On April 13th, Lance Powersports published an open letter to SYM owners explaining the current SYM situation. An Eastern-U.S. distributor has still not been named, but Lance’s new sister company, Alliance Powersports, will handle left-coast distribution and has taken over SYM parts and warranty service nationwide. SYM owners should contact their dealer for parts and service, dealers should contact Alliance for parts/warranty support. Lance/Alliance National Sales Manager Mike Hickman also tells us that Alliance can supply new bikes to Eastern dealers until an Eastern distributor is named. The full letter and Hickman’s contact info follows.
Dear SYM Owners,
This letter is to announce that Alliance Powersports Inc, sister company to Lance Powersports, will be the new US West region distributor for SYM effective April 2011.
Alliance is proud to have the opportunity to represent SYM in the US and privileged to serve your needs. Continued customer and dealer support is our top priority and we are focused and determined to restore immediate support.
During this transition period, we are working closely with SYM manufacture to expedite all service related support. Warranty support has resumed and all parts orders are expedited to dealers nationwide. If you require any warranty service or parts related support, please contact your local authorized SYM dealer for assistance.
If you have difficulty finding a local SYM dealer or need further assistance, please contact us and we will be more than happy to further assist you: info@alliancepowersports.com
We have also initiated construction on our new website: www.alliancepowersports.com, which will showcase SYM scooters and provide news and updates. We anticipate our new website to be completed in or around July 2011.
Moving forward, we pledge to continue the path in supporting the scooter culture and scooter enthusiast by building a more focused, stronger and more service oriented SYM distribution in the US.
Thank you for your patients, understanding and support in SYM brand.
Sincerely,
Alliance Powersports Inc.
SYM dealers can contact:
Mike Hickman
National Sales Manager
Lance Powersports
3788 Milliken Ave #C
Mira Loma, Ca 91752
PH# (951) 361-9000 ex. 111
FAX# (951) 361-9393
mike.hickman@lancepowersports.com
Wonder what happened to Peirspeed?
I wonder if this is what SYM demanded out of Lance to compensate for the bogus Cali Classic?
Well, it’s all an interesting story, but we’ll probably never know the whole background, and each player surely has a different spin on it. SYM more or less publicly denounced Carter Brothers, then released a letter insisting they stood behind Carter Brothers, then the Carter Brothers headquarters and warehouse burnt down (and ruled an arson, still unsolved) then Lance announced the Cali Classic and SYM insisted they weren’t supplying it, but it’s hard to believe SYM wasn’t shopping for a new importer by that point. The fact that Lance is now representing SYM in the US makes it seem even more likely that SYM and Lance were on good terms from the start. Now the mystery is why no eastern distributor has been announced, and why it’s important to SYM to split the US into two sales regions in the first place (though one would imagine it has something to do with eggs and baskets). Meanwhile, to look at Carter Brothers’ and SYM-USA’s websites, you’d think Carter was still running things (though neither site has been updated for a year). This letter helps to clear things up from a practical standpoint, but it certainly doesn’t tell any of the backstory, and who knows what further twists lie ahead!?
SYM makes quality scooters and they have good potential in the U.S., but they, like just about every other manufacturer, don’t seem to understand the very cyclical market here and they have far too-high expectations. A good manufacturer with a good distributor (if both understand the market and both have modest, realistic goals) can succeed here over time. Genuine and Kymco have suffered lately too, for various reasons, but they remain the best business models and hopefully Lance/Alliance and SYM study them closely for marketing/pricing/sales network know-how.
The fact that Lance is now representing SYM in the US makes it seem even more likely that SYM and Lance were on good terms from the start.
Not only that, but the Cali Classics that arrived at East Side Scooters last year had keys that had the SYM logo on them. This year’s do not, but they are the same shape, and have the raised bumps in the same spots, of course.
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Well, the story (then) was that Lance was circumventing SYM and buying them from SYM’s supplier in China through a third party. So (even if the keys weren’t a dead giveaway) there was never any argument that they weren’t the same scooter from the same supplier, the question was whether SYM knew about it or not. At the time, SYM claimed they didn’t, and insisted they were still behind Carter Brothers, but it seems weird they’d eventually work with Lance if Lance was conspiring with their supplier to sell their scooters behind their back, right?
Well, the story (then) was that Lance was circumventing SYM and buying them from SYM’s supplier in China through a third party.
I’m used to not believing 90% of what I read on the Innertubes, though. ;)
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That’s probably a good policy, starting with this site.
That’s probably a good policy, starting with this site.
;)
That wasn’t pointed at you, y’know…
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Our Symba Accessories have arrived so if you have been waiting for that bench seat call your local dealer fast!! We also got a large container of original SYM parts in and we will start shipping them out right away, thank you for your patience! :) Look for the 2012 HD 200 (EVO), 2012 Fiddle 11, and the 2012 Symba coming in mid July with some surprising new colors!!
Our 2012 Cali Classic’s by SYM have arrived and are selling very fast! The 2012 HD 200 EVO, Symba, & Fiddle 11 will be here the last week of this month so contact your local dealer and get your order in while supplies last! :) ride safe.
So the 2012 HD 200 EVO with the disc brake, powder coated black forks and rims along with stitching in the seat to match the color of the bike, Awesome!!! The 2012 Symba and Fiddle 11 have also arrived, and the much anticipated Wolf Classic 150cc is on the water with an arrival date of just after Labor Day! Let’s get this party started! Ride Safe! Mike@Alliance Powersports