I made my money the old fashioned way. I was very nice to a wealthy relative right before he died.”
“It is all one to me if a man comes from Sing Sing Prison or Harvard. We hire a man, not his history.”
“If you don’t know what to do with many of the papers piled on your desk, stick a dozen colleague’s initials on them and pass them along. When in doubt, route.”
“Never hire someone who knows less than you do about what he’s hired to do.”
“Failure is success if we learn from it.”
“Ability will never catch up with the demand for it.” Malcolm S. Forbes-motorcyclist
My first trip to a motorcycle shop came quite by accident, although I
prefer to think of it as divine intervention. My friend Ricky and I had just
gotten off the train in Plainfield, and were heading to Texas Wieners for
lunch. When across the street, we both noticed a Harley Davidson neon sign in
the window of a storefront. We quickly changed course, and I made my first
entrance into the Disneyland of my dreams. It was 1968, pre-AMF to the loyal,
and we entered an old time cycle shop. I even think it may have been named
Pop’s, as an older couple ran it. Very narrow, but deep, along one side sat
numerous bikes for sale, along the other an old, wooden counter running front to
back. We were greeted friendly, and our eyes were big as we came face to face
with real motorcycles, a far cry from our minibikes. Bikes we had been told
about, but never had seen up close. But that was all it took to be hooked, and
my next trip was a year later, with Rick again, to Rick’s Cycle, who sold
Triumph, and a new brand called Kawasaki. Two strokes, my first visit into a
non-four stroke world. Ring a ding ding and blue smoke filled the air, as we
went around the back of this small brick building, no showroom and a garage door
open to service. There he picked up his 125 dirt bike, huge in our world of
50-80 ccs. And they knew his name, and we weren’t just two kids like in the
Harley store. My social status was changing for the better. Then a couple of
years later came VIP Honda, who had just moved from a rented garage to an old
super market-10,000 square feet of motorcycles-they claimed to be the largest
Honda dealer in the US of A! How cool, and they treated us cool, and we could
sit on bikes an ask questions. And at 16, this was big time. Our licenses still
a year away. Girls never paid this much attention to us! Later were visits to
East Coast Cycle, a cycle shop that sold BMW’s and Yamahas in the back of the
store, by the bicycle accessories. The BMW’s were way beyond our price reach,
but the new XS650, all in its red and white called out to us. I don’t remember
a BSA store, but the Norton dealer stood next to Westfield Ford in an old house,
where the porch had been closed in and was the parts department. No show room,
but a shed in back, like the one we kept our lawn mower in for service. No
outside signs, we stumbled on it looking for K81 Dunlops, and rearranged our
lunch hours, they closed between 12- and 1, and many an afternoon was spent
buying tires there. And we wonder what ever happened to the British bike
industry? I cannot remember any Suzuki stores, but a friend rode a TM250, he
bought out past Bound Brook. That was how it was, small shops, where they were
closed on Sunday and Monday, as any proper shop should be, and after a few
visits of “whadda you kids want?” we got to know the owners, and were given
prices. And told to bring back our dads if we were ready to buy. But my first
purchase took place at Ralph’s Cycle in South Orange, NJ, an unauthorized Honda
store, who could not do warranty work, but sold bikes for less than anyone
else. And my 1972 CB350 cost $825 of my hard earned paper route money, maybe
the best money ever earned and spent. And back to VIP for parts, and never for
service. That you did yourself, two quarts of Valvoline from Jax Auto at 55
cents a quart, a $2 oil filter, and a half hour to change the oil, and another
half hour to clean up what you spilled on the bike and your garage floor.
But the big time was to come when I heard of Slegers Forbes Cycle in
Whippany. Malcolm Forbes partnered with Hank Slegers who was well known within
the cycle industry, his money and Hank’s name, and you had the first super
store. More like today’s stores, it was a super market for bikes. The salesman
all wore green blazers, and were nice to you. And sold bikes for cash with a 5%
discount, it covered the Jersey sales tax at the time. They would store them
for free all winter, and gave you money for referrals. The parts department had
all its employees in team racing shirts, and was so big you took a number, for
parts for your BMW, Triumph, Honda, and Yamaha. Also some lesser brands that
most never heard of. It was a bikers dream, and even the service department was
behind a plexiglass wall, where you could see the mechanics working. Many an
afternoon when we couldn’t ride was spent there, watching and taking mental
notes. And buying my R60/5 there put me on a first name basis. It was the last
motorcycle I ever bought in Jersey, and when it was totaled in Florida, Hank was
calling me to see if he could help. They were the days when everyone knew what
you rode, and everyone knew your name. And if you were really cool had a
nickname to go with it. Just in case there were two Mikes, two Bills, or tow
Ricky’s. And I miss those days, even though most shops around SoCal know me,
there was a certain comeraderie among us. It went beyond waving when you passed
each other, you were part of an elite group-you rode motorcycles. But sadly the
industry grew, and so did the shops, with mega stores the norm today, but still
having to have most parts special ordered, some things never change. Except the
prices....some things should never do change.
We attend what may be called a mega church, it has over 7000 members. And
coming from a smaller church, it can be intimidating. So many to know, a new
seat to find for yourself, and a new pastor to sit under. And many don’t feel
like they fit in, nobody knows their name. But how many of you know your
pastor, but he doesn’t know you? Have you ever gone up and introduced yourself
to him, or do you think he should seek you out? Pride and shyness can be
confused. So many just end up attending, and never get involved, blaming the
size, the pastor, but never themselves. But like many size churches, we have
small groups, which are much like bike shops of old. Where everyone knows your
name, and you can fellowship more intimately. Which is a good thing. And then
there are those that church hop, and never get involved, and somehow everyone
knows their name, but sadly their reputation. And I have found that supporting
a local church is like supporting your local dealer, you want them around when
you need them. A place of comfort and refuge, and a place to send others. Yet
some get lost in any size crowd, thankfully Jesus knows who you are. And
desires one to one fellowship with you. And I am amazed at how personal he can
be in a service of 3000, or in 25. Some say size matters, Jesus is interested
in you, so much that if you were the only sinner, he still would have died just
for you. And he knew your name long before you knew his.
So I encourage you to get involved in whatever size church you attend. Get
into a small group, but always choose the small group of just you and Jesus
first. His name should come to mind before your parts guy and service manager.
You should feel so comfortable with him that you are welcome, even if just
browsing. Or hanging out just drinking their coffee and donuts. There are
relationships within relationships, both at cycle stores and church, be involved
in both..We are the church, both inside it and outside of it. And even though
both have gotten bigger, keep in mind the personal side of why you attend both.
Jesus does, and you are always welcome. Bike shops and churches have changed
over the years, so have we. So have motorcycles, aren’t you glad Jesus never
does? And he knows your name and calls you friend. May your cycle store do the
same. Both can give you the ride of your life...only one never ends. And
church is still open on Sundays!
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com