 In House PPM Liability 53:36 Reinsurance Risk Controls 58:35 Where To Learn More 59:15 Fixed Ops Mindset For F&I 01:01:48 Wrap Up And Thanks

Triumph North America’s Rod Lopusnak on Dealer-First Strategy, Community Events, and Growing New Riders Max Materne and Danny French interview Rod Lopusnak, President and General Manager of Triumph North America, about building a “dealer-first” culture and why dealerships must be community hubs rather than competing only on price. Rod discusses Triumph’s rapid impact in Supercross/MXGP and the brand awareness it’s driving, his background growing up in a motorcycle dealership and career across Suzuki, Tucker, and AMA Pro Racing, and how Triumph supports dealers through training, service fundamentals, and customer communication. They cover using AI to help frontline staff (not replace them), digital finance options with Sheffield, and how new products like the 400cc lineup and TXP 12/16 youth bikes broaden Triumph’s audience and lower average rider age. The conversation emphasizes service experience, staff retention, realistic event expectations, and focusing on market data and core basics to drive long-term loyalty. 00:00 Dealership Community Vibe 01:48 Welcome to Dealer Lab 02:13 Triumph Podium Breakthrough 04:57 Why Supercross Matters 09:05 Rod’s Dealership Roots 15:19 Dealer First Philosophy 19:33 Events and Store Experience 23:02 Service Excellence Basics 28:22 AI for Service Advisors 36:02 Digital Buying and New Riders 38:26 Triumph 400cc Strategy 43:14 Thruxton 400 Cup Idea 43:58 Why 400s Feel So Fun 45:38 Thruxton 400 Dream Build 46:40 Kids TXP Electric Minis 48:09 Brand Evolution All In 49:02 Dealer Margins Reality Check 50:06 Laddering Up Customer Loyalty 52:48 After Sale Gear And Service 54:37 Dealership As Community Hub 55:43 DGR Rides And Off Road Demos 59:29 Rebuilding Trust And Culture 01:02:30 Setting Event Expectations 01:03:35 Future Dealership Vision 01:03:57 Dealerships Need Identity 01:04:20 COVID Boom Then Bust 01:04:47 Community Hub Wins 01:06:33 Service First Survival 01:07:30 Future of Dealers 01:09:10 Know Your Market Data 01:11:39 Build the Cool Kid Club 01:14:30 Staff Investment Matters 01:18:07 Thailand Dealer Meeting Wrap

Jayson Davis (NPDA Chairman) on Capitol Hill Advocacy, PFAS Rules, and Uniting the Powersports IndustryMax Materne and Danny French interview Jayson Davis, Chairman of the NPDA and Dealer Principal of PowerSports of Greenville, about how motorcycling creates common ground across people and politics and about his path from riding an XR80 as a kid to working his way up from grocery bagger to dealership leadership. Davis describes learning finance processes, partnering with Doug Rudd, and his long-term commitment to improving the industry through NPDA. He highlights the importance of the MIC Capitol Hill Fly-In, detailing meetings with congressional offices and key issues including PFAS regulations affecting youth vehicles and gear, opposition to VIN-number requirements on motorcycle catalytic converters, leaving the definition of “motorcycle” unchanged, and addressing the cap on off-highway gas tax funds for the Recreational Trail Program. They also discuss growing cooperation between NPDA and MIC and promote NPDA Dealer Connect in September in Columbus, Ohio.00:00 Bikes Unite Everyone01:44 Man Cave Setup Tour03:11 Roots and Big Family04:27 First Dirt Bike Freedom06:32 From Loss to Dealership Life09:29 Grocery Bagger Stories11:49 Learning F&I and Scaling Sales15:24 Becoming Dealer Principal16:34 NPDA Leadership Journey21:43 Capitol Hill Fly In Overview24:17 PFAS and Policy Priorities25:34 PFAS Gear Phaseout Impact27:04 Kids Riding and Safety Habits30:53 Capitol Hill Fly-In Logistics33:27 Legislative Wins on Regulations35:46 Off-Road Gas Tax Trail Funding39:39 MIC and NPDA Unity42:10 Bikers Lobbying and Industry Givers49:19 Boosting Next Year Attendance50:13 Dealer Connect Event Details52:33 Sign Up and Membership Pricing53:53 Celebrating Wins and Wrap-Up

