By adapting established principles from traditional automotive dealerships, Moritz Sport & Marine in Bismarck, North Dakota, has turned the sale of utility terrain vehicles into a major commercial engine. Dealership leader Eric Moritz has structured the business around automotive retail methods, generating substantial sales volume in an off-road market that has traditionally operated under different retail conventions.
The dealership's sales figures reflect the impact of this operational model. Moritz Sport & Marine now sells approximately 300 new side-by-side units every year. These transactions generate roughly $10 million in annual revenue from new side-by-side sales alone, representing a substantial portion of the company’s retail footprint before factoring in its used vehicle operations.
In addition to new inventory, the store moves between 200 and 300 pre-owned all-terrain vehicles and utility terrain vehicles annually. This secondary market provides steady inventory flow and gives the dealership an ongoing stream of trade-ins and resale opportunities, mirroring the structure of modern franchised auto stores.
The dealership's automotive foundation stems directly from its leadership's background. Moritz and his father were both veterans of the car sales industry when they acquired a Bismarck Chevrolet dealership nearly three decades ago. In 1997, they converted that automotive facility into Moritz Sport & Marine, establishing a powersports showroom with car-dealership infrastructure.
That automotive influence became even stronger in 2020 when Moritz's father retired from the business. At that time, neighboring car dealership owners acquired the retiring partner's shares. This ownership transition cemented the business's commitment to auto-style sales processes and customer service workflows across all departments.
According to Moritz, the broader powersports industry still lags behind mainstream automotive retail practices by approximately five years. This gap applies not only to certain technological applications but also to the core management structures, organizational processes, and customer interaction models used across powersports showrooms.
To bridge that gap, Moritz instituted a comprehensive, full-service sales desk designed to handle transactions in a unified manner. Rather than sending a buyer to multiple different counters, the dealership arranges for customers to meet simultaneously with a sales manager, service personnel, finance managers, and accessory specialists in a single sitting.
This collaborative desk process is engineered to streamline outfitting and finalize financing in one coordinated appointment. Dealership leadership emphasizes that when buyers can select and install their preferred accessories prior to taking delivery, they enjoy a smoother ownership experience and develop enduring, long-term loyalty with the store's service department.
Product evolution has also played a critical role in expanding the dealership's revenue base. The Can-Am Defender, particularly in its enclosed full-cab configurations, has emerged as the business's largest individual revenue generator outside of its marine product lines.
The shift in sales volume over the past decade underscores the Defender's commercial importance. Prior to the introduction of the Defender platform roughly ten years ago, Moritz Sport & Marine sold only 10 to 15 new side-by-side units per year. The arrival of fully featured utility platforms transformed that baseline into hundreds of annual deliveries.
To accommodate this elevated volume and maintain service commitments, the dealership significantly scaled its technical workforce. Moritz Sport & Marine doubled its dedicated Can-Am technician staff in recent years, expanding the service roster to 12 certified technicians focused on vehicle assembly, pre-delivery accessory installation, and ongoing maintenance.
Market demand has been reinforced by the increasing capability and comfort of modern side-by-sides. Outfitted with factory heating and air conditioning, enclosed cab machines provide all-weather comfort comparable to traditional pickup trucks, attracting consumers looking for versatile machinery capable of handling work tasks and everyday travel.
State regulations in North Dakota have further expanded the practicality of utility vehicles for routine transportation. Off-highway vehicles are legally permitted to operate on the state's paved roads outside of major highways. By equipping machines with standard safety accessories—including turn signals, mirrors, a horn, and a license plate—owners can make their side-by-sides fully street-legal statewide.
Despite steady customer demand, escalating vehicle prices present an ongoing challenge for the industry. Highly customized and option-heavy utility models now approach retail prices of nearly $50,000, creating affordability hurdles for some prospective buyers and placing greater importance on flexible financing options.
Looking toward the future, the dealership remains attentive to market developments surrounding electric off-road machinery following the recent summer introduction of the Can-Am Outlander Electric. However, Moritz is taking a cautious approach before making substantial capital investments in electric inventory, pointing to limited driving range, sparse charging infrastructure, and the high cost of specialized shop tooling and technician certification.
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