Old Detroit Motorcycle Shops

[CassTechGrad]

When I was going to Cass Tech 1963-66, I remember walking over to the Harley-Davison dealership just around the corner from the school on Grand River. I dreamed about riding one of those big bikes. I found some info about that place owned by the Robinsons and some other cycle dealerships in Detroit, they’re all gone now. I couldn’t find anything about the Thunderbird Club of Detroit or about any of the old cycle dealerships. Anybody got some history or old stories to share.

[Gistok]

On a slightly different note... Earl's Bike Shop.... Detroit far east side... Harper Ave. & Audobon, near Whittier [[1 block west of St. Matthew's Catholic Church)... building still there, but store gone for 50 years....

[shovelhead]

There were a lot of shops both franchised dealers and independent repair shops. In the late 60's to the early 70's they were all over the west side both in the city and the suburbs. Some of the Harley dealers at that time were Roy's in Pontiac, Cookie's in Ypsilanti,Jake's in Garden City.For Triumph dealers,Triumph Detroit, Shores Motorcycles, Eight Mile and Dequindre, Don Henderson, Fenkell and Lahser, Anderson on Telegraph in Pontiac,Nicholson in Ann Arbor.

BSA, India Motorcycle Sales, Ann Arbor, Anderson in Pontiac, Earl Buck in Hazel Park, Andy Pelc in Southgate, Flint BSA in Flint. If you rode BSA's or Triumphs you knew where ALL the dealers were within a hundred miles.

Norton, Anderson in Pontiac, Blackie's Custom Motorcycles, two locations in the late 60's on Joy near Wyoming.

Lot of independents too, those guys were the places that we went when we had bikes that were a few years old as the dealers pretty much wanted to ignore us.

[Ray1936]

Ah, me. The very best six years of my working life.

[Bigb23]

Finches motorcycles in Orion Twp. was legendary, but maybe a little too artsy for a Bobber/Velodrome Track bike fan. We were awed by the hilltop shop in the early 70's.

[Bigb23]

Ah, me. The very best six years of my working life.

Ray, if you can still balance #300 between your legs, my hat's off to you old man.

[Bigb23]

And ray as a DPD teenager.

[Ray1936]

Ray, if you can still balance #300 between your legs, my hat's off to you old man.

I have a hard time balancing on two legs any more, but in my dreams, well..................

[CassTechGrad]

A friend of mine bought an old tank shift Harley former cop bike at a Detroit city auction back in the 1960’s. It had a lots of miles on it but it was cool. I bought this little Fordette at the auction, that’s me on my way to work.

[Bigb23]

A friend of mine bought an old tank shift Harley former cop bike at a Detroit city auction back in the 1960’s. It had a lots of miles on it but it was cool. I bought this little Fordette at the auction, that’s me on my way to work.

That in wheel engine was featured in a downtown Detroit segment of "American Pickers" not too long ago. Maybe it's a Detroit thing?

I'm still waiting on a 2HP Elro at a barn sale.

[Bigb23]

I'm still waiting on a 2HP Elro outboard at a barn sale.

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[Pat001]

Anderson’s in Bloomfield hills – started out selling golf carts, then added Honda bikes and became the largest volume Honda dealer in the world, and first dealer to sell a Honda car in the U.S. Rumor has it Anderson's was selling 100 motorcycles per day during the 1970s. Mr. Anderson sold to new owners and the dealership is now known as Motor City Power Sports.

[Zacha341]

Hilarious! Go Ray!

And ray as a DPD teenager.

[Bigb23]

Anderson’s in Bloomfield hills – started out selling golf carts, then added Honda bikes and became the largest volume Honda dealer in the world, and first dealer to sell a Honda car in the U.S. Rumor has it Andersons sold 100 motorcycles per day during the 1970s. Sold to new owners and renamed Motor City Power Sports.

Those Hondas were bullitt proof and I'm surprised not more of them are still not stored in garages.

[Bigb23]

If you do - I'm you're best buddy.

[Bigb23]

I had a friend that was in a client's garage and made a low ball offer [[$300) on a mint 350 Honda, the guy was happy for the room. The wife was happy to get rid of the ever present widow maker, and my buddy was happy with the steal on the bike.

Came that close on a trail 70.

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[Pat001]

Those Hondas were bullitt proof and I'm surprised not more of them are still not stored in garages.

I don't think anyone imagined these bikes would still be on the road 50 years later. Here's mine - 1972 CB 450 Honda:

[lpg]

Anderson’s in Bloomfield hills – started out selling golf carts, then added Honda bikes and became the largest volume Honda dealer in the world, and first dealer to sell a Honda car in the U.S. Rumor has it Anderson's was selling 100 motorcycles per day during the 1970s. Mr. Anderson sold to new owners and the dealership is now known as Motor City Power Sports.

Anderson's also sold Suzuki, Triumph, BSA, Norton and Moto Guzzi. This was printed on a business card from "Big John" when I bought my new 1970 CB450.

[lpg]

One's I remember Cycle City on Sibley in Riverview. Parts Galore on Ford Road in Dearborn. Westwood Honda on Michigan Ave and John Daly. Heilman Motors on Fort in Southgate. Bob Leppan's Triumph in Detroit. Cowboys on Fort across from the produce terminal.

[softailrider]

I don't think anyone imagined these bikes would still be on the road 50 years later. Here's mine - 1972 CB 450 Honda:

That bike looks like it is in incredible condition.

[Pat001]

That bike looks like it is in incredible condition.

The photo makes it look better than it really is. There's lots of patina on the engine case, and the frame has some rust on it, but it runs like a new bike. It's un-restored except I swapped the original turn signal and brake like bulbs for LEDs for safety.

[shovelhead]

Late 60's, Honda House of Farmington. Dave's Cycle, Grand River and Middlebelt. Southwestern Cycle, W.Chicago and Prairie, Detroit. Some small independent shop on Eight Mile near Livernois, this was 1969. Moore's Motorsport [[Suzuki) in South Lyon. Village Cycle, Eight Mile west of Evergreen, Detroit. Yosemite Sam's, custom painting, on Fenkell east of Greenfield about 1971. Another poster here mentioned Finch's Custom in Orion Twp, before that he was on Montcalm in Pontiac, again late 60's. Northland Honda, Eight Mile near the Lodge. Wonderland Honda, Plymouth Rd. in Livonia. Going up north to the West Branch area for BSA's there was Flint BSA, Linwood Cycle Sales in Linwood and Gildner's [[today H-D only) in West Branch. All needed for breakdowns on the road. Ask me about wire harness repairs alongside M-76 between West Branch and St. Helen sometime.......

[shovelhead]

Hey, Ray1936.

Fall 1969, At 17 I was on my BSA on a Saturday morning going to pick up my at the time girlfriend to take her riding. As I'm at the light on Grand River at Greenfield the motor officer next to me blipped his throttle. I looked over, he pointed towards Hubbell and said "Should we give them a show?" his meaning the shoppers at that intersection. I looked at him with I imagine a quizzical look on my face! I said "Sure", light changed and we both hammered it for a couple of blocks. As I turned on Marlowe a horn toot and a wave!

That wasn't you, was it?

[Bigb23]

Here's mine - 1972 CB 450 Honda:

Thanks - My new wallpaper. What's the tank emblem? Front disc instead of drum? That color green has been my favorite vehicle color for my entire lifetime.

[lpg]

Thanks - My new wallpaper. What's the tank emblem? Front disc instead of drum? That color green has been my favorite vehicle color for my entire lifetime.

My first bike was a 1970 CB450 K3. It also had a disc brake in the front.