Does any one remember the 'old style' H-D Dealerships? Usually a parts counter, small service area, and a couple of racks of 't' shirts. Very much unlike the 'boutiques' they are building today... Oh yea......They also appreciated their customers and usually knew you by name? AHHHHH....The old days....

 

Ayup. I grew up about a half block from the Harley Shop in the late 50's and through the 60s. It was a small wood building that looked like the old corner grocery stores. The main store had a couple of new HDs sitting there and a display counter. Then you walked out the side door to a small garage area where the owner or his brother would be out there covered with grease and oil working on a bike. They used to have inner tube repair kits so all the neighbor kids would get their bicycles fixed there. I can still remember the smells and general atmosphere of the place. It was magical seeing the new Harleys sitting there all shiny and powerful looking.

 

I remember those days very well,Larry Mann owned Mann's HD at the corner of US31 and IN.7 in Columbus,IN. it was a very freindly dealership where you were treated like family,Larry is still in business along I65 in Edinburg In. -but their new employees and patrons tend to look down on us old timers

 

remember those days very well small town on the oregon coast only harley guy around - cap. alvy had a small shop in the small town of eastside small work shop small counter small show room great people.. back in those days everybody turned a wrench heck we even traded bikes and then traded that bike much easier time

 

Times change, for better or worse, that's business.

 

Oh yeah, and I bet there are a number of us, that wished for those old days to be back.

Respects,
Ed

 

Well, the local HD dealer knows me and my wife by name, but that doesn't mean anything. They're still scheisters.

 

My dealer calls me up once in a while just to say Hi. There big but still have that mom and pop atmosphere.

 

The "last" one I was in, was Belmont Harley, St Paul, believe it or not. Right on West 7th. Howard was one of the last of a dying breed.
Bob, down at Faribault Harley, just died last year.
It's called, "Progress"........................................ ..........by some.


Funny you should mention the 'greasy "guy" and his brother', etc. Here's a thought, , this from earlier today:
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/gener...ndys-gone.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaddyKnuck

Tough making a decent living in the motorcycle business. Between government costs (taxes, licenses, self employment tax, etc.) and the costs for the various insurances you need to have a lot of guys just said fark it and went to work for someone else. Also, bear in mind almost all of the iron barrel guys (at least everyone I know) does most if not all of their own work, and knows how to shop for parts on the internet. Don't get me wrong, it would be great to have a local iron barrel guy to go to for help the one or two times a year I get stumped, but I can't see how a guy like that could make a business of it.

Great RE: Knuck,
Let me add a li'l to your post.
The need and the cost of 'specialty tools' to work on the 'new' models. For lack of a better scenario, they have done to scoots, what they did to cars.

Also, I have seen it posted on this FORUM many, many times. For whatever reason, a lot of ppl on here, and in the country in general, think that if the 'shop' isn't all well lit, decorated, spotless, with Muzak playing in the background, the guy HAS TO BE a fly by night, and NOT worth trusting.
IF you happen to be 'one of those peeps', you have just blocked out literally decades of experience and knowledge. There are guys out there, who have forgotten more, than most of these 'young guns', will ever know. NOT that they do not know, anything, they do. They know how to use all these high tech gadgets, that we used to use our 'beans' for.

I, too, have seen that 'deer in the headlight' look from these "young guns" when you ask them a Pan, Shovel, H*LL, even an EVO, question. A lot like asking a 'young' Chevy mechanic about a 427 Rat motor, NOT A CLUE.
I have learned more in the back of some old greasy grudges tucked away in an alley or farm somewhere, than I have EVER remotely gotten from those well lit, decorated, spotless, dealers.
NOT that they do not have a place, I jus' don't believe that is the 'place', to get the REAL ?'s, answered. BUT, that's JMFUO.

As a note, here. On Tuesday, I received a call from a guy in Fargo, ND. He got my number from a guy in Minot, ND, that I ran into at a swap meet in the Cities, couple of years ago. The guy from Fargo, was looking for an answer to a panhead ? and was in need of a cylinder. We are literally a whole state away, he knew of no more local indys up there, to call. The "Old Guy", (his words) that everyone used to call, passed away a while back.
And when I look 'round my area, I am very hard pressed to think of one 'young gun', doing ANY wrenching on scoots, at all.

Maybe the 'tree huggers' got to 'em in kindy garden and grade school, and they all think 'mechanical' is BAD. Elephino ???

 

I remember the small dealers. I liked them much more than today's boutiques.