BTO Sports – Company Spotlight

BTO Sports is a worldwide online retailer of all things Motocross. They specialize in motocross gear, parts, accessories and apparel; but in recent years have expanded their site to include MTB, BMX, Street Bike, ATV/UTV and Adventure Motorcycling parts and accessories. Founded in 1999, BTO Sports has been in business since the beginning of the E-Commerce explosion. Founder Vince Arimitsu grew up riding motocross in Southern California, which happened to be the epicenter for most motocross companies. Working in the MX industry seemed a perfect fit. Over the course of several years working for brands in the motocross industry, Vince gleaned invaluable experience in terms of product knowledge and industry-specific customer service. He also saw a great opportunity in a sport growing in popularity with each passing year. Armed with a handful of contacts within the industry and a will to do anything for success, he decided it was time to go “all in” on a family-run mail order operation.

Arimitsu was able to find a small, 1000 square foot warehouse in Thousand Oaks, California.  In that modest warehouse, he launched BTO Sports with a handful of employees. While the internet explosion and E-Commerce was still in its infancy, the idea of picking out products in your favorite magazine and picking up the telephone to place an order was very much the mode of retail at the time. With the help of a graphic design professional, BTO Sports was able to design and publish their first advertisement in Dirt Rider Magazine. The day the magazine hit the shelves, the phone started to ring. With only a few competitors selling motocross apparel at the time, there was plenty of market to share. And in a matter of months, BTO Sports was gaining a reputation for fast, reliable shipments- and the company was growing in step with their steady rise in sales.

In the advent of the E-Commerce boom at the turn of the century, the company continued to grow in both volume and size. Their first move into a larger warehouse happened in 2004, as the motocross popularity began to really surge. BTO Sports was able to partner up with some very savvy developers who also happened to be avid fans of the sport. It was this partnership that created the online store that flourishes to this day. It was this synergy that helped BTO Sports become the user-friendly site that it is, all the while maintaining a style that appeals to the motorcycle enthusiast. Their presence at Supercross races, X Games and amateur tracks around the country have also sewn seeds within a moto community that remains tight despite a rapid growth in national popularity.

In 2014, BTO Sports moved into their current warehouse in Camarillo, California. The spacious facility has only helped in ensuring a smooth worldwide shipping operation. The now-famous website, www.BTOSports.com, makes online ordering of complex parts and accessories very easy; and the more popular motocross apparel orders an absolute snap! It’s this constant dedication to customer service that has made BTO Sports the lasting brand it has become. These attributes, coupled with a heavy involvement in both professional and amateur racing, have helped make BTO Sports an exemplary online sales company, and a trusted member of the motocross community.