Harley-Davidson and the Deeley Family Legacy
By Bruce Montcombroux

The Motor Company's oldest dealership is a debatable matter.

 

 

In light of recent events, ya think the moco would close either of these down?

 

Got to check out Morgan & Wacker last year. Nice place and nice people.

 

They won’t be closing either down . But will be shipping them bikes that are Assembled in the NEW Thailand plant for 2021 . This might have the same results as closing them down if the customers don’t like the Made in Thailand label on the frame . And I see Deeley’s is in Canada .

 

Just about everybody up here that rode Harleys didn’t like Deeley’s… There was a thing called a “Deeley tax”, a surcharge because they ran the show Right across Canada… But now we can see compared to the goat f**k that the New MOCO is, Deeley was fine in comparison.

I have never done business with Deeley myself, Other than an oil change once…but know lot of people that have… They have an a shop in East Vancouver and a great museum if you ever go by... I ordered my Pan Am from the HD shop out in Langley, which is a half hour East of Vancouver… About a half an hour east of that, is the Harley shop in Chilliwack… I hear they have very good mechanics, old school.

 

Heritage Springers at Deeley in 2014. About halfway into my Epic Journey 2014. Mine is the dirty one 3rd from the right.

 

Yeah, there was grumbling about Deely's for a long time, but at least they were willing to lay out their money to stock parts in Canada, rather than every rider having to wait months for parts out of the USA. Once more dealers were established and could bank roll some of their own parts, that's when the pushback started, and that Deely fought against losing their distributorship. Business.

Otherwise, I am at Deely's often for parts and events, I like the atmosphere - good sales members and good parts people.

 

Yup...the 'Deeley Tax' is what drove many to buy scoots n parts south of the border. All things HD had to go through him in Canada.

 

But we had the small shops back in the day, where you could hang around, chit chat, the mechs would help you fix your own bike, no salesman chasing you around. I kind of miss that.