Manheim Ft. Myers is riding high after hosting its first-ever mobile motorcycle auction in partnership with Bert’s Barracuda Harley-Davidson store in St. Petersburg, Florida on November 29, 2016.
According to Manheim Ft. Myers General Manager Tom Hammer, the birth of the new mobile motorcycle sale came out of a small Specialty Sale held at Manheim Ft. Meyers, “We wound up with 15 Harleys from a motorsports dealer. One of the potential buyers was Bert’s Black Widow Harley-Davidson store in Port Charlotte, Florida, which became interested in doing something with us on its site.”
The Bert’s Black Widow Harley-Davidson store transported and supplied the motorcycle inventory for the new mobile sale, and connected Manheim Ft. Myers with the Bert’s Barracuda Harley-Davidson store. With support from Manheim Ft. Myers, Bert’s Barracuda launched the mobile motorcycle auction as part of its Grand Opening weekend.
As seen in these video highlights, the bike rally style event was conducted outdoors in a party atmosphere with live music, food and prizes on the store’s three-acre lot. The auction featured 121 motorcycles and more than 50 eager buyers. With only one seller, 53 motorcycles were sold, resulting in an impressive 44 percent sales rate.
More Mobile Selling
Engaging motorcycle dealers and buyers is a natural approach for the Manheim Mobile Auction division that looks for new ways to host events to help dealers move inventory that might not make sense to transport to the auction.
“With our state-of-the-art mobile platform, Manheim not only brings the best of the industry to car dealers’ lots, but can also move motorcycles, heavy trucks and equipment, RVs and watercraft for specialty dealers ,” says Matt Laughridge, a 17-year Manheim veteran who has been in his current role as director of mobile auction sales since June 2016. “The ability to be nimble and versatile yet thorough and professional while bringing buyers and sellers together is our greatest asset.”
