Old Detroit Motorcycle Shops

[shovelhead]

I've only purchased three bikes from dealers. The '67 Suzuki 50 and the '67 BSA, both new from dealers. The BSA I bought in '68, I liked the 67 much better than the 68 due to the changes they made that year to the gas tank and emblem and the front brake with that gaudy chrome cover. The third, my at present '02 FLHTPI, an Ex Wayne County Sheriff bike came in off lease in '03 when I worked at Motor City. Still have it, my daily rider. I have to go to the left coast and pick up a bike, my friend gave me his Suzuki K15 street and trail bike. That is going to be another project in line.

[Dan Wesson]

what was the name of the motorcycle detailing place that was on grratiot near 6 mile road. I remember one time the building was painted a maroon color trimmed in white

abc?

[CassTechGrad]

The 1966 film “The Wild Angels” was on the other night. I remember seeing it at the Bel-Air drive-in on 8 Mile along with all the other motorcycle movies that came out after it. Nancy was a babe and she had a #1 hit, “Theses boots are made for walkin’”. Peter Fonda just died a few months ago. After that, everybody wanted to ride a big chopper with a springer front end, ape hangers, and with a sissy bar for your mamma, especially me.

[shovelhead]

A couple of friends had real choppers, Panhead and Knuckleheads in the late 60's. I had to contend with building my British bikes.

[lpg]

I rode with my brother-in-law and his brother-in-law. Both had hardtail choppers. Both Panheads. When I saw them bouncing along with only the air in the tires for suspension I thought naw. I'l stick with real suspension. Another friend had a Triumph Bonneville with a 6 over springer on it. Handled a little strange at low speed.

[shovelhead]

I hope all that had posted in this thread have enjoyed this as much as I have.

[lpg]

Found a receipt from Fun-on-Wheels Rent-a Cycle. Main office was on Woodward in Royal Oak. I rented a small Suzuki from a branch store in Southgate. $5.50 per hour in 1966.

[ddaydetroit]

The small shops that sell Harley parts have pretty much disappeared in the last 20 years, Years ago you bought a Harley without the bells and whistles and low horsepower first thing you did was put some chrome on it change the cam, carb and pipes.

Years ago I would pull up to a biker event and everyone checked out each others bikes to see how you personally customized it and looked at the speedometer to see if you actually rode it now they come right from the showroom with a fancy paint job, chrome and extra horsepower if you want a bare bones bike so you can fix it up they way you want it the salesman doesn't even want to talk to you.

most of the new full dressers run between 30K to 50K I'll stick with my 1984 evo lowrider

[lpg]

The small shops that sell Harley parts have pretty much disappeared in the last 20 years, Years ago you bought a Harley without the bells and whistles and low horsepower first thing you did was put some chrome on it change the cam, carb and pipes.

Years ago I would pull up to a biker event and everyone checked out each others bikes to see how you personally customized it and looked at the speedometer to see if you actually rode it now they come right from the showroom with a fancy paint job, chrome and extra horsepower if you want a bare bones bike so you can fix it up they way you want it the salesman doesn't even want to talk to you.

most of the new full dressers run between 30K to 50K I'll stick with my 1984 evo lowrider

Remember Parts Galore on Ford Road west of Telegraph ? A supermarket of motorcycle parts.

[softailrider]

The small shops that sell Harley parts have pretty much disappeared in the last 20 years, Years ago you bought a Harley without the bells and whistles and low horsepower first thing you did was put some chrome on it change the cam, carb and pipes.

Years ago I would pull up to a biker event and everyone checked out each others bikes to see how you personally customized it and looked at the speedometer to see if you actually rode it now they come right from the showroom with a fancy paint job, chrome and extra horsepower if you want a bare bones bike so you can fix it up they way you want it the salesman doesn't even want to talk to you.

most of the new full dressers run between 30K to 50K I'll stick with my 1984 evo lowrider

Prices for new Harleys are obscene. Dealers seem to be discounting MSRP somewhat. On the other hand, used Harley prices are pretty low. They’re great bikes, they last a long time.

[Ray1936]

Prices for new Harleys are obscene. Dealers seem to be discounting MSRP somewhat. On the other hand, used Harley prices are pretty low. They’re great bikes, they last a long time.

