New Haven Powersports Adds Ducati

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com

Connecticut has a new, and second, Ducati dealer.

New Haven Powersports, which already carries the Italian-made Aprilia and Moto Guzzi lines, has now added Ducati and is in the process of remodeling. “We’ve had it exactly one month today,” said Chris Green late Friday afternoon.

Some walls within the dealership at 143 Whalley Ave. have already been torn out and an Italian tile floor installed for the Ducati area. Still to come is an “identity wall.”

The response so far has “been very good. The service side of it has really taken off, which is what we expected,” Green said. New Haven Powersports has three factory-trained Ducati technicians.

New Haven Powerports’ decision to pick up Ducati wasn’t made in haste. “When you look at where the market’s going right now, European brands are doing very, very well. It’s been over two years in the making to actually get the bikes here,” Green said.

Given its 43-year history selling motorcycles, New Haven Powersports should give Ducati – and Ducati riders – some stability.

Cliff’s Cycle Revolution in Brookfield used to offer Ducati but the brand was dropped when the dealership was purchased by Max BMW. Gengras in East Hartford also sold Ducati for a while. “Connecticut has a lot of dealers that have taken the brand and not done it justice. It’s a big opportunity for us,” Green said.

The dealership plans an open house in May to officially welcome Ducati – once the remodeling is done. The state’s other Ducati dealer is MotoFIT in Danbury.

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The arrival of spring means open houses at dealerships.

Yankee Harley-Davidson in Bristol is welcoming riders with music and food from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow, while Harley-Davidson of Danbury plans its 19th annual Biker Bash from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 28. Doc’s Motorcycle Parts in Waterbury will have a pig roast on Sunday, April 28 as well.

Gengras Harley-Davidson in East Hartford holds its spring open house on May 4 as does New England Cycle Center in Hartford.

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Industry news:

– Claudio Domenicali has replaced Gabriele Del Torchip as CEO of Ducati.

– BRP Inc., which makes the Can-Am Spyder, is going public. The IPO seeks to raise $250 million.

– Gerbing’s is recalling some 9,0000 heated jacket liners because a defective write connector presents a burn hazard to owners. Marketed under both the Gerbing’s and Harley-Davidson names, they were sold from April 2011 and through December 2012.