I've been in the motorcycle business for over 35 years, over 40 if you count the 10 or so years I spent growing up in my dad's Honda shop. I officially became employed at Appleton's Cycles at the ripe old age of 11. Yes sir, I was raking in fifty cents an hour and thinking I was all that and a bag of chips. Honestly, I would have worked for free back then as I loved going to the shop so much. There is just something about the atmosphere of a motorcycle shop. The smell of new tires mixed with the oily smell of the service department still sends me to thoughts of being home.
I've seen many changes in the motorcycle industry in my time. I've seen the dirt and wood plank showroom floors turn to black and white checkerboard tile turn to travertine tile showroom show places. I've seen parts department pegboard turn to slatwall turn to diamond plated grid. I've seen customers who went from wearing jeans to leathers to full armored kevlar. While I've seen the cosmetics of the motorcycle industry change through the years, one thing has remained constant, the motorcyclists passion and desire to ride motorcycles.
I'm still in the business today and consider myself very lucky. I work in an industry where customers are generally happy and excited, are usually enjoying or thinking about enjoying free time when they see you, and eager to part with their money to go on that ride they have been dreaming about all week. Whether it's a trail ride on a dirtbike, a ride to the mountains on a streetbike, or an ATV ride with the family, motorcycling offers something for everyone.That said, I'm beginning this blog to share some of my personal motorcyling history, talk about the motorcycle shows I attend each year (on average over 18 a year), and to share some of the experiences I have on my own motorcycle and around motorcycling in general. It'll be like taking out on my bike not sure where I'm going but knowing I'm gonna see and experience things that I'll be able to share with others down the road...
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