Walking into St. Joseph Harley Davidson is like stepping into a second home for motorcycle enthusiasts. The sunlight gleaming off chrome and the subtle smell of leather and oil set the mind at ease as the day’s to-do list slips away. And the staff, eager to help, feels like extended family. Strolling through the shop at any given time, one hears conversations about parts, modifications, and the history of engines and different models. Customers and staff lean over the service counter, thumbing through a catalog or looking at a part. Others, surrounded by apparel in the clothing section, describe their last ride while others hover over a new bike. A shiny dream on the showroom floor. For those lucky enough to purchase a brand-new Harley, staff are ready to serve their finance needs in one of the offices along the back wall.
It’s easy to immerse oneself in the cultural phenomenon that is Harley. Historical pictures line the wall, and old, long, retired bikes sit on platforms next to framed documents describing their significance. A cruiser here, and a race bike there, ridden by Dewey McCreary or a photograph of Susie, his wife and founding partner, straddling her own Harley Sportster. And, of course, the rows of new bikes lined up in the middle of the floor sit like beacons shrouded in these origin stories. Some, like the Heritage Classic, are a tribute to the past, while others, like the adventure bikes or the new Sportster, blend the contemporary with the classic for a new look.
For Dewey and Susie, the journey with Harley started in 1963. Dewey worked full-time as a mechanic at…read more