Reimagining Dealerships with AI Agents | Jamie Dewar (Legend Boats) with Max Materne & Danny FrenchMax Materne and Danny French interview Jamie Dewar, co-CEO of Legend Boats, about how AI, vibe coding, and agents are reshaping dealerships and manufacturer-dealer operations. Dewar explains Legend’s unique model as a manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, and direct-to-consumer retailer with four stores and a Canada-wide dealer network, and shares the company’s history from tires and RVs to launching the Legend brand in the mid-’80s. The conversation covers Dewar’s technical/business background, rapid prototyping of internal tools like menu selling/desking and brokerage-style workflows, and the challenge of integrating many small apps through shared data, with Legend using Salesforce as a backend and APIs, anticipating Salesforce’s Headless 360. They discuss an “agentic enterprise” future where humans manage agents that handle repetitive admin work, enabling staff to focus on customer experience, and Dewar outlines plans to rebuild the premium Vetta pontoon brand’s partner and customer experience using AI-built digital tools.00:00 Dealership Reimagined02:11 Meet Jamie Dewar03:10 Legend Boats Overview04:55 Marine Industry Challenges05:49 From Tires to Boats07:57 Culture of Pivots09:31 Jamies Tech Background11:11 Second Generation Leadership12:59 Vibe Coding Explained14:13 First Tools Built16:18 Integration Strategy19:58 Salesforce as Backend21:50 Headless CRM Agents25:00 Local Agents via Slack27:38 Beyond SaaS Interfaces32:37 AI Native Dealerships33:42 Build vs Buy Reality34:43 Agent Layer Over Tools37:27 Understaffed or Underleveraged40:13 Personal Agent Wins42:17 Rapid Prototyping Culture45:40 Quick Win Dealer Tools47:06 Scraping DMS for Quotes49:34 Data Quality and Trust50:00 Training Agents with Docs56:18 Task Based Agent Teams59:23 Vetta Brand Experience Rebuild01:01:37 Next Steps and Wrap Up

Norton Motorcycles USA CEO Steve Radt on Bringing Norton Back to America, TVS Backing, and the Future of Dealer ExperienceSteve Radt, Norton Motorcycles USA’s first hire and CEO, discusses building Norton’s U.S. subsidiary from scratch (LLC, licensing, homologation, facility, staffing, and dealer strategy) and Norton’s plan to return to the U.S. market. He recounts his background in mechanical engineering, early Ducati roles, turning around and later selling Ducati/Triumph New York, and his work growing Polestar’s dealer network. Radt explains Norton’s revival under TVS, including $300M invested, UK-based design/testing and manufacturing in Solihull for the V4 Manx R, with additional production planned in Hosur, India, and details TVS’s scale, quality culture, and BMW contract manufacturing. He outlines a franchise-dealer approach, a planned U.S. launch target of November, a three-year/36,000-mile warranty, and a focus on reducing purchase/service friction through technology to improve ownership experience.00:00 Big Norton Ambitions01:42 Meet Steve Radt02:22 Norton NYC Backdrop04:23 Restoration Shop Culture05:47 Building Norton USA08:06 Jersey City HQ Plans10:30 Engineering Roots Ducati Dream12:25 Cagiva Chaos Typewriter Era15:25 Back to Ducati Consulting Rise20:47 Leaving Ducati Startup Detour22:03 Saving Ducati New York25:40 Mototainment Dealer Success27:02 NYC Parking Tickets Elevator29:51 Selling During COVID Surge32:52 Polestar EV Network Growth34:30 Why Return to Norton37:10 TVS Buys And Invests43:07 TVS Legacy and Halo43:45 Quality Roots and Kaizen50:19 Bus Line Origin Story52:14 Norton Leadership Bench55:02 Engineering Muscle in Bologna56:27 Manx R Launch Timeline57:21 Building the US Dealer Network01:01:39 Frictionless Buying with Tech01:05:48 Dealer Model and Norton Hub01:10:49 Factory Scale and Logistics01:12:12 Future Dealerships and AI01:30:05 Product Roadmap and Accessibility01:35:06 Closing Thoughts and Thanks

