2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 56 - Motor Vehicles › Chapter 16 - Regulation Of Motorcycle Manufacturers, Distributors, Dealers, And Wholesalers › Section 56-16-40. Notification to dealerships of manufacturer's intention to establish new dealership or relocate existing dealership; civil action challenging new dealership or relocation.

If a manufacturer seeks to enter into a franchise establishing an additional new motorcycle dealership or relocating an existing new motorcycle dealership in a relevant market area where the line make is represented, the manufacturer shall, in writing, first notify each new motorcycle dealer in this line make in the relevant market area of the intention to establish an additional dealership or to relocate an existing dealership in the market area. The relevant market area is a radius of three miles around an existing dealership. Within fifteen days of receiving the notice or within fifteen days after the end of any appeal procedure provided by the manufacturer, the new motorcycle dealership may commence a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction challenging the establishing or relocating of the new motorcycle dealership. Thereafter, the manufacturer shall not establish or relocate the proposed new motorcycle dealership unless the court has determined that there is good cause for permitting the establishment or relocation of the motorcycle dealership.
The reopening in a relevant market area of a new motorcycle dealership within two miles of a location at which a former dealership of the same line make had been in operation within the previous two years is not considered the establishment of a new motorcycle dealership.
The relocation of an existing dealer within its area of responsibility as defined in the franchise agreement is not subject to this section if the proposed relocation site is not within five miles of an existing dealer of the same line make.
In determining whether good cause has been established for not entering into or relocating an additional franchise for the same line make, the court shall take into consideration the existing circumstances, including, but not limited to:
(a) the permanency of the investment;
(b) the effect on the retail new motorcycle business and the consuming public in the relevant market area;
(c) whether it is injurious to the public welfare for an additional new motor dealership to be established;
(d) whether the new motorcycle dealers of the same line make in that relevant market area are providing adequate competition and convenient consumer care for the motorcycles of the line make in the market area including the adequacy of motorcycle sales and service facilities, equipment, supply of motorcycle parts, and qualified service personnel;
(e) whether the new motorcycle dealers of the same line make in the relevant market area are providing adequate market penetration and representation. Good cause is not shown solely by a desire for further market penetration;
(f) whether the establishment of an additional new motorcycle dealership would increase competition and therefore be in the public interest; and
(g) the growth or decline in population and new motorcycle registrations in the relevant market area.
HISTORY: 1984 Act No. 511, Section 1.