Many people have complained about HD dealerships. Expensive bikes, high and mighty attitude, over priced accessories, bad repairs, ripoffs, etc. What were HD dealerships like in the 80s, 70s, and 60s before they became what they are?

 

Smaller, grittier. much less apparel.

 

They were smaller, less bikes, less glamor and smelled great with the exhaust, gas and oil odors flowing through the building.
I bought my first HD from one, Bill Chaney HD in Pleasant Hill Ca.
This was his shop on Monument Blvd in Concord before he moved to Pleasant hill.

 

B&D Cycle in Rahway, New Jersey. Was even open on Sunday.

 

I can only comment on the one in my area but they were real jerks. Back then I rode Asian bikes cuz I was into sport bikes but loved to look at Harleys. Whenever I rode into the HD dealer they turned their nose up at me and gave me the cold shoulder. I didnt like the Honda dealer and every time I called HD to see if they could do a safety inspection they would ask "what kind of bike' When I told them they would say they were out of inspection stickers and would hang up.

 

Someone should be posting shortly about Dudley-Perkins, they recently sold but they would have been 104 years old.

 

My dealer still looks like that. Never more than a dozen bikes, a few shirts, and cool service department and parts guys.

Hate the mega shops.

 

 

 

. They didn't look like department stores or clothing boutiques. They were great places. They smelled like working mechanic shops with a hint of oil, gas and exhaust in the air. You could hear motors running and work being done. You could actually just walk in to the shop area and speak to the guy working on your bike. What they were doing wasn't hidden away.

You could smoke in the parts and service departments and there were used pistons for ash trays on the counters and there weren't a lot of kids and little ankle biter dogs running around making noise and messing up the place. The parts guys knew what they were talking about. They knew the parts, what the parts did and what fit what. At closing time on Fridays if you were one of the regulars they'd close the door and everybody would sit around and drink beers and a few shots to relax before heading off home. The employees were motorcycle people that actually rode and knew about motorcycles. Dealerships and indie shops were a lifestyle for them not a fill in job until they found something better at the local coffee shop or book store. They didn't waste their time trying to BS you and did't let you waste their time trying to BS them. The places were working motorcycle shops not family oriented destinations. There was work to be done.