Brendan Baker on Racing Roots, B2B Publishing, and the Future of Powersports Dealerships Max Materne and Danny French interview Brendan Baker, editor-in-chief of Power Sports Business, covering his publishing career that began after a family racing team ran out of money and his dad launched magazines, including Akron Business Magazine, to fund racing. Baker recounts early years in quarter midgets, karts, and road racing, working as a counterman and mechanic, and later writing for automotive B2B titles like Engine Builder and Counterman. The conversation shifts to the current powersports market, including dealership closures, Harley-Davidson network contraction, and large groups like Sonic acquiring stores and selling 1,100 motorcycles at Sturgis, aided by tools like One Dealer Lane. They discuss challenges in service and parts, low technician pay, staff turnover, and how AI could reduce administrative work to improve customer experience and help dealerships retain talent. 00:00 Racing Needs Money 00:11 Dad Starts A Magazine 04:19 Lost Podcast Callback 06:57 Accidental Publishing Career 07:45 Racing Roots And Team 12:06 Akron Business Magazine 15:31 Automotive Publishing Shift 17:04 Gas Station Side Hustle 20:10 Engine Builder And Blueprinting 24:53 Counterman And Parts Lore 33:03 Closing The Parts Store 34:18 Dealership Closures Today 37:36 Dealers Under Pressure 38:03 Sonic Buys Power Sports 44:40 Auto Groups Struggle Here 47:16 Sturgis Sales Machine 47:30 One Dealer Lane Speed 50:23 Fixing Service And Parts 53:36 Keeping Great Advisors 01:00:05 Tech Exodus And Pay 01:03:52 AI To Remove Admin Work 01:12:40 Next Wave For Dealers 01:15:42 Wrap Up And Thanks

Jason White on AI, One Dealer Lane, and Digitizing the Powersports Dealership ExperienceMax Materne and Danny French interview Jason White, managing partner of Fay Myers Motorcycle World in Denver and a VP within the fourth-generation Schomp Automotive Group, about why AI will reshape dealerships and why operators must engage or be left behind. White explains his role in automotive software A to Z Sync and the creation of One Dealer Lane (ODL), a powersports-focused middleware platform built after A to Z Sync couldn’t be adapted to powersports needs like VIN decoding, taxation, and rate/remittance. He describes ODL’s modular “lanes,” its growth from in-store pilots to dozens of dealerships and major events like Sturgis, and the change-management challenges of moving staff from paper and desktops to iPads. The conversation covers digitizing sales and compliance, integrating with Lightspeed, using AI in service (Blink AI scheduling/texting, See It Now video walkarounds), AI assistants in sales follow-up, data normalization issues, and the future of agents, training, and end-to-end digital transactions. 00:00 AI Is Not A Fad01:58 Meet The Guests 03:36 Jason’s Roles And Background 06:29 From AtoZ Sync To One Dealer Lane 10:14 Building ODL For Powersports 14:23 Scaling ODL With Dealers 17:22 Change Management In Stores 24:10 One Price One Profit Model 28:29 Inventory Pricing And Data Gaps 36:27 Removing Friction For Staff 41:34 AI In The Dealership Today 42:25 Blink AI Service Scheduling 46:09 Lightspeed Integration Outlook 47:02 API Fees and Workarounds 48:44 Video Walkarounds and Integrations 49:43 Sales AI Assistant in CRM 53:19 Data Normalization Challenges 56:00 Local AI Agents for Service 01:01:01 Service Videos and Upsell Trust 01:05:10 Digitizing the Full Deal 01:10:32 Amazon Effect and Industry Change 01:19:08 Dealer Advice for AI Adoption 01:27:15 Privacy Risks and Wrap Up

