What happens when a dealer stops copying the automotive model, stops chasing hype, and starts building their business around one simple idea: tell the truth?
That’s exactly what Nate Sanel did.
In this throwback episode of the Dealership fiXit Podcast, I sat down with Nate, founder of National PowerSports Distributors and Bank My Bike. We talked about what it really takes to build a used-driven business from scratch, how to scale it with transparency, and how powersports dealers can stop getting buried by outdated industry expectations.
Here are the biggest takeaways from our conversation.
Nate launched his business with $500 and a pickup truck. He started flipping used bikes out of his garage and selling them on eBay. But when small mistakes started costing him trust, he pivoted.
Instead of selling faster, he built deeper inspections, wrote detailed condition reports, and doubled down on clear, honest communication.
Today, National PowerSports Distributors is a premium used bike retailer with over 60,000 unique monthly website visitors and a reputation that speaks for itself.
Everyone talks about transparency. Nate built his entire company on it.
That means:
If a customer doesn’t trust you, they won’t buy from you. That’s the foundation of repeat business in a digital-first world.
Nate made a point not to follow what the car world was doing. He doesn’t model his business after auto groups or chase the same metrics.
Instead, he focuses on:
Dealers that treat powersports like a different animal will win. It’s not about monthly turns. It’s about trust, personalization, and community.
Too many dealers are still stuck in the day-to-day grind. Nate references the E-Myth and reminds us of the trap:
"Most business owners are technicians. They know how to do the work, but they haven’t built the business to run without them."
Whether it’s the owner giving discounts that weren’t asked for, or staff scrambling without structure, the real growth comes from stepping back and asking:
For Nate and his team, the compass is simple: tell the truth.
Every decision, program, customer interaction, and vendor relationship is filtered through that lens. It’s not a marketing slogan. It’s their internal code.
"If it’s not truthful, it has no place at my company."
That kind of clarity is rare. But it’s what builds teams, drives loyalty, and unlocks freedom.
Nate says most dealers know they need to lean into used. They know it's more profitable. But they lack the systems, data, and confidence to scale it.
That’s why his next move is to take what National PowerSports has learned over the last 18 years and turn it into tools for other dealerships. The same way we approach things here at MotoHunt.
Used doesn’t have to be complicated. But it does require:
Dealerships are under pressure. OEM programs. Inventory issues. Customer expectations.
But the ones that will thrive aren’t waiting for permission. They’re building around clarity, data, and simple truths.
If you're still relying on rearview mirror data, if your messaging is vague, or if you're not sure how your store is different from the one across town, take a step back. Build your compass. And start working on the business you actually want to run.
Want a clear system for sourcing better used bikes, pricing trades right, and turning inventory faster? Download the Ultimate Used Inventory Playbook. It’s free and packed with the systems top dealers are using today:
https://dealers.motohunt.com/ultimate-used-inventory-playbook
This blog is based on Episode 43 of the Dealership fiXit Podcast featuring Nate Sanel. Follow the show to get more conversations with the people shaping the future of powersports retail.