Consumer measurement firm J.D. Powers just released the first of a two-part survey on the state of bike sales in today’s dismal economic times. The major metrics focus on negative dealership issues and boil down to price, inventory shortage and experiential  issues.

In reverse order, pollsters racked up a disappointment among potential buyers over the ability to test ride, lack of a comprehensive floor plan and the major catchall, pricing and negotiation.

We’ll go one further and list the in-store experience as a major contributor to the above specifics. When a multi-line, multi-location dealership like this local example fails to cover their model lineup – not one dual sport on the floor – while welcoming traffic with a Sam’s Club warehouse environment, what’s to like?

Parking a camo sXs in the grass as a marketing crutch doesn’t exactly cut it in this day and age of consumer first, last and always awareness. Look closely and you’ll see a polypropelene wreath tie-wrapped to the nose. More disguise – who wouldn’t get drawn in by this kind of invisible dimensional drive-by attraction?