Back in 1968 I had a 1958 DPD Harley that gave me no trouble at all. Cried a bit when the City sold it off. Kick start, hand clutch, foot shift. A real suicide machine. But I sure enjoyed my time on it. Sigh.

[shovelhead]

Ray1936,

Wow, I'm kind of surprised that DPD had a 58 bike still in service after ten years, there's a 65 Biscayne/Bel Air parked on the opposite side of the street there. That being a Panhead motor, the last year those were built was 1965. Also for trivia, 1965 was the first year for electric starters, hence the name Electra Glide. In 1968 I had a bid list of bikes that DPD was auctioning off, those were pretty "experienced" [[a nice way of saying beat) from what I remember and they were going for some impressive at the time money, probably to all the chopper builders as that was all the rage then.

Another question, what years were DPD motors painted silver? That was a restricted color by Harley Davidson to police fleets for a number of years. Later years, by the 1970's the fleet was Birch White.

Somewhere I have one of Skip's memorial cards, it has a photo of him on his motor unit, mid to late 70's it was taken if memory is correct.

[Ray1936]

Ray1936,

Another question, what years were DPD motors painted silver? That was a restricted color by Harley Davidson to police fleets for a number of years. Later years, by the 1970's the fleet was Birch White.

They were silver in the late 40's and early 50's. I think they turned to white about 1955 or 1956. And prior to the silver they were dark blue. Not so hot for night time, I'd say.

[shovelhead]

Ray, thank you

[shovelhead]

One of my cousins had a silver DPD bike, probably about 61-62 era after he got out of the army. I do remember the shape of the frame, it was a rigid. If memory is correct it had some small gold number decals on the rear fender.

[lpg]

I remember when Bright Kawasaki occupied all those storefronts on Dix in Lincoln Park before they built the new building and renamed it Bright Motorsports.

[shovelhead]

Roy Nicholson owned Nicholson Motors, in the late 60's his shop was on the northwest corner of First and Liberty Streets, just down the block from India Motorcycle Sales I previously mentioned and near the present day Blind Pig on First Street in Ann Arbor. I remember him selling Triumphs there, he expanded and later sold Kawasaki's and maybe Yamahas. Roy also later owned American Harley Davidson and opened Brighton Harley Davidson "Shop", the shop designation was when H-D would let an established dealer open another dealership as a satellite store, limited inventory of bikes and with a service and parts department. He later sold both stores after Brighton became a full service dealership. American closed 2009, all activity there was transferred to Brighton Harley, that store closed the end of September, all activity there was absorbed by Motor City Harley Davidson.

[softailrider]

What was the name of the motorcycle detailing place that was on Grratiot near 6 mile road. I remember one time the building was painted a maroon color trimmed in white

If you’re referring to the building that was across the street from the Wendy’s on Gratiot, I think that dealership was Richards Kawasaki or Yamaha or something like that. It was mostly a crotch rocket type of dealership. Pretty sure that building is still there.

[stasu1213]

If you’re referring to the building that was across the street from the Wendy’s on Gratiot, I think that dealership was Richards Kawasaki or Yamaha or something like that. It was mostly a crotch rocket type of dealership. Pretty sure that building is still there.

No. I know about those Kawasaki and Yamaha dealers that were across from Wendy’s. They had sold regular Yamahas and Kawasaki’s way before the croutch rockets came into existence which were 20 years ago. This place was further north but on the same side of Gratiot. I think that it were a bank years and years ago before becoming a motorcycle detailing business.

[lpg]

There was a shop on Sibley East of Allen road that sold Harley Davidson's. I think the name was Freedom Cycles.

[Pat001]

HD business has changed since the 1990s when people had to line up the night before the HD dealership opened so they could order their new HD. Even King Hussein of Jordan had to order his and wait for delivery.

[shovelhead]

HD business has changed since the 1990s when people had to line up the night before the HD dealership opened so they could order their new HD. Even King Hussein of Jordan had to order his and wait for delivery.

That started during the 2003 model run, expended build time so "everyone who wants an Anniversary Bike gets one". Add a mid decade slowdown and a Recession a couple of years later and you can guess the rest.

[softailrider]

That started during the 2003 model run, expended build time so "everyone who wants an Anniversary Bike gets one". Add a mid decade slowdown and a Recession a couple of years later and you can guess the rest.

To me, historically speaking, HD’s anniversary model are usually ugly colors.