Ural of New England Top-Selling Dealer

By Bud Wilkinson

In the world of motorcycles, Ural isn’t huge. The Russian company only built 1,206 bikes in 2013, which is probably one-quarter of what Harley-Davidson produced in a single week.  Of that total, 98 percent were shipped with sidecars, leaving a mere two percent as solo models.

Only five percent of those 1,206 bikes stayed in Russia. The rest were exported, with 604 of them being sold in the U.S. and 99 of those were sold by Ural of New England in Boxborough, MA. That made the dealer the most successful Ural outlet in the country, according to new stats published on the manufacturer’s website.

In an email, Ural’s Madina Merzhoeva suggested that “a winning combination” of factors went into Ural of New England’s claiming the sales throne.

“They carry the largest selection of Urals (of any dealer), including an impressive number of custom options,” Merhoeva wrote. “They also have very strong Ural-focused marketing activity online and organize Ural rally events. All that plus strong product knowledge and enthusiasm for the brand.”

Ural of New England owner and general manager Dimtry Bykhovsky echoed the company’s assessment of his operation, citing product knowledge, dedication to the brand, an extensive selection of bikes and accessories, and customs among a more extensive list of reasons for his business’ success. “We get things done quickly and professionally,” he added.

Bykhovsky also said the “expanded use” of sidecars, which allow for all-year and off-road riding, also helps when it comes to selling the, “This is a machine with the character that make(s) people smile,” he wrote, adding that the sidecar is a great place to bring along a dog.

Ural is giving its 2014 models as extensive makeover (as noted in a prior post here), which Bykhvsky believes will bring new customers.

Other stats compiled by the brand revealed that the average age of a Ural customer is 51 and that eight percent are women, up from 5.6 percent in 2010. The youngest customer in 2013 was 22 and the oldest was 85. Urals were sold to customers in every U.S. state except North Dakota.

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Also out with final sales numbers for 2013 are BMW and KTM.

BMW had its second-best year ever in the U.S. with sales of 14,100 bikes, a 17 percent increase from 2012. Worldwide, the German manufacturer sold a record 115,191, up 8.3 percent. The introduction of five new models in the first quarter of 2014 should boost sales further this year.

Austrian bike-maker KTM, meanwhile, sold 123,859 bikes worldwide in 2013, an increase of 15.6 percent.