From Marine to GM: Oz Osburn on Building a Powersports Dealership, Leading Teams, and Using AIOz Osburn discusses his career path from Marine Corps infantry to law enforcement, then into automotive service and management in Colorado, including managing a high-volume Ford service operation, before moving to Mississippi and briefly working at a Ford dealer in Metairie. He joined MotoHouse in early 2022 as the store was being built and opened, initially servicing Can-Am before adding Polaris, CFMoto, Yamaha, Sea-Doo, and other lines, and he explains key differences between automotive and powersports service such as diagnostic complexity, parts lead times, and warranty gray areas. Oz describes being promoted to general manager in May 2024, absorbing multiple department responsibilities amid staffing changes, focusing on numbers, staffing, and performance. He also covers hiring challenges, team dynamics, inventory aging/seasonality pricing decisions, and how AI and a new CRM are being used to manage customer follow-up, transparency, and accountability.00:00 Jumping In Headfirst03:02 Origin of Oz04:43 Mississippi Connections06:00 Colorado to Marines06:28 Cop to Car Sales08:38 Climbing Service Ranks09:16 Running Mega Service Drive12:25 Move to Mississippi Fast13:33 Metairie Culture Shock15:39 Indeed to Moto House18:22 Opening Store From Scratch20:34 Mud Builds and Warranty Gray24:24 Diagnostics and Parts Delays26:33 Customer Emotions and Ops29:40 Adding Brands and Growth30:45 Service Lines and PWC Flow31:01 Small Shop Staffing31:35 Service Org Chart Explained32:45 From Service to GM34:56 Wearing Every Hat37:18 Hiring Travis into Service38:59 Niagara Falls Learning Curve40:06 Math Over Feelings42:59 Pricing and Floorplan Reality48:02 Seasonality and MAP Limits51:31 Service Manager Skills as GM56:45 Dispatch and Tech Motivation01:05:41 Coordinator Pipeline and Hiring01:07:30 Sales Team Pressure Culture01:09:18 Hiring Sales Risks01:10:33 Empathy Versus Accountability01:12:18 Setting Effort Expectations01:14:24 AI CRM Customer Mining01:16:41 Sales Transparency With AI01:24:39 AI For Reviews And Texting01:28:21 Agentic AI For Service01:35:12 Future Roles And Silos01:44:59 Outsourcing Warranty Claims01:47:05 Efficiency And Closing Thoughts

Inside Ownex’s DELV Dealership Analysis: Valuation, Loyalty Data, and a 90-Day RoadmapIn this episode of the Dealer Lab podcast, Justin visits the studio and the team explains how the set was built from an AI-generated image before diving into Ownex’s DELV dealership analysis. Max, Danny, and Justin walk through the report’s structure, including the five-star vitals executive summary across profitability, department contribution, inventory health, technician proficiency, and sales/parts/service penetration, then show how the tool converts gaps into dollar opportunities and identifies the top three highest-ROI priorities. They discuss using DELV for due diligence and valuation, emphasizing customer lifetime gross profit and how top loyal customers can drive a large share of profit, plus how understaffing and process choices can lose loyalty. The demo also highlights seasonality, LIDAR scans for space and profit-per-square-foot analysis, inventory and flooring risk, technician performance, brand profitability, reputation scraping, team sentiment surveys, onsite interviews, and a repeatable 90-day roadmap with supporting documents and accountability.00:00 3D Dealership Software00:29 Profit and Inventory Dashboards03:01 Podcast Studio Arrival03:45 AI Designed The Set06:59 Dealership Lounge Ideas09:04 Dealer Meeting Chaos Stories10:07 Delve Analysis For Acquisition15:18 Customer Value And Loyalty30:15 Back From Break Report Walkthrough31:23 Star Rating Executive Summary34:20 Benchmarks Versus Healthy Stores39:12 Top Three ROI Switches41:53 Vitals Executive Summary43:36 Top Three Profit Levers46:25 Customer Loyalty Economics50:03 Seasonality And Lidar53:52 Inventory And Brand Insights57:30 Reputation Team Onsite01:01:48 Roadmap Accountability System01:08:58 Staff Interviews Real Fixes01:16:32 Wrap Up And Next Steps

Dealerships, Community, and AI: Jacque Touzet on the Ownership ExperienceMax Materne and Danny French interview Jacque Touzet, the longtime dealership attorney, customer, and track-riding motorcycle enthusiast, about what made their former dealership feel like a family and community hub through events, problem-solving, and strong communication. Jacque explains how helping riders after crashes and dealing with insurance issues helped shape his practice focused on riders, and they discuss how dealerships have grown colder post-sale and post-COVID amid consolidation, shrinking margins, lower-displacement sales, and reduced staffing. The conversation compares these shifts to changes in law practice, emphasizes that great experiences—not just volume—drive loyalty, and highlights racing and events (like the Thruxton Cup and Supercross) as ways to build excitement and attract new riders. They also discuss cautious, non-customer-facing uses of AI to reduce administrative workload while preserving human relationships.00:00 Dealership Community Magic01:57 No Headphones Banter02:33 Meet Jacques Tze03:18 Track Days and Rob04:39 Service Talent Gap05:38 Family Feel at TTR07:26 Helping Riders After Crashes09:18 Experience Lost After Sale11:00 Law and Dealer Parallels12:55 Consolidation Kills Soul13:51 Staffing and Margin Crunch18:14 Smaller Bikes New Reality20:05 Why 400cc Bikes Rule25:02 Ownership Experience Focus27:41 Communication Builds Trust28:40 Events and Online Negativity31:57 Thruxton Cup FOMO34:07 Racing Street Bikes Today34:36 Harley Racing Buzz36:27 Supercross Youth Surge38:06 John Franco Build42:34 Dealership Passion Crunch43:18 AI Cautionary Tales44:42 AI For Back Office53:50 Agents And Memory57:36 Future Dealership Mesh01:01:20 Community Over Machines01:04:05 Wrap Up And Thanks

How MotoHunt Started: Jacob Berry on Inventory Management, Used-Bike Strategy & the Future of DealershipsMax Materne and Danny French interview Jacob Berry, co-founder of MotoHunt, about his background from automotive master tech to RideNow’s internet director and how MotoHunt was born from tedious, multi-day Excel-based inventory meetings that required manually pulling JD Power, NPA, and network data to make pricing and transfer decisions. Jacob explains how seed money and partnering with Michael led to building a centralized, data-driven tool to remove emotion from inventory decisions for both new and pre-owned units, and how dealers can use it for appraisals, competitive pricing, and acquisition strategy. The conversation also covers podcasting lessons, post-COVID normalization and aged inventory challenges, using service ROs as a major source of used-bike acquisitions via DMS API integration, the need for process adoption, and expectations for more online, AI-assisted, transparent buying.00:00 Spreadsheet Inventory Hell01:39 Building MotoHunt Idea03:26 Podcasting Growing Pains05:17 Taking Over a Podcast07:29 Improving the Show Format10:43 Pre vs Post COVID Reality14:55 Dealer Background Story15:29 From Tech to Corporate Digital20:14 Why Inventory Drives Everything21:30 Mechanic Mindset in Sales24:42 MotoHunt Origin with Michael29:29 How Dealers Use MotoHunt32:16 New Features and New Inventory34:51 Pre Owned Becomes the Brand38:35 Used Strategy and Risk40:24 Service Lane Trade Pipeline43:31 Breaking Sales Service Silos46:54 Advisor Incentives And Ownership48:29 Automating RO Equity Mining51:44 Moto Hunt Setup Walkthrough54:03 Future Of Digital Retail01:02:31 Hybrid Sales Team Model01:06:34 Service Future And Tech Shortage01:12:19 Human Touch Versus AI01:15:24 AI For Outreach Consistency01:20:47 Wrap Up And COTA Plans